Well Worn
Well Worn
Well Worn
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Jun, 2014Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in my library. I collect books (my husband might use the word "hoard"), including antique books. The book pictured here is a copy of Sherwood Anderson's Notebook published in 1926, a collection of short nonfiction pieces that contains an essay on photographer Alfred Stieglitz, for whom Anderson had great respect.Time
The sun streams into my library every morning, which is when this photo was taken.Lighting
The strong early morning or late afternoon sunlight in Southern California is my main source of lighting. This angled, directional light emphasizes a subject dramatically while the background remains in shade. I will sometimes use exposure compensation to make the background even darker, adding even more dramatic emphasis that encourages the viewer to see even the most ordinary subject in a new way.Equipment
I shoot with a Canon T2i, and in the case of this image, I used a 24-70mm lens mounted on a tripod.Inspiration
Like most of my photos, it's all about capturing the light. The subject is often just an object that captures my attention because of the way the light plays across its surface. There are times when I'm walking through a room, the back yard, or walking down a street, and the way the light shines on something will stop me in my tracks. In the case of this image, I stopped to capture the way the light illuminated worn corners of this old, well-worn book.Editing
I try to do as little post-processing as possible, but I'll certainly crop an image, sharpen it a bit, or adjust lights and darks when appropriate. I use a combination of Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop Elements.In my camera bag
My camera bag has become a regular part of my wardrobe, but it usually only contains the camera and whatever lens I'm using at the moment. Sometimes I will pack my macro (100mm) or wide angle lenses. Then there are the backup batteries and extra cards, which are always in the bag. Depending on whether I'm going on a deliberate shoot where I may not be able to get very close to a subject (like the zoo), I'll bring my 70-200mm zoom lens.Feedback
Directional lighting, whether natural or artificial, is the best lighting to create a dramatic effect or to highlight a subject or part of a subject. The dark background may often already be dark, depending on the position of the subject, but I make the background darker sometimes by using exposure compensation. I'll also, when necessary, use a black backdrop, whether it's a piece of black material (I may use one of my husband's black t-shirts) or black cardboard.
