Paul Grecian - Photography

I listen carefully to what show attendees say to me when seeing my work. At this last show in Hawley, as in many others, a regular comment is that I must be a very patient person. I often hesitate at this because I simply feel it misses the mark on how I approach making an image. Truth is I’m not a very patient person.  I don’t just stand or sit waiting for something to happen or some creature to pass my position.

I think the confusion is that many people equate wildlife photography and nature photography in general, with hunting. I am not hunting with a camera. Maybe a better description is that I am exploring with my camera and then communicating with as much emotion as I can, the visual experience. Sometimes my images are the result of pre-visualization, maybe for months or just seconds before making the image. Sometimes I just walk around and allow myself to respond to what I see and feel. Other times I do stand or sit in a spot where I have pre-visualized a certain image or type of image I want to make. Usually though, I am on the move observing and thinking about color, form, perspective, and compositions, but mostly letting myself respond to the visual experience I am having.

It is more often true that any image I make was made as I came upon a subject or situation in the field. Many of my images are the result of planning to be in a certain location under specific conditions in order to attempt to make an image I had already considered. This means being in the desired spot often while it’s still dark with the needed equipment and a predetermined creative approach. In fact, this approach may be considered the exact opposite of patience. I’m not saying I never exhibit patience, it’s just not my strongest character trait (at least with regards to making photographs).

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Day 1 went smoothly enough. It was hot however and I think that may have resulted in a thinner crowd. A bit of passing rain too meant quickly closing the barn doors (Building A pretty much is a barn). The plus side to a smaller crowd is more time to spend with each customer, which I enjoy. Another plus is smaller lines for food and drink! I am set up again across from my Canadian friend Karen and her assistant Sandy. Sandy has a great Canadian accent.

Last year I blogged on which of my images represented my first sale and I will do that again this year. So, today’s first sale was an 8×10 print matted to 11×14 of White-throated Sparrow.  This is a winter image made early morning. The sparrow is puffed up to trap heat within its feathers, giving it a very plump look. The morning light is warm in color and emphasizes the red in the berries. I was able to find an opening in the brush to get a clear view of the bird’s eye while allowing the surrounding brush to frame the bird in soft reds. This is a film-based image made with a Nikon camera and a Nikkor 400mm f3.5 with 2x teleconverter (a very sharp 800mm equivalent focal length).

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A question I am sometimes asked at shows is “Why does this image have the look of being 3-dimensional?” The image that receives this question most is Blue Bird, an image of a bluebird on fall arrowwood.  The explanation is that there are two elements of this image that lend it a sense of being 3-dimensional. The first is the limited depth-of-field. That is, the foreground (including the bluebird) are perfectly in focus while the background (distant trees) are rendered only as impressionistic form and color. This situation implies distance and the mind interprets the scene as having something close and something far away. The other element contributing to the 3-d effect is the colors in the image. Warm colors (some of the leaves and stems of the plant) appear to the eye as advancing, while cool tones (the bluebird here) appear to recede. That combination of advancing and receding color right next to each other are interpreted as subjects being close and more distant.

There are other ways that a two-dimensional image can have a three-dimensional look. But of the ones that I place in my booth, this particular piece receives the most remarks.

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As part of a series of imagery I hope to continue with, this piece emphasizes the beauty of those incredible eyes of the horse. I am actually focusing on the reflection of the white fence that you can see in the eye. The eyes of this horse are so perfect - deep, black, and mysterious. The eye lashes are almost decorative. I used a sharp, fast lens often used for people photography to allow a shallow focus on just the eye and the lashes - a Canon EF 135mm f2.0 L. It is a tricky lens to use as the depth of field is so shallow that if my focus is off even a little, or the horse moves, the image is lost.

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Yesterday I had lunch with two artist friends, Bea and Meg. Meg has a farm where among other things, she has deer and horses. I had the opportunity to spend some photographic time with both of these great subjects. It was amazing to be in such close proximity to fairly large bucks who were still in velvet. Meg’s horses are beautiful and a bit pushy. I really had no idea what to expect and so my photography was more of a matter of sketching ideas for future visits.

I needed to get a sense of how the bucks would react to me, what the layout of the land was, and to try and visualize the kind of imagery I would want to create. I’ve also never really spent any time with horses and was really overwhelmed by their beauty and power. I fell in love with their eyes but also their coloration. These are painted horses ranging from white to tan to black with various markings on each. I wouldn’t call any of the animals, buck nor horse, cooperative. In fact most of the time I needed to separate myself from them in order to make any kind of image. Maybe in time, they will ignore my presence. I’m not sure I’ll go back during spring though, as my allergies did not seem to like something I was close to. Thanks to Bea for letting me use these pictures!

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There are some images that I find great joy in selling. When someone goes away with a purchase of one of these fun images, I feel good in a different way than I do about a bigger purchase. One such image is titled Curious Grasshopper. Here is an image of an insect that just has a lot of character. Some people just respond well to this piece, others do not. But then this is what makes selling artwork of any kind a bit of an adventure.

The grasshopper in this image is looking right at the viewer and hangs between two blades of a cattails plant. It is an image that I made at Hawk Mountain during a summer morning visit. I noticed this grasshopper within a group of cattails and began to compose. My initial compositions were not exciting me and as the grasshopper was moving, I began to try to anticipate a composition based on where it was heading. I composed an image ahead of the grasshopper’s route. Then I waited. I figured grasshoppers where quick movers and that he would be within my frame in no time. I discovered that this grasshopper moved one leg at a time, and very slowly. Ultimately, my subject worked his way into my composition and held steady thank you. I struggled to focus on the grasshopper’s eyes and gain enough depth to keep its nose in focus. My lens choice was a Nikkor 75-300mm zoom set up on a tripod.

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The Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission presents its annual juried fine arts and crafts show this coming weekend May 10-11 (Art Show Link). This will be my second year participating in this outdoor exhibition and sale and my first outdoor show of the year. Last year I had an unexpected visitor, Henry Winkler! He dropped into my booth early in the morning and spent some time with a friend looking at my work. I didn’t recognize him until he spoke, but the voice was still that of the Fonz. He was doing a book signing at the Moravian Book Store just down from where I was set up. Rain or shine, I will be at the show and in the same space as last year, across from the wonderful Bethlehem Hotel.

The fox den I was working is no longer productive. Mom fox had the good sense to move her young away from the road, but I miss seeing them. Maybe next year. I spent yesterday morning hiking some and exploring new paths. Later in the day I went bike riding with my daughter. Today , I am feeling the bike seat still and the legs could use a rest. I busted my frame point gun so I may just have to take it easy tomorrow.

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For the second year in a row, I made an excursion to Longwood Gardens in Kennet Square, PA for their annual tulip display. We actually had a frost that same morning and that may have effected their condition. As a result, I took a different approach to the popular subject. I still need to develop these new images so here is a piece from last year which I like. I’ve now achieved a nice small body of work of tulips, a subject which I am increasingly growing fond.

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This blog entry is my first since the blog hit it’s one year mark on the 26th of this month. It’s been a lot of fun and allowed me to make new friends and stay connected to people I’ve known for a long time. Last year at this time I was also working at a fox den, so here’s another image from this year’s den work.

Since this den is on a slight hill, I was able to work at the kit’s eye-level, or in this case foot-level. These fuzzy balls of energy are great to watch and exhibit so much character. They are a constant challenge to my vision and craftsmanship as well as my use of the latest gear capabilities. April here has been wonderful and I’ll be sorry to see it go. I hope to get back to the foxes soon, but tomorrow I’ll be working tulips (another sign of spring).

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I’ve been working at a local fox den for the last couple weeks and have begun to edit and develop the images. These guys are great to watch but a real challenge. While lighting has been managable because the den is in the open, the grass is sometimes annoying and these guys move quickly. I’ve spent enough time now with them to begin to predict locations and activity patterns. More importantly, I’ve begun to bring image ideas with me into the field. While each visit is unpredictable, it does help to have an image in mind and prepare for it should a situation arise.

I’m always looking for expression, so I am enjoying this image that I’ve named “L’il Bugger”. The fly which is just visible at the center top of the picture, was on the fox kit’s head and as it flew off his head I saw the fox begin to look up. The expression on the fox’s face is great, tongue out and its right eye slightly closed as if it’s sizing up it’s little prey. As an aside, I’ve noticed that even a passing commercial plane grabs their attention skyward. I’m working with some long glass which gives me enough distance from the den to not affect behaviors.

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