I'm pursuing mini-projects in connection with a workshop that I'll be participating in with Alain Briot in a few weeks. As he has pointed out, often we get bogged down and don't complete projects because they just get too time consuming, especially for a recovering perfectionist. In contrast  I finished this mini-project in about one and a half hours from beginning editing the images to completion and publication here. Just getting the project finished gives a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.

A walk in the forest reveals so many forms, shapes, textures and feelings. To me these images are representative of those.

Trees 1-1 Trees 1-2 Trees 1-3
 

The images may now be found on the website in the Mini-Series titled Trees 1. 

https://www.rllphoto.com/p498816434
 

Urbane IIToronto Skyline with the prominent CN Tower

The image features the prominent CN Tower, which is iconic landmark in Toronto, as well as the Rogers Centre just to the left of the CN Tower.

The exposure was 3 minutes and 46 seconds at ISO100 and f8 using a Nikon Z6II with a 28-75mm 2.8 lens at 45mm.

A long exposure was necessary because there were many water taxis going back and forth from the island where I was located to downtown Toronto. The exposure was long enough and the water taxis were going fast enough that they weren't in one location long enough to register in the image.  

Portland Head Light Ocean view at Portland Head Light in Portland Maine in evening light.

The intent is to present the vastness of the sea and the dichotomy of the apparent tranquility and calm to the danger of the sea as represented by the lighthouse to help keep ships off of the rocks.

Following is info about the exposure:

Date: July 16, 2022

Time: 6:21pm

Subject: Portland Head Light

Camera angle (vertical axis): level

Camera angle (horizontal axis): level

Distance to subject: about 600 feet

Weather: Partially cloudy

Blue sky/clouds ratio: 40/60

Cloud Speed: Medium

Filters:  17 stops ND filters ( polarizer + 15 stop Lee stacked) 

Lens Type: Moderate Wide Angle

Aperture: f/8

ISO:  250

Focal Length:  28 mm

Exposure: 234 sec = 3 min: 54sec

Post processing involved mostly dodging and burning to emphasize particular areas.

________

This is the original photo:

20220716-027082 Here are two other views of the lighthouse:

20220716-027075-Edit 20220716-027030-Edit

Silky Flow and StoneBig Thompson River - Rocky Mountain National Park

I think the image presents the dichotomy of smooth and silky flow through and around hard, fixed, stone boulders. Maybe it's a metaphor for life.

The exposure details were as follows:

Date: May 14, 2022 
Time: 10:30 am
Subject: Big Thompson River Rapids
Camera Angle: tilted down
Distance to Subject: 6 to 10 feet
Weather: Partly cloudy (sun behind cloud)
Speed of Water Flow: rapid
Filters: Lee 10 stop Big Stopper
Lens Type: Wide Angle
Aperture: f22
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 24mm
Exposure: 54 seconds

I had been hiking to Emerald Lake earlier in the morning and was driving home when I saw this scene beside the road. The most tricky part of getting the image was managing to set up my tripod and camera on one of these boulders in the middle of the river without falling in. To do that I had to first climb through a barricade and then step or jump from boulder to boulder in the river. In my defense, I was not the first or only person doing that on this day, although I was probably the oldest (by about 40 years). Installing the Lee Big Stopper without dropping it was also a challenge while balancing on a boulder.

One thing that attracted me to this scene was that there weren't any large logs or other significant debris in the river. It seems that there usually is.

Putting aside for a moment the questionable judgment of even trying to get in position for the shot, there were a lot of mistakes during the exposure. On the first attempt I forgot to set the camera on Manual and Bulb. Also, I used the smallest aperture of f22. Now I know that it would be preferable to use a mid range aperture such as f8. In addition, this was using a DSLR before I switched to mirrorless, and I forgot to close the viewfinder. There was a serious magenta cast in the original that looks like it might have been from a light leak. I was able to remove the magenta cast in the conversion to black and white.

Here is the original image.

20220514-026702 All in all, I think the image turned out well, and I'm pleased with it. Since taking this photo I've switched to Formatt-Hitech IRND filters.

Marsh Kayaking

I took the photo in October 2012 at Caddo Lake near Jefferson Texas. In looking through old photos for images to possibly submit in the club's competition I happened on it and realized that I hadn't previously submitted it in a competition.
 

Fog Lifting Over Sprague Lake

This image was awarded an honorary mention in the Club Scenic category at the Mile High Wildlife Photography Club on October 16, 2018. The image was made at Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.

The image also was awarded First Place in the Photography category of the 2019 Denver Bar Association Docket Art Contest.

Sunrays

This image was awarded 2nd place in the Club Scenery Competition at the Mile High Wildlife Club on October 16, 2018. 

It's an image shot looking West from Mt. Evans on an August evening. The image was made using the HDR technique, converted to black and white and toned.

Grand MosqueGrand Mosque, Abu Dhabi

White Sands StormyWhite Sands National Monument, New Mexico