RIGHT BRAIN PHOTOGRAPHY

(Be an artist first) 

I first published Right Brain Photography in 2015. It is now in its fourth edition. I still teach it throughout the country, via ZOOM, and still get raised eyebrows and head-scratching. 

Years ago, a student, trying to describe RBP to another student, said, "He's a magician."

I will not share every point I make in the book. However, I will share some key photographic and life concepts I introduce in my book, classes, and workshops.

Let's start with, what is Right Brain Photography all about? It's about:
--Being an artist first, photographer second
--Seeing with your imagination, not your eyes
--Seeing something before you see it
--Making the common uncommon and the mundane insane

I introduce two of my paradigms, or models, in the book that serve as the creative force for RBP: I.S.E.E. SOMETHING and Eli's 5-Pt Photo Art Model  Below are some of the key life and photographic concepts I mention. Yes, life concepts. I talk about several philosophical life concepts that I apply to my photography. Below is a list of both.

--Follow your intuition        --Scan what you see in front of you        --Find Impressionism in life and capture it with your camera        --Find Surrealism in life and capture, or create it, with your camera
--Ask yourself, "What made me Stop?"        --Ask yourself, "What does this moment give me?"
--Find ways to detach yourself from pre-programming        --Ask yourself "What if?" questions
--Get into the habit of un-labeling           --Understand the truth behind impermanence 
--Understand the concept of interdependence in life        --Apply mindfulness    

The above is not a complete list, but it provides enough for you to ponder. I go against the rules, against the grain, against conventional wisdom, and against common photographic "No-No's," like ignoring the histogram. There is no such thing as the correct exposure. There is only the right exposure, as defined by me, the photographer.

With that introduction to Right Brain Photography, let me now share several images that reflect what my right brain sees when it talks to my left brain and says, "I have an idea, and this is what I need from you." In the book, I talk about how I created these images. Today I will share several images and mention the general concepts I applied.

I was in New Orleans, Louisiana and had been shooting for a couple of hours. I didn't feel I had captured the essence of New Orleans, until I saw a street performer, a pantomime, across the street that grabbed my attention. I then looked behind me and saw an artist painting southern-themed paintings on shale. She depicted blacks in the South picking cotton. My right brain kicked in. I photographed a couple of her paintings, with her permission, horizontally, knowing that I would create a double exposure. I then went back to the pantomime and photographed him, vertically. 

Below is a rotated version. You can see the artist's paintings on shale.

Here is another double exposure. The subject is nothing but giant willows in winter along the high country in northern Colorado. I saw more than willows. I saw watercolor willows. Impressionism.

This is my zoom-n-stop technique. In this case, I propped up my student's beautiful bass guitar against a makeshift wall. I placed a large piece of black flannel material behind the bass. During a 15-second exposure, I zoomed in, stopped, zoomed in again, stopped, then zoomed in again until the 15 seconds were up. Voila!

When I detach myself from labels, I no longer see an outside wall of a Taco Bell. I see this.

My left brain saw a tunnel. My right brain saw this. Surrealism.

I took a long hike. On my way back, I saw this old road surrounded by pine trees. I could imagine what it might look like as a double exposure. In this case, it transformed from a picture of an old road to a painting. 

For this next image, I totally ignored my histogram. I gave the scene 233 percent less light than my camera thought I needed. I did that to create what my imagination saw, not what my eyes saw.

Yes, I love the effects of double exposures! A grouping of tulips in spring, with trees as a backdrop.  I got a very painterly effect.

I set my exposure based on the brightest spot on this simple giant leaf, transforming it from a leaf to something more mystical. Take the labels off. It's more than just a leaf. It is lit within.

This is just one example of my "swirl" technique. I simply swirl my camera around my wrist during a slow exposure. It's about having fun with your camera. Our eyes have limitations; our imaginations do not. Think like children before they are taught to think linearly. Be spontaneous!

I call this piece, "Swimming In Abstracts." It did NOT look like this to the naked eye, but it looked like this in my imagination. It was the kind of scene most photographers would have walked by. It was that mundane-- a duck in the water. I saw much more and created this by underexposing the scene 200%. It's not what I see; it's what I imagine. It's not what's there, but what's not there.

When we see photos of sunflowers we see them from the front. One day I decided to photograph one from the back. For this one, I did just the opposite of the image above. I overexposed the flower by 266%! I did that to lighten the yellows and the sky. No, it didn't look like this to the naked eye. And therein lies what I call the limitations of the eye. When we see something that doesn't look good to the eye, that is, it's not worth a picture, we keep walking. See with your imagination.

I don't see subjects or objects. I see color, design, shapes, form, texture, feelings, and mood. The subject becomes secondary. This next scene was a huddled mass of people in the rain, standing next to the venue's wall, patiently waiting for the concert to begin. I liked all the colors and umbrellas in the scene. I decided to do a double exposure to see how it would look. I liked it.

The Alamo. When we think of San Antonio, Texas, we think of The Alamo-- where Davy Crocket, James Bowie, and other Texas heroes tried to defend it. I wanted to do something different with it besides taking a great photo of it. My right brain came alive. How would it look if the heroes of the Alamo woke from the dead and walked through it? A double exposure had to be the answer.

 

No, these are not car oil stains in a puddle in a parking lot. I was hiking at an elevation of around 10,000' when I spotted this small puddle of water. Yes, a puddle of water, which other hikers jumped over as they continued their hike. I saw much more than a puddle of water. I saw nature's art, right there in front of me. It looked just like this. The eyes see too much. We're waiting for something to hit us between the eyes and say, "Hey, here I am!" Mountains jump out at us, nature's art does not.

That particular day, I was on the right path.

I saw Aztec dancers in downtown Boulder, Colorado. After several minutes of "taking pictures" of them dancing, I wanted something else. Common photographic wisdom advises using fast shutter speeds to "freeze" the fast-moving action of the dancers. I went in the opposite direction to capture the essence of the dance, not the dancers. I titled this, "Cara En Sueño"--face in a dream. 

Famous Mesa Arch in southern Utah. Thousands of photographers have been there, and they know the magic of the arch begins right at sunrise when the early rays of the sun set it aglow! I have captured that, but one year decided to do the opposite--photograph it after sunset, in the middle of December. I wanted snow in the distant mountains, knowing that I was going to "paint" the underside of the arch to get a surreal effect. Painting with light simply means that I paint the subject with an artificial light source, in this case, a large off-road emergency flashlight.

Impressionism. I love the art movement from Europe in the mid-1800s. I create my impressionistic images using different techniques. This is one of the simplest of all--shooting through my car windshield during a rainfall.

I will end my discussion on Right Brain Photography by showing you Before and After images. The Before images are what the eyes saw. The After images are what my imagination saw, from those same scenes. This will drive home the concept of seeing with your imagination, not your eyes. 

                      What the eyes saw                                                       What the imagination saw

           

          

         

                  

Now you know what I mean when I say:
--Be an artist first, photographer second

--See with your imagination, not your eyes

--See something before you see it

--Make the common uncommon and the mundane insane.

Right brain photography is about letting go, seeing what is not visible, making the unknown known, and just having fun with photography. We don't need hours with AI, photo editing software, or photo apps. I don't "take pictures;" I create images.  

The etymology of "photography," means "painting with light." Have fun seeing with your imagination. 

Contact me if you have questions or want a lesson.
vegaphotoart@gmail.com          www.elivega.net 

 PHOTOGRAPHING PEOPLE

I don't consider myself a people or portrait photographer. That said, there are, some people that grab my attention. You who know me know that there are no strangers in my life--I'll talk to anyone and everyone. That part of my personality allows me to add unique images of people to my collection.

The key ingredients are simple. I let go of the social cocoon walls around me--it allows me to approach people. Smile, be friendly, be me, and, if appropriate, compliment them on something; anything. All this breaks the ice between us and relaxes both of us, Then I introduce myself as a photographer and ask them if they would mind me taking their picture? There have just been a handful of folks who declined, and this is after thirty years of doing this! 

I always photograph people without a tripod, again, to keep things relaxed and informal. I want that direct connection between us. And, to no surprise, they will usually try to pose themselves, try to smile, and ask me what I want. I always tell them that the way they are is fine. In fact, sometimes, as we're discussing those details, I get a couple of shots off, to make sure I don't get that "smile!" look.

I like unique lighting, if available. If it's not available, I create it by underexposing the image. I want my images to tell a story, to translate a feeling, or to beg for questions. 

My "people" images are not portraits. Sometimes the people in the image don't take up that much space in the scene, but because they are so unique it's hard not to find them in the image.

So, with that introduction, let me share some of my "people" images.

I saw this Muslim woman, believe it or not, at a Cinco de Mayo celebration in Denver, Colorado.
I used a 300 mm lens to keep my distance, yet get a tight close-up. 

As I photographed throughout the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana, I saw this cute young street performer playing a giant tuba. Look at the duct tape used to hold his instrument together!

I was getting shots of this Plein Aire artist in unique and historic Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I decided to convert the image into B&W, except for the artist's painting and his make-shift palette.

Here are some more street performers, this time on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado. These guys were painted in silver! I waited patiently until something interesting happened. Then, the young guy in the middle took a quick glance at me. Click! 

I seem to be attracted to street performers. This guy, "JAMBOT," really got my attention. I saw him, not performing, but walking down the street in Denver, Colorado. I quickly found a parking spot, grabbed my camera and chased after him. After a few minutes of introductions and casual conversation, he let me take his picture. 

I have received a lot of comments on this next image. It's the kind of image that begs questions. Who is she? Why is she there by herself? Where is she going? Why is she dressed like that? 

Walking along Pearl Street Mall, in Boulder, Colorado, I saw a man, Michael, sitting inside a Subway. after a few casual moments together, he let me get his photo. I liked the studio-like lighting.

I saved this one for last. I like shooting in the rain--some of my best images have come from shooting in the rain. As I did that one day in downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas, my current hometown, I saw this young woman with her umbrella. A lot of folks, including me, were staring at her. I stared with my camera, hoping to get a good shot before I lost her. I shared this with one of my former students and she said, "I wonder how long it took her to plan that outfit?"

So, go out there and find some interesting people to photograph. You might get that "one in a million" shot!! 

 

 

  

   

 WINDMILLS

I love photographing windmills, especially those old, ranching and farming-type windmills. I either take a straight-on shot or look for some interesting compositions. I also vary my time of day, but they look great at any time of day, simply because you don't see many anymore. They're unique, and that's what makes for interesting subjects to photograph.

I found this great farming composition, windmill included, north of Dallas, far away from modern and shimmering skyscrapers. It was late evening and I liked the colors in the sky against the muted hues in the foreground. There was just enough light to see what the scene was, yet dark enough to give the scene mood and mystery. Scenes like this beg questions, like, "What was an average day like back then?"  

I found this composition on a desolate two-lane road from Raton, New Mexico to the Texas Panhandle. You've heard "Location. Location. Location." In photography, it's "Composition. Composition. Composition." 

And here's one more where the composition before me was all it took. All I had to do was fine-tune it with my position, angle, and lens choice. Chimney Rock in Southwestern Nebraska. 

I saw this windmill in Colorado, but I chose to photograph the context in which it was in: part of a historic farm at the foothills of The Rockies. I loved the 14,000-foot peak in the distance and the artistic arrangement of clouds in the sky. 

I discovered this windmill museum in Lubbock, Texas. I just had to get up early to get those pre-sunrise hues. I got there before they opened, and continued shooting an hour or two after they opened. I couldn't get enough. 

I had never seen an open-faced windmill. It was certainly unique.

I couldn't help but title this next one, "Windmill Family."

I'll end with this surreal windmill-- a double-headed windmill. This one worked better as a black & white image. 

So, take some day trips away from the city. Look at your state or county map and take those "blue roads"--those small two-lane country roads that lead to secluded treasures.  

 

 

 TRAINS

I love trains, especially old trains. They give me a sense of nostalgia; a sense of "the way life used to be. I like to photograph really old, abandoned boxcars. I wonder why they were abandoned, on the old tracks, and why other options weren't implemented, other than just abandoning them. 

I look for uniqueness, like graffiti, early morning shots, or trains crawling on high trestles. They have unique personalities; unique characteristics. I like to photograph them from different angles, different perspectives, and at different times of the day.   

Below are a few samples from my collection.

I was conducting a 1-on-1 field lesson at Denver's Union Station when we both spotted this really cool renovated vintage train. The owner called it the "Patrick Henry." Union Station was one of his stops.

I walked up to the owner and told him I was teaching a lesson, then asked him if he would mind if my student and I took some pictures of his beautiful train. I like using the word "pictures" in those situations. It sounds less professional and less formal. Anyway, he was more than willing. 

He even gave us a free guided tour of three or four cars. The image below is of his luxury car, as you can see. It had everything, including a bar. 

I found this train high above the ground near Georgetown, Colorado. I chose to capture, not only the train, but the context in which it was, surrounded by Colorado's trademark--big mountains.

On my way to Shreveport, Louisiana, on a narrow, country two-lane road, I saw this prize. There are so many factors that appealed to me: the old wooden trestle, the graffiti on the train, and the crooked pavement that looked like part of a fake Hollywood set. It looked like a faux piece of pavement-like material that had been placed on the ground, with a corner on the right that had come loose. You can see it curling up.

This train and train depot are part of a historic park called "South Park," in Fairplay, Colorado. It looks like a scene from a movie. By the way, what appears to be steam coming out of the smokestack is actually a cloud formation. Lucky me! 

 

This abandoned car really grabbed my attention. The two large doors on both sides gave me a view of a residence across the road; a road that led to a nearby town in Arkansas. I knew it had been abandoned a long, long time ago, judging by the fact that nature was beginning to take ownership of the frail and rusted metal carcass. 

I decided to do something different with these old ore cars. Instead of seeing them all in the image,  I closed in tight to show how the cars were strangely hitched together, while including the historic company structure and name in the background. This is in Idaho Springs, Colorado. 

While traveling throughout the Luzern, Switzerland area, I got on board the steepest cogwheel train in the world. It took us to the top of beautiful Mt. Pilatus. When I got to the top, I hiked a few more yards to the summit of Mt. Pilatus. After doing that, I looked for a vantage point to photograph one of the trains as it approached the top of the mountain. This composition really gave the red train a sense of scale against Mt. Pilatus. 

There is a fantastic outdoor railroad museum in Golden, Colorado. I approached their management with the idea of opening at sunrise once or twice a year, for the benefit of photographers. I told them photographers love to get those early morning shots, and that I thought it would attract another category of customers to the museum. They decided to give it a try. I went in at sunrise the first time they opened for their new "photography" hours. I created several images that morning. This is one of my favorites-- Engine 5771. Click.  

I hope I have inspired you to add trains to your photographic repertoire. Hopefully, my images and stories behind them have given you some ideas about what to look for, how to photograph them, and why to photograph them. Have fun looking for your next choo-choo train. 

www.elivega.net