A mule in front of a mural

 I was traveling around in the wonderful state of Nevada recently and came across this scene of a mule standing in a gravel parking lot in front of a large mural painted on a building.  I did my usual photographer's u-turn in my vehicle and went back to take a photograph.  The mural itself was an interesting subject but the mule added the element the photograph needed.  These mules were orginally left by the miners in the 1800's and their offspring roan free in the area.  After I made my photograph he came over for a hand out, so I gave him a few pretzels I had with me.  These types of images occur spontaneously and it is fun when they happen. 

Transition

Transition is the change from one state to another.  I prefer to photograph when the day is transitioning to night.  The last few minutes of daylight provides a soft glow on the subject and eliminates the harsh shadows caused by the midday sun.  During this time the winds cease and a quietness falls on the land.  In the stillness you become aware of the the changes in nature as the birds fly overhead to roost for the night while the bats come out of their resting place.  When alone in the wildness locations I feel the eeriness of the approaching night as a coyote yelps at the rising moon.  I stay at the location as long a possible before the darkness over takes me and I need to make the trek back to my vehicle or campsite.  These are special times and some of the most rewarding in making photographs and to experience the transition of the day into the night.  The above photograph was made in Nevada. I visited the location during the day to scout around for an evening photo session.  I am always amazed how different things look when I return after the sunsets. 

What makes a good photograph?

 Photography is a medium that offers many choices in how we want to use it.  What makes a good photograph?  It really depends on how you use photography.  For most people it is to record family events and create a history of cherished memories.  The ability to freeze a moment in time is unique to photography.  When I look back at old photographs of past family members, I can appreciate the true power of photography when use to record important people and events in our lives.  Photography also can provide a way to express a desire within us to create and explore the environment we live in.  This is the expressive side of photography that can make us stop and think when viewing an image that inspires us.  These types of images help us to connect to an object or scene in a way we couldn't have otherwise.  The stillness of photography lets us view and examine the object with great detail and emotion.  We all quit seeing as we grow.  We develop a learned recognition of things so we really never have to look at it in detail again. Such as looking at a tree or a chair.  Once we have imprinted our minds at a young age to recognize a tree we only need to glance at a tree a know what it is.  In a sense we stop really seeing and rely more on our sense of recognition. The gift photography can provide a way to persevere the cherished memories of our lives and to awaken our true sense of seeing.  So the good photographs are ones that impacts you the most. 

Nevada Ghost Towns

 In our recent trip to Nevada we searched out old mining ghost towns in the state.  Nevada has a rich history in mining that sprung up in the late 1800's when silver and gold was discovered.  Most of these mining town flourished for a few short years while the mines were productive.  Today there are plenty of the remains of these old ming camps and small towns scattered around the state.  One town we visited was called Berlin, and it is now a state park left in a state of arrested decay.  As is with most of these mining towns, Berlin is located in a remote area.  Another great little mining town and one of the best we found was Gold Point.  It is a well preserved town with a lot of left over mining shacks and equipment laying around to investigate.  The town has six full-time residents and we only saw one while we camped out there.  His name was Walt, and he and his partner own the town.  It was a cool place to hang out for a couple of days.  We pitched our tent out back of the saloon that had 60's music playing 24 hours a day.  It was sort of a surreal feeling because of the emptiness of the town and hearing the music from our youth coming from the old saloon.  As I was out photographing the night sky I would hear in the distance a song I had long forgotten about, and with it came a flood of memories of that time in my life.  Traveling these dusty old back roads and exploring is always rewarding.  The quest of "what's is up around the next corner" leads to discovery of new and exciting places, and a fulfillment dreams. 

Eastern Nevada

 We just returned home from a two week camping trip to Nevada. We have made many tips out west over the years to photograph and camp but never really spent much time in Nevada.  It is a big state with lots of empty land to explore. You can drive for hundreds of miles and never see another car or a town. We could get lost in the vast landscape and stop and pitch our tent most anywhere we wanted.  Most of the state is owned by the BLM - Bureau of Land Management, so you are free to hike and camp anywhere you please. Nevada is mostly a mining state and there are many old abandoned mining towns with ruins from the days of the gold and silver mines.  I made this image in the eastern part of the state and Cathedral Gorge State Park. It is a fascinating place with slot canyons with a moon like landscape. If are an exploring type of person and like quiet and remote areas you will enjoy what Nevada has to offer.  It is a place to get away and clear the mind and to be in a location that is desolate and void of people. It is a good to occasionally off load the concerns of today and reconnect with the things that really matter in life, and for me a place like Nevada is where I go.