Blog has moved

This blog has been moved to brettfoxphotography.com Please change your saved bookmarks and enjoy the new site.

Color of Fall

It is amazing to me to learn how much I missed out on by never really experiencing the change in seasons until I moved up here to North Carolina. The chill in the air and the color in the trees is simply amazing. I recently got a new polarizer filter for my birthday and have been experimenting with it. I love the fall. The color is spectacular. All of these were taken on the same day. It is just kind of amazing to see the variety and diversity seen in the uniqueness of each shot.   Enjoy!

The Illusion of Winter

I recently entered the Duke Art's Festival that was held for 2 weeks in the Bryan Center. I entered three pictures and was recently made aware that I had won an award. I received honorable mention in the category of best in show and even received a small monetary award! Wow, ya crazy. This picture will be hung for the rest of the school year in either the Bryan Center or the Allen building on campus (they haven't told me yet). Let me make something clear, this is amateur photography! Anyone could have taken this picture. I have learned that photography is more about being at the right place at the right time. Great Photographers, I think, just know when to be there and do it consistently.

This picture was taken in Santa Monica, California in December of 2009. I was out on a trip visiting some friends from college and had finally gotten someone to take me over to the famous Santa Monica pier. My friend Nick and I headed out a little after breakfast so he could go surfing for a while and then we made our way up to the pier. California, at least this area has done something amazing, they have created biking trails that go up and down the entire beach. We decided to rent bikes and rode all the way down to Venice beach. It was really only like 2 miles. This was probably the most relaxing day of my entire trip. I took a number of other pictures that day of the Sunset, but they were fairly generic and were more touristy pictures than anything. This was my first time visiting California.

As we were riding back we were quickly realizing that we were running out of time. If we didn't make it back we were going to have to be late to return the rented bikes and get charged for another whole day. We went over this small bridge while riding bikes, I looked to my left and was completely stunned. California had captured my attention. I am not really what this little waterway is from, I imagined some time of water runoff, but since it doesn't rain much, I really don't know. Either way, it was kind of amazing, as you can tell and even though we were running late, I decided to stop. I want to point out that Nick who actually had a nice camera at the time and is fairly artistic did not stop. I took my Canon 870IS, which was dangling around my wrist and took a few different pictures at different exposures. I had never heard of shutter speed, aperture, or single lens reflex. My camera was a fairly decent handheld, but alas was still a point and shoot. I point this out because a few of my friends have been asking me about what kind of camera that I use.
The only modification I did to this picture was raise the saturation, removed some of the highlights, and raised contrast. I then sent it over to Adobe Photoshop and turned it into black and white. Some how in between last December and now I lost the original copy but had this one saved online. It isn't the highest quality as you can see in the degradation around the blacks, but apparently the artist who visited Duke to judge, liked what "effect

I now have a Canon T1i, which I am in love with and I don't think I will ever be able to go back to a point and shoot for anything other than, well actually nothing. I am saying that you should really get out there and try to see what you can do with your point and shoot before you take the plunge into multiple lens, filters, and more information than you really needed to know. With a little bit of luck you might find something like I did. Just be at the right place at the right time.

NC State Fair Pics

Gator Tail!!!

Great time at the fair. Only had a few hours, but can't imagine what it would have been like if I would have had more time to get some better pics of the locals...

Krispy Kreme Burger for the police..

Don't even ask me how I feel about this

This either

Note that he has a pacifier on his keychain

Notice that the date and that this couldn't have been the first time they ever wore these...Ya, ridiculous

Hiking on the Eno

I got lucky again. These were taken the other day on a hike out to Bobbits Hole on the Eno. I was attempting to get a shot of the water, with the really flowy cool water effect where it looks whispy. I got there too late and the sun was already too bright. I then spent a few hours studying and sleeping in my hammock before heading home. On the way in I had my camera out and just fell upon a couple amazing opporunities. Most of the leaves haven't changed yet, but this first one is of the most favorite pictures I have ever taken. Enjoy

Just a little camping at the Beach

I am having more and more fun using my Canon T1i. All of these were taken on a 18-55mm kit lens. Pretty basic.

Here are some pics that I took at Carolina Beach over Fall Break. I really didn't spent much time taking pictures and really feel like I get lucky half the time. I am definitely an amateur,

but am fairly proud of these... More to come! 

 

Duke Arts Festival Submissions

So, I have decided to enter two pieces of photography to the Duke Arts Fesitval. After a lot of thought, in the midst of two mid-terms, I have decided to enter these two pieces. The first, I obviously used photoshop to create an effect, which I don't generally like, but have come to terms with because I think that it really does justice to the picture enlivens the scene. 

The second, I haven't completely decided but will most likely be the one below the lake picture. I have been pressured to submit it, so we will see how things go. They will both be on display in the Bryan Center from Oct. 22 - Nov. 7. I hope you get to check out all of the work that has been done. I don't expect to win anything, but figured it was worth a shot and it will be a chance to get my photography framed.

Also, the first picture was taken at Navajo Lake in Utah, near Bryce Canyon National Park right after sunset. The person by the lake is my friend Christine who I spent the summer working with. The picture was taken with a measly Canon SD 870 IS.

The 2nd picture was taken about 1.5 months ago with my Canon EOS Rebel T1i with a 50mm lens, 3.2 aperture, 1/60 exposure at my friend Don and Amy's house. Picture is Don trying to be funny, but in effect created an awesome background. 

Hope you enjoy and wish me luck