shutter therapy saturday

"Classic style" Burger King, John Young Parkway

I have been living in interesting times for the past few weeks. I'll get into more details in a later post, but suffice it to say I'm no longer in Kansas, at least career-wise. And so I've been working quietly but extensively in the background, coming up with a plan for what to do next with the rest of my life.

Today I went out on a shutter therapy break, using an Olympus E-PL2 and the f/8 15mm body cap lens. I'm still enamored with the dramatic tone art filter, which is what I set the E-PL2 to use. I also turned off autofocus (it's certainly not needed) and turned off "autochimp mode" by turning REC VIEW off in the menu (Menu -> Wrench (or Spanner for you Brits) -> REC VIEW and then turn down the time to briefly display until it's zero). With all of that the E-PL2 executes as quickly as a film camera. It becomes a true point-and-shoot but with a nice big sensor.

Most of the photos were taken on today's trip from a Jersey Mike's at Conway and Turkey Lake out to a bead store on Sand Lake and John Young Parkway. Some taken out of the driver's side, some of me walking and waiting on my wife.

Fixing a sub, Jersey Mikes, Conroy and Turkey Lake

The combination turned out to be as quick as I anticipated. There was no noticeable delay when the shutter was tripped which made the photographic experience more the enjoyable. I was able to practice "decisive moment" photography. Of course one photographer's decisive moment is another's mess, and I had few opportunities to practice determining decisive moments.

A lot of folks dislike the heavy post processing of dramatic tone. That may be the case, but it's one of the few art filters that keep calling me back to try it. Others include pinhole, diorama and grainy film. In this photo the high ISO chosen (1600) combine with a slow shutter and motion blur produces an effect that is "too smooth" for some, where fine detail is obliterated. Big deal. I like it and that's all that matters.

The Big Orange Bus, John Young Parkway

I like the effect on this photo. Dramatic tone has reduced the detail and heightened the color so that it looks almost like a acrylic and ink painting, which isn't so bad. Again, a keeper.

Sun Eater, John Young Parkway

When we got to the bead store I wondered around photographing the odd composition (and drawing the occasional "who is that screwball" look). One of those odd compositions includes this one with the sun in the upper right. The astute viewer will note the "red dots of death" that are attempting to assert themselves around the image of the sun. Again I like the effect, where the sun seems to be bleeding light and flying down out of the very upper right. There's plenty of flair (look in the opposite lower left) but the dramatic tone simply incorporates it into the overall image processing. Another keeper.

Brass bracelets in the bead store, John Young Parkway

The 15mm lens has just two focus settings, infinity and near. Near focus is about 1 foot. I've set it to near focus to make this photograph of a tray full of brass bracelets. Note that with proper composition the background can be thrown out of focus, which is rather interesting considering that it's a 15mm (30mm effective) at f/8. Is the background bocahlicious? That's up to you to decide. I couldn't care less.

Grand Opening, John Young Parkway

Shadows, International and Central Florida Parkway

These last two were the last two taken on the way home. Nothing special except for me. I like this combination of body and lens. With the body properly configured I could just carry it around and grab shots all day long in all kinds of light. The other filters in the body lend themselves to other treatments, other emotions.

Tomorrow is another jamb-packed day. I'm switching out the 15mm for the Panasonic 14mm. It has a different character than the 15mm. Keeping to the dramatic tone art filter I want to see what comes out of the camera.