Category: simple

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Back to the Source

The last day has arrived for the TFTTF Workshop (explained below Oct. 11). The assignment was: Go find the object from the first assignment and take another picture using the things we leaned in class. So back to my little Fire Plug I went. This time I used the dark wet ground as a background. We learned that light objects on dark backgrounds sand out better than the reverse, and I also used Joins to create crossing lines through the image. Throw in a shallow DOF and I think it worked!

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What's Yellow Isn't

Welcome to Day Two of the TFTTF Workshop (explained below Oct. 11). This was for the assignment: Silhouette without using the Rule of Thirds. I struggled for a while to find something to silhouette on this typical gray rainy day. I eventually saw this dandelion and went to work on it. I found the McDonald's wrapper in a trash can near by (it was right on top and pretty clean, and yes, I put it back). Placing Matt's Nikon 800 strobe under the edge and taking lots of shots to get the light in the right place, I managed to get a silhouette. I like the yellow background for the recognizable dandelion shape, sort of a negative space effect.

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First day of the TFTTF Workshop in Minneapolis

This innocent fire hydrant spends it's days guarding the Chanhassen Rec Center, but on this day is starred in my first assignment for the Tips From the Top Floor Workshop. TFTTF is a podcast produced by Christoper Marquart of Tubingham, Southern Germany. I started listening to Chris years ago when Podcasting was in it's infancy. He's a great guy, and a lot of fun to listen to. He's right on with the 'tips' and I've learned oodles of things from him and have been inspired to spend thousands of dollars as well. Back to the assignment. After our introductions and an overview of the upcoming four days, Chris sent us out for our first assignment: Take a Picture, time: 15 minutes. I great way to see where we were at and to get us thinking about the 'work' in workshop. When I wandered out of the clean, organized & safe suburban rec center, I was confronted with a clean, organized & safe suburban parking lot. Being a city kid, I went looking for something that reminded me of home, and the smooth lawns and perfect flowers didn't cut it. I chose this little guy and chose my framing to isolate him from the background and to revel in his flaws. The gray Minnesotan sky adds a lonely starkness as well. I give you the mighty fire plug.