Mesmerizing

There is a sense of contentment for be both in taking photos as well as looking at other people's work. Photography serves as one of many stress relief devices, the use of color and texture from macro to landscapes can play on emotion and often triggers memories. Browsing through 500px, I have accumulated some favorites and photos that really speak to me.

Visual Flow by Ian Plant

"Visual Flow" By Ian Plant: I immediately found this photo very calming and poignant. The soft lines and subtle changes in from the cool purples to warm orange and red create visual interest and keep the eye moving. The physical movement of the eyes while the head remains still is a valid calming mechanism, so the ability for a photo to elicit that type of motion facilitates healthy mental patterns.

Pine grove by Twostar K

"Pine Grove" By Twostar K: I really love the frame of this photo and the tangle of slanted/ diagonal lines. The fog brings immense depth and intrigue to the image, with uneven lighting creating a dynamic, smooth texture. The detail of the trees is further accentuated by the play of light in the fog and elicits a sense of surrealism.

THE ZEN POOL (SWAN) by KENNY BARKER

"THE ZEN POOL (SWAN)" By Kenny Barker I am a sucker for simplicity and this photo is absolutely stunning. At first glance it looks like some sort of ink blot test or random pattern, not a bird and its reflection accompanied by the moon. The lighting on the bird is superb, bringing out small details in the feathers. The sheer sense of stillness is incredible with not even a slight ripple in the water. ..and the list goes on. There are hundreds of photos that just elicit some sort of awe to me and time spent admiring other people's work is time well spent.

Student Art Show

Oh right, I should remember about this whole blog-thing. Remember this picture?

Well I edited it and used it as my submission for the student art show (which, I admittedly forgot about until late the night before and spent the next morning running around between work and class to get it printed and submitted).

Needless to say, I ended up pretty happy with it, even if it is just a dumb picture of a duck that I took on the first outing with my new camera before I knew how to use it at all. I can’t complain about the second place prize from the art show, a little pocket cash is always nice and it gives me a little more pride in the photo.

Rarity

There are few things as exciting, in my opinion, than being able to witness a rare or endangered animal in the wild. I can only imagine the thrill to photographers who have that opportunity to photograph animals that not many people will ever have the change to even see outside of cages. I can also imagine the stress in such situations to ensure that you get a good shot...how devastating it would be to be caught off guard and end up with blurry photos of something so rare (and what a waste of a potential payday! haha). After the Yellowstone trip I really have a better feel for my camera; how it works and reacts in given conditions, and how quickly I can alter settings to capture what I am looking at. Of course I am in the process of editing, slowly but surely, and am finding many pictures that didn't quite play out, but there are always those handful that work. I find a lo of times getting that ideal image is a lot about luck in timing. Browsing the internet (as I so happily do far too often) I was interested in seeking out rare animal images. Photographer Robert Heischman was able to capture a critically endangered species the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus, or "gavial," that is native to the Indian subcontinent (plus it is visually captivating and a very striking image).