This was taken back in January while I was down in Arizona visiting my parents. The two morning I was there I made sure I got in some sunrise photos and with a goal in mind. One of my goals for this coming year is to experiment with HDR. So I made sure while I was in Arizona to take a few bracketed images of the sunrises in order to experiment with the software. I’ve now downloaded a 30 day trial to see if I would like it. So far I’ve not been satisfied with my results and decided to just post a single image of what I experienced on one of the mornings.
The leaves on a tree suggest which of the four season we are in. A morning sunrise against the calm lake and mountains for backgrorund tell of calm and peace. The thunderhead and lightening on the distant praire tell of a coming storm. Trees coverd in new snow lining a meadow tell of the quiet of winter. The vendors and buyers in an open market bartering over price tell us in silence of the busy streets. The wide reciever reaching with out stretched hands for the football in the back of the end zone. The woman sitting alone on a park bench. The homeless person. The high school graduation.
This post was stirred by Scott Bourne when asked why he pursued the career of a photographer. His answer, “Because I want to do something that matters.” I really had to stop and think about that for a minute. I know I take photographs because it’s an enjoyable hobby, to nurture the creativity within me and to share my vision of this world but I had never stopped to consider if it mattered or not.
He suggests we can protect our memory of a scene with our cameras which is true with the weddings and portraits we shoot. I believe we often walk through life without being present to the here and now. We can easily get lost in our thoughts and miss seeing the small sprouts of a flower breaking through the soil on an early spring walk, or miss seeing the farmer plowing his field, or the pelican as it effortlessly circles above us, or the children waiting for the school bus, etc. Photography has helped me to see the world as it is at that very moment, even if it’s 125th of second. I also see the world using different lens. I’m learning to see things up close and take in the scene that’s taking place across the street. It all matters to me.
Sometimes as we walk through this world of ours, our inner eye, our vision, our muse, the small voice, whatever it is, calls us to stop, look and take a photo. I’m learning listen to it more often and follow through with it’s nudging. I don’t always know why anymore than other photographers that ask the same question. It may come to me later as symbolism to something in my life. It may just be the subject or the light or the place. I’m not sure it really matters if we know or not. Some of us just need to shoot.
Paul Lester had an interesting post about the cameras he has owned. The post started an interesting thread so I decided to follow suit and list the cameras I’ve owned. I was surprised at how many cameras there have been. I’m also surprised I can’t remember what the brands and models of some of them were. Getting older!
Yashika Twin-lens reflex – Not sure what model it was (124) or how I received it. I shot black and white film and developed it in my dad’s basement with the help of a man who I worked for.
A Pentax or Canaon 35mm SLR bought in 1970. Strange I can’t remember what it was. Anyway I sold it and the Yashika TLR, when my wife and I needed to purchase a washer/dryer for the our first house.
Nikon EM – bought partly because of the all black body. 🙂 Still have it but it doesn’t work.
Nikon FG – another nice simple camera.
Nikon FE2 – wish I still had this one.
Nikon N70 – never did like this one for some reason
Nikon N80 – shot my first weddings with this one and actually owned two.
Nikon D100 – my introduction into digital (Loved it) and still have both of them
Nikon D300 – Have no desire to move on to another one, yet. I do keep up on the latest and greatest, so I’m known to fall prey to “camera body lust.”
Not sure why the draw to Nikon. I sometimes think I would rather have worked into the Canon world as I feel they have a more appealing range of lens to change from and a nicer price. Thanks for your interesting post, Paul.
I like the sound of the shutter in my camera. It’s one of the reasons I take photos but it is not the main reason. I shoot to fill my need to share what I see around me. For so many years I missed seeing the world. I mean I saw it but I didn’t see it. I now look for shapes, patterns,colors, subjects and try to see them with a new vision. Oh, to be a story teller with our images.
