PhotoFriday :: Bird in Flight

 

For PhotoFriday‘s topic Motion

wet feet

My Photo Impressions (an update)

Whilst I have not been publishing them here, my photo impressions of birds in particular, have become my best selling works. This one, of a lone gull flying into the sunset, focusing on the theme “extinction is forever”.   It has been in preparation for some time for the Venus Artist Contemporary Showcase. I always end up doing lots of tweaking of colour palette and tiling textures. In the end I have opted not to include in the exhibition (it is the first photo impression I has included a written message on)  but have also posted it on RedBubble (you can purchase a poster or a large canvas version from them).
I treat the creation of  my photographic mosaics just like a classical painting. Whilst I do use modern software and digital photos I follow a more traditional method to develop the image. The photo itself is like the initial sketches one would do to develop composition and form. Next I look at the tones and colours of the image and select a limited palette of harmonious colours. Instead of mixing these colours from a tube I look through my collection of photos. Usually I just use photos related to the theme of the photos (shorebirds in the venus bay sunsets in this case) but lately i have been adding a few specially generate fractal flames in the specific colour scheme I am missing.  From this I assemble my new palette, a library of coloured images not just pigment. Finally I have been looking to M C Escher for the shapes and tessellations of the tiling. I have also recently moved to having some reproduced on canvas, and reproduced at a decent size to reveal the smaller photos used in the tiling when you look more closely.(see detail below)

Please note I have stopped using the term Photomosaic, which with this spelling has been registered as a trademarked by Robert Silver. I use the professional version of Andrej Olenik's Mosaic Creator, which is based on different patented techniques to those covered by the patents filed by Robert Silver through Runaway Technology Inc.

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Photo friday :: Insignificant

For photofriday insignificant

Once upon a time a few insignificant marks on the sand could be read and understood, perhaps it marked the return of a plentiful food supply, marking of breeding teritory or just a pleasant day for a stroll. Unfortunately such knowledge maybe impossible to relearn, even with a telephoto lens.

birds in flight collage(s)

birds in flight collage 1 [pacific gull]
Originally uploaded by imageo.

I'm still feelling a bit challenged to get a nice series of birds in flight. Its a much harder subject than you may imagine, the fly past at a decent speed, so it is essential to pan, and have them clearly in focus, and be able to take multiple frames, and zoom in, and well the list goes on and on, Before long you start think special cameras, special lens. However I'd rather just figure out how to do it all with my camera.

So I have a lot of experimental panning sequences and thought they would make great photomosaics or collages. The collage is made with picasa.

The photomosaic, refused to work in autostich, but i was able to achieve what I wanted with the sitch facility in corel paint, but joining the waves as best I could (you will probably need to click on the image to see the larger version)

flying low

an adult pacifc gull,(Larus pacificus) flying low along the beach

Kilcunda Panorama with swooping sea gulls

I like big sweeping landscapes, and have enjoy making multi-image panoramas, which generally do the subject matter justice. Getting a scene like a beach can be difficult because the waves change position during each shot. I do remember the sea gulls gliding in the wind when I was taking this and thought I had avoided photographing them (they usually make a nuisance and fly over exactly that spot where they will spoil the join.) I must have missed these two but glad I did. They really add depth to the image.
(you may need to click on this image to look at the larger size to fully appreciate this)
See where this picture was taken. [?]