Patio Palett

“Rearranging furniture, adding some candles, or making even small tweaks can really make the difference.”
—Anthea Turner

“Patio Palett”, Nikon D800, ISO 640, f/4.2 at 1/1250 sec., 48mm

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Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings
throughout Central Florida.

Something’s Bugging Me

I’m doing something wrong and cannot figure out what it is. Despite a few years of making a serious attempt to photoblog, my efforts fail to garner visits. I’m fortunate if a post gets 20 – 30 views in a 24-hour period. Shares are non-existent and the same few loyal followers (thank you!!) seem to generate the few comments that are posted. I faithfully visit, follow and interact with other photo and non-photo blogs; I tweet; I Pin; I comment; I “like”; I try new things like themed wallpaper giveaways; I reblog other blog posts occasionally and… Nothing. Of course, I’ve considered that it could simply be that my work isn’t appealing, but I question how people reach that conclusion when it isn’t really being seen.

I’m therefore prompted to ask a question of any who read this post, particularly those who are authoring successful blogs — you who get more “likes” in 24 hours then I get views in a week(!):
“What am I missing or doing wrong?”
Your honest feedback, suggestions or advice from your own experience would be most appreciated.

“Yellow Bug”, Nikon D800, ISO 250, f/3.5 at 1/4000 sec., 28 mm

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Up for Discussion – Infrared Photography

I have had a longtime love affair with infrared film for its ability to transform landscapes and clouds. I like that it’s possible to give images an infrared feel in post, but am strongly considering having my Nikon D200 converted for true infrared capture. It’s not an inexpensive conversion though: just under $500 at my best local camera repair shop. I’m sharing/reblogging a post from Leanne Cole that’s got me itching to bite the bullet and just get it done. Your thoughts?

Daytona Beach HippieFest #2

“I believe true happiness is derived from helping others and spreading love. Sharing Unconditional Love is the best high you can experience. Pure Engery flows through you unhindered by doubt, fear or expectation. It is magical beyond belief. Try it sometime!”
— Skip Stone

Today I am sharing more photos from my trip to the Daytona Beach HippieFest, held this past Sunday. (If you didn’t see the first batch, they were in yesterday’s post. I will share the last batch tomorrow.) I hope you enjoy them.

Are you pictured here? Contact me via email and let me know which photo; I’ll send you back the full-sized HD version.

Imagine if there had been phone cameras in the 60s. Subsequent generations of children would have had an entirely different concept of their parents. Be warned.

A member of local band Tie-Dye Road

My favorite photo all day.

These two were having fun and enjoying the music.

A downpour didn’t dampen spirits, but some tie-dye got a bit of an extra rinse.

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Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings.
Booking family, personal, business and pet portrait sittings throughout Central Florida

If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it.

Free Desktop, iPad & iPhone Wallpaper: “A Dance of Light”

Today’s image is a simple abstract created by combining a fairly slow shutter speed with a night shot of a high-speed amusement ride. I took it using a Nikon D800 at ISO 320, f/14 at .8 sec., using a fixed-length 85mm lens.

I am giving away today’s image as a free desktop and iPad/iPhone wallpaper: just reverse click on the appropriately sized image for your device and save it to the mobile device or a hard drive. The image orientation was flipped from landscape to portrait for the iPhone versions. If you like it, please share it!

Desktop Wallpaper: “A Dance of Light” [Save using Reverse-click and Save Image As…]

 

iPad Retina Display Wallpaper

 

iPhone 5 Wallpaper

 

iPhone 4 Wallpaper

PLEASE vote for this blog in the 2013 Cool Photo Blog Awards – it only takes a single click on this link and you’re done.

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I’m trying to be social!

Look for me on Instagram at @EarlHarrisPhoto, where I am posting photos captured and edited solely on my iPhone… especially kitties. #herekittykitty #instagramcats

I also Twitter and Tweet at @EarlHarrisPhoto

Thanks for visiting, “I Shutter at the Thought!”. Please stop by again.

Angel Descending

And he saith unto him, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”
— John 1:51

Today’s image is one I had fun a lot of fun with. It seemed as though she took control when her descent landed her in the Adobe® Lightroom™ “Develop” module. 🙂

As always, your shares, likes and comments are greatly appreciated!

“Descending Angel” [Click the image to enlarge/reduce its size.] Nikon D800, ISO 320, f/2.2 at 1/320 sec., 85mm
You can purchase a print here.

PLEASE vote for this blog in the 2013 Cool Photo Blog Awards – click this and you’re done!

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Social Engagements

Do you like cute cat pics? If so, you should follow me on Instagram at @EarlHarrisPhoto, where I am posting photos captured and edited solely on my iPhone. #herekittykitty #instagramcats

Find me on Twitter: @EarlHarrisPhoto

Thanks for stopping by!

The Darkroom: A Luddite’s Tale

I got my first digital camera from my father in 2007: a Nikon D100. I have to admit I was slow to pick it up and try it. It was a difficult transition for me, since my love for photography began in the darkroom and not behind a camera. Photography was supposed to include a dimension of wonderful chemically smells and the joy of lost weekends in the darkroom. And there is that magical span of minutes when a print sits in developer: you watch it materialize on the paper you carefully and purposefully painted with light from the enlarger. I wasn’t ready to let go and leave those things behind. You see, I grew up enjoying there always being a dedicated darkroom in any home we ever lived in. My father is a man of few hobbies, but he always made sure the one he still loves most was accommodated.

My own love for the darkroom has never waned, though its accessibility has. When James was diagnosed with cancer last year, we swiftly vacated our Utah home and moved to Florida to seek more hopeful treatment options and cut the distance between us and our families. I can still hear the hollow sound of the basement darkroom door closing as I pulled it shut for the last time on that Wednesday morning in September. The equipment I have continued to use since childhood – including the still-perfect stainless steel 35 mm film tank I learned to wind film on about 43 years ago – sits packed away in boxes. I wonder when – perhaps if – the darkroom will ever see the light again.

Necessity has a way of increasing our appreciation for just about anything. The process doesn’t smell the same or make my fingers slippery with developer, but I can admit I love digital photography, too.

[Click image to expand/shrink its size.]  ©2007, Nikon D100, ISO 200, f/5.6 at 1/250, 80 mm

Tomorrow’s post will be No. 5 in the “Faces of Kissimmee” series. See you then.

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Save on memory cards at Adorama

It was the 80’s. Life was Good. (#4)

A man who is “of sound mind” is one who keeps the inner madman under lock and key.
– Paul Valéry

This is the last of my four-part series looking back at some of the quirkiness that was the 1980’s. I hope you’ve enjoyed the photos I’ve dug up and shared from my youth. It seems like only yesterday.

“Danny”, Nikon Photomic FTN, Ilford film & chemistry, circa 1980

Prints and greeting cards of my photography are now available from

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

So, I’ve been rather behind on keeping up with posts the last couple of weeks. There are major life events unfolding that are, frankly, my only priority right now. More on that to come in a future post.

Therefore, today’s post is my first ever (to my recollection) that doesn’t feature an original photograph. Instead it features a music video of Eva Cassidy, singing what I have believed for years is the best version of this song ever recorded. Eva lost her battle with cancer before soaring to the heights of fame she could have easily achieved.

I post this in honor and hope for those now battling cancer. Never stop fighting.

Eva Cassidy performing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, live at Blues Alley

Learn more about Eva Cassidy: The Eva Cassidy Story (on ABC Nightline)

If her voice doesn’t move you, you can’t be moved.

It was the 80’s. Life was Good. (#2)

There is so much I could say about Danny, but I don’t have all day to write this post. He was an innovator, to say the very least. He was creative, daring, delightfully outrageous, and above all else, Danny was true to himself. Our friendship began in the 10th grade at Buchholz High School in Gainesville, Florida. That would have made it about 1977.

One summer afternoon in 1980, Danny put on his self-made MC Hammer pants (Note: MC Hammer didn’t design MC Hammer pants until the late 80’s) and white rubber boots and we headed downtown in my 1975 MG Midget convertible. We walked down the sidewalk enjoying people’s stares and as we passed an abandoned storefront, Danny reached out and tried the door. The photos that resulted were the first photos I ever captured that came with the feeling that I was really, truly creating something with my camera.

An illness took Danny much too soon. There was so much he and I shared that was fundamental to my view and experience of life. I miss him and still think of him often. I hope that in some way I am keeping his memory alive by sharing a few of these photos more than 30 years after we shared the fun and excitement of that afternoon.

“Danny” Ilford film and chemistry; Nikon camera; great friendship. Circa 1980.

I am now offering photos for sale as standard, canvas and metal prints and greeting cards at FineArtAmerica.com