2009: *Poof*

Setting sail for the new year!

So, this is it folks. The last day of the year. Perhaps for you folks down under, it’s already 2010 as your little part of the world has already left everyone else behind. I had written a much longer post, some 1,000 words, but decided against it. Perhaps I’ll save it for another day. Instead, I’ll post something of lighter fare.

At this time of year, before starting on my next batch of photos, I generally take time to clean up the file structure in Lightroom, promise myself to do more keywording, and be a little more organized. We’ll see how that goes! Just the action of arranging and organizing photos dredged up a lot of memories. This year was quite memorable, especially with all the people that I met in person, whether on the street or visiting. Thinking about them:

• Tom (The Photo Father) heads the list. He’s quite a guy! I really miss him and will have to visit him again soon.
• Dave (It’s about respect!) the street vendor.
• Coco (Who loves hushpuppies).
• Justin, who realized that it was expensive to live on your own.
• Ibarionex Perello whom I met in New York. The author of The Candid Frame
• Gave 35 hours of volunteer time to hospice work. Goal for next year, about 100+
• and the various folks that I had the opportunity to meet on the beach here in Charleston and on the streets and in the small cafe that I visited in downtown Charleston.

Next year I hope to integrate my digital recorder in more of these encounters and to also get more names. Names are important because they add the important bit of a personal touch.

I had my first visit to the big time city of Manhattan! Thanks again for that, Tom. Earl introduced me to Bull Hole in Coolomee, NC. I shot goo-gobs of film, some 700+ frames and loved every minute of it. I got a Leica (Thanks, Tom!) and a Mamiya (Thanks, Chris). I attended my first poetry reading. I went to Harlem, NY. Lots of cool stuff.

There was also lots of growth, painful growth, that is still happening, but that’s a topic for other days. Not today. I started taking guitar lessons and remembered a whole lot more about music than I thought that I had remembered. Heck! I even can still read music a bit, but I’m a lot slower at it.

Overall, I took just over 6,000 shots this year, but in doing a quick review, it was some of the most meaningful photography that I’ve taken in recent memory. There were very few ‘pretty pictures’, many of them, based on my own context, had meaning. Regarding context, I’ve just finished reading an excellent post, An occasion for doubt, by Cedric. He doesn’t post frequently, but when he does, they are usually quite profound. One part in particular gave me pause. Cedric says:

What people do with their art, with their creativity will always make sense when taken in the context of their own story. Within the context of my story, photography gives me a framed window through which I can explore my world beyond arguments, beyond points of view, beyond context and into the very realm of doubt.

Very deep, indeed. Were someone to look at my photography of 2009, forensically, what would they see? Were I to look back 5 years from now at this period of my life, without these words to help understand, what would I see? What I would see would be colored by my own experiences up that point.

This year has been an interesting ride and it is also the end of a decade. 2010 marks the start of another. Who knows what the future will bring! For one, I hope to be able to arrange a trip with some of you. I’ve just got to figure out how to do it.

Immense Possiblities

A self portrait of sorts

There are many ways in which to be humbled, or as I prefer to think of it, awed. One can be awed, humbled, or inspired by a work of art, whether that be a sculpture, a photograph, painting, a beautiful or profound piece of music, or perhaps even a sublime poem or sonnet. One could even feel these same feelings of appreciation for architecture. When it touches you, you know it.

Many are the times when I have looked at my camera and thought of the immense, no make that endless potential that lies within. No, the camera is not a magic box, but the endless potential that lies within me. Those, I believe, who we consider great or perhaps even accomplished, have simply figured out a way to get out of their own way. I have taken a couple of portraits, one of my wife, and one of her sister that I consider unparalleled work, better than I’ve ever done before or since. I’ve touched, I think, that potential, as I’m sure you have, too.

As I write this I am listening to an album by Doyle Dykes. Until a few days ago, I had no clue who he was. He is a top notch acoustic guitar player. Hearing him play you might think that there are at least two guitarist playing, but alas, there is only one. Check out the link to the video, I’m sure that you’ll agree. It is inspiring to listen to. I’m not intimidated, but inspired.

Many years ago I attended a Kenny G. concert with my son, Pedro. At that time Pedro wanted to learn to play the saxophone and Kenny G was one of his favorite players. During the concert Kenny G said that people often asked how he got so good at playing. Well, the short answer my friends was … practice. He related a story about his childhood and how he told his parents that he wanted to play the sax. Of course, they were doubtful but indulged him anyway. When he got his sax, he said that he practiced 2 – 4 hours per night and at least 8 or 10 hours/day during the weekend. He even laughed that his parents had to make him stop to come and eat! Talk about love.

Further, he said that he still practices that much. Have a look at this video interview. Of his playing, he says that he thinks that he’s an OK player and he’s still trying to good! How about that? He plays because he loves it and still practices every day the same amount.

I guess where I was going with this is that when you pick up that camera, instrument, paint brush, or whatever it is. There is endless potential in that love. Endless. I really get that feeling when I pick up my camera. I have no idea if I will grow to love the guitar, or if it is just a passing romance. Who knows. In the mean time, I’m still awed when I pick it up at the immense potential that I have inside of myself if I can just tap into it.

Looking forward

The following are thoughts, merely thoughts, about 2010. I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions or any such things as life has shown me, on more than one or two occasions, that it can be a fickle thing to live. Some of the things that I’d like to do:

• Take a trip with some of my blogging friends to Utah/Arizona or return to Alamogordo, NM to White Sands National Monument
• Continue to shoot lots of film.
• Take lots of B&W film, natural light portraits.
• Write a short story of about 10 – 20 pages. I’m rereading Stephen King’s : On Writing again. There is one small challenge where he gives an assignment to write a small story, 5 – 7 pages, and he provides some ‘fossils’ as he calls them. Your job is to dig up and polish it. It’s shaping into an interesting story, I think. Perhaps I’ll share it when I’m ready.
• Write a short story as part of my SoFoBoMo entry and illustrate with pictures, similar to what I did last year, but this time a work of fiction.
• Practice the guitar. Practice every day for an entire year because I really hate that “What if” feeling.
• Finish reading some of the books that I’ve started!
• Not buy any more books until I’ve completed what I’ve begun!
• Average 5 posts/week … if I have something to say.

These are not in any particular order, save for the first one. That one is one that is the most important one. I really would like to spend a week or a long weekend with a few of you, visiting various photographically rich areas, talking shop, and just socializing. It beats Facebook every time!

Agreeing with Ken!

Greenwich Village, NY – Ilford Delta 3200

I had to laugh when I saw this post title on Kirk Tuck’s blog page: A great article by Ken Rockwell. Really. And laugh, I did. You know you’ve made it when the invocation of your name seems to automatically spawn flame wars in forums and on blog sites. However, Kirk was talking about Ken’s assertion that less equipment = better photos. An assertion that I would certainly agree with.

From personal experience this year, from about March forward, I’ve been shooting, whether film or digital, with one prime lens on each camera, all equivalent to 50mm, save for the 50mm on the D300, which is equivalent to a 75mm. Truthfully, I don’t really know if my photography is any better this year than last, or the perhaps the year before, but I do know that I am enjoying it more because of this decision. Mental clutter is way down. There’s no more wondering if I should go back to the car and get the XYZ zoom lens. Sure, it’s cost me a couple of long-range shots that I would have liked to have, but I believe that it has allowed my to pay better attention to what’s right in front of me.

Though no one knows what the morrow will bring, I intend to keep shooting this way at least until I’ve been shooting film for a year, which will be some time in May. I will be selling one my zoom lenses and purchasing a 28 mm or 35 mm lens for the D300 to give it a slightly wider perspective.

Avatar

Every once in a while, Hollyweird gets it right. James Cameron, who wrote such notable films as The Terminator 1, 2 & 3, and Titanic really outdid himself with Avatar.

As you know, I’ve been reading lots of stuff concerning midlife and heroes journeys, etc. Of particular interest to me are the writings of Joseph Campbell, who did a lot of exploring into the importance of myth. I don’t know if James Cameron was influenced by Joseph Campbell or the works of Carl Jung, but Avatar is a masterpiece, in my opinion. It’s multi-layered, multi-faceted, and skillfully weaves different, but similar myths together.

At first I was very skeptical because the move was in 3-D. This skepticism comes from having seen other 3-D movies that depended on special effects rather than content. I was prepared to be bored by the tricks of things flying at the screen trying to make the audience dodge flying objects. I am happy to say that no such tricks were used. In fact, the story was so engaging that after about 10 minutes, I had forgotten all about the 3-D effect and was totally immersed in what turned out to be a beautiful story line.

I promise not to include any spoilers, so please continue to read on. The story blends Native American, or perhaps indigenous peoples beliefs that we are all one with The Mother and we should take only what we need and be thankful for it. The story also contains a hero, of sorts, who initially has certainty that he is right about his beliefs, then when he learns other things, is unsure of who he is (sounds like midlife to me), and later has a change of heart. Certainly, all Hollywood formula, but put together so well. There is also a fantastic antagonist who you will certainly learn to loath. He, I viewed, as the giant ego, the bad part of the shadow. Evil.

That’s about as far as I’m willing to go, save to say that if you haven’t seen it, you should go see it. I’m not much into fantasy type movies, but this one was absolutely golden. I didn’t much care for The Lord of The Rings, but perhaps I’ll watch it again, now that I’m in a different place, mentally.

A special note to my friend Chris Klug. I think that you’re going to love this movie!

Merry Christmas and …

Scenes from the parking lot

Merry Christmas and don’t forget to practice! I’m sure that some of you got some new camera gear, or perhaps a new musical instrument to strum on. Well, don’t just sit there, get it out and practice with it! OK. I’m talking to myself more than I am to you.

Today is a rainy day in Charlotte. It’s just after noon and the guys are still asleep. I’ve been up for a while doing my usual holiday cooking. In a while, I’ll need to take a break and head upstairs to practice my string butchering exercises, ummm, I mean guitar, for a bit. When I practiced yesterday, Hobbs turned his head in that quizzical way that dogs do when they hear something strange. It was certainly something strange that he was hearing! LOL!

If you got a camera, a new lens, or some new gizmo that would require you to practice to hone your skills. Why not start today? If not, tomorrow’s cool, too. Just start.

Anyway, not much to say today, except have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, or whatever holiday you may be celebrating. If you aren’t celebrating a holiday, then simply have a fantastic day and practice anyway!

I’ll be ready … next time

Orange will have to do … for now

The other day when I was on the way to meet Craig, my guitar teacher, I crossed one of the bridges over Ashely River. The name of the road is Sam Rittenberg. I’d crossed this bridge a number of times, usually as a passenger riding along with a fellow coworker on the way to lunch.

Of course, going at lunch time, the sun is high in the sky and I had no way to know where the sun set. It has a nice view, but as I said, I’d only seen it around noon. Also, as I wasn’t driving my own car, which has a compass, I never paid any attention as to the direction in which the road heads. I’m usually on the lookout for photographic opportunities and am generally aware of east and west so as to be able to capture a different sunrise or sunset.

And, so it was that I left work about 5:15 on Monday. Sunset was at 5:17, so it was almost twilight when I left. Heading nearly due west towards our parking lot, I noticed the beginnings of some promising red coloring in the sky. I thought that it would be nice to get a photo, but I didn’t know where to go and as it was beginning already, I had no time to find such a place. I got into my car and headed towards the small guitar center where I was to meet Craig.

As you can probably guess, my drive took me right over the Ashley River on Sam Rittenberg road, which, I found, runs basically North-South. When I crested the bridge, there it was all laid out before me on a platter. Everything was fairly glowing blood red. The sky. The water. The land! Wow! It was seriously difficult to keep my eyes on the road. Crap! No where to pull over and take a shot. Speed limit 60 Miles Per Hour (96 KPH). Crap! Crap!

I was in the far left lane of 3 lanes. At the other end of the bridge I spotted a small turnout that I had never noticed. It would have been a perfect place to get a shot; however, at this time of day, traffic was dense, but moving fast. There was no way to cross. After chasing sunsets for a while you know about how much time you have left. This was probably measured in seconds, certainly less than 2 minutes. This was a divided highway, too. No way to make U-turn! As I said before: Crap! I would have had to make two U-turns, a few miles apart, get back, park, get my gear out and then get a shot. Wasn’t going to happen.

Well, I gave up and just went and got me something to eat. Yesterday, I went back to do a reconnoiter and have a look when not so rushed and unprepared. Of course, the sunset was not so spectacular this time. No reds to be had; however, the next time, I’ll be ready!

When I got to work the next day, Dennis, my coworker, asked me if I saw that fantastic sunset. Crap!