Frozen Face
Feb, 2016Views
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MaryMac711
February 24, 2016
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
scottedwards
March 29, 2016
Thanks for the welcome, Mary! Appreciate that. Uh, funny me, I just deleted someone else's welcome, freshman that I am... :)
Ove_Christensen
April 16, 2016
Wonderful winter capture. Welcome to ViewBug. Looking forward to seeing more of your images.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photograph was taken on a rocky shoreline on Lake Michigan, near a cemetery, right where Chicago meets Evanston, Illinois, bordering to the north of the city.Time
It was sunrise, January 5, 2016. The temperature had dropped to 17F but the sun had risen, so perhaps it was 18F... ;) Why would a human being get out of a warm car with a full, piping hot cup of coffee accompanying them and plunge into into what seems the polar regions? Especially when one often takes gloves off in freezing weather to properly operate one's camera? Why?! For the love of photography and all the possibilities it brings. Because these individuals feel called to share life (nature, people, events, causes, etc.) in glimpses and deep looks. Because it's a way to touch other human beings and discover so much that is often overlooked.Lighting
My initial goal was simply to shoot the sunrise and explore the light qualities of sky meeting water. But alas I saw these icicles further below and crawled down into the space to see what might be seen. The light was far more brilliant and inviting through the complex maze of ice.Equipment
Handheld... no gloves... Sony A7R2 with a 35mm 1.4 Sony/Zeiss Distagon, a gem of a lens.Inspiration
A simple sunrise that ended up offering so much more... That, coupled with the desire to reach other people through photography - and to get them to dream and get out of their daily routine.... to look further and deeper!Editing
I typically use Capture One to process an image. I love the sharpness and clarity it delivers. I also find it draws upon shadows with a touch more reach and range than competing programs. Sometimes, I'll bring a photo into Photoshop when I want to change or transform elements. This pic received very minimal attention in post processing. Just wanted to get color and light right.In my camera bag
I shoot with a Sony A7R2 and carry both old and new with me... Typically, I carry the Sony/Zeiss Distagon 35 1.4 (this image), the Zeiss Batis 85 1.8 which is an exceptional lens for portraits and other opportunities, and I just picked up the new Sony/Zeiss Planar 50 1.4, which appears to be a gem of a lens (shot with it this past weekend so stay tuned!). I also LOVE VINTAGE and have been getting into old lens with some gusto, so I'll carry one or two of the following... a 1959 Leica Summaron 35 2.8 picked up last month (really quite sharp and amazing spectacles of light/bokeh are found with this lens and can't wait to do a comparo with the Distagon 35 1.4), a 1971 Nikkor 24 2.8, which has surprised me with its quite reasonable clarity, and two 1970-something vintage Minolta lens (the Minolta Rokkor X MD 50 1.4 and an older 135 2.8, which I just used in a photomerger for one of my first commercial shoots). Did I mention I'm about to add the often slighted Leica Summarit 50 1.5? I'll probably regret it but am determined to see how this circa 1950s lens can deliver lovely, soft portraiture. I often carry reflectors and that's it... oh, yes, three batteries for my beloved but energy-sucking Sony... :)Feedback
My best advice is patience, observation and spontaneity when you're out shooting. Keep your eyes peeled. Fall into your own zone of not caring what others might think - shoot what you see and feel. As much as I love gear, all these expenses don't deliver light or circumstances that bring you to the "right" spot or "the moment." When I'm not photographing people, I shoot best when I'm alone and don't have to worry about friends or family. Who, after all, wants to stand next to some fool in freezing weather? A few of my best nature photographs have been taken in subzero weather or predawn hours or only when I've stayed another hour somewhere waiting for better light. That's patience - not genius. That's keeping your options open for spontaneity.
