A First For Me

I never thought it would happen. I have never made much effort toward it, and knew that it usually took a tremendous amount of training, time, and dedication. But it happened recently.

My photography has been focused on people. Weddings, portraits, sports, performances, and just fun stuff, but all concentrating on the people involved. Every once in a while I would capture an image of something else: Maybe a beautiful scene in Yosemite; an old building at Daffodil Hill; or something almost repulsive like a snail licking the pollen off a dead bee. But these were just for fun and for my own personal use. (I almost forgot… I have also done some commercial photography of things ranging from jewelry to pneumatic panels and large machinery.)

I recently added a new photo album to my Facebook page called, “Best of”. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=194524&id=604696014 It is simply a collection of my photography that I consider the best that I have done. One person who looked them through is a friend from high school in New Jersey. She has a Masters in Fine Art and teaches art in Massachusetts. When she saw one I took in Potsdam, she had to have a print. She purchased a 16×20 which is now in the process of being framed for her home.

This is my first sale of fine art photography, which is a big departure from my usual work. Please don’t expect to find me suddenly redirecting my efforts in this area. I know a number of excellent fine art photographers, who train incessantly, travel extensively, and starve financially. But this does give me a new spark in looking for this kind of opportunity.

If you are interested in the story of this image, keep reading:

My family and I were in Potsdam, NY for the wedding of my niece, Kim. It was her older sister, Cara, who got me into wedding photography the year before. That day’s weather was forecast to be rain-free, but the morning greeted us with an misty stillness. I went out to see what I could capture with my new 20mm lens. Without going into great detail, I saw the long side of the barn, the warmly lit window, and the tree in the distance. I framed it to include the best elements and captured this image.

Once inside with the image on the computer, my daughter, Katherine, and I worked on it to bring out the best. We decided on a filter called “Reminiscing” from OpticVerv labs to be applied to a duplicate layer over the original. We then erased that layer from the tree and window. This combination of actions reduced the impact of the bright red barn, allowing the tree and window to play the major roles. The converging lines of the barn still play the part of directing your eyes to the tree in the distance, while the glow of the window calls you back.

I hope you like it.

NOTE: I totally forgot that I use this image for my title banner on this blog!

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IT FULL SCREEN.

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