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"Big Blue Marble"
Washington School of Photography
4850 Rugby Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814
www.wsp-photo.com

Opening Reception:
Friday, November 14, 6-9pm
Exhibit runs from November 14 - December 9

View the 2 images on display

"Portraits of Nature"
Locust Grove Nature Center
Cabin John Regional Park
7777 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, Maryland 20817
www.mc-mncppc.org/parks/nature_centers/locust/

Opening Reception:
Friday, November 14, 7-9pm
Exhibit runs from November 14 - 26

View the 6 images on display

"At Home and Abroad"
BlackRock Center for the Arts
12901 Town Commons Drive,
Germantown, MD 20874
www.blackrockcenter.org

Opening Reception:
Sunday, December 7, 1-3pm
Exhibit runs from November 26 - December 26

View the 2 images on display

The Enchanting Trees (NBP4036)

Photoshop filters can be used to make your images different/artistic. I have always avoided the use of Photoshop filters. In my opinion, that it is simply another art form and it's not for me. The real challenge is to pre-visualize and use in camera techniques to get the results you are looking for. The above photograph might look like a Photoshop filter was applied but in reality that is exactly what it looked like in camera.

I traveled to West Virginia earlier this month and had a chance to view and photograph the peak of fall color. It was quite spectacular. True peak color lasts only a few days and we lucked out with the timing. I was looking for opportunities to make different and fresh images. In this situation, instead of taking a straight photograph of these trees, I decided to slow the shutter speed and move the camera itself to create an impressionistic image. The foreground tree had red leaves while the other one was bright orange. I positioned myself so that both would merge but I chose to keep the trunks separated. The ferns on the ground added a splash of green. What makes this image for me is the fact that the trees and their branches are very distinct. A slower shutter speed would have turned this image into a wash of color. It takes a few attempts to get an image like this, but the key is to recognize a good situation and work it.

~Image updated periodically~