Butterfly Preserve Project Day 7-The Final 12

At first I was going to post these in color, but I wasn't quite happy with them so I decided to wait and think about it some more. I finally decided that I would go ahead and post them in color and just chalk it up to an "it is what it is" thing and move on. Then as I was about to post I serendipitously happened across some photos of Robert Adams and I knew what I had to do. Namely, black and white, low contrast, concentrating on subtler gray tones as opposed to the more heavy handed usage of shadows, high contrast, and under exposure I've been into lately. Revolutionary! I'm much happier with the way these came out. In full disclosure I did take more than 12 images, but I didn't take nearly the 100+ shots I had been taking, not even close, and I edited on the spot with a more discerning eye leaving the preserve with closer to 12 images (I also did a 360 panorama that I'm still working on.) It was definitely a different experience limiting myself to fewer pictures. It was the difference between sitting on the beach listening to the waves at sunset and being on a construction site in the middle of the day. On the way home from the preserve I started my next project. Images soon to come.

Multiplex Thunderclap-Day 6

It's been a long time since I did any multiple exposures. Probably not since my junior college days back at Johnson County. Back then I was using 4x5 film and/or a Pentax K1000. Now in the digital world multiple exposures have to be done in photoshop. I will attest that they are not as fun. I'd almost rather do it in camera and be done with it.

Today's first big adventure was arriving at the butterfly preserve only to find that I had forgotten my phone, which in the 20th century means I had forgotten my clock/watch thing. So, all the way back I went. One must adhere to the arbitrary rules of one's experiment. The next big adventure was getting lost in the sinews of the trails in the woods. Which is fine, it's where you want to be on day 6, but not when you have to get to class in half an hour. I felt a little like Rambo running through the woods, jumping over fallen trees, wading waist deep through a pond. At one point I thought I would have to gnaw off my leg. I killed a squirrel for sustenance, which in retrospect was a bit hasty on my part. However, all was not lost and I found my way out and made it to class on time. The End.

Day 6- 9-10am, 103 frames.

Butterfly Thunderdome-Day 4

I'll start this post off with a quote from Paul Cezanne, "A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art." It is a good reminder of what is more important than LOOKING, it's FEELING. The looking supports the feeling and then lastly the technical stuff supports the looking. Honing into the feeling of a place is not usually an easy thing to do, in this case, and perhaps many cases, it involves listening more to the birds. Today the flash made it out with me again (what has become of me?) though this time I used it more of a supporting role. I used it subtly to fill is some of the shadows and not to call attention to itself. Today I also wanted to step back and show more of the environment. Over the last few days I've been taking environmental shots, but they really weren't working. Today they felt better. More shots from the day, and all the days, can be seen here.

Day 4 stats- 132 Frames, 6-7pm.

Butterfly Thunderdome-Day 3

Today went better than yesterday, at least in my mind, as I was back on track with just LOOKING. Today was overcast and a bit rainy so I decided to take my flash to see what would happen. Though usually mixing nature and flash is something I consider sacrilege today seemed like a good day to break some self-imposed rules. I think it came out well. I liked being able to just sprinkle some light out there. Now  the question is, would I do it again? By breaking my own rules have I set forth a series of events which will be the cause of my own self-destruction spiraling me into a world of debauchery, immorality, and chaos? Yes, that will probably happen. Still 4 more days to go!

Day 3 stats- 7:30-8:30am, 144 frames.

Butterfly Thunderdome-Day 2

Already the project has a new name! Day 2 was a bit more of a struggle. Maybe because I went in with an agenda or maybe it was just the wrong agenda. I went in with a preconceived idea that I was going to concentrate on the ol' "shape, line, texture". I kept trying to impose my will and the subject was not having it. I spent most of the time second guessing myself. It felt like I was on a time limit and had to shoot and shoot to make sure I got something instead of like the first day where it was much more of a relaxed thing and I just LOOKED! It took about 59 minutes to overcome this hurdle. It was a good reminder to just let things happen sometimes. We'll see just what happens tomorrow!

I thought it might be interesting to include some stats too.

Day 1- 10-11am, 55 frames
Day 2- 8:30-9:30am, 157 frames
Ah, the digital age where frames run like water! My goal for the final day is to only shoot 12 frames. There may only be 12 frames left in the world at this rate.

A New (mini)Photo Project

I thought I'd try a mini photo project. My plan is to visit the butterfly preserve, which I have previously blog about here, for 7 days in a row spending only an hour there each day. The limited time will force me to focus my energies and the limited location will force me to be more clever in my shooting. Nothing but my wits and my camera. Two men enter but only one man leaves! Oh, this is no Thunderdome, this is a Butterfly Preserve! Day 1 10-11am PST.

In and of a Butterfly Preserve

Near where I live there is a butterfly preserve. The winter is the time when thousands of Monarch butterflies flock (if butterflies "flock") to this area. They can travel as many as 3,000 miles as part of their migration. And they always come back to the same spot every year. It being "winter" I went to check it out. To get to the butterflies you walk deep into a densely wooded area over muddy paths, sun rays streaming through the leaves of the trees, and then across a rickety one foot wide board which serves as a bridge over a small creek. You know you have arrived when you hear the distant chirping of the butterflies or you see people randomly spaced throughout the woods gazing upward, almost zombie-like, in dumbfounded awe. Overhead, way at the tops of the eucalyptus trees, the butterflies fly back and forth creating a living fluttering canopy. It is almost mystical or like something through the cupboard. The difficult thing is the butterflies are so high up it does not make for great pictures. So, I took these pictures of things closer to the ground, instead. The funny thing was the next day outside of my apartment there was a Monarch butterfly feeding from flowers. I watched him for a little while, as he was probably less than a foot away, until he flew off directly into my face! So, I believe it only goes to show that butterflies are spies and very very dangerous.