Clouds & Blue

Clouds and Blue, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

On a recent windy and stormy day in Draper (Utah) I looked up while driving to see a small patch of blue sky peeking through the clouds. The color of the sky, which was so deeply blue, struck me as amazing. I have to imagine that the high wind had blown out much of the pollutants and created the extremely clear sky.

Very little post-production was done on this image other than a slight crop and a bit of contrast & sharpening. The blue color of the sky is just as it was photographed.

Ace the Cockatiel ::: 1984 - 2006

Ace the Cockatiel ::: 1984 - 2006, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

In the spring of 1984, as I was a senior in high school in Chugiak Alaska, a woman came into the store I worked at with a cockatiel on her shoulder. It began a converstaion that led to my finding out that she was a local breeder of these colorful birds. One thing led to another and soon my parents were in the posession of a recently weaned baby cockatiel named Ace.

Ace became my father's good friend. Having been hand fed since hatching, he loved hanging out with people and spent the majority of his time on the top of his cage. Early on, he learned to whistle for the dogs and got great joy out of calling the dogs into his room.

After spending the first 20 years of his life in Alaska, ace moved to our home in Utah in 2004. With my parents splitting their time between Alaska and Arizona, they felt that Ace would be better off in a stable environment. He joined our two cockatiels (Sunshine and Mattie) and quickly took over the senior status of the flock. It was exciting to see that after spending his whole life alone, Ace and Sunshine began a May / November romance.

Sadly, yesterday Ace passed away. He had just turned 22 years old. The average lifespan for a cockatiel is 12-15 years, so Ace defied the odds. My daughters created a nice wooden box for him and he is now buried in the backyard.

He will be missed.

Model Homes

Model Homes, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

I wasn't going to post any more of the faked miniature captures for a while, but this one turned out so good that I figured I'd show it.

While on a hillside above Herriman (Utah) yesterday taking a photo of a local pastor for a publication, I made a capture of the neighborhood below to check the lighting. In reviewing the shots later, I realized that this capture could make an interesting fake miniature.

The process in creating this type of shot is to manipulate the image in Photoshop to change the focus, lighting, color and aspect ratio in order to fool the eye as to the scale of the photograph. Sometimes it works rather well.

Here's another example using the same process.



I actually received the following feedback on Flickr on the above photo from someone who thought it was an actual miniature diorama.

"nobody would build real houses so close to the edge. You'd have little kids rolling off the cliff there. I like the sky, but I think you might need to re-do it -- the paint doesn't match."

The whole set can be viewed by clicking here.

The Look

The Look, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

This spontaneous capture of Jenna just after her new husband fed her cake at the reception has proven quite popular on my Flickr photostream (#2 all time). I think a large part of its popularity is that it goes completely against "Normal" wedding photographs. Though she was just playing around with the "Look", it does come across deadly serious in the capture.

Worship Gathering

Worship Gathering, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

I had the opportunity tonight (Saturday) to be involved in the Worship Gathering, a local Christian music event. The program featured four bands from local churches (ours was one of the bands) and had a nice sized crowd show up for an evening of worshipping God through music. This is the fifth time I've been involved and it is really a blessing to have the various churches gather together - and the music is great too!

Featured here is a natural lighting shot of Pete playing guitar. This was shot at ISO 1600 due to the low light environment. In a capture like this, by not using the flash you can capture a more sincere 'mood' of the atmosphere (and not be too disruptive as well).

UPDATE: Here's a link to a Flickr set with other photos of the event. I'll add more over the next day or so as I process them.

http://flickr.com/photos/richlegg/sets/72057594091386287/

Model Railroad II

My Model Railroad, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Featured here is another example of a Tilt Shift Miniature effect on a photograph. This capture, especially when viewed large, really takes on the look of a model railroad.

Model Railroad

Model Railroad, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

There is a fad going around the Internet in which photographers use software editing techniques to make real photographs appear as miniature models. The process is called Tilt Shift Miniatures.

I thought I would try my hand at doing this and today's featured capture is the result I obtained with the process. Does it look like a model railroad? If you would like to view the unedited original image for comparison, click HERE.

For more information on this process, visit: http://recedinghairline.co.uk/tutorials/fakemodel/

Square Cropped Clouds

Square Cropped Clouds, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

In keeping with the trend over the last few days of posting black & white images, here is a recent capture of some menacing looking clouds before a storm. I am a fan of a square crop, and this is no exception.

Draper Cabin

Draper Cabin, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

This old cabin in Draper (Utah) sits on a very valuable piece of ground and will soon be leveled for future development.

I really like the contrasting tones and the detail that this is given in black & white.

Splashdown

Splashdown, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Featured today is another capture from the other night when Sarah (my daughter) and I were playing around photographing cookies and milk. The bowl shaped splash created as the cookie hit the milk really intrigued me on this particular shot.

I posted this photo on Flickr yesterday and it was the #1 most interesting photo of the day (upon last check. Click HERE for current status).

If you would like, you can click on the capture to view a larger version.

Classic Bride in Black & White

Classic Bride, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Featured today is an example of why I love black & white photographs.

In making this capture of a young bride black & white, an element of timelessness is added. It can also serve to remove the distraction which can occur from the colors of her flowers and the background and allows us to focus on her faceial expression.

On The Line

On the line, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Taking a photograph from a different or unique perspective can work to give the capture added pizazz.

When you think about it, we walk around each day seeing things from the perspective of eye level. By making the effort to get either above or below eye level the photographer can create an attractive one-of-a-kind shot.

Featured today is a capture I made on a deserted (thankfully) road up one of Utah's many canyons.

Tossed Cookies

Tossed Cookies, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

My daughter Sarah and I were playing around doing some stop action photography tonight. She thouroughly enjoyed her job of dropping things into the bowl of milk while I snapped the camera's shutter release.

Featured here is a capture of four chocolate chip cookies being dropped into a saucer of milk. It made quite the mess on the kitchen counter, but the results made it worthwhile.

The Piano

The Piano, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Photography, and art in general, is interesting in how one image can evoke many varied responses from those who view it. This capture of my daughter at the piano, for example, has elicited comments across the spectrum from those who have viewed it (on Flickr).

Here is a sampling of adjectives left as feedback on this image: Beautiful, Concentrated, Stunning, Nice, Angry, Evil, Startled, Lovely, Hieratic, Creepy, Scary, Funny, Scared.

While I'm not overly excited to have words such as Creepy used to describe my lovely daughter, I appreciate the fact that we all interpret art differently - that one single image can cause such diverse responses.

What do you think?

How many steps can I go?

How many steps can I go?, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Featured today is a capture made earlier this year of my youngest daughter balancing on a deserted rail line. I feel that the timelessness and anonymous nature of the photograph adds to its appeal.

The Bride

The Bride, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Here's one more capture from Jenna & Benjamin's wedding this weekend.

Benjamin & Jenna

Benjamin & Jenna, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Two of my friends got married today. Jenna and Benjamin had an absolutely gorgeous wedding. The ceremony, officiated by Benjamin's father, was sacred and served to remind us of the sanctity of God's plan for marriage. Benjamin and Jenna are a wonderful example of what I desire my children to become.

Provo at Night

Provo at Night, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

This nightime capture from the Western shore of Utah Lake was made looking East across the lake toward the city of Provo. An exposure time of 300 seconds (5 minutes) was used, as is apparent by the star streak in the sky in the upper right portion of the frame. The rocks and grass in the foreground were included in the composition to add depth perspective.

It was a very chilly 5 minutes on a late night waiting for this photograph to be captured.

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

The capture featured today is a recent re-shoot of a photo I posted earlier. I wanted to detail more of the skyline and opted for a wider, more panoramic, view.

Long Forgetten Attic

Long Forgetten Attic, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

This abandoned old house looked as though it would fall down at any moment. I made this capture in the late afternoon as the sun was low on the horizon. The isolation and overgrown trees served to add to the mystery of this old building.

New West Magazine - Featured Image

New West Magazine - Featured Image, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Today (March 7) one of my captures is being shown as the featured image on the front page of the internet magazine New West (www.NewWest.net). This is the second time they have chosen a photograph I have taken to be used in this manner and it is extremely flattering.

Strawberry in Chocolate

Strawberry in Chocolate, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

The other evening Michelle set up her chocolate fountain for a dinner party we were hosting. After the party, while the fountain was still running, I couldn't resist the opportunity to capture some images.

Featured here is Michelle putting one of her jumbo strawberries into the chocolate stream.

Roller Motion

SkaterGirl, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

We went rollerblading as a family this afternoon. Captured here are Michelle's skates as she zooms along the local path. I created this capture by setting the camera at a fairly slow shutter speed (to blur the ground) and holding it a few inches off of the asphalt as I skated alongside her.

Downspout

Downspout, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

I came across this old building and the distressed textures of the bricks interested me. To further accentuate the color and details, I added a bit of diffusion and adjusted the color saturation and contrast.

Color Your World

Pigeons, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

I continue to be amazed at the bright and reflective greens and purples on the common pigeon's neck.

Five Points Trio - CD

Five Points Trio CD Cover, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

One of my captures has been chosen to be used as the cover image for the FIVE POINTS TRIO's new CD. I'm flattered.

This capture was made on a hazy day in Murray Utah while looking southbound on the Union Pacific rail line. I really like how the three parallel lines vanish as they turn to the left.