One scene, two days

Just because I photograph a location doesn't mean I'm done with it. Often it's fun to return at different times of the years or even at times of the day. It's amazing how unalike a location will look based on the light or time of year. A few weeks ago I had found a photo of this location that I'd taken on a Kodak Fun Saver (remember those lol!) about 10 years ago. It was dark with lots of film grain but I liked the look so I decided to revisit. It's so rare to find areas in the wood that aren't completely overgrown which is one of the reasons why I liked this location. Last Monday I ventured out late in the morning when the sun was high. Though the lighting was not ideal I still captured a few images I liked. I went back again today while the sky was overcast and a light drizzle was coming down. I thought I'd like the ones I took today better but after comparing them side by side I'm really not sure. 

I love the long shadows and lens flare from the sun...

But I also love how green everything looks against the darkened tree bark.

A little spontaneity

Additional work hours and working on my CPP portfolio has been making it tough to blog (or do anything) these days! I have a bit of a blog backlog going on. The images in today's post were taken a few weeks ago, about mid April. Back when I worked at the Lebanon Veterinary Hospital, I would pass this farm everyday on my commute. I loved the look of the chipped paint on the barn, and the rusty silo and truck. When I set out I had a specific image in mind. I snapped a few others since I was there. Afterwords, as I sorted through the images I was surprised to find one of the other images I captured was my favorite. Lesson learned. While it's good to have a plan of action sometimes it's important to be spontaneous.

This is the image I set out to get:

But this is the image I liked the best...

CPP

As some of you may (or may not) know, over the past few months I've been working towards my CPP. And what is a CPP you may ask? It mean I will be a Certified Professional Photographer. Did you know that only 3% of photographers actually hold this title? CPP's hold themselves to a high technical and professional standard. But the process is hardly a breeze. The first step is to become a member of the Professional Photographers of America. This non-profit international association was created in 1869. Today it's led by some of today's greatest photographers.  Next I had to declare my candidacy. Then the real work begins. First is the written test. A 100 question hour long exams that tests you technical and creative understanding. Topics range from kinds of equipment, lighting styles, posing techniques, composition, creative elements, and even printing and post production. I spent a good month studying for this exam and even attended a week long class to ensure I understood all the material. Last month I sat the exam and scores a 89 (woohoo!)

The next part of the process is even more grueling. A 15 image portfolio judged by 5 masters of the craft. Some of the images are compulsory (and if they don't pass my whole portfolio fails). The rest are made up of various client images from the past year. Again these judges as accessing ALL technical aspect of each image. From where shadows are falling on the face, to where the lights are positioned in the eyes, to subject posing, prop placement, and if the backgrounds and clothing coincide with the overall feel of the portrait.

For some the process may be about bragging rights, or getting that piece of paper to show off, but for me it's always been about the education. Since I heard of this process years ago I wanted to try. I want to be the best I can be and this process will ensure that. I've learned so much already!
Some may say that rules limit creativity but since I've learned about ratios, lighting patterns and posing, it's actually opened up the possibilities to what I can do.

This weekend I had the opportunity to photograph a few more subjects for my portfolio. I was excited to incorporate a motorcycle as well. Each portrait gets me that much closer to finishing my portfolio. Fingers crossed each image is winner with the judges!

Adventures in Photography...

Between work, working on my portfolio for my CPP, a relationship, and all the regular "life" stuff, stress has been my middle name for the past month and a half. When I woke up this morning I decided I would take some much needed time with just myself and my camera. I set out to explore the Joshua Trust which had been recommended to me by my Aunt. Before leaving I checked the weather. Though the skies weren't clear no rain was expected for the next few hours. Awesome! Overcast skies can make for a nice soft lighting, a photographer's dream. 

Halfway to my goal however it began to rain, And not just regular rain, we're talking monsoon rain. I could barely see, people's driveways were actually washing out into the road, and I was hyrdoplaining like crazy. To make matters worse my GPS kept telling me I had "arrived at my destination" even though I wasn't even on the correct road! Several K turns and cuss words later I had finally arrived at my destination. The rain had lessened...slightly. I, however, would not be detered. So gathering my camera, jacket and umbrella, I set out to explore the Joshua Trust.

I will say, I actually do enjoy photographing in the rain. First off all those rain drops on the trees and flowers give the world a mystical feel. The overcast skies create nice soft even light. The watery scheen on everything brings out color and contrast. But my favorite thing, is no one is around. I was completely alone and for a brief hour it was just me, my camera, and the rain. I thought of nothing else but what was right in front of me...

At this point my feet were beyond soaked through...

 Rainy day self portrait

Gotta love those contrasting colors