Bruce Winkelman Photography: Blog https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog en-us (C)2011-2024 Bruce H. Winkelman. All rights reserved. [email protected] (Bruce Winkelman Photography) Mon, 16 Mar 2020 06:49:00 GMT Mon, 16 Mar 2020 06:49:00 GMT https://www.brucewinkelman.com/img/s/v-12/u792186-o245350640-50.jpg Bruce Winkelman Photography: Blog https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog 120 83 The Lions of Arles https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2015/6/the-lions-of-arles The Lions of ArlesThe Lions of Arles

In southern France is the town of Arles.  It was inhabited by Romans back in the day, and is filled with ancient structures and fascinating medieval streets.  It's also where Vincent van Gogh spent time painting some of his most memorable works.  Just outside Arles rest these two lions (actually four, two on each side of the river).  The lions were sculpted by Pierre Louis Rouillard, a famous French sculptor, for a bridge built in 1868.  The bridge, linking Arles with Lunel across the Rhone river, was destroyed during Allied bombing in August 1944.  Fortunately, the lions and pillars survived.  

Sometimes a shot jumps out at you and that's what happened here as I walked the trail along the river bank.  The confluence of images create a powerful, archetypal scene.  The clouds gather, the tree appears to sway under the lions' gaze, and the white gravel path by the river, curving just beyond our view, leads to an unknown, or at least unseen, destination.  

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[email protected] (Bruce Winkelman Photography) https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2015/6/the-lions-of-arles Fri, 05 Jun 2015 13:00:00 GMT
The Creative Approach https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2015/5/the-creative-approach Memory Trail-2Memory Trail-2Tilden Park, Berkeley

In Camera & Lens: The Creative Approach, Ansel Adams wrote about the "creative" and the "factual" approaches to photography.  He observed that the difference between the two was "one of purpose, sensitivity and the ability to visualize an emotionally and aesthetically exciting image."  A good composition will create interest, "and this spurs the desire for comprehension."  

Of course, Ansel Adams is one of the grand masters of landscape photography.  What some may not fully appreciate is how Adams created his now iconic images.  To the surprise of some, the final print was not a straight print directly from the negative with no modification.  At least half of Adams' creative process is attributed to his mastery of darkroom techniques.  In the darkroom, he dodged and burned the image, and experimented with chemical and paper processes in order to create the tonal relationships he visualized when he took the picture.  

For me, the question is not whether the final print was created in the chemical darkroom and the digital lightroom, nor is it whether the print is a "straight print" directly from camera to paper, or if it has been modified through a creative process.  Rather, it's whether the print conveys an emotionally and aesthetically exciting and interesting image, and whether it maintains the viewer's interest over time. These are questions I consider when taking the picture and creating the photograph.  

 

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[email protected] (Bruce Winkelman Photography) https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2015/5/the-creative-approach Sun, 31 May 2015 22:11:31 GMT
Flower Farm https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/5/flower-farm While on a detour on Interstate 5 south of Bakersfield, California, I came across acres of flowers being commercially grown.  It was a fascinating site seeing so much land and labor devoted to cut flowers.  This shot depicts the many laborers harvesting flowers.  While sometimes overused, I decided to process as a black and white print and re-colorize the flowers as I wanted to highlight the contrast between the commercial crop and the laborers who were toiling in the sun.

I've printed this at 13"x19" and it presents very well.  The photograph was taken with a Fuji X-Pro-1 and 35mm lens.  It was processed in Lightroom and NIK Silver Efex Pro 2 software.

Flower farmFlower farmWasco, California

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[email protected] (Bruce Winkelman Photography) https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/5/flower-farm Thu, 22 May 2014 23:35:38 GMT
Bar Noir-San Francisco https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/5/bar-noir Texture, lighting, reflections, and a black & white finish all contribute to the noir feel.  The shot was taken in San Francisco using a Nikon D300.  

Bar NoirBar NoirSan Francisco

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[email protected] (Bruce Winkelman Photography) https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/5/bar-noir Tue, 13 May 2014 16:19:05 GMT
Ponte Sant'Angelo (Bridge of Hadrian), Rome https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/4/ponte-santangelo-bridge-of-hadrian-rome Ponte Sant'Angelo was built in 164 C.E. by the Roman Emperor Hadrian.  Its three arches span the Tiber River and statues of angels overlook the pedestrian walkway.

Travel photography can be challenging since a visitor has limited time to construct and frame the photograph.  I wanted to capture Rome's rich history and physical beauty while avoiding the typical "postcard" shot.  After much post-processing time in my "digital darkroom", the end result is this black and white image that almost appears to be drawn by hand.  

I think the 8.5"x11" print is the perfect size for this image!

I shot this photograph with a Nikon D800 and 16-35mm f/4 Nikkor lens.  It was processed using Lightroom and Nik Software.  

Please let me know if you have comments or questions!

 

Ponte Sant'Angelo, 2012Ponte Sant'Angelo, 2012Tiber River, Rome

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[email protected] (Bruce Winkelman Photography) https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/4/ponte-santangelo-bridge-of-hadrian-rome Sat, 26 Apr 2014 00:06:00 GMT
Sunset over the Golden Gate https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/4/sunset-over-the-golden-gate Another aerial shot of the Golden Gate and Pacific Ocean.  I took this shot from a commercial airliner with a Fuji X-Pro-1.  I used Lightroom and Nik Software for post processing to bring out the textures in the water and contrast the warm sunset and cool dusk settling over San Francisco. Sunset over Golden GateSunset over Golden Gate

 

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[email protected] (Bruce Winkelman Photography) https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/4/sunset-over-the-golden-gate Thu, 24 Apr 2014 18:20:27 GMT
And they're off! https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/4/and-theyre-off During a recent trip to one of my new favorite used bookstores in Los Angeles, The Iliad, I came across a collection of photographs by Ernst Haas.  For those unfamiliar, Haas was an Austrian photojournalist who spoke of "transforming an object from what it is to what you want it to be."  His photograph of a Spanish bullfighter, La Suerte De Capa, was particularly moving.  I started thinking about more contemporary events with humans and animals whose essence could be captured with blurred motion shots.  I wound up at the Golden Gate Fields racetrack in Albany, California and captured a number of images using a steady camera and low shutter speed.   This was from the first race with the horses and jockeys just leaving the gate.

It was shot with a Nikon D800 using a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.  

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[email protected] (Bruce Winkelman Photography) https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/4/and-theyre-off Tue, 22 Apr 2014 19:20:42 GMT
Hollywood Pulse https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/4/hollywood-pulse Here's a recent night photo of Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles.  My goal was to capture the vibrancy of Los Angeles at night.

Cityscapes can be a little tricky (static subject that can be captured by anyone with a camera), but I like how this turned out.  The image lights and color pop, but on closer examination, there's a lot going on here.   I love how the old residential section of Hollywood is shaded by trees and selectively washed by streetlights.  That shade then gives way to the ancient Knickerbocker hotel, the iconic Capitol Records building, and the exploding neon off Hollywood Blvd.  To the left, the 101 appears like a river of car lights snaking on then off camera, then winding back into frame flowing towards the downtown skyline.  The evening especially clear (it was windy), but even then the camera did not record any starlight, just muted reflections ranging from warm to cool cross the horizon.  However, if you look closely on the right, a plane moving across the frame leaves a wake of flashing lights.    

The shooting location is off Mulholland Drive.  For the shot, I used a Nikon D800 with 85mm f/1.8 lens, f/16 for 15 seconds.  The digital negative was processed in Lightroom and Nik Software (Color Efex Pro 4 for tonal contrast and a light touch of HDR Efex.)  It makes a gorgeous 13x19 print. 

Hollywood PulseHollywood Pulse

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[email protected] (Bruce Winkelman Photography) https://www.brucewinkelman.com/blog/2014/4/hollywood-pulse Sat, 12 Apr 2014 00:33:41 GMT