I have been posting to this blog for over 13 years, each year reporting on accomplishments over the prior year and goals for the new year.

2024 is no different. My main photography goal for the year is listed in the January submission of the 2024 C.London 52 Week Photography Challenge. Content this year will work towards that goal in addition to my general shooting. Check out my website "About" page to learn more. The website is at www.jeffmarcowitz.photography 

All content posted here in the blog will also be on the website, however with a subscription to the blog, you'll continue to receive the email notifications.

Thanks to all of you who have followed this photo blog for many years and welcome to any newcomers. My hope is that the images and stories are interesting and thought-provoking as I continue this creative journey. As always, comments, critiques and suggestions (here and the website) are welcome and appreciated as they often lead to new ideas and inspiration.

Thank You.
Jeff

Sunday, February 28, 2021

Still Some Tread

Still Some Tread
52Frames - Week 9 - Details [Alternate]

My alternate shot for 52Frames this week.  Readying my bike for the upcoming riding season.

Sony A6600 @ f8 1/60 50mm (75mm equiv) ISO 500
Sony FE 50mm f2.8 Macro

Photographed 2/26/21

Saturday, February 27, 2021

8,786 Miles

8,786 Miles
52Frames - Week 9 - Details

In looking ahead to spring and another bike riding season, it's clear a good cleaning is needed before winter ends. I'm hoping to flip the odometer past 10,000 miles this year. We shall see...

Sony A6600 @ f8 1/60 50mm (75mm equiv) ISO 640
Sony FE 50mm f2.8 Macro

Photographed 2/26/21

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Shoot With Intent

Shoot With Intent
An assignment from Chelsea London, from whom I am receiving one on one mentoring, was to emulate a photo from architectural photographer, Ezra Stoller.  In doing so, I would shoot and process with an end result in mind, ie. with intent.

I chose one of Ezra Stoller's less dramatic images because during Covid, I'm not venturing into the city where I could find more dramatic architectural compositions.  Saving that for later this year when I'll repeat this exercise. Here's a link to the image I chose to emulate:  https://www.artsy.net/artwork/ezra-stoller-shaw-house-carson-lundin-and-shaw-long-island-ny

Sony A6600 @ f5.6 1/500 31mm (46.5mm equiv) ISO 100
Sony E 18-105mm f4 G OSS

Photographed 2/11/21

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

How Near Is Clear?

How Near Is Clear?
This car wash is a metaphor on where we stand in the fight against Covid.  We're on a track, the end seems unclear at the moment and yet at some point we'll emerge into the brightness.

An alternate Low Key photo for clondon52w8.

Sony A6600 @ f5.6 1/60 24mm (36mm equiv) ISO 200
Sony E 24mm f1.8 ZA

Photographed 2/20/21

Monday, February 22, 2021

Ghost Man

Ghost Man
C.London52w8 - Low Key 

From the C.London website: "As you may have guessed, Low Key photography is the opposite of last week’s prompt. In low key images, the tones are darker and shadows are more present overall. Low key photos may read mysterious, graphic, etc. For this week, manipulate the scene to create a low key photograph."

With a slight break in the weather, I wanted to explore my immediate neighborhood for a low key photo opportunity. I found this composition and had to react quickly when the sun and clouds presented an interesting reflection with lots of contrast. This was the best of the bunch.

Sony A6600 @ f5.6  1/4000  34mm (51mm equiv)  ISO 100
Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS

Photographed 2/19/21

Sunday, February 21, 2021

...Into Another Dimension

...Into Another Dimension
52Frames - Week 8 - Roll Credits_Alternate [ Extra Credit: Cinematic]

Know the story and shoot the closing scene or shoot a cool image and write the story around it?  You be the judge.

This photographer sets out to do the former but is sometimes guilty of the latter!

Photographed 2/18/21

Friday, February 19, 2021

...Eerily Ever After

...Eerily Ever After
52Frames - Week 8 - Roll Credits [Extra Credit: Cinematic]

Know the story and shoot the closing scene or shoot a cool image and write the story around it?  You be the judge.

This photographer sets out to do the former but is sometimes guilty of the latter!

Photographed 2/18/21

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

VOR

VOR
Vernon Hills, IL

A "traditional" high key shot as a back-up to my clondon52w7 submission.

Sony A6600 @ f11 1/125 19mm (28.5mm equiv) ISO 100
Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 F OSS

Photographed 2/13/21

Monday, February 15, 2021

Synergy

Synergy
C.London52w7 - High Key

From the C.London website: "High Key photography refers to images in which the shadows are bright to non-existent. High key photos are very bright and often have an airy or ethereal feeling. They may also be just bright and stark. Using either artificial or natural light, make a high key photograph."

With single digit temperatures and snowing, I had an idea for shooting a high key image that included a colorful wall mural with a snow-covered foreground.  High key images don’t typically have pops of color, however I wanted to break that rule.  Unfortunately, the building was in the midst of demolition so no mural available!  As I drove around in search of other shots consistent with my intent, my eye caught the repetition of red.

As a fallback, I also shot a more traditional high key image that I’ll post as an alternate.

Sony A6600 @ f11 1/60 86mm (129mm equiv) ISO 160
Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS

Photographed 2/13/21

Sunday, February 14, 2021

Last Glimpse

_DSC2729-Edit
52Frames - Week 7 - Golden Hour [Alternate]

Unexpectedly, the sun broke through and I was able to make an alternate Golden Hour image from the warmth of my condo.

Sony A6600 @ f22 1/60 10mm (15mm equiv) ISO 6400
Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS

Photographed 2/13/21

Friday, February 12, 2021

Streak-Keeper

Streak-Keeper
52Frames - Week 7 - Golden Hour

With single digit temperatures, cloudy skies and snow predicted all this week, the opportunities for a golden hour shot were going to be slim and none.  I was running errands a bit before golden hour and there was a short opportunity to get off a shot that I knew could be adjusted in post.  Not a photo I'm particularly proud of but it keeps the streak alive at 59 weeks.

Sony A6600 @ f5.6 1/500 18mm (27mm equiv) ISO100
Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 F OSS

Photographed 2/11/21

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Half Way at Half Day - Redux

Half Way at Half Day - Redux
DPR Trail - North / Half Day Preserve

This is a reshoot of a previously posted image to a challenge suggested by my photography mentor.

This image is a far better representation of my original intent and helped by better weather, more appropriate camera and improvements in processing workflow.

Sony A6600 f8  1/250  95mm (142.5mm equiv)  ISO100
Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS

Photographed 2/3/21

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

My Minolta

My Minolta
C.London52w6 - Artificial Light 

From the C.London website:  "Now I know not everyone has studio lights or even an on camera flash. But guess what, artificial light is any light that isn’t natural. That could be your desk lamp, the neons of your local bodega, street lights, anything that isn’t that fiery ball of gas in the sky. For this challenge I’d like you to focus on artificial light you can have some control over, however."

This week was another opportunity to experiment with my new wireless off-camera flash and miscellaneous accessories I bought with it.  Thanks to @vmpas_photography, I was inspired to photograph my 40 year old Minolta film SLR.  I love all the dials, color and markings on the body & lens.  I even found some 20 year old expired film to incorporate into the image.

When purchasing my mirrorless system a year ago, I considered the Fuji line because it most closely resembles these cameras of old.  However, for street photography, I went with the Sony system due to their amazing eye tracking/autofocus technology.  So to get my nostalgia fix, I’ll just have to shoot the dozen rolls of expired film that I’ve uncovered.

Sony A6600 @ f16 1/60 50mm (75mm equiv) ISO 6400 Off-camera flash
Sony FE 50mm f2.8 Macro

Photographed 2/8/21

Friday, February 5, 2021

It's All About You (Hair Salon)

It's All About You (Hair Salon)
52Frames - Week 6 - Single Focal Point

Having staged my C.London 52 Week challenge photo this week, for 52Frames I was intent on making a spontaneous photo from something I observed.  It being Thursday, and not yet completing the challenge, I was starting to get nervous.  While waiting to get my hair cut, I looked up from my phone and was hit with this splash of color.  Bingo!

Apple iPhone 12 Pro @ f2.0 1/60 6mm ISO 200

Photographed 2/4/21

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Going Nuts

Going Nuts
C.London52w5 - Mundane

From the C.London website: Open For Interpretation

Being so wide open, this was a difficult challenge. My take was to demonstrate mundane in an interesting photo. Tedious is a synonym of mundane and that is the path I embarked upon. Trying to spell words with small objects turned out to be a bust.

So rather than going nuts with that tedious task, I just emptied the jar into the cap and photographed the outcome. 

Sony A6600 @ f6.7 1/60 50mm (75mm equiv) ISO 6400 Off-camera flash
Sony FE 50mm f2.8 Macro

Photographed 2/2/21

Monday, February 1, 2021

Half Way at Half Day

Outpost
DPR Trail - North / Half Day Preserve

10" down, still snowing & 1.5 miles in, this was the halfway point for the snowshoe outing.

Apple iPhone 12 Pro @ f2.0 1/700 6mm ISO 25

Photographed 1/31/21