Daniel Ruf

Low Life

"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential."

Winston Churchill

Sometimes the best point of view is from the level of the earth and that's exactly what this image of a White Lady's Slipper demanded, plus a few tricks with reflectors and diffusers.  This was captured with a Canon 5d II and a 70 - 200mm lens with an extension tube attached.  By the time this flower session was over I think I had most of my equipment laying on the ground around me as I used any tool possible to get an image that was most attractive for the subject. 

While it will be another year before I get an opportunity to repeat this visit I was grateful to have found this surprise not far from my home in an unexpected location.  As these plants are only a few inches above the ground it's amazing that I didn't walk past them hidden in the tall grasses.

While our March winds are making flower photography difficult there are still a few opportunities to find a few hidden protected places out of the main wind.

Thank you for taking the time to visit and I hope you are all enjoying the trailing edge of Spring.

Sic 'em Bears!

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" and new book "Take What's Given" can be purchased online at-  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V

http://500px.com/pigs4u

Past To Present

"A Picture is the expression of an impression.  If the beautiful were not in us, how would we ever recognize it?"  Ernst Haas

My college art professor, James Green, was also my employer, as I was his weekend yard keeper and all around handy man.  One of the vivid memories about his yard is that his cottage was surrounded by fragrant Lily Of The Valley, and since then I have been rather fond of them.

In the past few years one of my early Spring rituals has been to find a suitable cluster of these flowers to photograph, but I've come up empty handed until this past week.  Quite by accident I was walking through a wooded area trying to energize my creative spirit when I came upon a few lily plants along the trail side. 

While the lighting was, I thought, very contrasty mid day lighting, as I laid down on the small path my viewpoint improved dramatically.  As I've always told class participants, a change in elevation can make a dramatic change in photographic options, I was quite pleased with the new viewpoint.  Specular high lights developed in the background as well as a better point of view for the flowers.  The camera; my Nikon D300s with a 28-300mm Nikkor lens and a lens extender, which turned the lens combination into a macro lens.  WIth this came a softening of the background as well as the highlights causing the flowers to be "front and center" in the composition.

Later, in the editing process I decided to do a digital watercolor of this image with the help of the Alien Skin Snap Art software and my own use of Photoshop CS5's digital brushes.  While this is one of my first attempts at using the digital watercolor palette I'm pleased with the outcome.

While shooting this scene my mind fluttered back to the afternoons that I spent digging, weeding and tending to Mr. Green's gardens.  It also reminded me of the hours of patient tutelage that I gained while attending his class or tending his yard.

"Mentorship" is so important in a persons everyday life, whether it be a second grade teacher, a workshop instructor, or trusted friend.  It accelerates and empowers growth in all of us to propel us ahead on life's journey.

Thank you all for joining me at this blog site and I hope that Spring has been as enjoyable for you as it has for me...a time of growth and expression.

Sic 'em Bears!  Headed toward the Big 12 baseball championship!

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" and new book "Take What's Given" can be purchased online at-  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V

http://500px.com/pigs4u

The Others

"The one phrase you can use is that success has a thousand fathers, and failure is an orphan.

Alan Price

I've noted before on this blog site my gratitude for those that have played a part in my growth in the photographic art, whether artist, teacher or friend and the blog image is no exception.  As many of you know I'm a follower of the work and teachings of Tony Sweet and Susan Milestone, Tony's partner.  Their expertise, as well as that of many others listed in the upper right column of this blog, have been instrumental in my growth as well as the growth of many other photographers.

The concept for this particular image came from one of Tony's instructional DVD's "Flower Photography Artistry" that is available for purchase on his website. The image here is a combination of a flower in front of one of my prints from a while back.  The print was of a field of yellow coneflowers and had been blurred in Photoshop Elements as a creative measure.

After fighting the wind on several days in the attempt to capture some images of tulips around our house I decided that indoors shooting was going to be the answer.  Our tulip beds are new and therefore don't offer a lot of background color due to the sparse populations (this will be improved over the next few years with more plantings).  I had wanted to use the background print on several occasions and this became the appropriate time to experiment.

In this case the distance of the tulip from the background is probably double the distance of the tulip from the camera and the setup is catching soft ambient light from a window to the right.  As many of you know I really enjoy doing still life photography in natural light since it is such an exceptional light full of color and softness.

Since I was working with a recently purchased used Nikon D300s I also practice the use of the overlay program which is a fabulous in camera tool that I have high hopes for as well as other camera adjustments that come with this camera.  My thanks again to Tony for his advice and guidence in this selection.

While we all are affected in some way by those that pass through our lives it is often forgotten the role, however incidental, these wonderful "exclamation points" play in ones development.  To all those in the right hand column, as well as many others, a big thank you.

Sic 'em Bears!

Thanks for visiting and enjoy this beautiful Spring.

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" and new book "Take What's Given" can be purchased online at-  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V

http://500px.com/pigs4u

One The Job Training

"You know, you do need mentors, but in the end, you really just  need to believe in yourself."

Diana Ross

For those of you that frequent this blog on a regular basis I really encourage you to visit the sites that are listed on the right side of the blog page so that you can enjoy a number of views and insights that other photographers have to offer.  It's how I usually start my day with the belief that I can  use all the help I can get and I'm usually never disappointed.  This morning was no exception with my visit to John Barclay's site and a bit of "humble pie" serving as a reminder of all those that have touched not only my life, but my journey in photography.

Workshop instructors, friends, fellow artists all have a claim, or at the very least a finger print on my vision, thought processes and  work ethic, which, in a large way has great bearing on the finished image.  During the course of this education I have found that there are those that one should step away from, being of little contribution accept for personal inflation, and those that become a tutor of great relevance, usually giving greatly to an individuals growth.

My most recent workshop experience has been as a participant of the Tony Sweet workshop series and, as I've noted in past posts, the time spent has left a major impression on my direction and abilities.  It's often been my feeling that if one spends the dollars to attend a workshop, no matter the media involved, that person should be exhausted by the workshops end and this certainly is the result of 5 days with Mr. Sweet and his partner Susan Milestone.

It is my hope that I will, someday, have the opportunity to sign up for a Barclay workshop as I find his verbal insights, as well has his visual artistry, to be remarkable and provoking.  As with Sweet, his following is huge and results worth considering.

The biggest mistake, in my opinion, an artist can make would be to believe they can be their own instructor, engineer, mediator, judge and jury. As with construction operation that takes architects, plumbers and carpenters to give a plan a life, such it is with artists that allow others to help stir the pot with loving care so that others can savor the visual meal.

Listen to others, accept advice, then work up a good sweat!

Thank you all for visiting this site...now go visit others at the right!

SIC 'EM BEARS!

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" and new book "Take What's Given" can be purchased online at-  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V

http://500px.com/pigs4u

It Must Be March

"Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light."  Theodore Roethke

As the snow has just about disappeared from our region of the country and the balmy southern winds have brought warm temperatures, it seems so much like March, but I know this is a trick by Mother Nature to confuse those that are so silly as to believe what is before us...to catch us off guard.  It is because the black earth is showing that I have decided to go "underground" to begin doing still life work in order that the creative juices can find a release.

Still life work doesn't require much at all, a little window light, some ordinary props from around the house and maybe a flower or two from a local florist and one can easily set up shop on a dining room table or some other favorite area where the surroundings make little impact on the subject.  I continue to find them enjoyable to do and another lesson of visual understanding.

The top blog image incorporates some of my favorite stand-in's...flowers, books and baskets and once the articles of interest are selected the development of a setting begins.  This not only involves use of light and placement to take advantage of the light, but also the restrictions of the room, background and table.  In this case the reflection of the flowers in the foreground was about as important as the basket prop in the background.

The camera was a Canon 5D Mark II with a Lensbaby lens on the front and, as with any other photographic subject, minor movement of camera or self is important to tweaking the final outcome.  The "tweaking" is really what the still life is all about, after the subject parts are selected, to achieve a natural placement of subject items.

The capture was an HDR processed in Nik HDR Efex Pro, then Nik Color Efex Pro 4 to make subtle changes and finally processed through Alien Skin's Snap Art 3 which is where the painting transformation occurred.  I was relatively sure at the outset that the original capture would be finalized as a painting and it's what I find most enjoyable about digital photography...the ability to "visualize" a final outset to a capture while still in front of the subject.

Change is a primary declaration of life as it also is in the artistic world.  There may be subtle or grand adjustments, but all should be for the betterment of a person, a process, or the art. 

One final note is that on opening the book, placing it on the table and arranging the flowers I gazed in some surprise at the title of one of the poems "The First Flowers".  Prophetic?

Thank you for joining me today and please feel free to comment.

SIC 'EM BEARS!

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" and new book "Take What's Given" can be purchased online at-  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V

http://500px.com/pigs4u

Remember

"Best of all is to preserve everything in a pure, still heart, and let there be for every pulse a thanksgiving, and for every breath a song."

Konrad Von Gesner

It is the "reminder" season for all of us...a reminder to be thankful for all the treasures and blessings that have stepped in our way and for those around us that make our worlds so much more special.  It is the "reminder" season for all those easily unnoticed instances of grace that garner the minutes of our day, from a simple door being opened for our entry to every smile and "thank you" that we give and receive.  All are special exclamation points of our existence put there by whatever Holy being we wish to name to add color to our lives or the lives of others.

The blog image reminded me of that as I was doing some last minute touch up's before going to the printing process.  This flower called "Sneezeweed" was a resident of a road ditch near a forest in northern Wisconsin.  Disregarding its unpleasant name there are many parts of this image that, combined, serve to give an absolutely beautiful point of view, at least for me, at the time of capture.  The shaft of light in the background which illuminated the specular high lights, the tiny environment around the subject acting as the supporting cast and the absolutely exquisite mood of the day...to some "gloomy" but to me softly exciting.

For whatever reason, as in nature, I find the simple gestures of a daily life to have great power, yet are often the least regarded.  The eloquence of grace in today's world seem to be few, but, to me, are worthy of the greatest thanksgiving, for these attitudes are the "comforter" of our being and elevate our attitude towards those around us...a sort of "pay it forward".

So, yesterday, as with many days, I gave thanks for the precious moments I've been allowed behind the camera lens as I hope they define how I "lean" towards others.  For all that view this blog site I am thankful for the time that you take to join me and for the many kind comments that have been sent my way. May we all remember daily those precious moments of grace that come into our lives and that we release outward to others.

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" and new book "Take What's Given" can be purchased online at-  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V

Sic 'em Bears!

Snatching A Few

"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness."

John Muir

In between the printing, mounting and framing of images I've managed to sneak out for some quick trips to keep the wheels greased.  The upper capture is from Ft. Defiance State Park and was taken after the previous post.  Obviously the bright red leaves were a major draw considering the rest of the forest was brown and settling in for winter.  It occurred to me that this might be a good time to work with my Lensbaby to separate the main subject while rendering the rest of the world in a soft painterly fashion.  The lighting was soft with some light shafts showing in the background so I positioned myself on the forest floor with the shafts a part of the composition.

The bottom capture was from a quick morning jaunt with some favorable cloud formations.  Add a few old farm structures and some harvested fields with sunrise lighting and the rest fell into place at the computer.  The image is an HDR that was processed with the Nik HDR software and then primped with Nik's Color Efex Pro 4, which I'm really enjoying.

The Fall season is quickly drawing to a close and I'm still waiting for our first snowfall, in fact I'm still waiting for ice to form on some of the local lakes and ponds.  It seems like just yesterday that I was standing on a field lane shooting puffy summer clouds with fields full of corn surrounding me.  Time flies when you're having fun.

Late braking news for me is the selection of my portfolio submission in B&W + Color magazines December issue and a merit award selection for their Color Special Issue due out in December.  It was a nice way to cap off a productive year and I'm appreciative of their consideration.

Thank you for visiting this site and please feel free to comment.

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" and new book "Take What's Given" can be purchased online at-  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V

The "Tweener" Month

"The universe is one great kindergarten for man.  Everything that exists has brought with it its own peculiar lesson."

Orison Swett Marden

Having spent a number of weeks printing and framing images for an upcoming Arts On Grand show I realized that it had been a couple of weeks since my trip to the north and my "trigger finger" was getting twitchy.  It was obvious that I needed to get out, kick a log or two, shuffle through the bed of fallen leaves while giving my creative spirit a chance to breath, or at least see some natural light.  With this being the month of November color is not abundantly available in our area where there was once luscious green and golden fields with large luminous clouds overhead.

Ft. Defiance State Park is the location of the blog image and I must admit that while descending into the valley I was none too pleased with what lay before me.  All the trees were naked or close to it, the creek, Silver Creek, was barely a trickle (Iowa is in the grips of a drought), but there was light...and then there were these two leaves laying in the creek bed.  The image could be called "the dead and dying" or "shades of brown" but it was the "living" texture of the two leaves that attracted me as they lay in an otherwise  lifeless setting.  The lighting through the overcast sky was just enough to lend evidence to the form and crackling texture as I began setting up for a low angled shot to make use of the subtle reflections and lighting on the leaf surfaces.

It continually amazes me that when I least expect something of creative substance to surface I practically step on it.  Frustration with ones surroundings is often a que to look closer, be it the landscape or our own lives and in this case closer inspection gave me uniqueness out of clutter, sparkle in the most mundane.

Life is great...ain't it?

Thank you for visiting this site and please feel free to comment.

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" and new book "Take What's Given" can be purchased online at-  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V

Crisp

 

"To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring."

George Santayana

Last week brought the first frost of the Fall season and I had already staked out a field of scarlet colored Sumac that would be a first stop on the first frosty morning.  When the time came I was up with the early roosters and kneeling among the red flashes of leaves that were ladden with frost.  As the sun rose off the horizon I knew I had to work fast as I was already seeing the rising steam from fields indicating that the melting process was underway. 

As the end of the morning shoot was nearing I was packing up gear and getting ready to walk out of the field when I noticed a white leaf on the ground near where I was standing.  As I got closer I thought that a quick snap would preserve the moment, but, as I started becoming more serious, camera angle, shutter speeds and aperture settings became important.  The blazing colors that dominated my mind just minutes before faded as I looked at this beautiful still life....of still life...in an almost monochromatic state.  In this situation, unlike that of the pulsating reds of the Sumac leaves, the frost crystals became THE subject, becoming front and center to the composition.

Sometimes turning ones head will result in a better opportunity, but it takes changing ones mind to reach the desired result.  In this case I spent 95% of the morning fixated on the color red and 4% on the capture of frost.  Oh, and the final 1% of the time was the walking in and walking out...which, as my friend Mike Houge would say, is all part of the journey.

The season is changing, the geese are getting restless, the corn is turning to beige and the morning air is crisp with the hint of the winter to come.  Take advantage of these golden days to get out, absorb and reflect.

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to comment on your favorite of this post.

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" can be purchased online at-

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V