So I haven’t blogged in a while because life has been busy like life often is.  Tonight though I had to pick out the photos I’d be sending to an art show in two weeks.  The AAUW Art Show and Sale which takes place in Stanwood Washington at the Bonnie Cole Building is a local charity event that I have participated in for 5 years.  I had my friend come over to take a look at the selections I’d pulled out to take.  The hardest part is always picking out the 3 hung pieces you see so I usually have her come over to give her opinion.  We’ve been doing this song and dance for years now and she will usually pick one that I’m less fond of…  On the flip side the one I’m not terribly fond of has a tendency to win the show…  A great example of this is a cat photo that she picked out and is
extremely popular.

I live in dread I will be known only as a cat photographer even though it’s one of the only cat photo’s I’ve taken.  People come up and say “you’re the photographer that took the picture of that cat” rather often.  This year she’s picking out a Whale Tail, which is a close up of a Beluga Whales tail.   I’m still not sure about this, I might now be known as the photographer that took that cat and tail photo…  So here is a preview of the tail photo from one of the majestic Beluga Whales that resides at the Vancouver B.C. aquarium.

25 Years ago today the space shuttle Challenger blew up.  School children across America all can recall where we were that day because we were watching the live feed in our classrooms.  Thousands of us watch in disbelief as a dream blew apart and our teacher turned off the TV’s once their shock wore off.  This is an event that affected people in a multitude of ways but we all can say we remember.

Our teachers had spent weeks getting us excited about the event.  I was 9 ½ at the time but most of my class was already 10 years old.  Honestly part of our excitement was that we’d not have to do book work and get to watch TV instead.  I can recall that time with a clarity that few other events from that year come to me, we watch the shuttle launch and that was really cool; and then everything changed.  At the age my class was we really didn’t experience grief over what happened we were just too young.  We were drilled for weeks on how important of an event this was, the first teacher in space, we all knew this was a big deal.  When Challenger blew up we experienced more of a feeling of shock followed by disbelief because that wasn’t supposed to happen.  It also planted seeds in my subconscious …

Looking back as an adult I’m sure many of the teachers that applied to be the first teacher in space felt relief that they weren’t the one chosen followed by guilt for feeling that way.  I remember our teacher recovered from the blast and turning the TV off quickly.  When we went home though all the channels were running the news of what happened.  I remembered the news reporting that if people lived in that area found any parts to call authorities so they could come investigate.  I also remember when it was reported that they found a boot with human remains inside.  I think that is when it all really sunk in for me.

You see I hate flying; I will go to great lengths to avoid getting on an airplane if I don’t have to, my husband would say I’m phobic…  When I was young I used to get violently ill before I got on a plane.  Thankfully I grew out of that when I became an adult… Challenger was the seed that planted my hatred of flying.  It was just the seed and many air disasters afterward (Lockerbie, United Airlines Flight 232 in Iowa) are what took root and made flying my own personal hell.   I got on my first airplane at 13 years old and I never really new why I hated the idea of flying expect they could blow up and crash but most people don’t get violently ill from the thought of it…  It all started on that fateful day in 1986 when a women was killed trying to achieve a dream that we were all carried along with for the ride.

Two children lost their mother that day and their world would never be the same.   When I got older and could understand it more I felt really sorry that they watched their mother die in such a way.  My world changed that day and I’m sure many others along with me and in a variety of ways.  What we all have in common is that we all remember and will never forget Challenger.

 This blog post deviates from photography I know, but I wanted to take a little time to talk about Challenger since so many of us watched the doomed flight and were affected by it in some way, in the least we all remember it and won’t ever forget.

I don’t troll Craigslist much but @Wizwow brought this one to my attention… “Photography PARTNER (Midtown)”.   A help wanted add that comes with the outstanding pay of $150 per shoot, including post production in New York; oh and you have to have a degree but not too much experience because people with experience want to be paid too much, go figure…

They actually claim they are an award winning design firm… Maybe they did get an award out of a Cracker Jack Box…  They included this little jewel to their ad “you will NOT be able to do outside (freelance or otherwise) print or branding work.” …  This ad is just too hilarious really; I mean they actually require you to have another source of income to work for them…  Aside from how insulting this ad is to photographers in general can they possibly think this will bring them quality employees?   Come on there are prostitutes that won’t work that cheap… These people just can’t be for real, and if they are I bet their business don’t last long!

This is a list of photo quotes I’m most fond of.  I’m putting them on my blog because they probably say something about me and so it’s easy for me to find them when Iwant to use one.

“The camera cannot lie, but it can be an accessory to untruth.”  Harold Evans

“Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships.” Ansel Adams

“When you photograph people in colour you photograph their clothes.  But when you photograph people in B&W, you photograph their souls!”  Ted Grant

“All photos are accurate.  None of them is the truth.”  Richard Avedon

“The photograph isolates and perpetuates a moment of time: an important and revealing moment, or an unimportant and meaningless one, depending upon the photographer’s understanding of his subject and mastery of his process.” Edward Weston

“The camera doesn’t make a bit of difference. All of them can record what you are seeing. But, you have to SEE.” Ernst Haas

“To the complaint, ‘There are no people in these photographs,’ I respond, ‘There are always two people: the photographer and the viewer.” Ansel Adams

“If anyone gets in my way when I’m making a picture, I become irrational. I’m never sure what I am going to do, or sometimes even aware of what I do—only that I want that picture.” Margaret Bourke-White

“Nothing seemed to me more appropriate than to project an image of our time with absolute fidelity to nature by means of photography… Let me speak the truth in all honesty about our age and the people of our age” August Sander

“As photographers, we live through things so swiftly. All our experience and training is focused toward snatching off the highlights…That all significant perfect moment, so essential to capture, is often highly perishable. There may be little opportunity to probe deeper.”  Margaret Bourke-White

“I don’t even like telling people that there are paintings in the flower work because in a sense it is not important. It is if you want to know how to make them, but probably you wouldn’t be able to make them anyway because I made them. You make your own weird thing.”  Stephanie Torbert 

“A photo doesn’t lie, it’s just economical with the truth” Bec Thoams

For the ever evolving photo industry I never really considered how the advancement in digital cameras and lower consumer prices would make it easier for kids to pick up the craft.  If you asked me last year if I would be teaching photography to kids that are 9-17 years of age I would have said no.  I would have also given you the wrong answer.  Starting this Saturday I’ll one of the leaders to a 4-H photography club that is mostly filled with 9 to 11 year olds with a sprinkling of teenagers!

The simple point and shoot digital camera is what most of these kids are going to have to use and I’ll get to teach them how to “see” to the best of their ability.  I’ve had to put a lot of thought into how I’m going to teach photography for kids.  I’ve worried that I’ll talk right over their heads because as a human I like many others take for granted my knowledge base probably more often then I realize…  So I’ve had to break down how to teach kids how to see in terms they will understand.   It’s so simple and difficult at the same time!

I’ve come to realize that things like F-stops probably are not going to be real important to these young guys, and just working on simple composition is probably going to be the wisest path.  Also most importantly you have to kindle their little spark that has turned them on to a camera.  It is likely going to be an interesting experience and enjoyable.  Wish me luck!

I saw a Tweet today that made me curious, the tweet by its very nature would invoke curiosity.  @lawrenceatienza tweeted “OMG.. I can’t believe what i am reading at one of my photog friend’s @jenmayzie blog. For those haters that are reading this unfollow me pls.”  So I was like what is going on over there that could cause such a tweet flair? 

Apparently @jenmayzie is asking people to donate $3500 so she can get a new camera.  I’m still a little baffled by the shear level of vitriol this has caused… So I’ve gone to look at this post.  Apparently I missed the original post and only was able to see the post “In response to the commotion”.  It already had 23 comments by the time I got there and some of those are rather curious…

I don’t know this @jenmayzie, and I don’t really know anything about her circumstances that lead to her asking for people to give her money for a new camera, but what I do know is how amazingly viperish photogs are capable of being.  I have seen some photogs move like a pack of dogs to rip apart other photogs for the most ridiculous things.  I’ve seen down right war over gear used and one up man ship on gear bought that I don’t think even the supper snobby could compete with;  It’s totally outlandish! 

I’ve had people rip me because they don’t like my style or that I don’t shoot with Nikon or Cannon, that’s right people I shoot with Panasonic and guess what?  I love it!  So what is wrong with you people?  Please can you tell me why you feel the need to put down other photogs?  I really don’t get it, why do you care so much what brand someone shoots with, or what camera bag they use?  Why do you care if someone asks for donations?  Or if someone thinks their photo of a rose is fabulous when you just can’t stand to see another flower photo?  Why are photogs becoming extremely invested in eating our own? 

Maybe it’s because the market is down and you all are so bored you can think of nothing better to do then go around bashing other camera carrying members of the public?  Really get over it already, do something more constructive with your time!

I know my followers are not like what I have described above because I don’t keep the dead weight in my circle but I bet all of you know another tog out there more than willing to slam someone they don’t feel is using the right gear, or hasn’t owned a camera for long enough or doesn’t have the right education and so on.  Well feel free to tell those anal retentive photog’s that I’m flipping them the bird and I really don’t give a dam about their opinion.  I’m doing things my way, you don’t have to like it, that is just the way it is and I hope  @jenmayzie gets what she needs to get done taken care of and just ignores the photo snobs that are contributing to their own demise!

Here are my favorite images I took during 2010

The tulips bloomed bright and lovely this year in the Skagit Valley of Washington State even though the weather stayed on the cool side.

2010 RoozenGaarde Show Garden

Traveling through Montana in May produced a variety of weather conditions that made for fabulous photos.

Late Spring Snow Storm

Visiting Yellow Stone National Park is always a favorite of mine and some of my years favorite photos happened within it’s boarders.

Grand Prismatic Spring

Snowing at YellowStone Falls

From the Top

Terraced Pools

Out in Eastern Washington the wheat harvest took up much of the month of Augustt with some of the highest grain yields ever seen, and some good photo yields.

Combine Harvesting

Winter came to the Cascade Mountains and reminded us of the stark landscape left behind a forrest fire.

Stripped Bare

La Nina brought record rain fall and on it’s heels record flooding to much of Western Washington.

Flooded Plain

On mid winter we were treated to a total eclipse of the Moon, in the middle of the night of course and through a obstacle course of clouds!

2010 Eclipse1

Here concludes my favorite images of 2010, can’t wait to get into 2011 because there is sure to be lots for my lens to capture!

If you’re in the Puget Sound area and would like to judge photography please contact me.  I’m interviewing judges for an open show next summer (2011).  This show will have entries that consist of various skill levels and genres.   1000 entries are expected and will be split between 3 judges, myself being one of those judges.   This does not pay well only about $50 to $75; it’s mostly to support the community.  If you are interested in judging let me know and I can get in contact with you to go over what is required.  Please spread the word thank you!

Bec Thomas

One of the reasons I love photography is because you can be dyslexic and still take good pictures.  I can see the world how it is and capture those moments without the worry that I’ve rearranged things.    If everything was that simple all the time!  You see I am dyslexic, I don’t just have a dyslexic moment, I’m dyslexic all the time…  My problem isn’t inputting but outputting and sometimes I’m even aware that I’m writing something wrong, kind of trippy really.

 The taking pictures is never a problem for me, the challenges I have are all on the administrative side of the biz.  When I write a blog post I often have to re-read it several times in the hope I’ve caught all of the errors I’ve made.  I don’t just switch letters around, I actually switch whole words; for example I’ll type right instead of write…  Writing my blog posts is often one of the more difficult things I do, but I keep doing it.  Twitter often gets posts from me with the wrong word, or wrong spelling of a word, I think though in many cases it just blends with the general bad verbiage that is used to fit into 140 characters.  When I do accounting the fun really begins, I invert numbers like no bodies business! 

 Part of the reason I keep writing a blog is purely to prove I can.  I often have had people insult my spelling and grammar but I already know I’m going to make errors and miss them so I just let it roll off of me.  Why am I bringing up this little problem of mine?  Because I wanted to show that even with a variety of problems, quirks and downfalls you can still achieve what you set out to do.  You can overcome just about anything when you put your mind to it.  Don’t let your problems hold you back; find a way to work with them, or work around them it may be hard but it can be done.    I can write a blog post, you can make it up that mountain, the world is there for you to live, all you got to do is pick up the reigns and go for it.

Humans by nature can perceive things in the most unique ways.  Most people have a hang up of some sort and many of us have more than just one.  You know what caused it; something happened when you were a kid, you got teased or insulted and now yourself conscious about it.  It happened to all of us at sometime in the past…  Your now likely wondering why I’m going on about this lol.  Steve Lents who follows me on Twitter and is a photog out of Portland OR suggested I write a blog post “about your fears when it comes to sharing your art.” So that is what I’m gonna do. Although I’m not certain this is what he had in mind.

This may come as a surprise to many people but I have no fear when it comes to sharing my work.   Some of you are probably thinking I’m full of it, but I’m not and I’ll tell you way.  I grew up exhibiting and competing; I started at a very young age and had to practice often.  Being judged on a variety of things from a young age worked the fear of presenting myself to the public right out of me. 

I learned some valuable skills from my time in programs like 4-H.  I learned how to criticize my work; I’m really harsh on my own stuff.  I look at all the elements to see if it is something that I would be proud to have my name on.  I learned that I will not always win, or be liked, or be understood.  I also learned to judge my strengths and weaknesses.  Such as I know I’m a good photographer and I also know I’m not a great writer lol.  Sometimes no matter how hard you try you just are not going to please the public at large and you know what?   That is ok.   It’s more important to please yourself and the people you love then a stranger down the street.   If this unknown person doesn’t like how you capture an image does it really matter at the end of the day?  No life will go on, it will have its ups and downs but that is just how it is, don’t sweat the little stuff. 

 Ok ok I do have a fear of heights, but come on I think that is a rather healthy fear since falling from very high can be rather deadly!  My brother on the other hand ensures me it’s not the fall that kills you but the sudden stop…  Even though I hate heights I don’t let that stop me from looking off a cliff.

If you find that you are really scared to show your work because you are really worried about what other people will think then ask yourself why that is.  What is causing this fear and address it, it might not be easy but in the end you will conquer that fear instead of being ruled by it.