Noon

On July 26, 2014July 26, 2014 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography2 Comments

Most photographers will tell you that the worst time to go shooting outdoors is noon, with the midday sun directly overhead casting deep shadows on people’s faces, or flooding subjects with overhead light giving it very little dimension, this applies to landscapes as well… As Lady Luck would have it, that’s when I get to go outside… at midday, whether it’s to accompany Nikhil on his walk or leaving work on a Saturday… it’s the noon sun I usually have to shoot under.

This one is not the type of thing I normally do, but something about it caught my eye and I shot it… left it to percolate for almost a year, then went back to it with fresh eyes.

Not something that many may like, but here it is anyway 🙂

Click on the image to see in the in Gallery with others from the Black and White Collection

2014 Deck – Week 11

On July 24, 2014July 24, 2014 By themichaellamcollectionIn 2014 Deck, Photography2 Comments

This week’s photo is about Implied Motion. OK, I lied, it’s a photo of a Jhandi flag at the Kingston seashore, but as it turns out it is one of those images that displays implied motion (at least for me)

Whenever we try to convey the idea of motion in a still photograph we usually do one of two things, we either have the main subject show motion blur with the background or rest of the scene in focus (such as light trails at night on the street, or a speeding cyclist, slightly blurred with the track sharply in focus) or we do the reverse, with the main subject in focus but the background blurred (such as in panning shots, or a pedestrian in front of a speeding minibus – by “in front of” I mean with respect to the camera, not the business end of the minibus – although that would make a dramatic photo of a different sort). 🙂

Another method might be to blur everything, such as taking a photo from inside a moving vehicle, creating that “vortex” look (on a side note, using the zoom on the camera while standing still produces neat effects too)

Chrono Photography is also a neat trick used to convey motion, by capturing multiple instances of a moving subject and then layering them in your favourite photo software creates a good sense of the subjects path through the frame.

After babbling about all these ways to create a sense of motion in a still photo, I will just say that I used none of the above for this photo.

This photo is either serendipitous or pure photographer’s luck (hmm, maybe one has something to do with the other). I had stepped out of my office intending to walk around a few blocks, upon looking up at the sky I notices the clouds in a lovely “blown” pattern, I decided to walk to the seawall instead. I have taken many photos of the roundhouse before (and will probably take many more), I have also taken many photos of Jhandi flags before (and will likely take many many more), but that day I saw the clouds in a dispersed pattern, a Jhandi flag blowing in the wind with the roundhouse as a backdrop, and I decided to compose and shoot it, I took a few exposures, then saw five birds flying from the roundhouse towards me… Serendipity!

I was also shooting with the Sigma 10-20 Ultra-wide lens on the camera, so I also got a bit of lens distortion at the edges that helped with the appearance of motion in the clouds toward the edges even more.

That’s a lot of preamble for one photo, but I hope I bored you enough that the photo is now more pleasing 🙂

Canon EOS 60D | Sigma 10-20mm

1/250s, f/11, ISO 100 | 6°49’34” N 58°9’45” W

Click on the image to see it in the gallery along with other images from this year’s Deck Project

2014 Deck – Week 10

On March 27, 2014March 27, 2014 By themichaellamcollectionIn 2014 Deck, Photography, Poetry2 Comments

Once called the Garden City, now laughingly referred to as the Garbage City, Georgetown was known for it’s tree-lined Avenues and streets, and the tree-lined canals and trenches that divided the wards of the city and provided drainage for a city that was built upon land reclaimed from the ocean, and sits six feet below sea-level.

Today many of those drainage canals have been filled in for pedestrian walkways (most notably those running north-south such as along High Street, Carmichael Street, Waterloo Street and Camp Street). Many of the trees that lined the avenues, streets and canals have died (or been cut down) and have not been replaced. For many of us, we still see the trees that line our streets as being numerous, but this was a much more verdant city, we see it in the old photos and paintings.

Some of the older trees remain and provide some shelter from the tropical sun that bathes our city daily, some are even large enough to help provide shelter from the sudden shower of rain that cools the land and washes away the surface dirt that blankets the city, mainly from our own daily activities.

Walking down the Avenues that are still lined with these sentinels, I often look up at the canopy of lace-like branches and leaves that provide a respite from the midday sun and often ponder on what might make a good composition. I often take photos, but they just as often fail to live up to the ideals that reside in my mind’s eye.

Here’s a simplistic version that I favoured among the many that I took 🙂

Lacy Leaves

Leaves and branches adorn the sky
An organic filigree
Earthen wrought and weather tempered
It’s not just a tree.

Intertwined and interlocking
like a spider’s gossamer
A lacy parasol that once was
the city’s glamour.

Click on the photo to see it in the Gallery.

Midday Meditation

On March 26, 2014March 26, 2014 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography2 Comments

If I had the time in the middle of the day, I’d probably be doing just like this fellow in the photograph… sit and just stare out to sea for a while; but I was taking a walk and taking some photographs 🙂 (The walk ostensibly for health reasons and the photos for my sanity) I’ve photographed this spot many times, I was going through an old album when I came across this one and thought that a square crop would work nicely, then I saw the faint details of the clouds and thought that some tone-mapping would give me more detail and a monochrome version might just look nice, and voila! I got a bit of haloing, but I can live with that 🙂

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery along with other images in my Sepia Collection

2014 Deck – Week 08

On March 14, 2014March 14, 2014 By themichaellamcollectionIn 2014 Deck, Photography2 Comments

This week was the week of our Republic Celebrations in Guyana, which I’ve shared photos from already, as is my custom, I look through those to choose one for the Deck Project.

This year there was no one image that stood out to me as much as this one did. I had processed it in Black and White and had decided not to include it in the original upload, I was still not sure anyone else would like it.

I like it, it seemed to me to be a moment frozen in time… something more sensual than what was occurring all around… maybe that is why I converted it to monochrome, to remove the distractions.

I hope you see something other than a Mash Photo 🙂

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery 🙂

Mashramani 2014

On March 5, 2014March 5, 2014 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography4 Comments

I’m not sure I ever come out of these events with the right photos… but I think I usually get a few that are nice, and once in a while, one that is very nice.

Mashramani was on a Sunday this year, making the following day a holiday, so it was more relaxed for me in a way, there were a few bands fewer as well, so the last band came earlier than normal, which is good, I always get a bit peeved when the last band comes and the sun is already getting low in the sky

I was without my flash this year, and shooting into the sun without fill-flash was a different experience for me. Also without my Tamron 18-270mm I felt a bit lost, but I stuck to my plan of attempting it with a borrowed Canon 55-200mm, and I think I did a fairly decent job of it.

I usually cull the set much more than this, but I think that these are fairly representative of the day, and I decided to keep almost all of the first draft.

Click on the image above to see the Gallery on the site for the full set, I will try to do a Select collection soon.

2014 Deck – Week 07

On March 4, 2014March 4, 2014 By themichaellamcollectionIn 2014 Deck, Photography2 Comments

Many readers assume that my photo for the Deck Project for each week is the “best” photo from that week, while sometimes this might be true, it is not always so. The photo I choose is usually one that can, by itself, make a contribution to the 52 photos that comprise the Deck Project, and it can often have meaning or relevance as a photo to myself more than to readers / viewers.

This photo that I chose for this week may very well fall into that category of not necessarily being the best, but to me it stood out among others from the Children’s Mashramani Parade, this young lady had lots of energy and I liked how her darker skin contrasted with the white costume, and how the touches of coloured glitter accented ever so slightly the celebratory nature of the event.

She was part of the Smalta sponsored band from Chateau Margot Primary School, their main costume was depicting their theme “Princess of Peace and Purity” which they entered in the Ages 8-10 Fantasy Category. This young lady was not the “Princess” or the main costume, she was one of the banner or standard bearers at the front of the “band”.

I hope you like it 🙂

Canon EOS 60D | Canon EF55-200mm Lens | 1/500s @ f/7.1, ISO100, 200mm

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery with other images from this year’s Deck Project

For a Small selection of the Images from the Children’s Mash Parade, check the Children’s Mash 2014 Select album.

2014 Deck – Week 06

On February 27, 2014February 27, 2014 By themichaellamcollectionIn 2014 Deck, Photography, Poetry4 Comments

The day this photo was taken did not turn out to be a happy day, so you’ll excuse me if the post seems depressing… even morbid.

That being said, I do believe that the photo was chosen not based on that but on it’s own merits. I rather liked how this one came out. I was using my Sigma 17-50mm, mostly to take photos of the scenery (not much of it that day) and some snapshots of my daughter. I was pleased that this came out as good as it did, considering that most times I would have tried this with my ultra-wide Sigma 10-20mm.

The reason the day was a bad one is that shortly after taking these photos, I returned to my vehicle to realise that someone had gotten into it and stolen my bags, which included my laptop computer, and all my camera gear barring the camera and lens in my hand, the Sigma 10-20mm which a friend had borrowed, and the tripod which they left on the floor of the car.

Sadly, the police have neither found nor recovered any of the items (and have no idea who might have done it)

Now onto the photo… and you can ignore the poem that follows 🙂

Canon EOS 60D | Sigma 17-50mm | 1/320s at f/6.3, ISO 100, 50mm

Click on the Image to see it in the Gallery

Caught in the nets,
prisoners from the deep
dragged into the air,
I’d cry, but fish don’t weep…

Tossed into a boat,
tormented by the sun
gasping for breath
the boat; shorewards run…

Sorted by calloused hands,
most onto the ice,
I upon the ground;
apparently I’m not nice…

Upon the hard ground,
I flounder, I try…
On land, beneath the sun
I dry, I die.

For those curious people who will ask 🙂 Here’s a shortlist of some of the Camera related gear that was stolen:

1 LowePro Backpack Camera Bag
1 Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash
Serial Number: 611144
1 Canon EOS Rebel T1i Camera
Serial number: 0370111906
1 Tamron Di II 18-270mm Lens
Serial Number: 096584
1 Tamron AF 18-270mm Lens
Serial Number: 061042
1 Canon EF50mm f/1.8 II Lens
Lens No: 2514A003[BA]
1 Canon EF40mm f/2.8 STM Lens
Lens No: 6310B002[AA]
1 Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens
1 Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

The list is very long, but most of the rest is camera related accessories and paraphernalia, oh, and my Kindle Fire which I really really miss… I hadn’t realized how much I read until it was gone.

Mashramani Children’s Parade 2014

On February 21, 2014February 21, 2014 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography3 Comments

Although I am much behind in my current Deck Project, I thought it prudent to choose and process photos from last weekend’s Children’s Mashramani Parade.

As usual, I am seldom disappointed with the parade itself, the Children are always great to see, I often say it is better than the Adult’s Parade…

I will be making a shortlist of these photos soon, but for now you can click on the image below to see the current images in the Gallery