• quotes

    Wonders at Wondering

    April 24, 2022
    Sunset along the Washington coast – 2003

    I stand at the seashore, alone, and start to think. There are the rushing waves… mountains of molecules, each stupidly minding its own business… trillions apart… yet forming white surf in unison.

    Ages on ages… before any eyes could see… year after year… thunderously pounding the shore as now. For whom, for what?… on a dead planet, with no life to entertain.

    Never at rest… tortured by energy… wasted prodigiously by the sun… poured into space. A mite makes the sea roar.

    Deep in the sea, all molecules repeat the patterns of one another till complex new ones are formed. They make others like themselves… and a new dance starts.

    Growing in size and complexity… living things, masses of atoms, DNA, protein… dancing a pattern ever more intricate.

    Out of the cradle onto the dry land… here it is standing… atoms with consciousness… matter with curiosity.

    Stands at the sea… wonders at wondering… I… a universe of atoms… an atom in the universe.

    Richard Feynman
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  • sunsets

    Dreaming

    September 5, 2012

    Oregon Coast Sunset

    Looking back over the archives is an interesting way to see where I’ve grown as a person as well as a photographer, or not, and remember the places I’ve visited. But as I wander back in memory I’m sure I would not experience this coastal sunset the same way as I did in 2003. At this time in my life I would spend more time listening to the waves, smelling the salty air and maybe never need to take a shot. However it now has me dreaming about a trip to the coast.

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  • Plants

    Sea Shells

    December 9, 2009

    Sea Shells

    When it’s 25 degrees outside I’m not as interested in going outside. So, while backing up my images from this past week I noticed these shells sitting on my desk. I picked them up a few weeks ago while walking the beach in Myrtle Beach. I wouldn’t mind walking along that sandy beach right now.

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  • Photography

    Don't Worry, Be Creative

    November 14, 2009

    20091105-_DSC6841-Edit
    Sea shell on the beach

    “Worrying about doing something new ends up stunting creative growth. Being creative does NOT require doing something new. It requires doing something that is authentically your real personal and true vision. If you take away anything from this blog post, I hope it’s that.” Scott Bourne

    What a powerful post Scott wrote for me, sort of like a personal letter. There are several nuggets in his post, I posted one of them a couple days ago. My history has included a lot of worry. As I’ve aged in years and have a few more experiences under my belt, those worries are far less frequent. I no longer work in engineering because I do not want to wake up in the middle of the night worrying about a problem that needs solved. In fact I could have used his quote back then. It nice to live the day as it unfolds before us and not struggle to make it way we want it. When I live the moment I can be more creative. Walking the beach for me is nothing new, done it a few times and love it. I’ll do it again, living the moment and see what creative juices flow without worries.

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  • architecture

    Pier 14

    May 30, 2009

     

    Pier 14
    Pier 14

    We had a longer overnight which allowed us to spend some time at the beach. There is something magical about ocean waves as they move in and out creating their art. Those waves constantly reshape the shoreline. This image is at Myrtle Beach, SC where you will find many people walking the waters edge looking for sea shells and even a few sharks teeth. And, will admit to being one of those individuals. I did walk under this pier which is called Pier 14. On top of this pier is a restaurant called, you guessed it, Pier 14. The lines of this pier, along with the  waves, made for an interesting image.

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  • landscape,  Travel

    What We Learn

    November 18, 2008
    Haceda Head Lighthouse
    Haceda Head Lighthouse

    Going back to past images and working on them using the tools and knowledge we have acquired over the months and years can help us take better images in the future. When I bought my first DSLR I shot most of my images in jpg format to conserve on memory. This restricted some of my ability to work on them with any editing program. I’ve since switched to shooting in RAW format which allows for more flexibility in any post work I may want to do. The above image was taken on a flat dull lit day with a light haze and therefore had very little contrast. Even though it was shot in jpeg format I’ve learned enough about Photoshop Elements to make a simple adjustment with levels to help it along. So, it’s what we learn that helps to take better images tomorrow.

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