Afternoon Light

[mythlady]

The light was coming in the windows this afternoon and just happened to land on my husband's collection of mystical books:



Canon 40D, 190mm at 1/100 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200. Did nothing to the pic beyond tiny exposure tweaks and cloning out a few spots here and there.

[Katy Noelle]

Great! I can't wait to see what they say about this.

[Peter Ryan]

Hi Elise and Katy.

Katy, why are you waiting to see what others say about this? Jump in girl and have your say.

Personally I like this very much. Seeing light wash over the landscape (in whatever form) is what photography is all about to me. I am an opportunistic photographer. I am not one to set up still life shots; nothing wrong with them they are just not for me. I try to see light wherever it falls and photograph the mood I see. To me you have achieved this here.

I could wax lyrical about a little bit of red goes a long way, the eye is drawn to the bright spot, etc, etc but I just like it.

[mythlady]

Thanks very much! There was nothing at all set up -- I was sitting on the couch processing some pics on my laptop, and I looked up and said, hey, there's a picture over there, waiting to be taken . . .

[wilgk]

see Elise - I need to watch & learn ....I'm out in a howling gale, producing not much to like , meanwhile you're on the couch takin an awesome shot! nice work

[Peter Ryan]

Thanks very much! There was nothing at all set up -- I was sitting on the couch processing some pics on my laptop, and I looked up and said, hey, there's a picture over there, waiting to be taken . . .

Quiet often there isn't anything in the set up but your saw the light. To me that is often harder to do. And once seen you need to capture it and present it as you saw it. Well done.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Elise,

That's a lot of mystical/magical books, is there something you'ree not telling us?
NO wait, don't asnwer that - I wouldn't want to upset your husband

I like it too, I looked at suggesting a few ideas to improve it but decided they wouldn't help, ergo, it must be right.

Conjures up an atmosphere of a darkened room (curtains shut for pic processing) with a shaft of sunlight doing its best.

Well done,

[Donald]

Elise

This is very nice.

What if you were to crop is just below 'The Magical Essence of Aleister Crowley'?

I know that would give you soemthign close to a 2:1 aspect ratio. But it would take it the (in my opinion) distracting flashes of highlight running horizontally on the spines of the books lying on their sides in the upper part of the image.

And doing so, I suggest, focuses more attention on the books being picked out by the sunlight, but also adds an air of mystery to the image.

[mythlady]

Thanks, everyone! Donald, did you mean just above Aleister Crowley? I liked the way the gold of the old guy's name was kind of glowing out of the darkness. Kay, I was out yesterday afternoon with my camera club taking hundreds of pictures of migrating monarch butterflies, and got pretty much nothing. four so-so butterfly pics and one nice one not of butterflies at all. I hope you survived that howling gale!

Dave, the books are a remnant of my husband's misspent youth back in the 60's. He still meets with a few devotees every now and then, but very little magick happens -- I think they mostly eat crackers and cheese and talk about old times . . .

[Donald]

Elise

I said below because it took out that highlight on the left-hand side. However, you are right. You could clone that highlight out (if you wanted to) and leave Crowley's name in.

[Katy Noelle]

Hi Elise and Katy.

Katy, why are you waiting to see what others say about this? Jump in girl and have your say.

Interior and still life photography is something that I have strong feelings about - I just don't know what they are, yet. Anyway,....something good! I really want to explore it more but A) haven't had the courage. B) My house is a mess. (Three little, creative boys. ) Love the play on shadow and light!!! I love the gleam of gold on Crowley's "Magical Essence."

[Wirefox]

Some interesting reading there Elise. Beautifully lit image too. It's been a while since I read Mists of Avalon I will have to dig it out again. I assume all this interest is where your forum name 'Mythlady' come from?

[mythlady]

Nope -- those books are all my husband's. I teach a course on contemporary writers that use mythology as their subject matter, and that's where the name came from, long ago.

[Clactonian]

Nope -- those books are all my husband's. I teach a course on contemporary writers that use mythology as their subject matter, and that's where the name came from, long ago.

Hmmm. An interesting household!! Not alone on this forum either.
What humdrum lives some of us lead by comparison.
Still as my wife constantly reminds me .. a mind untroubled by thought shouldn't get me in too much trouble.
Love the photograph too Elise.

[Katy Noelle]

Nope -- those books are all my husband's. I teach a course on contemporary writers that use mythology as their subject matter, and that's where the name came from, long ago.

Like the "Percy Jackson" series and C.S. Lewis, maybe??? (I'm sure there are many other works of fiction but those two are a little beloved around here.) I wondered what you were a professor of. BTW, has Rob approached you about the "In Conversation" series? I'd love to hear more about you!!! And, one of these days, I'll PM you about my family in San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz.

[Shadowman]

Great! I can't wait to see what they say about this.

All I have to say is the "Men in Black II" has no business being there and is that Zombieland laying there also, at least that one has some merit.

[mythlady]

Not only MIB II, but also MIB I. No Zombieland, but Frankenstein, Ratatouille, Finding Nemo, and Pirates of the Caribbean. What can I say -- we have a 13-year-old.

Professor of English, Katy, and I'd love to hear about your relatives . . .

[Katy Noelle]

Not only MIB II, but also MIB I. No Zombieland, but Frankenstein, Ratatouille, Finding Nemo, and Pirates of the Caribbean. What can I say -- we have a 13-year-old.

Professor of English, Katy, and I'd love to hear about your relatives . . .

Oh, see, I knew that I liked you!!! btw, I LOVE Ratatouille. Actually, in your photo, I was completely drawn in to try and read what was on your shelf. I saw Ratatouille there. Is that the merit of the photo or does it mean that I'm a looky-lou - no matter how much I try not to be.