Photographic Experiences

I haven't posted for a while

2009-01-29T14:32:00.004-07:00

Some of you have asked where I have been and why I have not posted any photos. I recently started posting photos from my iPhone on a regular basis on a new mobile blog I have created.
http://mobile.thompsonimages.com
Please go check it out. I only upload photos that I take and edit with my iPhone.

Beckerman FTW

2008-09-30T13:44:00.003-06:00

f4 @ 1/500s, ISO400 - 100mm

Well, it looks pretty official now, this is the "biggie". I just spoke again with my friend Ray at http://pixelsfoto.com and this is the photo he would like to print for the "Big One". 4'x6' !!! That is huge! I am so excited! A big thanks goes out to Ray and RSL for this opportunity.

Kick it at all costs!

2008-09-29T13:46:00.004-06:00

f3.5 @ 1/350, ISO800, 125mm

Well, this last week I had a boost to my desire for shooting again. Last Real Salt Lake season I had the opportunity to photograph RSL in their game against Chicago. I invited my friend Ray Taggart, the owner Pixels Foto (check them out at http://www.pixelsfoto.com ), to come along. Well the new RSL stadium is a stones throw from his store. So, I guess he has been working with RSL to provide some photography of the team for the new stadium. Ray asked me to send over 20 or so photos. I am sure that does not mean that mine will be used, but I guess they have a decent chance. Anyway here is to hoping...

Boys to Men

2008-08-17T22:40:00.004-06:00

No, I am not referring to some lame boy band. I am talking about our young boys going on their first backpacking trip with the men. Just about every year for the last 8 or so years me and my brothers (Marie's brothers and my brother) get together for a backpacking extravaganza which Rhett organizes. This year however was a special one. We had 4 first timers, 3 of which are our oldest boys. They are Tanner (mine), Cameron (Rhetts), Parker (Jesses) and Issac (Ryans).
It was quite the experience having them there for the first time. Not only get them introduced to camping in a way that encourages them to want to do it again, but also to get used to having to think about taking care of someone other than yourself. The boys mostly handled the weekend well. We had a few snags and setback but nothing worth ruining the trip over.
It will be fun next year to be able to load them up with more equipment!

Good friends are hard to find, especially in Rome

2008-08-15T10:11:00.011-06:00

f/3.2 @ 1/60 sec, ISO 800, 70mm

This is my best friend Sean. We became friends while serving missions for the LDS church in Guatemala. You are probably thinking that calling someone your best friend seems rather juvenile, but the truth is, I wouldn't call him anything else. We have been like brothers practically since the day we met. His kids even call me Uncle Brett.
Right about now Sean is arriving in Rome where he will spend the next 5 weeks working on projects for his Masters Degree in Fine Arts. What an exciting opportunity he has to expand his vision and knowledge in such a visually rich place. I am grateful for the internet and how small it makes the world. Being able to talk with him via email and applications like Skype make it feel like he is close to home.
Yup, my best friend Sean.

A Chosen Land?

2008-08-14T17:25:00.005-06:00

1/500 @ f8 ISO 400, 70mm

Well it has been some time since I have written on my blog. When I spoke last I mentioned a trip we were taking to Bermuda. Well, we had a great time and I took lots of awesome photos. The one here was taken early in the morning as we approached Bermuda. I think it speaks for itself.

Need a push?

2008-03-26T21:25:00.003-06:00

Need a push?, originally uploaded by HKkstrongside.

I have been very interested in tilt shift photography these last few weeks. A photographer in one of the Flickr groups I visit turned me on to the technique. While I don't have a tilt shift lens, the effect can be simulated in Photoshop. By utilizing selective focus effects you can make the photo appear as if it is a miniature.
Very cool effect, I plan on creating several more of these. I will be looking for photo ops on our trip to Bermuda next week that would be great candidates for this technique.
I am real excited for our trip to Bermuda. There are very 18th century structures on the island. I really enjoy the old stuff. I can't wait to share the photos I take.

So long my feathery friend

2008-03-16T16:29:00.004-06:00

Yesterday my good friend Harold, a Green Cheeked Conure, passed away. He was only with our family for a short time but made a long lasting impression. It is amazing how much of an impact a pet can have on you and your family. He was definitely a big part of our family and he will be sorely missed. My two boys are also having a difficult time with Harolds early departure. I don't think they really understood what happened until last night when Harold was not around to say goodnight to them. It's one thing for me to be sad, but it is twice as hard to see them sad.
We love you Harold and we will miss you greatly!

Photo Walk at the Moran Eye Center

2008-02-29T12:46:00.001-07:00

PhotoWalkEyeCntr-5406, originally uploaded by HKkstrongside.

This last week I was introduced to a flicker group here in Salt Lake. In this group they choose a location where everyone can come and photograph, they call this a Photo Walk. This last week the photo walk was at the Moran Eye Center in Research Park.
At first I was really surprised at how many people were there. It was exciting to see so many people from pros to first time photographers, running around taking pictures of anything and everything.
What I most got out of this experience was that anywhere you may be, there is always something to photograph. Who would have thought that a couple dozen beakers on a peg board could make such an interesting photo such as the one I have posted here.

Reach for the sky

2008-02-18T22:28:00.006-07:00

3.2s @ f11, 200mm ISO100

Well, you can't go to Seattle without taking a photo of the Needle. My good friend Sean took me to a locals only location to snag this shot. Unfortunately there was some smog which softened the view a bit. However, they still came out nice.

I have really been enjoying adding a bit of vignetting to my photos lately. I like how the effect draws your eye toward the center of the subject. It's kind of ironic however that I would pay thousands of dollars for lenses that don't vignette a photo, only to go back in later and add it.
What do you think of Lens Vignetting?

No sun, no problem

2008-02-06T22:09:00.000-07:00

Recently I was able to visit my good friend Sean and his family in Seattle. I had never been before and was excited to experience the lush green forest feel, hopeful to capture it with my camera. I quickly found myself overwhelmed with interesting things to photograph, so much so, that I hardly photographed anything. Strange how that happens eh?
Over the next few posts I will share some of the photographs that I did take and some of the challenges with each.

The photo you see here was taken at the Public Market downtown, famous for the fish throwers. I found this angle interesting with it's interrogation style lighting, busy colors and shapes. Shooting indoors always has it's challenges especially low light since I have a hard time wanting to use the higher ISO's. That phobia probably comes from my film days. Anything over ISO400 was just to grainy for me. Generally 200 or lower is where I wanted to be. So, with the image stabilizer on I braced myself up against a column, waited for the crowd to pass and took the shot.

1/125 @f3.5 200mm ISO400

... and so it begins

2008-02-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

When I look through the viewfinder of my camera in search of "the shot" I can't help but be awestruck by the infinite combinations of interesting points of view. One might see the bars on a gate as a security measure to keep out unwanted visitors while another sees an interesting pattern of vertical steel lines. The possibilities of finding an artistic point of view are truly endless, after all, art does begin in the eye of the beholder.

I love photography and through that love I have captured many wonderful moments, frozen in time, through the lens of my camera. I am excited to begin documenting the experiences I've had and will yet encounter as I explore the views around me.

I am always looking for new ideas for photographs. If there is something you would like to see me capture, please let me know. If it works out, I might even send you a print.

... and so it begins.