Traveling the Journey of Light | Photoblog Thoughts, feelings, and techniques behind the photography of Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston

How I Use Singh-Ray FiltersPosted by admin on April 28th, 2009

I recently had the opportunity to write an article for Singh-Ray, the manufacturer of the filters that I use.  On many of the posts on this blog, you will see that I reference my filter use quite a bit.  In the article I talk about my usage of the filters and how they benefit me when photographing the Great Plains.  Many of my photos would be difficult to produce without them.  If you get a chance you should check out the article here: http://singhray.blogspot.com/2009/04/nebraskas-big-skies-are-perfect.html.

Time Moves ThroughPosted by drfl on April 27th, 2009

Today’s image is one I’ve been holding onto for a while.  This is a barn near Schramm State Recreation Area that I have passed several times and always wanted to stop.  It seems to have so much character and history.  One day when I was driving down to Schramm, the clouds were puffy and high in the sky which created a interesting backdrop to the rustic barn.  I pulled over and grabbed this shot.  While I like the color version, I felt that the subject demanded something in a black and white sepia toned.  I used nik SilverEfex Pro to do the black and white conversion and toning which worked out beautifully.  I highly recommend that product for black and white/toning conversions.

Technical Details:
Canon 5d Mark II, 17-40 f/4l @ 28mm, f/9, 1/800 sec.
Near Schramm State Recreation Area, Nebraska

Betty Strong Center - DeSoto and Boyer Chute ImagesPosted by drfl on April 22nd, 2009

A little over a year ago, I was contacted to contribute some photographs to the Betty Strong Center in Sioux City, Iowa.  It is an addition to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive learning center for the public.  I hadn’t had the opportunity to make it up to see the display, butlast weekend my family and I made the journey north.  The center is very impressive, they have many learning opportunities for children and adults alike, and it is a beautiful structure.  The Betty Strong Center is a wonderful addition and features a gallery and auditorium to advance learning.  The hallway with the Missouri River display is well designed and visually appealing.  If you are ever in the Sioux City area, I strongly encourage a visit, I think you will find it worth the time.

New DestinationPosted by admin on April 22nd, 2009

I have recently moved my blog over to a new technology from Blogspot.  While Blogspot has served me well for over a year, I felt that I wanted to get a little fancier with the designs and have a little more control over what I could do.  This of course entails more work, but I hope that it will provide a better experience for those visiting my blog.

ConnectIT AdPosted by admin on April 4th, 2009

Recently, I’ve been venturing outside of my norm and taking photographs of some really different subjects. The other day I photographed some jeans for a ConnectIT ad. The jeans work really well into the marketing message of the company. It was an enjoyable experience and I always like to stretch myself photographically when possible. I still like doing the nature bit, but this project was pretty cool.

Balancing Family, Life, and PhotographyPosted by admin on April 3rd, 2009

Canada Goose Profile

One of the things that I have found since becoming a father, is that it is can be difficult to find the time to capture images as I once did. In the past, I could leave and take photographs on a whim - I would look at the weather patterns, scout locations, and simply go if the conditions were right. Recently, I find that it just isn’t that easy anymore - nor do I find myself as compelled previously. It’s not that I don’t have the same desire to photograph the world as I once did, it’s just that there are times that I find myself in a field waiting for a sunset and I’d rather be home with my wife and daughter. My favorite times to photograph are when my daughter is with me and she is exploring the world, and I follow this exploration through my lens. This photograph is one such example. She loves to go see the ducks at Schramm State Recreation Area, and as such my collection of duck/bird photographs has increased considerably. By the way, she still thinks that Geese are ducks, although occasionally she will say “Geese!” to both geese and ducks. I try not to confuse her too much.

Our vacations have changed as well. We try to stick closer to home, and I’ve modified my schedule somewhat. I will still go out before sunrise to try and get that glorious morning shot, but the middle of my day is spent with activities with my family. I will still take photographs, but I really enjoy seeing how my daughter is reacting to her environment and the sights around her. I feel that my photography has evolved since she has come into the world - for the better. As I have said before, she has given me a new view of the world - I see things that before I may have passed over.

I will still continue to travel and photograph and I hope that as my daughter grows she will join me on these adventures. Who knows, maybe some day she’ll pick up a camera and follow her daddy. All I know is that my life has changed and that I enjoy sharing the world with her. I continue to check out sunrises and sunsets, just sometimes it will be without a camera and with my daughter.

Technical Details:

Canon 50d, 300 f/4l + 1.4tc, f/5.6, 1/125 sec.
Schramm State Recreation Area, Nebraska

DeSoto Show, Postcards, and Screen SaversPosted by admin on April 1st, 2009

Today is the first day of my show at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge. This is going to run until the end of May, if you get an opportunity to visit this beautiful refuge be sure to take in a few (39) photographs as well. In addition to the show, I have produced 2 postcard designs and a screen saver that will be sold in the gift shop. These are nice 5×7 cards as shown above.

Directions and more information on DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is available at: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/desoto/