Anyone who’s been following my blog knows I concentrate on landscapes most likely because I live in such a beautiful area. It’s hard not to be attracted to what the SF Bay Area and beyond has to offer, and I’m always eager to get out and see the beauty of nature since I didn’t really do much of that when I was a child. But during this outing to Columbia, California, I decided to take my first portrait photo. Shocking, eh? 😉
Columbia, California, is located in the heart of the California Mother Lode. It includes almost 30 buildings built during the California Gold Rush most of which remain today. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961. It’s a really cool town and you feel like you’ve been transported back into time. Life must’ve been hard back then without Starbucks and WordPress! Here’s a link so you can check it out if you so desire.
http://www.visitcolumbiacalifornia.com/
While we were walking down the street, I took a few pics, and these two were my favorites. The first is of a street musician and the second of a house in town. It was a beautiful fall day too!
December 2, 2013 at 8:59 am
Great shot of the street musician. It tells its own story.
December 2, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Thank you so much. 😀
December 2, 2013 at 9:09 am
You say this is your first portrait? Amazing. I really like it, it conveys a feeling of time stood still. And I love how you have processed it. The other picture is very nice too, with the off colours and the striking reds scattered around within the frame.
December 2, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Thank you for such a wonderful compliment! It’s very encouraging to hear, so maybe I’ll do a bit more of it. I really enjoyed processing that photo too…both in fact. 🙂
December 2, 2013 at 9:37 am
Very nice portrait. If the words, “Street Musician” were not there, this picture could have been taken in Asia.
December 2, 2013 at 12:19 pm
I never thought of that, but it does have that feel, doesn’t it. Sans the street musician can. 🙂
December 2, 2013 at 9:41 am
I agree that the street musician is a wonderful image. Did you accomplish the soft background in camera or in post processing? Either way, excellent. You have a good eye for portraits that tell a story.
December 2, 2013 at 12:22 pm
Thank you so much! I wish I could say I had used a wider aperture to achieve that blurry background, but I was walking around with F/8. There was a slight blur in the background but I blurred it more with a vignette blur. I’m glad I shot the photo when I did because right after I clicked, he put the flute down…I guess it was break time! 😀
December 4, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Fabulous portrait! 🙂
December 4, 2013 at 2:03 pm
Thank you Ida 🙂
December 22, 2013 at 10:22 pm
WONDERFUL!!!!!
December 23, 2013 at 3:53 am
Awesome street musician photo!
December 23, 2013 at 7:07 am
Thank you! I don’t know why but I have a hard time enjoying taking people photos, lol. I keep being drawn to landscape or architecture. Maybe because those don’t yell at me….”why are you taking my picture!????” lol