This is probably the last of my recent shoot from the Snoqualmie Pass summit. I’ve been looking at Ansel Adams work lately and experimenting with bold black and white for myself and the presets that I make for Lightroom users. I don’t usually do a lot of B&W, but I’m finding it can be really compelling. When color is taken away, many distractions go with it. The monochromatic world becomes one of lines, shapes and textures that the eye can dance endlessly through.

I’ve spent the better part of the last two hours doing subtle tweaks to this. The general B&W tone was fairly simple, mainly in LR, but to refine it I did a lot of cropping and cleanup and even more burning and dodging. I’m a huge proponent of well used burn and dodge to control the focus of a scene and as a recent fan of Ansel I see that he was too. It was juts a lot harder in his day. I have no doubt that is Ansel was alive today who would love digital. Click the image for a larger view… Gav

Read this whole post on the Seim Weddings Blog.

You never knew what will happen at a reception, so my motto is to be ready. One of my favorite things to do once the party is rolling, is to step get back with a long lens and just watch. This was a wedding in at the Spokane Club. I was standing on a chair on the sidelines looking for moments and the groomsman decided to just use the pitcher….

What Lies Beyond is up to you. I think the reason I like this stark scene is because it can be serene, mysterious or creepy depending on where your own imagination takes you. I tried this many ways (simplicity can be hard to decide on too) but settled on this one because it just felt right. I know it’s not for everyone, but I like a scene that leaves storytelling to your own imagination.

These trees can be found throughout Central Washington, as their used to break the wind. It was a foggy morning and took full advantage of it using a long lens and making a final image devoid of other distractions. Most know my work know me for bold details and color, but sometimes to like to take simplicity and bold composition to extremes. You can click for a larger version. Have a good evening.

Gavin

My wife and I were recently on our way back from Vancouver where I had been teaching a Lightroom workshop. We ended up getting to the top of Snoqualmie Pass around nine or ten in the evening. There were wispy clouds, a nearly full moon and the lights from the ski slops reflecting off the peaks. It was incredible. I stopped and spent about an hour working with different angles and compositions.

It was amazing because while there were clouds, beautiful stars (a little hard to see on your computer screen) and a great moon. A combination that’s not always easy to get up here in the mountains. Here’s some of the results. My favorite is this first one, a panorama of the two peaks that I’m calling Whispering Peaks. Chances are it will make the cut form my Signature Canvas collection in the future and will probably be going to competition as well. You can click any image for the larger version. Let me know what you think… Gav

Our new baby girl is here. Ariana was born at Holy Family Spokane on Friday the 27th at around 11PM and my wife Sondra did a great job. So did the attendants at the hospital. There were some concerns during the pregnancy which is why we ended up in the hospital instead of at the local midwife birthing center where we wanted to be. She was just 5lb 9oz, but long for her weight at 22 inches. Baby and mommy are healthy though and that’s enough for me. I’m thanking God.

It was fast. Much faster than I expected. Crazy story though. We headed to Spokane and I was doing 10mph over on the nearly empty interstate 90 and got stopped by a State trooper. I’m thinking “no officer would be a jerk enough to give us a bad time when my wife’s sitting next to me having contractions and we’re trying to the to the hospital” I was wrong. He was totally a jerk, gave us a bad time and held us there nearly ten minutes. Finally he let us go, walking off in a huff and saying we may get a ticket in the mail.

Anyways off we went to Spokane and Ariana came about 90 minutes after we arrived there. Sondra was not even fully checked in. Even as fast as she came, turns out Ariana was in a less common position that made the birth slower than normal. We were told that had she been in the more common position we probably would delivered on the way to the hospital. Now I confess was not very patient with the officer who held us up, but had that baby come in the car it would have been worse. His boss would have gotten quite a phone call from me.

Here some photos I’ve grabbed over the past week and a little video of Ariana & Cy (our 20 mos old). He’s been a little jealous since mom is so taken up by the new one. I’m trying to make sure I give him plenty of attention though and overall is doing great with her. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers along the way to this baby… Gavin

Sondra is looking dang good for having has a baby fifteen minutes ago.

]]> http://seimstudios.com/ariana-marie-seim/12/05/2009/feed/ 9 http://seimstudios.com/welcome-to-the-new-seim-studios/11/18/2009/ http://seimstudios.com/welcome-to-the-new-seim-studios/11/18/2009/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:14:06 +0000 Gavin Seim http://seimstudios.com/?p=407

If you’re reading this you’ve found the new site. I’m happy to announce the launch of the fresh Seim Studios portal. It’s been a long time coming.

Seim Studios is now the portal for all Gavin’s photography and projects. There’s still lots of other sites, bit you can get to everything from right here at seimstudios.com.  Posts and content from the old Seim Photography blog have also been migrated here and from now on this is the place for general news and updates on my projects.

Of course there will still be separate blogs related to my other sites. All those are listed on the hompage.

Here’s to the future… Gav

As many of you know I’ve been working with large canvas prints of my photography. I just picked up a couple large pieces I had at Anzelinis frame shop in Moses Lake and I’m loving the results.

I’m afraid you’ll just have to avert your eyes from my knobby legs. Pretty scary I know, but what can I say. It’s summer.

The first, Doorway To Winter, is a forty six inch canvas. I’m working on a limited edition signature series of this along with others to sell in local galleries. The next is a fifty inch canvas from Jana & Darrens wedding. Heres a few photos the results. along with some edge details on the frames. Yep I know I look goofy and awkward. We just grabbed some snapshots so I could show them off. Enjoy… Gav