Left of Center has become all about contemporary coverage of wedding and family portraits but that wasn’t how it started out.  Originally, I spend most of my time out in nature taking pictures just like these and hanging them in galleries all around town.  In fact, this is the first year since 2008 that I’ll have only displayed my work once and that was back in January.  I guess there is still plenty of time left to put up some shots so if anybody has some walls that need pictures send me an email!

As I started to focus more on weddings and portraits, the “fine art” work needed another place to live.  That was another one of the reasons that I created “Making LoC” – so shots like this would have a home.  If I can get on my business advice for photographers soapbox for a minute it would be to give this advice – only show what you want to be known for.  I don’t want potential portrait clients landing on the LoC frontpage and seeing a picture of a leaf.  While it may be a pretty cool leaf, that’s not what they are planning to hire me for. /soapbox

That said, all the images in this post are available for sale so drop me a line if you just have to have one. 

These pictures are all from a walk I went on with my 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens.  I had about 20 minutes to kill before dinner and I couldn’t wander far.  All these shots are from a space that isn’t much bigger than your backyard.  One of the things that has made my “fine art” work better is my portrait work.  Why?  Because great pictures of people – families, babies, brides – are all about light and composition.  I think you tend to overlook how much influence you have over light by changing your composition.  A lot of these shots are back lit, or from the sides (rim light).  One is of a shadow!

So there – lesson of the day is to think about light and much as you think about composition.   I’ll shut-up now and post some pictures.