An Environmental Portrait

Canon 7D, Raw, 18mm, f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 6400

Wikipedia says, “An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings.” That is exactly what this photo does. This is a young college student, Mallory, who lives in this studio unit. She loves to take pictures and she is always on her computer. She wanted to make sure her pool table got in the photo too. We had a lot of fun taking a lot of photos. I kind of liked this one the best. As you can see, I used a very high ISO (6400) with no flash, just some natural light. I did get rid of some of the grain using a great noise reduction software (Imagenomic). I warmed up the temperature a little in camera raw and then a levels adjustment in Photoshop.

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A Study in Perspective

This was a difficult project. I took this photo here in Huntington Beach up on Center Drive. It was for a study in perspective. I think I chose a difficult building to work on. If you are a photographer, you will know how impossible it is to take a photo of a tall building, from ground level with full perspective and straight lines. So, the object was to straighten it out in Photoshop, using lens distortion and transform warp. I worked on it a lot and it is still not perfect. Please do not put a ruler to it! I am done working on this particular subject but I have learned a lot and used it on other photos.

A photo taken in early morning…

I was at my advanced web class tonight. I am not quite finished with the revamping of my website. I will be making a few changes but nothing drastic. I hope you will like it when I am finished. I thought school was over next week but there are two more weeks. Pot luck in class next week! We will be going up to Pasadena again on Friday and I want to take some more photos. I want to do a panorama at the City Hall court yard. We will see what I can do when I get there!

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Movie Poster Project

Here is another photo from yesterday’s Fine Art Open House at Golden West College. This is all five movie posters. I already showed you the one that I worked on. Unfortunately, there are two bright tungsten lights shining on two of them and parts of the images are blown out. I put my recovery in raw at 100%, but it was still not enough. The poster on the far left is one Jason (the instructor) did to show some photos taken during the shoot (I already showed you one of them) and everyone’s name. I do not think anyone really cared but I guess it is something the teachers have to do!

 These are all great movies…

I met up with my nephew Ryan and his fiancee Sophia this morning. I am going to do the photography for their wedding and they wanted to show me around. It is at a very nice country club and it will be a beautiful ceremony, outside in a gazebo. I appreciate them letting me do it for them. It will be fun, but it is a lot of responsibility. Willie, of course will help me! Did I tell you that I am thinking of starting another weblog? It will be from Kyla and Donnan. I am thinking of calling it a “Clog” – that stands for canine blog. What do you think?

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Golden West College Fine Arts Open House

Here is one image I took today at the open house.  It is amazing how much talent and brilliance there is at one little community college in Huntington Beach. Willie went with me early today to walk around. We went to the ceramics, sculpture, photography and many other classrooms. I particularly liked these pieces of clay in the ceramics department.  I am not sure of the students name, which I should have paid more attention to. It was great walking around and seeing all of the art work. I never saw any jewelry though. Where was it?

A pair of beautiful ceramic pieces…

They used to have a “student show” in the gallery one semester per year, but it was more restrictive. This open house showed everyone’s work and it was great.  There were many people there, but I hope the other students took advantage and saw some of the work the other fine arts students are doing. It was very impressive. Years ago I took a ceramics class and “threw on the  wheel.” Seeing some of the students tonight, it made me want to take a ceramics class next semester. My little salad bowls and ashtrays were very juvenile compared to what I saw tonight!

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More Urban Grunge

This is number three, or is it number four, in the series on urban grunge in Huntington Beach. How would you like this next to your house where the kids play?  There used to be a grammar school across the street and then it became Little League playing fields – now it is a Lowe’s. But there are still many houses around. I was out this morning taking some photos for class and came across this. Next I will photograph some of the old oil pumps. What a beautiful city Huntington Beach is!

A danger sign and barbed wire…

Willie is in Long Beach all day at Larry’s condo while some worker’s are making repairs. Nice of him to just sit there all day! I hope class is good and productive tonight. Tomorrow there is a Fine Art Open House at the school. There will be a lot of things on display from all the different classes: oil painting, digital arts, ceramics, photography, sculpture, etc. I have a class so I hope I get a chance to look around some. The weather is warming up – you can tell summer is on it’s way. Hope your week is going good. Please check back tomorrow for another new photo!

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A Class Photo Shoot

At class last  night we were in groups of 4 people and were given a “movie poster” to do. We could use any props we could find at school or something we had brought from home. Our movie was Grease and we were doing it quite literally. Our teacher, Jason (in the middle of the photo), wanted us to do the essence of the movie. I took this photo to show a few of the people in our group working on it. It was fun working with the professional lights and listening to his suggestions.

Working on a school project…

This is another unusual photo for me to share and I guess, again, it is a snapshot. But sometimes that is the only thing to represent my daily life. The weather is gorgeous today. I met with some clients this morning after getting my hair trimmed. I played some with my video but I cannot seem to get the Photo to Movie software to do what I want it to do. I think I may contact them. I can still do my museum assignment because he gave us another week (that’s good), and tonight I have my web class. My life is so busy!

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A Tree Grows in HB

We went for a walk yesterday with the dogs and ended up at Golden West College. It was a very cold but beautiful day. I have shown you a few of these trees in black and white, but I was attracted to these roots. I thought it was interesting the way the roots were spread out so far over the ground. There were no people around so it was a nice walk. I took some other photos and I will share with you at a later time.

Great contrast of colors…

GWC was founded in the early 1960’s. These trees probably had a few years on them when they were planted. Over the years, they have become so beautiful and I hope they are there always. We got The Dark Knight from Netflix yesterday – probably watch tonight. We watched Hancock last night – pretty bad. Sunday is Willie’s birthday and we talked a little bit this morning about what he wants to do. It will be his day and I am hoping he chooses to go out to dinner!

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Beautiful Trees at GWC

They have the most beautiful trees at Golden West College! I took this one early Saturday morning before the swap meet or any other traffic arrived. The ground was damp from the morning fog and dew that had just lifted. If I had gotten there a little earlier, I could have photographed the fog too. I am showing it in black and white so there will be no distractions from the green grass and red curbs. I have another tree from GWC posted at 10/365.

It still has not rained around here but there is a lot of snow up in the mountains. I am anxious to hear from Larry to see how much snow there is and I am sure they took some pictures. I have a lot to do today so I better get busy and get my pork cooked for the tamales and some fudge made for Larry and to take to my friend Gayle tomorrow. My new calendars should arrive tomorrow. It will be a busy week!

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Golden West College at Night

The night before last there was a soccer game going on at GWC and I didn’t have my camera. So of course, I brought my camera last night and there was nothing going on. I took this photo by setting my camera on a wooden post and kind of hoping something would come out. I used a large aperture to let as much light in as possible. I took it at the outdoor amphitheatre. It looks rather abstract and I like the colors and of course the shadows.

The amphitheatre at night with no one around…

There was a little light shining from the racquetball courts, but that was all. I took this at about 9:00 P.M.  If you stare at it a while you will be able to make it out. I was at my Flash class last night. Next week is the last week. I should have my project up on my website after class is finished. The next semester starts the end of January so I have some time off from school. I have a lot to do around the house to keep me busy! What do you think of this new interface we have to work with?

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GWC at Night

During break last night at school, I walked around a little bit and the campus was very quiet.  With my camera in hand (but no tripod) I rested it on a rail and tried taking some photos. I liked this one because of the spotlights below and the long dark hallway above. Makes you wonder what is down that hall, right?  This building is part of the original campus built in the early 1960’s.

GWC Fine Arts Building

We got our new FIOS TV yesterday –  so far, so good. It just takes time to get used to the new remote and their way of doing things.  My favorite feature is you can record two programs at one time or record a show and watch another live show. If I am recording a cooking show or my soap, it won’t annoy Willie if he is trying to watch some silly cowboy movie!

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Beauty Through Depression Glass

Do you see the light shining through the beautiful colored glass and the gorgeous crystal beads? They are a part of some very pretty wind chimes.  Look at the blue and the dark green and the yellow.  The sound they make is very beautiful too.  They are made from Depression Glass. This is someone else’s artwork that I have documented for you. I hope I captured for you what I saw when I came across them. 

Beautiful Colored Glass

Every week-end there is a big outdoor market in the parking lot at Golden West College.  There are a lot of vendors and just about anything you can think of is sold there.  I have been there a few times mainly to take photographs, once as an assignment for a photography class! You could easily spend two hours walking around. It is a good place to go exploring if you do not mind all the people!

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My Classroom at GWC

It was a warm day yesterday – high of 83 degrees!  The dogs played outside a lot because Willie was out there watering and trimming plants.  I don’t know what he does out there all day!  Anyway, I had class last night so I thought I would show you a photo of my classroom.  They are up to date with all new 20″ iMacs. The school takes very good care of us students!  I got there 30 minutes early so no one else was there yet.

Fine Arts Bldg. Room 202

The only problem now, with these big monitors we need stadium seating so we can see the instructor and what is going on at the front of the room!  I am sure there are many students who like it this way so they can do their own thing.  I know – a silly choice of photo for this post – but, oh well –  I like to show you variety and what my life is about!

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StarShower Amphitheater at GWC

There is a beautiful outdoor amphitheater at Golden West College. A lot of events are held there, such as plays, award ceremonies, graduations, etc.  I have seen women exercising there, walking up and down the stairs with their hand weights and the police academy students doing drills.  It is a very nice place for students to congregate. As you can see from the photo, it is very well maintained. GWC is a great place!

StarShower Amphitheater

I went to school early last night so I could photograph it.  I knew the sun was starting to get pretty low at 5:15 P.M., and I was able to get a nice contrast with the sun shining through the many trees on campus toward the amphitheater.  Flash class was interesting last night.  We learned about movie clips and putting them into objects to create animations.  I still do not know what I am doing!  Kyla was a little under the weather yesterday.  She ate a little dinner and we will keep an eye on her today.

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Trees at GWC

At Golden West College there are some very old and very beautiful trees.  On the east side of campus as you drive in.  I wanted to show this particular one in black and white so there would be no distractions for you, the viewer, caused by green grass, blue sky, etc. Look in the background on the left and you can see a few more.  They are all in a row.  The roots on the surface are what originally caught my eye and made me want to photograph them.  Pretty incredible, huh?

Tree

Flash class was good last night.  I spoke with my instructor about my website  and he said it looks real good (onegoodphotographer.com).  He made some suggestions to get me up to the top in search engines.  He also teaches an advance web design class so I will take that class next semester. I feel really good about everything I am doing right now. Life is wonderful! 

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