THE TEXAS MILE

I had the opportunity again to travel down to Goliad Texas this past weekend for the running of The Texas Mile. For those who have never heard of The Texas Mile, it is a 3 day Motorsports event, in which participant have one mile to achieve the highest speed they can, in hopes of making into the 200+ club.
Here are some of the shots I got this year:











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TAKE AMAZING LANDSCAPE IMAGES

There are two significant details in any landscape photograph:

- Image composition
- Natural light

Image composition is all about how the elements in the scene are arranged. By using foreground objects and a small aperture, the entire scene will be kept in focus, creating a sense of depth. Attention can be directed toward the subject of the image by creating a natural frame with elements from around the scene. Trees are a great source for natural frames. Also the viewer can be drawn into the image by using leading lines into the main part of the scene, such as roads, rivers, or railroad tracks.

Natural light has three basic qualities: intensity, direction, and color.
The intensity of the light refers to the strength. Direct light creates a hard light source and strong shadows. Diffused light from a cloudy day creates a soft light and more even tones. The direction of the light refers to the placement and comes from three different paths: front, back, or side. Light coming from the front creates a flat, dull appearance. Light coming from the back creates a silhouette appearance with dark shadows. Side lighting produces texture and shading.
The color of light varies depending on the time of day, the atmosphere conditions and the time of year. Early morning and late afternoon, both produce light from an angle. The color of morning light is cooler with deeper purple and blue, whereas the color of afternoon light is warmer with deep red and orange. The light of spring and summer are vibrant, with the light of winter being harsher. Autumn produces warm light of orange, brown, and gold. A damp day followed by a cold night will can produce an eerie fog or low mist.

How each of these details are developed and revealed can result in outstanding landscape photos.

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5 TIPS FOR BETTER PHOTOS

1. Get close to your subject. Unless shooting a landscape, use all your available space by either moving physically closer or using the zoom feature. Eliminate most of the background distraction out of your shot, by allowing the subject to take up the whole frame. It is better to crop and resize a good close-up then to try to blow up a distant subject.

2. Check your composition. When framing the shot, place the subject off center so that they occupy a third to one half of the total composition. Look at the subject as a shape or form to determine the best angle and never put the horizon in the center of the frame.

3. Steady the camera. Camera movement will result in blurry photos. If you do not have a tripod to place the camera on, plant your feet firmly, tuck your elbows in close to your body, and slowing press the shutter button in one fluid motion.

4. Vary the light source. The closer the subject is to the light source, the stronger the shadows and contrast. Direct light, whether natural or flash, creates a hard light source and strong shadows. Diffused light, whether natural or flash, creates a soft light and more even tones. Natural light produces the best colors, especially with skin tones, so when working indoor, try to use the natural light coming from a window.

5. Look for contrasts between colors. Think in terms of shades of white, gray, and black in a black and white photo. One-color subjects should show great contrasts between the shades.

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