Roots of my vision…

As a photographer, it’s vital to have a vision, and to always keep your mind and heart tuned in and focused on that vision. There’s so much noise in the world, so many things that distract us, stress us, and compete for space in our consciousness. For me, a photographer’s vision is like a true arrow, pointing toward what is meaningful and honest about what I do. Earlier this week, while I was in the midst of the buzz of activities that consumes my life, I was struck by the stark, drama of the landscape outside my window. I stopped what I was doing, collected my gear, and stepped outside. It brought me back to what I love, what moves me. I never want to lose those roots, because they keep me centered, grounded and give meaning to what I do. Hope you enjoy…

Sky on fire…

 

Sometimes color just rules the day. This evening sky, taken from my Phoenix hotel room window overlooking some of the local flora and fauna at the base of Camelback Mountain, was just too compelling not to shoot. These colors became more muted, then unexpectedly reburst in one final blaze of glory before fading into final twilight.

 

Days end…

Up, up, and away…

 

When you are out on a photography assignment, it’s easy to become focused on the business at hand. But when you have a camera around your neck, the world is your oyster. This shot is an example of why it’s important to look up and around, and not just through the lens. I was out shooting a soccer practice at the fields close to our home, when I saw this blimp go bobbing by. It came closer, and closer and at first I didn’t react, but the more it sat there, in my field of view, I figured I’d see if I could take more than simply a grab-and-go shot. As it turned on its end to make a loop in the sky, I took my shot. In the end, I really liked the way it’s isolated with the dramatic clouds underneath, a small alien in a sea of atmosphere. Hope you enjoy…

 

New year, new vision…

 

The new year is perennially cause for reflection as well as celebration, as many of us take stock of where we’ve been, our accomplishments, milestones,  joys and sorrows, and with indomitable spirit, try to look optimistically at the  potential for the year ahead. No matter what happens in my life, one constant is my love for my family, and my passion for photography. Those two things are my emotional anchors–one force completely selfless; the other, admittedly, entirely self-absorbed. Luckily my family understands my creative drive, fuels it, supports it, and helps me celebrate it when I create something I am proud of. It’s the perfect balance to my life.

This year I am committed to continue pushing myself technically and creatively, to challenge myself with new places, subjects, and tools, as I embrace my passion for communicating thought, feeling, and emotion through photography.  It’s a never-ending quest; one that poses infinite possibilities with a new door ready to walk through, every day. Welcome 2013, and Happy New Year!

Peace in the valley…

 

There is a Canadian photographer whose posts I read religiously. He is not a name that people will know by the best-selling books he’s authored, or the classes he teaches, or by the covers of Nat Geo he’s  graced. But there is a soulfulness to his work and a sense of inner poetry that draws me in every time one of his posts hits my inbox. In this day and age, with hundreds of emails, tweets, posts, etc that bombard me every day, the fact that his work makes me stop what I am doing and thoughtfully enjoy it for 5- 10 minutes, really says something. In fact, if I could do that for anyone else, with either my words or photography, that would be a rare honor, indeed. The reason I am mentioning this is because one of the tenets of this photographers’ work is to learn to find art and beauty around you, wherever you are… rather than feeling like you have to travel somewhere far away — to the “beautiful places.” I agree 100%–there is artful, miraculous beauty all around us.

Case in point. I went out last Friday night to shoot a dazzling sunset. It was a crisp early fall evening, clear, but with just enough clouds that I was hopeful they would make a dramatic evening sky composition. I had scouted several areas earlier that day and had settled on one overlook spot I felt had potential. So I got there at the proverbial hour, set up the tripod and shot, shot, shot. I captured some OK scenes, but all in all, nothing spectacular. Just when I thought perhaps I had exhausted my possibilities, I decided to walk just a little further, look beyond another patch of trees, and try one more lookout point. Lo and behold… I realized I had “the shot” in front of me. The light gleaming off this spire, as an anchor to the dazzling fire sky truly made the image work.

Later, once I began editing my collection from the evening, I realized that this was indeed the shot I had been after when I had set out. It’s a wonderful feeling, to look at an image and feel as if you’ve been given a gift. No one else has to love it… I don’t necessarily shoot for “likes” and “thumbs up” — this is just for me, and that passion–combined with execution–makes me feel like a real photographer. Peace, in the valley, indeed. Hope you enjoy…

Evening color…

 

The dusky scene outside my front porch, several days ago. An evening silhouette, in a palette of pure, rich color. Peaceful. Hope you enjoy…

Evening repose…

Winter skies… gotta love them. This is another shot from my backyard in suburbia. Nothing profound; however, it’s just nice to be able to step outside my back door and know that nature’s wonders are bountiful and ever-present, if you just stop, look, and shoot. Hope you enjoy…