I captured this photograph inside the Tumacácori National Historical Park (just south of Tubac, Arizona and north of the Mexican border). The park consists of the ruins of 3 Spanish mission communities, including a restored church and a museum. It was originally established in 1961, in a different location, and then after the Pima rebellion of 1751 the mission moved to its present location, on the west Sid of the Santa Cruze River. By 1848 the mission was abandoned and efforts to restore and stabilize it began in 1908. These clay pots were inside the mission's storeroom (also known as the granary). The granary pots were filled with seeds and grains and were stored for next season’s crops (keeping them safe from rodents). The pine beams you see here were hauled from the heights of the Santa Rita Mountains, which in turn supported the thick adobe columns. These pots where in a small room, so small as a matter of fact, that I had to push myself into a corner to get this shot. What I love about this photo are tapering lines and how they’re in contrast with the circular pots. Notice how the dominate color of the pots demand your attention. This, together the linear photographic components, lead your eyes around and about the image but always back to the pots. *Notice how the pots are inset and that there’s room for more.
A windpump is a type of windmill which is used to pump water from the earth. In the early 1920’s there were well over 6 million windpumps in the US alone however with the increasing use of fossil fuels they slowly disappeared from the landscape.; the ones that remain are generally on range land where livestock roam and where electricity needed to run a pump isn’t available. Today, with the rising awareness of climate change and the increase in energy costs, the windpump is making a comeback. For years I’ve been wanting to capture a unique photo of a windpump, but to no avail ....until I happened upon this vivid scene. Notice the dark storm clouds, the shaded middle-ground and the sun kissed foreground; together creating horizontal layers of vibrant color. Now notice the vertical windpump and how it cuts through the layers of color and how the blades stand out against the dark sky; together these things demand ones attention. Fortunately, the sun shone just long enough for me to capture this unique image! An interesting side note: A windmill is used to grind grain. A wind turbine is used to generate power. A wind pump is used to pump water from the ground.
I drove past this half (lol) truck one very foggy day last fall. It sat in the middle of a well maintained farmer’s field… and yet there it sat, with tiny bits of shrubbery under it…. leaving me ask myself, “and why?" I love the way the fog frames in the truck; making in known that the truck IS the subject. There aren’t any lead in lines per say, it’s just simply, a truck ....BUT it’s in its oddity that makes this photo grab ones attention, and then it’s in the rusted details that makes you look for more. I have this photograph hanging on my wall, it is one of my favorites (and the men can appreciate it too).
Black and white photography; you either love it, hate it, or it depends on the shot. Some of the photography groups I follow ask, “Which version do you like, the black and white one or the color one?”, and the response tend to spit down the middle. Personally, I feel it depends on the shot. I ask myself does black and white help lead your eye to the subject, or does it make your eyes look harder for the subject? I also look to the darkest darks and the lightest lights and ask, am I taking away from composition or adding to it? That said however, there aren’t any golden rules in “art”. Although I love black and white, I love to see a hint of color (you’ve likely noticed) but again, there isn't a golden rule and personally, I feel it depends on the shot. Good friends, Jo and Lesli share a passion for vintage car restoration and while visiting them recently I snapped a few photos in their front yard. I took many photos of their truck but my favorites are the ones I took lying on the ground, looking up at the truck (as I did here). Thanks Lesli and Jo, for being so accommodating!
Black and white photography; you either love it, hate it, or it depends on the shot. Some of the photography groups I follow ask, “Which version do you like, the black and white one or the color one?”, and the response tend to spit down the middle. Personally, I feel it depends on the shot. I ask myself does black and white help lead your eye to the subject, or does it make your eyes look harder for the subject? I also look to the darkest darks and the lightest lights and ask, am I taking away from composition or adding to it? That said however, there aren’t any golden rules in “art”. Although I love black and white, I love to see a hint of color (you’ve likely noticed) but again, there isn't a golden rule and personally, I feel it depends on the shot. Good friends, Jo and Lesli share a passion for vintage car restoration and while visiting them recently I snapped a few photos in their front yard. I took many photos of their truck but my favorites are the ones I took lying on the ground, looking up at the truck (as I did here). I have many full view shots (I’ll post them another time), I prefer the abstract views, like these two. Thanks Lesli and Jo, for being so accommodating!
Travel and photography go hand in hand but together with curiosity, the opportunities to expand one’s knowledge is endless. That said, my curious mind led me to google "wind turbines"; this is what I learned. *Be sure to Note #2! :-) 1. The towers are +/- 328 feet tall. 2. The average length of the blades are 260 feet but some are over 300 feet and weighs 11.3 tons(!). Oh my gosh, they are enormous! I passed one once, that was being transported on a freeway. The front of the blade sat on a transport truck trailer while the back of the blade sat on a trailer that totally detached from the transport truck. It basically just followed behind. It was quite the site to see! 3. The tallest turbine is in Hawaii. It’s 20 stories high and its blades are the length of a football field (!). 4. A single commercial turbine can power over 600 homes, while a small backyard turbine could power your home. 5. Some blades are more aerodynamically so they spin faster. 6. When the wind dies down, it can take hours for the blades to stop rotating. 7. They will automatically shut down (to prevent damage) if the winds are greater than 55mph (89km) 8. Optimal wind speed is 30-50mph (50-80km). 9. Large wind turbines spin at the rate of 180mph (260km). 10. Some don’t spin because they’re under maintenance. 11. They generally last 20 years. 12. The first wind turbines where windmills which were used to grind wheat and pump water. 13. Palm Springs has the oldest wind turbine farm.
While in Scottsdale, I asked a friend where I might find some Sante Fe style homes that would be worthy of photographing. I was told we should visit Tubac (which is south of Tuscan and near the Mexican border). He also suggested that we visit the many great art galleries too; it sounded like a perfect excursion. We arrived in Tubac around 8:30 a.m., when the sun was still low, the streets where quiet and the businesses were still closed; we basically had the town to ourselves. It was so quaint, it was lovely. As we drove and then walked around this tiny town I spotted this brightly colored adobe home, with the stark contrast of the the casting shadows and white framed window. Then, while framing this photo, I also noticed how the tree, the shadows, fence and saguaro tree (together) created a natural frame around the entire photograph, and the white framed window too. This was the shot I was after. After completing our tour, we visited a coffee shop and soaked in the warm morning sun until the shops and galleries opened. We ended up spending the entire day in Tubac (really enjoyed the galleries), and although it was a 6 hour round trip, we had such a fantastic (fun) day that we considered the drive well worth it!
We often stay in our RV on "McDonald's Ranch's" property while we attend the Arizona Fine Art Expo, in Scottsdale, Arizona I've walked past this saddle many times during our stay, and with each passing I'd notice the contouring lines; the horizontal fence rail, the vertical straps and the curvature of the saddle. I wanted to take a photo of it however the lighting was always poor (the sun was too low in the horizon and there was a building blocking its rays). So, I waited patiently until this February day, when the sun was high enough in the horizon to strike the saddle with its warm rays. You'll notice that I chose to not shoot the entire saddle, choosing instead to fill the frame with the saddle itself. Then, in post processing, because the sky was soft and white, I chose to continue that by adding a white vignette around the remainder of the image. This shot would look great in a reclaimed wooden frame!
While visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico I went for a stroll though a neighborhood near the famous art district, Canyon Road. I happened upon this cozy little casita; with its small deck and brightly painted trim. As I took this shot, I I could envision its owner enjoying his/her coffee in the warmth of the morning sun. How quaint!
You just can’t visit Seymour Arm, without visiting “Daniels Store” (or, as it's often referred to, “The Floating Store”). It floats year round in this pristine and tranquil bay, called Bughouse Bay on Shuswap Lake, BC. I’ve been visiting Seymour Arm with my family for many years, and I'm now a regular. It’s a unique, sleepy, off grid community that’s nestled at the very top of the Okanagan/Shuswap, and mere steps from the glacier mountains of the Monashees. There’s only two ways to get to Seymour Arm, either by boat or drive a logging road. That said however, once you’re there, its quaint beauty is immeasurable. Being there is like stepping back in time; it’s very community minded, casual, extremely relaxing and everyone helps each other. Folks regularly drive the gravel streets on their ATV’s, just as though it were their car (there’s always a few parked at the floating store!). Some visitors to Seymour Arm are there only to launch their boats so the can access their cabins, while others enjoy the pearly white sandy beaches. Campers, fishermen, hunters, gold-panners, swimmers, kayakers, canoeist, boaters, house-boaters and paddlers of all ages come to enjoy this region. One mustn’t (can’t!) forget Daniel’s store, it's love by all. They sell sporting goods, kids toys, alcohol, groceries, gas, and they rent water toys and sell local crafts too (this photo included). My children and grandchildren have very fond memories of the store; choosing their favorite penny candy or devouring an ice-cream cone on the picnic table on the store’s boardwalk was/is always revered as a special treat. There have been so many memories created and shared at the store and Seymour Arm; the valley is a profoundly large part of my love and family life.
In my retirement, I’m enjoying many of the things I’ve waited years to do. Not to be misunderstood however, I greatly enjoyed business development; especially the creative implementation of them (and friends I've made along the way!). I occasionally miss the business world, until I remember the taxing hours developing a business demands. I’ve been brainstorming, “What can I do that would combine my passion for business and fill my creative soul?”. Oh my gosh, the answer has been in my face the whole time, a career in travel photography. So, to fill that void I now have (this) website that offers a printing service. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram (look for their links at the bottom of each page). The photographic industry has changed so much (since I had my photo lab and studio), that I have had a lot to learn. I really enjoy the challenge though, and the creative results are (personally) rewarding. I know I’ll be continually challenged but what a great way to keep both my brain active, myself active and my creative soul engaged. ABOUT THIS PHOTO: This photograph contains 14 photos (Yes! ...14, all layered on top of each other), as well as HOURS of tedious work to set it up and a lot of time post processing. LOL, I quickly discovered that the water droplets had a mind of their own! I can’t tell you how many times I had everything just .....perfect, when a droplet would drop off, roll together or, or, or! :-) *FYI: The droplets are ONLY 3 mm wide.
In my retirement, I’m enjoying many of the things I’ve waited years to do. Not to be misunderstood however, I greatly enjoyed business development; especially the creative implementation of them (and friends I've made along the way!). I occasionally miss the business world, until I remember the taxing hours developing a business demands. I’ve been brainstorming, “What can I do that would combine my passion for business and fill my creative soul?”. Oh my gosh, the answer has been in my face the whole time, a career in travel photography. So, to fill that void I now have (this) website that offers a printing service. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram (look for their links at the bottom of each page). The photographic industry has changed so much (since I had my photo lab and studio), that I have had a lot to learn. I really enjoy the challenge though, and the creative results are (personally) rewarding. I know I’ll be continually challenged but what a great way to keep both my brain active, myself active and my creative soul engaged. ABOUT THIS PHOTO: This photograph contains 14 photos (Yes! ...14, all layered on top of each other), as well as HOURS of tedious work to set it up and a lot of time post processing. LOL, I quickly discovered that the water droplets had a mind of their own! I can’t tell you how many times I had everything just .....perfect, when a droplet would drop off, roll together or, or, or! :-) *FYI: The droplets are ONLY 3 mm wide.
