It’s not too often that I take photos that look like paintings. It takes some luck, timing, and of course Mother Nature’s help to create that effect. Filtered light, reflections, and ripples on the surface of the water, weather conditions, locale, and camera settings, all contribute to the effect. Here are a few photographs that I’ve taken recently that have painting-like qualities.
A pond near our home. I used a lens made in 1958 that is very fast but hard to focus. The result is the very shallow depth of field and a slightly soft image. Muted colors reminded me of an old painting faded with time.
Reflections on the water can create painting like effects. In this case there was a vivid blue sky, white clouds and ripples on the water that also added to the effect.
Sunrise in Charleston, South Carolina. The sun is just beginning to rise. I shot this with a wide-angle lens and pushed the horizon to the top of the frame wanting to include as much of the water and sky’s reflection along with the marsh jutting out into the bay.
Bernheim Forest, a late November afternoon nearing sunset and I was about to loose the light. I used a polarizing filter that saturated the colors and softened focus. Initially I did not like this photo all that much. Dark at the corners and the colors looked overdone due to the filter and low light. Over time it’s grown on me.
Floyd’s Fork along the Valley of the Giants trail in the Parklands. Shot in October again late afternoon. Adjusted the highlights and shadows and boosted the saturation in LIghtroom. Shooting with a wide-angle lens defines the perspective that allows the wide field of view.
Dogwood in bloom at the Frankfort Cemetery and a view from Daniel Boone’s grave. Early morning fog softens the image. I shot this a few minutes later as the sun rose and the fog lifted resulting in a totally different image. Fog can create a sense of mystery.
Mother Nature provides unlimited opportunities to shoot vivid landscapes that with planning, camera settings and a little luck will create photos that look like paintings. Check out all the photos on this website and let me know what you think.