4x4 Still Life

I picked up the idea for these still life arrangements in a presentation recently and thought it would be a nice exercise to find some props in my stash and compose a few myself. The technical side is not too complicated (but I still have to improve on the lighting) aside from the fact that you have to shoot straight downward (tripods with the option of a vertical arm are very helpful). 

Here are a few examples:

Turtlehead Pond (II)

Since Saturday was an overcast day, my photos included very little or no sky at all. I just wanted to follow up and give the "big picture" (panorama incl. blue sky) from the same pond as shot today. What a difference in foliage just a few days make...


Turtlehead Pond Pano

Turtlehead Pond

We (Thomas and myself) stumbled upon this little gem in the Marshfield Town Forest more or less by accident. On our quest for Foliage photos, we went along VT Rt. 2 on Saturday and stopped in Plainfield (Martin Covered Bridge) and Marshfield (amazing hillside colors). But then I found two small ponds on the map in the vicinity and we just went there. It turned out to be an amazing site. Even without blue sky, the view from the lower end of Turtlehead Pond with the cliff in the background was well worth the drive!

Turtlehead Pond (I)


Turtlehead Pond (II)


Turtlehead Pond (III)


Turtlehead Pond (IV)

On Tioga Road

Tenaya Lake View (Yosemite National Park, Tioga Road)
This is one of my favorite spots on Tioga Road through Yosemite National Park: The view towards Tenaya Lake. I went to California in August 2016 and took a trip to the Eastern Sierra with Thomas. This shot was taken on the way from the Bay Area to Mammoth Lake where we spent the first night.

The effect on this image has been accomplished with my go-to tool, Topaz Labs "Glow". I developed my own preset which I call "Old Postcard Look". I am sure you will see more photos developed with it...