Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 8

El Capitan as seen from the western side

El Capitan is another of Yosemite’s iconic features. Not only for lovers of beautiful scenery, but for mountaineers as well.”

Yosemite’s El Capitan, Captain, is a 3,000 foot high and 1.5 mile wide wall of granite and it is one of the most coveted walls for rock climbers.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 8 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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STATUS QUOtes — 20160630

“What is a thousand years? Time is short for one who thinks, endless for one who yearns.” — Alain

“Your parents, they give you your life, but then they try to give you their life.” — Chuck Palahniuk

“The common question that gets asked in business is, ‘why?’ That’s a good question, but an equally valid question is, ‘why not?'” — Jeff Bezos

“I worry that the person who thought up Muzak may be thinking up something else.” — Lily Tomlin

 

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See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 7

A butterfly and other insects enjoy the thistle

“A variety of insects joined this butterfly to enjoy the thistle.”

Of course whenever one visits parks and wooded areas, there is always hope of seeing native wildlife. We came across an open meadow on the Valley Loop Trail, not too far from the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, and this thistle was being worked over by a variety of insects. To the left of the butterfly, a large insect is coming in for a landing.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 7 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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STATUS QUOtes — 20160629

“Whether it’s the best of times or the worst of times, it’s the only time we’ve got.” — Art Buchwald

“A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.” — John F. Kennedy

“I am not afraid of the pen, or the scaffold, or the sword. I will tell the truth wherever I please.” — Mother Jones

“An entrepreneur is someone that steals office supplies from home and brings them to work.” — Auren Hoffman

 

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Intimate Work of Portrait Photographer Erin Hoskins

Readers of JBRish know that I enjoy photography. I enjoy looking at the work of gifted photographers almost as much as I like creating pictures on my own. I really must confess, however, that I don’t take many photographs of people; at least not portraits. Yes, there are some candids and some street photography-type shots where people fit into the overall scene, but definitely not portraits or pictures of people where they are posed as the main subject.

I have shied away from this because it is very difficult. People have features, appendages, etc. that need to be in the right place and generally in the right proportion. My favorite subject is landscapes and one reason for this is that they are forgiving. Everyone looking at my photograph knows how a tree is supposed to appear, but they don’t know how that specific tree appears and thus if it is not exactly right, it is doubtful that they will notice.

With portraits, however, many people are going to know and recognize the subject. Not only that, the person in the portrait and their loved ones are going to want that moment in time to represent them at their best. How many times have you looked in the mirror and said to yourself: “I am not looking my best today”? A portrait should show people at their very best and therein lies the ultimate challenge of portrait photography.

That is why the photographer I am going to write about today has impressed me so much. Her work is nothing less than brilliant. After seeing some of her portraits and family groups, I think you will arrive at the same conclusion.

Father and Daughter Portrait

On the heels of Father’s Day in the United States, let’s enjoy the picture above of a dad and his daughter. The subdued lighting is perfect for this outdoor location. Even though the father is not facing forward, he is rendered quite handsomely and that look of joy or happiness on the face of the child is genuine. What may go unnoticed in this picture is the coordination of colors, i.e. the girl’s yellow dress and shoes which tie in nicely with dad’s brown jacket and the overall tone of the scene; just perfect!

Mother and Daughter Portrait

Many portraits have their subjects facing the camera and concern themselves with technicalities such as catch lights. This picture is about the bond between a mother and her daughter. The kiss is so natural and even though the young girl is looking up and away, there is a definite connection and feeling of family. Erin Hoskins creates more than a picture, she captures emotion and feeling which is conveyed in these images. Windswept hair and subtle tones in dress and landscape lend an ethereal feeling to this scene and should bring a sense of intimacy and delight to the viewer. Note too the subtle balance brought to the photograph by the outstretched right foot.

What intrigued me the most about the work of Erin Elizabeth Photography is the level of creativity. Admire as I did, the colors, tones and ingenious composition of the two photographs below. They are nothing short of superb.

Portrait of a Mother and Children in a Field

Family Portrait in a Rural Setting

Let’s round out the family portraits with one of mom, dad and son. Once again, color plays a key role in focusing the viewer on the main subject, the young boy. Both mom and dad are looking at him which brings the viewer’s eye to the center of the picture naturally. The abstract yellow glow adds a beautiful warm tone to the overall scene. Expressions of joy and happiness that look natural are not easy to capture, but are presented very well in this photograph.

More Traditional Portrait of Mother, Father and Child

Individual portraits are also beautifully crafted. Look at this young girl on the beach. Could the setting and lighting be any more perfect? The look is so genuine; not a smile exactly, but a serene look. For anyone who has ever tried to balance natural light with fill light to eliminate harsh shadows, this scene is nothing short of wonderful!

A Beautiful Portrait of a Young Girl at the Beach

As if all this weren’t enough to present this photographer as a creative artist, we haven’t even touched on what many would consider some of her best work and that is babies. I first learned of Erin Hoskins via a story from PetaPixel This Newborn Photo Shoot Features Quintuplets. So how does a gifted photographer find her artistic way of capturing the unique and intimate relationship of mother and children as well as the children with each other?

XXX Portrait
Here the story begins prior to the birth; talk about telling the whole story!

XXX Portrait

XXX Portrait


XXX Portrait
Naturally the original is much larger, but isn’t this a unique way of displaying a group picture?

XXX Portrait

What contributes to making this picture even more outstanding is the one baby with open eyes. Having patience and waiting for the precise moment is often the difference between a portrait and a work of artistry.

 
Being Surprised by Five certainly will bring a smile to many of us and we will think it is charming, but understand that this is a life-changing event for the family in many ways. You can visit the Surprised by Five facebook page to learn more.

It is so captivating for me to look at the work of Erin Hoskins through these portraits. I want to leave you with one last picture that is so intimate and beautiful even though it is rendered in black and white.

A Very Intimate Family Portrait in Black and White

If you enjoy these works of artistic portraiture, I encourage you to visit the Erin Elizabeth Photography websites (links below) to see additional beautiful photographs.

Many thanks to Erin for allowing me to share her work with JBRish readers. Viewing her work has been a joy!

***** NOTE *****

All photographs are used with permission of the photographer and studio. They are Copyrighted with All Rights Reserved. The photos represented in this post were either from screen shots or downloads available from the photographer’s websites and do not necessarily represent the finest details, coloring, etc. Any names of files are strictly those of the author and are used to expedite posting.

There is no relationship between Erin Hoskins, Erin Elizabeth Photography and the author. Jeff is an amateur photography enthusiast who has found this work inspiring. All opinions are that of JBRish.com.

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Credits:

Erin Elizabeth Photography

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/erinelizabeth.com.au/

Blog and Gallerieshttp://erinelizabeth.com.au/blog/

 

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See previous posts about talented and extraordinary photographers HERE

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 6

Across from El Capitan, Sentinel Rock watches over the valley

Sentinel Rock

As we were hiking along the Valley Loop Trail, rock formations could be seen from nearly every vantage point. Each was beautiful and breathtaking in its own right and Sentinel Rock, pictured above, was no exception.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 6 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture time: 2:54:13 PM
Capture date: June 8, 2016
Exposure: 1/60 sec @ f/18
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ISO 125
Nikon D3300

STATUS QUOtes — 20160628

“Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it.” — Lao Tzu

“Hobbies are neither inconsequential or trivial—they’re an opportunity for us to shed the pretense of what we do for what we really are.” — Alex Preston

“Whenever one person stands up and says, ‘Wait a minute, this is wrong,’ it helps other people to do the same.” — Gloria Steinem

“The trouble with unemployment is that the minute you wake up in the morning you’re on the job.” — Slappy White

 

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Travel Photography with the Fuji X Camera System – Video

If you followed my Photography Conundrum Series, you know that I have an interest in the Fuji X camera system and I have been holding out for the upcoming update to their flagship camera, the Fujifilm X-T1, i.e. X-T2.

Krista Rossow, former photo editor at National Geographic Traveler Magazine, is featured in the video below in which she explains how she found photographic freedom during her travel to southeast Asia using the Fuji X-T1 as her main camera.

The video is very enlightening for someone like me who is interested in a mirrorless camera, but more importantly, there are many good ideas about travel photography included.

I think you will not only enjoy the photographs, but you will also pick up some interesting tips and hints along the way.

STATUS QUOtes — 20160627

“At the foot of the lighthouse it is dark.” — Japanese Proverb

“You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings.” — Pearl S. Buck

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” — Annie Dillard

“The older you get, the better you realize you were.” — George Carlin

 

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See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE