Month: January 2021

Seeing Things

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Wait.
I need to stop here.
Look at that bluebird.

Pappa
It’s just a bird
They’re everywhere.

Indeed
They are
Isn’t it a wonder!

Why is that bird blue?
How does he fly?
What does he eat?
Where does he sleep?
Why are they afraid of us?
And my, how did that one get so fat?!

Remember.

Using the old imagination….even the conversation.

End of Day

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In light’s last wane
Arms stretched
Like a mother’s embrace

A giving of all things good
‘Til final pangs of energy fades
Expending life to the last

Delivering all there is to give
In radiant effort’s glow
A gentle farewell

‘Til tomorrow

Kites, No Strings

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What came first
The kites we control
Or the ones without strings?

After fifteen years of chasing the art of photography impressionistically, I am finding myself just making photographs of “things”.
In 2016 I started investigating serious video production and realized quickly the adventure that it is. Moving images with appropriate sound is a huge task if it is to be done well. Funny, making video was what got me into serious photography back in 2004.
I make these declarations because the artistic journey is a muse who must be treated like a spouse. Pay attention, or you will find yourself lost, and alone.
So now I am looking to just make some nice photos of birds. It was part of the journey some fifteen years ago, but now there is a lot of “stuff” to unpack to get there. I grew to not care for the details. Now, the details are everything.
Yesterday I walked about with an old Nikon 400mm 4.5 with the AU1 focus and my D750. The cover photo was NOT made with it. I wanted to try it out after letting it sit for about a decade (or longer). I made the rookie mistake of forgetting by monopod so everything I made was handheld. The total package is about ten pounds. I had to throw it over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes just to carry it. Making a frame required even more preplanning than usual and a shutter staying at 1/1000 or faster
My thinking was that even if the work was a little shaky, I could at least get an idea of the lens’ capability. When I opened the files, I realized why I stopped using this lens. It has a terrible rendering of strong light. The purple fringing is atrocious. My plan to sell the lens has changed. I cannot in good faith sell this old beast. It is a good lens to manually learn, but the results are so spotty it doesn’t make sense to sell it.
I’ll give it to Goodwill and maybe a newbie will pick it up for $50.
Don’t get me wrong, impressions are not off the menu.

Have a good weekend!