Breaking the Rules?

The rules of photography that is.  When should you follow the 'rules' and when are rules made to be broken.  Typically, you would never take a landscape shot like this one and put the horizon in the middle of the image cutting it in half.  More typically, the horizon is found in the lower or upper third.  This is consistent with the photography rule of thirds which divides any images into nine sections.  Images are typically more dramatic if a subject is place in one of the outer thirds rather than smack in the middle.  Normally, I would tend to compose the same way but this image required that I break some of these rules.

The sun and its reflection are pretty much in the middle of the image.  The horizon cuts the image in half.  Yet, I think this image works very nicely because the clouds and their reflections preserve this rule of thirds.   What do you think and why . . . ?

North Point Revisited

It's been some time since I've visited North Point on Milwaukee's Lake Michigan lakefront.  Sometimes it seems like I'm there every couple of days and then I go months without even driving by.  This morning, I decided to revisit this spot as I have a current portfolio published in Wisconsin Trails magazine.  I'm glad I went.  The surf was rough and I wish I could have stayed until there was enough light to catch the waves crashing against the ice causing classic explosions of water into the air.

Instead, I caught this image looking south toward the city.  The sun won't come up for another half hour or more but there enough color in the sky caused by the reflecting lights of the city.  Good morning Milwaukee.

Canon ID Mark IV

OK, I admit it.  I love technology.  I love the latest and greatest.  I always thought that Canon's 1-series cameras were going to be just out of reach for me.  Then, a stroke of luck, some extra cash, a quick sale of an almost new 7D and here I sit with a new Canon 1D Mark IV.  I feel extremely fortunate.  It's only been a couple of days with this new state of the art machine but there's so much to love about it already:

• The new 45 point auto focus system is great.  No hunting in low light (like my 5D Mark II often does)
• High ISO shots are fabulous.  I've shot at ISO 8000 which cleans up nicely with even the default settings in Noiseware Professional noise reduction software
• The noise pattern itself is more pleasing (to me) as compared to the Canon 7D
• I think I like the 1.3 crop factor better than the 1.6 but I still like full frame (5D Mark II).
• The feature set like spot metering on the AF point
• The new AI Servo for action shots

There's much more that I have only read about but not explored.  But at the end of the day, the camera has to take good photographs regardless of all the features.  The image in this post was taken during a recent trip to Ft. Lauderdale, FL (think warm).  It was taken at ISO 6400, handheld and processed with noise reduction software.  The glow in the foreground is due to the street lights on the main draft in Ft. Lauderdale Beach.

A Classic Ford

This weekend I'm back up in Menomonee County at my Legend Lake retreat.  The weather is quite cold but calm.  We were greeted with blue skies and bright sunshine which made the 10 degree temperature feel tolerable.  I was mad at myself for leaving my tripod at home which meant no sunrise or sunset pictures this weekend.  Wouldn't you know it but there were some nice sunrises and sunsets!

I did a little driving around the lake and surrounding areas and came upon this classic old Ford pickup.  Now, I'm not one for knowing the exact year of this model but I do know I can't pass on an opportunity to photograph and old beat up truck with rust and peeling paint.  It just gives us that sentimental feeling of days gone by.  In this case, the way the light was hitting truck really emphasized the rust and textures.  I kept the exposure underexposed by 1.5 stops and added vignette in Photoshop Lightroom

Making Waves

I just published my Making Waves series to my website.  I like this series as it reminds me of warmer weather and the peace of being out on the lake early in the morning or at sunset.  The series captures the gentle ripples of boat trails creating a pattern of colored light depending on the surroundings.  Green for trees, blue for skies and many colors of sunrise and sunset.

Check it out at http://www.rjiphotography.com


Making Waves - Images by Bob Israel

A Cold Start to the New Year

Spending New Year's up north on Legend Lake was a wonderful way to relax.  It was cold though.  But there was also a blue moon.  I caught a few shots but the one shown here is a setting moon on the morning of January 2nd.  It was about 5 below zero but the winds were calm and it was quiet.  It was so quiet that all I could hear was my own breathing.  Soon the sun came up and I was able to watch my little world wake to new day.

Happy New Year to all.  As we enter the new year, here's a look back at some of my best from 2009.

Enjoy!


Scenes from 2009 - Images by Bob Israel

Wisconsin Trails Magazine

The upcoming Jan/Feb edition of Wisconsin Trails Magazine will feature the cover image and a six page spread of my images from North Point. North point is located just south of Bradford Beach along the Lake Michigan shore in downtown Milwaukee, WI. It's a popular spot among area photographers but surprisingly, many do not know of it's existence. I often get asked where the images are from and people are quite surprised to learn that such a unique landscape is right outside their front door.

Thanks to Jerry Luterman, photographer for Wisconsin Trails, for his help to get these images published in the magazine. He's a pretty good photographer himself and I am definitely a fan.

A New Website (in progress)

I'm working toward a new website for RJI Photography.  I'm using Photoshelter which is an all inclusive option from archiving to website to storefront and proofing.  Right now, I'm only working on a limited 30 day freebie but I have all the functionality there.  Here's an example of the home page slide show embedded into this blog:


Oak Creek - Images by Bob Israel

This blog can also be integrated into the website navigation so now my blog will be more interactively linked with my website.  I'm really liking the features associated with photoshelter and I'm just getting started.  More to come!

Simplicity

What is it about a simple peeling wall with a shadow and a foreground element that makes an image so intriguing?  There are no people and no action.   I know that when I look at this and similar images, it makes my mind wander, whether about the particular image or not.  Sometimes, you feel the texture of the wall, the cracks in the wall board.  The radiator reminds of my childhood where we had these for our heat. It reminds me of the dozen or so layers of paint that are typical of radiators of this era.  It reminds of the clanking sound when they started heating up or when they cooled.  So maybe, it a reminder of an era gone by but something that relates to my youth.  It makes me wonder if someone half my age would react similarly or whether they have another set of feelings that makes this image intriguing to them.

One Earth

I recently came back to this image I took during the summer along one of the most beautiful stretches of the Wolf River in Menomonee County, Wisconsin.  Unfortunately, I came upon this scene where someone decided they were too lazy to properly dispose of their trash.  I really thought we, as a society, had come past this type of behavior.  Fortunately, we cleaned it up before the trash made its way into the river.  The image serves as a reminder that no matter how beautiful this wonderful planet can be, we can destroy it in a minute.

The Best of Both Worlds

Anyone who's followed my photography knows that my two most photographed subjects are natural landscapes and urban abandonment or URBEX (urban exploration).  Well, lately I've been at this location just south of Milwaukee where I've been fortunate to have both at my disposal.  I arrive before sunrise and shoot the scenic old piers on Lake Michigan.  Sometimes the power plant to the south makes for an interesting twist to the scene.  Once the sun has risen, I'll climb up the hill from the lakeshore where this wonderful abandoned factory provides all kinds of great opportunities.  Unfortunately, this site is in the process of being torn down for good.  On the one hand, I feel sad that the best of both worlds will disappear for good at this location.  On the other hand, I'm glad I had the chance to document these buildings before they are gone forever.

URBEX!

Urban Exploration sometimes known as the art of trespassing without getting caught is something I never thought I would enjoy as much as I do.  There the feeling of discovery as you enter an abandonment for the first time.  I feel a rush of adrenaline when I first approach a new site.  I feel the same when I return to find something new, something moved, something changed.  I love the feeling I get when I try to imagine the building during its hay day whether a glimpse of the blue collar worker or life on a working farm.

Infrared & Color

I've always been fascinated with Infrared (IR) photography. I converted an old Canon 20D to shoot only IR. The conversion was done at Lifepixel.com. Mostly, I dabbled with black and white conversions but this week, I decided to try color IR. While I used a custom white balance to take this shot (focusing on green grass), I found that by cranking up the vibrance and bumping the saturation in Lightroom, I could achieve the colors you see in this image. I'm pretty happy with my first colored IR image.

Daily Wanderings

I spend a lot of weekends at my place 'up north' about 2.5 hours from home. It's my slice of heaven. But there's so much to see and photograph on the way but I never get much of a chance to slow down and take it all in. Well, today, that changed. Taking everything but the highway, we went through typical small towns that dot the state of Wisconsin. I loved it. I did't stop for everything, but that only means I'll get it next time. The abandoned house in the is image was literally in the middle of nowhere. Even the driveway was obscured from view.

Pink

Beginning this evening, the Milwaukee Art Museum, for the first time ever, will glow pink against the stunning backdrop of the September evening sky. The 10-day lighting project celebrates the opening of the Museum’s major fall exhibition, Andy Warhol: The Last Decade with a nod to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the Milwaukee lakefront on Sunday, September 27. With a 217-foot wingspan that opens and closes twice daily, the illuminated wings of the Quadracci Pavilion will offer an extraordinary spectacle along the city’s skyline.
“It’s wonderful timing that we’re unveiling the work of an iconic Pop artist as the 2009 Komen Race for the Cure winds around the Milwaukee Art Museum,” said Dan Keegan, the Museum’s director. “For the first time ever, we’ll fully light the Museum in color – bright pink – to show our support for the race and breast cancer awareness. The lighting project will offer a beautiful visual representation of art as a catalyst for healing and hope, and underscores the Museum’s importance as a community gathering place.”

In a continuing effort to collaborate with and support an array of community organizations, the Museum exterior will be lit in pink each evening from approximately 7:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m., starting today through the beginning of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Friday, October 2. The end time will be extended until midnight on Friday, September 25; Saturday, September 26; and Friday,

October 2. For added visual excitement, the Museum’s outdoor fountains will also take on a bright pink hue starting today.

“We hope the community, and families, will take the opportunity to drive or walk by the Milwaukee Art Museum to see this spectacular sight,” added Keegan.

In an additional show of support, the Milwaukee Art Museum will offer free admission on race day to all cancer survivors participating in the Komen Race for the Care. Survivors will be presented with a certificate for admission in the Survivor’s Tent after the race, or can gain admission on race day by wearing their signature pink t-shirt. All other participants will receive a special offer for $2 off admission. The Komen Race for the Cure, the largest series of 5K runs/fitness walks in the world, raises significant funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer, celebrates breast cancer survivorship, and honors those who have lost their battle with the disease.

The lighting is made possible with the support of the Pellmann Center for Medical Imaging.

What 9/11 Gave Us

I used to live in the Washington, DC area. Back then, I never really toured the city except when guests came to town. It really is a beautiful city and it's buildings and architecture are a photographic delight. But there are clear signs of change from when I left DC in 1996 most notably the security around the city, especially at our monuments and government buildings. This picture is of the back side of the US Capital. That's one serious piece of hardware in the hands of the guy in the middle. A scene like this was never evident before 9/11 . . . a sign of the times.

Patches

The weather in SE Wisconsin has been the best of the summer season even though summer is ending. The skies have clear, the wind light resulting in several days of patchy fog in the morning. I've spent the past couple of mornings getting out bed way too early to drive during sunrise through the fog looking at wonderful displays of light. The normal and mundane are suddently trasnposed into the mysterious and beautiful. The scene shown here is merely someone's driveway in rural Racine County.

Boat Trails

Labor Day weekend brings the end of summer and with it the end of another season on the lake. While there's plenty of good boating weather left in September it seems that most people are distracted toward other activities and so the crowds thin out very quickly. I like our lake in September. There's often fog in the morning, the fishing is great and the colors of sunrise are crisp as cold mornings become more the norm and a sign of things to come.

Two by Two

A recent photowalk by the Cream City Photographers, a Flickr group, found ourselves at Jones Island in Milwaukee. It's the city's main shipping port and I have photographed this area before.

While there were many other photographs that I took, this one was one of those spontaneous images and a departure from all the other images I made that day. It was the symmetry and the mystery that caught my interest. The symmetry in the two women with red hair and black coats, two telephone poles against a large pillar of salt. The mystery was wondering what these two photographers were doing or looking at! I still don't know.