Photo of the Week: Dec. 16, 2009

HOW I GOT THE SHOT: One of the great joys of photography is creating images that cannot be seen with normal viewing. There are two ways of achieving this: by random experimentation or by pre-visualization and intent to create what one envisions. This photograph was made via the latter method, in an attempt to take a frequently-photographed subject and make something entirely fresh.

This shot required fooling the camera into shooting what it considers to be a mistake, namely a subject that is way out of focus. I have my camera set so that the shutter triggers only when the camera locks on focus. In order to throw the intended subject out of focus, I had to point the camera at a distant object, press halfway down on the shutter release button to activate auto-focus and then, without releasing the shutter, recompose the image with the closer, but now blurred, subject. May the light of the menorah shed new light on all your creative adventures. Chag Urim Sameach.

Photo of the Week: Dec. 9, 2009

HOW I GOT THE SHOT: An old man leaned in to me and whispered in my ear, "I know where you can get 10 for 10 shekels." A good price, indeed, I thought, but I told him, "I don't eat 'em, just shoot 'em." One of the cultural bumps many American immigrants to Israel seem never to hurdle is the idea that donuts symbolize Chanukah. We have too much health consciousness ingrained in our souls to ever enjoy an oil-soaked donut guilt free. Israelis, on the other hand, buy them by the box. Well, they do look good and smell delicious and kids love 'em.

This shot was taken with one of my new kit toys, a digital remake of the classic Nikon 50 mm f1.4 lens. The huge aperture allows for shooting in natural light in almost any situation, especially when you can raise the camera's ISO to 1600 or more without degrading image quality. I left the ISO at 400, however, because this tray of freshly baked sufganiyot were on display near the front of the bakery, where light poured in through a huge window looking out onto Agrippas Street in Jerusalem's Machane Yehuda market. I opened up to f2.8, which squashed the depth of field and formed a nice blurred background, perfect for overlaying the holiday greeting.

May the light of the menorah renew our faith in miracles.

Photo of the Week: Dec. 1, 2009

HOW I GOT THE SHOT: Another foray into the desert this week with a peek at Mt. Avishai, which, at 235 meters above sea level, soars above the Arugot Canyon in the Ein Gedi Reserve. Standing on the canyon floor, at an elevation of 400 meters below sea level, one does have the feeling of looking up at a substantial peak, whose shape, curiously, resembles that of Mt. Everest!

No snow or ice here, but plenty of water flowing from the canyon's chief attraction, Hidden Falls, where I had an opportunity to lead a workshop last month. This shot was taken as we left the falls and began our return ascent to the main trail. In the waning afternoon hours, the canyon is well shaded while the highlands take a direct hit from the sun, complicating efforts to get a good photo, but also providing an excellent opportunity for instruction.

A photographer facing this kind of high contrast lighting really has no choice but to expose the shot for the mountain peak and attempt to build additional form into the composition using the surrounding shadows. The nearly-solid, black canyon walls provide a useful frame while the feathery tree in the lower half of the image is delicate enough so that the eye easily moves past it to find the main subject. Because the sky is cloudless, I included a piece of overhanging branch to complete the frame. I've also stood on top of Mt. Avishai, and while the view is spectacular, you can't see a mountain while you're standing on it.

Photo of the Week: Nov. 17, 2009

HOW I GOT THE SHOT: If I had to vote for the most spectacular and beautiful spot in Israel, Ein Avdat National Park would be it. This narrow, spring and rain-carved canyon in the middle of the Negev Desert features towering rock walls, a waterfall, reflecting pools and abundant wildlife. Photographing inside the park is tricky because the high walls create extreme contrast during the hours the park allows visitors. I tried sneaking in at sunrise one morning but was escorted out by a ranger who lectured me on disturbing the peace of the animals coming to drink from the spring. (He was right!).

This shot, taken two years ago in December, shows the approach to the park from the lower entrance. I was surprised to see a small grove of trees burning late fall colors. To my additional good fortune, a bit of sunlight managed to duck under the clouds, poke through the canyon and brighten the orange tree crowns. To complete the shot, I chose a wide view that gives perspective to the high canyon walls. For those who have never been there, this composition delivers the best impression of what it feels like to hike through this breathtaking park. Once again the desert, feared and maligned for its inhospitable climate, reveals its power and beauty to the intrepid visitor.

Photo of the Week: Nov. 3, 2009

HOW I GOT THE SHOT: In Israel, the best thing about fall foliage – besides its stunning beauty – is its longevity. The climate here is moderate and shifts gradually toward colder, wetter weather, making the transition from summer to winter more gradual than in the U.S., yet in some places just as dramatic as the autumnal color displays in New England. In the Judean Mountains where I make my home, many trees begin to turn in mid-October but hold on to their leaves until mid-January.

If I had to offer one all-encompassing tip that would serve every aspiring photographer, I would advise taking pictures as a matter of purpose instead of relying on spontaneous opportunities that arise in the course of doing something else. This week's photograph features a valley in Gush Etzion at the peak of fall four years ago. To get in position to take this shot, I had to walk about 5 minutes from the nearest road into a position where I could capture the "burning bushes" in the foreground along with an expanse of yellow vines stretching into the depth of the background. Even though I had driven and walked past the view numerous times en route to other activities, it wasn't until I set out at the proper time – late afternoon – and with the intent of getting the shot was I able to succeed.

Photo of the Week: Oct. 27, 2009

HOW I GOT THE SHOT: Olives are one of my favorite foods. Although this photograph exaggerates the real size of my subject, I wish they were all this big, what the marketing geniuses have termed "Super Mammoth!" Fall is olive harvest time in Israel, where the most widespread method of collection remains whacking the branches with a stick and collecting the fallen fruit on a net or blanket. This activity helps burn a few calories that will certainly be regained when the olives are fermented and eaten.

I approached this photograph in the same manner as I would a portrait. The fruit itself is similar in shape to a human head, and I looked for a way to sculpt its features by finding a single source of light coming from any direction other than directly from the camera. Because I couldn't move the light - in this case the sun - I circled the tree until I found a pleasing angle and then searched out the best specimen to photograph. It may seem counterintuitive to look for light before a subject, but the word photography comes from the Greek words "photos," meaning light and "graphein," meaning to write. Photography, then, is writing with light. I doubt anyone would attempt any writing project without first locating the best pen available.

Photo of the Week: Oct. 21, 2009

HOW I GOT THE SHOT: "Is it a painting or a photograph?" I am frequently asked about this image. The answer, perhaps, is neither. This work is one of my rare forays into digital art. The afternoon sky was heavy and pale as I wandered the valley between two communities near my home in Gush Etzion. Though the light was dull, the vines danced with color. I shot about two dozen compositions, experimenting with different positions on the hillside, but when I returned home, all the images had the same lackluster appearance that such light produces.

One of the ways I've surmounted the digital learning curve of both camera and computer is by fooling around. What happens if I do this? Oops. Delete. What about this? Hmm. And this? Wow! And that's how this image was born. After applying a few standard corrections to enhance the color – boosting contrast and adjusting exposure – I applied a Photoshop brush strokes filter to give the image an Impressionist feel.

Finally, I cropped the photo several times before settling on this one because of how the two green triangles (upper right, lower left corners) give balance to the overall layout and emphasize the zig-zag of the lines within the photo. Printmaking has always been a highly subjective and integral part of the photographic process. Call it what you will, but I say, "I love this image. Goodbye cloudy day. Hello, masterpiece!"