JON PAUL GALLERY

Monterey Dusk

 Using a large format film camera, like the 8×10 I used for this image, really slows my artistic process down and enables me to simplify my compositions and focus on the mood of the image. I took this picture about 10 minutes after sunset, as the light softened and the atmosphere became blue. The low light required an 8 minute exposure, which caused the waves to “dissapear” into an ethereal mist. The strong rock formations anchored the image, giving it strength and power. I chose black and white for both the classic, almost vintage look, as well as to simplify the  final print. I believe this image evokes a mood of relaxation and mystery that can only be found on the coast.

Photo Tip: Be there when the natural conditions enable you to take the shot. This sounds simple enough, but many people I know have become lazy, and aren’t willing to do the work necessary to get the shot right to begin with. If you would like to take a long exposure and create a misty look with moving water, don’t expect your 8 stop ND filter to make things right in the middle of the day. Shoot before sunrise, after sunset or on a cloudy day. Part of the joy in photographing nature is earning the image by experiencing nature when the light is right. Get out there, enjoy the experience and be proud that you earned the shot in the best natural light possible.

Equipment Used: Canham 8×10 Metal Field Camera, Rodenstock 240mm Sironar-S lens, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Tripod, Fuji 8×10 Film.

Beaver Pond, Spring Reflections

 Many of you will remember my facebook posts from the scouting I did of this lovely beaver pond here in South Lake Tahoe. Along with a reasonable iphone image I shared, I posted a sweet portrait of my professional assistant, Toby (6), capturing his own rendition of the beaver pond and its inhabitants with a little digital camera. He always gets a great response, and ads huge joy to my excursions. Well, I returned the following morning to capture this beautiful moment.

 I was drawn to this scene for its sheer tranquility. Seemingly every shade of green in the spectrum (very welcome after a never ending winter!), along with the beaver hut, all reflecting in the still waters of the calm morning. I loved the composition and the feeling, but I still had one very important decision to make; in which light should I expose my film? I was hoping to capture the scene with everything in shade and a glowing reflection of the mountains and trees above the background lit with warm morning light. Well, the light didn’t enter the scene evenly, so that wasn’t an option. Fortunately, I arrived early enough to be set up and created this exposure with ambient light softly illuminating the scene before me. After everything was lit by the sun, I felt the image lost its soft relaxing quality. Overall, this image conveys the mood I was after. From the green color, to the stillness of the leaves, the depth of its layers and the mirrored reflection, the natural perfection of the moment takes me to a place of serenity. This wasn’t exactly what I had pre-visualized, but stayed open to what Mother Nature had to offer, and let my feelings influence the final image. I love it!

Photo Tip: Light is the name of the game in photography. I prefer to use only one exposure, so I pay special attention to each phase of morning and evening light as they relate to my subject. This is important for proper exposure, but also for setting the mood of the image and how it conveys my feelings of the natural experience. For sunrise images like this one I like to arrive well before sunrise in order to experience the transition from night into a new day, and to give myself the opportunity to compose images with each phase of changing morning light. While there are many possibilities as the light changes, I like to be conscious of my feelings as the light transitions. My goal is always to share that moment in time, in that place, that makes me feel a special way. If done well, that moment in time can become eternal, and make the lives of its viewers that little bit better each time they view the image.

Details: KB Kanhan 5×7 metal field camera, 2 1/4 x 6 3/4 panoramic back, Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Rodenstock 150mm APO Sironar S lens, Fuji RDPIII Provia transparency film, no filters.

Evening Cloud Reflections Panorama - Lake Tahoe

Late in the Fall (2010) Lake Tahoe was graced with a lot of stormy weather and dramatic skies. I happen to be a fan of softer, more pastel colored skies, as opposed to the over the top neon colors that have huge “wow-factor” (but I find hard to live with). This particular evening I visited the shore of Lake Tahoe to observe the sunset. While I enjoyed the softness of the sky, I wasn’t drawn to any particular foreground / background combination. I was, however, drawn to the reflection of the sky. The water turned my pastel “painting” into a water color. A bit of detail below the water adds a hint of perspective. This is the type of tranquility nature brings to me, and I hope to share with you. Enjoy!
(this image now available to collectors)

Photo Tip:
Remember, rules are a good starting point for composing images (they became rules for a reason), but the most important aspect of landscape photography as art is, paying attention to how the image makes you feel. The image above has no real foreground or background. I did, however, pay attention to the colors, tones and shapes in the image to make sure it had a natural flow and conveyed what I was feeling. I believe this image works because, it makes me feel the way I felt when I experienced this beautiful evening in person. Remember, it is easy to get caught up in technical minutia in this age of digital art. Try to put the technical aspects aside (or relax after you have mastered the basics) and focus on that feeling that gets you out the door to begin with!

Equipment:
Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera with 6×17 cm panoramic back, 210mm lens, Fuji Provia RDPIII transparency film, Singh Ray LB Warming Polarizer, Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Hasselblad/Imacon 646 virtual drum scanner.

Dwarf Lupine and Pine Forest

This image is my first release shot with my 8×10 field camera. I had discovered this location while on a mountain bike ride. I kept  pedaling, but  took note of the location and decided to return the next evening. As I set up my 8×10 field camera, I decided to keep the camera just below eye level, giving the feeling that you can walk right into the picture. I also wanted to show the expansive degree to which the Lupine had blanketed the forest floor. I was also taken by the vibrant light green of the new needles on the young pines, especially the way they stood out against the dark bark of the larger trees. I waited until the moment the sun sank behind the mountains to the left of the frame to expose the film. This gave a nice even and rich light to the scene without the harsh contrast of direct light in the forest. As with most of my large format work, after standing back and feeling “invited” into the composition, the fine detail brings an intimate mood to the scene. Welcome to my home in the forest!

Photo Tip: As I mentioned above, I consciously chose the camera height for this photo. Many people I teach overlook the importance of camera height as a part of composing an image. Most people either set the tripod (if using one as you should) at eye level for the sake of comfort and ease, or get down extremely low with a wide angle lens for a dramatic view. Each image requires specific consideration relative to camera height. Choose your camera height carefully when composing and you will create unique images with the strongest angle and composition possible.

Details: Canham 8×10 Metal Field Camera, Rodenstock 240mm APO Sironar-S lens, Fuji Provia 100 8×10 Transparency Film, Gitzo 1325 carbon Tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head.

This image is now available for purchase through the Jon Paul Gallery in several limited edition sizes. www.jonpaulgallery.com

Schedule a private field seminar and join me in the field!

In a departure from my methodical large format film process and tack sharp realistic imagery, I decided to experiment with photo-impressionism using my digital SLR. I was able to create this unique image as the fall colors were on the decline, but my desire to be outside creating images was not. My intention was to create a series of painterly images that depicted an other worldly view of the forests into which I escape. Using a long exposure and controlled linear motion with the camera I was able to create the feeling of a forest having been created in the imagination and brought to life with the stroke of a painters brush. Adding to the surreal feeling, I used the saturation function with selective colors in PhotoShop and punched up the colors to depart further from the usual.

This experience accentuated the fact that a solid understanding of the foundations of photographic technique enables us to experiment with alternative visions and produce successful photographic images. This is something I stress to my seminar and photo tour students that first become buried in (and overwhelmed by) the concepts of digital art while overlooking the the basic photographic techniques that enable them to create the imagery they wish to work with in the first place.

Feel free to follow me on my Jon Paul Gallery Facebook Page, and subscribe to my E-Newsletter  for updated information on new images, seminars, tours, etc. You can also contact the Jon Paul Gallery directly to purchase original prints or receive information about any of Jon Paul’s offerings. I have uploaded a new Portfolio page on www.jonpaulgallery.com titled Impressionist, which currently has six new images, including the one I shared today.

Enjoy my images painted with light!

Carson River Fall Detail Panorama

One of my favorite times to create images is during a gentle rain. While most people are hiding inside, I am out searching for images that have been rain soaked and saturated. This saturation, along with overcast skies (softly filtered light) enables us to capture rich colors without the harsh contrast of a directly lit subject. Most often, it is a good idea to exclude the dreary sky from these images and just focus on the details. The vantage I chose, in the middle of the river, brought me closer into my subject, giving  a greater feeling of being “within the scene” (a quality my collectors comment on often). I used the moving water as a dynamic lead in line, drawing the eye into the composition, and adding a feeling of motion to an otherwise static scene. I also like the way the white water adds a contrast to the darker tones in the image. I chose to exclude a majority of the sky, as it would have made the scene feel gloomy. However, due to the lack of brightness in the dark grey of the clouds, I was able to keep a bit of sky visible between the trees and retain the full (non-chopped) composition. I also used a warming polarizer to remove a majority of the glare on the wet rocks and foliage. This enabled me to see the rich colors in the scene, as well as extending the required exposure time to accentuate the moving water. In the end, the scene makes me feel good when I view it. Along with all the technical aspects of my work, I always fall back to the emotions I feel (or don’t feel) in a finished composition. That is usually what transforms an image from simply a two dimensional picture into a three dimensional work of art!

Equipment Details: KB Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera, Caltar II-N (Rodenstock) 90mm lens, Singh-Ray LB Warning Polarizer, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Fiber Tripod, Fuji Quickload Film Holder, Fuji Velvia 50 4×5 inch Transparency Film, BTZS Dark Cloth, LowePro Super Trekker AW Backpack.

Please Note: I have left a lot of time open in the next several months for private field seminars. I have been receiving many inquiries from aspiring photographers out there and have made the time available. I am looking out at some fresh snow this morning…perfect winter conditions. Call ASAP to schedule your time with me.

Lake Sabrina Sunset

                                                                   Private Field Seminars with Jon Paul
If you would like to improve the success you have with your photography, spend some time in the field with me looking through the lens! I offer private individual and small group field seminars here in Lake Tahoe, or anywhere in the world.
Find out how the pros capture those special images. I answer all of your specific questions as we discuss: natural light, exposure, composition, perspective, travel, planning, vision and proper technique with your format of camera. All field seminars are focussed toward your specific desires. All ability levels are welcome. Come shoot with a pro and learn to take the photographs you aspire toward!