Pic O' The Week #1

Wow, it's a veritable posting frenzy! Don't worry, I'm not ambitious enough to even attempt something like the picture-a-day project, but I am rather hoping that I can put up one a week. I have a very nice macro lens (thanks honey!) that doesn't get used NEARLY enough, so the plan is same camera, same lens for every Pic O' The Week. Let's see what this baby can do....

It was a melting kind of day today, so there was lots of water in motion outside. We started out trying to get pics of droplets splashing on a railing out back, with less than spectacular results:

From there I switched to droplets falling, hoping for better luck:

Better, I think, but still not quite what I was looking for. So a bit more prowling around, and I found the fortunately placed corner that got us both some nice shots of droplets on the way down:

All in all, an interesting variety of pics in a short amount of time (and a little lesson in perseverance along the way).

Project 365, Day 2. You never really know....

I have undertaken Project 365, one picture everyday for a year, for many reasons.

I hope to get more proficient with my gear, use gear that doesnt get used often, boost my creativity and mainly to fuel my passion for photography.

A lot of my passion has been instilled in me by other photographers. Most notably my grandfather, who recorded the atrocities of WWII committed by the Nazis. Images can change the world, or at least how we perceive it. His had that effect on me.

Other photographers like Joe McNally, Steve McCurry, Vincent Versace and Moose Peterson also have affected me on many levels. Given me a goal to strive for, even if I'm not quite sure what that is right now.

You never know who is going to inspire you.

Like say....the wife.

I had gone outside to shoot my picture for today and got a couple images I liked and was headed back in when she was headed out to shoot some of her own. I followed her back out to see what she was up to.

She had found something much more interesting than what I had shot, just by virtue of looking further than I did.

I liked it so much, I went back in for my camera and shot today's picture.

Just goes to show you, you never really know who can inspire you...




Brian Hatch photography

Project 365

When I was in New Zealand...oh, about this time last year, I got to hang out with one of the local photographers. He introduced me to something called Project 365.

The idea is to take one picture everyday for a year.

Sounds easy right?

It's not.

In fact, the more I have learned about it, the more I understand that it's one of the most difficult things a photographer can undertake.

Think about it. What one thing do you do everyday of your life?

Hell, I don't even take a dump everyday.

More on this later (the project, not me taking a dump).

I had planned on using a fireworks shot from the New Year's celebration as my first picture this year, but unfortunately the team that summits Pike's Peak was unable to make it due to horrible weather.

-80 with wind chill. Ouch.

So, instead, here is an HDR shot from Garden of the Gods I took while I was out doing test shots for the New Year's shoot.

Brian Hatch photography

Happy New Year!

I don't know about you, but Tess is clearly wide awake and ready to face 2011.

To Photoshop...Stat!

World famous photographer Joe McNally recently reminded us of the virtues of getting photographs right in the camera.

"Photoshop is not an ER for grievously wounded pictures."

And he's right. But if you're not a world famous photographer with more skill than you can shake a stick at, you're more than likely to have some "injured" photos here and there.

I think of Photoshop as an Urgent Care for those little mistakes that tend to hurt your pride more than they do yourself.

Case in point:



The Great Sand Dunes at sunrise. The composition is fairly interesting, except for the stupid Porta-Potty in the foreground there. But the colors are a bit washed out, there doesnt seem to be enough contrast, it's not laying on the table dying, but it needs some help.

To Photoshop...Stat!

Drop the brightness a bit, increase the contrast, sharpen it a bit, increase the saturation just a touch...nothing too complex really. Oh, and get that damn Porta-Potty outta there!

And this is the result:




Yeah, it may not be a ER, but sometimes the Urgent Care is all you really need to bring out your work. The data is in there.

Photography...it's a family thing...

Emily takes some amazing pictures.

Quite often better than mine.

Which I would naturally chalk up to less beer intake, but I think honestly she drinks more beer than me. (It takes a big man to admit that, just so you know)

However, quite frequently, she doesnt have the time (or patience) to post process her work.

So, I took the liberty of doing a little post work on one of her amazing shots from New Zealand.

This was taken on the shores of Lake Tekapo, close to the famous Church of the Good Shepard. It seems to be a bit of a tradition for visitors to build a cairn out of rocks along the banks.

With just minimal effort, I was able to even out the exposure, showing the cairns, lake, mountains and sky, which would been quite difficult to do without shooting several shots at different exposures to blend into an HDR (High Dynamic Range) phot0. Even more post processing.... see where that's going?

Not to shabby, huh?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go polish off a beer or two to catch up to the little woman....

Huh? What?

Ever have one of those moments where you think you know what your doing...and it turns out you dont?

Eh, I have them all the time.

Ask anyone.

On average, I hear "What in THE HELL are you doing?" more frequently than I hear my own name being called.

"What?"



I also hear that more than 40% of artists have Attention Deficit Disorder.

"Shiny!"


Some accuse me of being among that number...
"Dude, I totally rocked that last shot! Huh? What bullet holes? Did you see this shot? It's awesome!"


I've also hear that 73% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

I also have a tenancy toward doing crazy shit.
Condoms on a Christmas tree is not a thought of a rational mind (Or so I'm told. I don't see a problem, really)


What was I talking about? Oh yeah, what the hell I was doing.

I have those moments while I shoot as well. Thank goodness I'm shooting digital and not film. I'd have had to sell my second kidney for film by now. (The first one is bookmarked for something else, I cant remember what off the top of my head, but it was really important, I know that.)

I though I saw something interesting...Click... (Drying paint has more appeal)

I saw something and wonder what I can do with the image in post production...Click...(Turns out not a damn thing)

I tried to be creative...Click...(Hmm..maybe I should try a few pints of Guinness before being creative next time.)

Sometimes it's a gear issue.
"I need a bigger fucking lens!"


On the plus side... I'm proud to say I've had those moments all around the world!
I blame the beer.


I'm pretty particular about what goes on my website, if I put up only my best stuff, it makes me look like I know what I'm doing.

When in doubt, I recommend faking it.
"Me and Ceaser go waaay back! No, really, we hang all the time! Strike a pose Jules!"



So, anyway, here are a few of those images....

Black and white at the Denver Botanical Gardens:




Polaroid transfer effect, Loch Lomand, Scotland:




Black and white, Punakaki, New Zealand:




Sunrise, Venice Marina, Louisiana:




Clown car....er...taxi in Khowst, Afghanistan:




THE harp of Ireland. Like the national symbol of the whole country, no pictures allowed or else! That harp. (Yeah, I took a picture of it.)



Dubai, UAE (No pictures allowed in the airport. Take a guess where I took this...no, go ahead, guess!):




Afghanistan. (Whaddya wanna bet the dude with the machine gun does NOT like having his picture taken?)




Blue Heron, Dennis Pass, Louisiana:


Well, there you go. I hope you enjoyed this somewhat entertaining look a my work and some of the crazy shit I do.

Hopefully it kept you on the edge of your seat.
"Yeah...totally...edge of my seat...."