photography | left on walnut

January 15, 2013

Pink Stripes

I first noticed the pile of pink striped fabric on the floor of what might be a convenience store in Vietnam.Then, next door, I noticed a little clothing factory behind a chain link fence where the dresses were being made.All was quiet in the open-air factory. The women were on a lunch break, I suspect.In a few minutes, one lady came back to work in the convenience store. Her job was to trim the threads close to the seams.A chicken, tied up outside, wore the same striped fabric, but in green.

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January 15, 2013

The Faces of the Bayon Temple

Some two hundred stone faces gaze down from the walls of the Bayon Temple in Cambodia. Historians say the faces might be the likeness of King Jayavarman VII. He was the Buddhist king responsible for building the temple when he ruled the Khmer Empire. Cambodians love this king. He built “resting houses” which now are hospitals.

Others say the faces are of a Buddhist god of compassion. Either way, the faces seem serene.

A Buddhist Nun lit some incense in the temple as we were leaving that evening.

Faces look down from the walls of Bayon.

Most of our biking group stayed on for the post-trip into Cambodia. Can you see the faces in the wall of the temple above our group?

January 11, 2013

Graduation Day in Vietnam

Like much that matters, graduations are the same in Hanoi as in our town. Stand tall, the future is yours.

May 9, 2012

before and after

I’m learning that good portraits can be enhanced in a photo editing software called Lightroom. I’m only beginning to learn Lightroom, mostly from online tutorials.

This is a before and after shot of one of the ladies in the park. I think she’d like it.

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May 6, 2012

asking permission to take photos

I am not brave about asking to take someone’s photograph. Tonight I told some women in the park I was working on an assignment. This is only true if we agree that I could give myself an assignment. As it turned out, the women were delighted to pose with their dogs. I think the dogs liked it ok, too.

Dogs make for excellent reasons to take photographs.

The mom on the bench didn't really want her photo taken. Her daughters told her it was ok. She sat very still.

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Gallery | March 19, 2012

spring flowers

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February 23, 2012

teddy bear abuse

I’ve been shooting on aperture priority. I’m afraid of manual. Today, I tried it.

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February 19, 2012

Wesleyan on a Sunday in Winter

February 17, 2012

top right drawer

Some of what I have learned about photography:

Light is tricky. I think I have enough but when I look at photos later on the computer, they can still seem dull.
My lens works better when not at full zoom. When the lens is way out there, photos are not crisp.
Some of the best photos with this lens are shot at f 8.0 or so, rather than at the extreme stops. I don’t know why. Could be user error.
My time as a photographer: 30% reading how-to blogs, watching instructional videos online, and reading the manual; 30% arranging stuff and lights; 30% messing with photos in Lightroom; 2% taking photos; and 8% making Tom come look at the photos I’ve taken. He’s wonderful. He always finds something nice to say.

Here’s stuff in the top right drawer of my daughters’ dresser: