Telling a story with shadows

Well, life continues to take me away from blogging, but I have found some time to get one submitted to the weekly Photo Challenge from Frank at Dutch Goes the Photo.

Shadow is a key attribute of good photos, as it helps paint the scene and set the mood, even more than light will at times.  For good photography, it is important to pay attention to shadows and notice how they help compose the image that we really want to show to the viewer.  An excellent article that goes into how shadow can be used to work the various aspects of a photo So, my challenge to you is to become more aware of shadows; this doesn’t mean that you have to go all serious and deep, as a photo that uses shadow can be playful…

This week the challenge relates to the use of shade in a photo.  Having a glance through my photos I saw the usual ones such as buildings, trees, and landscapes in general.  Then I was reminded of some photos I took some years ago (so the quality is not that stellar) of some school kids involved in an art installation at the Gallery of Modern Art here in Brisbane.  A film of a country scene with some cockatoos flying across the screen. There was a second projector which allowed the kids to use their hands to contribute to that setting. The third photo I think is the best — if you look up into the right hand corner, you’ll see a set of hands and its reflection on the screen.  I watched this for some time, as it was one of the best installations I had seen in a long time.

Click on one of the photos for a better view and more content.

The start of the film. Cockatoos flying across the screen.

The students assemble to become a part of the art installation.

Film and humans contributing to the success of the installation. Note the set of hands in the upper right hand the shadows of which are a part of the scene.

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Tuesday Challenge: the Path

I haven’t posted in a few weeks (life has become challenging in other areas and lack of time has made posting scarce).  But I do have some time for a post for the Tuesday challenge from Frank at Dutch goes the Photo!

This week it is: the Path.

I’d like you to photograph whichever path(s) appeal to you.  In the theme of path, I’d like you to think about where the path might lead you; is this a place that you want to get to, or is it one that you want to avoid?  Is this a path that everyone is going to take, or is it just your path?

I thought about the various meanings of the word.  The obvious meaning of a physical thing that leads you somewhere. A footpath, a road, country lane, a grassy path….and so many others in this category. I also thought of the way that certain elements in photos can draw our eyes in a certain direction –> like a path. So my photos are a mix of both ideas.  The last one is from many years ago when I was living in the USA — and whilst not such a good photo, you can clearly see me trying to dig a path out.  🙂

A favourite road…adorned with beautiful jacaranda trees.

Alpacas heading down a long grassy path to who knows where.

Country road.

A favourite path — at Picnic Point, Toowoomba — the path affords brilliant views of the valley below.

Wander along the path and under the archway to a farmhouse.

I love how this road winds through the countryside. It’s a pleasure to drive on.

A road to nowhere it seems.

A road takes you further into the outback; this one from the mining town of Mt Isa in Queensland.

The light across the water acts like a path for the eyes.

The light across the water acts like a path for the eyes.

The light across the water acts like a path for the eyes, to a point behind the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

This path skirts the foreshore of a sleepy little seaside town in Queensland.

From 2003, yours truly trying to dig down to the path, buried under feet of snow. A great memory from my years in the USA.

TPC: Close Up

This week Frank at Dutch Goes the Photo has come up with a great challenge: Close Up

…be on the lookout for anything and everything in the world around you that will look really great close-up, and might even make us wonder what it is…

I’ve not been able to get out much of late, so I’ve chosen a few closeups done through the years. Even one at the end, which people have tried to guess over the years but never succeeded.  🙂

Up close, just before going over…

It’s a whole new world in a closeup…

It’s a whole new world in a closeup…

It’s a whole new world in a closeup…

It’s a whole new world in a closeup…

I wonder what this is? If you think you know, tell me in a comment. 🙂

TPC – Orange

This week Frank at Dutch Goes the Photo has come up with a new challenge: Orange

Find some great examples of the color orange and photograph them; sounds easy, doesn’t it?  Orange is an interesting color, as it falls between red and yellow in the spectrum and the specific tone of the color orange can range from fiery to drab depending on its exact place in the spectrum.

Like my response to last week’s challenge (Patterns Everywhere), this week’s response will have photos taken for other reasons, and also meet this challenge. Various shades of orange, in all kinds of situations.  To see a larger view of each photo, click on one to launch the gallery.

 

Brilliant orange poppy.

Burning off begins to bathe all in orange.

Orange turban.

Indigenous art on show.

Sunflower magic!

Items from the past.

Orange top.

Supporting Global Warming initiatives.

Enjoying the last sun-rays of the day.