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byron's thoughts

The thoughts behind helping you and your business stand out using a hand written note system.

behind the photos...love in a gondola

Byron Ellis - Tuesday, February 21, 2012

I will say it again.  Venice is the most romantic city in the world.


I was walking over a small foot bridge in Venice and noticed the sun lighting up a small sliver of water along with the building on the right side of the photo.  Light makes good photographs.  Dramatic light makes great photographs. 


I always try to find settings that include both brightly and dimly lit areas.  The lighting difference creates depth to our eyes when the scene is presented on a flat screen or piece of photo paper.  But to have a picture that is "Venice quality", I needed more than just the sun.  I needed love.  I knew what I was looking for and just had to wait on it.  

Now, to let you in on a little secret, whenever I have a camera around my neck and you are with me, you may end up waiting on me at the most inopportune times.  Thank goodness I have a patient wife.  She waited for me as I watched gondolas float by with families and children...but no "lovers'.  

Finally, a couple with a gondolier smart enough to steer toward the light.  Shot taken.  Scene captured.
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behind the photos...lake robbins bridge

Byron Ellis - Wednesday, February 15, 2012

This is another shot taken close to home in our community of The Woodlands, TX.  Back in the 70's, a couple of visionaries drew a picture on the back of a napkin that would one day turn into Lake Woodlands with homes, shops, office buildings, and entertainment lining the shore.  This bridge is the most picturesque entrance into our community. 

 

To get this shot, I went out at sunset and made my way to the bridge.  It was new and this particular entrance was only lightly traveled.  I set up my tripod and started shooting.  I had a couple of cars drive by but it was really me, the bridge and the darkening sky.  If you look closely on the bottom of the photo, you can see lights.  These belong to one of the restaurants on the lake.  I wanted the bridge to be the focal point and not the food, so I metered so that the lower part of the photo would be blackened out.  This created a moody and dark silhouette of the bridge...and I liked it.

To me, a bridge signifies crossing over...over to something better...something bigger.  it could be a new life or a new chapter in life.  It could mean that one has overcome something and looking forward to a new stage.  This is a good card to keep around to send notes of encouragement to friends, clients and customers. 

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behind the photos...glady and laurine

Byron Ellis - Saturday, February 11, 2012

As I looked into the eyes of Glady and Laurine, I wondered how their life was different than mine.  My guess is that Glady owned the small store that they were sitting in front of.  They could be working for someone else too.  Laurine was Glady's daughter.  I loved their eyes.  Look at them.  


You can see deep inside to their souls.  They are happy.  Would I be happy in their shoes?  I hope so but I don't know.  They were happy.  They were so different than all of the other shop owners and shop workers at this stop in Africa.  Most would hassle us as we walked by.  Not Glady and Laurine.  They were polite.  They assumed that we would walk in and take a look at their goods if we wanted to.  There was no hassling us.  I liked that.  We went in.....and we bought.

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behind the photos...friends

Byron Ellis - Sunday, February 05, 2012

Sometimes you just have to have your camera ready.  Have you ever seen the now famous photograph by Robert Doisneau of called "The Kiss at the Hotel Deville"?  It is a great black and white shot of two lovers kissing on the street near some patio tables.  

You can see cars whizzing by and the people hurrying along the side walk.  The shot is a little busy, not really composed well and it is under exposed...but what a shot!  It captures so much emotion.  What I am saying is that a great shot does not have to be planned out, researched, and perfect.  You just have to be in the right place at the right time to capture a great moment.

That is what happened when I captured this one.  


The day was ending and the sun was headed home for the night.  We had been exploring Switzerland all day long and were headed to find the car so we can drive back to the town we were staying.  I had my camera hanging around my neck and noticed these two children walking in front of us.  I quickly set the exposure and took several shots while I was walking behind them.  You never know when these kind of "street shots" are going to work out.  This is one of my favorites of all time.
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