But I must say it does beat the swarms of no-see-ums that lurk in the marsh, so this is not a complaint. And each new challenge necessitates new approaches. This time, a waterproof white balance card is my new favorite solution, pictured here floating behind me:
White balance cards rock because they tell your camera what the temperature of light is, resulting in fairly accurate colors, which is key, especially in the changing light of dawn and dusk. Try it at home by dragging out your camera's manual and looking up "custom white balance" in the index, then use a sheet of white paper for your card. You may be amazed at the results, especially in low or indoor lighting. But the real hero here is my now not so new waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof (aka JB-proof) camera.
Without using this available technology, I'd never be able to take on the level of detail that I try to maintain in my paintings. Or I could, but I would have to spend half a lifetime on one subject (google Venice water paintings or better yet, visit the Getty next time you are near LA), and what is the fun of that? Speaking of my other half of fun, back to painting!
- jb boyd
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