tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49317974389478666432012-02-16T09:46:50.997-08:00Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4071100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-9661503082211231082010-03-20T05:13:00.000-07:002010-03-20T05:13:09.868-07:00

My "daily photo" blog ends today, but continues on in my "Carol Leigh" blog at http://carolleigh.blogspot.com. Be sure to change your bookmarks, your Google Reader settings, your RSS feeds, etc. and we'll continue to stay in touch. Two blogs was ridiculous -- less is more. -- Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-9555720202602258092010-03-17T13:34:00.000-07:002010-03-17T13:34:42.088-07:00

You never know where you'll find a heart . . . And I'm sure we'll be seeing this one again since I brought it home with me. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-62827495826604328202010-03-15T18:52:00.000-07:002010-03-15T18:52:52.893-07:00

Chris brought flowers home yesterday and so this afternoon I decided to do some photography. I put them up on the kitchen counter and used window light coming from my right to illuminate them. A PhotoFlex diffusion disk/translucent reflector softened the light a bit. I used a 50mm lens and an extension tube, the lens set at f/1.8 for minimum depth of field. Lovely colors. Wonderful guy for

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-21213950451320597772010-03-12T17:21:00.000-08:002010-03-12T17:21:21.905-08:00

A quick stop at the fishing boats, where I photographed primarily texture to use in my photomontages. But across the way, the yellow fishing vessel Desire gleamed brightly against a cloudy grey sky. And then on the way home, we stopped at Seal Rock because the lighting was so dramatic and the waves were really snarly. I used a quarter-second exposure to create these two shots. They're not

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-24625860331176543902010-03-12T16:57:00.000-08:002010-03-12T17:22:03.150-08:00

I wanted to check out an art gallery showing in Newport today and afterward I walked over to the ocean overlook where invariably there are lots of gulls, all looking for handouts. If my lens had focused closer than four feet, I could have gotten even closer to this guy -- he was fearless. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-37844205340453162282010-03-10T18:30:00.000-08:002010-03-10T18:30:58.539-08:00

I was experimenting with various textures today and created these two images, one using an algebra book as a background and the other using a dryer sheet that I'd soaked in coffee. Abby's eyes grew wide when she saw the feather, but stayed back when I asked her to. For a change. P.S. The Sacramento Bee interviewed me this afternoon regarding California's wildflower season and asked about where

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-46284183321297478732010-03-07T05:22:00.000-08:002010-03-07T05:22:50.647-08:00

I took a day for myself yesterday, traveling some back roads of Oregon, on my way to an art show featuring recycled materials. Well, the art show was everything that made me uncomfortable -- crowds of people, small spaces, congestion, inability to really see the art, and cellphone talkers blocking corridors: "I'm here at the end of the hall. Can you see me now? No, as you're facing the FRONT of

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-31267431905976728182010-03-05T15:30:00.000-08:002010-03-05T15:30:38.138-08:00

We took a little drive this morning. Not much to shoot, but I did like how the alders this time of year are all bare and white on the hillsides. The scene was too messy for a "straight" photograph, so instead I set my shutter speed to 0.4 seconds and moved the camera up (or down) during the exposure to create a blurred impression of the scene. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-74483356631004809712010-03-03T12:43:00.000-08:002010-03-03T12:43:59.367-08:00

I'm currently teaching a class in how I do my photomontages, so I'm poking around in older photographs, looking at what I've done in the past with new eyes today. These two from New Mexico caught my attention, not for photomontages, necessarily, but because I never processed them. That happens all the time, doesn't it? You go somewhere, return home, process the most obvious, the "best," and then

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-9452193098066422952010-03-03T08:57:00.000-08:002010-03-03T08:57:02.494-08:00

A few days ago I downloaded the new version of Topaz Adjust, Topaz Adjust 4. I opened it up and it looked quite different and so set it aside until yesterday to play with it. Remember the high-key birds from a few days ago? The second photo shows you what I originally did. I then applied the Topaz Adjust 4 "Dark-Ghost" (or maybe it's "Ghost-Dark" -- can't remember) and cropped the photo down

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-45777021151820086562010-03-02T09:44:00.000-08:002010-03-02T09:44:57.611-08:00

This bird was photographed in the fog to begin with, so it didn't take much to pare it down to next to nothing. The original version of this photo is on my blog here: http://carolleighdailyphoto.blogspot.com/2010/01/75-minutes-on-beach.html ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-58680750772445994182010-03-01T09:40:00.000-08:002010-03-01T09:40:50.451-08:00

I'm having fun processing these bird photos. As I mentioned in a previous post, I inadvertently underexposed them by 2/3 stop. They were also in very blue, shady lighting. Here's how I created this effect: I imported the file into Adobe Camera Raw. I slid the "clarity" slider all the way to the left and the "exposure" slider all the way to the right. Brought them into Photoshop and that's it.

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-24003924241645417922010-02-27T14:32:00.000-08:002010-02-27T14:32:52.547-08:00

It was quite the morning for stupidity. I mis-read the tide table, not only the high/low tide part, but also the date! So when I headed out for a quick walk on the beach this morning, I figured the tide was going out. Wrong. It was almost at its height! I managed to stay dry and cut my walk short. At least I wasn't out there during the tsunami!  And then I inadvertently set my exposure

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-39591961911872966672010-02-27T06:29:00.000-08:002010-02-27T06:29:35.717-08:00

All photographic energies right now are going into creating and explaining my photomontage process for my class that begins on Monday, so "regular" photography seems to be on hold for the moment as I continue to critique students' work in my current class, create videos, combine photos, create lessons, and more. My camera is getting a rest while I am getting none. Right now, however, I wouldn't

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-68925047611066244182010-02-21T14:09:00.000-08:002010-02-21T14:09:53.584-08:00

Lines in a local parking lot. Who says you have to go far to create interesting photographs? ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-75388647457106579562010-02-20T13:56:00.000-08:002010-02-20T13:56:24.411-08:00

I've been really sick. And I'm sick of being sick. So today I pretended I was well and went to the beach to photograph. I think it worked. I faked myself out and am now ready to roll. The bluffs that I photograph are incredibly colorful. Even more so when they're in the shade, which is when I do most of my shooting there. My "technique" is to walk along the shade of the bluffs on the first half

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-73704453050545784252010-02-20T05:09:00.000-08:002010-02-20T06:36:13.479-08:00

My last evening in southern California. A very pretty sunset in Encinitas as the sky briefly turned orange and then the sea turned silver. It was a great trip, and I thank everybody who joined me for making it so much fun. And to my gracious and oh-so-patient hosts, you made me feel right at home and so welcome. Thank you. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-35941185300061114042010-02-19T10:37:00.000-08:002010-02-19T10:37:37.553-08:00

Shot through the windshield yesterday. 200mm lens, 1/4 second at f/25, ISO 100. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-42182444697007299492010-02-18T14:17:00.000-08:002010-02-18T14:18:39.527-08:00

I like to be surprised, and while riding as a passenger in a car, shooting through the window, I've got nothing BUT surprises! We had an appointment inland this morning and en route I photographed (1) the pink and blue colors of sunrise at Ona Beach, (2) the soft pastel pink, purple, and green colors of trees in the distance, and then (3) bright sunlight coming through a line of trees. This is

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-20190399374736813252010-02-18T04:50:00.000-08:002010-02-18T04:50:44.310-08:00

Always a pleasure to shoot. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-4865469945122527482010-02-16T14:06:00.000-08:002010-02-16T14:07:56.838-08:00

Outside Mission San Juan Capistrano, cactus plants grow against the mission wall. Bright sunlight created beautiful shadows which I incorporated into the compositions. And then inside the mission grounds, I liked the way bold shadows sliced across a warm yellow wall and added mystery to a deep-set window. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-86334055063024765572010-02-16T08:28:00.000-08:002010-02-16T08:28:03.784-08:00

A morning spent at a nursery in eastern San Diego County always produces cool results, although most of my photos were primarily of texture and tree bark (don't ask). Old cars and trucks and their attendant rust and peeling paint make me hyperventilate. And a display of wrenches sits gleaming with beautiful patina on an old wooden shelf. Suitcases packed into the trunk of an old car provide a bit

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-79697888608851370332010-02-14T19:21:00.000-08:002010-02-14T19:21:27.433-08:00

It was a challenge photographing from the train window, and most of what I shot was awful: burred images through a dirty window. But the view from the train is unique, and so (to me) the pictures were interesting anyway. Here the train is zooming over a lagoon near Carlsbad and I like what I was able to create -- scenery with a sense of movement as well as a bit of clarity. Hoo ha! ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-36862810358385710642010-02-14T11:08:00.000-08:002010-02-14T11:08:22.207-08:00

Train depot in San Diego, California. I used an 18-55mm lens and ISO settings ranging from 100 to 500. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-41185020753251478472010-02-12T17:23:00.000-08:002010-02-12T17:24:38.655-08:00

It was a sunny day in Portland when I arrived at the airport, but we had to wait 4 hours for a window of opportunity to land in San Diego, where it was POURING. I photographed this stack of La Jolla newspapers that featured a downed palm tree blocking the street. A family of three sea lions lounges on the rocks at The Cove and a pelican lazily flies past. And then the last photo shows three

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-70007825051746382682010-02-12T11:17:00.000-08:002010-02-12T11:19:46.300-08:00

CJ took me over to Solana Beach to see the Cedros Avenue Design District. Hoo ha! Although I photographed primarily texture and grunge (great tree bark, torn labels, spray painted things, slate tiles, numbers, etc.), I also took a few overviews. A coastal-blue sign arches across the street. A horde of horned toads crawls down the side of a building. And a funky store lends itself well to an

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-28486584483525743722010-02-11T13:01:00.000-08:002010-02-11T13:01:19.743-08:00

Three more from downtown Los Angeles and then it's time to move on. But you know what? I could spend an entire month photographing this city. There's so much to see that's hidden away, tucked away, reflected here, and revealed there. Truly spectacular. All together now, "I love L.A.!" ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-21537495491751942432010-02-11T09:47:00.000-08:002010-02-11T12:31:00.882-08:00

I am getting more involved in shapes, forms, darks, lights, and these two images from my downtown Los Angeles walk are a good example. It was Patti G. who pointed out the possibilities here, for which I'm grateful. Blinding reflections from a building on my left reflected onto the building directly in front of me, causing the bold forms of these trees to stand out beautifully. I metered for the

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-29735108366267690762010-02-09T16:47:00.000-08:002010-02-11T12:28:42.966-08:00

A few from my downtown L.A. photo walk. Am woefully behind in transferring photos, backing up photos, and processing photos. And currently have the cold from hell, where I can't even talk. (And yeah, I know, maybe that's a GOOD thing. I can hear your snide remarks all the way over here.) And now back to bed with some hot tea and Grand Marnier. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-22248021790435053022010-02-07T09:57:00.000-08:002010-02-07T10:36:48.373-08:00

Another "waiting in the lobby" photograph, this time through the gauzy drapes at the scene outside. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-67201048733719546272010-02-07T09:42:00.000-08:002010-02-07T09:57:40.954-08:00

Waiting in the hotel lobby just before leaving to conduct the downtown L.A. photo walk, I was looking for photo possibilities and found this. I like the monochromatic look, the light, gauzy, airy feeling. Will I confess to you that I accidentally had my camera set for tungsten white balance? Of course not! Luckily I shoot RAW and was able to switch it back to a more normal look in Photoshop.

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-60100492902841285842010-02-06T06:44:00.000-08:002010-02-06T06:44:27.821-08:00

We found ourselves yesterday behind a recycling truck -- packed with flattened-down cardboard. While we were stopped at a traffic light, I photographed this through the windshield of our car. Total grunge!

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-49061066969642780962010-02-05T12:51:00.000-08:002010-02-05T12:51:02.935-08:00

My flight home from San Diego didn't arrive until late afternoon on Thursday and it was pouring rain, so we elected to stay in a motel and drive home today instead. (It's a 3.5-hour drive from the airport to our house and it encompasses one of the most dangerous roads in Oregon. In the dark, in the rain, and when we're tired isn't the best time to be traveling.) So this morning we set out before

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-48213393922186106882010-02-01T17:21:00.000-08:002010-02-11T12:30:23.651-08:00

Here's part of my group at Mission San Juan Capistrano this past Saturday, patiently waiting for swallows to land on the mission walls. I didn't have the heart to tell them that that doesn't happen until March 19th... From left to right: Beverly Russell, Rich Baker, Terry Myers, and Mary Lange. And then I offer you a close-up of a mission bench. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-26003803607039789712010-01-29T07:40:00.000-08:002010-01-29T07:40:13.656-08:00

Thursday I took the train up to San Juan Capistrano to have lunch with a friend who drove down from northern Orange County. This is the first time I've taken the train and it was FUN! Comfy seats, footrests, tray tables, and BIG windows. I sat on the ocean side and took photos along the way and ick, they're really bad. But it's still interesting to see how things look from the vantage point of

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-38331523222870214702010-01-27T09:43:00.000-08:002010-01-27T09:43:22.213-08:00

I'm in San Diego right now with a slow laptop loaded only with Photoshop Elements 5. Although I'm shooting a lot, I'm not inclined to (a) spend three minutes waiting for my computer to clone out one spot of sensor dust and (b) work with slow and substandard post-processing software, so I shan't be posting many photos until I return February 5. Having fun, however, AND it's sunny! Hoo ha! Off to

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-13513574898587165382010-01-24T20:34:00.000-08:002010-02-11T12:29:56.271-08:00

Terrific photo walk in downtown L.A. this morning with a great group of people, including Beverly R., Pat F., Terry M., Barbara C., Pat G., Barbara S., Dennis B., Rich B., and CJ. The Disney Concert Hall was a huge hit, and we could have spent even more hours photographing it. Lighting, weather, reflections -- everything was just perfect. It's been a great weekend, both here and at the Getty.

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-86193599849356888252010-01-23T16:57:00.000-08:002010-01-23T16:57:46.008-08:00

After a four-hour delay in Portland, my flight finally took off Thursday and landed safely in San Diego. In the rain. Lots of rain. Intermittent showers on Friday, but we were able to get in a quick walk around the cruise ship terminal and then out to Shelter Island to try to photograph the ships (three of them) as they headed out of the harbor. Cold and windy. Felt just like home! Saturday

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-87545489961881181722010-01-19T17:39:00.000-08:002010-01-19T17:39:32.434-08:00

Two more from yesterday's little walk around Waldport. A colorful door on one side of the street, and a colorful little shop n the other. And this is about as much color as we've got around here! Most things are weathered silver, grey, and green, and oh, yeah, there's rust ... ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-62727628330131853592010-01-18T10:16:00.000-08:002010-01-18T10:16:28.938-08:00

We had a horrendous wind/rain/lightning/thunder storm last night. Abby spent the night under the bed in the guest room and I felt like joining her! I read that the rains are supposed to begin again oh, right about now, so earlier I went into town to see what I could find to shoot. I liked the nautical decor on this bayside home. And then I found a mural painted on the side of a small building.

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-67386171024468900702010-01-17T06:14:00.000-08:002010-01-17T06:14:46.548-08:00

On the road early in the morning. Two more photos from Friday's trip inland. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-13459575222857996332010-01-15T18:04:00.000-08:002010-01-15T18:04:29.816-08:00

Attributed to Yogi Berra: "When you come to the fork in the road, take it." We had to go inland today in the middle of a miserable wind- and rainstorm. I shot through the windshield, as usual. I manipulated this picture in Photoshop to create something kind of whimsical. And what did we learn? A Trader Joe's is opening next month just 1½ hours away! Woo hoo! ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-85673065279885348012010-01-14T17:02:00.000-08:002010-01-14T17:02:16.739-08:00

It's unusual for us to have pelicans in huge numbers this time of year; usually they're all in La Jolla by now. But apparently the food supply up here has been extremely good, so the pelicans are sticking around. As we approached Seal Rock, I could see a large flock sort of hovering about. I ran up to the top of a little hill and there in front of me were lots of pelicans all hunkered down on the

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-89582103570132158962010-01-14T16:33:00.000-08:002010-01-14T16:33:21.907-08:00

After lunch we took a walk around Nye Beach, a place that Sir James would call a "target-rich environment." I found a nautical-looking door, a leather purse inside a store window, some colorful architectural detail, and some funky texture. Every time I walk around this town I find something new and different and cool to photograph. We headed home, but at Seal Rock we had to make one more stop .

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-62022643826265906162010-01-14T15:50:00.000-08:002010-01-14T15:51:32.044-08:00

Finished with the sea lions, we were back in the car and I spotted this. Do we just drive away, or is it worth getting the camera out again? "I'll hate myself if I don't take this." Chris is so patient. Thank goodness. What makes the scene for me is the lone crab pot buoy leaning up against the building. And no, I don't carry one around in the car to carefully put in place before shooting! (

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-60416990791248442992010-01-14T15:40:00.000-08:002010-01-14T15:40:55.049-08:00

After we walked around the fishing boats, we decided to check out the sea lions at Port Dock 1. Earlier we'd seen a TV news crew there and so figured there were probably lots of sea lions about. Well, there were maybe 12 . . . But over on the jetty there were lots of them hauled out plus a big raft of them just floating around with their flippers sticking up out of the water. My lens was too

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-79204391245826453922010-01-14T15:04:00.000-08:002010-01-14T15:04:36.409-08:00

We went north to run some errands and I had a great time photographing all along the way. From the passenger seat I photographed this guy in a cherry picker working on electric lines and power poles. I used a 70-200mm lens set at 0.3 seconds to create plenty of blur. Next I used a fisheye lens to shoot an overview of the docks. Not good at all, but definitely different. And then walking along

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-43333214218127979972010-01-10T14:14:00.000-08:002010-01-10T14:15:07.546-08:00

This is the last dry day we're going to have for awhile, so I headed south to a different beach. And it was kind of boring, mostly flat sand, a few washed-up logs, broken clam shells, and not much more. I took an overview to show what the scene looked like, and then concentrated on a log that had washed ashore, as well as a shell. Yawn. But it was a good walk, nevertheless. Any time I can be

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-72399081521201393442010-01-10T13:58:00.000-08:002010-01-10T13:58:28.242-08:00

Scary face in a piece of driftwood. Ow-ooooooooooo! ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-38178162935600246482010-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:002010-01-10T05:00:36.060-08:00

See what I love about these beaches? The rock colors are amazing, especially on these overcast days.

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-62407952773765259272010-01-09T15:38:00.000-08:002010-01-09T15:39:06.178-08:00

Tides and weather combined nicely this morning to be out wandering around on the beach. Other than having to slog through a little creek in non-waterproof shoes, it was a great walk. Very foggy, very monochromatic, very mysterious. Visibility was about maybe a quarter mile. I shot a lot of rocks (as is my wont), but also tried to take overviews. Since I tend to not notice the big picture, one

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-25176416184033169592010-01-07T11:56:00.000-08:002010-01-09T15:39:28.244-08:00

If you're wondering where your 1,700 sea lions went who used to live at Pier 39 in San Francisco, well, we've got 'em. They're slowly drifting north and will probably be just off the coast of Depoe Bay this evening if you'd like to retrieve them. As I looked out onto the water this morning, I saw rocks offshore. Rocks that have never been there before. Looking again, nope, they're sea lions,

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-28835987956279543402010-01-06T01:44:00.000-08:002010-01-06T01:44:56.430-08:00

My online class students right now are working on "extreme colors." With that in mind, I found an old slide, a photograph of a palm tree I shot probably in Huntington Beach, California, during an incredibly vibrant sunset. I scanned it and punched up the color just a bit more. If these ain't "extreme colors," I don't know what are! And over in the montage blog, I just posted something that also

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-77530610681400107972010-01-05T06:18:00.000-08:002010-01-05T06:18:57.738-08:00

©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-86150893809647365012010-01-03T13:31:00.000-08:002010-01-03T13:31:14.460-08:00

It was overcast but not raining this morning, which is perfect weather for me to photograph a place I call the "fishnet ranch." Big piles of colorful fishing nets are scattered about in a huge parking lot. For me, it's incredibly exciting, sort of like how I used to feel as a kid going to Disneyland. Last month I was looking at some of my previous photos taken at this location and was thinking

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-22428482643090718322010-01-02T16:14:00.000-08:002010-01-02T16:14:32.980-08:00

When I have free time, I embellish gourds. Ha! Haven't been doing much gourd art these days! Anyway, I put this one on what we call the "Holly Cabinet" (Chris's sister Holly had it in the garage and she gave it to us) and photographed it this afternoon. I added a background that I'd handpainted and put the two together. There's so much texture that it looks particularly good as a black and white

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-39246267720016297152010-01-01T08:57:00.000-08:002010-01-01T08:57:54.421-08:00

Moonset this morning through my (rainy) kitchen window. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-45989716374012426122010-01-01T05:01:00.000-08:002010-01-01T05:01:42.251-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR! May it exceed our expectations. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-89599056565299505502009-12-31T06:52:00.000-08:002009-12-31T06:52:15.954-08:00

As I ended my walk yesterday, the sun was getting lower, making the bluffs to the east look golden brown. They reflect in the wet sand left by the receding tide. Usually I'm walking just below those bluffs, looking for rock patterns, but this day I was way out, following the tide. The second shot shows how the beach looks down to the south, down to the big formations known as Seal Rock. The top

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-47549814549150924302009-12-30T17:42:00.000-08:002009-12-30T17:42:22.475-08:00

A big minus tide this afternoon and NO RAIN! Hoo ha! Scurried over to the beach to see what I could find. I liked the clear, clean look of this footprint in the sand, and included part of a little "creeklet" of water at the bottom for a bit of interest. There are bowling ball-like rocks that show up at very low tides and the golden sunlight caught my eye. Metering is a challenge with such

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-36541479985204444172009-12-30T00:15:00.000-08:002009-12-30T00:16:16.209-08:00

In June of 2007 I photographed, just before sunset, this "urban tree" piece of art in San Diego. It's now midnight, 2½ years later, and I've been rummaging around in old files. I always liked this shot, especially the copper glow on the woman's face. This time, however, I applied Topaz Adjust to the face and here and there on the seaweed. Why? Because Topaz can bring out hidden details in some

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-35463571664570001082009-12-28T05:27:00.000-08:002009-12-28T05:28:06.619-08:00

From yesterday's walk on the "secret" beach. I'm enjoying the colors, the jagged cracks, and the texture. The rocks are all wet, so even in overcast light they have a shine to them that a polarizing filter doesn't cut through entirely. The solution? Don't photograph smooth surfaces; look for the texture. Must make a note to return in July when things might be drier. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-81639525732729098542009-12-27T16:59:00.000-08:002009-12-27T17:00:55.493-08:00

I spent about an hour this afternoon walking on my "secret" beach, managing to time my departure just before the rains began. Most of what I shot were rock abstracts taken along the bluffs, but I also liked this orange rock sitting on blue-black sand, with grasses swirling around it. The outgoing tide swept the grasses in one general direction and created gentle, photogenic curves. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-43160056301051840012009-12-27T03:07:00.000-08:002009-12-27T03:07:54.197-08:00

Kinda funny . . . ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-49033068359613620262009-12-26T08:27:00.000-08:002009-12-26T08:28:33.474-08:00

When walking the beaches here we need to be aware of what the tides are doing. Pay no attention and you may end up trapped, wet, and cold against the bluffs. Alas, low tides don't always occur when the light is right, and yesterday was a perfect example. Low tide was at 1 p.m. We were there around noon. And it was a glaringly bright, sunny day. Ick. In addition, the rock faces are quite wet, as

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-14092087276652475652009-12-26T08:01:00.000-08:002009-12-26T08:01:57.445-08:00

A lovely present from some wonderful friends. Thank you! ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-54988711116205083412009-12-25T16:11:00.000-08:002009-12-25T16:11:38.803-08:00

Christmas Day and most of the fishing boats are in port, lots of them weighed down in the water with loads of crabs, waiting to offload after the holiday. Bright sunshine created pretty reflections and dark shadows, which are fun to work with. The same bright sunlight made our beach exploration tough for photography, but it's a brand-new beach and it's PACKED with photo potential. Next overcast

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-73514110793987215792009-12-25T06:44:00.000-08:002009-12-25T06:44:53.633-08:00

As the light began to fade, I put the camera on a tripod and created this shot, a 2-second exposure at f/32 to soften the entire scene and to create a feeling of time and movement. Love the green glow in the wave -- a hint of color in an otherwise monochromatic image. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-77099246881591997432009-12-25T06:00:00.000-08:002009-12-25T06:01:36.481-08:00

More from yesterday's incredible wave action. Woo hoo! ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-36701054229799250642009-12-24T19:18:00.000-08:002009-12-24T19:18:31.586-08:00

It was a beautiful sunny day today and so this afternoon we headed down to Yachats to take a look at the surf. Wow. The waves were moving in beautifully, curling over with the sun backlighting the curl slightly. And the spray lingered over the tops of the waves as they came in. Just beautiful. And it was a metering nightmare! But most of them came out okay. These are the first four I've

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-55121451072484241222009-12-23T16:57:00.000-08:002009-12-23T16:57:03.127-08:00

Clear and cold today, so I thought I'd head for the beach to see if there was any ice about. Not more than 100 yards after I'd turned onto the Coast Highway I passed an accident that had just occurred. Major ice on the roads. Hmmm... Undeterred I continued on, cautiously. When I approached "my" beach, no one behind me, I began my left turn. Nope. Car began fishtailing about, so I continued

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-21457025767134267992009-12-23T12:10:00.000-08:002009-12-23T12:11:02.950-08:00

While some people are finding faces in rocks, fishtails in ice, and whales in the sky, leave it to me to find a butt on the beach. And not a very good-looking butt at that! Maybe he's a plumber . . . ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-68438865919393516462009-12-21T13:35:00.000-08:002009-12-21T13:37:10.538-08:00

Abby looking deceptively sweet and sleepy here in the office. A bit later, we hear her grousing about in the guest room. The complaining continues and we decide to check it out. There in the back yard (HER back yard) is a large deer. She's never seen one before, and she wasn't pleased to have it there. I zoomed back downstairs to get the camera, set the ISO to 3200 and began shooting through the

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-63239229344304480952009-12-21T07:09:00.000-08:002009-12-21T07:09:55.627-08:00

©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-64810829934646700182009-12-20T09:28:00.000-08:002009-12-20T09:28:10.288-08:00

I'm having the most wonderful morning, sitting here on the couch with a laptop on my (duh!) lap, watching a video about painter Wolf Kahn. http://newarttv.com/Wolf+Kahn I have had one of his books on my Amazon wish list forever (it's too pricey for me right now). But we were at a neighbor's house the other day and they had an art book of his work which they loaned me. So I've been reading about

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-30449851133541162662009-12-20T06:12:00.000-08:002009-12-20T06:12:29.061-08:00

The boat pulls up to the dock and containers of freshly-caught crabs are lifted out and set on the dock to be briefly scrutinized and then weighed and carted away. That one fisherman seems to be quite enamored of his catch! (Alas, he closes his eyes every time he smiles!) Are these good photos? Nope. But they're photos that, when seen as a group, tell a story of sorts. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-83008582646074399762009-12-19T16:30:00.000-08:002009-12-19T16:30:00.095-08:00

While photographing the bridge, I was attracted to a wall that looked like it had been painted — paint to cover up graffiti. I liked the texture, the subtle shades of grey, beige, taupe, black, etc. So I created a number of individual images from this wall, and finally, in the last photo, I show you what the wall looked like when I first saw it. Cool stuff, no? ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-55547373648043733932009-12-19T14:13:00.000-08:002009-12-19T14:13:48.163-08:00

It was a good morning. I made a quick stop at the Alsea Bay overlook to photograph the bridge (looking south over the bay at low tide to the town of Waldport) before it began raining. Then it was over to the fishing boats where there were hardly any in port -- 'tis the height of crab season, and someone told me the fishermen are now receiving $1.95 for crab. A pair of cormorants create a pretty

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-70132407121936738432009-12-15T05:11:00.000-08:002009-12-15T05:11:48.888-08:00

Getting ready for Christmas -- decorating the tree. This is an older photo, taken in 2004. But over in the photomontage blog are four brand-new images I created this week. Whole lotta creatin' goin' on of late. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-5084472800620415602009-12-14T05:48:00.000-08:002009-12-14T05:49:26.781-08:00

I turned on an external drive to find some California shots and discovered some photos I'd taken in Oregon almost four years ago and that I'd not processed. I'm not comfortable photographing people, so these three shots of artwork on the sides of railroad cars are about as close as I can manage! ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-63590440979819704372009-12-12T05:02:00.000-08:002009-12-12T05:02:35.743-08:00

Another shot taken on the docks in Newport yesterday. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-20035759980005535772009-12-11T13:28:00.000-08:002009-12-11T13:28:49.056-08:00

With freezing rain expected this evening, most of the fishing boats are out at sea, doing what they need to do while the weather's good. The few that are still at the docks are predominantly blue, creating beautiful reflections in the water. In the first shot, it's nice that there's also blue paint splattered on the cleat as well as on the dock, echoing the color in the water. Next, a loon rises

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-21434986700830724292009-12-10T05:55:00.000-08:002009-12-10T05:56:43.284-08:00

My new Photomotivation project begins January 1, 2010. You receive an idea every week, a two- or three-page lesson/tutorial, to get you out shooting and thinking. Registration is just $39 for three months' worth of ideas and inspiration. What do you think? You in? Click http://www.photomotivation.com for more info and to see what the first tutorial/idea looks like. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-86837584760068498862009-12-09T16:00:00.000-08:002009-12-09T16:00:04.845-08:00

It's warmer today and the ice was quite different from yesterday. And even during the short time I was out there, things changed dramatically. The fanciful "plover" and fishtail I photographed on my walk up the beach were both gone on my walk back. The first shot is a semi-close-up of the "glacier" coming down the rock face. In the second photo icicles drip from parts of the bluffs. In the third

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-36981620326047618282009-12-09T15:45:00.000-08:002009-12-09T16:10:43.841-08:00

As the ice was melting on this hillside, the delicate pattern of semi-clear ice caught my eye. Here's what I saw and here's what I made. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-86089060573884987692009-12-09T13:28:00.000-08:002009-12-09T13:30:12.493-08:00

So whaddaya think, Bruce K.? A plover? Ha! As soon as I saw this rock in a patch of ice, I thought of you. Farther on down the beach, another ice patch had melted into (appropriately enough) something resembling the remains of a fish. Or a mermaid. It was an interesting morning of photography. More to come later on today. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-68103973496249047982009-12-08T14:56:00.000-08:002009-12-08T14:58:03.774-08:00

We've been frozen here on the coast for I'm thinking a week, with temps ranging from 21 to 32 degrees day after day. Figuring that chili sounds good for dinner, I head to the grocery store. But instead of making a left, the car for some reason heads right and I end up at the Seal Rock overlook watching the waves roar in. No wind. No clouds. Lots of bright sunshine. But COLD! I climb to the top

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-31600200257326911082009-12-08T04:40:00.000-08:002009-12-08T04:40:31.573-08:00

Late afternoon sun creates pretty reflections in the water and the yellow buoy marking the site of the sunken Helen McColl stands out beautifully against the darker background. I like how the yellow of the buoy echoes the yellow in the reflections.  In the second photo, what makes it for me is its simplicity, symmetry, and that little shimmer of sunlight on the right. But here's what kills me:

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-85282472029792472592009-12-07T07:40:00.000-08:002009-12-07T07:41:17.913-08:00

Does this happen to you? You shoot so much that you don't have time to process what you've done? I was revisiting the photographs I'd taken in Astoria, Oregon earlier this year and found this red arrow. I figured I'd shoot it to use in a photomontage sometime, but I like the way it stands on its own as-is. The red looks especially good against the complementary dark green background and the

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-34620943715580291922009-12-06T06:45:00.000-08:002009-12-06T06:49:09.328-08:00

The ubiquitous rocks and feathers, found daily on our beaches. These are quick grab shots, but they inspire me to do a complete series in a more studied manner. You know what the tough part is about photographing feathers? The shaft of the feather invariably is pure white at the lower end. Meter for everything else and that light, white part loses all its detail. Expose for the white and

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-4499492411814527762009-12-04T23:30:00.000-08:002009-12-04T23:30:40.656-08:00

Photographed the other day on the beach in Waldport. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-57066640576249493262009-12-03T16:16:00.000-08:002009-12-03T16:16:45.076-08:00

Thursday is our day to run errands -- trip to the library, various stores, and, if we're in the area, a quick zoom around the fishing boats. Most of the boats are out right now, pulling in crabs, re-baiting the pots, and throwing the pots back in, so there aren't many boats to admire/photograph. In the first photo, two boats share the same cleat, and I liked the semi-symmetry of the lines

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-59282652475869245332009-12-02T19:26:00.000-08:002009-12-04T03:59:07.920-08:00

This happens to all of us. We KNOW we've not done our best work. Something's a little soft. Or some elements in the photo blend in too much with other elements. The perspective may be all wonky. But man, the colors are so cool that we just can't bear to toss those photos right now. We're hoping the dramatic colors will distract the viewer from the sloppy photography. And that's what happened

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-63744049143737494792009-12-01T13:53:00.000-08:002009-12-13T18:07:03.630-08:00

As I was heading home from Seal Rock, I noticed how the fog was moving in and around Alsea Bay, so I drove up to an overlook and shot across the bay, looking east toward the hills and then south at the Port of Alsea, the docks in Waldport. Even though my camera bag was in the car and I had access to a variety of lenses, I stuck with the 28-135mm. Why? Because light and fog move quickly and I

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-65370706620189112992009-12-01T13:33:00.000-08:002009-12-01T13:33:13.604-08:00

They're not "sweeps." They're not "swipes." Nope, these are SWIRLS. The light was still low, so I decided to play with sweeps (moving the camera right/left), but they didn't have a lot of interest to them, plus the lights from the fishing boats turned into little yellow dotted lines that I didn't like. So instead I tried swirling the camera in front of me during the exposure. I'll say no more

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-65449284048969398032009-12-01T09:11:00.000-08:002009-12-01T09:18:32.309-08:00

There was a big moon in the sky this morning and a lot of fishing boats out on the horizon. It's difficult to get dressed, leave a warm house, a snuggly cat, and go out to shoot. But I did. (Oops, I should have said "and a loving husband, as well." Sorry, Chris!) I parked at the Seal Rock overlook and took a few photos. Nah, too much foliage in front of me. I grabbed a flashlight from the car

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-5813667513509787572009-12-01T04:41:00.000-08:002009-12-01T04:41:08.431-08:00

My time on the beach yesterday was spent mainly dodging incoming waves. Although the tide was past its height and on the way out, it wasn't going out as quickly as I had anticipated. My room for error was just a few feet between the waves and the bluffs, and I had to jump up onto some rocks from time to time, so I took a few shots and then left. Here's what I made, and then you can see what I

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-74667895700127375342009-11-30T08:15:00.000-08:002009-11-30T08:15:05.476-08:00

During my last few forays up to the fishing boats, I notice that I've come back each time with a couple of reflection shots -- pretty patterns in the water. Why? Because of the time of day. When we're out there shooting early and shooting late, the waters may be calmer (more reflective) and the directional light on the boats creates more intense colors and reflections in the water. So if I were

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-34302731879445828392009-11-29T17:26:00.000-08:002009-12-13T18:09:15.019-08:00

The end of the day. The boats are back, the pots have been set, here's hoping for a good season for these folks. ©Carol Leigh

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4931797438947866643.post-23164913960431679312009-11-29T08:13:00.000-08:002009-11-29T08:28:40.800-08:00

Before walking onto the bridge to photograph boats, I took a few quick photos of the architectural detail on the north bridge abutment. The bridge was built in 1936 and the sweeping Art Deco details are fantastic to photograph. You can click here for more information about this bridge, which, by the way, just received a grant so that it will be lighted at night. Hoo ha! Should be done next year,

Carol Leighnoreply@blogger.com4