Two years ago, on a dark, rainy spring day I was going stir crazy sitting in the house. I grabbed my camera and went looking for photo opportunities. As I pulled into Fair Oaks (often referred to as Fair Oaks Village) the sky opened up and the rain came down in buckets. The warm light from the window of the coffee shop contrasted with the dark afternoon skies and the wet streets. I snapped several pictures. Later, using Photoshop Elements, I pasted several shots together to make a panorama. About a year ago, I did a small study of the scene which I liked. While I've been loafing around the house all of the month of December experiencing and then recovering from some health issues, I pulled out the study and decided to do a 24" x 36" version.
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| Rainy Afternoon in Fair Oaks Village Oil on 24" x 36" canvas |
I think it's about done since I've reached the point where I'm not sure what else to do. I'll let it sit for a week or so and then decide. Once again, I'm having a lot of trouble getting a good photo of the painting. I'm not sure why, but I suspect my camera is at least part of the problem. The other is no doubt the operator. Anyway, this picture is a bit warmer than the painting, but it's not too far off. Also, once again, Blogger is clipping the picture edges. Click on the picture to see a larger and complete version of the painting.
UPDATE: I finally quit blaming my camera (Canon A570 IS) for my bad photographs and begin to try to do something to improve. I went online and read a number of informative articles on taking digital photos of artwork. Very helpful. I also spent some time on a proper photo 'setup' including some tungsten lighting. I now am thinking that I need to built or buy a "wall easel" mounting system and install it permanently for the sole purpose of photographing my paintings. Finally, using information from the articles I mentioned, I searched my camera for some of the settings mentioned and - what do you know - found them! It all made a huge difference. This new photo of Rainy Afternoon is VERY close to the original.
