Bob Crum

First, upside-down weather! This past winter's rainfall debacle discombobulated the spring wildflower bloom. Normally hundreds of acres of California poppies bloom around Easter in the Antelope Valley and around southern California. This year, nada!

Last Friday I drove to Ojai on State Road 150. Whoa! Just past the top of the hill and around the bend, glorious majestic poppies. Bunches in and around trees burned from the Thomas fire. Excited, I parked, surveyed the area and began photoing. Oh joy!

Not only a fantastic photo op, it also afforded me an opportunity to make photos that I'll need for future photography instruction. For instance, photographing wildflowers with & without a polarizer. Photos at both wide open aperture as well as f/11 to illustrate the difference the aperture makes regarding depth of field.

For wildflower photography, the trip up Hwy 150 from Santa Paula to Ojai is sweet. Drive leisurely. Before St. Thomas College, on the south side, a hillside full of wild yellow flower blooms (mustard?). Stop on the right road shoulder and gaze. Not far past the college, on the right, a lovely field of grape-soda lupines. For a background and color contrast, you'll see more fields of yellow wildflowers up on the hillside. Stop and make photos. Further up, another huge expanse of yellow flowers on the right with the Topa Topas as a background. Then, just after the lookout at the top of the hill: Poppies! Go! Photo tip: Watch your histogram. Best to under expose an f/stop or two so the flower colors are not washed out from the bright sun.

Tip #2: If you have a circular polarizer filter for your lens, use it. Most times it helps the flower's colors pop. Remember, polarizing most effective when the lens is pointed 90 degrees from the sun. Tip #3: During post processing (editing) enhance the flower's colors by decreasing the green foliage luminous value to reduce their objectionable glare.

Y'all know my photographic work is mostly photojournalism. However, I'm also a Fine Art photographer. Yep! The full package: Capture the photo, post process (edit) the photo and print the photo!

It's relatively easy to make a photo look respectable and nice at a low-resolution for the Internet. But to make an image look great in print involves a whole other skill set. Challenge accepted... prints made!

Unlike “virtual” images, a photographic print will always be the most realistic representation of an image as it is the only medium that is truly tangible and actual. As a 'photographer', from my perspective a photograph isn’t truly finished until it’s in printed form. Hmm. Your thoughts?

That said, I delight in informing you that I personally printed five fine art photographs and framed them for an art show. A thrill times 10! I went to Ojai last Friday to join the Artist Guild of Fillmore members, of which I am a proud member, to hang art! Lots of wonderful art – mine included – on display at the show!

Therefore, I extend a special invite to attend the Artist Guild of Fillmore Art Show Reception this Saturday, May 12, 2018, from 1-3 p.m at the Ojai Center for the Arts, 113 Montgomery Street. Meet the artists, discuss their awesome artwork and enjoy some fine wine. Most importantly, purchase a masterpiece, or more, that suits your fancy. A great opportunity to adorn your home with Fine Art from local artists. See you there! Here's a video of the Artist Guild of Fillmore members at the hanging party. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/1fxItJKG9oo

Photo of the Week: Poppies! Naturally!

Send comments, suggestions, questions to bob@fillmoregazette.com