Month: September 2022

Twirling Swinging Bridge

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The third image I entered in the 2022 Iowa State Fair is titled Twirling Swinging Bridge” This image was submitted in the “Anything Goes” class, which means the image is to be dramatically computer enhanced or radically altered. This type of processing is something I do for fun. I have used this type of processing on several images, but Twirling Swinging Bridge has captured the most attention on social media.

The image was radically altered in Adobe Photoshop using the twirl filter. With this filter l find it best to use multiple layers and save the file as a photoshop file. One time, I failed to save the file with all the layers and saved it as a .jpg file after merging the layers. Oops! I wanted to change something and couldn’t. I tried to recreate the image again, but guess what? The filter never works the same way twice! I was unable to duplicate my original enhancements. Lesson learned.

Often I am asked what the original imaged looked like. Below is Twirling Swinging Bridge and Swinging Bridge in Spring.

Twirling Swinging Bridge
Swinging Bridge in Spring

I have photographed this scene in all seasons. Making a black and white image of this scene still dances around in my head. But the vision I have, well let’s say, it might not be so easy to get to this location to make that vision come to life.

There was an image on display for this class that the photographer had used the twirl filter in Adobe Photoshop. What was different from my image? The colors were all primary, red, blue, green and yellow. And the image was more geometric. It reminded me of patterns I made using Spirograph from the 1970’s. Did you have a Spirograph?

I’ll never know why at least one judge like the other image over mine. And yes, it stings to know that someone who used the same technique had an image on display and mine didn’t make the cut. I keep reminding myself it is a tough competition and this year only 29% of the images submitted were chosen for display.

There will be one more image for me to write about, so stay tuned! Until then, leave me a comment on your thoughts about Twirling Swinging Bridge.

Desert Globemallow

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Of the four images submitted to the 2022 Iowa State Fair, this is the image that I was hoping would had been selected for display. Desert Globemallow, a wildflower in Arizona.

Desert Globemallow blooms in a variety of colors, orange, red, white, light pink, hot pink and lavender. Orange is the most common and can be found throughout the Sonoran Desert.

This particular image was made along Highway 79 between US 60 and Florence, Arizona. All colors of globemallow can be found along the roadside of Highway 79. This two lane highway is quite busy with trucks en route to Florence, Arizona and you have to be careful. Photographing flowers along a highway can be quite challenging. As the large trucks whiz by, the flowers are anything but still, even using a plamp. Not only do you have to watch for traffic along this highway, but also rattlesnakes.

Being mindful of traffic and rattlesnakes, I continued to photograph all the colors of globemallow. Macro photography is harder than people think and you have to have patience and be willing to twist, bend and sometimes lie on the ground. Waiting for the wind to die down after each truck went by and holding my diffuser and/or a reflector in one hand, my camera on a tripod and the cable release in my other hand I worked to make images of all the colors. Fortunately globemallow is on a bush and not within inches of the grounds like many wildflowers. Still, you have to twist and turn to get the right angle for the flowers with a clean background. It’s a good idea to bring along cardboard, paper, a jacket or whatever you can think of, including your shoe, to make a clean background.

The judges didn’t think it was worthy for display, but many people have given me compliments on this image. I’ll be writing about all the images submitted and the story behind each one.

Til I write about the next image submitted, please enjoy my image Desert Globemallow.