Negative Space

Negative space is a way to emphasize a subject and create an interesting mood to a somewhat "plain" or "boring" photograph. A simple row of trees along a canal up close is pretty boring, but placing them at the bottom of the frame and adding lots of negative space really draws the eye to the trees.

If this shot was zoomed in to fill the frame with the bird, it would be just another picture of a bird. Moving the subject more towards the extremes and leaving the frame "empty" adds a dark feel to this image. 

The next shot is one of my favorites. It seems to show the hardships of a struggling musician. 

More examples of negative space.

Stop filling the frame and try to add a little negative space to your photos. You may like what you end up with.

Back To Film

I have recently picked up a Canon AE-1 SLR to give "old school" film a try. To my surprise I have not even picked up my digital camera since. The feel of the AE-1 is awesome, and it just looks cool whether its in my hands or just sitting on the shelf. 

The AE-1 has basically two modes, full auto and shutter priority. I like shutter priority because it gives you a little more control of what you can produce but nothing like a DSLR.

I was never much a fan of adding grain when editing but the grain from film I like. 

The old canon has no auto focus which may steer some away but I liked it. More time was spent composing and not just snapping away like I would normally with my digital camera. Film is expensive (for a broke college kid) so getting it right the first time was a must.

Welcome to the ring of fire!

I recently found out how to "paint with light" and have fallen in love with it ever since. The two shots in this post were made by steel wool and a long exposure.

Things you will need:

1. steel wool

2. a whisk ( pick up one from the dollar store)

3. cable or string

4. camera and tripod

5. dark clothes

6. flash light

7. a friend

8. creativity

Start out picking a location that is fairly dark. Pull the steel wool apart and stuff the whisk with the pieces. The more the wool is pulled apart the more sparks will be thrown into the air. Attach the whisk to your line and practice spinning it in the air. I say practice because the first few times I tried this  we came extremely close to hitting our face with the flaming whisk... not good haha. Set up your camera on the tripod and set it to shutter priority mode.  Usually a shutter of speed of 10 to 15 seconds is plenty. Use the flash light to shine on your friend standing in the frame so that you can manually focus on him/her. Light the steel wool with a lighter and let your creativity flow. Circles always look cool but try other things like banging the whisk on the ground as you spin it. BE CAREFUL!! Sparks go flying everywhere. 

Look me up on facebook at Flat Land Photography to see some more of this.

Harvest Time

Finally!! clouds!!! It's been a while since clouds have shown themselves here in the Mississippi Delta. With the last two weeks being over a 100 degrees everyday its been difficult to get out and do anything. Many of the crops without irrigation look about like these soybeans... pitiful. 

Record flooding of the Mississippi River earlier this year devastated some farms and now the drought. Don't forget about us down here in rural Mississippi! 

Look me up on Facebook: Flat Land Photography

Engagement Trip

Hello all..

Please bear with me as this is my first blog post. So this being my first post I figured I would blog about something I am passionate about... my fiance and photography! July 28, 2011 I asked my girlfriend of 6 1/2 years to marry me, and she said YES!!! We're both very excited about our future so stayed tuned for updates in the future.

Now on to the photography. Street photography is something that I have been very interested in but never had the chance to try ( I live in the boondocks of Mississippi). This style of photography looks easy but man was I wrong. Out of the 250+ shots I managed to have maybe 2-3 keepers... What a bummer.. Still very exciting though.

 Our trip carried us to Chattanooga Tn. What an amazing city! Small town locals with big city excitement. The aquarium was the highlight of the trip to me.. other than the engagement! The jellyfish exhibit is one of the coolest thing I have ever seen.

Jellyfish are alien like in their looks and the way they move is mesmerizing. Overall we had an amazing trip and can't wait to go back again to see good music, good food, and great brew.. I will leave you with a few more shots from the trip.