Chinny
Our dear Alaskan Malamute, Chinny, passed away unexpectedly this past Thursday, May 21, at just over 8 years old. There are simply not enough words to describe the immeasurable impact she had on our lives, the love we have for her, and the kind spirit she has. She left a wonderful impression on everyone she met.
I introduced her to all of you in this post a couple of years ago. We have so many memories and experiences she shared with us – good times, but still hurtful to think about right now…so many planned experiences with her that we feel robbed of. It is pure agony. We miss her more than I could ever express in words.
Spring walks
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Pietersite abstract
Pietersite fires
These macro abstracts of the rare stone Pietersite reminded me of the primordial fires that helped form this planet. I can’t help but imagine that fire being frozen in time in these rocks. Given it is found only two places in the world – Namibia, Africa – where this particular piece originated from, and from in China – you wonder if it is telling an ancient story.
The chatoyance of this rock can make it difficult to photograph. Change the angle of light, and the colors and patterns shift before your eyes. It is hard to capture its true reflectance and shimmering in a non-reflective presentation. Believe it or not, I actually had to tone down the colors as captured by my camera. The reds came through much too saturated, and I toned them down to keep them from overpowering the other intense colors. I am fascinated, and perhaps a little haunted by this stone.
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Montana Agate
I have added a couple images of Montana agate to my rock abstracts gallery. This agate is found near the Yellowstone river and believed to be from the Pleistocene age. (1.8 Million to 10,000 years before present).
For me, dendrite inclusions really give character to certain stones, and the dancing dendrites in this particular sample are no exception. I found the bird-like one a particularly strong graphical element, so I chose the compositions based upon that particular dendrite. Lighting also plays an important role in portraying agates. With cross-polarized flashes for front lighting, and some slight backlighting – I was able to give these abstracts more depth. I think it also helps with the luminous quality to the images. Both images made with a Nikon D700, ISO200, Nikon 200mm f4 macro lens with polarizer at f11, and two SB-R200 macro flashes, with polarizing film on each.
Montana Agate
The rock is photographed wet with a light coating of vitamin E oil. I sometimes have to use oil because water starts to evaporate in spots creating uneven surface reflectance. Both have a fantasy world feel to them. Interpretation is what is most exciting with abstract photography for me. People formulate their own interpretations depending on their own experiences and moods – and it may change from day to day.
I am interested in your own interpretations of or reactions to these images – so please feel free to leave a comment describing it.
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Fire rock abstract
As much as spring energy is in the air, I am going to divert myself and concentrate on digging into my stock pile of rocks over the next week or so. I just love creating abstracts – discovering small patterns and relationships – symbolism of other worlds, other times. The energy of spring fuels my motivation – and perhaps my immersion in these abstracts will provide new ideas towards spring.
This shot is of a rock called Jelly Bean Jasper. from some private dig site in Oregon. I would have named it Fire Lava Jasper myself personally, but I guess I missed the boat on that one.
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Magnolia
Point & shoot cameras have always been a bit of a double-edged sword with me. I love them for their convenience and portability, but always felt at a disadvantage in using them for “serious” photography. I realize that this is a bit of a predujicial judgement on my part, because certainly great images can be made with a variety of tools. However, it is not without some justification. The small sensors used in these cameras are quite limiting when compared to the quality you obtain from a DSLR. And - make a photograph without a tripod?! Blasphemous. In some cases though, these times are changing.
A few notable landscape photographers have reviewed the Canon G10, that have placed this camera in the “hmmmm” area of my mind. Guy Tal’s review and Michael Reichmann’s review both left me with the impression that this camera is capable of some very fine results. Michael was really brave and dared to compare the camera’s results with his medium format back. It makes for some very interesting reading. Both of these guys have provided some fine examples, so there is no need for me to repeat comparisons, etc, etc. I suggest reading both reviews if you are looking for a more portable camera for those casual walks in the woods.
Something that really stood out to me is in Guy’s review where he mentioned …
“What surprised me more was that I found myself paying attention to things I wouldn’t normally photograph, namely trash dumped by local idiots who use the place for target practice. I generally try to avoid these reminders of the uglier side of humanity, and having to set up a tripod and larger camera to photograph them would likely ruin my mood and the magic of the place. Yet having a hand-holdable little camera at my grasp almost compelled me to aim it at just about anything in sight.” – Guy Tal, Jan 2009
These words rang true for me in my own experiences. Not only was I satisfied with the technical quality of the images, but I found some different compositions I don’t think I would have made if I was just hiking around with my normal set of gear and tripod. That in itself is a bit to reflect upon. Why wouldn’t I have seen the same things?
I suppose there is a lot to be said for keeping things simple. It is difficult to quantify the stress impact of hauling gear around and fumbling with controls has on our creative instincts. But it is there to some extent. I certainly don’t see the Canon G10 as a replacement for my DSLRs – but it has become a notable compliment to them.
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