Daniel Ruf

Fog Feast

"Every moment of light and dark is a miracle."    Walt Whitman

We've had a number of foggy mornings during the past week which has made for some interesting location hunting to find situations that would not only reveal the beautiful nature of "wet air" but also the softness of the light.  Having worked in a number of differing atmospheric conditions I find that fog presents the most elusive as one never knows the duration or the locations that it might take place.  On this particular day it was extremely thick and found in every location I visited including this area near Gull Point State Park.  Yet, on some days one might find it only in areas of topological depressions such as valleys and sink holes while on other days it might just be in lake areas.

This particular location is one that I pass on any number of days as it is a typical slough area with calm water and the occasional visiting egret and other waterfowl.  On this day the fog gives a nice separation of the foreground tree from the background landscape as well as a quiet mood, which to me is inviting for restful thoughts and appreciation of the natural scene.

The editing work was accomplished in Adobe Photoshop CS6 while the digital painting option was worked through with the help of Alien Skin's "Snap Art" and Topaz "Simplify".  By using the digital painting method I felt that the details were more muted to simple surface areas of color as well as lights and darks.

When I have the opportunity to work in foggy conditions it's a joy to be surrounded by the richness of colors as well as the soft qualities of light.  The pace of the world seems to slow a bit while creative opportunities open one door at a time.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my site and please come back and tell others as well.  Have a great weekend. You can enjoy looking at my work at A Piece Of Work in downtown Spirit Lake as well as the Side Street Gallery in Arnolds Park and Arts On Grand in Spencer...all in the great state of Iowa, or, if you're in Minnesota check out the Lanesboro Arts Center in Lanesboro, which is a beautiful town rich with activities.

Sic “Em Bears. Go Baylor!

For more views of my work visit;

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

Arts On Grand, Spencer, Iowa http://www.artsongrand.org/

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

Side Street Gallery, Arnolds Park, Iowa  www.okobojiimages.com

http://500px.com/pigs4u

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19338959@N06/

Ramping Up

           "There are no rules for good photographs.  There are only good photographs."  Ansel Adams

Activity at the lakes are starting to hit high gear with people pouring in to enjoy the fourth of July weekend and all the recreation that can occur.  I took to the street and park areas looking for scenes and actions related to the tourist season that might make for interesting and reflective images of the times.  The blog image was captured with my Canon 5D II and processed in Photoshop CS6.  I also used Nik Viveza, Alien Skin Snap Art and Topaz Simplify plug in's to get to the final image.  The hard part was waiting for the right combination of people to arrive on the bridge as well as the right water entertainment to go under the bridge.  The lighting was intermitten harsh and overcast, so that was also part of the equation at capture.

Recently I became aware of a video online  http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Landing/black-and-white-printing-tutorials-expert-interviews.do  that is a discussion by master photographer, John Sexton and his working relationship with the major master,  Ansel Adams.  It's a 4 part conversation pertaining to photography and only 2 of the sessions have aired thus far.  As some of you know I was able, year ago, to attend an Ansel Adams Yosemite workshop and had a "change of life" as photography goes.  Adams was a master craftsman when it came to photography and the final print and if I took anything away from the sessions it was that photography and all that it contains is a craft and requires a great deal of work and skill in learning.  I don't believe the learning is ever done, but reaching different skill levels is achievable in a lifetime.

While Adams' marvelous approach to his work was of great help in my journey in photography, it was also great help in my less glamorous work with livestock as a farmer.  As my dad repeated to me when I was young..."anything worth doing is worth doing right", Mr. Adams just made more eloquent when I was older and paying more attention.

Enjoy this holiday weekend and remember our troops, both those with us and those that have moved to higher ground.

Go Baylor...Sic 'Em Bears.  Less than 57 days to an awesome football season!!! 

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