Seashell by the Seashore

Seashell by the Seashore
Seashell by the Seashore

I wanted to capture something “summer-y” and minimalist to commemorate the impending end of summer and the slow downhill slide to the dead of winter.  What better way than with a nice sandy beach and a seashell or two?  The only problem with that is I’m in Milwaukee and nowhere near the ocean.  Oh sure, we have Lake Michigan.  And with the right light and conditions, the lake water can look just like a Caribbean beach in a photograph.  But that wasn’t today.  What to do?

My solution involved a white foam core backdrop, natural light from a window, and a pen light.  I was planning on creating the blue sky and sandy beach colors in Photoshop, but as luck would have it, the blended colors of the natural and artificial lights worked together well to create the two-toned look in camera.  All I had to do was enhance what was there.

The light from the window camera left acted as a large warm softbox.  With just that natural light, the window just barely lit the scene at a 20 second exposure.  So I used the pen light to “light paint” the shell and fill in the rest of the lighting.   Finally,  in Photoshop, along with my normal color-correction and contrast adjustments, I added just a slight bit of texture.

Day 345 of my 365 photo a day project.

Seashell by the Seashore
Seashell by the Seashore

Looking for art for your home or office or something to spice up your digital desktop?  This image and most of the others from this project are available as prints and digital downloads.  You can also check out the rest of my portfolio here.  Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss anything!

By Scott Norris

Emotion. Mood. Feelings. This is what I capture through my photographs. Whether it is landscapes, architectural elements, still life, or macros - it is a very personal journey as my own fears, triumphs, beliefs, and shortcomings are exposed with each photo. In the end, it is all about telling compelling stories.