I miss the days of travel

 I have been going through some of my old files of trips we have taken in the past looking for some images I may have overlooked.  Really it is more about remembering and thinking back to when we lived a normal life and the world was a bit more relaxed place to live.  How we have all changed is the past year or so. We have hopes of returning to what life was but in reality that will never happen. We have been conditioned by a prolonged state of FEAR, a strong motivator that can change your brain chemistry and prevent you from returning to your previous state.  Personally I don't like the direction the world is going with big brother having so much control of our lives.  We all bought into the new fast spreading technology of computers and internet thinking it was free and an added convenience to our lives, when in reality we were selling our souls to this beast that will control us. Without knowing we gave up our personal freedoms and information to be connected through social media. Now these giant media platforms will control our news and information filtered through their lens to sway social and political views. Blessed were the days when I went out my backdoor without being tethered to technology and was free from concerns of staying connected.  This image was made in Iceland on a cold and dreary day. I made a long expose to calm the waters and soften the sky. After making several images we found a warm cozy restaurant that served up fresh fish caught from the sea that day.  Wonderful memories and some nice photos to take me back, if only in my mind.

On a Winters day

The stillness of a winters day out in my little boat repairs my soul and refreshes my spirit.  The world around us moves fast and everyone has an option as to how they choose to deal with our current situation and the challenges of the past year.  We know longer move around others comfortably and our cultural differences are strained to nearly a breaking point.  I have lived over 70 years and question how we as a people have trampled on our core fiber that bonds us together as a people.  Sadly we are reaching a point where we will look back and wonder was it really that simple to just live and enjoy our lives independently and free. We have been ensnared by a web and and we really have no way out of it. Technology has eroded our personal freedoms, and as it encroaches on our lives we will have less happiness and more wanting.  If you have ever been a part of any social media platform you know how these public forums can change your thinking and consume your time.  I lived most of my years without the concern of having a cellphone or living with the internet. I try to think back to those days and how I lived my life and compare it to now.  The pace of life was slower and the personal relationships were deeper.  The wisdom found in the Scriptures can be helpful in putting our life concerns in perspective. “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away”  James 4:14.

 

Cypress on the Santa Fe River

 I had the chance to get out on the Santa Fe River in my kayak this fall to make some photographs. I like to start out early just as the first light is coming on in the morning. The kayak let me get into shadow water and access some areas that a larger boat couldn’t get in. When I find an interesting location, I park the kayak and wade around in the swampy areas looking for a nice grouping of cypress trees. The early morning stillness and the cypress trees create a special moment and being there is always a satisfying experience.

2020

                      The end of 2020, hopefully

No time for the old

I spent this morning rummaging through some over looked images from my days in Mexico.  I came across this image and immediately I wanted to work on it.  What struck me was the old lady sitting with a worried and lonely look on her face, while the younger people sit with their backs towards her.  The contrast in the human condition of this scene makes the image.  Photography has the unique ability to capture a moment time time and freeze it.  That is what makes street photography so rewarding.  

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. 

Out traveling

 

After of months of sitting home and feeling sort of lost, I decided to take a drive.  I ended up traveling over 3,000 miles and going through 13 states.  I chose only to travel the secondary two lane roads and stay off the interstate highways.  I meandered about stopping in small towns and seeing how each one was different and talked with a few of the local people. I was driving through a small town in Georgia and caught the image of a man sitting on his front porch watching the few cars that pass by.  I knew I had to park and walk back to meet the man and ask to take his photograph.  As I approached I could see the house was old weather beaten, and his sitting position on the porch was where he spent most days.  His name was Benny and he was a soft spoken gentle man who was grateful to have someone to speak with for a few minutes.  It is these situations that are the most rewarding to me as a photographer.  They come completely unexpected and usually produce a meaningful image for me.  It is the simple things that I remember the most in my travels. The time to stop and talk with a complete stranger and make a friend, if only for a little while.  America is beautiful and full of wonderful people.  It only takes a trip to through the country to realize that.