Daniel Ruf

At Last!

"Look and think before opening the shutter.  The heart and the mind are the true lens of the camera."

Yousuf Karsh

Finally...a landscape.  It's been a while since I've posted a landscape...a new landscape, and while I enjoy capturing flowers and still life's, I was really  needing open space devoid of 30 mph winds and pouring rain.  On this particular evening I was actually working with some wildflowers, but noticed the signs of what could be a beautiful sunset.  I made hast to find a rural road and a subject. 

It was a beautiful evening and while waiting for the "fireworks" to start I had time to soak it all in...the greening of rural America and one of Iowa's enchanting skies.  Oh, how I love the light!  This is an HDR processed in Photomatix software.  It's a nice start for the summer season, which is fast approaching

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

Farming Memories

"You can't wait for inspiration.  You have to go after it with a club."  Jack London

The kind of things I find while traveling the country roads can be funny and the blog image is one of these.  When I saw this old tire leaning against a fence post my first thought was, since I'm a retired farmer, somebody had a really bad day.  I've been there and remember some occasions when the tractor is running fine, the field is smooth, and the weather is beautiful...and then a tire blows.  If this happens on a car it's a big deal, on a tractor in the middle of a field it's a day cruncher.  Not only is it a struggle between man and a "beast" the repair gobbles up time and time has a premium price during the summer.

Luckily, with camera in hand, there were some beautiful clouds to form a background to this knarly subject and positioning was the next subject at hand.  High, low, left or right...finally my right hand dominance played into the decision.

The image was captured for HDR processing in Nik software with some minor adjustments in Photoshop CS5 and Nik Color Efex Pro.  As with a lot of my work the "tweaking" continues, but I know that this shot will probably never hang in my gallery space at A Piece Of Work in Spirit Lake and it will probably never leave the confines of my computer, but sometimes a person has to take advantage of those interesting stories that present themselves.

Kind of like life, don't you think?

Thanks for joining me here...see you next week.

Sic 'em Baylor 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

Don't Miss The View

"Even if you fall on your face, you are still moving forward."   Victor Kiam

It's no secret to my wife that I have my share of bad habits or failings since I manage a repetitive use of any one of them on a daily basis.  My mistress, photography, also brings up the subject frequently, but in this case I usually am more mindful of the instruction.  One thing that consistently has control is this notion of being so focused on a destination that I miss the the entire journey and a good case in point is when traveling.  If I'm bound to get to Duluth, or any other place for that matter, the estimated time of arrival is carved into my brain and all attention is focused on this one achievement, except, of course, those necessary stops at the McDonald's drive thru.

I've found that this also takes hold when camera work is completed.  If it's been a successful shoot my brain will have a pretty good idea of the "highlight" shot or shots (if I'm so lucky to enjoy the plural form) and when I gather my excited self in front of the computer it is the chosen direction to find the particular capture, process/edit it and pronounce the yeah or neah of the scene.

As many of my posts have mentioned the winter weather here in Northwest Iowa....well, it just isn't.  The brown skeletal scenery is still missing the white blanket of winter and the beauty that it leaves for us to enjoy.  In order to curb the frustration my usual solution is to read about photographic processes, organize my file system or do still life photography. 

The blog image is an example of what's wrong with my "get there at all cost" approach as it applies to my editing process.  I found this in a file of work from about 2 years ago and I can actually remember the trip since I was in a mode of wanting some shots of the wind generators that have taken over our landscape.  How or why I passed this capture on the way to the editing process I will never know, but it is proof that one should at least view the journey, or in this case the body of work, that gets recorded.

Thank you all for your generous tolerance.

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

Look Up

"My best work is almost unconscious and occurs ahead of my ability to understand it."

Sam Abell

A snow system has finally reached Northwest Iowa and it is finally beginning to look a lot more like winter here.  With it being mid-January I can smile knowing that March and the sites of Spring are closer than if this storm was occurring in November, as is the case in many years past.  Finally the browns are covered and I now have a new palette to work with.

The blog image is from a couple of weeks ago when things looked and felt springlike and the cloud formations were absolutely incredible in the morning.  This is an HDR panorama that required 12 captures using Nik HDR Efex Pro to develop the 4 HDR images and then, using Photoshop CS5, a 4 image stitch to accomplish the final panorama image.

As I set up at the location I was captivated by the varied cloud formations that were moving across the sky.  It really reminded me of times when I've been traveling through the northern or western plains where the land, as well as the sky, has this immense breath taking feeling that overwhelm an individual.  In this case it's good old mid-western Iowa, where, even today, we can find such wide open vistas where clouds, not corn, can be king.

Looking up can reveal surprising tapestries...if we remember to raise our eyes from their normal human positioning by tilting our head back.  It is then that your mouth will fall open whereby both neck and facial muscles are exercised to a fuller extent.

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

Taking A Breath

"Luck is the dividend of sweat.  The more you sweat, the luckier you get."

Ray Koch

There were times during the prep for the holidays that I didn't know if Christmas would ever come, but when it was over I wondered where it went so fast.  Either it's age (mine) or just the fact that the commercial side of the holidays is initiated far to early for the good of humanity.  Be that as it may I was finally able to get back to some shelved work.

The blog image comes from a capture in Northeast Iowa during the summer and appeared when I rounded a country corner along a gravel road...naturally!  First the mare and then soon the colt and the fun began.  Positioning, repositioning....mare moves....repositioning....colt moves....re-repositioning....colt behind mare....waiting.....colt rolling on ground....and on and on.  Finally the right time came and click.

While working on the final image I couldn't help smile about the adventure realizing once again that "it's all about the journey", with special thanks to my good friend Mike Houge for the reminder.

May all of you special friends of this blog have a prosperous new year and thank you for your continued interest.

A special congrats to the entire Baylor Football team for their fine finish with their victory in the Valero Alamo Bowl.  What a ride!  Now on to basketball.  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

Whew!

"What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives"

E.M. Forster

The "Through The Lens" exhibit reception went off without a hitch last night at Arts On Grand and now Mike Houge and myself can breath a sigh of relief.  There was a good crowd of people where we had the opportunity to meet with both new and old friends to discuss the body of work on the wall which was, if I say so myself, massive.  In fact, there was a hint of trepidation in the voice of the assistant when we hauled in the mountain of framed work that we had accumulated. 

As with any show, book or artist submission the showing becomes a measuring stick of accomplishments of the previous year and of the quality and growth of the work.  In my own mind a figurative stake is planted in the ground of the creative process as a marker for things to come in 2012.  It is a challenge, whether intentional or not, to move ahead, undergo new challenges and await the results and I look forward to the trails ahead.

The blog image was taken shortly after I had spent several weeks of printing and framing for the aforementioned showing.  I was tired of looking at white mat board, sick of putting frames together and eager to see if I still knew where the shutter release was located.  While standing in the dining room I began to see of hint of a glorious sunrise, threw gear in the truck and began driving for some location...any location that would offer a reflection.  I was so pale from basement dwelling with the printer that I HAD to have some color...in massive amounts.

It was given in boat loads!

As a side note the Baylor nation couldn't be prouder of its team and Robert Griffen III for bringing home the Heisman Trophy.  A  testiment to those that wait and achieve and finish strong.  Sic 'Em Bears.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a marvelous holiday season.

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

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

I Just Love 'Em

"Forests, lakes, and rivers, clouds and wind, stars and flowers, stupendous glaciers and crystal snowflakes - every form of animate and inanimate existence, leaves its impress on the soul of man."

Orison Swett Marden

A trip to the north shore of Lake Superior with good friend Mike Houge meant a few days in unfamiliar, but beautiful landscapes far from the farm land and harvest activities of Iowa.  The days were filled with autumn colors, crashing waves and miles of clouds and I think I might have gotten record of a little of each.

One morning I found myself for a second time at Stony Point, a little patch of lake shore with slabs of rock that disappeared into the water without a whimper, with a mass of clouds moving across the sky.  Many shots later the morning rays of the sun began to poke through the thick mass of clouds and the race began.

The HDR image that I had hoped for was developing some artifacts that I didn't care for so I did a layer overlay and then painted one of the original lake surfaces in.  I followed with some work with "Tonal Contrast" in Nik Color Efex Complete as well as a mild vignette around the perimeter of the scene.

Sitting before this scene it was hard to imagine any other place that would be more comfortable or enchanting.  Early morning streaks of light through a blanket of clouds will just about do it for me on any given day.  These are our gifts to be opened with joy and treated with great care.

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

Looking For The Needle In The Haystack

"A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something."  Frank Capra

A few weeks ago I was chasing a few clouds along the southern border of Minnesota when I came upon this scene in a small clearing of farmland.  The wagon seemed so out of place for our time and I couldn't help thinking about how it had survived so long from the Minnesota weather.  As I started shooting the scene the center cloud was far to the left side, but while minutes went by I noticed that it was traveling in the "right" direction, meaning becoming a part of the scene.

Clouds are such a magical thing to me...that they are formed from mini water droplets drawn from the earth and then given back to us in the form of rain.....or snow, while during the process providing us with a myriad of forms and backdrops to witness.  It reminds me of a comment made to me by a west coast photographer regarding the lack of clouds as we see here in the midwest in his part of the country.  I was astounded since I only assumed that everyone had these same puffy white masses in their sky as well.

During the editing process I processed this image in the new Topaz B & W Effects and was pretty impressed by the amount of creative options that are available and the ease of doing custom adjustments.

It was then that I decided to take it a step further using the transparency adjustable slide to add a small amount of color to give the image the more vintage look seen below.

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

Golden Mornings

"When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for you strength.  Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living.  If you see no reason to give thanks, then the fault lies in yourself."

Tecumseh

The climate in Iowa has changed from one of hot, humid and cloudless days to the Iowa of deep pastel horizons dotted with puffy clouds.  In the last few days I've spent most of my time pointing the camera upward leaving small room for the Iowa landscapes with bucket loads of sky. The blog image was taken pre-sunrise at a farm that has become one of my favorite go to spots close to home.  As the morning progressed the sky filled with changing cloud patterns which kept me busy for several hours.

In a recent call to my friend Mike Houge (see the sidebar for a link to his blog) I quipped "When do we have too many landscape shots?"  In my case I feel the bag is never full...there's always room for one more.  It's something like wondering when is there too much chocolate!

The blog image was processed in Photoshop CS5 with the help of Nik HDR Efex software and touches with Nik Color Efex Complete. 

Some days are just for rejoicing...take the time for a deep cleansing breath.

Thank you for visiting and feel free to comment.

Go Baylor...the 2011 season begins tonight!

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