Tag Archives: Betty Rembert

Member Favorites from “Triptych” Assignment

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A triptych from the Greek adjective ‘three-fold’, is a work of art which is divided into three sections. Sometimes, a single picture just won’t do and a sequence of photos can do a better job in telling your story. So, a photographic triptych may consist of separate images that are variants on a theme, or may be one larger image split into three images with a plain border between them. It can be images from the same photo session taken in succession, or even opposing subjects showing contrasting ideas.

Yes, this was a challenging assignment – not only to spot the effective subject matter from which to create a triptych, but also to graphically piece the images together to create the final masterpiece. However, yet again, the ACC members were quite creative in their submittals and executed the assignment well! The following four received the most votes from the members.

First Place (17 Votes)

By far, the most liked triptych was created by Betty Rembert, a beautiful backlit feather. The backlighting highlights the softness in the feather down. The placement of the two close-up images, which accentuate the middle vane on either side, create leading lines that almost frame the middle image. You resist the urge to want to reach out and touch its softness.

Image #9

Betty Rembert, Backlit Feather Triptych

Second Place (12 Votes)

We have a tie for the next favorite photo, receiving 12 votes each.

Martin Seelig put an effective spin on the typical triptych layout creating a collage effect, rather than the long horizontal display. Showing off his favorite shooting spot, Grayson Highlands, he’s created a montage showing all the great aspects of the park – historic places, wild ponies and vistas! The three images compliment each other so well – not only with the complimenting colors, but the composition and placement of the photos. The fences create the leading lines and you just can’t take your eye off the almost velvet color in the pony.

Image #1

Martin Seelig, Grayson Triptych

Tied for the member’s second choice is Kim Hadley’s single shot of a huge live oak photographed in South Carolina. Triptych’s are not always made up of three separate images. In this layout, Kim was using the triptych format to convey the size of the subject. This tree is massive and the imagery of its size is much more pronounced as the branches extend from one image to the next, and the next, and further still beyond the edges.

Image #3

Kim Hadley, ‘Reaching out’ Triptych

Third Place (11 Votes)

Voted the third favorite is Kim Hadley’s tribute to Molly’s love of snow. Triptychs are great for showing the passing of time. As in this case, it’s obvious Molly was here, there an everywhere as she truly enjoyed her romp in the snow with her frisbee.

Image #23

Kim Hadley, Molly’s Snow Day

Member Favorites from “Backlight” Assignment

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The proper use of backlighting in photography can transform an ordinary landscape or object into a unique and stunning scene. It adds a new dimension that often is more effective in a photo than when viewed live in the field – the contrast becoming more prominent and the detail sharper when the light appears to be generated from the inside. It can also be difficult if the light is too direct, causing flare or blown highlights, hiding the detail and blocking the hoped for translucence. There were many good examples submitted by ACC members but the following three were voted the most successful.

The first and highest vote getter is by Nicole Robinson, a late afternoon shot taken on December 27 after a coating of ice transformed an ordinary barbed wire fence into a glistening electric scene. The darker areas in front of and behind the fence are the key to the image’s success. The soft focus of the background certainly accentuates the effect, an aperture setting of f/5.6 the proper choice.

Nicole Robinson - Ice on Wire

Nicole Robinson – Ice on Wire

Voted the member’s second choice is this strongly backlighted scene captured at Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia by George Kosinski. Only 1 vote separated this image from Nicole’s. Without the strong backlighting, this would probably be categorized as an ordinary snapshot but what a difference the lighting did make. The pony’s mane becomes very prominent and the lighted grasses create an almost dreamlike setting, much more effective than a sharp, clear image would have been. The glow is certainly indicative of a late afternoon, with the world at peace with itself. The scene almost exceeded the dynamic range of the sensor but sufficient detail remains in both the highlights and darker areas to be effective. A true artist at work.

George Kosinski - Late Afternoon in Grayson

George Kosinski – Late Afternoon in Grayson

Voted the third favorite is this glowing milkweed detail submitted by Betty Rembert. Betty has chosen this prolific plant as a subject for study throughout the fall, taking many shots as the transformations took place with approaching winter. Here all the delicacy of the feathery filament like hairs is captured in a soft light, accentuated by the dark and simple background as the pod forces the seed into the wind. Is there a better way to capture nature’s beauty than with a camera? It’s true, it’s natural and the possibilites are never ending.

Betty Rembert - Bursting Milkweed

Betty Rembert – Bursting Milkweed