Photographic Reconnaisance

 

I find it a little strange that I wanted to take photographs of different subjects to paint with pastels. Perhaps that is because I have seen so many pastels of marshes, water and green things.  So I headed out towards Rockport, MA (on Cape Ann) to see what I could see.  I think the tide was mostly out, so the water, sand and marshes had lots of textures.  The little green trimmed white "house" actually seems to be floating on a platform of some sort;  a rather literal house-boat perhaps.

Some of the pictures will require thoughtful cropping.

I have already "moved" the boat leftward with Photoshop, so that unlike real life, it wasn't directly aligned with the house

Furthermore, I must remember NOT to go on Saturdays!  The town and Bear Neck was jam packed; there were even tour buses parked at the main intersection.  So I drove past the congestion toward the "Granite Pier" and took pictures there.  Below is NOT Motif #1, but perhaps Motif #X+1!!

The buoys and lobster traps were arranged haphazardly and mysteriously.  I can't decide which crop I like best.  I posterized the one on the far right.  It may make a decent abstract.

I don't often see boats with tall masts UNDER a house.  Intriguing.

Another composition that might work in pastels, although there might need to be a shift in the clouds to avoid having it be one giant series of diagonals.

I had no idea how small the fisherman would look.  If I gave him a brighter jacket he would definitely become a focal point.

Below left is Rockport seen from across the bay.  Don't know where the focal point would be.
The right hand  image was intended to focus on the waves breaking on the rocks... Can't believe I didn't "keep" the buildings' roofs in the frame.  Eek.

Almost identical degrees of posterization.  Even if I TRIED to do one rather than the other, I'm sure that a transition to pastels would be different in another way.

Abstract fodder. Perhaps for oil paint and palette knife.

Who knew that the houses painted ORANGE would actually match the trees in September?!  Might add some green in the foliage and make the granite and sky different shades of purple/lavender to do a painting all in secondary hues.

Clouds were often perfectly composed.  I've looked at clouds from both sides now... and have very little clue as to how to paint them.

The owner of this house near Ipswich must care more about the inside than the outside.  Looks ready for squatters or haunting soon.

Benjamin Grant House  ca. 1735

Asymmetrical geometry of New England buildings fascinates this California "girl."  (Not to mention the orange trim and great cascade of blossoms.)

The Whipple House ca. 1677

This is either a museum or historical site in Ipswitch.  (This view is end-on of the descriptive sign.)  Note the stocks in the left foreground.  Puritanical much?