• HDR,  quotes

    Hundreds of Times

    November 9, 2012
    Golden Sunset

    “Landscape photographers should have a sense of adventure. Get out there yourself and explore. Stay off the beaten path and be instantly better by being different than the rest. Creativity can’t be taught by someone. It comes from doing, observing the results, analyzing them and doing it all over again, dozens or even hundreds of times.” 

    Dan Jurak

    A few years ago I coached in a midget football program for 5th to 8th graders and had a blast. Our goal was to teach them the basics of the sport: stance, blocking, tackling and sportsmanship. But one of the most interesting aspects was the difference each individual had in learning. There were those who had it the first time, those who were not going to get it and those who were going to need hundreds of times. I learned I belong in the later category: hundreds of times?

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  • Sculpture

    Things That Interest Me

    November 8, 2012
    An Angel

    “There are many forms of photography. I consider myself simply a recorder of that which I find of interest around me. I personally have no desire to create or stage direct ideas.”

    David Hurn

    Like Paul, I’ve also been going back over my archives. It’s amazing to realize all the places this job has allowed me to visit. It is one of the benefits of this work. As I’ve mentioned before I’m a street walker which is where I find things that interest me. Once placed in my viewfinder, then compose, I press the shutter. Found this angel in front of a church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Hope everyone has a good day!

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  • Art,  leaves

    The Feeling

    November 2, 2012
    Fallen Leaves

    “The photographic process is so simple. A gorilla took a picture used on a National Geographic cover. There is a danger in that photography is so easy. The taking is easy. The feeling is difficult.”

    Paul Martin Lester

    I can be drawn to a technically perfect image, standing in awe of the photographers skills. However, I most enjoy an image full of power, tugging at something inside of me or speaking to me but not necessarily a technically well done image. I wonder if that is due to my inabilities to always create technically perfect images. I have found this to be true when assessing a series of images I may have taken from one scene. Out of 100 images there may be one that just shouts. It could be due to composition, the changing light, a bird moving through the scene, the reshaping of clouds, a person walking into the scene, a boat that suddenly appears on the water, a smile or change in posture that suddenly appears in a portrait. Somehow within that one image I find a feeling. The other 99 may not have it.

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  • sunrises

    Content With Silence

    November 1, 2012
    Foggy Sunrise

    “When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs.
    When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”

    Ansel Adams

    And, there is silence standing in an open field shrouded with fog. One of the perks of life.

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  • moon,  trees

    Morning Moon

    October 31, 2012
    From a morning walk

    I am on my way back to Colorado. I made a quick trip down to Phoenix to celebrate my mothers 29th birthday (for the umpteenth time), yesterday. I suspect the airport will be crawling with strange people other than me. Maybe I’ll get to see a witch fly by on her broom. Happy Halloween to everyone. Don’t eat too much candy. 🙂

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  • Family,  People/Portraits

    Happy Birthday Mom

    October 30, 2012
    Mom and Dad – 2012

    We will celebrate my mothers birthday today, We keep telling her it’s 81 years but the number 29 seems to come up once in a while. Heart surgery a couple years ago has slowed her down so we want to be able to spend as much time as possible with her and dad. This was taken this past summer while they were out visiting for a few days. Happy Birthday, Mom!

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  • Cityscapes/Urban,  consumer,  Documentary/Street

    Yes, Size Matters

    October 26, 2012
    An Empty Alley

    Paul had an interesting post asking the question “does size matter.”  I admit to being one of those consumers who is always looking at the latest camera, lens, camera bag or software update. I also confess to having too many camera bags and maybe too many camera lenses. In response to Paul’s post, for me size does matter but not in the pixel count. The physical size is what matters to me. As I’m one of those nuts who always carries a camera with them the weight and ease of access is important to me. I almost always have my DX size DSLR camera with me and and find at times a smaller camera would be easier to carry. A year and a half ago I purchased the Canon G12 and have been pleased with the quality the images and its ease of use. As I watch the market of mirrorless cameras improve my desire to add one of those cameras to my bag has increased. Seeing the results and reading the reviews on the Olympus OMD and the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and it’s little sibling the X-E1 (Sigh) has pushed my “consumer lust button.” And, these cameras have a larger pixel count than my present DSLR. Of course then I’d have to search for another camera bag for the new kit, buy SD cards instead of CF cards, a new flash, read another camera manual then take a trip to some city for a couple days of photography.

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