The Light Preserve Photography

Various Subjects

When I saw the above quote from John Loengard, I could only wish that I had been clever enough to say it myself. He has, in just a few words, summed up a great portion of my attitude toward photography. Hoot!--there are so many photographs that are nothing more than pretty pictures with predictable compositions and perhaps a splash of vivid color. They are boring photographs of interesting subjects. Our attention is better held by interesting photographs of boring subjects.

It's unlikely that you'll like every photograph on this web site, nor in the galleries of any other photographer. But I hope that you'll agree that the collection here is not just another batch of "pretty pictures."

I will make photographs of anything that I think I might like to see again, if I can create an interesting presentation of the subject. Generally, though not always, I look for strong graphic components that impart energy to a still image.

The Back Door of the cafe offers a contrast of shapes and lines: the curved lines of the car and the blocky lines and rectangles of the cafe. The shapes of the cafe are hard and stark, with late morning light exaggerating the effect. The curves and reflections on the car flow and gleam, providing counterpoint to the rear of the cafe.

Bright areas often gain our attention first, inviting us into an image to explore other features. In the case of Black Canyon Skylight, the vertical strip of blue sky comes as a surprise, and we seek orientation and perspective from other elements in the photograph. This photograph earned a First Place Award at the Santa Barbara County Fair.

The county fair is over. The crowds, exhibitors and displays are gone. All that remains is the clean-up crew and, curiously, the Pretzel Fairy, dancing in the cavernous hall.

Medium format photography has a lot going for it, but fast action and fast shutter speeds are not the strong points. I got a few frames - and filled them - with an isolated kite surfer. Big Air captures the moment. Cool stuff.

Dimensions collide in The Grid. The plane geometry at the bottom contrasts with the curved space reflections of the bank of windows. It is like a window on a Reimannian Universe standing against Euclid's domain. Maybe you need to appreciate such mathematical things to really get into the contrast, but I think the juxtaposition of form is interesting regardless. This is one of twelve exposures I made of Getty Center architecture.

A "quiet" light illuminates the interior of Roy's Cafe at Amboy, California. The textures of ceiling, counter top and floor contrast with the sleek smoothness of chrome. Following the line of stools and counter, we get a view of the motel cabins outside. The motel, gas station and cafe are under restoration by the new owner.

Stairs

Stairways: not just for climbing anymore. They're excellent subjects for taking advantage of pattern, repetition and perspective. Those three elements working together can create strong photographs with depth and dimension.

On the right is Looking Up. Perspective is given by receding spirals and overhead lamps of the lighthouse stairway. Light came in through windows at each level, providing good contrast and highlights. This photograph has been in several print competitions and earned a ribbon in each of them.

Reluctant to Climb is another view of the lighthouse stairway. It is well-lighted throughout, and takes advantage of triads. We see three arcs of the stairway and three handrail posts on the left. The receding arcs draw our eyes into the frame and there is something for us to see when we get to the bottom. Some folks just don't want to climb to the top.

Vertical lines, diagonal shadows and speckled sunlight become repeated patterns in 93.8° Fahrenheit. The repetition is countered by the single temperature guage at lower right, adding interest and a focal point for our attention to settle upon. This photograph earned First Place at the Santa Barbara County Fair.

The center photograph is a good example of an "interesting photograph of a boring subject." It is composition, light and shadow that make it interesting. Color complements and contributes to the image, but it is not Color as an end in itself. The visual strength comes from the graphic elements of the image.

And now for something completely different...

When creating the files to print my photographs, I'm mostly involved with just color balance and density (lightness and darkness). Occasionally, though, I like to experiment with digital manipulations. With an attitude of "if it's worth doing at all, it's worth doing in excess," I take digital alteration to bizarre and surreal results. Sometimes the effort is worthwhile.

On the left is Chromatic Highway, which received the top award for photography at the 2008 Autumn Arts Show. Every element is part of the original photograph. The woman of Dancing on the Head of a Pin was photographed at an ethnic faire. Here, she is seen on a fabricated copper pin, and this image received Best of Show at the Santa Barbara Fair. On the far right is Let There Be Dance. The two dancers were photographed at a performance during the Arroyo Grande Strawberry Festival. The rest - the stone base, the shadows, and all the 'spacey stuff' - are digital creations.

Barn Buddies

I've not made much effort toward wildlife photography, leaving that to the domain of people with long lenses. However, here are two photos I've made of domestic animals. Feline Gothic, the cat, is a house pet. Her photo earned a Third Place Award at the California Mid-State Fair and SMCC First Place Print of the Year Award.

Euclid's Goat was in the livestock area of the Santa Barbara fairgrounds. I liked the formal composition of squares contrasted with the "flying ears" of the goat each time he jumped up to see what was outside the stall. This photo earned Second Place and Judge's Award at California Mid-State Fair.