A forest photo

I was out in a local park and found this image


I think it has potential.

Paths to Creativity

The Online Photographer has an interesting article on creativity and art education. I can relate. I did go to photo college, and I like to think that I have used some of that education in a lot of the jobs I have worked at throughout the years. I think art school helps fan the creative flames. For me it confirmed that I enjoy photography, and that I do have some talent.

and another hobby...

When I was a kid, I built and flew model airplanes. Being a kid, though, I could not afford my dream of a remote control Helicopter, as they cost thousands of dollars.
Well, apparently this has changed...
My son recently bought a small remote control airplane (with his own money I might add) and I was intrigued. After seeing how inexpensive the plane was, I started looking at helicopters. I looked at the airhog offerings, but they seemed too much like toys.
I also didn't want to spend a ton of money, from everything I heard, helicopters are tough to fly and you will crash.
I found a good compromise with the Falcon 40. I later found this site that has some great advice. Having owned this helicopter for a couple of weeks now, I will definitely say they are tough to fly. Part of my problem is I have been flying in an enclosed carport with various "stuff" around the edges. Read not a lot of room. I have broken a set of main rotor blades and burned out a motor, but I can hover for a few seconds now. Step two will be to improve my hovering and start controlled flight (forwards, sideways and backwards)

Take me to your leader

Ok, maybe not...

I'm Back

I took a vacation to bring my kids to meet their grandparents. No internet, beautiful mountain scenery, a large lake, and HOT temperatures.
I will get some photos up soon, but in the meantime, one of the first images I took after I got back...

new photo

Low Tide, and a day off, and I found this scene.
It is a bit different from my usual minimalist approach, but I like it. I want to see how it looks big, say around 20"x30".
I am also thinking of starting a line of greeting cards. I will post any appropriate links here soon...

Old School

I drive a 5-speed in my car. It is a bit of a pain in city traffic while drinking a coffee, but I prefer the feel of the road and the car. I had a friend once who said he prefers to be lazy and let the car decide on what gear to use. In his words, "I am getting too old to worry about little details"

What does this have to do with photography?

I have been using an old all metal Nikon 105mm macro lens on my Fuji S2. Now remember that this is a manual focus lens with no computer chip. That means, obviously, no AF, but also no auto aperture and no metering. Using it requires thought and awareness of light. With a digital, I can cheat a bit and check the histogram immediately after the fact, but it still slows down my shooting style. I have to think about the light levels and I have to consciously choose what aperture and shutter speed I want.

there is also a tactile pleasure with this lens that most modern lenses can't touch. Focus is indescribably smooth. The balance is superb. And I won't even comment on the legendary optical performance.

Sometimes it is nice to "slum it" a bit to make your mind work in unaccustomed ways. Maybe this could be considered a workout for your creative eye. Whatever. I really enjoy this exercise, and I recommend you try it as well. Turn off as much automation as possible and see what you can accomplish...