JACK LARSON PHOTOGRAPHY
Crashing Finale
Posted by john4jack (Corvallis, Oregon, United States) on 19 February 2009 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.
The overwhelming majority of photographs on this trip were taken with a Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 lens; the remainder were taken with a Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. With the exception of the Heceta Lighthouse, there was very little processing done with any of the photographs; generally it involved the following: setting black and white points, adding a little clarity and vibrance, minor curves adjustments for a few, noise taken out of dark skies, and some sharpening added; a few had a little vignetting, and a few were cropped; all of the processing was done in Lightroom, except for Silver Efex Pro for the lighthouse and the frames for which I used the onOne plug-in residing in Photoshop. It took less than 5 minutes to process almost each of them.
For the most part, I don't do commentary on the photographs that I post. I prefer for you to see them through your eyes (and heart and soul). In the brief couple of months that I have been on aminus3, you have been extremely kind and supportive. One of my struggles is to keep my photographs true to my own vision, rather than trying to create what I think that people want to see. I have great admiration for those of you who are professionals, but I could never be one. One more thing, every time any of you post a photograph on aminus3, you are taking a risk and you are exposing the deepest part of who you are. I am very grateful for the gifts of yourselves that you share.
bluechameleon from Vancouver, Canada
A powerful image Jack. The pounding surf, the water crashing upon the rocks is one of the most beautiful things on this planet. Your tones are wonderful in this image.
19 Feb 2009 5:18am
Barbara from Florida, United States
Exactly this image you have stopped in time is the reason for my desire to visit the coast. Waves crashing on the rocks is the scene I always think of.
Your images are inspiring and truthful to the beauty of the landscape before you.
AM3 has been a wonderful community for me too.
19 Feb 2009 5:19am
Jean-François from Les Issambres, France
la mer sans cesse renouvelée ...........................................
19 Feb 2009 5:20am
EYES WIDE SHUT from The library of my soul, United Kingdom
A superb photograph Jack, and your words are excellent too. Thank YOU for sharing your images here on AM3 too
19 Feb 2009 6:03am
@rem_la: It's wonderful to be reminded of home!
@Didier: I love the bird who has its wings stretched out!
Observing from West Cheshire, United Kingdom
You have caught the real essence of the ocean, the deep rolling waves, the crashing surf, and of course those birds on the rock. Excellent.
19 Feb 2009 6:39am
Nicholas from Shah Alam, Malaysia
Very powerful image and very powerful lenses! :D
19 Feb 2009 6:43am
mo.langel from Courtelary, Switzerland
Excellent!!!! Belle capture de ces grosses vagues se fracassant sur les rochers où les oiseaux se reposent!
19 Feb 2009 6:51am
Yvonne S. from Tilburg, Netherlands
An overwhelming finale Jack, I have enjoyed it, thank you very much!!
19 Feb 2009 7:13am
Linerberry from Sumner, Christchurch, New Zealand
Thank you Jack for your words and thoughts, they are so very true! Its lovely to share your images with you and nice to meet you on am3
19 Feb 2009 8:03am
Alivia from Saint-Etienne, France
the wave breaks in showers of light and breaks on the dark rocks .. is the storm, John, with much bursts of light on the waves roll ... I love the fury of ocean .
19 Feb 2009 8:40am
Mathilde from Fontainebleau, France
The wave! Sovereignty movement! Extreme softness in these shades! Superb!
19 Feb 2009 10:03am
zahai from Berlin, Germany
Wonderful capture of motion and great colors. Beautifully done :)
19 Feb 2009 10:13am
Anna.C from LA ROCHELLE, France
a great capture Jack ! Motion of the waves, beautiful colours, as my Atlantic Ocean! I never grow tired of such a landscape! Thank you also for the sharing and the secrets revealed by your processing. I agree with your words.
19 Feb 2009 10:33am
zOOm from Paris, France
Waves endlessly crashing... coming back... and forth... the strengh and regularity of their movement...
19 Feb 2009 11:54am
Marcah from United States
Fascinating scene. Love the wing spread of the pelican.
19 Feb 2009 12:17pm
Kyle from Manhattan KS, United States
I can almost feel the sea air! You have a particular reverence for nature, it seems, and it shows in your photographs. You may not get hired by National Geographic, but you have posted a great variety of images that many seem to enjoy, and I think are very good - for what that's worth!. Success is measured in many ways! Looking forward to the next trip.
19 Feb 2009 12:40pm
JJ from Jersey City, United States
A powerful shot with the force of the wave hitting the rock evident,
19 Feb 2009 1:12pm
dogilicious from Millerstown, PA, United States
Great title. There is one bird with the wings drawn back. seems like he is welcoming the crashing wave. Great capture
19 Feb 2009 1:23pm
Mary from PA, United States
Awesome capture Jack!! I love the ocean...the smell of the salt air, the call of the seagulls, the sound of the waves... That bird gets me...as if it's saying "come on hit me...I dare you" ha ha. Your words are so true..Everyone here is wonderful and encouraging to each other..It's something that I find is not the case on other sites...where some seem to try their best to discourage a person by overly criticizing their photos due to technical things. Yes there are rules in photography but there are those who don't follow "rules" that have truly inspiring work. I love this as a hobby and my taste is not always what others prefer and that's okay. Photography is a way for us to capture our own unique view of the world around us....how boring it would be if we all see it exactly the same...
19 Feb 2009 1:40pm
Ajay from Pune, India
You speak less, Jack. But you speak right to the point. That's what I like.
And I also think that too much processing can actually kill the purpose of why a shot was taken in the first place. A little bit processing is needed to just clear out few details and that's it. But more important than anything is photography and how we capture a moment that had just clicked in our mind. That's why we spend so much money on these cameras.
I also like what you said about how we actually take the risk on exposing who we are deep inside. Many times, I think what will my friends say when they see this photo or that photo. But a much better feeling comes when someone across the globe sees my shots and tells me how please he or she is to see my photo. And that feeling is just priceless, I tell you.
19 Feb 2009 2:42pm
Hema Iyer from Bangalore, India
A very powerful shot. It has been a great series. Your words are lovely and very true.
19 Feb 2009 2:48pm
Sof from Neuchâtel, Switzerland
excellent... Le cadrage, les couleurs le mouvement... j'aime beaucoup
19 Feb 2009 3:01pm
PD from Overland Park, Kansas, United States
You are obviously a very talented artist. Those sound like great lenses. I am thinking about the 24-70 f/2.8... how do you like it? (is it worth the $ to upgrade over the kit lens with the D300?)
Thanks
19 Feb 2009 3:22pm
@PD: The 24-70mm is my primary walk-around lens, PD. It is the best lens that I have ever owned (including the 70-200mm classic). If I ever have any problems with photographs taken with it, the problem is the photographer, not the lens. As you know, it is not cheap, but I find it to be worth every penny. And I would certainly invest in a lens of this quality before upgrading my camera body. Since you have a D300, a great camera, I would put all of my money into great glass. One lens of great glass is worth four of lesser quality glass. The conventional wisdom is certainly borne out by my own experience. (By the way, I asked Thom Hogan, the Nikon guru about the D700 vs. the D300. He said that unless I shot at an ISO of 3200, I probably wouldn't notice any difference in the quality of photographs taken with the two cameras.)
Tammy/Cricket from Huntsville, United States
What a lovely commentary. I too do not like to alter my images. First off...I don't know how....shhhhh. I like to have the picture remain the same. I do however enjoy B & W images, etc.
This has been enjoyable following your pictures. You have given me inspiration for future photographs. I am heading to the beach next month for a brief stay. I am looking forward to walks on the beach with may camera.
The picture you have displayed is beautiful. I am happy I met you through Aminus3.
19 Feb 2009 3:27pm
@Tammy/Cricket: Tammy, I don't know what has been going on with you, but your recent photographs have been incredible!! I have to step back and marvel at their beauty! When I go to my blogwatch each day, I open up your latest post like a kid entering a candy store!
I'm glad that you mentioned B&W. I love B&W, and I thoroughly enjoy converting my photographs to grayscale. As you know, when you convert a color photograph to grayscale, you have much more range of control than if you shoot in monochrome.
Thank you for your kind words and your encouragement.
Diane Schuller from Hythe, Canada
I'm not sure which to comment on first: your great image or your soulful commentary. I feel much the same way you do. This is a learning process for me but it's also 'exposing' myself by presenting my images.
This photo is so beautiful in the true meaning of that word. I love the rich dark tones and the amazing sharpness, particularly to get water sharp is not easy. The spray of that wave hitting the rock, plus the birds with wings spread, adds such immediacy to this. Very well done!
19 Feb 2009 3:43pm
@Diane Schuller: Thank you, Diane. The sharpness is all in the glass! The two lenses that I used for the Coast trip were very expensive for me, but well worth the money; plus, they should last me for the rest of my life. To be honest, there was one post that had a different set-up. The Heceta Lighthouse used a D80 with a Nikkor 70-300mm VR lens and a Kenko 1.4X Pro 300 teleconverter (when I blew the photograph way up, you could see amazing detail in the rocks below).
You used the word "soulful." Photography may be the most spiritual thing that I do. I feel that photography connects the deepest part of me with the deepest part of the Universe. It is a profoundly holy venture. I am way more invested in that experience of the Holy than with all of the rest, including the quality of my work. This gets at why I tend to feel embarrassed in putting photographs on the Internet. When the photograph seems to go to a different level, I am well aware that there is something else at work in me. Also, my photographs are so personal; and being a strong introvert, they are really very private.
ordinaryimages from Kentucky Bluegrass, United States
"every time any of you post a photograph on aminus3, you are taking a risk and you are exposing the deepest part of who you are..."
gee...I just post pitchers : ] best...jerry
19 Feb 2009 4:10pm
@ordinaryimages: Yeah, but you are from Kentucky, Jerry; bluegrass, horses and basketball pretty much make up the universe.
Steve Rice from Olympia, United States
Look at that cormorant daring the waves to crash against him. Well, so it seems. This is a gorgeous image.
19 Feb 2009 5:30pm
Yvon from Orleans, France
nice shot and beautiful colors, my dear Jack
this photo remember me Brittany in autumn
19 Feb 2009 9:07pm
shallowregret from Kongsberg, Norway
thank you for sharing your thoughts and images. when i first started putting up images here, it was purely to have a deadline to make myself get out there to shoot. meeting people like you in the process has been a great bonus.
19 Feb 2009 10:22pm
jamesy from christchurch, New Zealand
as we are grateful for your gifts too Jack great photo
19 Feb 2009 11:43pm
Tammy/Cricket from Huntsville, United States
Thank you that was so kind. I am not much of a winter person. Maybe the getting outside has refueled me. I don't know. Maybe life is speeding up and I am running around trying to catch it all. ha...one of those female things I guess.
Thank you once again for being so kind.
19 Feb 2009 11:44pm
akarui from Kagoshima, Japan
It is nice to watch the waves braking on the coast and the cormorans and gulls on the rock seem to enjoy the spectacle. Beautiful picture!
20 Feb 2009 12:26am
Fishit from Tealtown, United States
I very much like the action of the waves, seldom get to see that over rocks here.
Good stuff ...
20 Feb 2009 2:35am
Chris Parr from Jefferson City, United States
I understand what you mean about posting photos that are meaningful to you, or that you like vs. what you think people want to see. I've caught myself in that same place a time or two. I see what is popular here on this site and sometimes catch myself thinking "this one will really go over big". That isn't necessarily the right approach. However, I have been greatly influenced and inspired by what others have done here, and it has made me shoot different subjects and shoot common things in different ways. I think that is a very positive result of being in this community.
The picture is wonderful, but the title and the message have a certain air of finality about them...are you going somewhere?
20 Feb 2009 4:20am
@Chris Parr: Second paragraph first, I'm not going anywhere. It's just that the series of photographs from my recent Oregon Coast trip have come to a conclusion.
On the first paragraph, I agree with you completely. Aminus3 has both broadened and deepened my vision. Whatever problems exist for me are issues that need internal resolution. What I was ruminating about was a message to myself to maintain my integrity.
Thank you for your very thoughtful comments.
amy from Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Outstanding!!!
... your commentary echos a lot of how I feel; how posting here exposes our inner selves.
20 Feb 2009 4:49am
@amy: Thanks Amy. If you read Jerry's comment, it is obvious that we each come from different places; which is exactly what you would expect, and hope.
Toni from Eastern Washington, United States
I love your capture of the power the ocean holds. Such brave birds to sit there and take it. I have to admit that every once in a while I'll fall into the trap of posting an image because I think people will like it, but most of the time I post images that speak to me for reasons that personal to me.
20 Feb 2009 7:11am
Ninni from Brazil
A great photo! Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos and wise words!
20 Feb 2009 12:55pm
Francesc B. from région parisienne, France
"Crashing finale" or "the bath of the cormorants" .... :))
Beautiful panoramic
20 Feb 2009 10:24pm
Denise from Perry, United States
This photo is beautiful, as if I am standing on the beach as well. I read your commentary several times to digest. You are so correct to say that every time we post a shot it exposes a small piece of each of us. I feel exactly the same way and have had this conversation with another aminus individual with whom I have discussed your beautiful works. ( ie; to process or not to process ...) Denise
22 Feb 2009 2:04pm
@Denise: The Latin root for amateur means "lover." I do photography, Denise, because I passionately love it. A dimension of that love is creativity. Clearly people can be creative in a wide spectrum of ways. For some, their creativity comes when the camera is at work (I almost said, "in their hands," but many such as myself find the tripod indispensable, especially for macro work). For others, their creativity comes in the digital darkroom, which at its latest is still in its toddler stage. There is no value judgment to be made about where ones creativity is exercised. Personally, although in the past few years, I have learned a great deal about the ins and outs of the digital darkroom, it is not where I find my deepest fulfillment and joy. The cutting edge of my personal photographic journey is in the area of what I would call my photographic vision; and by vision, I mean what is seen by the heart and the soul as much as what is seen by the eye. For many, the camera is primarily a tool. I find it a tool, yes, but it is much more than that. I feel a personal and mystical connection with my camera. The poet Gerard Manley Hopkins said, "The world is charged with the grandeur of God." For me, the camera is as holy a vessel as any chalice or paten, and it takes me into the realm of the holy. The cutting edge of my creativity from start to finish has been with my artistic vision, and that occurs to the degree that it does when I am working with the camera. The digital darkroom is just hard work for me.
Others such as Ansel Adams come alive in the darkroom, wet or digital. I celebrate the creativity of others wherever it occurs.
Mobius Faith from Akron, Ohio,, United States
Really nice composition on this image. Wonderful scene. Great title.
22 Feb 2009 4:16pm
Anita from West Nottingham, United States
Thanks for the description of your post processing. The coast images have been a real treat! You captured the many moods of the coast.
It is hard to stay true to one's own vision, especially since some of us are in the process of discovering what that vision is.
25 Feb 2009 12:43pm
@Anita: You are so right about that process of still discovering, Anita! Even after doing photography since the early 50s, I am constantly changing.
willow from Chelsea, United States
Your Oregon coast series is wonderful! That's another area that I have yet to explore - your images have inspired me to add it to the list. I also very much appreciate what you said about your photography - "One of my struggles is to keep my photographs true to my own vision, rather than trying to create what I think that people want to see." I often catch myself worrying about what other people will think about an image that I am working on and have to remind myself that the best I can do is to create images that touch me in some way and put them out there for other people to take as they will. I also agree with you that"... every time any of you post a photograph on aminus3, you are taking a risk and you are exposing the deepest part of who you are." That's what makes this such a great place.
1 Mar 2009 11:55pm
Nikon D300
1/250 second
F/8.0
ISO 200
300 mm (35mm equiv.)