Blog

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.
-unattributed
Perfection by Nikolyn McDonald

I love it when someone lets me know they like my work. Who doesn’t?
About six weeks ago, I was contacted by the director of the Washington County Historical Association Museum in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, regarding the use of some of my photos from Fort Atkinson State Historical Park in a scrapbook for an educational project for fourth graders. I put together a collection of images for her to look through and, once the choices were made, printed them up.
In the course of our conversations, the idea of printing a calendar as a fund raiser for the Friends of Fort Atkinson came up. Again I was happy to provide images and, with the help of the art coordinator at a local publishing company, we put one together.
My copies (one to use and one to keep) arrived in the mail yesterday, and I am delighted. It includes 40 of my images, an assortment of people and objects, taken on Living History weekends over the last few years. I had uploaded relatively few of those images previously because the portraits are not for sale as prints; however, I created a special Fort Atkinson gallery and uploaded a few this afternoon so I could share them with you.
If you are interested in purchasing a calendar, they are $16. Just contact me through my site or Facebook page and I’ll put you in touch with someone who can help you.
Child of the Fort - inside cover
Salute to the States - January
In the Kitchen - February
The Tinsmith - March
The Quartermaster - April
The Cooper - July
The Colonel - August
The Blacksmith - September

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.
-Eleanor Roosevelt

A New Day - Light Rays by Nikolyn McDonald

Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.
-Mark Twain
- Assortment by Nikolyn McDonald

Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon.
-A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Fantasy Flight by Nikolyn McDonald

Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Evening Stillness by Nikolyn McDonald

Normally, when I process a photo, I upload it in either color or in black and white and the decision as to which is clear to me; but occasionally I hesitate and can see strong advantages to each, so I upload both. That was the case with this photo I took recently on the Notom-Bullfrog Road in Capitol Reef National Park in Utah.

For me the combination of the rich browns of the landscape and the beautiful blue skies of this part of the country is almost always irresistible, and I love the classic Southwest landscape look they give the color version. On the other hand, while the bones lie just as I found them, they contrast almost too starkly with the rock formations and sky and are slightly unsettling.

In black and white, the skeleton(s) seem more integral to the scene. There is less tension in the composition, with the whitest clouds in the sky subtly balanced by the bones. The cycle of life and death that they suggest feels natural and not at all disturbing.

Ultimately, the choice is the viewer's. What's yours?

For me, sometimes a photo just begs to be rescued. Here’s one from our recent trip to Zion National Park, taken on the Riverside Walk.

A young buck was browsing near the river just off the raised trail and quite undisturbed by all the hikers. When he raised his head momentarily, I got this shot: nicely focused, good exposure, engaging pose, and a natural environment. Unfortunately, the environment was also a problem; it was very messy, busy and distracting. So I set about trying to minimize it.

To do that, first I used a Topaz Impression art filter which I erased from the deer. Then I used a Nik Silver Efex Pro filter that removed the color and faded the image out around the edges at reduced opacity. Finally, I applied two textures at varying opacities and using different blend modes, removing them from the deer but leaving them on the background.

I’m very happy with the combination of realism and painted look that I got in the final version

I love to travel and see new places, both personally and through my lens; but it’s funny how often my favorite photos end up being those taken within a few miles of my home. The Day's Last Kiss is a good example of such an image. This beautiful old barn is located less than five miles from my house. Because it’s on a slight rise, when the trees have lost their leaves, the structure shows well against the western sky; it is especially beautiful when the sun is setting. I was honored to have this image selected for a special feature and the November logo for the FotoPainting group this week. Many thanks to the group administrator, Jean O'Keeffe for her work in administering both the contest and the group.