Monday, May 16, 2011

California High Desert

"California High Desert"
24" X 36" Oil on Canvas
You know....I've kept from posting this image for about a week. The problem is I just cannot get a decent pic of the painting and it has been driving me crazy. I've used 2 different cameras and tried every setting I could think of. The painting looks pretty good here on the easel but some of the colors here in the photo are just reading a bit too intense. The yellows on the sage bush in the foreground have too much contrast in relation to the rest of the plant. On the easel the contrast of greens/yellows are more subdued and the greens of the sage brush are a bit better milky-green looking. I don't know if it is a Nikon thing or not...yellows come screaming through both of these cameras....and yes, I've tried all of my photoshop tricks to fix it all but I'm tired of messing with it so I'm just going to post what I felt was a bearable photo of the painting. Sometimes some paintings just don't do well in a photo but look fine in a real life setting....this is the king of those types, hahaha.     

5 comments:

Barbara Smeaton Studio said...

The beauty of the painting is coming through very nicely even if those cameras just aren't co-operating. Know how you feel, I can't photograph artwork to save my life, but it doesn't stop me from trying.

Dianne said...

The problem is sometimes how it's lit. I know I get flare on oils and acrylics from the flash. That said, the picture looks great! The High Desert, I lived in 29 Palms for a while, but it wasn't a real change from El Paso.

I love your sage brush, and the way it looks in the posting there is a mood from the soft pale gray in the landscape.

Ron Guthrie said...

Hi Barbara...Thanks fofr the good words. I usually do not have that big a problem getting a good photo but this one broke the mold, haha. Thanks.

Hi Diane, I took the pic using my usual lighting and then tried some I don't normally use...still the same probs.. It was very frustrating. My original camera that I used, a small Nikon, broke so this was taken with two other Nikons. I'm not quite sure what happened here. All of the Nikons seem to really exagerate yellows and there was a lot of that here. I haven't been to 29 Palms in years. There is some awesome scenery there. Thanks!

Unknown said...

Regardless of photographic issues this is a fascinating shift in your treatment of some of your familiar territory. There is an intensity of emotion in the interplay of elements. The recession and associated definition are technically instructive and you have made a painting that anyone would be proud to have on their wall.

Ron Guthrie said...

Hi Mick,
I'm really enjoying painting the desert...great light out there and totally a change from oaks and eucalyptus trees. What I love about the desert is trying to really push the distances, the depth. I like the layering of background to foreground and it's a fun challenge to do it.

I need more work on painting desert plants too. I'm not happy with mine yet so something to strive for. Thanks for the good words Mick...I always appreciate the comments.