Harold Davis's Blog, page 130
June 9, 2016
Bougainvillea Variations
Bougainvillea Study II © Harold Davis
Bougainvillea Variation A © Harold Davis
Bougainvillea Variation B © Harold Davis
Bougainvillea Variation C © Harold Davis
Bougainvillea Variation D © Harold Davis
Bougainvillea Variation E © Harold Davis
Bougainvillea Variation F © Harold Davis
Bougainvillea Variation G © Harold Davis
Bougainvillea Variation H © Harold Davis
Bougainvillea Variation I © Harold Davis
June 8, 2016
Landscape at Sunrise
At sunrise on a hill facing the ancient town of Cordes-sur-Ciel I was out with my camera and tripod. This was a classical view. Probably the track you see in the photo had been traversed for millennia. Framing the image with the bare branches of the tree on the right, the emotional impact on me was slightly sinister but exciting. For reasons I didn’t fully understand (and still don’t) this seemed like a turning point.
Landscape at Sunrise © Harold Davis
The first step in the photographer’s paradigm is to understand that it’s not about the hardware: cameras don’t take pictures, people do. Next, if you want your images to be more interesting, place yourself in front of more interesting scenes. But ultimately it is about personal interpretation, so more deeply than traveling to interesting places, become a more interesting person. This is where things get interesting, and circular, because who one is can be impacted by the emotional impact of where you go, the travel not the destination, and even the act of making a photo. The pull is bi-directional.
I can think the emotional subtext of an image like Landscape at Sunrise is a conversion like that of Saul on the road to Damascus, but the bigger question is what is the impact on me, on my life, and my life as an artist, and how will I take this into other work?
June 7, 2016
Magic Reflections
Warped, photo-composited with a horizontal mirror of itself, and converted to black and white with a partial etching effect, the Abbaye Sainte-Foy in Conques takes on an illusion and appearance almost like a work by M.C. Escher. The color version is also shown at the bottom.
Magic Reflections © Harold Davis
Window on the Ancient Abbey © Harold Davis
June 6, 2016
Achieve Your Potential in Maine in August
Have you ever wondered what it really means to be the best photographer you can be? Do you feel blocked by petty circumstances, or lack the creative space to do the work you know you can do?
I’ll be teaching a week-long version of my popular Achieving Your Potential As a Photographer workshop in Maine from August 7 to August 13, 2016.
Well-known creativity guru Steven Pressfield, the author of The War of Art, has called my Achieving Your Potential As a Photographer (published by Focal Press) a great accomplishment: “I salute you. You’re gonna help a lot of people with this one.”
According to an Amazon reviewer, “You’ll find inspiration, ideas, exercises, and challenges in this excellent book, that will help you become the best photographer you can be. This great book also shows you examples, challenges you, and gives you directions for precisely how to proceed.”
Over time, I’ve taken the feedback of literally hundreds of readers and workshop participants to fashion an Achieving Your Potential workshop. Here’s some of the comments participants have had in previous sessions of this workshop:
• “Thank you for provided the tools I need to take my photography up not one notch, but many notches, to the next level indeed!”
• “The Achieving Your Potential workshop has had a substantial impact on my photographic journey. Thanks for the mentoring, assistance, and inspiration.”
• “I particularly liked getting feedback from the group and from Harold regarding my goals and progress…Achieving Your Potential [is] well-thought-out and concrete.”
Mandahlia © Harold Davis
This workshop is for every photographer who wants to draw their line in the sand to become the best photographer and artist they can be. We’ll use mid-coast Maine as the base for exploration and photography, and come back with the tools and motivation to continue advancing our individual creative photographic journeys.
The workshop will include group and individual technical, practical, theoretical and spiritual exercises and assignments. There will be guided field sessions, and work in the classroom. The complete photographer—technical, practical, emotional, and business—skills and topics will be covered.
Click here for information and registration.
Reflections in a Maine Pond © Harold Davis
Inside the Pemaquid Lighthouse © Harold Davis
Monhegan Storm © Harold Davis
June 5, 2016
More Real than Reality
What if the the world of reflections is more real than the world of reality? That’s the question posed by Abbaye Sainte-Foy de Conques, photographed from a second-story restaurant window in the ancient pilgrimage town of Conques in southwestern France.
Abbaye Sainte-Foy de Conques © Harold Davis
Special thanks to John Montague, who pointed the way. Related image: Window in Bourges.
June 4, 2016
Free Topaz Webinar on June 14
Travel Photography with Harold Davis and Topaz is a free live webinar scheduled for Tuesday June 14, 2016 at 2 PM Pacific Time. While the webinar is free, to attend you must preregister using this link. Early logon on June 14th to the webinar itself is also advised to avoid disappointment.
Cordes-sur-Ciel at sunrise © Harold Davis
Webinar description: Master photographer Harold Davis is well known for his books, prints, and extraordinary images of a wide variety of subject matter. Harold Davis states, “In the past several years I’ve traveled as a photographer and workshop leader to many interesting parts of the world. When approaching travel photography, both at home abroad and abroad at home, Topaz software is always an important part of my workflow.”
Jemaa-al-Fna © Harold Davis
In this webinar, Harold Davis explains his approach to travel photography, whether he is hiking pilgrimage trails in Japan or exploring the byways of rural France. Topics covered include:
What is travel photography?
Tips & Techniques for getting the best photos when you travel
Travel photography workflow in the field and at home
Using Topaz Adjust and Topaz Simplify to add “pizzazz” to your travel photos
Creating travel imagery with a unique look-and-feel using Topaz Impression
Special effects with Topaz Texture Effects
Upper White River Falls © Harold Davis
About Harold Davis: Harold Davis is the author of eighteen bestselling photography books, most recently Achieving Your Potential As a Photographer: A Photographer’s Creative Companion and Workbook, published by Focal Press. A Zeiss Lens Ambassador and Moab Master, Harold’s work has been published in books, advertisements, cards, posters, and in art editions. His prints are widely collected. As a workshop leader he is constantly in demand. Harold is on the faculty at institutions including the Heidelberg Summer School of Photography, Maine Media Workshops, and Point Reyes Field Seminars.
Manarola © Harold Davis
June 3, 2016
Sale on My Photography Books on Amazon
Three of my eBooks on Amazon are now on sale for $9.99 each (the normal price has been between $15 and $23 each for these eBooks). They are Creative Black & White: Digital Photography Tips and Techniques (71 Amazon customer reviews, 4.6 out of 5 stars average rating); Creative Close-Ups: Digital Photography Tips and Techniques (62 Amazon customer reviews, 4.3 out of 5 stars), and Creative Composition: Digital Photography Tips and Techniques (37 Amazon customer reviews, 4.2 out of 5 stars). I hope you enjoy the Kindle versions of my highly-rated and very popular books at this special new price!
June 2, 2016
Matilija Poppies and Friends
The wonderful Matilija Poppies, Romneya coulteri, are in full bloom in the East Bay hills across the water from San Francisco, California. White, platter-sized translucent flowers dominate a tall stem on a bush-like construction, with an intricate yellow central flower core. The Matilija is a genuine native of the southwest United States and California, and grows like a weed. Shown here with Echinacea and Clematis from our garden (the blue Clematis is hidden behind the more frontal Matilija).
Matilija Poppies and Friends on Black © Harold Davis
Matilija Poppies and Friends on Paper © Harold Davis
Matilija Poppies and Friends on White © Harold Davis
Top: On black, via LAB conversion; middle: placed on a paper background in post-production; bottom: photographed on a light box.
Related image: Peonies.
June 1, 2016
Photographed with a DSLR and Processed on My iPhone!
I photographed these three images with my “Big Boy” camera—a Nikon DSLR—then copied them to my iPhone and processed them on my iPhone using the Waterlogue app. The original images are Succulent from our Garden, Willow Reflections, Giverny, and Under the Weeping Willow at Giverny. What a wild world of mash-ups where one can do something like this: shoot an image with a high-resolution conventional camera, complete the post-production using a powerful computer, then run the whole thing through a mobile phone filter!
Succulent from our Garden © Harold Davis
Willow Reflections, Giverny © Harold Davis
Under the Weeping Willow at Giverny © Harold Davis
May 30, 2016
What’s it like to join a Harold Davis Destination Photo Workshop?
Want to see what joining a Harold Davis destination photography workshop is like? Check out this wonderful PDF book by Romantic Southwest of France participant Katie Kutschinski (thanks Katie!!!). It’s the next best thing to being there.
Mas de Garrigue © Harold Davis
Upcoming trip: Please consider joining us for a magnificent destination photography week in Venice, Italy this October. Click here for more info.
Stay tuned! We’re planning one or two very special destination travel workshops for 2017. As these plans move towards reality, they will be posted on my Workshops & Events page—or you can subscribe to my email list or blog for notifications.
