White Dove of the Desert

Nine miles south of Tucson, Arizona sits the Mission San Xavier del Bac (the white dove of the desert) located on the Tohono O'odham reservation. It was founded in the late 1600s by Father Kino, a Jesuit priest, from a town in the northern part of Italy. The mission today is still active and meeting the needs of the local community.
                                                                                
http://www.sanxaviermission.org/
http://www.sanxaviermission.org/History.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusebio_Kino

The Southwest, a rugged and diverse land

The Southwest has so much to offer for a photographer. The influence of the ancient culture of the native Indians and the Spanish in everywhere. The old mining towns in the mountains are full of things to photograph, as well has the rugged natural terrane . The Southwest is a place we keep going back to and always find new and interesting places to explore.

Storm clouds in the Heavens

While out driving around in Arizona last week I came across this old cemetery. I have always been intrigued with old graveyards and couldn't resist driving up the dirt road to where a handful of grave sites were located. As I walked around the area I could see a monsoon thunderstorm brewing to the North. The sky darkened quickly and I scrambled and stumbled to unpack my camera equipment and make my setup. Using my new digital equipment has created a new work flow for me in preparing to make an exposure. I find myself fighting with the camera a little more than in the past. In the old days, ( just two years ago) I was a film photographer and worked with a large view camera. I had a procedure when setting up my camera and composing my subject. With the many years of using a view camera my setup became a systematic routine with each step done in order. While I was in the process of assembling my gear I would be visualizing the scene, anticipating my filter choice for contrast control and how I was going to handle the light for exposure and development of the film. The camera was completely manual and didn't tell me anything.  I would set the camera movements according how I envisioned the subject should appear, and then with a hand held light meter determine the proper exposure. While I enjoy the new technology of the digital era, there are some draw backs. I really don't like all of the camera functions and programs I need to deactivate to get the camera to operate as simply as possible. Technology is great, but sometimes it gets in the way with my style of photography. I am sure there are some photographers that may not agree with me and I can certainly understand that many of the new camera functions are a great advantage to their style of photography. All of the various styles used in photography are what makes it so much fun and interesting.

Mission San Jose de Tumacacori

One of my favorite places to visit when in the Tucson area is the old Spanish Mission at Tumacacori. It was founded in 1691 by Father Kino, and is now owned by the National Park Service. It is a quiet and peaceful place to spend the day. The mission is located along route 19, south of Tucson near the Mexican boarder. I have always visited in the winter or fall time, but on this trip it was in July with record heat. It was a challenge to be out photographing in the intense sun. Despite the heat I was able to make some new images of the mission that I haven't made before.

http://www.nps.gov/tuma/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumacacori_mission

High Mountain Desert

A few days ago we drove up the road to the top of Mount Lemmon in Tucson Az. When we left the valley floor the temperature was 112*, and when we reached the summit it was a cool 67* with some rain and hail.  I saw this dead tree with some interesting clouds forming behind it and decided to find a small pull off area to make a photograph. I used a -10 ND filter along with a polarizing filter to get down to about a 90sec. exposure.  I was in a tight spot near the road on a fairly sharp corner and had to keep my focus on what was going on around me as I was in the process of making the image. I used a 17~40 mm zoom lens on my Canon 5D.  The effects of the moving clouds in the direction of the tree compliments the bare tree and gives a surreal appearance to the overall scene.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Lemmon

Traveling the back roads

This image was made with my 4x5 view camera a few years ago in the rural country side of upstate N.Y.  I always enjoyed riding out with my camera gear and see what I would come upon in my travels. This old farmer's name was Ray, and he was more than happy to let me take his portrait. He lived alone with his old dog "Millie" on his farm that he no longer worked. He was a quiet man and my time spent with him was enjoyable and memorable. I scanned the 11x14 print to get a digital image.  Some tonality and detail is lost in the process when compared to the original silver gelatin print.

Who remembers the dead?

Our walk on this earth is short. We occupy our thoughts with dreams of the future and make our plans, but in reality we leave without any of it. Most of us will never be remembered beyond our grand children. It is a sad thought but when viewing old cemeteries you can see this is true. In N.Y. State there are numerous old cemeteries in rural settings. Some are well cared for while other are abandon for some reason. This one was located above Watkins Glen on a hill overlooking Seneca Lake.  Most of the stones are dated in the mid eighteen hundreds. The cemetery has been abandon and little care has been given to the individual grave sites. When walking through such a place you get an eerie feeling and contemplate life and wonder why no one here remembers the dead.