Springfield – Page 4

finally! a decent shot downtown

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

I have been trying to get a decent shot of this view in downtown Springfield for a long time. Many mornings over this summer, I would walk the street, knowing that there was a good picture here, but without any good results. What changed?

I finally walked out into the street. The morning sunrise lit the building on the right and high lighted the strip of metal attached to the scaffolding on the left. Those high lights combine with the lines in the road and the street lights to draw the eye down the street. I think it works pretty well. What do you think?

opportunity calling

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

There are times when I plan a shoot to the smallest detail. I will have the subject in mind, I will check my gear, set up lighting, reconoiter the site, and in everyway possible be prepared to shoot exactly what I have in mind.

On other days, I simply walk around with my camera hanging off of my shoulder and let the shot come to me. Both situations can be rewarding. In the first, I enjoy seeing the positive results of my hard work. In the second, I am wrapped up in the moment of unplanned inspiration. In each situation, I know that I have a great shot in the camera the moment I press the shutter button.

To me being a great photographer has to be a mix of hard work and inspiration. When I become one, I will let you know if I am right.

sometimes cheating is a requirement

Posted on August 1, 2011July 5, 2015 by Tim McMurdo

The panographic image you are looking at was created in Photoshop CS4 by stitching together several images using their automated engine. I've passed by this grove of trees on the edge of a wood many times during the day and have often thought that it would make a great subject for a photo if I could get the light just right. That in mind, I paid the stand of trees a visit Sunday morning just before dawn and set up my camera on a tripod. With the camera only two feet above the ground, I took a series of captures from several locations. Here is one of the untouched images for you to see.

With the individual photos shot, I decided that the scene would look great as a pano. So, I found a good location and shot a series of images by swiveling the camera just a few degrees between shots. If you are going to try this, you need to ensure that your tripod is nice and level or your horizon will really be out of whack. Also, you will need to set your camera and lens to manual.

Here is the resulting stitched image with some minor adjustments for color and contrast.

This pano is nice enough, just a bit spooky. I like the image but, it seemed to be missing something to make it really special. I uploaded this to flickr and asked for feedback on what would make it a better image. Through the discussion, what I decided was that the picture needed some deer. I had some photos of deer grazing not far from here and because I would be silhouetting them, lighting would not be an issue. Back to photoshop.

I think the deer do the trick. Now the image has a real subject for your eye to focus on. Yes, this might be cheating. After all, the deer were not in the original photos. However, I think that in this case, cheating was the way to go. And… is it cheating if you tell the world how and why you did it?

Have a great day folks. Don't let the heat get the best of you.

maximize your color

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

This image was taken last night during civil twilight from our local marina located at Buck Creek State Park. What you are looking at is the final image after post processing. The "blue hour" after sunset is the perfect time to capture brilliant colors. The reds and blues that result from the sun setting behind the horizon can be spectacular. This kind of display begs for you to get the most out of your colors. Don't settle for ordinary colors.

This is the image SOOC (straight out of the camera) and though the colors are there, they are somewhat subdued. I want to maximize the color and make it explode out of the image. How do I do that?

I get over the top colors by making color adjustments in my photo editor. I use Apple's Apurture for my relatively straight forward image adjustments. However, when I need something more complex like multiple layers and localized adjustments, I turn to Photoshop, a tool that I use professionaly as well as on my personal work. In thi simage, I want the blues and reds to come to life. Adjusting two seperate colors in different areas of the image requires multiple layers and layer masks… that means Photoshop.

First step is to copy the original layer twice, once for the blue and once for the red adjustments. I will save the original layer image unchanged in case I need to go back to it. In the image above, I have adjusted the reds so that they are stronger than in the original. I repeat the same process with the blues on a separate layer.

Notice that as I adjusted the reds, the entire image is changed. The blues are more purple and there is now a lot of red in the white boat that I don't really want. By placing the red layer on top of the blue layer and by adding a layer mask to the red layer, I can "paint" out the areas of the red layer that I don't like. This will allow the blue layer to show through from beneath. Using a soft brush with low transparency settings, I can slowly build up the blues that I need in the final image.

Once again, here is the final image. Notice the vibrant colors. I was able to showcase Ma Nature's color show without ruining the whites and greens that I wanted to remain untouched. Don't be afraid to maximize your colors when the occasion calls for vibrant hues. Go ahead, don't settle, knock your viewer's socks off.

morning walk

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

I have a problem. A sort of addiction. I crave the sunrise. Every chance that I can get, I drive to the same location at the lake and sit quietly while the sun peaks its head over the horizon. I've reached the point where I get really bummed when I can't go or when I do and the sunrise isn't up to par. Today was one of those days. I got up and out of the house, drove over to the lake, parked and waited. Clouds, too many clouds.

A few clouds lead to a brilliant sunrise but too many clouds just difuse the light and all the world gets is a dull glow the sky. Pretty, yes but, when I make the effort to wake up early and greet the sun, I expect to get some value for my effort. So you see, I do have an addiction. Averge sunrises are just not doing it for me any more. I need spectacular colors reflecting off of towering clouds and leading to lush reflections on tranquil water.

However, I remember my Father's wise words about birthdays. He says that it sucks to grow old old, but it is better than the alternative. A crappy sunrise is better than no sunrise. Besides, I have plenty of company… seems like there are a lot of people that like to get up early and meet the sun. Crazy sunrise addicts. Should be a 12 step program for something like this.

changing the light

Posted on July 26, 2011July 5, 2015 by Tim McMurdo

Remember that in this morning’s post, I wrote about a picture that I was not happy with? This is it… after I worked on the image a little.

This is the same image before I made any adjustments. The image just does not reflect what I felt when I took the picture. What did I do? I made tone, contrast and color adjustments in Aperture. As far as color adjustments, I tweaked the red channel until I got the morning light tones that I remembered.

I am still not completely happy with the image and am still toying with going back earlier tomorrow morning. If I do, you will be the first to know.

wild berries

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

I was on a walk around Buck Creek this morning, hoping to get a shot of the morning sun cast over a farm that I have been keeping my eye on. I took several images of the farm & liked none of them. I just didn't have the color that I wanted for a really impressive image. I will just have to get over there a little earlier tomorrow.

The good news is that the trip was not a total waste. I noticed along the way, that the wild berries on the side of the path are beginning to ripen. This can only mean that we are one step closer to Autumn and cooler weather. I like many things about the summer. Fresh produce like locally grown corn, tomatoes, berries and other fruits and vegatables. The ability to be outdoors, enjoying the sunshine. However, the brutal heat of this summer has really eliminated most of the outdoor time that I would normally enjoy. The experience has underscored my preference for the cooler temperatures and colors of the Fall. When I saw these berries, I smiled. Autumn is around the corner and can not get here soon enough for me.

the finest in baked goods

Posted on July 24, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

This is not the post that I intended to write today. I was originally going take a look at the Dayton Art Institute in a more serious way thatn I did yesterday. However, I woke early today and took a photo walk around town. As a result, I took this image and wanted to share it with you.

Schuler's bakery is a local institution and they make some fantstic goodies. Just like the sign says, they are the finest in baked goods, at least here in Springfield, Ohio. We are particularly impresed with their doughnuts and I love their butterfly cookies. They are really the best around.

The same thing can not be said for their commitment to customer service. This location in particular is staffed with women that would make a drill seargeant proud. You had better know exactly what you want when you walk up to the counter as they do not have time to deal with your ineficiency. When ordering doughnuts, they will ask you two questions and you had better have the answers ready. How many and what kind. Falter at all and they will pounce on you. Don't ever make the mistake of telling them that you just want a dozen assorted doughnuts. You will be quickly informed of their inability to read your mind and figure out what you might and might not like in your assortment.

To be frank, these women scare me just a little bit. I am intimidated when presented with their demands and I have not had time to make up my mind what deliciousness I want to eat today. S , I usually just stammer something out and hope for the best. Still, I go back and get more.

What can I say? Schuler's really is the finest in baked goods.

flight time

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

During one of my recent morning walks over at the dam, I watched this model plane flying overhead. There was a model plane field nearby so, I knew where it came from and headed over to have a look.

By the time that I got there, I could see that two men were prepping the plane for a second flight. Shooting into the morning sun with the ground fog was really a lot of fun.

It seemed as though the man in the red shirt was being shown the ropes while the older man went through the paces.

When I left them, the plane was airborne again, on a morning flight to nowhere. I left the two men in the fog to enjoy their fun in the fog and headed back to my walk on the meadow. It was a nice diversion to see them but, I really liked the peace and quiet much better.

my morning walk

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

I have a friend named Deb that takes regular morning walks with her dog, Ash. Sometimes she shares a bird sighting, a favorite bloom or some kind of wildlife story. While I was walking by the lake and meadow this morning, I thought that this was a Deb kind of morning. The sunrise was spectacular and I hope this panoramic image gives you some sense of the color in the clouds as the sun rose.

This gorgeous mystery bird greeted me with it's call. I love the vivid yellow and red on the tips of its tail and wings. If you know what kind of bird this is, let me know. (I have been informed by some very kind and reliable sources that our mystery bird is a Cedar Waxwing).

I noticed this bird house overstuffed with large feathers. Did some kind of over achieving bird try to stuff her nest with big feathers? Was this some sign of domestic dispute? Surely these feathers must be large for the bird that fits inside such a small house? Usually I see small swallows living in these homes.

My last bit of interest was being scared silly by a huge deer as it leaped out of the trees and crossed my path, white tail flashing. I was so surprised, that I didn't have any sense to bring my camera up and take a photo. Next time I will try to be a little more prepared.

And that my friends, was my morning walk.