Layers

I was out walking through downtown Nanaimo looking for ways to introduce depth into a two dimensional image, looking for images that pulled the eye into the frame.  I am drawn to subjects that speak of urban decay, of a place that had once been brimming with life and energy but now was left only a shell.  I came across this window that wrapped around a triangular shaped building that was partly covered with paper left after the tenant moved out.  This image brought both of these things together. The portion of the window that was covered reflected the street behind me, I could see through the middle section of the window, to the street on the other side but the second window picked up more reflections at a different angle.  It all worked together to give about 6 different views of the street behind me and the street in front of me.  I had to work hard to find the right position so that I would not become part of the image.  I really like the way that the layers of glass produced and almost double exposure effect for portions of the frame.  There is a lot of see in this image but I am especially drawn to the way that the street light pole is repeated in a shadowy reflection and the vague idea of a person in the deep background.

Looking down into the pillared entry of a courtyard. Canon EOS 7D Mk. II EF 50mm f/1.4 at f/1.6 1/80 ISO 250

Earlier that same grey morning I had come across this location and I really had to hunt to find the right angle from which to shoot it.  It is near the China Steps in Nanaimo and getting above the arches gave them a more interesting appearance.  I leaned against the wall in the extreme right of the frame to anchor the image.  I used an extremely large aperture, f/1.6, to push the wall out of focus and dark out of focus portion of the right side of the frame provides a contrast to the crisp shapes of the arches and brick patio and fence beyond.  The light and the light coloured tiles pull the eye deep into the frame, away from the dark anchor on the left.  I also darkened the edges of the frame and lightened the centre portion of the arches so that your eye would be pulled deep into the centre of the frame both by what’s in focus, and by where the light is. Finding ways to introduce depth into, what essentially is, a flat medium can really add interest to your photographs.

-Russell Berg

www.seeingberg.com

Bike and Bricks

I struggled with this photo for quite a while.  I loved the curve and shape of the bike, (1) the fact that the handlebars have tassels, (2) the fact that both tires are too flat to ride, (3) the battered old seat (4).  All of these things were great but the bike was a mottled rusty dark green against an orange brick wall and it just didn’t have the punch that I felt the image needed.  Recently I have gone back through some of my images with the intent of reevaluating my images with  a B&W treatment in mind.  I liked it much better this time around.  I really wish I had taken the time to move the potted tree outside of the frame.

-Russell Berg

The Walls Close In

A narrow alleyway in downtown Victoria. Canon EOS 7D EF-S 10-22mm at 10mm f/8 1/20 ISO 1250

Victoria, BC has a wonderful old downtown area with some very interesting and narrow alleys.  I stumbled on to this as I was wandering through the city and was struck by the graphic nature of the tight brick walls, the plank ceiling and the bare bulb that hung in the middle.  I used a wide angle lens to emphasize the enclosing feeling of the alley and the shift in perspective almost makes it feel as though the walls wrap around you.  In the original frame the bare bulb light was visible but I cropped it out as the extreme contrast in brightness was distracting.  I also really liked the way that the splashes of light on the walls imply the bulb on the ceiling without us having to see it.  The exposure was also somewhat tricky, it the camera read the exposure off the bright area in the centre all of the walls would have been very close to black.  I used spot metering and took a reading off of the area just this side of the light area and I got a decent exposure.  I am still not entirely happy with how bright the opening is but of course at the end of every tunnel…

-Russell Berg

Pushing Down

Looking up a brick wall into the lamp. Canon EOS 7D EF-S 10-22mm at 10mm f/22 1/20 ISO 160

Looking Up 3

(Cont. From Previous Post)  The light turned green and she pushed off the curb, walking quickly at first then running.  There was an insistence in her stride that propelled her forward.  The sense of purpose in her eyes was reflected in the rapid sure step of her feet and the set of her shoulders.  She took a quick glance around, he wasn’t over across the street or in the intersection she was crossing but she couldn’t be completely sure.  She had almost reached the alley when she felt hand on her bicep, she wrenched a way turning quickly.  It wasn’t him… it was Phillip.

This image, in some respects, brought elements from each of my first two images in this series together.  It has the strong visceral pull of the colours combined with the form elements of the ivy.  I felt like having the lamp looking down on me brought a dynamic push to the image that was lacking in the first one.  It almost seems to push down against the viewer.  Here we also see again the benefits of image stabilization and good camera position to eliminate shake.  I am still constantly amazed by the benefits of image stabilization.  When I shot film I would never even think about going below 1/60 of a second.  Now part of the benefit is a result of pushing the base of the camera against the wall but this shot is a 1/20 of a second and it still is very sharp.

The Ivy Pull

A striking brick wall covered with winter ivy. Canon EOS 7D EF-S 10-22mm at 10mm f/22 1/30 ISO 100

Looking Up 2

She stood at the edge of the curb, her toe over the edge ready to go, her scarf flung over one shoulder in a businesslike manner.  She breathed deep ant the winter air flooded her lungs pushing cold into the deep corners.  The winter light was bright and hard and she brought a gloved hand to her brow as she looked down the street.  It was right near here, she was sure of it, down the block where the alley joined the street?  Maybe.

The winter ivy on this wall was very interesting and I took a few pictures of it but they were not very interesting.  I started to play with the perspective shift that looking to one side or the other gave to the image.  The wide (10mm) lens exaggerated the shift in perspective and gave the ivy a life all its own.  It almost seems to be racing away from the viewer towards the upper corner of the frame.  I bright sunlight allowed me choose a very small aperture and my position leaning against the wall helped prevent camera shake at this slow shutter speed.  The position of the wide angle lens gives the vertical wall an interesting angle that further heightens the dynamic pull of the image.

-Russell Berg