Bit Dean

 I am going through some of my old people pictures and sorting them out. I have created hundreds of images of people I have come across in my years of photography.  I am basically a landscape photographer but I always enjoy the challenge of photographing people I meet in my travels. I am amazed with the friendly bond that is created with the individuals I come in contact with. Most of them are true characters with an independent quality about them. My people pictures are some of the most rewarding images I can make. It is a bit awkward to approach a complete stranger and ask to photograph them. Honestly I can't think of a time that I have been turned down with my request. I usually strike up a conversation and get to know them a little bit before asking to take their picture.  I usually get their address and send them a completed photograph few weeks later. Many of the people I have photographed over the years have certainly pasted on and I hope some of the pictures are still around with a family member. 

Nature can restore

I spent a couple of weeks in the Georgia mountains recently.  I found many small streams to wade in and enjoy the cool and quiet surroundings.  After a few days of hiking and photographing alone, I found myself forgetting about the worries of the day.  Sadly we live in a culture where the media bombards us constantly with negative news and opinions.  Without realizing it, our thoughts are no longer our thoughts because of what we are exposed to each day. We are all aware of the many forms of pollution in our environment, light. air, noise, and waste pollution. But are we aware of the effects of pollution that is being constantly sent to our brains through the airways by TV, cellphone, and the internet.  You will  come to realize how your thoughts are impacted by these sources when you separate yourself from them. Do we really need to be constantly connected to this controlling force in our lives?  Take some time and disconnect once in awhile and reconnect with your own self generated thoughts.  It will help you find what is really important and where your focus should be for your life. 

The SS Charcot

I recently traveled to Newfoundland and found it to be a fascinating place to photograph.  The weather was constantly changing and the wind never stopped blowing.  It was a challenge to photograph in these conditions but the unsettled weather created a moodiness to the land and sea.  I came across the old wreckage on my first day of travel.  As I was photographing and elder man appeared and told me the story about the boat.  It was an old whaling ship called the SS Charcot.  It ran around when it lost it's mooring in a storm back in the early 70's.  It was a fairly quiet evening when I made this image and this old hulk had an eerie feeling about it. 

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. 

Cuba

I recently spend some time in Cuba photographing.  Most of my of my days were spent walking the streets of Havana doing street photography.  Havana is an extremely busy city filled with diesel fumes from the many old 50's automobile that have been converted to diesel engines.  For a street photographer Cuba has it all.  The thing I enjoyed the most about Cuba was the friendly people.  They live a hard life but maintain a joyful and enthusiastic outlook.  Cuba has some wonderful artist and I was able to meet a few of them in their studios.  Even though we had some language barriers we could still communicate about the creative process and the focus of their work. I used my Sony mirrorless camera with a couple prime lenses for most of my work in Havana.  The Sony is a small and very easy camera to carry around all day. 

Thoughts and dreams in Iceland

Iceland is a fascinating place with extreme weather conditions.  The light is always changing as is the mood of the weather.  It is not uncommon to have sun one minute and rain the next.  The wind can blow hard and then quit moments later.  The Arctic sea is always battling the coastline and creating wonderful clouds that come ashore and rise up over the mountains.  It is a quiet and remote land where the everyday world vanishes.  I enjoy quiet places where the land is in its nature state, showing no signs use.  It gives time for reflection and a focus on the real values in life.  It seems our technology has imprisoned us and we have become separated from fundamental things in life.  In someways the technological world has become our real home and the nature world is foreign to us.  Sadly I see most young people living their lives 12" from their nose staring into a screen focused on meaningless information.  So much life and youth can be squandered with such constant distractions. I am not immune to the technology trap we live in, but thankfully I have a greater desire to explore the nature world and seek out the wonders that exist there. 

Bare trees and gray skies

I when I am out traveling in new locations I never know the type of subjects I will come upon.  I usually have a preconceived idea about an area and the expected images I might make there.  I try to keep my travels as spontaneous as possible to have the flexibility to change directions if the weather or other things arise that hinder my chances of doing photography.  Such was the case in my recent trip to Utah.  I was tent camping and had to reroute my trip because of extremely heavy rains and tornados that came through the state.  It made me rethink my plans and adjust my travels to avoid areas of storm damage and flooding.  I ended up not visiting many of the places I had originally planned on, and found myself travel unexpected roads in search of new locations to photograph.  The above image was made in an area that was not in my original travel plans.  Utah is full of spectacular red rock canyons with unusual rock formations that attract many visitors to the state.  It also has many miles of wilderness roads with ranch lands of scenic beauty to explore.   This image was made on a very stormy day with strong winds and rain.  It was a challenge to get out of the vehicle to do much photography in such conditions.  With most all of my field work I use a tripod even when I really don't need to.  It is all part of my many years of using a large format camera that required a tripod to steady the camera.  I made this image with my Sony A7R11 without the use of a tripod.  This camera has a 5 axis built in image stabilization feature that is helpful in situations like this.  I was also able to use the tilt LCD screen on the back to compose my low angle view of this scene.  It is always satisfying to be able to make a few good images on a trip when my original plans don't work out.