Being a photographer, naturally there are plenty of social media pages that I follow or like or what have you, and so many times I see little memes about how it's not all about the camera, it's the photographer. In many cases, yes I agree. For a number of years I had to work with an older, outdated camera and I had to be creative to make things work. It wasn't always easy, but hey, you do what you've got to do. I was still able to get some nice images, but now that I've had a nice camera for the past year, I've got to admit, contrary to the memes ... having a nice camera sure makes things a hell of a lot easier!!
When I got my nice new camera one of the first things I wanted to shoot was the octopus at the aquarium. My old camera just didn't have the capability to take a decent shot in the dark tank. My new camera makes it almost too easy. I think the first 3 trips I took with my new camera Noel hid from me, but in recent trips he's been showing off for me. I'm like the octopus paparazzi ... truly. And I don't care.
There's something sort of odd about an octopus. 8 legs, a big water balloon head, suction cups all over, they change colors ... I think he's beautiful. I don't know why. I feel like he's a strange sort of beautiful, but I love it!
I wonder sometimes how much he can see from his tank. Does he people watch the way we watch him? He must see something, I would wave to him and he would make his way over to me. Coincidence, perhaps, but I think he likes getting his picture taken. Whatever the reason I never care why he swims by the glass or climbs over it... I'll catch it...
So handsome! Technology does spoil me ... and I don't mind... I look forward to our next encounter with the curious, sometimes elusive Noel...
Cheers!!
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Quintessential Fall
I realize I'm a little bias since I've lived my whole life in Connecticut, but in my opinion there's no better place to be then New England in the fall. It's reds oranges and golds, it's comfy hoodies, it's crisp air, and everything pumpkin. That's a New England fall in a nut shell.
I've been missing Vermont. I looked forward to going up north to visit every year, and sadly didn't quite get to it this year. So instead of going up for a weekend or day or two, I only got a couple hours, but I made the most of it and it helped me feel a little better. You know how sometimes you get that urge to do something or go somewhere and it just nags at you until you do... Well this at least satisfied the urge. I had tried to find something in Brattleboro to see or do, that way I was in Vermont but not too far. I found a covered bridge, and not much says quintessential Vermont like a covered bridge (well, a slanted window does too), and shooting while there were still leaves changing ... Aside from a white steeple against the colored leaves, that's a pretty iconic picture. To me anyway.
So we actually found 2 bridges that were pretty close to each other, 1 of which was supposed to be the longest covered bridge in Vermont. Cool. Sounded good to me. Add to it, it was a beautiful day ... Doesn't get much better than that...
I think growing up watching my dad work and build things out of wood gave me this ... appreciation ... admiration ... fascination ... pick a word I guess, for things crafted with wood. Architecture, old furniture, things hand made from timber, I love it. A covered bridge is an amazing feat of engineering. They're all a little different, but they all share a certain kind of beauty and harmony.
The leaves are gone now and we all seem to be full speed ahead into fall and quickly rushing towards winter, but it's nice to capture it while it's here. So make the most of an opportunity, take the picture, enjoy it.
Cheers :)
I've been missing Vermont. I looked forward to going up north to visit every year, and sadly didn't quite get to it this year. So instead of going up for a weekend or day or two, I only got a couple hours, but I made the most of it and it helped me feel a little better. You know how sometimes you get that urge to do something or go somewhere and it just nags at you until you do... Well this at least satisfied the urge. I had tried to find something in Brattleboro to see or do, that way I was in Vermont but not too far. I found a covered bridge, and not much says quintessential Vermont like a covered bridge (well, a slanted window does too), and shooting while there were still leaves changing ... Aside from a white steeple against the colored leaves, that's a pretty iconic picture. To me anyway.
So we actually found 2 bridges that were pretty close to each other, 1 of which was supposed to be the longest covered bridge in Vermont. Cool. Sounded good to me. Add to it, it was a beautiful day ... Doesn't get much better than that...
I think growing up watching my dad work and build things out of wood gave me this ... appreciation ... admiration ... fascination ... pick a word I guess, for things crafted with wood. Architecture, old furniture, things hand made from timber, I love it. A covered bridge is an amazing feat of engineering. They're all a little different, but they all share a certain kind of beauty and harmony.
The leaves are gone now and we all seem to be full speed ahead into fall and quickly rushing towards winter, but it's nice to capture it while it's here. So make the most of an opportunity, take the picture, enjoy it.
Cheers :)
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Looking For Someone's Story ...
So, I've got a lot of catching up to do...
Been so fortunate to have a lot of opportunities to go out shooting lately and have a ton of pictures that I have sitting ready and haven't decided how to post them or what I want to do with them ... Well, I might as well get posting I suppose, so I'm going backwards starting with my Halloween shoot at an old Norwich cemetery. Been there once before a couple years ago, and Halloween is always a good day to be in an old cemetery shooting.
I'll never know what it is about old, dilapidated, rusty stuff that attracts me... I've never been one for antiques necessarily and I have a more modern style typically, but show me something old and falling apart and I want to shoot it. I don't know why ... A sense of mystery maybe? Like what stories does this thing hold? I find old cemeteries interesting and a little sad. There are so many stories and memories that could be so interesting to discover, but are sadly lost. Once upon a time these graves were cared for, these people were loved and missed.
I always wonder who they were and what happened. I find it interesting trying to read old tombstones. Many of these really old cemeteries have stones that are so worn and broken they're hard to read, but the words or dates that are legible ... That's all that's left of someone ... It's sad. After someone's lifetime, some cut shorter than others, it can all just fade away...
I wonder if they're still there. I do. I find myself apologizing and thinking 'excuse me' as I walk around these places. I'm not a ghost hunter, though I've been addicted to it and find it all fascinating, and this isn't the first time I've gone shooting at cemeteries, I've done it a number of times, and honestly if I ever caught something unexplainable I really don't know how I would react. Hopefully the people here are all at peace.
I'm just looking for a different kind of history, looking for something unexpected. I guess I don't know exactly what attracts me to these types of places, what attracts anyone to anything? Can you put that feeling into words? ... Me either ... that's why I take pictures. I struggle with words and pictures are usually pretty natural. I don't know if what I see and how I see it or what I feel is necessarily conveyed properly through them ... But I feel better ...
It's usually quiet here too... Really quiet. Normally I need some sort of background noise, music or a movie on in the background, something. It's helps me focus, or maybe it offers a distraction from whatever I'm doing so I don't go crazy, I'm honestly not sure which... Point is, I've never felt the need here. Don't know if there's a part of me that's listening for something I never hear, or maybe the silence is loud enough I don't need something else, but I've never been stir crazy from the quiet at a cemetery... Surprisingly.
I guess, despite the sadness that sort of surrounds a cemetery, there's something peaceful too. I mean who would want to rest for eternity somewhere unpleasant? There's usually trees and flowers and open space so plenty of sunshine. Maybe that helps spirits be at peace... Don't know. I guess if that's the case I may never shoot one, but that's never been my goal. Like I said, my goal is to find something unexpected, to find something that maybe no one else sees or has overlooked and then make people see it. Not in a forceful way, just put it out there so it can be seen. Then maybe those people who's graves have been broken, worn, and forgotten will be seen and remembered again... Maybe.
Guess that's a nice way of thinking about it. Like I try to be good to people and help them when I can, and I only hope that if I'm ever in a situation where I need help, I hope someone would be kind enough to do the same for me. I guess in 150 years it would be nice to have my worn out, broken story brought into the light again ... you know? Sorry, not trying to go all philosophical or morbid or deep, just sayin', that's all.
Anyway ... That's what happens when my head gets going and I'm writing ... never know where it's going to go or what's going to come out ... But I did get some shots that I liked or found interesting so ...
Here we go ...
Been so fortunate to have a lot of opportunities to go out shooting lately and have a ton of pictures that I have sitting ready and haven't decided how to post them or what I want to do with them ... Well, I might as well get posting I suppose, so I'm going backwards starting with my Halloween shoot at an old Norwich cemetery. Been there once before a couple years ago, and Halloween is always a good day to be in an old cemetery shooting.
I'll never know what it is about old, dilapidated, rusty stuff that attracts me... I've never been one for antiques necessarily and I have a more modern style typically, but show me something old and falling apart and I want to shoot it. I don't know why ... A sense of mystery maybe? Like what stories does this thing hold? I find old cemeteries interesting and a little sad. There are so many stories and memories that could be so interesting to discover, but are sadly lost. Once upon a time these graves were cared for, these people were loved and missed.
I always wonder who they were and what happened. I find it interesting trying to read old tombstones. Many of these really old cemeteries have stones that are so worn and broken they're hard to read, but the words or dates that are legible ... That's all that's left of someone ... It's sad. After someone's lifetime, some cut shorter than others, it can all just fade away...
I wonder if they're still there. I do. I find myself apologizing and thinking 'excuse me' as I walk around these places. I'm not a ghost hunter, though I've been addicted to it and find it all fascinating, and this isn't the first time I've gone shooting at cemeteries, I've done it a number of times, and honestly if I ever caught something unexplainable I really don't know how I would react. Hopefully the people here are all at peace.
I'm just looking for a different kind of history, looking for something unexpected. I guess I don't know exactly what attracts me to these types of places, what attracts anyone to anything? Can you put that feeling into words? ... Me either ... that's why I take pictures. I struggle with words and pictures are usually pretty natural. I don't know if what I see and how I see it or what I feel is necessarily conveyed properly through them ... But I feel better ...
It's usually quiet here too... Really quiet. Normally I need some sort of background noise, music or a movie on in the background, something. It's helps me focus, or maybe it offers a distraction from whatever I'm doing so I don't go crazy, I'm honestly not sure which... Point is, I've never felt the need here. Don't know if there's a part of me that's listening for something I never hear, or maybe the silence is loud enough I don't need something else, but I've never been stir crazy from the quiet at a cemetery... Surprisingly.
I guess, despite the sadness that sort of surrounds a cemetery, there's something peaceful too. I mean who would want to rest for eternity somewhere unpleasant? There's usually trees and flowers and open space so plenty of sunshine. Maybe that helps spirits be at peace... Don't know. I guess if that's the case I may never shoot one, but that's never been my goal. Like I said, my goal is to find something unexpected, to find something that maybe no one else sees or has overlooked and then make people see it. Not in a forceful way, just put it out there so it can be seen. Then maybe those people who's graves have been broken, worn, and forgotten will be seen and remembered again... Maybe.
Guess that's a nice way of thinking about it. Like I try to be good to people and help them when I can, and I only hope that if I'm ever in a situation where I need help, I hope someone would be kind enough to do the same for me. I guess in 150 years it would be nice to have my worn out, broken story brought into the light again ... you know? Sorry, not trying to go all philosophical or morbid or deep, just sayin', that's all.
Anyway ... That's what happens when my head gets going and I'm writing ... never know where it's going to go or what's going to come out ... But I did get some shots that I liked or found interesting so ...
Here we go ...
Well, that was my morning Halloween shoot, and a start at getting some of my pictures out there. Til next time ...
Cheers :)
Thursday, November 3, 2016
October 2016
Every month seems to go faster and faster. Part of why I love doing these posts is looking back at my month and everything I got to see and do, and the people I got to share it with :)
Happy Fall Y'All
Cheers :)
Happy Fall Y'All
Cheers :)
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