70. Magazine Cover Photo - October 12-18, 2014
Deron-
This is my back up photo. With work and cycling, I sometimes find it hard to find the time to shoot what I really want. With that being said, I'm happy with this effort.
This is my back up photo. With work and cycling, I sometimes find it hard to find the time to shoot what I really want. With that being said, I'm happy with this effort.
Paul-
I have to give Deron kudos. Seriously. Not only does he take terrific photographs—and it wouldn’t surprise me if he took them immediately after a 100-mile ride—but he has come up with a theme against which most of those I have submitted pale by comparison. Who amongst us wouldn’t love to see one of ours photos on the cover of a magazine—real or imagined? And this week’s theme leaves the selection of the image and the publication wide open! Bravo, Deron. (He said enviously.) Okay, enough of this kowtowing to some youngster. Back to the details….
There’s only one violin shop in the teeming metropolis of Lincoln. It’s called…well, The Violin Shop. I think they could have conjured up something with a little more cache, but there’s no mistaking that this place is the real deal. Row upon row of violins, violas, cellos, double basses, and more bows than you could shake a stick at (sorry). The whole place smelled of wood—not lumber or paneling, mind you—I mean wood. Crafted and carved wood. Varnished and stained wood, Shaved and sanded wood. And here and there: rosin, horsehair, gut, strange-looking tools, wood working templates, and lots of violin curios.
I used to play violin, as did my daughter (who was with me in the store), so I naturally gravitated to those first. One of the co-owners was very nice about letting me take down any of the $7000.00-to-$10,000.00 violins for a series of shots, but asked that I let him know before I handled any of the expensive instruments hanging on a higher shelf. I left those alone. The different sizes, condition, and finishes of the instruments made me wonder what stories they might tell.
But there was no denying the glory of the cellos and double basses at the front of the store. They stood like wood and string sentinels—almost daring someone accomplished enough to draw a bow across them. The richness of their colors, their imposing size (never seen one in a marching band have you?), the beautiful, almost sensuous curves that defined their form really drew me in. I finally settled on a grouping of cellos that were displayed in such a way that I could frame a shot that highlighted parts of each. Save for the glare coming in from the late afternoon sun, I like this image very much. Even the small scratches in the wood attest more to loving use than bad condition.
I took the liberty of submitting how my photograph might look with magazine copy superimposed, As there are several respected magazines that cover bowed instruments--Strad probably being near the top of the list if the word “fiddle” is not in your vocabulary--I thought I would add a fictitious one to the mix.
Our story so far…
The sugar and red maples of northern Minnesota were in full blush as the autumn progressed. Their bright colors a lovely splash of contrast against an azure sky and the encroaching pines. Hundreds thronged to see them—to collect their leaves, watch children jump in mountains of parchment-like piles and, for camera enthusiasts, capture their seasonal beauty in photographs that would be poured over (with no small measure of melancholy) later when the snows fell. Everyone came. Everyone but a certain P. Hoffman who, in booking a flight to Duluth to shoot the resplendent foliage, failed to realize there was also a Duluth, Georgia. Which is where he ended up…shooting pictures of bruised peaches and struggling with the local patois. Not even his Olympus E-500 (with the 14-45mm lens)—set to ASA 400, a shutter speed of 1/13 sec, and an f-stop of 7.1--could console him.
I have to give Deron kudos. Seriously. Not only does he take terrific photographs—and it wouldn’t surprise me if he took them immediately after a 100-mile ride—but he has come up with a theme against which most of those I have submitted pale by comparison. Who amongst us wouldn’t love to see one of ours photos on the cover of a magazine—real or imagined? And this week’s theme leaves the selection of the image and the publication wide open! Bravo, Deron. (He said enviously.) Okay, enough of this kowtowing to some youngster. Back to the details….
There’s only one violin shop in the teeming metropolis of Lincoln. It’s called…well, The Violin Shop. I think they could have conjured up something with a little more cache, but there’s no mistaking that this place is the real deal. Row upon row of violins, violas, cellos, double basses, and more bows than you could shake a stick at (sorry). The whole place smelled of wood—not lumber or paneling, mind you—I mean wood. Crafted and carved wood. Varnished and stained wood, Shaved and sanded wood. And here and there: rosin, horsehair, gut, strange-looking tools, wood working templates, and lots of violin curios.
I used to play violin, as did my daughter (who was with me in the store), so I naturally gravitated to those first. One of the co-owners was very nice about letting me take down any of the $7000.00-to-$10,000.00 violins for a series of shots, but asked that I let him know before I handled any of the expensive instruments hanging on a higher shelf. I left those alone. The different sizes, condition, and finishes of the instruments made me wonder what stories they might tell.
But there was no denying the glory of the cellos and double basses at the front of the store. They stood like wood and string sentinels—almost daring someone accomplished enough to draw a bow across them. The richness of their colors, their imposing size (never seen one in a marching band have you?), the beautiful, almost sensuous curves that defined their form really drew me in. I finally settled on a grouping of cellos that were displayed in such a way that I could frame a shot that highlighted parts of each. Save for the glare coming in from the late afternoon sun, I like this image very much. Even the small scratches in the wood attest more to loving use than bad condition.
I took the liberty of submitting how my photograph might look with magazine copy superimposed, As there are several respected magazines that cover bowed instruments--Strad probably being near the top of the list if the word “fiddle” is not in your vocabulary--I thought I would add a fictitious one to the mix.
Our story so far…
The sugar and red maples of northern Minnesota were in full blush as the autumn progressed. Their bright colors a lovely splash of contrast against an azure sky and the encroaching pines. Hundreds thronged to see them—to collect their leaves, watch children jump in mountains of parchment-like piles and, for camera enthusiasts, capture their seasonal beauty in photographs that would be poured over (with no small measure of melancholy) later when the snows fell. Everyone came. Everyone but a certain P. Hoffman who, in booking a flight to Duluth to shoot the resplendent foliage, failed to realize there was also a Duluth, Georgia. Which is where he ended up…shooting pictures of bruised peaches and struggling with the local patois. Not even his Olympus E-500 (with the 14-45mm lens)—set to ASA 400, a shutter speed of 1/13 sec, and an f-stop of 7.1--could console him.
Jerry-
I set my camera to "vivid" color and it made my '99 Civic look like it had a new paint job - no scratches, rust, or dents showed. Amazing. The magazine I found via Google and then removed the photos and added my own stuff.
D5200 with 16-85mm at 25mm, f11 at 1/500, ISO 400
I set my camera to "vivid" color and it made my '99 Civic look like it had a new paint job - no scratches, rust, or dents showed. Amazing. The magazine I found via Google and then removed the photos and added my own stuff.
D5200 with 16-85mm at 25mm, f11 at 1/500, ISO 400
Kevin-
As is far too common, I had the perfect idea in mind, then had to scramble when my intended subject cancelled at the last minute. So instead I had to go to the studio to capture the cover image of a new magazine, UnPopular Photography.
I set up my four studio strobes to light the image. One was for the red seamless background, two were positioned behind, and on either side of, the Nikon D3s subject to give the camera some rim light and one more was in a giant softbox in front as the key light.
Nikon D4s, tripod mounted. 105mm f/2.8 lens. ISO 100, f/8 at 4 seconds. The long exposure allowed me, in total darkness, to first trigger the D4s shutter which fired the studio strobes and also gave me time to reach in and trigger the D3s subject camera so that the shoe-mounted flash on top would also fire visibly before the shutter closed.
As is far too common, I had the perfect idea in mind, then had to scramble when my intended subject cancelled at the last minute. So instead I had to go to the studio to capture the cover image of a new magazine, UnPopular Photography.
I set up my four studio strobes to light the image. One was for the red seamless background, two were positioned behind, and on either side of, the Nikon D3s subject to give the camera some rim light and one more was in a giant softbox in front as the key light.
Nikon D4s, tripod mounted. 105mm f/2.8 lens. ISO 100, f/8 at 4 seconds. The long exposure allowed me, in total darkness, to first trigger the D4s shutter which fired the studio strobes and also gave me time to reach in and trigger the D3s subject camera so that the shoe-mounted flash on top would also fire visibly before the shutter closed.
Byron-
Later in the week was a beautiful day. Maybe the last of the season. I was walking in Elm Creek Park. I came across this scene and it just looked like a magazine cover, so I took a picture. There are 2 joggers visible way at the other end of this trail.
My lens was set at 32mm, f/5.6 at 1/125 sec.
Later in the week was a beautiful day. Maybe the last of the season. I was walking in Elm Creek Park. I came across this scene and it just looked like a magazine cover, so I took a picture. There are 2 joggers visible way at the other end of this trail.
My lens was set at 32mm, f/5.6 at 1/125 sec.