Harold Davis's Blog, page 57

Happy New Year!

Click here for my Workshops & Events; here for my Best of 2019; here for my blog; and here for a link to my reflections on my life in and out of photography!

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Published on December 31, 2019 16:25

Updates to My 2019 Best; Happy New Year!

I’ve updated my self-selected 2019 Best of Harold Davis selection with a few new images. These were either photographed or processed after I initially compiled the list. Since the selection is chronological, based on the date posted to my Flickr account, the new entries are at the end of the story.

Check out my complete 2019 best, including Old Schoolhouse Trail shown below, by clicking here.

And, a Happy New Year to one and all! Can’t we work our best towards building a better, more serene, and lovely world in the year to come rather than striving to tear each other down?

Along the Old Schoolhouse Trail © Harold Davis

About the image: I photographed Along the Old Schoolhouse Trail along the eponymous trail in the coastal range mountains above Kensington, California. I was hiking with a friend on a somewhat foggy day in November. What caught my eye was the way the old California oak trees seemed almost to be dancing with one another, like spirits of the forest frozen in time.

With my camera on tripod, I waited until the breeze had stilled and I could be sure there were no other hikers or dog walkers. I made three exposures with my Nikon D850 and my 28-300 “walk-around” general purpose lens at 190mm. Each exposure was at f/22 and ISO 64, with exposure times of 3, 6, and 10 seconds.

As an editorial observation, I’d note that the great technicians of the black-and-white analog darkroom knew how to control and extend dynamic range with great results. Some of the same creative ideas they used, and some new ones, are required to fulfill the vision of making exciting digital imagery that also prints well. The technical expertise required is no longer that of the wet darkroom.

Knowing how to proceed in the digital darkroom means knowing how to work with software files in Photoshop and other digital post-production tool sets. It takes no less skill than the wet darkroom did, but the skills required are certainly different. You have to know the technical side of cameras and photography, and also how to work with software.

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Published on December 29, 2019 10:30

Print Sold: San Francisco Moonrise

San Francisco Moonrise © Harold Davis

I’m happy to have sold a print of my San Francisco Moonrise to a collector particularly interested in local (San Francisco) imagery. By the way, a color version of this image is reproduced on the title page of my book Creative Lighting.

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Published on December 28, 2019 10:01

Greetings of the Season!

Falling Snow © Harold Davis

Best wishes from my family to you and yours for a wondrous and happy holiday!

Yosemite Snowstorm © Harold Davis

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Published on December 24, 2019 15:07

There’s always something new to explore in Paris

There’s always something new to explore in Paris. Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur from the observatory on top of the Tour Montparnasse are shown in this photograph.

I can’t wait to be back exploring Paris with a select group of photographers in the spring of 2021. If you are interested in joining us, please check out the itinerary here, and download the Reservation Form by clicking here.

Note that for the most early-bird savings, please contact us for a reservation by December 31, 2019.

Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur © Harold Davis

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Published on December 23, 2019 13:57

Japanese Monastery Courtyard

This is a photograph of the garden courtyard of a Shikubu (guesthouse) in a monastery in Mt Koya Japan in autumn. There’s no place like Japan, and when I am away from it too long I get nostalgic. If you are interested in coming with me on a new Japanese photographic adventure this autumn (October 2020) please note that the early-bird savings end January 31!

Japanese Monastery Garden © Harold Davis

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Published on December 22, 2019 14:29

Double Mandala

A mandala as wreath is nice, and more so with a starfish. So, why not twice as nice? Hence this Double Mandala.

Double Mandala © Harold Davis

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Published on December 21, 2019 15:10

Accessing the Goddess

Untitled © Harold Davis

Perhaps she is the goddess of ballet, or another deity such as Ambika, ferocious with her many arms on the back of a tiger, or Kamala, seated on a lotus and representing prosperity and wisdom. Found as was once upon a tintype, and in my Multiple Exposures series.

Related: Check out my Multiple Exposures portfolio.

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Published on December 15, 2019 15:38

Upcoming 2020-2021 Workshops & Events; Paris Early-Bird Discount Ends Soon

Here are my currently scheduled workshops and events going into 2020 as things now stand. Please bookmark my Workshops & Events page for updates and changes. I hope to see you soon!

Note that the $500 early-bird discount for Paris in the Spring (2021) ends soon (Dec 31, 2019—click here for the Reservation Form). Please let us know right away if you’d like to come.

Thanks to all for support, and very best wishes for a great holiday season from my family to yours.

Yosemite in Winter , February 5-9, 2020. Please check with the organizers to see if space is still available. Click here for info and registration.

Guest Artist presentation, Alamo Danville Artists’ Society (ADAS), March 10, 2020

Romantic Southwest France , April 29-May 7, 2020. Early-bird discount applies. Click here for information, here for a detailed itinerary (PDF), and here for the Reservation Form. FULL.

Marin Photography Club, Education night presentation, June 8, 2020

Photographing Flowers for Transparency with Harold Davis , June 20-21, 2020. Click here for information and registration. Please contact us if you have difficulty registering and we can register you manually. This workshop, given annually in Berkeley, CA, has consistently filled well in advance of the workshop date.

Garden Photography—Capturing the Great Gardens of Maine, Sunday August 16 – Friday August 21, 2020, Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine, information and registration link to come.

Chicago Botanic Garden , August 23-27, 2020. Garden and Flower Photography, click here for information and registration.

Exploring Tokyo for Photographers with Harold Davis and Mark Brokering , October 24 – November 1, 2020. Early-bird discount until January 31, 2020. Click here for more information, and here for the Reservation Form.

2021 and beyond

Patagonia Photography Adventure , March 21-31, 2021, with optional extension to Iguazu Falls (March 31 – April 4, 2021). This is a small photography group with logistics provided by a major travel company. Click here for the complete itinerary (PDF), here for the Patagonia Photography Adventure Reservation Form, and here for the Iguazu Falls Extension Reservation Form. Please read the itinerary carefully! Refer to the reservation forms for trip cost and payment schedules. Note that a $500 early-bird discount will apply to the first six registrations.

Paris in the Spring , April 24 – May 2, 2021. Early-bird discount applies. Click here for more information, and here for the Reservation Form.

Harold’s workshops are often sold-out, and fill up quickly. To avoid disappointment, please register early. Feel free to contact Harold Davis if you have any questions about our workshops!

Road Less Traveled © Harold Davis

What folks have said about Harold Davis workshops and events:

“A great artist and speaker!”—W. Anglin
“Harold is genuine, generous, and gracious – He has a world of knowledge and expertise that he loves to share – his wonderful books show his monumental talents and skill set- his workshops shows the depth of his connecting with others in a very real and personal way.”—P. Borrelli
“Awesome! He patiently addressed questions from the audience which contained photographers of all levels , molding his answers to the level of understanding for each of us. His presentations covered a wonderful range of technical knowledge as well as emphasizing the need for images to have an emotional quality. The images he shares are breathtaking and he is generous in sharing many facets of how he captures such beauty.”—J. Phillips
“Not all photographers are good verbal communicators. Harold is someone who can DO and TEACH. A rare combination of talents.”—B. Sawyer
“Inspiring!”
“He was very giving of his talents and time. The course was very organized and thorough. Loved it! Learned so much! … I also wanted to let you know that I have more than paid the cost of the workshops I’ve done with you by selling some photos! I have sold three prints already.”—L. Beck
“Very creative and a marvelous instructor.”—Kay S.

Poem of the Road © Harold Davis

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Published on December 13, 2019 09:57

Harold Davis—Best of 2019

The journey continues! 2019 was an exciting year for art, photography, books, teaching workshops, and travel. Abroad, I walked another pilgrimage trail; this time from Tui, on the River Minho and the Portuguese border to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. At home I enjoyed time with my family as well as some exciting new artistic horizons. I am looking forward to a gazillion fresh adventures in art, photography, and travel in 2020!

The images are more-or-less in the order made in the course of the year; or, at least, in the order processed and uploaded. Below each image, I’ve added links to the relevant blog stories that include my selected images (where I blogged them). I’ve been in a reflective mood lately; to see some of my musings please click here to read my Guest Blog Post, Photographer As Poet, Harold Davis.

My “Best Of” selections for prior years, going back to 2013, can be found here.

Crepuscular Coast v2 © Harold Davis

Harold Davis's Blog, page 57

December 31, 2019

December 29, 2019

December 28, 2019

December 24, 2019

December 23, 2019

December 22, 2019

December 21, 2019

December 15, 2019

December 13, 2019

December 11, 2019