ALIEN MOUNTAINSCAPE - DSCN9508
I take what I photograph out of the environment in which it exists, creating something entirely new.
I take what I photograph out of the environment in which it exists, creating something entirely new.
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Dec, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken in an alley in Los Angeles. I found it on the side of a dumpster.Time
It was taken about midday but in the shade.Lighting
I generally like to shoot at dusk and dawn so the light is naturally filtered. The subject matter I shoot is rich in color but only in soft light. In harsh daylight, it seems to flatten out tones and subtle changes in colors.Equipment
I use a Nikon COOLPIX P80 with a built in macro lens. I hardly ever use flash. Actually, I consider myself an artist who uses a camera, rather than a technical photographer. I am self-taught, trying different settings, different filtering techniques, and so on, until I get something I like. I compose nearly everything in the camera monitor, as I don't like to crop and what I see is generally a story so it needs to be captured as I see it fully, not put together later.Inspiration
I shoot what astounds me or makes me laugh. I see alien landscapes, otherworldly beings, characters, multi-dimensional environments and those who inhabit what we cannot see. I guess I am inspired by my imagination and my belief that "normal" is simply what one is accustomed to. There is no boundary to creativity.Editing
I will adjust exposure, saturation, contrast and sharpness, if needed to bring out or enhance what I see. I don't arrange, clean or even touch what I shoot. It is as I find it with some minor enhancements once it's in the computer.In my camera bag
I don't carry a bag with me. I may take a piece of trash, tissue paper I find in the alley in which I am shooting or reflective material to bounce light, but I use whatever is provided by the environment, just as I shoot that which I am drawn to. When I go out shooting, I spend time before I pick up the camera to clear my mind of expectation, of repetitive comments or judgements by me or others, about what is liked or considered acceptable, even desired. I strive to allow the work to come through me rather than for me to contrive, manipulate or otherwise attempt to control.Feedback
Trust your eye and your instinct. No one sees the same way you do. Strive to amplify the uniqueness of your expression. How you see is your gift to the world. Don't dilute it by trying to be like anyone else.
