Hazel

Nikon D200, 18mm, 1/100 @ f/4, ISO 100, two SB600's shoot-through umbrella camera left 1/8 power, CLS

On a recent trip to Ames, I got the opportunity to visit with my sister who is the proud owner of a 2008 Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe. She just got it a few weeks ago and I had yet to see it. I was in town for a reunion (fodder for another post) and in the midst of our schedule found some time to pay Lauren a visit. We had talked previously and I told her I wanted to make a portrait of her on the motorcycle and thought I could stop by after the reunion dinner.

Things were going fine until I looked up from my cajun pasta and saw the sky let loose with a pretty good downpour. My hopes sunk thinking I would miss the chance to make the portrait. The timing would have been perfect ... the sun going down, I could underexpose the ambient and hit her and the bike with two SB's in a 60" shoot-through; but, the rain! Bummer. I still wanted to see her new toy.

I lingered at dinner a little longer and called letting her know I was going to be a little late. It was still raining when I pulled into her drive but, we were still happy to see each other. We sat and chatted for a little through the cat playing with a pen on the dining-room table and laughed about what little had changed over the years. Time to see the bike.

We went outside where it was still dripping a little but there were some breaks in the clouds and I said, "it's going to stop ... let me throw some equipment together and let's do this shot." The sun was setting pretty fast but I thought we still had plenty of light if we worked fast. I threw two SB 600's into the umbrella, programmed in a few starting point settings and she wheeled the bike into the street. The sky was darkening but great.

My goal was to dampen the ambient to get a rich sky but get enough background detail to maintain context and yet show off the rider and the bike. I think I got it. Lauren and Hazel.

Thanks Kodak ... thanks a lot.

Nikon D200, 70mm, 1/250 @ f/4.5, ISO 100, SB800 reflecting in closed down umbrella camera left 1/8 power, CLS

There's debate around the photog interwebs about "post-processing." Some call it "post." Others refer to it as "re-touching." The debate arises from the premise that the better photographer is the one that gets everything perfect "in camera" (I think that includes zit removal and model releases) and the more someone post-processes their images the lamer-their-photographic-ass. Many are quite fervent in their argument against post-processing. Those people spend too much time wading in trivia when they should be wacking ... well ... their problem is probably a lack of coordination.

Let me just thank Kodak for why we think this way. "You press the button we do the rest." That's what they said. And for years, they successfully suppressed the existence of post-processing to the point that it's been reduced to inexplicable magic ... something the common man would never know!

Now we have digital everything. Someone who says, "I don't post-process ... they come out of the camera that way" marks a really naive amateur or a really lazy professional. Or possibly a really lazy amateur or a really naive professional ... one or the other. Either way, somebody somewhere or something somewhere better be doing the processing ... or you're not "making" pictures.

Shooting Black & White film was liberating! Double exposure! Multi-Contrast paper!!! Rodinol!!! Chemical temperatures, RC Filters and a Gra-Lab timer!!! I could completely lose myself and put hours into the very making of a masterpiece (as my photographing forefathers did). Burning, dodging, pushing, pulling ... and Ansel saw that it was good.

So, now ... people are bitching that post-processing, having become computerized, is some kind of sin. Against whom? Kodak!?! I'll tell ya one thing ... post-processing certainly smells nicer and my water bill is a lot smaller.

To be fair to the argument ... I think their fervor comes from the irresponsible and deliberate manipulation of images that the journalism-consuming public relies on for the truth and that the computer makes it far too easy to be irresponsible. Well ... I'm not a journalist. I do expect them to be truthful and add some credibility to their stories with imagery. But, that's journalism, not photography.

My friends who make the digital switch sometimes ask how I get richer colors and sharp definition in my images. If they're serious about their photography I talk to them about Lightroom and Photoshop. If their photography is personal and they just want to capture memories, I tell them the story about Kodak and let them know about some settings they have in their camera that might help.

Truth be told, somebody has to post-process your images. Either you give a limited responsibility of post-processing to your camera, unlimited to somebody who knows how to post-process or take the responsibility on yourself. Most of us who are serious about the images we make take it on ourselves. We always have; even before Windows for Workgroups 3.11. And, if there was a camera that could do it all for us we wouldn't buy it because it's our responsibility. It is our art.

For those of you arguing otherwise, the bottom line is: only the results matter no matter how you get there ... have a nice day.

"If you're not taking full advantage of the medium, you're not making art." Abraham Lincoln.

It's Getting Better All The Time

Nikon D200, 70mm, 1/750 @ f/4.5, ISO 400

Music. Music In Plymouth. There is nothing better than gathering a few thousand people on a beautiful summer night in front of a large band shell nestled at the foot of a natural amphitheatre. Plymouth is another suburb, just over there a little ways, and every summer before the Fourth of July, they throw an extraordinary party celebrating our heritage, our culture, our freedom and humanity! Quite possibly the only event of its kind that I will attend until next year’s event. This was the 39th anniversary of Music In Plymouth christened “It’s Getting Better All The Time.”

Last night we were running a bit late and didn’t arrive until the end of what sounded like a local swing band’s set. The grounds were buzzing with summer and covered with the customary “stake-your-claim” family tarps fortified by the circling wagons of nylon camp chairs. We found our place among the others in our tribe (who had earlier staked our claim for us) and to many exchanges of courtesy we unpacked the cooler and settled in for a light supper.

Nikon D200, 70mm, 1/500 @ f/4.5, ISO 640

It escapes me the number of times we’ve attended but I know we have enjoyed it every time possible for at least the last eleven years or so.

The next performance was a nice little surprise, I think for most, as I don’t remember Music In Plymouth ever having a good blues band open for the Minnesota Orchestra. But, this year they did. Lamont Cranston. I saw Lamont Cranston open for Hall & Oates at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, IA circa 1981. Thirty frickin’ years ago! They had Charlie Bingham and Bruce McCabe with them and were a wicked good opening act back then. Out promoting their “Shake Down” album “Upper Mississippi Shakedown” was getting a lot of airplay.

These guys brought back memories of The Cabooze, Five Corners Bar, The 400 Bar, The Blues Saloon, The Uptown and Archie’s Bunker: cornerstones of a vibrant 1980’s music scene! Now, thirty years later, it was like we all got back together for another bottle of Pabst and a round of head bobbin’ feet shufflin’ blues that went right to the soul.

Nikon D200, 300mm, 1/640 @ f/5.6, ISO 400

Nikon D200, 300mm, 1/320 @ f/5.6, ISO 640

Nikon D200, 140mm, 1/160 @ f/4.8, ISO 640

I love working the crowd with my camera and have all sorts of fun. Children, their faces painted like animals or America, or just sparkly with purple hair, ribbons and all sorts of attire, are especially giving subjects. I went down toward the stage as I always do to get some photos and people were dancing with every bit the enthusiasm of thirty years past. But … these people were children almost twenty years younger, yet! Dancing, singing and air-guitaring to the blues!!!

Nikon D200, 300mm, 1/1000 @ f/5.6, ISO 400

The Minnesota Orchestra has always held a special place in my heart. They are so good and absolutely magnificent to listen to. But even the rousing finale of the “1812 Overture” and the world’s most recognized piccolo passage from “Stars and Stripes Forever” were overshadowed by the sight of boys and girls not even in junior high dancing, singing and moved by an art form that is as uniquely American as the blues.

Nikon D200, 240mm, 1/90 @ f/5.3, ISO 640

Thanks Lamont.
View full Music in Plymouth image set on Flickr

The Marathon ... sort of

The Twin Cities Marathon was last Sunday. It's a great event and over the last few years my brother-in-law has run which gives us a lot of good reason to get out and attend. Not only that but, we're the pit crew. We drive the course through all the neighborhoods to meet up with Steve about every five miles ... seven of us. In a Dodge Caravan. It's fun stuff.

This year was no different. I usually get some nice event pictures, the obligatory group shot of the "crew" and of the tortured soul of my brother-in-law. But, that's not what I'm here to talk to you about ... what I really want to talk about are the interesting things we saw along the way ...

The race begins in downtown Minneapolis and so the first stop, five miles from the start, is Lake Calhoun. We get there usually around 7:45 am. The first competitors get there just around 8:30. So, there's some time to get a few shots of the ambiance.





Once we got to the runners my favorite feature of the day turned out to be the footwear. Until Converse got their hands on some colored canvas, shoes were pretty much white when I was a kid.







We made our way through south Minneapolis to the Lake Nikomis neighborhood (our third stop) where we ran across a few interesting things. We had parked the car and were making our way to mile fourteen when we ran across this chair. It was just sitting out by the curb in front of, I assume, the owner's house. Perhaps it was used for gardening, hard to tell ... but here it was on display, right in the front yard. In fact, on the easement between the curb and the sidewalk. It was quaint, simple, curious. Definitely something that needed to be recorded.

But, that wasn't all. We were walking back to the car when we turned up this alley shortcut and ran into this great looking MGB ... bright yellow, mint condition. My guess ... a 1972. I had a black '67 when I was in high school but this one was in spectacular shape!



Over by the river we cut across at mile twenty-one. In Saint Paul, the Lake Street bridge had this view to offer.





This Marathon thing is actually pretty cool, lasts about as long as a football game, that is if you're following someone that can run the damn thing in just over three hours and finishes up at a big gathering in front of the State Capitol Building.



We got there about ten minutes before Steve crossed the finish line. The sky had been working up a threat most of the morning but held off until I got this shot of the Quadriga. Then it started to rain ... that was cool, we were done.

Quintessential Majesty

Generally speaking, I'm an animal lover but, rarely photograph them unless my dog happens to be the only subject available. I did however, get a couple of shots that I really liked. This is Dakota. He's my sister's dog and a beautiful one at that! A Siberian Husky would be my guess ... docile, affable, just a great dog.


While strolling past Lake LaVerne the swans are always a marvelous attraction. This one was preening its feathers showing off his wing. For as long as I can remember this little lake in front of the Iowa State Memorial Union has been populated with two swans ... 1959 would be my first recollection of them: Lancelot & Elaine.