Giving Thanks to God

   Our first President, and the Congress of the United States, dedicated this day to praying and giving thanks to God.  In the final paragraph we see him calling all public and private people to do our duties faithfully.  He also asks us to "promote the knowledge and and practice of true religion and virtue."  As you can see there is no separation of church and state.  To George Washington our bounty comes from God, and our personal duty is to live in accordance with Nature's Law.  To Christians this means we must live inside God's design for the world in all that we do.  

    In fact, to achieve personal and national civility we must receive adhere to this guidance.  The result of  dismissing this call to Nature's Law is chaos.  

    We need to look no further than the debates on Furgeson to recognize this.  Rioters in the streets don't care that the man killed willfully beat a man to rob his store moments before his encoutner with Police.  They do not want to recognize that the man was high on illegal drugs, something that would impair his judgement even more.  Obtaining supplies for this habit was the reason he robbed the store, and was wanted by police.  The natural effect of giving into vices such as these is a bad conflict with those entrusted by the citizens to protect them from such abusive behavior.  

    The solution to this type of problem is simple.  It is to live inside natural law.  To Christians this means simply to live out the Golden Rule...and your relations with others in your community will start off on good footing.   To solve many other problems we face, there is a good book that is our family instruction manual I can recommend:  The Bible.  Start with Poverbs and Wisdom...then move up to read of the word made man in the Gospel and natural law will unfold before your eyes.

    So make today something more than turkey and football.  Make today a moment that changes your life, and that of your family.  Give thanks to God Almighty, and point your family to the eternal wisdom of his word.  The greatest thanks you can offer God, is to deliver your house to stand with him.

-ehw

Spot On

My little girl Kellie her was reading like her big sister bookworm, and I just had to capture the smile...so I did.

Now in this little photo I found myself able to teach myself the value of a feature, and to remember an RC (as in Raphael Conception) rule.

I knew the had a high contrast scene, and to use the zone metering would make everything 18% grey  (aka blah).  So for this photo I slipped into spot metering (my spot metering is aligned with my focus point).  This means my focus point will be exposed properly, and everything else will be exposed relative to that value.  As a result you get all the blown highlights above my daughter, but I accepted that since I wanted it to be light and airy.  Had I used zone metering the camera would attempt to meter different segments of the photo to have as much properly exposed as possible.  Normally that is great, but it would take the pop out of this photo and make it flat.  So my desired light and airy feel would be gone.

The other rule, RC's rule for kids, is in full force here.  I had to take three photos with Mr Fuji to get the combination of smile, head tilt and light I wanted in the final product.  RC is right that you can get good photos of kids...you just need to take lots of photos to get the one worth keeping.  I can say for sure this is not luck, it is perseverance.  (RC is often on the video blog Photography Tips and Ticks, Kelby One and his website www.aboutrc.com)

Just one point here about how lucky I've been so far in my short photography career.  Even though I'm just a little guy, sold only a few photos, have so much to learn...I've had the opportunity to meet some of the nicest people in the business.  I've met and briefly worked with big industry names like Skip Cohen, Michele Celentano, Bob Coates, Scott Bourne, RC, Bill Fortney, Jim Begley and they all gave me the time of day deep respect as a person.  I've also met great photographers I count as friends like Adrian Ciolacu, Fran Ruchalski, Bret Watkins and many others who inspire me and helped me with things like finding a good print shop.  I actually I hope I don't insult anyone who I run out of space to mention....

I think the thing that makes them so special is that they know how to approach a crowd with multi zone metering...and when given the chance to meet you one on one switch to spot metering.  As a result they speak to you, treat you well and make you want to take care of them as they do to you.

So look them up, and enjoy their work.  I'll try to get a link in to each over the next few weeks so you can see the wide range of talents that inspire me...and maybe you too!

-ehw

God's Not Dead!

God's Not Dead!

If you have not yet seen the movie, I suggest you do!

It lets you know you are not alone in your faith and love for God.  In today's day and age, that is a message we all need to hear whenever possible.

The Holy Spirit sent a message, and the movie makers did their best to let God's word sing.

Do to subject matter I would take your children high school and up.  It would be a great conversation starter, so they can understand what challenges awaits their faith outside your home's protective bubble (well maybe they are facing it is in public school already...)

Here is a link to the website so you can find out more, and a movie house playing it!   God's Not Dead

-ehw

No Blues Here!

While at Old Car City a two weeks ago I had some fun with hubcaps!  Yes those fancy things on your wheels!  As with all chrome and HDR I found the hardest two challenges to be removing the HDR blues and keeping myself out of the reflections.  I have a lot to learn in both areas, as with everything else experience and review will help me get better in the future.

Now many of  you are proficient in Photoshop so removing this blue tint from chrome is not too hard if you know the six mask, layer, etc tricks available in that venerable program.

I on the other hand do not "know" photoshop.  I can still get the blue out pretty easily though using two other tools I have on hand OnOne Perfect Effects or Nik ColorEfex.

To get rid of the tint Perfect Effects simply go to the color masks and select Purify Highlights, and then on a second layer select Purify Shadows.  Move the sliders left and right to get the effect you want.  Don't want it on the whole photo?  Select brush in and apply like you would in Photoshop.

In Nik ColorEfex simply select the White Neutralizer, go into the additional modes and select wedding dress.  Move the sliders to suite.  Done....

I use these not as stand alone options, but as round trips to and from Aperture.  You can do the same thing in Lightroom.

Ok that is the tip of the day.

-ehw

Best Car Deal Ever!

A fun part of Old Car City is hearing people point at a car and say, "That is my first car!"  I also hear people say, " That car took my family everywhere when I was a child."  Since I did not find any International Scouts, Volkswagen Vanagons, or Japanese market mini-vans (the only forgiegn cars are a few Volkswagen Beetles) I had to laugh at the first car that made me think of one from my youth.

When I was five or six I was being a brat while visiting my Babcha and DjaDja (Polish for Grandmother and Grandfather).  In particular I was not eating my vegetables.  So my DjaDja said, "That's it.  Eric Come with me."  My Dad's other eight brothers and sisters with the other first wave of grandchildren (My Dad was the second oldest) all said in various ways, " Your in trouble!  Going with the Dja to get fixed!"

Well to that level of doom I marched all the way to the attic behind DjaDja.  Once in the attic he said something to the effect of "Where did I put those ..."  After a few minutes of rummaging he exclaimed that he found them and came over to me holding two plastic cars.  One was a red version of the car in the photo.  He said that if I behaved and ate my vegetables one of them could come down.  Not wanting to pick one, I of course wanted both.  I gallantly offered to eat everything on my plate all weekend if I could bring both down.  He accepted my offer.  DjaDja explained to me that I had to look very dour when I came downstairs so his mean reputation would remain in effect.

So down we went, hiding the cars around the corner from the dining room where they could not be seen by the room full of family.  I ate my food all weekend, and raced cars up and down the house to my heart's delight.

Oh well, such are the adventures of Old Car City as you stroll through memory lane.

-ehw

P.S. X-E1 with 60mm Macro.  Processed in HDR EfexPro 2

Premium or Regular?

I received a blessing from God today...I went out to fellowship and take photos with the His Light Workshop Crew.

If you have a few minutes I suggest you take a look at the work of Bill Fortney ( http://billfortney.com/) and Jim Begley (http://www.wowphotoshdr.com/).

What you will find are stunning images of life.  You will not find subjects created for shock value or pure sex appeal.  You find written word and art which lifts you upwards...toward an appreciation for God and all his wonders. Bill is fond of saying he loves texture in his photos.  I also think he is very good at helping you appreciate the textures God adds to your life.  Jim makes High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos which knock your socks off in content, technical excellence and message.  When you talk to him, you can see feel his love of God coming out in the same manner of an HDR photograph where something we think is too dark for perception reveals itself and the composition makes sense so the message takes root in your heart and mind in equal parts.  How do these men do this?  By actively listening to you, and letting God work through them in a very humble manner.

See if you come to a His Light Workshop, you better be ready for God to speak through its many members.  You need to understand that when you join the crew, they will care about you more as a person than as a photographer.  The funny thing is when they do this, they offer more of themselves to you as teachers than most others ever will if they did the reverse.

I saw many examples today of agape love in HDR.  People freely giving of themselves to care for others,  offering a prayer for others in need, and providing an environment for people to engage in the sharing at a level their personalities and life texture permits.  It is not loud, it is not outlandish...it is quiet and subtle..it is the sound of the Holy Spirit working his way through people bringing Christ where needed for their sustainment.

So why the title?  Well we all have many choices in life for everything we do.  In choosing friends and services I think we also have a choice...we can chose Premium or Regular friends.  A regular friend will be with us as we travel through life, but when a challenge arrives they'll just walk on their own trying to help you with a man's knowledge.  A premium friend with walk with you, and when the time comes not be afraid to invoke God in the discussion of how you shall overcome life's challenges using his revealed laws of nature and scripture.

The men and women of His Light...they are Premium.

-ehw

PS X-E1 with the 35mm Prime

The Long Haired Lady

This Long Haired Lady still looks elegant up in Old Car City.  I really wish I could see this car in its glory.  I love the long lines, the grace it would have sliding through the air, and the roar of the engine.  Even today you can clearly see the blue of the sky reflecting in the chrome at this partly bright sunny day in North Georgia.

Working in the cold weather my camera did just fine, and the battery did not crash.  What I did find a bit harder was staying comfortable with all the layers of warm clothes I had one...and realizing I forgot my most vital accessory for serious rolling around...my knee pads.

About 16 years ago I fell down a Georgia mountain in the cold of winter while in the Army.  I smashed up both of my knees, and they got good infections.  Today I still feel the soreness, especially on cold winter days like this one.  So forgetting my knee pads really hurt my movement up and down with the tripod.

In order to really work a scene well, a great photographer once told me to get high-low-middle-near-far-get front-back-rear and anything else.  You have to experiment.  It does not mean you have to click the shutter at each spot, but it does mean you have to observe each spot and think through the opportunities it can offer.  As with any skill, experience and creativity will drive the end result far more than the equipment available.

So the moral of the story is, I think I captured a good composition.  I still wonder however how much more I could have done if I remembered the knee pads and worked this scene even harder.

-ehw

P.S. Fujifilm X-E1 with 14mm, F/18 on a seven shot jpeg EV Comp setting processed through Nik HDR efex Pro2 and touched off in Aperture

Return to Old Car City

My son and I braved the cold to visit Old Car City yesterday.  The temperatures started at 24 F and moved up to 41 F over the course of the day.  The owner greeted us and said, he could not understand anyone coming up to shoot on such a cold day!  We started the day with great winter light, and then had clouds come in to add one more challenge to the self-assignment.  Despite these challenges, the two of us had a great day together talking and walking several miles through the 4100 cars on the 600 acre lot.  Having my son along was part of his education, and the only way I can show him how I work with others...my day job just does not allow that.  It was my first return visit since last March when I toured the grounds with Bill Fortney and the His Light Crew.

This scene shows you the entrance to Old Car City.  The owner and his crew made a number of changes to the front part of the City, and it was nice to see the growth of the yard to keep it fresh.  I like this photo a lot better than the bicycle shot I captured last year.  I think it has a little more charm, and tells a better story of the environment of Old Car City.

For this adventure I went in only with my Fujifilm X-E1, my shoulder bag, and my heavy tripod.  I also made the test decision to take everything in jpeg, since I was going to make HDR photos with my captures.  The data in an HDR is massive just because of how they get processed, and I think it ended up working for me.

Over the next few days I hope to show you some of the work I did...and yes I already have them ready to order and grace your walls!

-ehw

P.S. X-E1 with the 18-55 Kit lens...the only shot in the series from the kit lens.  I switched over to primes for all but one other series for the rest of the day.

The DeSoto-Up for Sale

This weekend I participated in my second art show in Alpharetta.  I came to the event with three new large prints for sale.  The one which garnered the most interest was my 10x20 metallic print of the DeSoto at Old Car City.

Over the last few months I've realized how nice real prints are compared to screen shots.  To see and touch a photo is to have them come alive!  I really don't now how to describe the feeling I get when I see the photo come out of the box.  The closest word I can use is magic.  I first felt this when I was 16, and my Dad took me over to the photography store to meet our favorite printer at Twinbrook Photo!

If you are interested in sharing some of the magic in this print, I found a nice way to work out the deal!  As with all my sales 10% will go on its way to charity through our church.  The rest balances out the checkbook so I can make some more art!  I know shameless...but you have to pay the bills.

You can purchase the photo on the Square Marketplace, and I will have the item shipped right out to you!  If you are local here in Atlanta I might even be able to bring it on over!  Just click the link and head on over to the Square Store

DeSoto

Thanks for looking!

-ehw

PS This was Mr Pentax K-5 with the 15mm prime, tripod mounted doing their thing back in March 2013

While I'm celebrating a great weekend with my family and a new toy (that Fujifilm X-E1) I am struck by a statement made by some wise man...

"Every story that can be told has already been told" or in other words all our art is just a rehash of something that's been done before.

The difference between the art from before, and the art now, is more of relevancy to your personal experience than anything else.  Having been a musician at one point in my life, I can also say with conviction that nothing beats experiencing a live performance of your favorite artwork.  That is, unless you suddenly find your favorite star is really a recording studio digital creation!

I now have a new tool to use with capabilities beyond what I once had..it does not make me a better photographer.  In fact it raises the bar to what a good photographer is!  It says there is more of the world I can explore and shape in my lens than ever before...and more people can do what I formerly did with a point and shoot!

It is no different than when you first feel the light of Christ illuminate your heart, mind and soul.  What you once did good out of recognition of a natural need to create peace rather than discord became a duty since you now understand the word of Christ.   Now you are called to do good and share his word out of duty to further illuminate the world to Christ's call through timeless Wisdom.

Even though the Bible holds the story of salvation, it is still not complete until you add your chorus to the song of the universe.  When we all sing in key with with his divine will, it is the greatest show on earth.

-ehw

PS just a shot from the new Fujifilm X-E1 to show what a large dynamic range it can recover in a jpeg...yep a jpeg...

Into the Woods

Went for a walk in the historic district this morning in Roswell.  The summer light is harsh pretty early, but I got a few keepers using HDR techniques.

More of the fun downtown over the next few days!

The Way of His Cross

It was all done to save each of us...the pain...the suffering...the perfect sacrifice of God's only son as ransom for our lives.

Through the suffering he delivered his last sermon.  He demonstrated his love for us while he lived out the ancient prophecies.

Now we have a long night to contemplate the way of the cross...and if we will begin accepting its calling to change our lives.

-ehw

Published on Bill Fortney!

 

Hey Hey!

My friend Bill Fortney just published one of my HDR photos to illustrate how you can use various types of tripods to get "surprising" shots.

To check it out please go here!   http://billfortney.com/?p=7863

In this photo I wanted to try and see what motion would look like in an HDR photo.  In my first attempt the exposures were way to long, and the trains actually disappeared.  So unlike my other HDR where I kept the ISO down at 80, these are way up at 1600.

And in my final photo of the day I wanted you to see what it looks like when a group photo is requested...and you get a lonely tripod field of dreams...

If you get a chance do attend a His Light Workshop!  It is so much more than the photos!

-ehw

Bel Air Glamor

One of the effects of HDR photography is also to bring out textures and color in a very realistic way.

I took this photo and had some fun with it in HDR Efex Pro 2, then ran it through Color Efex 4.  Sharpened to taste and called it a day.

RC Conception pointed out to us on the second night that the purpose of HDR is to get a good product to finish in post processing.  He found many people shot, process and don't finish.

It would be like writing the first acts of a play, and then walking away from the final act.

I called this Bel Air Glamor because the Glamor Glow filter seems to be all the rage in many a circle today, and I wanted to try it out for myself.

If you want to see some really extraordinary HDR check out both RC Conception's website and Jim Begley's.  Both are true master artists with this technique.

Check them out at www.aboutrc.com and www.wowphotoshdr.com.

-ehw

-ehw

Mail Time!

Day Three at the Old Car City HDR Workshop took us to the Duluth, Georgia Southeastern Railway Museum.  Twenty six photographers danced their way through this car...which except for the cooking cars was the top attraction for the day.

The team was fantastic. During the day talked gear, life, Christ, and how to get shots right in camera.  It was big boy rules, if you wanted help you got it.  If you did not want help you just shot... and shot...and shot again.

This postal car was the first scene one I wanted to process and share.

I'll write more later.  For now I wanted to let you know to keep His Light shining in your hearts and send it out for all to see.

God Bless.

-ehw

Buick at Peace

A lovely day to shoot in Northern Georgia..Day Two of His Light's Old Car City HDR Workshop.

Check out www.billfortney.com to see what it is all about...It is heaven sent for photos and the soul.

More later..in class now!

-ehw