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. 

 I love traveling the back roads because I come across unique individuals.  Such was the case in northern Florida in the clamming town of Eastpoint.  This area was an active community of clam fisherman until recently. Florida had to shut down the clam fishing in this area because of the reduced fresh water flow of the Apalachicola River entering the Gulf of Mexico. For clams to survive they need a balance of fresh water mixed with salt water, The source water of this river originates in the Georgia Mountains and flows down through Georgia into the state of Florida,  With the growth of the Atlanta Georgia area much of the water is being used and diverted to the metro area. This has caused the clams population to diminish in the Eastpoint area. Over fishing has also contributed to this shortage of clams and the state has set new regulations with hopes of bring back the health of the clam population.  As we travel more, consume more, with an ever increasing population we can expect that nature cannot keep up with our demands. Hopefully the clamming industry can return someday to supply the area with good fishing jobs and restaurants with plenty of tasty calms for the demands of the of the market.  This guy was a peanut vendor nexts to the docks that the clammers would come in after a long day of fishing.

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.