Thursday, December 13, 2012

Found

I'm a firm believer that the best photographs are the ones you happen to find along the way in the midst of your daily routine. Last weekend on a grey misty morning while I was walking my dog through my tiny hometown, I came across this scene. I must have passed this bagel store hundreds of times, but it wasn't until I noticed its interplay with this colorful array of skateboards that I appreciated its humor. For a more poetic take, go to Recovery Thru My Lens.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Post-Thanksgiving

Readers, I have been remiss. Here's my tribute to Thanksgiving rather late this year. I got so wrapped up in my preparations, I simply forgot, but I hope you enjoy this one---especially the little guy bent over in the front, rather poultry-like. The shallow depth of field I used here seems to emphasize his diminutive stature...don't you think?

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Still Sandy

On Sunday, we were finally allowed access to the Roger's Beach in Westhampton after the hurricane. Of course, I grabbed my camera and headed down there. What I found, was much different that I expected. The beach was still sandy, wider than before, not narrower. But there were these rivers of water running through it. I decided that the best way to depict that impression was to shoot right up the river. In terms of composition, the angle of view can make all the difference. To see another viewpoint, go to my other blog, Recovery Thru My Lens.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Flaming

As Hurricane Sandy heads toward us, I'm wondering how bad it will really be, how much work I should do. For Irene last year, I moved my computer and all my photographs upstairs in case of flooding; and all we got was some wind. Hmmm.....this time they're saying it could be the worst storm ever. This image comes to mind as I wonder whether we'll lose power. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could convert all the leaves flaming outdoors into the energy we might need to cook and read by? Wouldn't that be the ulitimate in sustainability?

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Spine

On Sunday I took a drive to the North Fork and came across a community garden in New Suffolk. Since I started my little garden this summer where I planted mostly tomatoes and was unexpectedly more successful than I could have imagined, I'm drawn to plots of vegetables that I find in unlikely places. This unusual variety of Swiss chard with its yellow spine was so stunning that I had to take a photograph. 

Friday, October 12, 2012

Serenity

No matter how long I live near the water, I still need to remind myself that even in the off-season, when the temperature starts to dip, I can jump in my car and in ten minutes I'll be where the water meets the sky, where there's some serenity for me and plenty for you too. 
In fact if you visit my other blog, Recovery Thru My Lens, you'll read the same words but find another view of this scene. I couldn't chose between the two, so I posted one on each site. Let me know which one you prefer...



Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Autumn Light

There is something about porches in the late afternoon light that I find so peaceful. Over the weekend I visited an old friend in Westchester where I hadn't been in many years. When I entered her beautiful home around 5pm, I headed straight to the back porch where autumn light was skimming its surface. And there with little effort on my part, I captured this composition. For a more poetic take on this image, visit Recovery Thru My Lens.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Flyer

Oooh, I've been so remiss here...life has gotten away with me these days. ...
But here's something wonderful I captured the other day in front of my local sushi restaurant. Little Elvin, the son of the owner whom I've known for about twenty years. When I saw him with his Radio Flyer, I couldn't resist his adorable stance and expression. The contrasty midday light presented quite a challenge for a portrait, but the shadow on his face seems to compliment his mood.
For a more whimsical take on this image...go to Recovery Thru My Lens!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Capture

Although I complain about too much technology to the point of creating an entire collection, called Phantoms, to show how it's the demise of society as I've known it, here's an instance where it definitely came in handy.
When I go to the beach lugging beach chairs, umbrella, towels, books, etc, I leave my camera behind to lighten the load and avoid damaging my equipment. However, now that the i-Phone takes such good pictures, I can whip it out if I see something I can't resist.
Sure, I can't control the f-stop, shutter speed or the focus and the file size is limited, but when there's a choice between capturing the image or not, I  succumb.
In this case, if I would have waited to return the next day with my Canon, this creature would certainly have been washed away.
For a more personal take on the alligator, go to Recovery Thru My Lens.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Divide


Here's yet another of my classic beachscapes that I'm writing about for the first time. Like the others, it was taken just after sunset---but at Cupsogue Beach County Park at the end of Weshampton Dunes. Notice how the red fence stands out against the green grass and blue sky. Perfect complements further enriched by the last few moments of twilight. 
It's rare to find a moment of universal harmony like this---the reason why it seems to be a perennial favorite. I've saved it for the last month of summer so I can savor it through the end of the season....always a bit melancholy no matter how long I've lived here on the East End.

Go to my other blog, Recovery Thru The Lens, to read a more personal rendition of this image.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Twilight

Here's another summer classic taken on the North Fork. One aspect of many of these landscapes is that they are taken just after the sun dips below the horizon. During those few twilight moments, the colors saturate and the earth glows pink and purple.
What stikes me most about this image is that the beach plums, usually hot pink, are white and appear to be praying at the waterside. I've written a poem called Whisper to accompany this image that you can read on Recovery Thru My Lens....enjoy!

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Wonderland


Sorry to have missed a week of posting here. Here's one of my classic images taken several years back that I usually call Pink Sound but today I'm calling it Wonderland as a tribute to the East End where I've lived for almost 25 years.
As a photographer, I'm so grateful to this part of the world for its breathtaking beaches, intricate land formations and most of all, wonderful light. Sometimes I long for the city streets where there's so much action and so many faces to feast on, but then I picture images like this and remember why I'm here.

To read a more personal take on this image, visit Recovery Thru My Lens.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Signs

This summer many of my posts seem to revolve around the weather. Maybe it's because it's been so unusual, so volatile this year. Maybe it has to do with climate change or our unpredictable economy, but most likely it has to do with my changing perspective.
Since creating my newest blog, Recovery Thru My Lens, I've grown even more connected to the natural world that has always provided so much to see. But now I'm seeing it in a more personal way as signs of what's to come.
While attending a meeting during a torrential storm a few nights ago, there was an eerie yellow light filling the doorway during the break.
"Look, it's a rainbow," someone shrieked.
And indeed, there it was arching over the church next door.
In the middle of a very stressful week, it was the sign I needed most.
To see a more poetic rendition go to Renew...

Friday, July 13, 2012

Magic

No matter how long I take photographs, it's magic never ceases to amaze me. When I finally succumbed and bought a digital SLR camera in 2008, I started to experiment with it by photographing the sky. At that time, I was envisioning a collage about climate change that would require many small images; so I thought it was a perfect application for the camera which offered endless frames, easily deleted unlike the more cumbersome, expensive film process.
That project has not yet materialized, however four years later, I have rediscovered this series and they are resonating with me much more now than when I originally created them. It reminds me that when we feel the urge to photograph something, we must take action even if we're not quite sure why we're doing it or where it might lead. 
So far, two of these images have inspired me emotionally on my more personal blog, Recovery Thru My Lens. Take a look at Help and Bliss to see how....






Friday, July 6, 2012

Island

On a recent trip to the North Fork just before Orient, I noticed this island floating in the Long Island Sound. Since I've been surrounded by water here on the East End for the last 20+ years, it takes something remarkable for me to shoot an image like this these days.
Amidst all the development taking place here, I was struck by the emptiness of this stretch of sea, sand and sky. It seemed that this could be an island floating almost anywhere in the world; in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean or even off the coast of Africa or in the South Pacific---although the sea might not be as calm. And because it's reminiscent of a simpler time, I transferred it to black and white with a hint of amber for nostalia...
For a poetic rendition of this image, visit Recovery Thru My Lens!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Girls

As the mother of two daughters, I couldn't resist this group convening before a T-ball game at my grandsons birthday party earlier this month. As the boys on the Blue team chased one another around the field, the girls on the Red team congregated in the field for some instruction. 
And as my husband dispelled some baseball basics, I couldn't help but notice how they listened so intently with their distinct personalities stamped on their faces and displayed by their statures.
How did the notion evolve that nurture can trump nature when it comes to the difference between the sexes?
Visit Recovery Thru My Lens for a more lyrical perspective.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Cycles

The first step in taking good photographs is becoming your own best scout.
Here's what I call my signature image; the one I have printed on my business card. Taken seven years ago, I have never written about it although I've told the story of how I scouted it out many times.
That week in June, my younger daughter was suffering from stomach pain. After a day or so, we took her to the hospital and they finally diagnosed her with appendicitis. With surgery scheduled for the next morning, we went out for dinner passing this field just after the sun had dipped below the horizon when I witnessed this wonderful sight. Alas...I didn't have a camera with me.
The following evening after a successful operation, I rushed home collected my medium format film camera and returned there at the same time of evening. Standing in the mud in my white sandals, I captured this image now called Water Cycle.
For a poetic rendition of this image, visit Recovery Thru My Lens!

Friday, June 15, 2012

Spontaneity

For me, spontaneity is the key to a good portrait. I've never been particularly good at posing people. And even when I try, they're uncomfortable and too conscious of the camera to allow their true selves to emerge.
Here's a prime example. Last Saturday I crammed my grandson's new bike, his birthday present, into my back seat of my Honda Insight where it barely fit. Then, I proceeded to his party held around the block at our village park. I had hoped that he would be playing in the field or otherwise occupied when I arrived so he wouldn't see the handle bar jutting out of the window.
However, they pulled up right beside my car when we arrived at the same time. He jumped out and peered through the window. Luckily, my camera was resting on the passenger seat and I had the presence of mind to pick it up.
For a more poetic rendition, visit Recovery Thru My Lens!

Friday, June 8, 2012

Imperfect

On a drizzly spring day a few weeks ago, I was fortunate to be invited for lunch at my friend Ellen's home. It's always a treat to receive that particular invitation because Ellen is a private chef. Spontaneously, she can throw together a meal from whatever she finds in her fridge and garden that's more scrumptous than any restaurant around.
Beyond the wonderful fish chowder and deer tongue lettuce sprinkled with chive flowers, I was delighted by what lay on the table. Longing to photograph the two pears bathed in natural light, I chided myself for not bringing my camera. But there, beside my napkin lay my iPhone. Dare I stoop to that level, become just another iPhone shooter.
You have no choice, I told myself pressing the silly "app." Although one pear is marred, the rooster's head is cut off and the file is half the size of my Canon's digital capability, I couldn't get this image out of my head. To read a more lyrical rendition of this post, visit Recovery Thru My Lens.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Drift

There's something magical about sandbars. Usually they appear here at the end of the summer, but this one materialized early in June five years ago. This is one of my favorite beach images, yet this is the first time I am writing about it.
While relaxing on a Quogue beach one afternoon, I noticed how the shoreline appeared severed to the left. The next day I returned with my medium-format film camera late in the afternoon when the light was low. Stationed in this spot, composition ready, I pre-visualized the image and waited for someone to come walking into the scene. After several passed, this couple dressed in white mosied into the frame skirting the inner waterway on either side.
For a long time I had called this photograph simply Sandbar. A few days ago, however, I re-titled it Drift after writing a short verse with it in mind for my other blog, Recovery Thru My Lens. Take a look and find out why...

Friday, May 25, 2012

Present

The most important ingredient for taking good photographs is being present. It doesn't matter what kind of equipment you have if you're not aware, living in the moment.
This image of my daughter taken last weekend just before her sister's college graduation ceremony is a perfect example. We had arrived over one hour early at the campus to stake out our seats for six people. At the time, the closest ones to the stage were smack in the middle, directly in the sun. As we waited, amid the crowd, sweat beading on our foreheads, I fretted about how I would get a shot of the graduate through all the heads as she walked down the middle aisle.
Then I looked up and saw my older daughter's smile set aside Healy Hall, the oldest building at Georgetown. Lifting my camera, I took three shots. This one, the last, of her wistfully glancing sideways as if she knew exactly how I was framing her, is my favorite. If I had continued to fret, hadn't been present, I wouldn't have this precious momento.
For a more poetic take on this image, go to Recovery Thru My Lens.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Lavender

Each Mother's Day, we go to the North Fork to buy plants for the garden like so many Long Islanders. But this year there was a special treat. Lunch at the Tea Time Cottage in Jamesport where it's all about lavender. Thriving everywhere, the fragrant herb abounds in the gardens, the greenhouse and inside as well. It's in your tea, your whipped cream, your soup, your chicken wrap, you name it. They also sell a line of lavender soaps and lotions that smell divine.
Although it was midday, I challenged myself by attempting to photograph the brightly illuminated place including the sign near the road that resided in deep shade. There must have been about a 3 or maybe 4-stop difference between the two. I accomplished this image by overexposing by 1/3 stop and brightening the sign--as well as the porch--quite a bit in Photoshop. Rather contrasty for my taste, but fitting for the warm, cheerful day! 

Friday, May 11, 2012

Irony

On the heels of my quintessential cherry tree image, I thought this would be an interesting follow-up. Each spring I love the sight of petals dropped like confetti on lawns and roadways; and each spring I try to find a way to photograph these carpets of color. A few weeks ago, I made an attempt with the addition of my Shadow.
Last weekend on my way to my daughter's house, I noticed this swath of pink beside the road and pulled over. Shooting from above, they appeared like unremarkable specks with no real perspective. However when I sunk down to my heels, I found something more compelling.
A first glance it was just a rusty drain; but the more I looked the more I liked the irony it presented. Here were these beautiful bits of nature adorning the sewer made by man that would eventually suck them in.
It's these surprises, these counterpoints that can make an image more meaningful. For a more lyrical rendition of my thoughts regarding this image checkout my other blog, Recovery Thru My Lens.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Cherry


Most photographers avoid midday light at all costs. They shoot either early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the sun is low in the sky, skimming the earth creating dramatic light and long shadows. Between 11 am and 1pm, the sun shines directly down producing dark circles under the eyes and extreme contrast everywhere else. 
However, on occasion it can work to your advantage with the right subject. Here's one of my favorite images taken on the North Fork of Long Island in a place called New Suffolk. One May day I was driving around this charming area scouting for locations when I spotted this vintage truck protected by a canopy of pink. Enchanted, I pulled over and grabbed my medium-format camera (with film). When I stood before the scene, the lacy shadows took me by surprise turning a pretty picture into an interesting one.


Friday, April 27, 2012

Shadow

Sometimes a simple shadow can produce a dramatic image.
I went outside this morning to photograph the forsythia petals I had been looking at out my window for the past week and thinking about how to shoot them--actually to post on my other blog, Recovery Thru My Lens
When I finally got out there with my camera, I looked through the viewfinder (yes, I still use it), saw my shadow and started to move out of the way. Then I envisioned some dynamic images that my friend, Robyn has been posting on her blog, Through the Healing Lens, that she calls Pain Shadow, and stayed put.
Here is the result. When I reviewed the 10 frames taken, I found this one most interesting; how it appears like I'm attached to the tree and how the greatest concentration of petals fall within the outline of my head and arm supporting the camera.
Coincidence or not, you tell me?

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Earth Day

As I toted my two grandsons from booth to booth at an Earth Day celebration in Westhampton yesterday, we encountered this Great Horned Owl, named Hooter, courtesy of the Quogue Wildlife Rescue. Clinging to a wooden perch, he was hanging out in broad daylight for all to see his topaz eyes, feathery ears and camouflage coat. 
Fortunately, I had stuffed my camera in the diaper bag, so I grabbed it and moved up close. Swiveling his head around 180 degrees, I waited until he faced me eye to eye and started shooting. 
At first, the images were quite formal, the typical bird portrait you might see on a nature calendar. But after a while, perhaps 15 frames, it seemed that Hooter relaxed and became more comfortable with me, that we developed a repoire.  It seems that birds of a feather do flock together...
To read a personal reflection on Hooter go to Wisdom on Recovery Thru My Lens.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Rain

Generally, there's a misconception about photographing in the rain. That being, why bother?
A few weekends ago, I was on the Upper West Side of Manhattan to see a play, Hindsight by Simon Van Booy, a friend of mine from graduate school. Although it was gray and gloomy outside and I knew we'd be indoors for most of the time, I carried my camera with me. 
After the performance, we headed south walking between the raindrops along Broadway and passing Fairway where I used to buy groceries years before when I lived in the neighborhood right after graduating from college.
For old-time sake, I raised my camera and captured this scene just as a taxi zoomed by. Besides its personal nostalgia, I love how the yellow and orange complements the blue awning---and how the cloudy sky works as a giant diffuser balancing the light and making the colors pop so naturally...

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Model

There's nothing like spontaneity. At first glance, one might think that I toted this little boy to Central Park's Conservancy Garden, placed him beside these tulips and said, "sniff." But that's not the case.
I was visiting the gardens with a friend from Denver when I spotted this sight. Fortunately, my medium-format camera was hanging around my neck. And luckily, I had the presence of mind to ask his parents to sign a model release after I took this photograph. Six years later, I still marvel at the image and my good luck.
Visit my more personal blog, Recovery Thru My Lens, where you can see how this photograph has inspired me years later.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Spring

Sometimes the best pictures can be found right around the corner. This image, my quintessential Spring photograph, was taken five years ago as I was travelling home along a stretch of road where by some miracle the farmland has been preserved and the one or two farmers left have not sold out to Hamptons developers. So each Spring I marvel at this pristine sight as the pastels emerge.
Taken with my medium-format camera, it's a good example of how film captures the subtleties and nuances of color and detail rendering a warmth and richness that's beyond digital technology. Now, that's my opinion...
And checkout my second blog--Recovery Thru My Lens--launched last week, that's more personal and inspirational, where I compose a brief poem for each image. Right now it's featuring the same one which may occur sometimes, sometimes not---I haven't quite decided since it's still a work in progress. So if you are so inspired, you can follow me there too...

Monday, March 26, 2012

Dogwalker

I spend a lot of time walking my dog. So it's no wonder that while I was down in Savannah this Phantom appeared to me. As she approached, I stood steady focusing on the flower that bloomed so red in January. When I started the project, I focused on the background to render some clarity and contrast. But as the series has progressed, I've found that I needn't be so rigid, that I just need to find what's most important to the scene. Here I've chosen the hibiscus flowering in winter.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Sunbeam

Yesterday in Washington Square Park, the sun came out late in the afternoon giving me a preview of spring. Not only did throngs of people appear in their spring gear, performers materialized wherever I looked. There was a young man playing the grand piano, another the violin, and even a third playing a saw, yes a saw. But it was this fellow circling a hoop up and down his rubbery body that captivated me.As I watched him move through my lens, he began to disappear into one of my Phantoms. It wasn't until I viewed the images last nite that I noticed how a sunbeam had obfuscated his head.New or old readers, please notice the new Follower gadget on the right making it easier for people to follow me; so please click on it and encourage others to join you! Thanks!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Angel

During the past week or so I have been editing the Phantom images that I took while on my trip down south last month. After going on a photography trip, it's best to let your work rest for a while before taking a serious look. That rest provides distance from the personal experience and allows you to develop an objective viewpoint towards the imagery.
Here is a perfect example of an image that I might have discarded at first if I didn't give it some time. In my viewfinder, it had appeared as a fuzzy white blob in the center of the frame at its inception. It wasn't until I projected it on my monitor that I could appreciate how she had sprouted wings and swirled down the staircase mirroring the blacks, white, and grey tones around her. Now, this angel has become one of my favorites!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Forsyth Park

Back to my trip down south last month, here's an image of the Spanish moss hanging over Forsyth Park in the heart of Savannah. There are many factors coming into play that make this pleasing to the eye: the moss framing the top, the woman and her bicycle providing a focal point to the right, and the silver and green cooling the palate.
It feels so much like a tapestry to me that I'm planning to use it as the backdrop for a new collage. Since starting that series called Out of Whack last summer, I haven't come across the right image to inspire a new piece. So I'm excited to get to work!
Also, if you're an artist and would like to create a blog something like this, I'm giving a workshop, Blogging for Artists, next Saturday at the East End Arts School. Details are here in the News section!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

First Impressions

For those of you who've been following this blog for a while, you'll recognize Scissored from my Phantoms series that I posted last summer while exhibiting at Art Sites. For the first time since launching this blog (two years ago this month!), I'm posting the same image a second time. And here's why.
This month I began to help the editor at my local Patch.com curate a new column called First Impressions. If you click on that title, you'll see Scissored featured there as well.
It's a new weekly showcase for artists in the Westhampton-Hampton Bays area where Patch readers can view artwork and post their impressions upon seeing it for the first time. Then, the following week the artist posts what he/she was thinking when the piece was created. So take a look and write a comment. It's a wonderful way to start a dialogue and learn about art!
And we're looking for local artists to participate, so if you're interested or know anyone who is, write to me at meryl@merylspiegel.com or leave your e-mail address below. There's a chance we might expand the column to other Patch editions, so if you live anywhere on the East End of Long Island and would like to contribute, let me know.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Isle of Palms

One of the many wonderful things that I discovered on my road trip down south is that you can bike on the beach! Because the sand is so fine, there's a wide swath of shoreline packed down almost as hard as concrete.
Here's one of my new Phantoms photographed on the Isle of Palms, a strip of land about 30 minutes from Charleston, South Caroline, where I stayed with a friend. And here she is speeding along, disappearing into the dusk...
I've yet to name this one so if any of you have an idea, let me know by commenting below.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Savannah

After more than two weeks on the road, I've returned with about 200 images to edit for my Phantoms series. But before I get down to work, I'm posting this image of the Spanish moss that hangs over Savannah like a veil of protection preserving its history and its unrelenting charm.
Despite the trendy shops and internet cafes scattered about, I was enchanted by the gothic architecture, welcoming verandas, and the city's 22 squares arranged in a simple grid. And it didn't take long before Phantoms began to appear; I soon learned that the city is indeed haunted by thousands buried in mass graves due to two devasting fires in 1796 and 1820 and a yellow fever epidemic around the same time.
Ironically, this image was taken on a bike ride in Bonaventure Cemetery. Built on a plantation just outside the city, it's known as one of the most beautifully haunting in the county.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Hugs

A few weeks ago, I finally succumbed and upgraded to the iPhone, just the 4, not the new 4S. And yes, like the rest of the world, I've become obsessed with its ability to bundle all the technology I need in one little device. But it wasn't until today, that I started to play with the camera.
Before leaving on a two-week road trip to Savannah and Charleston, that will include finding more Phantoms for my new series, I took Copper to the park for one last run before taking off tomorrow morning. There we made friends with two Labradors, Lola and Riley.
With snow covering the limbs and ice coating the lake, I regretted leaving my camera home in my haste to get things done today. But then I remembered my iPhone and it's photographic powers. Holding the small screen up, I started to press away trying to figure out how it works. After a string of bad takes, I caught this one by chance when Riley jumped up to hug his master.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Sunrise

A few days after posting the sunset image, I woke up to a panoply of color outside my window that catapulted me out of bed to find my camera. With just a few moments left before it would fade, I found the best spot to frame the scene atop a second floor staircase just outside my laundry room facing east. Again, I used my telephoto lens holding it steady for a relatively long 1/25 second exposure.
They say that things come in threes, so I imagine I will see another display of winter color sometime soon. Perhaps at midday?

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Silhouette

Following my proclamation on New Year's Eve that I try to avoid the sunset cliche, yep, here's my very next image that appeared across the street. It's a silhouette, a common technique associated with sunsets, of my neighbor's roofline this afternoon. Taken with my telephoto lens at ISO 400 and a slow shutter speed of 1/25 second, it required a steady hand to maintain sharpness.
So why a sunset today? Well, cold, dry weather produces crisper, more vibrant sunrises and sunsets than other times of the year. After doing some quick research to find out why, I found this explanation from Outdoor Photographer:
During the winter, the sun remains low in the sky, which provides a more favorable angle of light. It also hovers closer to the horizon at sunrise and sunset, extending the time at which you can shoot with warmer light.
Also a quick plug for a workshop I'm giving, Blogging for Artists, this Saturday at the East End Arts Council. Any fellow artists out there interested in creating their own blog, come and find out how easy and fun it can be! Details in the News section here.