Eleanor Culling’s Photographic Style
Revised in December 2006

 

Equipment

• Canon Digital Rebel – XT (initial Digital Rebel as a backup)
• Lens – 18 x 55 (kit lens)
• Lens - 55 x 200 telephoto
• Lens - 10 – 22 wide-angle
• Lightweight Manfrotto tripod and ball head
• Filters – Warming and Circular Polarizer
• Early in August I added a SONY DSC-H5 to use as lighter weight gear for the trip to the Australian outback in October.
  I used it extensively on my recent trip to Montana/Canada.

 

Background

• Many years of 35mm slide photography beginning in the middle 70’s.
• A little 4 x 5 work in the 70’s & 80’s
• Involvement in Camera Clubs, putting on workshops, teaching the basics
• Writing tutorials
• 20 years professional wedding photographer … 6 x 4.5 format
• Some commercial photography
• Exclusive use of digital equipment now
• Studied the zone system, attended or coordinated workshops with various teachers such as
  Howard Bond, John Shaw, Ernst Haas, and Lee Mann, Alain Briot etc. Classes in the 80's at
  Winona School of Professional Photography
• Black and white darkroom experience

 

Approach

• Most photographs are taken during my ‘travels’, often with photography as the sole purpose of the trip.
• Often though, I enjoy photographing alone and will wander away from groups.
• A few day trips in my home area.
• Don’t particularly enjoy using a tripod – though know it is necessary.
• Most photos taken in a standing position –very little macro work now because of physical limitations.
• I love to take short hikes, tromp off into the woods, wander around in an area for as long as I find subjects.
• Bracket for both exposure and subject matter – often doing ‘composition’ studies in a small area.
• Most shots are horizontal because of use on my web site (I should explore verticals more.)
• I don’t hesitate to stop by the side of the road.
• Only color – no black and white any more (would have to purchase a better printer).
  Update: I now have an Epson R2400 printer and my interest in black and white has increased!

 

Subjects

• Landscapes and scenics – but not the ‘grand’ scenic when there is not a main subject.

• Rock patterns and formations seem to top the list.
• Fall colors and trees, leaves, mountain scenes.
• Add foliage and trees to the foreground.
• Lately the parks in Utah, travels to New Zealand and Australia, Glacier and Waterton Lake N.P.
• I generally avoid having people in my pictures. I may include them in ‘snapshots’.

 

Quality of Light

• I usually use what I encounter. I tend not to rise early or stay up late, nor go back if the light wasn’t right.
• I often use a polarizer for more saturated exposures.
• I hope that there is an interesting sky.
• I enjoy a bright sunny day and hope that PSP X and a histogram adjustment can produce miracles.

 

Composition

• Usually horizontal with my normal zoom lens, 18 x 55
• I lile deep depth of field.
• I often DO put the subject right in the center. Often more to the left than the right.
• I don’t use much sky unless it is interesting.

 

Purposed Uses

• Personal enjoyment of the process.
• Digital offers almost immediate satisfaction.
• Use on my ‘Eleanor’s Travels’ website
• Make prints up to 13” x 19”.
• Teach and share my experiences, often with tutorials that I write and post on the web.
• Can be experimental – recently learned old-fashioned stereo photography.

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