Paul Contino | Photographs - Photoletter 40

Paul Contino | Photographs

Photoletter Issue No. 40 | October 2024

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Halloween is upon us…


Thanks for your patience between photoletters.


If you’re interested in how to choose an image for photo contests - of which can be rewarding as well as just great motivation for taking photographs - there’s a short read right below.


A quick shot of coffee follows for those that enjoy a cup of joe, or puppy owners familiar with the ever-patient “can I have some?” stare.


Snoopy and an Icelandic take on a recent postcard after that.


And finally, a bit longer read concerning two images from a recent hike through waterfall country.


Hope all is well wherever you are.


-Paul

A WORD ABOUT CONTESTS

A reader recently sent me a photograph, asking if it was “good enough” to submit to a photo contest.


The short answer, without even looking at the image, was “yes”.


Any photograph is generally good enough to submit to a contest. What is most important is the story behind it.


Images that may be technically perfect - framing, exposure, subject positioning - are very often passed over for images that include a compelling background narrative.


Incorporating a descriptive story along with your image reinforces its value to the viewer, it helps explain why you chose the image for a contest, and it offers a justification of its strengths when compared with the other (sometimes thousands) of images that may be submitted in any contest.


Considering the purpose and audience of the photo contest also ensures that your image aligns with the the particular contest “call”.


For example, the above image could be voiced in many different ways depending on the situation and the intent of the photographer: perhaps it was just early morning walk and something that caught the viewer’s eye, or perhaps a recent earthquake struck that devastated a city’s infrastructure, or perhaps it represents the rift in a once solid relationship.


The story behind an image changes how one interprets the message and its meaning entirely.

A SHOT OF COFFEE

The poor puppy … patiently staring up at the woman, so full of optimism that she will put down her phone and share a bit of her morning scone.


Never did happen.

POSTCARDS

A postcard depicting a winter view of the Norwegian town of Sakrisoy on the island of Lofoten

Snoopy’s Guide to the Writing Life serendipitously found its way into my hands at the local library.


His mailbox retrieval basically illustrates my personal reaction when receiving postcards … such as the one below:

How cute is that?


I appreciate that it does not include one of the many spectacular images of Iceland depicting beautiful flowing waterfalls, or black sand beaches with miniature icebergs floating about, or iridescent lava spewing from the many volcanos that adorn the island.


How great it is that the little viking is holding - hugging - an ice cream in the middle of a snowy scene in what must be one of the more consistently chilly residences of the world.


On top of it all, it appears he may even be standing upon an iceberg in the middle of the sea … at night … illuminated under the moonlight.


It appears the picture of Icelandic contentment.

PERSONAL FAVORITES

The two photographs here are from a hiking excursion by the Columbia River Gorge dividing Washington and Oregon states.


There are a couple of reasons that I am sharing them.


First, it’s been a while since I have taken time to review and share my own photographs of which I admittedly like.


Second, I wanted to express the idea of looking at things in multiple ways - in this case, the big picture as well as the more nuanced.

The initial image of the above in landscape orientation is what is known in the landscape photography world as an “intimate” landscape. (Yes, lots of landscape)


As it was autumn I wanted to incorporate the change in colors of the leaves, so by zooming in and including just a section of the waterfall they become a prominent feature of the image.


There was a rockiness that I felt an important feature of this waterfall as well, laden with moss nourished by the residual spray of cascade, which would not have been so evident were the falls in their entirety made the focus of the image.


Additionally, I wanted to capture the emerging cascade of water falling over the rocks from an upper stream by including the ledge lip at the top of the falls.


The intent of my taking the photograph was to remember the softness of the flow of the water counteracting the ruggedness of the rocks; noting the autumnal seasonal cusp through the warm oranges and reds mixed among the verdant ferns and moss.

As a complement to the first photograph, the above portrait orientation image evokes a very different feel.


One much more wide open, offering space to pause and take in the immensity of the gorge and grandeur of the journey within it.


Inclusion of the individual with the umbrella helped to provide sense of environmental scale, as well as an interesting visual, juxtaposing the artificial with the natural.


Capturing the scale of the waterfall was also important, depicting both the upper and a lower sections.


As beautiful and inspiring as the arrival at this waterfall was, the path to get there was magnificent in itself, with the flowing stream cutting centuries-inspired rugged crevasses towards the Columbia.


Immense boulders from ancient glacier movement offered an interesting view among the streaming water, laden with moss from centuries of growth.


Felled trees from storms or fires or old age piled up from natural forces.


When taking photographs concentrate on how best to capture the feel of the moment while considering all elements of the images.


Sometimes various perspectives are needed in order to adequately represent your experience.

WHAT I AM…

Watching: A fun and quirky story Pinball: The Man Who Saved The Game

Reading: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (tough stuff)

Listening to: Harry Belafonte’s Jump in the Line

Enjoy the sweater weather!

-Paul

See something you like? Most images can be made into artwork - paper prints, metal prints, canvas - for display in home or office or as a gift. Send me an email and we can discuss!


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