Iceland - Small Cottage

Iceland, Svinafell, Cottage

This image was made in or near Svinafell, Iceland during the drive back to Reykjavik last Friday. Simply could not resist this small cottage which I was told was a summer home....Love the face just under the peak of the roof.

According to an online source Svinafell, during the early settlements of Iceland, was considered a place of great nobility...apparently Svinafell has been around since the 9th or 10th century - located near the Oraefajokull Glacier, one of the most active volcanoes in Iceland....

For applications used see labels below....additionally I used blender to add two textures to this image.

Iceland - Kirkjufjara

Kirkjufjara - Iceland

Yesterday was the long ride back to reality from the Glacier Lagoon in on the south coast of Iceland...As expected it was the best day yet in terms of weather at least until we got closer to Reykjavik, where of course it was raining - what else is new....Generally the trip was good - would have preferred some new locations in the north but that was not in the cards this time around....next trip will involve a camper of some sort....wake up at the destination....stay longer with less cost....

The last stop we made was at Kirkjufjara which is a mix of black beach, wonderful rock formations and the ocean. As we pulled in I noticed this magnificent rock over to my left and decided that was my destination.... it worked out really well...this image is one of my top three from the trip...Today I am posting the iPhone version with the big boy image at a later date.....

This was processed with the help of a friend - Teri Lou Dantzler - who is fast becoming one of the premier iPhoneographers in the United States - and Iceland of course....

Iceland - Farmer Portrait

Iceland - Farm Portrait

A few days ago the farmer in this image gave us free reign to photograph on his property.

This portrait was made using the iPhone4 and Hipstamatic.

IMage Management:

iPhone4
Hipstamatic App
JohnS lens
Kodot Film
converted to Black and white using the monophix application

Iceland - Day 1

ON the Road to Budir

Finally got away from Reykjavik yesterday and drove to the town of Budir in the northwest corner of Iceland...All I can say is wow....total overcast and fog the entire way - my favorite light.....moutain peaks cover in fog - saturated colors....photographers dream....The only drawback was a bit cold and windy....but simply does not matter....Woke up this morning and got out around 530AM....did I mention the sunrise is at 4AM and the sun set around midnight...basically it never really gets dark - there is always a soft glow in the northern sky....

Traveling with Einar Erlendsson fromborgarfjordur moiuntain - West Icelandhttp://www.focusonnature.is/ makes everything really simple to deal with...Einar runs workshops every summer in Iceland with various professional instructors. Last Saturday I gave a one day seminar on the iPhone in Reykjavik and will be going back next year for another....

Landscape above was the last image of the day and the one below was made with my back to the hotel.....

Image Management - top image
True HDR hand held (well rested on a car window)
Perfect Photo
Photo Studio
Transfer

Below:
True HDR on tripod
perfect Photo for sharpeningFocus on nature

Backyard of Hotel Budir

Iceland

Arrived into Iceland last night around 11PM. The sun was just setting although it never really goes dark this time if year - except for maybe one hour per night, and even then not really completely dark....It is nice to be out of the oppressive heat in NY - temperatures here are 50-60 degrees.

Nothing much but rest today as tomorrow is my iPhone seminar at the Grand Hotel in Reykjavik (poster above - wish I could read it). This is being organized by my good friend Einar Erlendsson (Focus on Nature) who runs international photo workshops in Iceland. Also, I have no idea where the Grateful Dead and Buddy Miles listed in the poster came from...never worked for either of those acts...If you happen to be passing through Iceland stop by....

On Sunday we are off to the hinterlands of Iceland for 6 days of shooting.....so looking forward to getting in this marvelous countryside...Iceland is considered by most as the number one photography location in the world.

Stay tuned for some new images....

Chateau de Vesailles

Detail, Versailles Sculture

 Here are two hipstamatic impression of Versailles from.....now off to finish packing for Iceland...

Image Management:

iPhone4
Hipstamatic
JohnS
Kodot
Filterstorm
Perfect photo

Versailles, France

Leaving Paris

Charles De Gaulle Airport, Paris

Getting close to the top of the escalator to the departure lounge at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris - what a fabulous airport....other then they made me take out every piece of equipment I had with me....wires and all....what fun

Longwood Garden

This is an oldie from a trip to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania last January. I can not remember how I originally processed this image but I did some additional image management using Filterstorm and Iris this morning. I think I am starting to like flowers.......who knew...

Portree, Isle of Skye

Waterfall, Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Image Management:

iPhone 3Gs
Prohdr - handheld
Photoforge
perfect photo
filterstorm

Another Flower

Not enough time today - went to see the new Harry Potter in Imax....but I did play with a flower image from the dentist's office the other day...

Image Management:

Hipstamatic
Johns
Kodot
Iris
Filterstorm
Auto Painter II
Artista Haiku

4 days until Iceland trip....

Missoula, Montana

Missoula, Montana

Yesterday

I went to the dentist and simply could not resist......

Flowers - Paris

Flowers - Paris

Another of the Hipstamatic Flower Images....Never thought I would be so interested in flowers - possibly the way Hipstamatic and assorted applications render the image...there are endless possibilities...

Paris Impression 3

I really enjoy the way Hipstamatic renders the colors of Paris - and most other places I might add...raw and saturated.......It was the figurines int he widnow that won me over. Wallah.....

Image Management:

Hipstamatic
JohnS
Kodot
Filterstorm
Transfer

Paris

Hotel Lobby - Paris

Left the hotel in Paris at 430AM for the airport. This was my parting Hipstamatic Image while walking through the lobby....

Image Management:

Hipstamatic
JohnS
Kodot Film
FIlterstorm
Perfect Photo

Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier, California

Posting two images every day on two separate blogs has been very educational. I have learned so much over the past 18 months - many new ways to manage an image and applying the new skill across many many platforms...

Today is one of those transitional images for me - I have processed the Santa Monica Pier (one of my all time favorites) several ways but today is a more slightly grungy saturated version. Can't wait to see where this work-flow will lead...after all as my friend Teri Lou Dantzler always says......play play play....

Image Management:

Phase P65+
Mamiya 645DF - 47MM Lens
Transfer to move to iPad2
FIlterstorm
Snapseed
Iris
perfect Photo

Old Graveyards

'All the snow has turned to water
Christmas days have come and gone
Broken toys and faded colors
Are all that's left to linger on
I hate graveyards and old pawnshops
For they always bring me tears
Can't forgive the way they rob me
Of my childhood souvenirs'....John Prine - Souvenirs

Late Afternoon Light

 

There is a quality about late afternoon light that is totally provocative. The indirect light creates those rich dark tones in the shadows and smooth highlights that the camera seems to love - not to mention one's own eye.... I also am enjoying the perverse symmetry of this image.

This particular image appeared outside my hotel room window in Paris last week....It was photographed using the iPhone4 and the Classic Pan Camera. Something about the cinematic aspect ratio of Classic Pan that works structurally for an image such as this. As mentioned in a previous blog I have been working with this camera quite a bit lately.

Image Management:

iPhone4 - classic Pan Camera
Perfect Photo
Dynamic Light
Filterstorm
global image control in Lightroom 3

Flower Twins

Breakfast Room, Park Hyatt, Paris

Photographed in the lobby of the Park Hyatt Hotel in Paris.

Image Management:

Classic Pan Camera (thanks to Veevs for turning me on to this camera)
Transfer to move over to iPad
Photostudio for texture
Filterstorm for blending and local sharpening
Perfect Photo for capture sharpening
transfer

Hipstamatic Portrait

Paris, France

Photographed in front of the Millennium Hotel in Paris. I so enjoy using the hipstamatic for portrait work....

Image Management:

Hipstamatic
Johns Lens
Kodot Film
perfect photo
filterstorm
transfer

Jim Morrison's Grave

Tree, Jim Morrison Grave-site, Pere Lachaise, Paris

 This morning finds me in the airport in Copenhagen awaiting my flight back to New York City.

This image today is a piece of the tree that stands next to Jim Morrison's grave on the Right Bank of Paris at Pere Lachaise. As one can see most people who visit the grave sign this tree - not so easy to read any of the names but it stands after 40 years as a tribute to Morrison and his legend. I am one who always wonders what could have been but realize some are just shooting stars who finally hit the ground....

I am happy to have seen the Doors several times and needed to visit the grave....

OK off to the plane....

Sunset - Maine

Sunset - Maine

Photographed on the way to dinner a few months ago near Thomason, Maine.

Image Management:

iPhone4
ProHDR - handheld
Filerstorm
Iris
Perfect Photo
Photostudio

Transfer

Paris

Paris impression 1

Two impressions from today in Paris - both photographed from a moving van using the hipstamatic application.

Paris impression 2

Image management:

iPhone4
Hipstamactic Application
Johns Lens
Kodot Film
Perfect Photo for sharpening
Transfer to move images from iPhone to iPad2

Copenhagen

View from Hotel, Copenhagen

Photographed from my hotel room in Copenhagen.....

Image Management:

iPhone4
True HDR with the iPhone held up against the window
Perfect Photo for sharpening
Filterstorm for local adjustments

Power Nap

On the flight from London to Manchester yesterday I caught a friend taking a power nap and thought I would play around with Camera+ in telephoto mode....A bit soft and grainy but seemed to capture the moment....

Image Management:

Camera+ fully extended telephoto - hand held
Camera Plus for frame
NIK Snapseed for sepia and some sharpening

Union Station

Stacked Chairs, Union Station

These chairs were stacked outside of Union Station in Washington, DC. Made a fast image on the iPhone as I was running for the train.

Image Management:

iPhone4
Prohdr - hand held
Perfect Photo for sharpening
Toon Paint for blending layer
Photo Studio for another blending layer using pencil paint 2
Iris to blend
Filterstorm for local corrections