San Francisco City Hall

March 21, 2008 by Harold Davis | 1 Comment

San Francisco City Hall, photo by Harold Davis. View this image larger.

They say you can’t fight City Hall, and in the case of this beautiful neo-classical San Francisco building from the 1930s where so many weddings take place, why would one want to? The main challenge for me with this relatively straight digital photo—or as straight as one can be with a digital fisheye—was to not over do it and get caught up in some baroque Photoshop game. After all, the architecture is quite bombastic all on its own.

[Nikon D300, 10.5mm digital fisheye, 1/2 of a second at f/22 and ISO 100, tripod mounted.]

Posted in Photography, San Francisco Area

Fire Spiral in the Flower

December 20, 2007 by Harold Davis | 0 Comments

Fire Spiral in the Flower, photo by Harold Davis. View this image larger.

This is a version of the Burning White Rose that has been hit with LAB color channel inversions in Photoshop.

Posted in Flowers, Photography

Cosmic Swirls

November 19, 2007 by Harold Davis | 8 Comments

Cosmic Swirls, photo by Harold Davis. View this image larger.

As dusk darkened to night, my exposures got longer and longer until the swirl trails of the stars echoed the swirls in the rock of the Wave.

To take this photo, I needed to wait until darkness out in the desert with the ordeal that was to come. But, I say, since all’s well that ends well, well worth it!

Posted in Digital Night, Landscape, Photography, The Wave

Perspectives

November 13, 2007 by Harold Davis | 4 Comments

View of Angels Landing, photo by Harold Davis. View this image larger.

This is a view of the spine of Angels Landing with the Zion Canyon floor far below.

I hadn’t realized until I was actually in Zion National Park that I have visited this wonderful place twice before. Once, as a kid with a camera, with my parents and brother on the canonical camping trip ending in California. And again, as a photographer in my twenties.

Nothing inside Zion has changed much in all that time. But outside protected lands, southwestern Utah is changing fast into a country of generic strip malls and McMansion subdivisions.

Anyhow, the strange thing is I didn’t really remember Zion until I came back. With memory returning, I realize, “I photographed that tree before, by golly.”

The land hasn’t changed, the vistas are much the same, but my perspective has altered. I have found my center, and know what I am. I can hike the canyon rims, photograph sunset, and come down by starlight. I can wander up winding canyons filled with water. What was I thinking way back then to be so timid about making my way into the heart of this great land?

Posted in Landscape, Photography, Zion

Falling into the Virgin

November 12, 2007 by Harold Davis | 1 Comment

Falling into the Virgin, photo by Harold Davis. View this image larger.

I wandered and slogged up the Virgin River towards the narrows. Boots and jeans soaked, walking up the river like some amphibious creature, camera and tripod high on my back.

About a mile beyond the end of the trail, I came upon this waterfall tumbling down the slick rock into the Virgin.

I exposed for two seconds to soften the water, and used a polarizing filter to bring out the red colors in the rock.

[300mm in 35mm terms, circular polarizer, 2 seconds at f/25 and ISO 100, tripod mounted.]

Posted in Hiking, Landscape, Photography, Zion

Dahlia Daze

November 2, 2007 by Harold Davis | 0 Comments

Dahlia Daze, photo by Harold Davis. View this image larger.

I took this photo with my Lensbaby 3G. It’s a 3/10 of a second, tripod mounted exposure using the f/8 aperture disk at ISO 100. The ability to lock this selective focus lens in position (not possible on the earlier Lensbaby models) made it possible for me to take this shot.

Posted in Flowers, Lensbaby, Photography

Coast

October 31, 2007 by Harold Davis | 0 Comments

Coast, photo by Harold Davis. View this image larger.

This photo looks north from Sculptured Beach, looking towards Limantour. The one second exposure creates a calm effect, taking the edge off the rather violent wave action, while still showing the waves in a recognizable fashion.

[225mm in 35mm terms, 1 second at f/22 and ISO 100, tripod mounted.]

Posted in Landscape, Photography, Point Reyes