Is Aspect Ratio Important?

For a long time when I started processing photographs I was reluctant to alter the aspect ratio of an image. My reasoning was to do with printing and framing rather than composition. I figured that there were all these standard sizes of frames available and you had to stay within those dimensions. Granted, custom framing and matt cutting is an added expense, but not every photograph fits the norm. We want our photograph to be displayed in it’s best form so I began to re-think my practices.

The image below has all of it’s information grouped together in a strip that was on the bottom of the frame while the sky was full of nothing but heavy fog. In this case, there was no reason to leave the sky there. In this case, changing the aspect ratio to a more panoramic crop made more sense. The rule of thumb for composition is if it isn’t helping the image, it is hurting it so the boring sky had to go.

Peaceful Morning

Concert Photography: Three Songs at a Time

I was looking through some photos the other day and noticed my first concert photography attempt was in 2006 so it’s been about 13 years that I’ve been doing it in one way or another. It’s been a fun and interesting journey and I love every minute of it. I’ve worked hard and learned a lot over those years.

“First three songs, no flash” are the instructions you typically are given prior to the shoot. That’s all you get, after the third song we are escorted back out of the venue, that’s it. I often have to explain to people that I don’t even get to watch the show, but it’s true in many cases. An exception to this procedure is festivals. Bands often do away with restrictions at festival shows.

The image below is of Danielle Nicole Schnebelen of the Danielle Nicole Band. I had the opportunity to shoot this super talented person after a long time of following her music. Most photographers I know have a bucket list of sorts that they wish to shoot and Danielle was one of mine.

Danielle Nicole Schnebelen

Photo of the Week #125

This photo is one that I came across while going through an older folder and found it interesting. It’s just a fun shot, but I discovered so many things within it. I couldn’t help but look at it more, I can see so many things in these rocks. If you look closely, I guarantee you will see things in it too.

Photo of the Week #124

I have been a bit sporadic in my posting of late. Been kind of a wierd time for me as I’ve recently stopped working! After 39 years I have retired from my job, I have been getting started on some long overdue work around the house so haven’t gotten out for much relaxing shooting as of yet. I did make a trip to the house on the coast for a few days and made this image while there.

Black Duck Cove is a little place that we came to love in Nova Scotia. There is a little shallow beach there that is perfect for kids to play in the water. From the beach you can follow a series of boardwalks and trails along a rocky coastline where you can watch the waves coming in, it’s beautiful there. There have been a lot of hours sitting there watching and listening. I make a pont of making it here at least once during a visit to the province.

Black Duck Cove, Little Dover, NS.

Photo of the Week #123

I have been fairly busy over the spring and early summer shooting concerts. This is a photo of Matt Andersen from May 9 at The Grand Theatre here in Kingston. Many people think you need to keep your ISO down and often have trouble shooting concerts. This image was made at an ISO of 11,400 and turned out completely usable. With modern camera bodies, gone are the days of staying below 800, you can shoot much higher as long as you’re nailing the exposure, or maybe even overexposing slightly.