Majestic Cypress Tree

I am fortunate to live in Florida and near a large lake that has numerous old growth bald cypress trees. These majestic trees have weathered hurricanes and lightning strikes but continue to grow in the lake over the many years. Sadly most cypress trees were harvested by the logging industry years ago, and they cut nearly every cypress tree that could be found. It is a valuable wood and I have seen some very beautiful tables made from huge slabs from a giant cypress trees that once stood tall in the swamps. I have a great affection for these trees because each one has it own unique character about it. Occasionally on hot days I will anchor my small boat in the shade of these trees and listen to the sounds of nature around me. They provide a secure nesting place for the Osprey and other birds native to the area. The Bald Cypress Tree is the only tree that losses it leaves for the entire winter in Florida. Winter time is when I usually prefer to photograph them, because without the leaves you can see the true character of the tree. This particular tree with it’s Spanish moss looks best in the summertime. I called it the guardian tree because of it’s strength and status it portrays .

Winter time and bare trees

I always enjoy photographing trees without leaves. To me a tree with just bare branches has more presence. Certaily tree with their fall corlors make for a beautiful photographs, but I find bare trees have more charactor and therefor a more interesting subject. I made this image during the winter months in Florida when the Bald Cypress trees loose their leaves.

Give life to your dreams

I recently came across this writing I did a number of years ago and at first I didn't recognize it as something I wrote.  I found it inspiring as if I was reading someone else's words.  I will turn the age of 74 in a few days and reading something from my past creates a stirring in me. I question myself if I dream as much as I did now that I am much older. Probably not,"but" I will be celebrating my 74 birthday on a two week tent camping trip to the N.W. to do some photography. 

"Give life to your dreams"

We start life on a fast and rigorous pace with school, work, family, and community. We all dream but where do they take us? If we learn to make our dreams into actions we will have a fuller satisfaction in life. How do we take a random thought or dream and make it a reality? It first begins with taking the time to dream and visualize. Try to imagine yourself doing the very things where your thoughts are taking you. Second you need to find your special place to dream. It may be a quiet and secured place or a favorite place from the past that brings you a sense of peace. Next you need to keep your dream personal until you are certain this is something you truly desire to do. Rushing out to tell others will dampen or destroy your dream because they will influence your thoughts, and often you will toss it off as only a whimsical dream and at that point you will become defeated and losing belief in your dream. I had a place where I did most of my dreaming. It had a long distance view where I would look out over a vast landscape. In my spare time I could sit there and dream about far away places and actually could see myself doing it. I knew at the time it may be years before I could eventually do what I was dreaming about but in my mind I knew that I was going to do it. The next step in planning and learning what actions you need to take to make your dream a reality. This is the work action that needs to happen to keep your dream alive. Write down a list of the steps that you need to do to start the process. With this you will start to realize you are bring your dream to life and that is when the excitement begins. Refuse to listen to the naysayers and others around that will dampen your enthusiasm. Life is full of negative voices and don’t let those voices steal your dream you have started. You will know that your dream is right when it is your own, and the only way to achieve that is limit the outside influence that can rob you of your hopeful thoughts. The next step in living out your dreams is to get up and go do it. This requires a bold and daring move to commit to something that was just a thought in your head a few months ago, but if you visualized your self doing it and made the basic plans to carry it out, then it is the time to move forward. Here is a few saying that you can apply to your motivation for bring a dream to life.

“ Analysis Paralysis” Failure by default (over thinking something)

“Winners take imperfect actions, while losers are perfecting their plans” (Make a plan and take an action)

My dreams that started in my favorite place has taken me to several countries in the world and to explore off the beaten path. I have hiked, camped, and met wonderful people along the way. I have a lifetime of memories and many inspiring photographs that take me back to my original dreams. Time is precious so don’t just dream it away, give life to your dreams. 

 

"This image does nothing for me" was the reply - Recognition

    Visual artists are always in the pursuit of discovery and seeing the ordinary in a new way.  How we present our vision or interpretation of a subject to viewer has changed considerably in recent years.  Recognition for a visual artist is essential. How their work is received by the viewing public can impact the direction their work takes, but should it?  I have had a photographer friend for a number of years that I have shared new images with. We both have sent each other images over the years and try to give an honest critique.  I sent him this image recently and the only reply was " This image does nothing for me".  A bit harsh with no explanation.  This got me to thinking how important recognition is for a visual artist and how their work is displayed and viewed.  Back when I was a darkroom photographer I presented my work in the environment of galleries and museums.  There would be an opening night with a gala event.  It was a time to meet and talk with the patrons and visitors, and to gain some feedback about my work.  The direct contact and interaction with the viewers at these events was a meaningful source of recognition.  I rarely do these types of shows today. The galleries and museums have become less of a source in which to view artwork.  Today we work through social media displaying our work to the world on small cellphone screens. We may reach a larger audience but the recognition is superficial without the direct contact with the viewer.  Instagram and other platforms do not provide a space for true art appreciation. Chasing the likes and comments on these sites can have a negative influence on your work if you focus too much in that area. Social media may be a good place to share some recent images of a project, but it can never represent a body of work as when viewed in the setting of distinguished gallery.

My thoughts of the above image are that I like the mysterious environment I was in when making the photograph.  Sometimes we are more inspired by the setting we were in than the image we make of it.  There are things in this image that are distracting but other parts that represents the mysterious feel of the location.  I had a direct connection to the scene where my friend ( the viewer ) in his critique did not.

It is hard to take your own advice

I have been writing in this blog for a number of years. It has never received much attention as initially desired.  I question why I take the time to write things down and post it with one of my photographic images. Possibly I am writing to myself to express the things stirring in my life or to resovle some current issue. At the start I was hoping to inspire other creative people to engage in a dialog about things of mutual interest.  Sadly few comments were ever received but that has never been a real concern for me.  Occasionally I will read a few of my older post to look back on my creative ambitions and my thoughts at the time.  I find myself taking my own advice which is sometimes hard to do. We all have a weakness with staying committed to a purpose. If you write your thoughts down and revisit them years later you can determine how committed you were to your beliefs at the time. Taking your own advice can be hard. 

I made this image yesterday while out in the swamps here in Florida. I love the cypress tree and it's intriguing root system. I often find myself resting under the shade of the trees during the mid day heat.  The song of the Mockingbird over my head and the cry of the osprey circling high above is the music in nature. 

Wondering

  I am at a crossroads with my photography.  I have spent most of my life pursuing my passion.  I am now in my 70's and realize I have a huge inventory of fine arts prints.  I devoted forty years of working in the darkroom making exhibition prints ready for display in galleries.  As the years passed by I managed to make a thousand prints all archival processed and mounted. I had little awareness of the inventory I was creating because my drive to explore and photograph was insatiable.  As photography turned to digital I continue to produce new work and make more prints.  Recently I made an assessment of my inventory and decided to eliminate about half of all the images I have created so far in my lifetime.  Something that would have been unthinkable a few years ago now made sense.  I have found that you reach an age where you can see the end and with that realization you start to think differently.  Most of life is lived with the expectation of the future and mentally you are painting a picture in your mind of what that will look like.  Photography opened a world up to me that wouldn't have been there if I never picked up a camera in my youth.  Because of the camera I have traveled to destination I never would have gone. I have met people and made lifelong friends because of photography.  Photography also comes with the burden of long dry spells of the lack of feeling inspired, but still the desire is there to create that new image.

Quiet Days

 The past couple of years have been lived in quiet solitude.  Hiding away and spending time in nature and just observing.  Too many days have passed by with a feeling of half holding my breath out of fear, life seems different now.  The mind and spirit of a person can be altered when bombarded with negative news and a sense that nothing is of value, and that all is being lost.  Viruses, wars, racial tensions, cancel culture. gender identity, and a mix of other things that we have forced on us.  I truly believe most people are good and just and are just trying to find their way thought life like everyone else.  The world is never going to be a perfect place nor are the people living in it. 

MATTHEW 7:1-5 (NRSV) 

Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.

Mystic Waters

 Winter time can offer some new compostitions with the cypress trees.  I prefer photographing when the trees are bare because in my opinion it gives the trees more character.  The Bald Cypress is the only tree that completely loses it leaves for the entire winter.  Most other trees will drop their leaves as they are growing new ones.  I have made a lot of images of Cypress trees over the years and it seems there are always  new and interesting images to make with them as my subject.  Winter is also the time the Osprey start to construct their nest for mating season and in the early spring the tress are alive with the activity of the birds gathering food and feeding their young. 

In the Morning

                                             "In the morning when the moon is at it's rest
                                              You will find me at the time I love the best
                                              Watching rainbows play of sunlight
                                              Pools of water iced from cold nights"

                                                                              The Bee Gees

                                                           https://youtu.be/i8dMlfDtEe8

I was out early morning in my kayak on the last day of the 2018 year.  I always enjoy the transition form night to daylight.  Nature is quiet and just coming to life.  The stillness clears the mind and refreshes.