M and I decided to give a brand spanking new bike trail a try. A path alongside the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, that spans the Potomac from Virginia into Maryland, had its grand opening yesterday, so we couldn't resist checking it out today. It was quite scenic just from the riverview perspective, but there were lovely sculptural features at the end. I so regretted that I left the camera behind. If you're local, you should hike or bike the bridge at least once.
We did 19 miles today and close to 30 yesterday. Since I haven't been on the bike that much lately, it was taxing; both on my "parts" and my energy level.
I finished up a scherenschnitte snip for my friend, Celita, in Italy. We are snipping buddies and trade snips every few months. We started out doing similar pieces; mostly depicting scenes of life. I've moved to 3D pieces and she has moved to snips that resemble stained glass. It'll be fun to see what arrives in the mail from her.
I'm also trying to figure out how to photograph my work. My photographic skills run at only a slightly higher level than trying to not cut off heads and feet. Cindy, a blogger friend with whom I recently sent a snip, photographed my work in a way that knocked me out. My work looks so much better in her photo. So, I've tried some different backgrounds, but still my work doesn't show as well as in her photo. Suggestions would be highly appreciated.
10 comments:
Wow... lots of miles covered this weekend! my "parts" are sore just reading about it! Your new snipping piece is awesome as usual :)
Your snips are just stunning! Wish I had photography suggestions for you. I'm better with natural light, not anything that requires light manipulation.
It looks like her lighting source is from above and yours is direct (straight on). If you have no strong overhead lighting, perhaps a polarizing lens on your camera might help.
I love your new snip and the bike ride sounds fantastic, just thinking about it makes me tired...
x Alex
Absolutely amazing! Great work! I can't imagine the patience it must take to do these!
Yes, lately I've been lazy about taking my camera with me and then regretting that I don't have it. The last day of our three day biking trip I was so tired I passed out that night and I have never had a better night of sleep.
You might make a light box to photgraph your snips - that way the light is diffuse and doesn't creat harsh shadows. Just google "how to make a light box"
It's even worse if you DO take the camera but forget to take pictures like me!
Thank you so much for the complement. Honestly indoor photography, especially of still objects, is something that I've been working on myself. I probably took more time to photograph your work than I usually do with my own.
I used a medium value solid colored fabric background since I didn't want the background to compete in any way with the intricacy of the snip. I draped the fabric over a tall chair near the window to take advantage of the indirect light. I may also have left the overhead light on which is just a single bulb under a white glass globe, so it provides soft fill if anything. I hung the snip and then waited for it to stop spinning until it was at a nice angle to show the three dimensional effect. IIRC it was an overcast day which also makes the best lighting for outdoor shooting.
Thanks for stopping by my page. I do sherenschnitte, too. Mind you, it looks like kid stuff compared to yours! Have you seen Ebon Heath's paper cuttings? They are freaking amazing.
By the time you're in the market for a camera, I bet there will be lots of new features available. My recommendation is, when you plan to get one, go to a reputable photography equipment shop and talk to their camera staff about your expertise, what you want & what you don't want.
EEEEEEEE!!! Can you hear me squeal with delight??? I cannot wait to see it in person. sorry I peaked, but did not know it was in this post. working on yours... hugs... soon!
:-)
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