BryCox.com Blog-topia

Last week I was in Maine.  I was asked to judge and speak at the Professional Photographers of Maine convention.  Afterward, I took a day to myself before flying home to just drive the coast looking for some great photographs.

I started at Portland Head Lighthouse, in Portland Maine, because it’s one of the most beautiful and photographed lighthouses on the east coast.  I woke up at 5:00 am and left my cozy and warm hotel room to battle the freezing cold in hopes of a great sunrise image.

This is one of my favorites, because it shows the rockiness of the coast.  I love the yellow coming in from the horizon, and you can barely see another lighthouse on the water in the far distance.

BryCox - Portland ME Lighthouse

Here’s a closer and vertical image of the same lighthouse.

BryCox - Portland ME Lighthouse 2

BryCox - Portland ME Lighthouse 3

I really liked this one. I used a Lens Baby shift lens to give me optically soft edges, and then breathed on the lens to fog the glass.

BryCox - Portland ME Lighthouse 4

Later that day I found this lighthouse, Pemaquid Point.  It was getting late as I did this panorama.

BryCox - Pemaquid Point 1

Here was a little building just to the side of the lighthouse.  I liked how all the rocks pointed to it.

BryCox - Pemaquid Point 2

This was a little bench that looked out to the ocean.

BryCox - Pemaquid Point 3

The next morning on my drive back to the airport I stopped to photograph this frozen lake.  It was so cold there.  I was just out of my car for a moment, and absolutely froze.

BryCox - Maine Frozen Lake

It was a great trip and I’m very happy with the images I created.  I hope to have a reason to get back there sometime soon…and hopefully when it’s a bit warmer.

After I was done speaking, I took some time to create some art images of the people and places there.  A few of us photographers chipped in and hired cars to take us to some remote places in China so that we could see some unique things.

I hope to do an art book of just Chinese art images similar to my Italian art book I did a few years ago.  I will first need to sort and choose my favorites, as well as do some slight artwork on the images and adjust for contrast and proper cropping.

For right now though, here is an early preview of some of my favorite images, before post-production artwork.  It was a fantastic journey and I’ll be excited to show these images after they are finished.

By the way, feel free to let me know some of your favorites!

BryCox - China Art Images 1

BryCox - China Art Images 2

BryCox - China Art Images 3

BryCox - China Art Images 4

BryCox - China Art Images 5

BryCox - China Art Images 6

BryCox - China Art Images 7

BryCox - China Art Images 8

BryCox - China Art Images 9

This weekend I went down to Moab, Utah for a bit of relaxation and to create some new art images of Southern Utah.  It really stormed on the way down as well as the few days I was there which created some amazing lighting and some fabulous skies!  Here’s some of the preliminary images I’ve been working on.

This first image I created on the way down there.  I just loved the storm clouds and my inspiration on framing this was based on many of the paintings I’ve seen of my favorite painter…my cousin Antony Cox (AntonyCox.com).

If you look at his work, check out the paintings he did from 2000-2004 with his really low or really high horizons.  I’ve always found that intriguing.  So when I saw this scene, I thought of Antony’s paintings and framed it in a similar way.  I also love the rain falling onto the mountains in the center and how all the lines in the clouds point to the rain.  So cool!

BryCox - Moab 1

This is one of my favorites!  It is of  an old church.  I love the colors, the cool background and the warm foreground.  Storms create amazing directional lighting that shines under the storm clouds and light up objects.  I was very excited to see this and had to stop and photograph it. I love how there’s a touch of blue in the church too that ties it all in.

BryCox - Moab 2

I’ve been a regular visitor to Moab, to visit Arches and the other National Parks looking for great images, and have rarely seen such a great sky for photography.  Aside from exposing images just right, the weather is really key to great scenics in my opinion.  Static images may seem amazing in real life, but pale in comparison after they are photographed.

I think all photographers have been disappointed when they’ve looked at images they tried to create of some magnificent scene — I know I have.  My conclusion is that something else is needed other than a great scene, good composition, and a perfect exposure.  But rather something has to make the inanimate objects seem more dynamic, and that comes from great directional light and interesting weather.  These extra ingredients have to be there as well in order to add drama to the inanimate objects.  That is what makes the image of the church as well as these other images so fun for me to look at — all of those elements are there!

So here are a few exposures from Arches National Park.

BryCox - Moab 3

Again in Arches…

BryCox - Moab 4

And here is me at Delicate Arch — one of the most famous arches!

BryCox - Moab 5

And one of me under the arch.  This particular area is usually packed with visitors because it is so famous, so people have to be creative in how you frame and cut the image to give the illusion of being there all alone.

BryCox - Moab 6

When I narrow the images down to the final art prints, I’ll process them out separately for the best color and depth possible, and then add my unique touch of artwork to them, custom print them and offer them on my art site, BryCoxArt.com.  Maybe I’ll put a post up here on the blog when they are ready.

So until next time, America!
– Bry

A few weeks ago I posted a very unique image of the Salt Lake Temple which has caused a lot of excitement.  Many people asked it was available for purchase.  Well I have it now, ready for purchase as a custom 20×36 inch stretched canvas gallery wrap.  It looks absolutely gorgeous.

To kick it off, I’m offering the first 10 for $300 off, and am also including free local delivery or FedEx Ground shipment to the lower 48 states.

I know that by offering the first few at a big discount that many of your friends and families will see it displayed your homes and want one for themselves.

Bry Cox - Mountain Tops

This image is called “Mountain Tops” due to the composition and as a reference to the Old Testament use of mountains as a symbol of the temple.  Here’s how it looks from the side.

Bry Cox - side view of Mountain Tops

In getting “Mountain Tops” ready to release, I also decided to release and offer another image that has only been seen at my studio but has always created a big buzz — “The Sacred Grove!”  It’s amazing how great this looks close up!  It’s also been fun to have a religious piece of artwork that only certain people recognize as well.  Some have simply thought it was a beautiful scenic, but those who know, appreciate it on many levels and are stunned by it.

Bry Cox - Sacred Grove

This is available as a 24×36 stretched Canvas Gallery Wrap and I’m doing the same thing with this: offering the first 10 for $300 off!  This too also includes free local delivery or FedEx Ground shipment to the lower 48 states.

Both are available at my online store which is BryCoxART.com, or can be ordered by phone by giving me a call at 801-728-3317.

Call with any questions too.

Thanks, and until next time, America!
– Bry