“Playing with NIK”

Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco
Copyright 2011 Andy Richards

My photographic imagery is 98% “traditional. I don’t generally experiment with special techniques. I try to portray what I “saw” in the field.  I don’t mean to say that this is the same thing as “reality.” Most of my landscape work is really intended to be art. I am not aware of any rule that says that photographic “seeing” in these conditions must match reality. Instead, I aim for what I saw in the field, or sometimes what I saw as a possibility in the field.

When I use the word “photorealistic” I mean what our eyes (and mind) might see, shown in a “traditional” photographic presentation

Nonetheless, I still believe 98% of the images I create are “photorealistic.” In other words, they are designed to look and appear as traditional photographic images.

High dynamic range (HDR) software is (or was, for a time) “all the rage” for some photographers. In my own view, it was more often than not, grossly overused and often produced garish results that the creator called “painterly.” My own very occasional use of HDR software (I prefer Photomatix) has been mostly for sophisticated blending of individual digital captures, with a goal of creating a “photorealistic” result. I blogged about this on 2 other occasions, first introducing the topic in my March, 2009 blog, “High Dynamic Range Photography,” and later “Managing Dynamic Range Digitally (a comparison of HDR conversion methods and software)” in September of 2010.

When I use the word “photorealistic” in this context, I don’t necessarily mean what was physically, electronically or chemically possible, but rather, what our eyes and minds might see, shown in a “traditional” photographic presentation.

I do appreciate that what many of us do, as photographers, is art. And art doesn’t have any pre-determined borders, in my view; even in a “traditional” photographic context. As such, I am not against trying new things in an effort to present an image in its best light.

Last month Google created an opportunity for owners of Nik products to “upgrade” to the entire suite. I took advantage. As I find time and opportunity, I have begun to explore some of the “preset” formulas in this set of plug-ins to Photoshop (and Light Room). The bread and butter parts of the suite for me have been Dfine noise-reduction software, Nik sharpener, and Viveza.

Fisherman’s Wharf; San Francisco
Copyright 2011 Andy Richards

Color Efex Pro is also part of the suite. Color Efex Pro is essentially a set of preset filters. As such, I have used it only sparingly and only for a very small handful of the many filters available. The graduated neutral density filter is by far my favorite, and the one that gets the most use. It just does a better job in a very short time period than any blending I can do on my own (including the estimable counterpart in Adobe Camera Raw). But with the Nik U-point control points and a great deal of adjustability in how all of these filters are applied, it is a pretty diverse set of filters. I have generally eschewed the filter called “details enhancer.” This is partly because I have seen it overdone so much and it reminds me of the garish HDR images referred to above, and partly because I think the “structure” adjustment in Viveza 2 and in Nik Sharpener is so much better, and so much more subtle.

Art doesn’t have any borders, even in a traditional photographic context

But recently, I was working on the image here and decided I would take a test run though some of the Color Efex filters. Suddenly, I found an image that I thought the details enhancer filter was well suited for. You can see the difference in the before and after images here. The traditional photorealistic presentation, is, in my view, unremarkable. It just doesn’t seem to have any punch to it, either artistically or visually. But the moderate use of one of the preset details enhancer filters transforms this image into what appears to me to be like a nice oil painting.

Over time, I am certain to experiment more and more with some of the “artistic” options in the Nik software. I probably won’t often say this, but thank you Google for making this suite of software so attainable recently.

Why I Don’t Photograph People

New River Gorge - copyright 2011 Andy Richards

Last week, I posted an image on a critique thread on the Scenes of Vermont Photography Forum, and my good friend and talented photographer, Carol Smith, commented that it was not my “usual” style of photograph. What made it unique for me was that it had a person in the image. It made me think. She is correct, of course. I don’t include “people” and don’t often include them in my images. Indeed, I mostly go out of my way to excludepeople from my images. There are many reasons why. Part of it is my “vision” of natural images. I most often visualize a scene as “pristine,” the way you might come upon it for the first time. It also may be partly a function of the way I approach my work. I tend to be deliberative. You do not see many images here or on my website that are candid or involve action.

Sometimes, I become so absorbed in my “process” that I miss the real photo opportunity. I like the comfort zone of my tripod and immovable objects. Carol saw and shot the Vermont image after leading a group of us to this wonderful scene in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, of me and our mutual friend, Al Utzig. I was so deeply into the beauty of this morning and the “possibilities” of this scene, that I would never have seen this image! But it has human interest and probably more “stock” utility than the plain post-card scenic that I generated that morning.

Barton, Vermont - copyright 2011 Carol Smith

Another reason—which I don’t like to admit to myself—is that I am not very good at “people.” That stems from a combination of factors. One is that I am very hesitant to “invade” others’ “personal space.” Talented pro photographer, Ray Laskowitz, a friend, and mentor, once suggested to me that the key to photographing people is how the photographer approaches people. A perusal of his website and stock images illustrate that he does it very well indeed. Like any discipline, shooting people takes practice, and takes me out of that comfort zone. But there is little doubt that photographs including people can transform a “ho-hum,” postcard scene to a compelling image, sometimes with a “story.” Photographer, teacher and author, and a great inspiration to me, Bryan Peterson, refers in several of his books to “story telling” images. The image of my friend, Rich, shooting Hunter Brook in Acadia National Parkcertainly has a “story telling” element to it.

Photography in Acadia NP - copyright 2009 Andy Richards

If the person is identifiable, the photographer must obtain a release if they intend to ever use or publish the photograph. And, in many cases, the person may also have privacy rights that must be taken into consideration. Again, I have a tendency to use those things as detriments to my own personal motivation to include people in my images. But of course, there are equally as many situations where these are just “excuses.” I have thought back about how often there have been people in the area who were unidentifiable that could have been included in the image. I am also often with others when I photograph, and they could certainly become willing elements of the image. The People in the cable car image certainly make it more interesting to the viewer, giving scale, and “story.” After all, cable cars are about moving people.

San Francisco Cable Car - copyright 2011 Andy Richards

It is often noted that placing a familiar thing in an image gives the viewer a sense of scale, people are certainly able to provide that scale. I made this image of my sister and her Chocolate Lab, Ella, a few years ago after a rather strenuous hike back into this waterfall near Munising, in Michigan’s U.P.

Memorial Falls, Munising, MI - copyright 2008 Andy Richards

So, I clearly need to spend more time and effort outside my comfort zone and find ways to include people in my images.

Thanks for reading . . . . . .

I Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions

Copyright 2009 Andy Richards

I have never been big on New Year’s resolutions. I have seen so many come and go and so much “resolve” with so little follow-through. Will I eat and drink less, achieve some needed weight loss, exercise more, be less critical of others and more charitable? I hope so, but I am not committing. For me, it is more like year – end “cleanup,” and looking forward to what 2012 brings. There are certain things that I always do and think about this time of year. As each year goes by, time seems to compress and each Fall seems busier than the last. I always look forward to – indeed key on—the Fall photography season—particularly, October, when Fall colors seem to pop in most of the continental U.S. With a busy “transactional” law practice, a regular “gig” as an adjunct professor at our local University, service on 2 local foundation boards and numerous other non-photography pursuits, the year-end seems to accelerate into Christmas, and then, come to a grinding halt for about a week between the holidays.

I am looking forward to what 2012 brings

Don’t get me wrong. I do plan to do certain things each year. Some of them pan out. Some don’t. And if I don’t set unrealistic expectations, I am not disappointed when they do not get done. Two years ago, during our annual Christmas visit to my brother in law’s house in Virginia, we planned a cruise to Alaska. Cruises are not generally thought by serious photographers to be the ideal way to see and photograph Alaska. So my goal was two-fold. First, I wanted to have the time of my life, with my family, and get the most out of the cruise. Second, I wanted to bring back as many “keeper” images as possible, given the limitations of the trip. It surpassed my expectations substantially.

Deer Lake, Michigan UP - Copyright 2009 Andy Richards

In October of the same year, I made a quick trip the Michigan “UP,” which was kind of “spur of the moment” and came back with some of my most successful ever “UP” images. I sometimes think being ready to “react” is the best plan. That same year I went to Vermont for a week. While there were certain weather and foliage timing challenges, I came home with several of perhaps my best “Vermont images” ever. Sometimes being in the right place at the right time is the best plan. In both cases, I had made several previous trips and while I always found images, I never got the ones that I was really hoping for. Sometimes, just being persistent works.

Fall in Vermont copyright 2010 Andy Richards

During October of 2011, we planned a family vacation trip to San Francisco to visit my daughter who had recently re-located there. Again, my goal was to make the most of the limited photographic opportunity I would have. My wife might disagree with just how “limited” that was, as I was out in the city nearly every morning before sunrise. I was able to make the best of the situation I was in.

But this time of year, as things seem to wind down and then re-wind for another year of work and professional goals (I have to remind myself that my “day job” has little to do with photography and the demands of my clients and partners generally limit my ability to shoot whenever the spirit moves), there are certain things that I will do.

Sometimes, just being persistent works

Ido my final filing archiving of images. I borrowed from John Shaw, after attending one of his 2-day seminars a few years back, and now file my images very simply; one large folder, by year. I use Adobe Lightroom as my cataloging software, and use “Collections” to categorize images. I also populate the metadata template with copyright information and keywords, etc. All images are stored on a removable HD, and a complete copy resides on a separate HD, kept at my office 25 miles away. I used to think having offsite storage was a bit of overkill, until one of my partners had a home fire in November that burned his home to the ground with a total loss of everything but the clothes on their backs and their cars. Finally, I set up a 2012 folder for next year’s images.

San Francisco Bay Bridge copyright 2011 Andy Richards

I will plan some 2012 photo shoot goals. In February, I will cruise again in the Caribbean. This is not likely to produce major landscape photo opportunities, partly because of the family nature of the trip and partly because of the timing (likely to be on the cruise ship during the best light). I will carry my Canon G12 at all times though.

In March, I will spend a long weekend visiting a friend in Yarmouth, ME, and hope to bring back some images of the Portland Head Lighthouse and the Pemaquid Lighthouse.

In October, I have the great privilege of acting as a guide for a professional photographer, teacher and workshop leader in my own backyard. I am excited about the photographic opportunity, as well as the hope that I absorb some wisdom from his workshop.

For a number of years, I have lamented that my “Winter” image portfolio is notably lacking. I have worked at re-arranging my work-schedule to become hopefully more efficient and plan to spend less Saturdays in the office and more time out shooting on weekends.

I wish everyone success and good fortune in 2012!

So, without any unrealistic expectations, I look forward to 2012 and what it will bring.   I do want to say thank you to a number of people for making my 2011 special.  I have made some really good friends in my travels to Vermont and on the SOV Forums and I thank you all for your friendship and support, including Al, Carol, CTYnkY, Phil, Brandt, Tim, Brian, Betsy, and anybody I forgot.  You all know who you are.  I want to thank James Moore for inspiration, critique, support and friendship.  Likewise Kerry Leibowitz.  Thank you to Mark Perry, who makes the MPEG forums happen.  Thanks to my best friend, Rich, who travels with me, puts up with my idiosyncracies and is just what a best friend should be.  There are many others and I certainly don’t want to leave anyone out purposely.  I wish everyone a Happy New Year, and hope that it brings you success and good fortune. See you in 2012!

Fisherman’s Wharf; More Than Just a Tourist Attraction

Fisherman's Wharf copyright 2011 Andy Richards

Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco houses things like the shopping area on Pier 39 and the famed Ghirardeli Chocolate Complex. Pier 39 is lined with tour kiosks, trinket sellers and restaurants which are mostly in the style of “fast food.” However, you only need to wander a bit on either side of Pier 39 to find some much more interesting areas; especially for photographers. There are of course, the obligatory Seals which have taken over a portion of Pier 39 which was once commercial fishing moorings. They offer a raucous form of entertainment in the mornings.

Seals, Pier 39; Fisherman's Wharf copyright 2011 Andy Richards

Immediately to the East of the tourist area of Pier 39 is the Fisherman’s Wharf Sailboat Harbor. On a clear, calm morning, the sailboats and their masts make a wonderfully colorful reflection photograph.

Fisherman's Wharf Sailboat Marina copyright 2011 Andy Richards

Just west of the main tourist area, the U.S. Navy has permanently moored the Jeremiah Obrien and the USS Pampanitoa. The morning sun lights them nicely.

Military Ships; Fisherman's Wharf copyright 2011 Andy Richards

Still further west near the edge of the tourist area, the commercial fishing boats are moored. They create a more rustic but just as colorful early morning photographic opportunity showing working fishing boats. The Street which skirts San Francisco Bay from Fisherman’s Wharf back around to the Ferry Terminal near the San Francisco Bay Bridge is known as the Embarcadero. I spent 4 mornings wandering along this street and still didn’t photograph everything that was there to see.

Fisherman's Wharf copyright 2011 Andy Richards