The Photography and Lightroom Blog

Reflections can be seen in the water, of course. But, there are other ways to get reflections. Here are a few ideas to get you started 1. A large black shiny tile 2. A mirror 3. Windows, especially at night 4. Glass surfaces 5. Sunglasses 6. Puddles 7. Ice 8. Crystal Ball 9. Software As you can see there are lots of choices other than a huge still body of water. This is excellent for you if you live far from the water. Black Tile/Granite I went to a flooring showroom and bought one big 2’ X 2’ black tile for $12.00. There is enough room to do some really cool reflection photos on small objects. Maybe you have a black granite counter or tile floors that reflect well. My favorite subject to shoot on tiles are flowers. White works great because the contrast is excellent. You can use any kind of lighting you have for these photos. Personally, I use the utility clip lamps with the LED light bulbs, because they don’t get hot. Point the light right on the subject ...

Ah, night photography.  Once I discovered the photos that could be taken at night or before dawn I was hooked!  You can do lots of abstracts at night using a “slow shutter speed” therefore blurring, making lines, doing circular motions and really cool designs.   In addition, if you are near water you can smooth the water like glass.  If you are near a highway or road you can get the car lights zooming by and make them look like long lines. *One side note: ALWAYS BE SAFE! Go with someone for extra safety-if you have no one to go with, work on smaller projects at home in a dark room.  Safety FIRST!*  All kinds of interesting photos come from night photography including making people disappear.  So, in addition to being a photographer, you can also be a magician!  What I mean by this is if you are in an area where there are a lot of people and they are moving, when you take the photo on a slow shutter speed the people will “disa...

Oil and water photography can be a lot of fun. I did it when I first got my camera but have since seen some that are so amazing I must do them again soon. The options for colors are endless. In the photo above the colors are from a plastic  plate purchased from the second-hand shop for .99 cents. You can use anything colorful laying around the house. A lot of light is required for this project so its the perfect time of year for this. An added bonus is, you will get a little vitamin D from the sun if you do it outside. Here are the step by step instructions to do this project or you can watch the following video of Bryan Peterson explaining it. https://youtu.be/SCYG7HO_SZo 1. Put some water in a clear flat container 2. Set your container on a set of books or some other object to raise it above the ground. 3. Add something underneath to give you a cool background 4. Add some oil 5. Now you just let the oil settle 6. Shoot! Shoo...

Sunsets, sunrises, water, beaches and boats can make, or very interesting and amazing photos.   You can take photos while the sun is setting, of course, and these can be beautiful.  However, there is a time of day called the “golden hour” and the “blue hour”.  One time I went to take sunset photos with my mentor, we took the usual shots and then we were all talking for a bit.  After about 20 minutes he said to us, “you see, all the people have left.  YOU are going to be the ones that get the shot!”  He was so right. The light is so much easier to photograph, you get a great glow and besides that, there will be less people to take out of the photo if you do not want them in there.   Even if you do not live where there is a beach your photos can and will still benefit from using these times of day to your advantage in your photography. So what time of day are these “magical” hours and what settings should you use? In p...

Ludi D's! : Abstract Photography: A How To Book For Beginners : Are you interested in abstract photography but are hesitant to get started?  Here is the perfect book for you to get started. Enjoy this e...

Are you interested in abstract photography but are hesitant to get started?  Here is the perfect book for you to get started. Enjoy this excerpt from the book then head on over to the link below to get your copy. Click here to order Abstract Photography A how to book for beginners

This park is full of great photo opportunities.  300 Acres of land to roam around.  It includes a beautiful fragrant botanic garden, docks, paths a place to eat then get some ice cream and in addition bike, surrey, kayak and pedal boat rentals. The train museum is very interesting as well.  If you go during Christmas you can take a ride on a mini train and enjoy the lights.  Otherwise the small tracks and train is still there for photos but only runs during the holidays. Also, most of the year there is a Farmers Market.  Before or after your photo adventures you can buy some fresh fruits and vegetables among other items.  Grab a few pics of the great tropical fruits while your there.  Keep in mind this is also seasonal, it is open from October to April.  Even if you are here out of season it is still worth going to the park for the day. You will need to pay for parking.  The machines are at the edges of the parking lots and it does acce...

Hey Everyone! Please enjoy the FREE DOWNLOAD of: Abstract Photography: A How To Book For Beginners (click the link above for your free download) Promotion is for 5 days starting tomorrow 07/01 After reading it please leave a review. Click Here To Leave A Review  😊 Thanks! Ludi D

Announcing a very short easy to read instructional ebook about Abstract Photography. This has been a fun and exciting start to writing books.  I plan on publishing more books in the near future so keep an eye out. What a fun project it was.  Please enjoy!   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071HCY1XC

The People Of Southwest Florida Sierra is a 20 year old beautiful young woman born and raised in Florida. She does not mind being called a "cracker", and why would she? People born in Florida are among some of the greatest people. She lived in Cape Coral and recently moved to Fort Myers. She said where she was in the Cape was nice and quiet and here there is a lot more crime. "It is not easy to get used too". She proudly told me how she will be celebrating her 2 year olds birthday this week. What a proud Mom! Good to see proud Moms. Since time is an issue with jobs, finances and being a parent work is required to keep a good relationship. However, she feels when love is there, its worth the work. Eating healthy is really not something she cares to do. "Pizza and Hamburgers" are a much better fit. She has many sayings that she likes but one of her favorite is "Do whatever makes you and the people around you happy"

He was so generous with his time, though he only has a year left of it to give. I raced for a moment to photograph him, before the bus whisked him away from my lens. Kindly, he let his bus pass us by, granting me time to learn his story. Cowboy was the name he gave, admitting it was a nickname. His father likely suffered from PTSD, he had no shame in saying it was a harsh childhood. He worked at Monsanto, and made bowling balls. For a time life was complete. He was married, but became estranged from his small family. Cancer will soon steal him away from our earth which he blames on Monsanto, working without the modern protection in place now. He looks forward to the next great adventures waiting in heaven. With what little time there is left for him, he shows the world how to steer away from conforming idea's every dangling bobble represents his world, each one holds great meaning, and reminds him of the love he finds, seeks, and gives. A great love ...

On one of the docks over the Caloosahatchee River, I found myself in the company of a fisherman, who delighted me, by taking the time to reflect on days long past. Steve a "transplant" from Indiana, SW Florida 57 years ago.. when the Caloosahatchee waterways were blue and as crystal clear as the beach water. He remembers when McGregor Blvd was a gravel grub road, Fowler was a two lane road, there was no Edison Bridge and the Caloosahatchee B ridge was a drawbridge. Seems to have been a life time ago, and I suppose it was, for many.

Please join in to see the new series "The People Of Southwest Florida" There are so many people in Southwest Florida.  Very interesting people.    I hope you enjoy this new series. I stopped at a small church where there was a sign that said "FREE". There were miscellaneous items scattered throughout the parking lot. While there I met one of our locals. Here is a little about him. His name is Victor. He has who here since the 70's. He works doing odd jobs, a divorced man who is from Mexico. He said, "I am very happy to be here"