041710 Working with Lines (power lines that is)

Available light... Model- Kyle Whitehead

While we were shooting in Lebanon, OH the group was working with 2 reflectors- one on the ground and one above creating soft light.

There are times when it is impossible to avoid lines in the backgrounds of our photos. Where you choose to place your subject makes all of the difference.

Lines lead your eyes around a composition- in this case to his face... eyes.

Notice the horizontal lines do not come out of his eyes, but his forehead.

Follow the gaze.

The line - eye intersection here works because of the glasses.

Dynamic angled lines work with the energy of laughter.

I had to use the lines because there was an arm attached to that reflector (camera left) and the building ended behind Kyle.

This was fun.

041710 Shooting in Lebanon, OH

Nicholas and I spent the day with a lovely group shooting portraits around town on a beautiful spring day!

This most lovely young woman has such a unique presence and taught us a few things about posing!

Waiting for Joe...

Available light portraits of Emily...

Shooting in noon day sun!

While walking around we saw many sites for portraits but I prefer to wander a bit and I had time to take note of some details!

040310 Mammoth Cave weekend!

We arrived early and were lucky enough to get out of the rain into the 830 historic tour.

The very first signs of Spring were everywhere around us.

The grand entrance to Mammoth Cave and it's elegant waterfall...

It was really dark and difficult to photograph but I am a fan of high contrast and available light and things worked out for me.

The trick is to know your settings and be quick on the draw taking many many many shots.

I love my husband, Nicholas... he took me here for my birthday!

STALACTITES!

I see things in these photos the way people look to fluffy clouds for inspiration.

I'll most likely use these as underlying layers in drawings for my students as a creativity challenges in their sketchbooks.

Nicholas took some amazing photos

Check them out!

http://nicholasviltrakis.blogspot.com/2010/04/040310-mammoth-cave-and-diamond-caverns.html

Fat Man's Misery is a tight squeeze of a passage. It is keyhole shape and is less than a foot wide around the legs in spots.

This was the entrance to The Frozen Niagara.

CAVE BACON!

Diamond Caverns

This stalactite used to hold the world record as the largest. It was beaten recently by only 3 inches!