The images produced in week 5 were a challenge to myself to see things a little differently and to pre-visualize the final image.

I like to use a telephoto lens and my favourite lens has to be my 70-200 zoom. To push the compression of the telephoto I will plant a 2X converter behind the glass. So my challenge to myself this week was to do everything with a focal length less than 70 mm.

On the PPOC – members page, on facebook there was recently a discussion where the question had been asked, who inspired or mentored you when you were starting out? One of the comments made mention of a college instructor that pushed the idea “think and decide what you’re going to do before you pick up the camera.” When I read that I thought “boy could we use that lesson today to just shoot lots and delete what didn’t work.”

So that in mind I set out to create a series of nature images where the focal length was shorter than 70 mm and to make every effort to carefully plan every shot before I picked up the camera. For one thing that meant very careful metering. I how you like the results.

Sign at the intersection of Hwy 24 and Dumbar Road which is the one corner of Dumfries Conservation area.  This land which stretches all the way to the railway tracks near Coronation Blvd. was donated by the Hilborn family.

This piece of art stands right next to the sign, but most people driving by have no idea what its significance. It is a bit of a forgotten monument. Below it is this plaque.

Some of the letters have either fallen or been picked off, but this sculpture was made from the remains of a 50 foot high red Oak that stood in the middle of the road on Flora Street at Main. There was a real battle trying to save the tree. As I say it stood right in the middle of the road and you had to drive around it. I wonder if it was the origin of the line “Honest officer, the tree jumped right out in the middle of the road and hit me.”

There are a number of Birch trees in the area and the horticultural societies have planted more to try and keep up the growth.

I love the way the White Birch just seems to grow new skin and shed the old revealing a new layer of white. The wonders of nature.

The branches of the White Birch seem to just open in a way to receive from above. Weathered arms ready to receive nature’s gifts.

This park bench was sitting there with the path running behind it as if saying “Walk On By.”  From a different angle I was looking at another path.

What I found interesting here is the way the bench takes up such a significant part of the composition yet the main point of interest seems to be the path in the background. This has been emphasized by the short depth of focus and the placement of the path on a point of impact using the rule of fifths.

Beyond the bench I found this exit drainage point for the pond. I set the focal length at approximately 35 mm and took this image. When I looked at what I had captured it didn’t reflect what I had felt. I re-analized the situation and keeping the same focal length I moved the camera straight back about 10 feet. Nothing else was changed and this was the result.

I like this much more and feel it puts much more emphasis on the pond.

These images were created over a period of two separate mornings in Dumfries Conservation. On the first morning there was a lot more frost

Sunrise on a cool morning. I love the way the reflection of the warm sun on the ice leads the eye into the creation.

The rising sun wouldn’t take long to melt the frost from branches,

or the cool grasses.

As I was leaving the park this one Blue Spruce caught my eye. I looked for several angels to photograph the entire tree and after studying the tree for sometime I realized it wasn’t the whole tree that was catching my attention; it was the lower limbs. I then walked around the tree watching the light and realized the cool colour of the spruce tree contrasted the warm dead browns of the other vegetation and determined that was the image I was looking at.

I hope you enjoy the images from week 5.

J.

The great news, IT’S BACK!  What’s back? The most popular sale in the 41 year history of John Mitchell Photography, “The February No Sitting Fee Sale!”

It has always been the most popular sale with the clients at John Mitchell Photography, and as always there are three simple little conditions:

1. If you want me to travel beyond 20 kms. I charge.  $1.00 per km. one way.
2. The studio’s normal minimum order of $300.00 applies and must be paid at time of booking.  This fee applies directly to your print order. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CHARGE FOR THE SESSION!
3. The portraits must be photographed during the month of February.

What could be simpler than that?

What can you have done?

How about a portrait of your favourite child?

You might decide to have it done in black and white. My black and whites are processed to look like old fashioned film black and white images or sepia prints and printed on real fibre based paper. In a word, they’re “timeless.”

Oh, and in case your wondering I accept no responsibility or blame for your selection of favourite.

You might decide to play it safe and have the whole family in your portrait. It’s your portrait so you can decide whether or not to include the “outlaws.”  I can create your family portrait outdoors or feature your home in the portrait for a more personal touch.

You might decide to make a portrait of just you. Hey, don’t you deserve it? It might even make a great Valentine’s gift. Or here’s a unique idea; “tell that special someone in your life that they mean so much to you that you want a professional portrait of them and you have arranged to have it done.” Now are they going to feel special or what?

Or what about a portrait of you with your Valentine?Or of course it could be a portrait of just you. After all, you are a unique and beautiful person and have a right to express yourself in an artistic way, don’t you? I specialize in portraits that expression what you’re passionate about.

 There are just so many choice, but I’ll leave that decsion making up to you, but don’t take too long; this great sale is only on until the end of February and there are only so many spots available.

Cheers

J.

I have lived in Cambridge all my life and was aware of the outdoor education facility of the Waterloo Regional District School Board, but have never been there. My other belonged to a senior’s walking group and I know it was one of their many stomping grounds. A few weeks ago I was talking with a few of the gent’s I often meet at Tim Horton’s for my coffee on weekends. One of them was talking about walking his dog there and how beautiful it is.

As a result I ventured to Blair this past weekend to walk the trails of the outdoor education facility. It was my first trip here. It won’t be my last. Another Cambridge treasure.

Babbling Brooks & Bird's Songs

Boardwalk

Fresh

Mother Nature's Winter Feed

Nature's Tunnel

Running Cold

Texture

This Seat's Not Taken

Warm Sun On A Winter's Day

Hope you enjoy.

Have a great week and check back a little later as I will be posting some portraits and maybe even a special.

J.

How do you separate the creative and the technical, or do you?

In the early days of photography it was often artists that used photography to help with their art (camera obscura). Yet it was a science that resulted in the mixing of a gelatin, then applied to glass to make a negative or glass plate. Then there was the mixing of chemicals and the processing. Art meets science, or is it the other way around?

I have read of Miller in Toronto being so good with his lighting and exposure that prints could be made straight away from his negatives without any manipulation. I have also heard of the great portrait photographer, Canadian icon, Karsh, chalking his negatives to add highlights where desired. Ansel Adams developed his zone system so perfectly that he would often consider the developing process he was going to use before setting his exposure because one would effect the other.

As for my own thoughts on the subject, the creative expression controls the technical process.

One of my favorite Ansel Adams quotes is “There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.” I believe the best images are pictured in the mind long before they are captured on any film or sensor. In the days of film we quickly learned that it does not matter how good a darkroom technician you are, you can not  make a great print from a lousy negative.  Therefore, once the concept has been exposed to the brain, the brain must determine the best way make that concept a photographic reality.

That been said, the question remains, “when does the concept develop?” For me it can often be months before the photograph is ever taken. It may take months to determine how to photographically express the concept. At other times, it happens right in the middle of the session. This is particularly true when photographing children, as was the case here.

Beautiful and shy! She wouldn’t look at me. I teased and asked her who she was with, “is he your husband or just your boyfriend?” A defiant look as she turned and looked at me and proudly said, “no, he’s my brudder!” before turning her head back away. The brother sister relationship here was epic, and immediately I knew I had to capture this image. Defiance!

The truth that you cannot make a great print from a lousy negative is even more valid with digital. The capture must be more than just acceptable. The lighting was ideal for the mood and the exposure is bang on. The image above is straight out of the camera with some minor adjustment for colour balance.

But, Ansel Adams also knew the importance of print making. One of his more famous sayings is, “The negative is the equivalent of the composer’s score, and the print the performance.” The composition was created in the camera at the time of the exposure. I have taken the “score” and played it to express what I saw and felt. A few enhancements and,

Although it was early morning on a chilly fall morning a sense of warmth was needed and the colours needed to be enhanced and strengthened. Finish it with some minor retouching of blemishes, highlight the eyes and it’s done.

What makes this image? Years of studying and practising until you instinctively know.

This particular image is largely based on the rule of thirds composition. (I printed the portrait, marked the print to illustrate the composition and then scanned it)

Today's opportunity becomes tomorrow's reality

 Our future lies in both the talent and values that are developed in our young people. They are watching us and what they see will determine what they like as well as what they don’t like. Look into the eyes of the subject. They are looking at you. Move and they will follow you.

I chose black and white with a warm tone finish because the person isn’t finished. The colour is yet to be added with the decisions and values they chose.

The Difference Is The Difference

This was the tag line of one of the great photographers that I studied under. David Ziser taught, make your work different and both you and your work will stand out. I chose different over common. I want to get to know my client subject and find out what is important to them or the viewer it is intended for. Armed with this knowledge I will calculate the best way of expressing both the physical and emotional subject. That is my professional difference: “There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”

What can I create for you?

J.

The thoughts and images expressed in this blog are the copyright of John Mitchell.

The subject for week three is something I never thought I would photograph. But, today’s activities had me thinking of different things.

When I closed my store I held onto almost all of my photographic equipment, after all this is just a new chapter in my career, I’m not retiring. Well it’s now almost a year and a half since I closed and yesterday the water heater gave up the ghost creating a bit of a moisture problem. Moving things around and out of the way I began to look at a few of the items that have been on the shelve all this time and have not been used. Taking up space I couldn’t afford to loose I loaded the car with some of the equipment that I thought I could never do without and headed for the dump.

It was not an easy thing to do. As I age I find the things that were once a very important part of my life are but a memory of things past, or a tool that I have become fond of but no longer holds a useful purpose.  As I entered the dump I thought of how even it has changed. The dump used to be located on the edge of town, where the road leading into it was a pot-holed, muddy terrain that you hoped you could navigate without getting stuck or breaking a spring. When you got there you backed you vehicle up to the pile of garbage and through your load out. Bulldozers continually operated, plowing the garbage under, always making the pile higher, building toboggan hills for the next generation. Or at least so we thought.

The dump, the place we get rid of not only our garbage but where we part with the things that no longer have a place in our lives. A cemetery for things.

Today the purpose is the same, the look and the process are different

Paved road for a smooth drive in.

We weigh in and weigh out, paying for what we leave behind.

One big garbage disposal

We recycle everything we can!

One big recycle bin. Why is it not blue?

Kind of pretty for a dump.

Fertilize or pollution?  The vegetation along the edge of the pond seems to be doing very well. Does the dump provide fertilizer? But I don’t think I would want to take a swim in the water of this pond just outside the Cambridge dump.

I wonder if when I no longer have a purpose if I’ll just get left in the dump?

Thoughts and what naughts, till next time.

J.

Cambridge, like most Canadian cities and towns has a history of it’s habitant’s origins and this history can often be seen through the churches of the community. Church was once a main force in the community not just a religion or a place to worship. Here we see the traditions of the English in the Anglican church, German expressed through the Lutheran Churches and Scottish in the Presbyterian. Many of these churches have been here since the time that Preston was a village and Galt was a town. Today they are joined in the city of Cambridge but that history is a live and evident in the architecture of the churches. This week I elected to illustrate some of the history, new and old, as seen through the church structures that grace our community. Hope you enjoy the view.

A Unique Concept - Outside Pews

Trinity Anglican - My Father Grew Up In This Church

Side Door - Right Next To City Hall - How Convenient

Church Steeples Stood High So Everyone Could Find Their Way

More Modern Exterior - St. Patrick's Catholic

Our Lady of Fatima - A Meeting Place of Our Portuguese Community

High Entrance of St. Clement's of Preston

St. Clement's R.C. Preston - Will the churches of today stand as long as those of our past?

Know Preston Presbyterian built in the 60's when they moved from King Street

External Art Work - St. Mary's Ukranian Catholic Church

Old Stone Work of St. Andrew's Presbyterian - Hespeler

What’s in store for next week? You’ll just have to come back and see.
Have a great week.

J.

Each week I will elect or select an event, project, or theme. I will then try and express my view on that subject through my art of photography. If you have an idea you would like me to consider, send me an e-mail. I’m listening and will give consideration to all ideas. I will then select a minimum of 8 images that I feel capture the subject and post them here on my blog.

These images are here for your viewing pleasure. Look often and long. Comment if you wish, but I remind you that all images are copyright me. You may not save them, copy them, repost them, print them or duplicate them in anyway without my written consent.  If you wish to purchase any of them – let’s talk.

Week 1 – Holidays and Celebrations

My goal this week was to express the things we do and the way we celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays; decorations, family time, lights, etc. Things that bring us pleasure. For me one of those was a purchase of a new bird feeder and I love to watch the “wee birds” as they feed. They are very aware of their surroundings and knew I was peeking around the corner with a camera. I waited for damn near a half hour before they felt confident enough to return to the feeder. Then of course there are children. After all the Christmas holidays are all about the kids. Hope you enjoy this weeks selections.

God’s Light vs. Man’s Lights

King Street – Kitchener

Which New Toy To Play With Next? Decisions! Decisions!

Seasoned Lighting

Festive Hall or Timely Decoration?

City Hall Skate

Down Hill Racers

Everything Is Better With Friends

New Meaning To "Taking Dad For A Ride"

Looking After Our Feathered Friends

Busy At The Feeder

It is a new day, new month, and new year. At this time of newness I am wondering if the saying “everything old is new again” will ever again be relevant. Photography has changed, people have changed, the world has changed. This year there will be many more changes and I hope, a lot less disasters. I read the other day that the United States declared three times the usual number of natural disasters in 2011. More than any other year in their history. Was that the case all over the world? It was a year of revolution. Some I felt was good, some not so good. Let’s hope 2012 is better.

There will also be changes at John Mitchell Photography. Each and everyone intended in to improve my product and service. Here are a few of the things planned:

• By March 15th all the images in the galleries will be updated with to better reflect the creations I am currently doing
• By January 15th the new price list will be ready reflecting product and service changed for the current year.
• I will be posting a minimum of 416 images on my blog under the category “Project 52.”  Last year I tried project 365 where the goal was to post a photo a day for the entire year, but that didn’t succeed the way I had hoped. Therefore for 2012 I will choose an event or theme each week and then create a minimum of 8 images for that theme or event.
• And effective immediately all images will be printed on a “NEW” fibre based photographic paper.

Since I started doing my own printing I have chosen what I believe was the best photographic paper on the market. The manufacturer has described it as:

features the very latest HDR (High Dynamic Range) optically clear nanoporous
coating…makes this the reference media for producing images with greater clarity,
sharpness and excellent colour gamut. The high density heavyweight base has a natural
photographic white tint, with a smooth pearl surface that eliminates glare and fingerprints
and gives the true look and feel of a photographic print.

But, now there is a new kid on the block, from the same manufacturer.

This new paper has a baryta (barium sulphate) coated layer…giving a true baryta
fibre-based…ideal for creating colour images with vibrancy and depth for producing
a sympathetic re-creation of a traditional black and white image.  As with true black and
white images, the photographer can create the look of chemically toned sepia,gold,
selenium and blue images, but unlike chemical toning, the numbers of variations
are only limited by the photographer’s imagination. The media offers enhanced
definition, extended tonal range, and excellent archival properties.

I was provided a sample of this new paper and made a print from my control file and upon comparing it to the control print on my regular paper I could not believe the difference presented to my eyes. There was a depth and richness such as I have not seen in years. I then ran further tests in both black and white and colour and the paper exceeded my expectations in every case. Of course when I went to purchase my first batch of paper I found the price was a little more than double what I was paying for the paper I have been using. After giving it serious consideration and doing some number crunching I decided the increase in the price of the paper could be offset by a modest increase in print price and truly believed that this change would provide me with yet another way of delivering a product far superior in appearance, quality, and longevity.

Let the new year begin. Stay tuned as I am certain it is going to be an exciting journey.

The first week of ”Project 52″ will be posted later this week. In addition I hope to share with you some of the images I have created in the last few months, many of which I knew were going to be used as gifts for Christmas which is why I could not share them until now.

Until next time,

J.

Let’s Play Jeopardy!

Answer:  Family and Friends

Question: What are most important in your life?

The relationship we have with those that are important to us are the real treasures we value. It is likely this is the reason “my photos” is the number one answer when the victim of a fire is asked what their greatest loss is. That is even more true when those photos are professional portraits that were captured to express the relationship we have with the people that are important in our life. I create other people’s treasures! Recently I had the privilege for doing just that for the Coe family.

A Mother’s Love

Bro’s

Pride – One Of The Other

Currently accepting commissions for the 2012 season. To inquire call 519-624-8460 or e-mail info@JohnMitchellPhoto.com

I joined a “coaching community” this week. It is led by a photographer whose work I have admired for a couple of years now.

Why at this point in my career would I go looking for a coach? We all need them. Professional golfers on the P.G.A. tour have coaches that they rely on to fine tune their game. Hockey players have coaches. Baseball players have coaches. Even coaches have coaches. One of the hardest things to do is “honestly critique your own work.” One of the easiest people to lie to is yourself. A coach asks the right questions, forcing you to face the truths. Only then can you grow.

Closing the store just over a year ago has become one of the best decisions I have ever made. In many ways it has been like starting a new business. Now I want to fine tune and grow this new business. I have a new focus, one that I have more passion for than anything I have tried to do in the past. I’ve been working toward it for some time now but now I move to the next plateau of expression. If you have been following this blog you have likely seen this in the last few months on a number of the posts.

I have always been an observer of people. One of the things I have observed is one of our greatest passions is the relationships in our lives. We are passionate about our relationships and I want to express that passion! Plain! Simply! Strongly! With passion!

Many of these images will be in black and white. To this end I have invested heavily in new programs that produce stunning black and white portraits, just like those created by master photographers in the days of film and chemical darkrooms. I am changing the paper I produce my images on to a new fibre base paper. I was astonished when I saw the difference the paper made in my images.

These are only two samples of what is to come. The new “Relationship Portraits” are going to be a hit with newborn portraits with the parents, sibling portraits, mother and child, father and child, engagement sessions, anniversary portraits and many other occasions where your passion is the relationships in your life.

Watch for more samples in the near future.

Cheers

J.