Jennifer Sawicky Photography

February 16, 2014

Elephants at Chobe

I decided to go back and re-edit some old photos, as I wasn’t inspired to get out and shoot this weekend. Here is a photo taken at Chobe Park in Botswana while on a boat tour. I see lots of possibilities for editing it.

Base image, with only basic Lightroom adjustments for chromatic aberration and lens profile correction.
1/250Sec, f10, ISO100
April 8, 2013 at Chobe Park, Botswana

To me, the elephant at the far left of the photo looked out of place. I cropped it out, and edited the photo with Colour Efex adding a polarizing filter effect.

Edited with Colour Efex Pro

For the edit above, I used the same polarizing filter effect, but cropped in just to focus on the elephants crossing their trunks.

Finally, I did a black and white conversion with Silver Efex Pro, on a cropped version of the photo showing several elephants with their tusks in alignment. I added in vignetting and a border to help obscure the elephant far right that was heading out of the water.

Thanks to my landscape photography instructor Jim for reminding us to always look for the picture within a picture. 🙂

February 10, 2014

Silhouettes

The clear, cold weather over the weekend brought with it a lot of shivering, but also a lot of great photos opportunities. I had Spencer with me, so I was more concerned with his well-being and enjoyment than getting the perfect shot… but, I still managed to get a few that I really like.

I hadn’t set out with a theme in mind, but the strongest photos of the weekend were all silhouettes (a clear topic for the blog – hurray!)

I see a Cooper's Hawk on nearly every weekend walk I take out at the dikes, and still they catch me by surprise most times. I was glad I had the camera set to capture it in flight. The setting sun is glimmering off of some of the ice floating in the river. 1/1250, f5.6, ISO100. — I see a Cooper’s Hawk on nearly every weekend walk I take out at the dikes, and still they catch me by surprise most times. I was glad I had the camera set to capture it in flight. The setting sun is glimmering off of some of the ice floating in the river. 1/1250, f5.6, ISO100.

I saw this pair on the dike as we were pulling into the parking lot, and snapped a few quick photos without thinking too much more about it. This is one of my favourites from that afternoon. 1/1250, f4.5, ISO100 — I saw this pair on the dike as we were pulling into the parking lot, and snapped a few quick photos without thinking too much more about it. This is one of my favourites from that afternoon.
1/1250, f4.5, ISO100

Cool tones in the sky, and ribbons of ice lining the river's edge. The ice creaking in the dark made things a little bit spooky. I had to adjust my exposure slider 1 1/2 stops in processing, so I guess I should have bumped my ISO to start or waited an extra 10 seconds or so during the exposure. 61sec, f22, ISO100 — Cool tones in the sky, and ribbons of ice lining the river’s edge. The ice creaking in the dark made things a little bit spooky.
I had to adjust my exposure slider 1 1/2 stops in processing, so I guess I should have bumped my ISO to start or waited an extra 10 seconds or so during the exposure. 61sec, f22, ISO100

While we were walking, I saw this shape in the water, and thought it was a oddly shaped stump. When I realized it was a heron resting, I set up right away, and didn't bother adjusting my settings; I just hoped it would stay still long enough to get a shot. Like the Golden Ears photo, I had to adjust my exposure slider 1 1/2 stops...but I am glad I pressed down on the remote when I did, as he soon shifted position. 34sec, f29, ISO100 — While we were walking, I saw this shape in the water, and thought it was a oddly shaped stump. When I realized it was a heron resting, I set up right away, and didn’t bother adjusting my settings; I just hoped it would stay still long enough to get a shot. Like the Golden Ears photo, I had to adjust my exposure slider 1 1/2 stops…but I am glad I pressed down on the remote when I did, as he soon shifted position.
34sec, f29, ISO100

I love the sky before sunrise, with the beautiful warm tones to the east, and cool tones to the west. 2.5sec, f22, ISO100 — I love the sky before sunrise, with the beautiful warm tones to the east, and cool tones to the west.
2.5sec, f22, ISO100

Beautiful Mount Baker, about a half hour before sunrise. 6.0sec, f25, ISO100 — Beautiful Mount Baker, about a half hour before sunrise.
6.0sec, f25, ISO100

January 19, 2014

Things I missed

Sunday morning walks with Spencer are my very favourite. When we get up and head out early, we can find, for a few brief moments, a bit of quiet space. On Sunday mornings, the trucks aren’t moving around in the gravel pit along the river, and fewer people are out early in the mornings. There are gaps when we don’t hear a train in the distance or the hum of the airplanes on the landing path into YVR – and we can hear the birds chirping, the geese honking, the ducks quacking and the breeze rustling the trees.

It was in one of these blissful gaps that I realized how much I miss while out walking the same stretch of dike. How did I fail to notice the blinking light on the top of the buoy in the channel? I’ve seen it every weekend for months, I’ve been past it on a jet ski and on boats, but until today I never actually looked at it. I know this is true in all aspects of my life – how much gets done or accomplished in busy-ness without really thinking about it, rushing around without really seeing what’s happening, being consumed with mental clutter and stress…

So this morning, I took photos of some of the things I have missed, over and over again.

I spent most mornings through the fall heading out to the dikes to take photos for my fog project, and I don't know how I failed to notice the flashing yellow light on the river! — I spent most weekend mornings through the fall heading out to the dikes to take photos for my fog project, and I don’t know how I failed to notice the flashing yellow light on the river!

The dikes are dotted with memorial benches, and occasionally Spencer will pause long enough to let me read the plaques. These flowers have long lost their lustre, but are now home to one or more spiders. I wouldn't have noticed the webs without the fog collecting on them. — The dikes are dotted with memorial benches, and occasionally Spencer will pause long enough to let me read the plaques. These flowers have long lost their lustre, but are now home to one or more spiders. I wouldn’t have noticed the webs without the fog collecting on them.

I'm not sure how I failed to notice the bright orange-yellow tone of these branches before, but this morning they stood out amongst the dead grasses and blackberry brambles. — I’m not sure how I failed to notice the bright orange-yellow tone of these branches before, but this morning they stood out amongst the dead grasses and blackberry brambles.

I'm not sure what type of birds these are, but their music was beautiful. It was so quiet this morning that I could hear them singing and chattering long before I could figure out which tree they were perched in. — I’m not sure what type of birds these are, but their music was beautiful. It was so quiet this morning that I could hear them singing and chattering long before I could figure out which tree they were perched in.

January 14, 2014

Zebra

The weather on the weekend was not conducive to having my camera out, and none of my indoor projects have inspired me this week. So, I decide instead to experiment with new software on a photo I have worked on before.

I've edited this photo a few times, but recently purchased Silver Efex and wanted to see the difference in using that compared to Lightroom for a B&W conversion. I am very happy with the results. — I’ve edited this photo a few times, but recently purchased Silver Efex and wanted to see the difference in using that compared to Lightroom for a B&W conversion. I am very happy with the results.

January 5, 2014

Frosty Morning Walk

I love the band of peach through the fog, and the touches of pink in the clouds.

The light this morning was stunning. I don’t even have words for how beautiful it was, and doubt the photos do it any justice. It was crisp this morning, with all the trees and grasses covered in thick frost. There were banks of fog swirling around close to the river; alternating between showing the water and mountains, and obscuring them. The sky was dotted with fluffy clouds, and the mountains all had a generous coating of snow… the early morning positively glowed and showed off the most subtle colour palate of pastel tones. And, it was blissfully quiet, without another person around, just the dog with me and the birds singing their wake up songs.

All in all, the perfect start to a Sunday.

I took several photos of the frosty branches, and love the difference in colour between the one facing east (above) and the one facing west.

The sun was just beginning to come up, had I been an hour later, the frost on the trees would have been long gone.

With the sun up, it was time to head for home.

January 1, 2014

Prisms

I’ve decided to start 2014 off by committing to taking at least one photo per day. While I also want to commit to more regular blog posting, it certainly won’t be on a daily basis. Today, I didn’t feel like heading out into the drizzly afternoon, and found myself wondering what photographs of my chandelier would turn out like. Standard photos, it turn out, are not interesting at all, and only serve to remind me of how much I need to dedicate an afternoon to cleaning it.

The chandelier in my apartment close up… dust and all.

The thing I like so much about this light fixture is the way it throws tiny rainbows over the walls and within the fixture itself, depending on the vantage point. When I stopped trying to have sharp focus on the fixture, but instead concentrated on capturing the colours, shapes and textures, I liked the results a lot more.

There is still a hint of what this is, as the individual pieces of glass can be seen top left, but the colours are much more vibrant when the focus is reduced.

When I removed all focus, I liked the results the best 🙂

I love the tear-drop shape towards the centre of this photo.

When the focus is gone, it is all about shaw and colour. I love how saturated the blues are. — When the focus is gone, it is all about shape and colour. I love how saturated the blues are.

December 25, 2013

Birds at Finn Slough

It’s been several weeks since I went on my last photo walk with my class, but life has gotten in the way of putting together a post of my favourite photos.

The purpose of the trip was to concentrate on the altered landscape, but instead I was focused on all the birds. I rarely see swans in the local area, and on the drive in went past a field filled with them. There was no where to pull over to take a photo, and I was glad when I arrived at Finn Slough and had another opportunity for a photo.

November 17, 2013

Cooper's Hawk

I was lucky enough to have my camera while out on a walk early yesterday morning along the dikes. It was quite foggy, and I was hoping to capture a few shots for a project I am working on. I saw some moment in the tall grasses along the edge of the river, and managed to capture a sequence of a Cooper’s Hawk hunting. I didn’t manage to see in the end if he or she was success in the hunt, but it was still a great thing to witness. The thick fog adds a bit of a vintage feel to the pictures.

October 14, 2013

Autumn Days

Each year, the transition into autumn hits me harder and harder. I find the grey skies and rain day after day a bit much to handle (the colder temperatures don’t impress me that much either). However, we have recently had some gorgeous weather, and I’m glad I had my camera with me to capture a little bit of it.

I had my “photo assistant” along to enjoy the lovely weather. While I took photos of the river, he dug in the sand 🙂

This young deer was not far from where I saw several bears a few days earlier. I'm glad I was prepared this time with the correct lens. — This young deer was not far from where I saw several bears a few days earlier. I’m glad I was prepared this time with the correct lens.

September 27, 2013

Pacific Spirit Park

I spent time with my landscape photography class at Pacific Spirit Park last weekend, taking photographs on the theme of texture and patterns in the forest. It turned out to be a lovely day as the rains had stopped and the occasional sun beam burst through the trees.

I hadn’t planned on posting any photos, but when reviewing my favourites with some classmates in my Photoshop course, I was told that I should be enlarging and printing on canvas my forest photo. It’s not something I’m planning on doing, but I thought it is at least worth a share on my blog.