The Tips: Perspective

In life as well as in art, perspective is a very valuable thing.

Framing & your zoom lens are two of the most powerful tools in your arsenal for taking great photos.  Sometimes it's best just to try and capture the scene in front of you as is, such as a landscape or a wider architectural shot or a skyline.

Blue Ridge Mountains; near Asheville, NC

Venus flytraps; Chapel Hill, NC

Other times, zooming in can shift the entire dynamic of the photo, where you can make the big seem small, the small seem big, or highlight the details that would otherwise be overlooked.

Riverfront Bench; Elizabeth City, NC

When I was a kid, I used to get a magazine where the back cover was an extremely zoomed photo of something; the puzzle was to guess what it was.  It was usually something innocuous, like a zipper or the wing of a bird, but it was my favorite part.  I'd like to think those puzzles helped lay the groundwork for my photography style, as I get really excited about finding those minor details that pack major visual punch.


Shifting your framing & employing your zoom can help make a good picture a great picture.  You may also need to be a little adventurous with your positioning: could that picture be better if you climbed up/over something or crouched under to peer through something else?  (Of course, be sure that you are always keeping an eye on your own safety, as well as honoring laws & regulations!)  Walk around your subjects if you can; you may find your own photo puzzle.

Flaming Wing; NC Zoo; Asheboro, NC

The Projects: Portraiture with Ashley Memory

Over the past few months, I've posted a few times about events for my friend Ashley Memory and her upcoming novel, Naked & Hungry.  

While working with Ashley on stock photography projects, she asked me if I'd consider doing some headshots to assist in promoting her novel.  As you can see from my collections, I'm not exactly a portrait photographer - and I don't really see myself going in that direction at the moment - but it sounded like a good way to expand my skill set and get some experience with a very sympathetic and understanding client. 

We've done several morning shoots, with locations including the NC Arboretum and the Forest Theater on the UNC campus, as well as Ashley's house in Pittsboro with gorgeous fall foliage as a backdrop.  We've gotten a little more adventurous each time and our third session at the Forest Theater produced the author's photo for her book cover.

In addition to the skill development side of things, this has also given me some of my favorite shots, even if they're not going on any book jackets any time soon. 

The Shots: Sunset Arch, Abbey Road at the Arch, and Leaves & Steel

In addition to Gateway Stroll, I snagged some other great shots while in St. Louis last year.  While writing my previous STL entry, I discovered that the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial was holding a photo contest.  I sent off my entries and hoped for the best.

I was recently notified that three of my photos were selected as Honorable Mention recipients, one in each category.  I am beyond thrilled to be included with so many other great photographers.

Here are the selected entries:

Architecture: Sunset Arch

Landscape: Abbey Road at the Arch

Nature: Leaves & Steel

Hurricane Irene

Here in the Research Triangle, we're on the western edges of the storm, contending with mostly winds and the occasional downpour.  We have some power outages, maybe some creeks or ponds will break their banks, but for the most part, this will probably be just another day to hunker down and then we'll go back to living our normal lives tomorrow after the cloud bands have passed us by.

Further east, it is a different story.  Making landfall near Cape Lookout, Irene is marching across the eastern third of the state, wreaking havoc on the Outer Banks, the sounds, and the small towns that dot the landscape.

Our Governor Bev Perdue summed it up best:

"We're preparing for the worst & praying for the best.  That's what we do here in North Carolina."

The Events: Naked & Hungry at the Spa at Bell House

This past Friday, Spa at Bell House in Pittsboro, NC hosted my friend Ashley Memory for another reading from her upcoming novel, Naked & Hungry.  Spa at Bell House offers a variety of services to provide complete wellness care and those in attendance received chair massages to help unwind & be ready for an evening of literary entertainment.

As we sat on the charming front porch, enjoying sweets, sweet tea, and each others' sweet company, Ashley read us a pair of passages featuring the character of Margaret, a high-strung gal who so desperately needs a day to kick back and relax.

In case you missed it, mark your calendar for October 21 when Ashley returns to Spa at Bell House, this time with crepes.