blue_skies_are_coming_desktopsmaller.jpg

Blue Skies Are Coming

This scene was found while diving down a long desert road in New Mexico I believe. Under the trees were a few cows taking shelter from the sun and my favorite detail which is harder to see on this smaller version are a bunch of little white wind power generators along the horizon. It’s interesting how it feels as though the horizon is at a slope but its simply the subtle hills in the landscape giving that illusion.

Also something I thought would be interesting to mention is the vignetting on this photo and others of mine. Contrary to the beliefs and methods of many professional photographers (and my own good sense), I often shoot wide open at f/1.4 on a bright sunny day. Not only am I using a user modified setting on my 5D to trick it into shooting at ISO50 but the poor camera is often forced to shoot at its maximum shutter speed as well in an attempt to not blow out my highlights so heavily it ruins the photo. Not to mention the implications of shooting a landscape at wide apertures. It just goes against the grain of everything that is technically right when taking photographs of a landscape in the light of the afternoon sun which often dictate you use smaller apertures and slower shutter speeds.

So why do I do this? Because it’s what causes the image to have this soft, over saturated and contrasty feel with a heavy vignetting along the edges. Many photographers would look at this photo and dismiss it for it’s lack of technical perfection but as it stands today, in a world full of millions of perfect photographs, this kind of a look can end up holding something beyond what may be expected from a photo like this. It’s just that I am fully aware of the complications and technical imperfections caused by shooting a way that a teacher may warn you against yet I choose to force my camera to misbehave in order to achieve these results.

I am not at all suggesting you, as a photographer, think that a complete disregard for the technical rules and compromises within this medium is an okay thing to accept. I am not saying to trash the rulebook and go off shooting backwards from what you are taught. What I suggest is that you be completely aware of WHY every photo looks the way it does. It is vital that you understand the difference varying stops (intensities) of light can make when looking at a scene and to understand and be able to recognize the difference a few steps up or down would make. Never use your computer and post processing as a crutch to get you out of lazy habits when shooting. Trust me, if you can give yourself this kind of insight into how to capture images well on your camera you will be light years ahead of 90 percent of the photographers out there.

I have a lot of fun and exciting ideas to introduce in the coming few months as I work on pushing fiftyfootshadows.net in new directions. Much of it involves techniques and spreading the love of photography and keeping it’s essence alive in this cold digital world. ;) I very much am looking forward to showing everyone what I have been working on for so long and hopefully it will be worth the wait come January when things start to fall into place.

As for the wallpaper of the image above! Don’t think I forgot about it while letting my mind wander off. To download a zip file containing the desktop version as well as the iPad and iPhone versions simply CLICK OR RIGHT CLICK HERE. Also inside the zip are my terms of use, which plainly state, no commercial use without asking and never re-host the full resolution images anywhere else online, simply use the smaller image above to share and link back here. Thanks so much for your understanding and enjoy the image!

iPad version direct access.
iPhone direct access.

 


Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/customer/www/fiftyfootshadows.net/public_html/wp-content/themes/fiftyfootshadows/index.php on line 27

OmmWriter

ommwriter

While digging through endless bookmarks and links trying to track down an old forgotten website I came across an amazing application for mac OSX that creates a simple, beautiful, responsive environment for writing. I know there has been a rash of minimal writing applications lately but none have taken things to this level. The app not only creates a minimal writing surface free of distraction but goes the extra mile and adds audio and visual elements to create an experience unlike any other I have seen in a word processing app. It’s absolutely refreshing to write in this space. The customizable workspace is fantastic and a clear, concise set of tools appear only when you need them to be there. I can easily see myself using this often as I sit down to focus on a post for the site or any other writing needs.

 

One of the nicest things about the app is the fact that it has a full featured version that is totally free of charge. An additional version appears to be available as well which contains even more options to customize the experience. In fact that is exactly what OmmWriter does, it creates a full tangible experience for your writing. I can safely say this will end up living in my dock as a go to app when I need to sit down and focus on writing and I highly recommend anyone in need of a great writing experience to take a few minutes and have a look at what its all about.

 

More information can be found on the official site for the app www.ommwriter.com.

 

Update: the application is now available on the Mac App store as well. You can access it though this link.

 


Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/customer/www/fiftyfootshadows.net/public_html/wp-content/themes/fiftyfootshadows/index.php on line 27

Fracture

_MG_2227smaller.jpg

I have finally started to dig through the digital photos from my trip and came across plenty to share here over the coming weeks as wallpapers. This is just to get things started and wet your appetite for some more great imagery yet to come. Not only will the next couple of months bring more of this but I will also slowly be working more closely on some exciting new additions and changes here on the site that I hope everyone will enjoy. I plan on bringing the community of readers together in new ways as well as start up my print selling ideas slowly. Not to mention more great music, and articles! Thanks for your paitence as I was out on the road traveling and I very much look forward to sharing more with everyone soon!

To download the image above in ALL FORMATS simply CLICK OR RIGHT CLICK HERE to download a zip with desktop, iPhone, and iPad crops as well as the terms of use. Please, if you share the image only share the small version above and never re-host the full resolution files on your servers without my permission. Also, these are only to be used for your personal devices, commercial use is not allowed. Thank you so much for your understanding and enjoy!

iPad direct download.
iPhone direct download.


Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/customer/www/fiftyfootshadows.net/public_html/wp-content/themes/fiftyfootshadows/index.php on line 27

Back Home

doo

I just wanted to make a note here and mention that I arrived back home safe and sound. Today I have been recovering from three straight days in a car driving east. The trip was wonderful and I am left with a head full of new memories and a bag full of undeveloped film. I will hopefully be able to get all of it developed sooner than later. All the black and white film has to wait for me to make it out to a photo store to buy some hypoclear which I just discovered I am totally out of! agh!

In the meantime I will continue to go through my shots taken with the 5D and begin posting some new wallpapers for everyone! I have a bit of a busy weekend but I will certainly do my best to get something up tomorrow for you guys.

The photo above is YoungDoo looking at the great view from the mountains north of San Francisco, it was a beautiful morning! I can’t wait to share more here as well as see how all of the film imagery comes out. It’s always exciting to get back a big batch of fresh images from the lab. Rest assured things will get back to normal around here and updates will start coming as usual. I have a lot of great things planned and ready to get out so it should be a fun couple of months around here!


Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/customer/www/fiftyfootshadows.net/public_html/wp-content/themes/fiftyfootshadows/index.php on line 27

Landing

angel

Once again I am sorry to be posting an image without a wallpaper but time while on the road has just not left me with enough time to post often. I promise to have a nice bunch of images including the much lusted after white sands wallpaper pack which is going to be a great one! In the mean time I just felt I wanted to check in here and let everyone know things are going just fine out here on the road. Just now hitting southern Utah we started here in Zion on one of my favorite trails, short but steep and fun, Angels Landing. Some of you may remember a story I wrote about climbing this trail in the winter while it was covered in snow and ice ages ago on twistedsun.net. Good times indeed. At any rate, I will write again as I have time and post more photos along the way. Rest assured that at the end of next week you will start seeing some great new wallpapers here on 50ft so stay tuned!


Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/customer/www/fiftyfootshadows.net/public_html/wp-content/themes/fiftyfootshadows/index.php on line 27

This Story

this story

Every image has a story. Sometimes its an epic tale or a near death experience, other times it could be a fleeting moment forgotten until the photograph conjures up memories from the day it was taken. I love this about photography and I love the way it helps me share these tiny moments in my life and travels with everyone reading. I enjoy imagining what kind of story readers may take from any given image or what it may mean to them personally because art can be such a personal experience. A means to fulfill a gap or find comfort in their own curious minds. Personally, I look for things to relate to in any art form, music, painting, photography. The art that always lingers with me connects with me at a level that makes me feel part of what I am looking at or experiencing. I do my best to create images that could give anyone who sees them a small moment of shared experience. Something to add a second of wonder, curiosity, or nostalgia to their day.

So at any rate, this was shot among rocks covered in barnacles and muscles during low tide in the Pacific Ocean. This seagull gave a nice center point to an otherwise simple photo of rocks and ocean and I thought it would make for a great wallpaper. I have been shooting all I can on this journey and hopefully I will continue to find time to share along the way. Tonight we are staying in a cozy hostel on the coast and tomorrow we will venture into San Francisco and the surrounding area to see what we can discover. If anyone is in the area feel free to let me know and we will see if we have time to say hi.

To download the image above simply CLICK OR RIGHT CLICK HERE to grab a zip containing full resolution desktop, ipad, and iphone wallpapers. Please, no commercial use and if you decide to share the image with others use the smaller resolution image above and link back here. Do not re-host the full resolution images anywhere else without first checking with me. Thanks so much and enjoy!

iPhone direct download.
iPad direct download.

To whom it may concern,

IMAGES FOUND WITHIN FIFTYFOOTSHADOWS.NET ARE ©JOHN CAREY AND MAY NOT BE USED FOR ANY COMMERCIAL USE WITHOUT PERMISSION. 

DO:

• Enjoy the images! It’s a labor of love, thanks for your support!
• Share fiftyfootshadows.net with friends.
• Send me a quick mail if you are interested in using an image for commercial or personal use other than wallpaper.

DON’T:

• Post desktops elsewhere online.
• Share links directly to images.
• Pass them around in mass.
• Make prints.
• Use images for web banners or graphics. (send a quick email to ask, I’m pretty easy going about this with permission.)
• Use them in commercial work.

If you help me out with these I will be able to keep doing what I love to do. Thanks again, really, for your support and understanding. -J

——

By downloading any content from fiftyfootshadows.net you agree to the following terms:

All of the images contained within this website, fiftyfootshadows.net, are property of, John Carey unless otherwise posted. The images are distributed as freeware but they are available for personal use only on your personal computer, tablet, or smartphone as your wallpaper image. Any use of these images for any purpose other than this is a violation of these terms and anyone found using said images will be asked to either compensate the creator for doing so or be asked to stop using them immediately.

I ask that you refrain from using any images found on fiftyfootshadows.net to create physically printed material of any kind. This includes posters, photographic prints, fliers, etc. Under no circumstances may you make a physical reproduction without written permission.

These rules also apply for any artwork or imagery submitted and shown within this site which was created by an artist aside from myself. Any images submitted and shared as wallpapers are the property of the artist who created them and in the same manner as my images, you are asked to receive permission before using them in any way aside from their intended use. Any use of these images outside of for your own personal use as a desktop wallpaper image is prohibited without permission from the author of the image. Commercial licensing is available upon request. Please write with any inquiries.

When sharing images via your personal blogs I kindly ask that you link back directly to either the post the image was taken from or the base of the website at www.fiftyfootshadows.net and give a credit to www.fiftyfootshadows.net. Do not re-post full resolution desktop images anywhere without permission. If you would like to use an image for your blog background or something of the sort simply write to ask first. Support the artwork you admire! Also, it is greatly appreciated if you do NOT link directly to the zip files. This is more or less the same as re-posting them as it circumvents the tiny bit of support I ask of you which is to simply link back to the original post for others to enjoy the site.

It’s not fair to artists if you do not credit their work and link back to the original content creator. It is theft plain and simple and blogs that attempt to somehow be mysterious by not giving credit to the creators are simply hurting the artistic community as a whole. If you love it so much then please, support it! The artistic community on the Internet is based on trust. Without trust then what do we have? are you going to be one of the responsible users out there or will you be among the bottom feeders, stealing content and passing it off as your own to make a quick buck in ad sales.

Use your best judgement and we will get along just fine.

Thank you for your understanding and support!

John Carey (curator, owner)

fiftyfootshadows.net

fiftyfootshadows@gmail.com