sisters redux

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Sisters 2

 

Sometimes I just can't let go of an image. I know that someplace inside of the photo I took, there is a better image. In the case of Sisters, i knew that the real picture was located around the horses heads and the wonderfully contrasting light.

After allowing my thoughts to steep in my head for a couple days, I cropped the photo into a portrait aspect ratio instead of a landscape image. The photo now tells a different story, one that I prefer over the wider landscape shot.

What do you think? Is this an improvement?

 

mail order brides

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Winter Tree

 

Feast your eyes upon one very lonely tree named Bryan. Didn't know that trees had names like Bryan? They do and, as I mentioned, they also can be lonely. Bryan has been standing here for many years and unfortunately, as you can see, he stands alone. It's not that he couldn't have friends and companions. Bryan is a very friendly and outgoing sort of tree. Unfortunately, nobody has ever seen fit to plant another tree nearby.

What Bryan needs is a girlfriend. A lady tree to keep him company. Perhaps one of you fine people reading this has a spring catalog of plants, bushes and trees sitting on your cofee table. Maybe you even feel sorry for Bryan's plight and are willing to help a good tree out of his predicament. 

If you are of a mind to make a lonely tree happy, pick up that catalog and order Bryan a companion. Maybe a nice maple to see him through his years. If you think the maple might be a little too flashy, I suppose he might also like a kind, friendly poplar.

 

febtember

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Febtember is almost upon us. I can't wait. It's my favorite month. Febtember? What is Febtember you ask? Febtember is that extra leap day that appears once every four years. Your averge un-educated person would call the date February 29th. Those of us in the know, realize the date is actually Febtember first.

How are you planning to celebrate the first of Febtember? Any Febtember parties? What are the traditions that you recognize?

uncomfortable mo

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Irrigation 1

 

I have a friend named Mo. It is one of Mo's pleasures to create photographs that make the viewer uncomfortable. I don't know why, but then, I don't know why she is named Mo either. However, Mo's delight in uncomfortable images has gotten me thinking about this image that I took a couple weekends ago. It makes me uncomfortable.

I don't like to be uncomfortable looking at my own images. I tend to want my photos to embrace me with comfort. I want my eye to flow smoothly into the image and rest on the subject without any effort at all. I work hard to make that transition from reality to the image as smooth as possible. 

After giving the photo some thought, I believe that what throws me off in this image is that the irrigation system recedes to the left, away from the center of the image, instead of towards the center of the image.

 

Irrigation 2

 

In this second image of the same irrigation system, I framed the photo so that the irrigation system recedes towards the center of the photo. I am much more comfortable with this image than the first. I also like the parallel lines formed by the edge of the road and the edge of the plowed field. Comfort and balance. Peace with the world. 

I don't know which image is the better image from a technical standpoint. I don't really care. I do know that I prefer the comfort of a balanced image. Evidently, I don't want to work too hard when looking at a photo. I will leave that to Mo. Me? I am a lazy viewer.

the old masters

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Self Portrait 2

 

I am a huge fan of the old Dutch Masters. Their use of light and shadow is spectacular. Unlike others from the same time period, the Dutch Masters were more than willing to paint everyday people performing everyday activities. If we were to travel to France or Italy, during the same time, the subject matter would have been themes of religion or the very wealthy.

When I was given the assignment to create a self portrait, I knew exactly the style of image and the location that I wanted to use. So, I drove to the farm, where there is no electricity and I tried to recreate the light and feel of a Dutch Master painting.

What do you think? Did I succeed?