Lone Tree at Sunset, Weston, FL 2004

I’ve been chasing sunsets for some time now. Case in point, one of the earlier sunset images shot with my first digital camera, the Canon Rebel. Eager to see what this new technology could do, I followed a hometown sunset until locating a suitable scene to test the camera’s abilities. Driving west towards the setting sun I found myself at the far end of a local community park. The raised elevation of land that acted as a border of the park and the surrounding open fields, proved to be a great spot to isolate this one tree as the sun set behind it.

Although sunset is my favorite time to shoot, I very rarely actually shoot the sun itself, too cliché for my tastes. I usually wait until just after it sets and then capture the radiating light that illuminates the clouds. In this case, I isolated the silhouette of the lone tree and framed the scene with the glowing clouds above. Simple image, striking concept.

Display, Peacock Triptych, 2010

After recently being commissioned by collectors to produce Fine Art pieces outside my usual framed print genre, including sepia and acrylic mounted work, I have started thinking outside the box as it relates to presentation. Such is the case here with Display, Peacock Triptych wherein the beautiful quality of all three (different) images in the final printed piece, really show my true colors as a photographer.

Lowland Gorilla, 2010

A portfolio of images from my series: Of the Wild, featuring close-up, intimate portraits of animals, was just published alongside the work of 14 other Fine Art photographers in a beautiful book entitled: Portfolio Showcase No.5. Produced by the Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, CO www.c4fap.org. The portfolios chosen for the book were juried by Chris Pichler, founder and publisher of Nazraeli Press www.nazraeli.com. Nazraeli creates some of the most spectacular Fine Art photography books on the planet and features the work of Michael Kenna, Todd Hido and others. The book was edited by Hamidah Glasgow with a layout by Lauren Henkin and published by Montage Graphics www.montagedigital.com.

Information about the book can be obtained from the Center and additional images from the series can be viewed on my main website at www.barrystevengreff.com.

Battery Point Lighthouse, Crescent City, CA 2009

Many individual factors go into making a strong, classic image and I strive to make every part of the photograph count. Here, after composing the northern California scene, I paid specific attention to the details within the frame, the breaking waves, catching the revolving lighthouse beam, the background clouds emphasizing the building and even a good location for the bird flying by. Everything comes together to create a timeless sunset seascape.

My only regret with this scene, was leaving too early to catch a great local seafood dinner before the restaurant closed. I have long since envisioned what I could have created after the sun had set, smoothing out the water and utilizing the light beaming from the lighthouse. I guess I’ll have to go back…some day.

Rock Island, Deerfield Beach, FL 2010

An outcropping of rocks is surrounded by water during a high tide at dusk. With few areas featuring natural rock formations to choose from on the South Florida coast, this beach in Deerfield is my go to spot to capture the interaction of land and sea. The rocks are utilized to minimize the natural beach erosion and are periodically replenished by the municipality as needed.

This ethereal seascape exhibits solidity, yet isolation and reminds me of the lyrics from the Simon and Garfunkel song…I am a rock, (I am an island.)

Mother Earth, 2011

(For best viewing, watch on You Tube at full screen, 720p resolution, depending on your system. If the video doesn’t play correctly, choose a lower resolution. All selections are bottom/right.)

      If, for any reason you have trouble viewing, here is the direct link. http://bit.ly/i9u0pr 

A year ago, when the blog was still new, I posted this three minute video to celebrate Earth Day. Now that I have a much larger viewership, I am re-posting the video (and the accompanying text) for Earth Day 2012…

By now, I hope it is clear that my landscape images seek to capture the spectacular natural beauty that still exists on Earth. To further that goal, and celebrate Earth Day, I am posting a 3 minute multimedia piece entitled: “Mother Earth.” This compilation of some of my sea and landscape images is accompanied by the hauntingly beautiful music track: “Willow and the Light” by gifted musician, Kevin Macleod. If possible, throw on some headphones and/or turn up the volume to fully appreciate the sounds of nature as well as the ethereal music… popcorn is optional.

In this presentation I emphasize the striking beauty that still exists on Mother Earth, the urgent need to conserve and protect her, and the dire consequences of failing to do so.

It is my hope that you enjoy the piece, and in some small way, it shines a light on the critical choices we need to make to protect and preserve the planet…and that we choose wisely.

Mystic Cliffs, Carlsbad, CA 2008

In my quest to create ethereal sea and landscapes, I found myself atop a seaside road one misty morning near Carlsbad, California. Looking south along the shore, the cliffs that jutted out to sea were shrouded in mist. Waiting for the right wave to complete the composition, this image further exemplifies the spectacular scenery on the west coast of the United States and why it is a good idea for photographers to get up early.

Forest Path, Davie, FL 2012

This could be the Hoh Rainforest in Washington State, but it isn’t. Having traveled diagonally across the country to visit there in years past, who knew that we had old growth forest right here in Broward County, Florida? Specifically, Tree Tops Park in Davie http://bit.ly/HG9d6T.

Remaining close to home for a while, local parks have been my source for creative inspiration. So, when I happened on this spot, just miles from my home, I was amazed to see sections that contained lush, beautiful canopies. Albeit small patches, walking through them clearly gives you the feeling of the real thing… and you don’t have to leave a trail of bread crumbs to find your way out.

Days End, New England, 2004

As a follow-up to my last post, here is another example of a unique composition that works, this one was created just before sunset along the rocky Maine coast. On a rare occasion, as here, I will crop an image slightly to better balance it. Since this was some early work, and having honed my compositional skills since then, I don’t often need to crop any more.

This is also an example of how beautiful lighting, here at the end of the day, makes or breaks an image. I always monitor the times for sunset (if not the sunrise), there are actually many apps for that. When I am shooting, I always try to be somewhere interesting just prior to sunset and plan to stay thereafter, because that is clearly the photographic magic hour.

Finally, although having a good camera is important, it is more important whose hands the camera is in. This image was shot on my first digital camera, a Canon Rebel, which featured 6.3 mega pixels. At the time, this would have been the entry level, consumer camera which I used to determine whether I would make the switch to digital. I have many remarkable images from this camera. Although they can’t be printed as large as those from a 21 mega pixel Canon 5D Mark II, they are still beautiful and show that the shooter is more important than his or her equipment.

Niagara, 2006 (c) Barry Steven Greff 2012

One of my signature images, which was used to launch the blog, Niagara depicts how a unique composition can be extraordinarily powerful. The line of tourists on the bottom of the image were in Canada viewing the thundering falls in New York. The flying bird to their right was a (purposely) added bonus.

The composition of a photograph is just as important as the lighting, sometimes even more so. As can be seen from this image, as well as my last post (you can always click on the Blog Title to view all images), the photographic rules of composition were made to be broken. When I create an image I compose it according to what I feel about what is in front of me. The juxtaposition of the main subject, to the background and to anything else I choose to include. There needs to be a complete balance within the frame, every part of the image has to contribute to the whole picture, so to speak.

Often, this involves a great deal of negative space. If used improperly the image will seem imbalanced. When done right, you can create something unique, an image that goes against long standing photographic teachings, that violates the rule of thirds and often results in something very special. Sometimes I will shoot a scene utilizing varying compositions, the best of which is not always readily apparent in the viewfinder or LCD screen. Then, when editing the images, the most impactful composition becomes clear and it is usually the first one I saw which was also the most extreme variation from the norm.

So, the moral of the story is shoot from your heart, not your head. Experiment and disregard the traditional rules. Done right, you just might create and unexpectedly, powerful image.