Dependency

I was amused: The other day, Tuesday I believe it was, Tony and I arrived home after a brief, but powerful thunderstorm. As I drove into the driveway of my home, I did what I usually do. I pressed the remote control to open garage door. The door did not respond, so I pressed it again. Again, there was no response. I guessed correctly that the power had been knocked out by the storm.

Cooling off naturally
Earlier in the day, the temperature had a warm 85 degrees. After the storm blew through, the temperature had slid down to a very pleasant 65. Naturally, since there was no electricity, the air conditioner units were not working and the house was a bit warm. I went and opened a few windows and allowed the cool, fresh breezes to have circulate throughout the house. It was quite pleasant and there’s nothing quite like the smell of the air after a good cleansing thunderstorm. Delicious!

As there was no electricity, that meant that nearly everything in the house was nonfunctional. It’s amazing how much we depend upon ‘the grid’ to get things done. So, as the daylight was waning, I simply opened the blinds, promptly sat in my favorite place on the couch and started reading a book while the breeze continued to blow and those wonderful smells continued to drift through the window.

Try matches!
What I found amusing was that Tony, my son, was hungry and wanted to cook something to eat, but seemed to be thwarted by this lack of electricity. He asked could we go out and get something to eat because we didn’t have a way to heat anything. Mind you, we have a gas stove, but it has an electronic spark generator, which is of no use when the electricity is off. So, I let him flounder for a bit before suggesting that he try lighting a match, turning on the burner, and applying the match to the gas. It worked! Old school rules! His next challenge was that the kitchen was growing a bit murky in the waning evening light. Another suggestion, opening blinds, quickly brought results!

Lastly, after getting something to eat he intoned that he couldn’t do anything because we didn’t have electricity. Well, there I was sitting and reading a book. I mentioned that he might want to do his homework, using those ancient artifacts of pencil and paper and also reminded him that he had a book to finish reading, all of which could be done without electricity. He wasn’t amused!

The laptop stays at home!
It’s funny to see how dependent we can become on technology. Just the thought of traveling to Utah without my laptop and extra camera brings up a little bit of trepidation, but it’s quite ridiculous, IMHO. I’ve certainly survived without these items before and will do so again … this coming week.

So, my friends, I’ll catch up with you in a week or so. My next post will probably be June 2nd. I’m really excited about getting to see the Grand Canyon … It will be my first time. I can write about it when I get back … if I have any electricity!

Utah: What I hope to achieve

Utah is but a couple of days away. Heading towards an over-photographed landmark, such as Zion National Park, Grand Canyon’s North Rim, or Bryce Canyon I’m feeling the challenge, or perhaps desire, to come away with something different.

Certainly, I think that I will come away with quite a few common or cliche shots. I think that it is inevitable; however, my hope is that I can get off of the beaten path, perhaps not spending a great amount of time in the park itself, but in exploring places around it. I’ve visited the park before and remember seeing lovely vistas and impressive views; however, I also remember the throngs of people that were present, too. If you were to search Google images, you’d see thousands upon thousands of shots of Zion, or any other national park that you’d care to search for.

Finding adventure elsewhere
Since it is not my goal to photograph/document the park, I’m willing to go about and explore different areas. Actually, my only goal is to arrive there. Period. After that, I’ll let my mind take me where it will. My knowledge of the area is very limited, but I do remember finding some exciting photo opportunities in and around Saint George, UT. With the help of a GPS, I’ll be more willing to go and explore different locations, knowing that the likelihood of my getting lost is greatly reduced.

When I was in New Mexico, Kate and I spent a significant amount of time photographing picnic areas in the park itself. They provided some cool abstracts. Of course we photographed lots of sand dunes, etc. I’m sure that such photo opportunities will present themselves there as well. Also, there will be innumerable opportunities to photograph people, which is a nice bit of adjunct photography.

The SoFoBoMo influence
SoFoBoMo, I believe, has had an influence on my thoughts of photography. I still love the single image, but now the ‘series’ is part of my thought process. Periodically, the thought of creating a book about my trip to Utah, or anywhere else for that matter, has popped into my head. I have no idea about the content at this time, but the idea is there. I’m almost sure that wouldn’t be Zion specific, but more of an “Exploring Southern Utah” kind of feel. More than likely, the book will take form after the pictures have been taken, at least from my conscious point of view.

What I hope to achieve
I hope to, like I did in New Mexico, come back with some unique images from within the park and outside of the park and surrounding areas. Mostly, I hope to explore and let that sense of wonder creep in and bring back photos that represent that same sense of wonder. Certainly, that is not a measurable goal, but more of an emotion, but then again, photography, at least for me, is certainly about emotion.

Traveling light. How light?

I love to travel light. Wherever I go, I prefer a hassle-free travel situation. If I could, I’d just put everything into a carry-on and hit the skies.

As I prepare for my trip to Utah on Saturday, I’m thinking about what I should take. My normal photography travel ‘kit’, if you will, consists of 2 cameras, a host of lenses, an Epson P-3000, laptop, a bunch of chargers, adapters, etc. When I get back home, I realize that, for the most part, I only used a few of the items, namely one camera, a couple lenses, and the laptop.

I’m thinking of how to condense everything that I need into one carry-on. After seeing my friend, Kate’s, Porter Case, for the 3rd time, I purchased one. With it, arranged properly, I could carry nearly everything that I have, but that’s not the point. I want to arrange it such that I can put in my laptop and whatever other stuff that I want to take.

So, giving it some thought, here is my initial list:

• One camera body (D300 or D2x)
• Tamron 11-18mm
• Tamron 90mm macro
• Nikon 50mm
• SB600 + Commander
• Laptop
• Polarizer and Vari-ND filter
• Tripod

All of this, save for the last item, will fit comfortably into the Porter Case, leaving me with 1 carry-on instead of the two that I normally have (camera bag + laptop bag). The last item, the tripod, will have to go into the single suitcase. Most airlines have started to charge an additional $25 for additional pieces of luggage past one.

Fortunately, I am a very casual dresser and don’t really care if my colors match or not. My son, Tony, on the other hand, would need 2 suitcases, one of them for his array of funky colored Nike ‘dress’ basketball shoes that absolutely MUST match his shirt/pants ensemble. My entire wardrobe for the week will probably consist of 7 pairs of shorts, an equal or greater number of t-shirts, same for underwear, etc. I might take one or two pair of long pants, just in case I need to go into the weeds, or cactus.

I’d love to step out on a limb and only take 1 camera, and 1 lens, just for the heck of it; however, it is rather far away and I don’t get to do it often, so … As you can see, I’m not taking any long glass. Nothing above 90mm. This may work against me when I visit the North Rim, but I’ll make something work. The laptop is still in limbo. It’s optional, but I do love to write. We’ll see if it goes or not. If you don’t hear from me for the entire week, it means that the laptop didn’t make the cut! Perhaps I’ll just wait until I return to write.

Well, Saturday morning, 5/24, I’m wheels up and headed west! I’ll return on Sunday, June 1.

What do you take with you?

About the photos: More shots from White Sands National Monument. Sometimes you have to look for the unusual. The first photo is of a picnic shelter, the second, the exhaust pipe for a chemical restroom.

Friendship

If you’ve visited for a while, you know that my topics vary. I’m probably about 80% photography, 20% other. So, if you are looking for a photography post, you might want to head on an look elsewhere, because it ain’t here today!

Robert Louis Stevenson:

A friend is a gift you give yourself

I’m 46 and have been through the most intense 3 years of my life and things are still changing. Mind you, intense means just that, intense. It doesn’t mean that the changes were bad. In fact, they were all very good, healthy, cleansing, and painful. I had to shake off a lot of negative baggage that I’ve been carrying around for longer than I care to remember.

I haven’t been able to think of anything to say about photography lately, so I thought that I’d talk about friends and how important they are. I have a few good friends, and one very best friend. I’d like to start the best friend and then mention the others, not in any particular order, but as they come to me.

My best friend
Without a doubt, my best friend is my wife Vera. I know that sounds cliche, but it is the truth. For anyone who has befriended my wife, they know that there is no one more caring, sensitive, and loyal than her. She is my number one advocate and will tell me when she thinks that I am wrong, but it will always be delivered with a heavy dosage of compassion and thought. She always thinks that I can improve. This is not in a nagging way, but in a teaching way. She’s taught me so much in the past three years. Because of her, I have a much better relationship with my boys and my friends. She’s showed me how to really care about other people, even if I don’t agree with them … especially if I don’t agree with them. She’s a great spiritual leader. She is my heart and I could find no better. I believe that. She is pictured here to the right, with her best friend Tamami, who is Richard’s wife. He thinks the same of his wife. We’re both right! I’m not so sure of what my wife was laughing about, but I’m pretty sure that it was some wisecrack that Richard made!

Gordon
Gordon and I have been friends since 10th grade. That would be about 31 years. We used to live together for a while when we first moved to Texas. He’s married and still lives in Texas but we talk about once or twice every two weeks and he visits me once or twice per year and I visit him whenever I’m in Dallas. Gordon brings a lot of patience and understanding to the table. Sometimes when I just want to pop off and do something, he’s a great calming influence. He’s laid back. We also love to joke around. I could imagine a heck of a time if all 3 of us got together, Gordon, Richard, and me. Tony, my son, likes to hang around with me and Gordon because all we do is tell lies about how bad the other one was in high school. Neither one of us ever got into trouble, but to hear us tell it, we were always bailing the other one out of jail!

Richard
You’ve heard me talk about him and he is the self-proclaimed “student”. Hah, I think that I’ve learned a lot more about things from him than he could ever learn from me. He brings a great wisdom to the table, especially about marriage. He’s been married over 20 years, so he’s about 5 years ahead of me. He and I talk about 2 or 3 times per week. He lives in the Dallas area, too. He and I will be going to Utah together this weekend. At first, Richard is rather quiet, but if you get him going, he can have you in stitches very quickly! He’s got quite a good sense of humor!!! Our wives are best friends and I think that we are climbing that ladder too. This will be our first trip together, ever. Our wifes hang out together regularly. We like to joke and say that they catch airplanes like most people catch buses! They try to see each other once per month, swapping flights every other month. We wish, of course, that they could be our next door neighbors here in North Carolina, but they have many ties in the Dallas area.

Hobbs
Well, you guys know about Hobbs, my Miniature Schnuazer. He’s the best. He’s always happy to see me. Always happy to take me for a walk and is there to comfort me whenever I need it.

So, those are a few of my closest friends. What about yours? Who are they? How long have you known them? How did you meet?

Cute, but annoying as *&^%

Well, I thought that I had them figured out, but I lost again. Score: Squirrels 2,000, Paul 0. They’re pitching a shutout!

Every time that I come up with a clever idea to keep them out of the bird seed, they figure a way around it, or are just plainly not bothered by my attempts. They are tenacious. My latest attempt, after reading some articles, was to sprinkle copious amounts cayenne pepper on the bird seed. The birds are immune to the irritant in pepper, but squirrels are not. Aha, I thought, that ought to do it.

Hmmm, maybe these squirrels are from Louisiana. Cajun squirrels! Apparently they couldn’t give care about the pepper, they feasted anyway! My only sure fire method of keeping them away for a very short period is the tried and true method of “Running the squirrels”. All I have to do when I see one on the feeder is say: “Hobbs! Squirrel Run!!!” and like a lightning bolt, he’s at the back door waiting for me to let him out of the chute! The squirrel leaps off of the feeder, seed goes flying everywhere, and Hobbs and the squirrel make a made dash down the hill. Usually this keeps them away for 15 to 30 minutes before they get a chance to screw up their courage again and come back, then the routine starts all over again.

Now, since I have a video recorder, I’m going to have to record one of these events for your enjoyment. I know that I never tire of this ‘event’, neither does Hobbs, and unfortunately, neither do the squirrels! They just keep coming back! Damn!

No wonder there are so many products designed to repel squirrels. Manufacturers keep finding better ways, but the squirrels adapt quickly. Oh well, they are cute, but, as I said, annoying as hell!

Taking them for a spin!

Does one size fit all?

From time to time, I’ll go back and read: On being a photographer, which is a book written in an interview style. It’s a conversation between David Hurn, a Magnum photographer, and Bill Jay. I’ve read it a couple of times and each time that I read it I pick up a small nugget of wisdom that I hope not to forget.

Choosing a subject
Of particular interest was his idea about how to pick a subject. Certainly, this top has been beat to death, so I’ll be very brief so as not to annoy you. He says that you should pick something that interests you. Something that you can study. You should make a list of all of the things that you find interesting. Cross of those items that cannot be represented visually, such as Greek philosophy. Further, cross off those that are not conveniently located or that you do not have access to. The remaining list has the potential subjects that you might pursue. He says that it should be very specific. For example, rather than to say “The Beach”, perhaps you could say “Couples showing affection on the beach.” This reduces down the subjects or actions to a manageable size such that you could create a meaningful body of work.

Pregnant moments
Next, he went on to talk about capturing a good shot. He talked about pregnant moments. Those moments that build to a crescendo and hopefully ‘deliver’. If you see one, you’ll recognize it. The example he used was of a man walking towards a woman; You’re anticipating a kiss; you take a few pictures as he approaches her, move your feet a bit to simplify the elements, continue taking pictures, wait, wait, wait, for the kiss, but in the end, he was just going to get a sandwich. Sometimes those moments work. Sometimes they don’t.

Does one size fit all?
I think that this technique works well for people or animal photography, but does it work well for the landscape, which is basically static, save for the ever changing light? Perhaps the changing of the light becomes the pregnant moment. Perhaps the changing breeze. Perhaps it’s waiting for the sun to be in the right position, shining on that little plant … the moment when all of the elements come together.