Anthony Pierpont, The Everyday Photographer: My Favorite Photos

This photo was taken at a marina in Santa Barbara, California at dusk. I’m just an amateur photographer, so I don’t have the formal training you find with professional photography online. But this photo turned out really well. Here’s what makes this one of my favorite photos:

1. The colors. I love the shading and the contrasts provided by the falling light. Within minutes of taking this shot, the sun set. I almost missed the cobalt blue of the boat covers and the shock of yellow provided by the boats, too. The yellow and blue colors typify sailing and nautical color themes in general, so I’m pleased that they turned out so well.
   


2. The reflection of the clouds on the water is something I often see in online professional photography portfolios, but am rarely able to duplicate. The clouds in the water give the photo depth and some mystery, too.
   


3. The geometry of the sailboat masts provided an added interest that I didn’t foresee when I snapped the shot. The poles, which support the sails, stand rigidly upright, making my favorite photo seem very still and silent. The masts remind me of a small city, and help provide a better idea of the number of boats moored in the harbor.
   

Everyday Photographer Tip of the Day: If you’re not a professional online photographer, you can still take amazing photos. When you “see” a photo that you want to take, try shooting it from as many angles as possible, at different times of day. You may end up with several photos for the trash bin, but chances are, you’ll find your photo. Bring a notebook and record what you did differently with each frame you shoot, and you’ll start to learn what works well for you as an amateur photographer.

Anthony Pierpont, The Everyday Photographer: Photo of The Week

In one of my earlier blogs, Best Online Photo Albums and Photo Sharing Options, I talked about my favorite photo sharing site, Flickr. I found the photo of the week, by James Jordan, on his Flickr photostream. Jordan takes beautiful shots year round of Lake Michigan and Door County, Wisconsin.

Jordan uses the mystery that the fog offers yet amplifies it, with light from what appears to be mid-morning sun, judging by the angle that the sun hits the house and the length of the shadow cast by the glacier-type formation in the forefront.

The varying degrees of blue and gray in the lake's water offer a mysterious and cold feeling - look long enough and the ripples make you believe that something is stirring underneath. The house and pier seem to be elevated above the waterline, and the clouds offer an abstract look and fill in the background nicely. Jordan’s photo also shows a good use of geometry as the two glaciers and the pier jut out and guide the eye from the left to the center of the photo.

Jordan, an amateur photographer, comments “Icy winds create a mist over the water of Lake Michigan near Kewaunee Wisconsin. Arctic winds passing over the warmer lake waters picked up the moisture and dumped it on Michigan on the other side of the lake as a blinding snowstorm - you can see the clouds forming in the distance.”

Everyday Photographer Tip of the Day: Icicles and close-ups of frozen tree branches make some of the best nature photos. Icicles reflect light, so depending upon how you set up the shot you can show several varying aspects of these frozen sculptures. Frozen tree branches have a sense of peace that when captured, provides a photo detailing a sense of isolation, even when the tree’s located in a busy downtown district.

If you’re an amateur photographer looking forward to yet another winter snowstorm, get out and get your photo of the week!