Archive
Varying Techniques used to Photograph Supermoons Over the Years
A supermoon is a full moon (opposite Earth from the sun) that closely coincides with perigee – the moon’s closest point to Earth in its monthly elliptic orbit. When the moon always swings farthest away from Earth once each month; that point is called apogee. These perigee, or
Nuclear Supermoon
supermoons, result in what seems like a larger-than-usual apparent size as viewed from Earth. There are 4-6 supermoons a year on average and can cause real physical effects, such as
Supermoon Reflected
larger-than-usual tides. From a photographic standpoint, supermoons also take on a deep reddish tint as they rise from the horizon, lightening in color to yellow and/or tan and then, eventually
Supermoon and Cruise Ship
to the regular, although a bit brighter, white. Due to the unique nature of this phenomenon, I have tried to capture supermoons in various ways over the years. In order of presentation here:
Supermoon and Distant Bird
(1.) has an effect similar to a nuclear explosion as the moon seems to be exploding from the horizon, (2.) within a second or two after that, the moon has risen above the horizon and
Birds Eye View
leaves a glint of reflection underneath, (3.) a cruise ship’s embarkation timed to pass the supermoonrise, (4.) a dusk supermoon also has a very distant bird silhouetted against the
Clouded Supermoon at Dusk
bottom, left corner,(5.) several birds silhouetted against a blurred, high rising moon offers another take on how to capture the scene. Finally (6.) a clouded moon framed as it rises between the silhouette of two trees at dusk.
Clearly, the phenomenon offers countless possibilities to capture a…super image.
After a Long Slow Burn, Time to Cool Down and for Dawn of a New Day
After a slow burn, no matter how long it takes, there must come a time to cool off and start a new cycle. It’ never easy, it’s not inevitable but it is necessary to avoid the alternative.
Tequila Sunset, 2014
So, whether actually physically ready or not, at least we must try to power the mind through… toward a new beginning. For if you don’t, you will only continue on, like the recent past, and reach a dead end…..and at least for me, I have never been good at dead ends, there’s nothing to see, nothing to photograph, nothing to create…only death and end, both too finite for my tastes.
So here it goes toward pushing through, to realizing, at least first mentally, that all bad must come to an end at some time and a new day must soon begin. …Here’s hope.
To that end, sometimes starting over, an image does not have to involve alot in order to evoke emotion. Sometimes going back to simple positioning, if not pure contrast and searing color, and nothing else, can get your point across. You don’t have to over do it…just do it right.
Feeling the Heat / Good Days, Bad Days
River of Grass, Florida Everglades, 2009
Towering Inferno, Florida Everglades 2007
“In the days of my youth, I was told what it means to be a man.
Now I’ve reached that age, I’ve tried to do all those things the best I can.
No matter how I try, I find my way into the same old jam”..
Good Days Bad Days,
Led Zeppelin
Says it all…I got nothin’ else.
Remembering Prince…Purple Rain, Purple Rain
Slanted Rain, Florida Everglades 2012
Upon hearing of the loss of Prince to the world, I thought of one image that could memorialize one great song from one great artist who gave us so much great music. So here…let there be Purple Rain, because if at no other time, certainly today would be a day… when doves cry as well.
Blue Skies / Lightning Strikes / Following the Storm / Towering Inferno
River of Grass, Florida Everglades 2009
Strike Right, Florida Everglades 2010
Towering Inferno, Florida Everglades 2007
I don’t know how many of my 1,000 plus regular followers and 40,000 viewers to date, actually read what I post. My goal has always been to get the work out there and the text is just my way of venting…and providing some insight into the images, the process and the places.
Anyway, those that do read my words, have probably noticed some cryptic references to my health, especially over the last few years. To that end I post, what I hope will be, one of my final downward metaphors. The beautiful blue skies of the Florida Everglades (River of Grass), the oncoming electric lightning storm (Strike Right) and finally, the resulting significant burn of the Towering Inferno caused by the lightning. These subjects vaguely hint at what this one of earth’s inhabitants has been dealing with for some time.
Soon embarking toward some new roads on the map of my life, here’s hoping that the steps I take are in the right direction and lead to more blue skies in the future….even with the inevitable clouds present…. I’ll gladly take it.
In the meantime, I will continue to post from my existing body of work and hope you all enjoy it.
Reign O’r Me (The WHO, Quadrophenia)
Slanted Rain, Florida Everglades 2012
With the remnants of Erika, we are seeing a great deal of rain in South Florida. It’s better than a Hurricane.
Often, we can see the storms as they approach. This one was out in the Florida Everglades a.k.a. the “River of Grass.”
Somewhere Over the Rainbow… Way Up High
Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Florida Everglades, 2013
E.Y. Harburg wrote the lyrics sung by Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz.”Somewhere over the rainbow..Way up high. And the dreams that you dreamed of…Once in a lullaby”
I wonder if this is what he was writing about. (Graduated Neutral Density Filter/Tripod for the photographers).
Now, if I could only get out there and catch some more of them…or at least find that Pot of Gold at the end of it.
Trying Saatchi Art / Approaching Storm
Approaching Storm, Florida Everglades, FL 2012
The slanted rain of an approaching storm signals Mother Nature’s nearing onslaught. Storms move very quickly in the Florida Everglades and can be seen from great distances due to the lay of the land. I, for one, have been caught in more than my share of downpours when I waited too long to get the best image, and she punished me for it.
Recently I have tried showing some of my select Fine Art Prints for sale on the Saatchi Art Collection at http://www.saatol.us/1K9YK3d
Hopefully, there will be an approaching storm…of new collectors.
Birds Eye View
Bird in Sawgrass, Florida Everglades, 2012
Having been out of sorts for a long while, seemingly with the weight of the world upon you, tends to manifest the feeling of isolation. This image captures that feeling wherein the weight of a common South Florida black bird known as a Grackle is supported by a thin reed of Sawgrass in the Florida Everglades.
Although isolated at that very moment, shortly thereafter he flew away, joining other members of his flock and then finding strength in numbers. Until then…
Bringing the Heat
Wildfire, Florida Everglades 2007
Summer brings lightning strikes to the Florida Everglades. Combined with dry Sawgrass, the resulting wildfires can be seen for miles. The electric power line towers at the bottom of the image show the scale of the towering inferno.
This is also a metaphor for our Miami Basketball team going for their third straight Championship, and how I’ve been feeling lately…not in a good way.
Earth Day 2014
Mother Earth
In 2011, I decided to create a 3 minute montage of some of my images to commemorate Earth Day (April 22nd each year). My goal was to celebrate the planet’s natural beauty and put forth the message of conservation and preservation.
Initially, I planned on making a new video each year, but life got in the way. So, until such time as I can create a new one, I re-post the original around Earth Day each year.
I added natural sound to the finished piece and the haunting musical soundtrack is Willow and the Light by Kevin MacLeod. (A good pair of stereo headphones can enhance the experience).
If you haven’t seen it before, I hope you enjoy it and when it comes to Mother Earth…choose wisely.
Storm Frame
Storm Frame, Sunrise, FL 2012
As a storm approaches the tree line at Markham Park in Sunrise, FL, the clouds, rain and trees are reflected in the lake, creating a frame around the scene. In South Florida the weather changes rapidly so compositions such as this need to be captured as they happen, because within seconds…they are gone.
Best of 2013 / 10 Favorites from the Past Year
Waterfall, Milton, OH 2013
Lower Falls, Hocking Hills, OH 2013
Ebb and Flow, Deerfield Beach FL 2013
Thunder Road, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 2013
Gray Cat, Green Eyes, 2013
Caracara, 2013
Flamingo Fire, 2013
July 4th Fireworks, 2013
Moon and Stars, 2013
Never Forget, 911 Memorial, 2013
Before it gets too much further into the new year, here are some of my favorites from 2013.
Looking forward to creating more in 2014.
For the Birds /Sunset Silhouettes in Black and White
The Birds, Florida Everglades 2008
Birds in Tree, Dayton, OH 2013
Many sunsets are not very photogenic. On those days, I look for a subject to silhouette against the darkening sky. Birds in trees are a good candidate for these type of images. Shoot up into the trees as the sun is setting while concentrating on the composition and keeping the subject sharp.
Since the colors on these days leave alot to be desired, black and white can salvage the scene. So, rather than packing up and going home on these questionable sunset evenings, get creative and you might just go home with a keeper.
Beautiful Storm / Fifty Shades of Gray
Beautiful Storm, Alligator Alley, FL 2013
Living just east of the Florida Everglades we experience some intense storms during the summer. Using radar on weather apps I can pinpoint the time and direction of the storms and head in front of them to capture the darkening skies. On this particular day there was a weather alert for a severe line of thunder storms coming in from the west. Driving out to meet the storm, at the edge of the Everglades I witnessed some of the most ominous and beautiful storm clouds I had ever seen. They reminded me of the early scenes in the War of the Worlds movie (the Spielberg/Cruise version) with fierce winds to match.
Everglades Canal, Alligator Alley, FL 2013
I photographed this beautiful storm from various angles, including above a canal framed by power line towers that run along the edge of the Everglades.
Storm Over US 27, Weston, FL 2013
Finally, I captured this view, which I wouldn’t suggest anyone try, from the middle of the vast U.S. 27 Highway that runs north and south through the Everglades. This “vanishing point” image features the lights of an oncoming car under the massive storm clouds. Seconds later the sky opened up and torrential rains poured down. By then I was back in the car following the radar to stay in front of the storm. After years of practise, and always done with caution, storm chasing is not to be taken lightly.
You should always respect Mother Nature.
If you build it…they will come / BSG Solo Exhibition in NYC closes.
Manhattan Portrait, Central Park, New York City, NY 2013
I would like to thank all of the people who came to my Solo Exhibition at 25 CPW Gallery on Central Park West in NYC these last few weeks. Some were good friends, family and people I have met in the photography world. Many others were individuals that came because they love Fine Art Photography. Special thanks to my collectors, past and future and to the legendary photographer Robert Farber www.farber.com who came to my Artist Reception. I have included some images of the event taken by talented wedding/event photographer Vik Manchada http://on.fb.me/VMqG6x.
As usual, while in NYC for the show, after the gallery doors close…I create. I will post some of my new Cityscapes here and going forward. As those that have now seen my work in person know, I am known for the detail in my images. Hence, in the image above, the tourist on the right side of the bridge is taking a photo of her smiling friend standing on the bridge as I am taking one of them…and the city beyond. I always look for the Big Picture.
Entrance to 25CPW Gallery at Central Park West and 62nd St. NYC, NY
BSG Artist Reception, January 10, 2013 at 25CPW Gallery, NYC, NY
BSG with legendary photographer, Robert Farber at BSG’s Artist Reception
Until the next show…Thanks again.
BSG Solo Exhibition at 25CPW Gallery on Central Park West in NYC
After participating in a group show at 25CPW Gallery in December, I am having a Solo Exhibition at the gallery. This coming Thursday, January 10, 2013 will be the Artist Reception from 6-9 pm. The Gallery is located on Central Park West at 62nd Street, one block north of Columbus Circle. Anyone that is in New York at the time is very welcome to come by. Additionally, there will be gallery hours from 12pm to 8pm that weekend. www.25cpw.org
A portion of the proceeds will go to Evan’s Team, a foundation created in memory of Evan Lieberman, an amazing young man we lost in a tragic car accident. www.evansteamny.com
BSG Extends Exhibition at 25CPW Gallery on Central Park West in NYC
Select images from the Series: Of the Wild at 25CPW Gallery, NYC, December 2012
Select images from the Series: Atmosphere at 25CPW Gallery, NYC, December 2012
Select images from the Series: FLOW at 25CPW Gallery, NYC, December 2012
After initial participation in a group exhibition at 25CPW Gallery in NYC, the presentation of my work has been extended and the selection of images increased. For those that live in New York or happen to be vacationing there this week, the Gallery is at street level on the northwest corner of Central Park West and West 62nd Street. 25CPW is located just one block north of Columbus Circle which features the Time Warner Building and Trump International at the corner of Central Park West and Central Park South.
Situated in one of the most exclusive sections of New York City, my work is currently the only artwork featured at the gallery through the New Year and can be seen through both the Central Park West and West 62nd Street picture windows. To announce the exhibition, 25CPW’s website currently showcases my signature image, Niagara and contains the contact information for gallery hours and appointments. http://www.25cpw.org
GALLERY HOURS: The Gallery will be open: Wednesday (12/26) 5-8pm; Thursday 5-8pm; Friday 5-9pm; Saturday 3-9pm.
Thanks to Bess Greenberg, Founder/Curatorial Director; Abby Verbosky, Manager of Exhibitions and Matt Slater, who hung the exhibition, photographed it and will be at the Gallery showing the work.
Wishing you all a very Happy Holiday Season.
Closing Out 2012 in Grand Style – BSG Exhibiting @ 25CPW Gallery/NYC
Cab Ride in the Rain, Radio City Music Hall, NYC 2009
Closing out 2012 in grand style. I will be exhibiting work at 25CPW, the great New York City gallery located at Central Park West and West 62nd Street. http://www.25cpw.org/ Bess Greenberg, Founder/Curatorial Director and Abby Verbosky, Manager of Exhibitions run the gallery which has recently held a 100 year celebration of Editta Sherman’s celebrity portraits that was covered by ABC News and the New York Times. They have also mounted exhibits with the Magnum Foundation, the New York Camera Club and continue to show the work of established and emerging artists.
The Artist’s Market group exhibition will run from Thursday night through Sunday night. Gallery hours are 12 pm to 8 pm, with an Artist’s Reception Saturday night with live music from 6pm to 9pm (gallery will close at 10:00 pm).
I hope that all my NYC friends and anyone else that might like to see some interesting work, will stop by. Thank You.
Slanted Rain – Natural Frame – Everglades Storm Scenics
Slanted Rain, Alligator Alley, Florida Everglades 2012
While following an isolated downpour along Florida’s Alligator Alley I stopped at a location that had a break in the Sawgrass to capture an interesting foreground in the image. The dark clouds were reflected in the water as the storm moved across the River of Grass, while the slanted rain in the background completed the scene.
Natural Frame, Markham Park, Sunrise, FL 2012
When shooting, composition is key. Often you will see a scenic framed by trees or other natural borders. I like to think outside the Box, pun intended, when I am framing an image. Here I used the dark clouds, approaching downpour and reflection of the trees in the water to form a Natural Frame around the scene.
This image was created at Markham Park http://bit.ly/VSCaWP in Broward County, Florida (@readybroward), which also offers camping, mountain bike trails, a gun range and dog park…fun for the entire family. On some evenings they even have a large telescope set up for viewing other planets that may be closer to earth than usual. It’s an all around stellar place…forgive me, I couldn’t resist..
Selective Focus – Elvis has left the building.
Elvis, 2012
In a new addition to my close-up animal portrait series Of the Wild, I created a classic black & white image of an American Alligator.
Not just any alligator, mind you… Anyone that remembers the classic TV show, Miami Vice, should recall Elvis, the alligator that lived on “Sonny Crockett” (Don Johnson)’s sailboat. As with many great animal actors, Elvis has retired to live out his days in a place where he is provided for. In this case, in South Florida at Flamingo Gardens in Davie. www.flamingogardens.org
Using selective focus with a long (400 mm) lens, I highlighted E’s eyes and left his menacing teeth soft, but clearly visible. The puddle that formed on his indented snout adds another dimension to the close-up portrait.
In South Florida you tend to see alligators, and not just in captivity. You can see them on the golf course, in the local canals and in your neighbor’s yard (better than in yours). Although I usually use a long lens for these scary creatures, last weekend I had to tip toe past one that decided to park itself across the only path out of the section of Everglades National Park that I happened to be shooting in. http://1.usa.gov/8y8HyS
Nothing like a little excitement at the end of a day’s shoot.
Blocking the Path, Everglades National Park, 2012
One way out, getting dark…what would you do?
Rainbow Sunset – Everglades City
Rainbow & Dock, Everglades City, FL 2009
Heading south from Naples, Florida along the southwest coast, one of the last populated areas (1,000 residents in 2011) is Everglades City. Known for stone crabs and environmental touring of the area, it is the northwest entry into Everglades National Park. On this particular summer evening I interrupted a casual waterfront dinner to capture this rare combination of rainbow and sunset.
Sunset at the Docks, Everglades City, FL 2009
Rainbows come and go within a matter of minutes and are best captured as soon as they are seen (and preferably with a polarizing filter to bring out the colors). Additionally, the fleeting magic hour (actually sometimes just minutes) following sunset, often provides spectacular lighting for creating beautiful land and seascapes, but is also soon just a (hopefully recorded) memory.
River of Grass – The Florida Everglades
River of Grass, Florida Everglades, 2009
Having shown a darker side of natural Florida in my last post, here is an example of the extraordinary beauty that exists in the state.
Named by writer, journalist and environmentalist Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, Florida’s River of Grass flows through the heart of South Florida providing vast landscapes and a home to numerous species of wildlife. With a topography that is so flat, a good vantage point to shoot can be achieved from a manmade rise or observation tower (although Big Cypress’s Clyde Butcher www.clydebutcher.com creates B & W images with his 8 x 10 camera while standing waist deep in the swamp). I have tried that, but I find myself paying too much attention to what might be coming towards me, rather than what is in front of me.
While alligators periodically swam by, I shot this scene from the safety of an air boat that was briefly standing still after a noisy (ear plugs mandatory) ride, hovering above, and across the sawgrass.
Sweet Dreams – Sugar Refining in Florida
Emission Flight, Clewiston, FL 2012
In central South Florida, the landscape is dominated by sugarcane fields. Refineries here produce hundreds of thousands of tons of sugar each year worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Smoke stacks at the main refinery plants emit chemicals, which is largely waste from the burning of cane stems and other woody residue that creates fuel that runs the facilities. Many birds, including Vultures, hover near the site.
Sweet Dreams, Clewiston Sugarcane Fields, FL 2012
Prior to harvest, sugar cane covers much of the vast, flat landscape along U. S. Route 27 near Clewiston, Florida. Trucks can be seen barrelling down the highway carrying the harvested sugar cane to the plant for refining into crystal. Controlled burns in the fields are also a daily occurence and can be seen for miles, sending billowing clouds into the sky.
Eyes of Fire
Goldeneyes, FL Panther, 2008
Having spent the last few posts on Seascapes, it was time to get back to my series, Of the Wild. It is in various forms of captivity that I find the animals and birds for this series. They are protected from me and I am protected from them. My images capture the life force that is simultaneously controlled; yet untamed. I am drawn to their eyes as that draws the viewer into the frame. The framing device jolts the viewer from reading the images as a cliché. By abstracting the eye or face from the rest of the body, I force an intimate exchange of energy and focus between the image and the viewer. The images make us confront the dignity, personality and identity of these magnificent creatures and remind us why they so desperately need our protection.
This fiery portrait of the endangered Florida Panther was captured at a refuge in the Everglades. The late afternoon lighting that allowed me to capture these incredible eyes was gone as quickly as it had come. A long lens and great patience helped me create this portrait that has been recognized in International photography competitions and exhibited in Galleries. I also like to think that I have some photographic fire…in my eyes.
BSG Featured in SHUTTERBUG Magazine
SHUTTERBUG Magazine has long been a trusted resource for everything photographic, in print and on-line www.shutterbug.com. This month’s print magazine cover (October issue) features a portrait by renowned photographer Steve McCurry which he shot on the last roll of Kodachrome film ever manufactured. Inside the magazine, there is a monthly column featuring select photography web site profiles. This issue’s article entitled: “Exploring Global Villages: Inspiring Images and Image-Makers” features my site www.barrystevengreff.com. Written by Joe Farace who is a widely published Colorado-based photographer and author of more than 30 books and 1900+ magazine stories, I have taken the liberty of re-printing it verbatim here:
“Barry Steven Greff’s photography is showcased in an elegantly designed website from Foliolink (www.foliolink.com). The site appears one way on my desktop computer and another, better I think, incarnation on my iPad, where captions and other
information appear as well. Images are arranged in four portfolios and Atmosphere displays images representing the majesty of nature, especially his monochrome image of Niagara Falls photographed like you’ve never seen it before. It’s a quiet allegory of the power of nature vs. the insignificance of humankind. It’s one of his few images that have people and here they are infinitesimal in size compared to the roar – you can almost hear it while looking at the photograph – of the falls.
Most of these images are in powerful black and white but when Greff uses color, it’s to make a point. The Classics portfolio may contain some of his classics but never fails to dazzle with understated yet inherently graceful attempts at depicting nature. Unlike the previous portfolios, Spirit & Light contains a few urban images made in New York City and, while wildly incongruous next to his nature images, are appealing in a completely different way. His image made through a car window could have easily been a still image from the film Taxi Driver, with all the connotations that come along with it. In Of the Wild, Greff has created portraits of all kinds of animals from eagles to peacocks to gorillas. This represents an entirely different body of work, separate from his landscapes, that nevertheless shows how a talented photographer confronted by a
different genre rises to the occasion. He’s created insightful works of great authority and style. “
Towering inferno.
Wildfire, Florida Everglades 2007
In the last Blog post, lightning strikes the Everglades during a summer storm. These scorching bolts frequently cause wildfires in the sawgrass that can be seen for miles. I shot this image from a road that runs through the Everglades. The electric powerline towers at the bottom of the image show the enormous scale of the towering inferno. As Paris Hilton would say…that’s hot.
Lucky strike.
Approaching Storm, Florida Everglades, 2010
Living near the edge of the Florida Everglades, I often bear witness to Mother Nature’s many spectacles. Beautiful sunsets, captivating wildlife, and during the summer, fierce lightning storms. During our rainy season, you don’t need a wrist watch to know when it is 3:00 p.m., it simply starts to rain. The day might start out bright and sunny, but as afternoon approaches the clouds begin to form, then darken, until they reach a crescendo of booming thunder and crackling lightning.
While most people head inside at this time, I watch the storm from the back windows of my home and jump in the Jeep if the lighting and cloud formations look photographically promising. A few miles into the Everglades there is a raised platform for heightened viewing. Since the land is flat, this platform offers a distant view of the River of Grass, as it is called, and the intense storms that roll over it. I carefully monitor the distance of the lightning so as not to get caught in the storm (don’t try this at home). Then, I follow the dark clouds and lightning strikes as they move across the horizon and adjust my composition accordingly. By calculating the approximate timing between strikes, I opened the shutter (without the use of a lightning trigger) as the bolt entered my composition (I did miss a few).
It bears repeating that this is not a process that should be taken lightly (pun intended). I have found myself way too close for comfort to lightning strikes as the storm changed directions and headed my way. Trust me from experience, you can’t create a very good image…crouched under a picnic table.
