Karen Walrond
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Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Photo of the day 11.02.09
You've probably noticed a lot of talk today about GPS systems, so I couldn't resist sharing this image placed in the Gadling Flickr pool by rkzerok. He says: "My GPS shows about 50 higher than the marker on Mauna Kea." Awesome.
If you've got some great travel shots you'd love to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day.
Through the Gadling Lens: 7 tips for photographs around the meal
For this reason, it sort of stuns me that while I've mentioned that food is one of those great iconic subjects for photography purposes, I haven't written yet about how to shoot images in a restaurant, or at the table where your hosts are sharing their meal with you. (And besides, here in the west, we're pretty much heading into prime gather-round-the-table-holiday mode, so the time has come, methinks.) So this week, I thought we'd take a look at ways to capture your culinary travel experience as effectively as possible.
Photo of the Day 10.26.09
As you've noticed, today we've featured Vintage America -- and I figure no better way to end the day than by featuring this great shot of a vintage viewfinder in Ocean City, Maryland, as shot and shared by matt coats. The data on his Flickr page states that this was taken in August 2007, but I love the treatment -- it could've just as easily been shot 40 years ago. Well done!
If you've got some great travel shots you'd love to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day.
Through the Gadling Lens: Look for the light
It sounds luxurious, doesn't it? Well, actually, it wasn't. Don't get me wrong -- the facilities were lovely; however, I didn't actually go to relax. I went along with a friend, Beth, who was giving a talk there, and while she was working I planned on working on several book projects that have looming deadlines ahead. When I wasn't writing, I was taking as many photos as possible for these same projects.
Beth has been a very kind fan of my work, and has flatteringly used the word "soulful" to describe my images. One afternoon, she asked if she could follow me around with her camera, to have an impromptu photo lesson. As we set off, she said, "Okay, so show me how to take photographs like you do."
"You want to know the trick?" I asked, smiling.
"Absolutely."
"Okay. The trick that every good photographer knows: before you take the photograph, look for the light."
Photo of the Day 10.19.09
I've always loved photographs of signage, but I've rarely been able to capture an image that I liked -- it's trickier than it looks. I'm loving this shot captured by Bryson Gilbert, however -- the light and colour so perfectly convey the mood of a fun night out in Toronto. Well done.
If you've got some great travel shots you'd love to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day.
Through the Gadling Lens: inspirational nature shots from our Gadling Flickr pool
As you know by now, today we're bringing attention to climate change and ecotravel here on Gadling. Personally, climate change and taking care of the environment is an issue that I've thought about a whole lot since becoming a parent -- and to be honest, my daughter has become pretty passionate about it herself ("Mom, you forgot to turn off your computer! You have to save the environment!" is not an uncommon admonishment from her 5-year-old mouth). While I'm not perfect, we do try to do what we can in our home to help reduce our carbon footprint, and when we travel, I'm careful to be mindful of making eco-friendly choices -- still, I figure we could all do with a bit of inspiration. And so today, I thought I'd post some of the finest shots I've found in our Gadling Flickr pool that feature this big blue marble we call home. Because this is a seriously beautiful planet that we get to live on.On with the show.
Photo of the Day 10.12.09
I'm always impressed with a good black-and-white photo, but this one by the ubiquitous fiznatty positively took my breath away. What you're looking at here is the exhalation of a humpback whale, photographed in the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, Canada. Beautiful, isn't she?
If you've got some great travel shots you'd love to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day.
Through the Gadling Lens: shooting cities at twilight
This week, I received the following rather detailed email from reader Jason:I love your columns and have learned so much from them, thank you! I do have a couple of questions that I hope you may be able to help me with please. I am bouncing-off-the-walls excited to be traveling to New York City for my first (and likely only) visit next week. Unfortunately my only free time will be one late afternoon / evening in Midtown. I am most interested in capturing the details of well known landmarks, especially the art deco skyscrapers and Rockefeller Center, with what little natural sunlight I will have (i.e. low angle between full sunlight and when street lights start coming on with darkness), especially if clouds are present. I have my gorilla tripod already packed but expect the crowded sidewalks to make set-up difficult and time consuming and want to try and cover as much ground as possible. I have read and re-read your columns on night and cave photography and will be putting those tips to work of course, but wonder if there is anything more I can do to give myself a better chance at capturing the unique, but distant, details of these structures during twilight.
Secondly, can you tell me how to both achieve and avoid the "starburst" effect of individual lights at night while using a tripod, specifically skyscrapers at night (i.e. Empire State Building) and neon lights (i.e. Radio City Music Hall, Times Square). Is it more a function of aperture or exposure? I am practicing with available lights but the tallest building in my hometown is all of three stories and there's not much neon to practice on unfortunately.
Thank you again for your kind reply and best wishes.
Well, Jason, congrats on your first trip to NYC! You've certainly given me some tough questions -- I did a bit of research to try to answer them, and with a little help from the Gadling Flickr pool (not to mention a good friend), I thought I'd share what I came up with. Hope this helps, Jason.
Photo of the day 10.05.09
If you've got some great travel shots you'd love to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day.
Through the Gadling Lens: photographing skies
Oh, how I'd love to regale you with my brilliant photographic skills in capturing the sky's majesty! I'd love to, but I can't.
For some reason, I'm really, really horrid when it comes to shooting skies. Oh, I can manage to get a good sunset photo here and there, and occasionally my blue skies appear shockingly blue, but the truth is that for the most part, I get by with a little help from Photoshop -- bump up the contrast here, deepen a hue there, you know how it goes. My husband, on the other hand, is masterful at shooting sky shots -- the image you see to the left was taken by him this past weekend. And that image, by the way, is completely unretouched, straight out of the camera.
He kills me with his sky-capturing ways.
Anyway, I thought this week we could drool over the sky photo porn that currently graces our Gadling Flickr pool, for some inspiration as to how to shoot. This time, however, I'm sitting where you are -- looking for any clues as to how to make my sky photographs that much better.
So, on with the show.
