Category Archives: Black and White

Beautiful Simplicity

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ISO 200 55mm f/7.1 1/60sec

Our crazy weather is back on to melting the snow once more, and its actually quit interesting that with everything covered in a white blanket the last week, the absence of snow has re-heightened my vision of interest around me. As if I had a brief vacation from the normal world and was returning to experience it once again. Adding highlights to the scenes around us the gentle lines of remaining snow reminds us not to forget what season we are in. These quick shifts in weather provide opening for gratitude and appreciation of what we encounter on a day to day basis, whether it be a beautiful winter wonder scene or the often overlooked “works of art” that lies in everyday places the contrasting elements add more dimension to our lives.

Among other things, Im a sucker for simplicity, geometric shapes and architecture and when they come together I get really really excited! I absolutely love everything in this scene! I love the two brief highlights of snow, the simple rectangles, triangles and the circle especially. On top of that the cropping of the scene leaves the sky in the same diagonally cut rectangle shape as the different cinder blocks that make up the top portion of the wall. The texture of the cement helps break it free from the overcast sky, and the inside roofing of the building just about looks like it doesn’t belong. In my mind I picture a parallel world through the hole and cant help but to want to peak through. And of course I love the blue within the ring of the circle, probably one of my all time fav shades of blue. Its such a simple scene yet it holds so much detail and  has quit the story to tell. At least thats my thought ;)

Deep in Thought

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ISO 1600 50mm f/2.0 1/8sec

Tonight I decided to play around with this Canon EF 50mm 1.8 prime lens Im borrowing, and so far I find it a bit quirky. I think it may be just this lens, because I’ve heard some excellent reviews and heard of some amazing results, but every time I try shooting with it, it is extremely inconsistent (which was the same complaint the owner of the lens had as well). The exposure levels are all over the board, I could be shooting the exact same scene, same settings and all and it will be a stop or more under-exposed versus the last shot. Its almost like its self bracketing. So far I would almost just assume shoot with my 18-55 and not have to deal with the hassel. But then again all of this could just be my lack of experience with it, and I do plan on taking it out more to see if I can get it figured out. Its a good lens and it has its purpose, and I do love the fact that it makes you think about your shots more, but sometimes I just think this particular one is a bit quirky haha.

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Dancing Lights

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ISO 200 55mm f/7  1/160 sec

Its scenes like this that bring me so much pleasure when exploring the city architecture. One of the things I look for, just like in my photo from earlier this week, is the reflections in the windows of the buildings I pass, but often its not the reflections in but the reflections from the windows that creates great beauty.

I often try to visit the city as the sun is starting to call it a day, as it falls in the sky it truly brings the city to life and unleashes its true character. The light being reflected almost has the idea that its dancing and enjoying its weekend after a long cold grueling work week of going un-noticed as office workers look through them and take advantage of all that they do. They turn this wall into a big screen cinematic experience as they sway back and forth, changing shapes and sizes with each passing minute, trying to get the most out of the sun light they have left for the day. Soon after, the sun will have snuck off to share its light with other panes, and these windows will only have the company of street lights and the passing traffic.

Domino wall

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ISO 500 4.28mm f/2.4 1/15sec

Lately I’ve been trying to retrain myself to shoot more with my iphone when I don’t have my Canon with me (which is actually a funny sentence to read if you didn’t know I was talking about photography haha). I’ve grown so accustom to my big bad dslr that I tend to forget that the iPhone packs a mean camera as well. My goal is to get to the point that Im shoot literally thousands of pictures a day. They say you have to have around 10,000 hours  into something before you can truly master it. Well its going to be some time before I hit that, but getting in thousands of shots a day will get me there faster.

Theres something about finding amazement in so many things through out the day that… well amazes me. Like I’ve said in recent exposures, I love finding beauty and interest in things that people often take for granted and pass by every single day. I love connecting stories with a scene, even if the story seems so disconnected at first. As a creative I love letting my imagination run free throughout the day.

As the title of the photo suggests, when I looked at this wall I immediately seen the domino, the great chinese game that my loving Grandma would try to teach me time and time again. But of course being the hyperactive kid that I was, I would instead turn the dining room table into a striped maze of 2in x 1in white and black blocks that would wake anyone trying to get an afternoon nap in when they finally came crashing down, launching a good handful of them off the table. I was half tempted to give the wall a good shove to see if it would budge taking anything in its path out as it would flip down the stairs behind it. I wonder if the designer of this structure had similar childhood memories in mind when he created this wall?

Old Dodge

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ISO 200 29mm f/6.3 1/200 sec

This beautifully decayed and run down Dodge pickup is right down the street from my house. I spotted it just a few days ago and have been excited to shoot it. I love the looks of grungy run down vehicles, something about seeing something that was once worth a good deal of money, now sitting as a lawn ornament hardly worth 300 bucks for scrap. It reminds us that true value is not in our possessions but in the other beauties of life.

The farm decal on the side of the truck brings to my imagination that at one point this truck probably did its fair share of work on the farm. I picture the timeline of the truck from its fresh beginning as a beautiful blue chromed out pickup on the lot, through the dings and scratches of farm life, to the retired wore out heap of scrap metal that most all vehicles someday become. But, even though he may be run down, he still stands tall and welcomes guests at the gate as they approach the farm.

Birds of a feather

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ISO 400 220mm f/5.6 1/500sec

I love the beauty in simple. And this to me definitely has this beauty. About 6 or 7 feet to the left was a group of birds all standing by one another, at least 15 or so occupying all 3 lines. Yet these three are off on their own separated from the pack. Did they leave the pack or did the pack leave them? The bottom bird looks in the opposite direction even, as if to good to give attention to the rest. Or is it shame?

Like I said I love the simplicity of this shot, with a tad of interest with the bottom bird breaking up the rhythm a bit by looking off to the side.

Beautiful Symmetry

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ISO 800 109mm f/5.0 1/8sec

There’s starting to be a reoccurring theme in my photos right now, and that is in Street/Urban photography. I promise variety is in store for future shoots, but I can’t deny I do love the beauty of shots taken in town. We often walk by these frames in real life and tune them out as some sort of white noise. I love bringing these things back into focus and taking time to truly appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

I love the Heraldic like crest in between these two archways, which adds a subtle sense of interest and elegance. It beautifully contrasts the common geometric shapes that surround it. The empty flag stand to the left sparks my creative wonder of, if this were a building of royalty and elegance, which flag would hang there. hmm..

Fresh Snow

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ISO 200 135mm f/5.6 1/50sec

In starting this project, I swore to myself that my first photo wasn’t going to be a personal shot of friends or family. Well, as you can see, heres my girlfriend. haha. I just had to use this shot because it worked out so beautifully that during our photo walk it started snowing. This winter has been something strange for Michigan as we approached the new year with only two recent snowfalls, both of which were rather wimpy for Michigan standards. But as they say in with the fresh year in with the fresh snow… actually I don’t know anyone who says that but it sounded good at the moment. Anyways, were walking around and it starts to snow so were trying to hurry up and get some good shots in before my camera gets a fresh coating of deadly snow over top of it, when I turn around and here she is trying to catch the snow on her tongue. Such a organic moment caught on camera, it trumped every other photo I took for the day. So here she is, my lovely girlfriend Michelle in her debut photo in my project. Im sure this wont be the last time she ends up in one of my posts.