I guess I’m in an introspective mood today. I hope you have a few moments to find your own inspiration today.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

© Earl for Meandering Passage, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Inspiration, Observations

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

I was looking at this photo and thinking how easy it is to become focused on the obstacles and lose view of the path or goals that lie beyond.

Many, many years ago I use to do some cross-country motorcycle racing which required riding at great speed on trails that had more then their share of obstacles. There’s a couple of life lessons I took away from that experience.

1. Never focus on the obstacle because where you look is where you go. While riding if there was a deep rut on one side of the trail the surest way to slide into it was to stare at it. You had to keep rut in you periphery vision but focus on the best path.
2. The winner of the race often comes down to the one who handles obstacles best. At some time everyone goes into the rut, into the mud or gets stalled on the steep hillside. It’s how you react once there that decides if you have a chance to finish well or not.

I now strive to keep these lessons in mind as I come across obstacles in my daily life.

© Earl for Meandering Passage, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: balance, daily life, obstacles, Photography

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

While walking the forest trail yesterday I came across this brightly colored leaf resting on a decaying tree stump. The leaf looks more like something you’d see in the autumn but here it was the first part July already wearing it’s bright colors. I didn’t see any other leaves so colored and I couldn’t identify which tree it came from.

Not wishing to look this gift horse in the mouth I captured this photo.

© Earl for Meandering Passage, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: fall, forest, leaves, Photography, photos

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Perspective is one of the most important elements for healthy lives and yet often it’s one of the hardest things to maintain.

I’ll be the first to admit sometimes I get lost in the details of the moment and lose perspective of their importance or lack of importance to the larger picture.

It’s during these periods of being bogged down that I find a walk in the woods to be most beneficial. It clears my head and makes me aware of how small I am in the larger scheme of things and how those details I was so obsessed with are smaller still.

I found this image of tree trunks among the forest to be pleasing. It clearly gives a sense of strength but at the same time with a little soft focus it also imparts a peaceful feeling.

© Earl for Meandering Passage, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: forest, perspective, Photography, photos, trees

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Today, I’d planned on visiting one of my nearby photographic nature areas after completing projects at home this morning. This area is heavily wooded and a noon-time sun can actually be a blessing with getting light through the forest canopy to shoot by.

However, while driving to the area the sky quickly clouded over to a solid featureless gray. It was dark enough among the trees at ground level that I had to increase the ISO setting a couple of steps.

I don’t mind shooting in gray conditions as I’ve found you can get some wonderful moody images. I don’t know there are many conditions I mind making photos in any more.

I have a thing for photos with paths or trails that lead away or fade off into the distance–this one qualifies.

© Earl for Meandering Passage, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: forest, path, Photography, photos, trail

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Perhaps everyone’s seen this but I wanted to link it anyway…it’s a wonderful stop-motion video for the 50th Anniversary of the Olympus PEN. Enjoy!

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

© Earl for Meandering Passage, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: olympus, PEN, Photography, youtube video

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Bruce Percy at The Art of Adventure Photography mentioned he’s an emotional photographer–allows his gut feelings to guide him without consciously trying to plan and control his photo making. He makes this statement in a discussion on taking portraits and how he relates to the chosen subjects. Bruce also asked what approach others have.

That got me to thinking about how I approach making photos in general. When visiting a location I do pre-planning to insure I have what I believe will be the right lens, filters and accessories however once on site my perceptions and feelings of the moment rule. If I’m not sure what the location will be (first visit) I’ll bring a general purpose zoom and perhaps a medium/short prime lens.

When shooting, I often feel I’m in a sort of trance with my awareness tightly focused on my interest and my efforts to capture those feelings with my camera.

I often loose awareness of my surroundings outside my subject and if I happen to be with someone I have to mentally force myself to check-in every once in a while. I’ve also try and keep checked-in if I’m shooting near traffic or other dangerous surroundings–I easily understand how photographers can step in front of a car or off a cliff.

So I guess I’m an emotional photographer as well.

Back to the question of approaching people about portraits–it’s a struggle for me to approach people as I’m reserved until I know someone. The only golden rule I follow is to ask politely and to honor their right to say no (or yes). I believe I’m good at reading people and could picked up if there were any uncomfortable feelings about being photographed.

© Earl for Meandering Passage, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: bruce percy, cactus flower, Photography, photos, portraits

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

A project completed just in time for the 4th of July was the refinishing of the pictured bench. This bench belonged to my wife’s parents and became ours when her mother passed away in Florida almost two years ago.

This bench could hardly be recognized as the same bench now. Then, it was covered in totality by many layers of dull chocolate brown paint.

Being disassembled, the iron work was taken to a local radiator repair shop for a few days of soaking to strip the paint and the wood consumed hours of hand stripping and sanding before finally revealing its inner beauty. Once bare, there was the process of painting the iron work black and staining the wood to an Old Maple gloss finish.

My wife says her father, who traveled in his job, brought the bench home about twenty-five years ago. She doesn’t know where he got it but it wasn’t new even then. I suspect it’s a good bit older as the wood is old growth and high quality, not something seen in a bench in recent years and the metal is of rough solid cast iron.

Solid bronze bolts and screws replaced the painted steel ones to complete its reassembly–a nice addition to our front porch that will last well beyond us. Oh, and I can see in my wife’s eyes that the memories are still intact.

© Earl for Meandering Passage, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: bench, Home Improvement, refinishing, wooden bench

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

We were invited for dinner by my step-son and his significant other last night. Upon finishing the wonderful meal they prepared we made our way to downtown Charlotte (NC) to watch the annual 4th of July fireworks display.

I of course had my camera along and was taking photos. I think I got the red, white and blue of the holiday covered here. With two fireworks displays in as many nights I’m feeling the full experience of the holiday.

After the show, and dodging traffic, we returned to their home for dessert. A great evening and what has been a wonderful holiday weekend.

© Earl for Meandering Passage, 2009. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 4th of july, charlotte, fireworks, Photography, photos

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Last evening we drove to my sisters and brother-in-laws farm in nearby Statesville, NC, for what has become a 4th of July tradition. Friends and family converge with food around 7pm for a cook-out/picnic style meal in their yard followed by a fireworks display in an adjacent field after darkness falls.

The event seems to grow each year and the fireworks would do a small town justice. My brother-in-law looks forward to this all year. He personally purchases the fireworks and won’t hear of anyone else contributing to their cost.

It has the air of an “old time” Independence Day celebration or as my wife stated: “like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting.”

It’s always a good time and I enjoy photographing the fireworks.

May you all have a happy and safe 4th of July.

For those readers not from the United States:

In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States – Wikipedia

© Earl for Meandering Passage, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 4th of july, fireworks, Observations, Photography, photos

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh