Notes from the Woods

seeing · environment · exploration · photography

Fall is over?

Fall Red Oak TR9895

Written by Mark

Born and raised in Detroit, c. 323 ppm CO2, Mark Graf is a Michigan photographer, naturalist, and diver whose muse is summoned by exploring the endless connections in nature; land, sea, and sky.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Fall Red Oak TR9895
Fall Red Oak, Highland Recreation Area, Highland, Michigan

Hello, my name is Mark, and I am a bad blogger.   There, now that I am on the road to recovery, I can take another piece of low hanging fruit for post fodder and whine about the weather.   Yeah, it turned pretty cold here today, the harsh reminder that Fall is a fickle beast in these waning days.   After the colors have gone and the leaves have dropped, they may as well call it Winter anyway.

Quite frankly I have had quite a bit of writer’s block, not quite sure what to write about anymore – at least something I think worthy of reading anyway.    And with the colors gone, it makes me reflect back on this past fall and what I accomplished photographically anyway.  

Although I wasn’t out shooting prolifically, each year seems to bring a few images that make it memorable for me.   And I suppose if I get that many out of a single season, I should be happy.   Of course, I should also shut off social media because I see image after image of Fall in all its glory across the country, and that doesn’t do much good for being content at times.   It makes me wish I had traveled more, shot more.

red bud leaves
Leaves are a fallin’ , Sterling Heights, Michigan # LE9897

In the end, though I tend to look at it as I have these particular new images that I didn’t have last year.   With my business side of things is rather hit and miss most of the year, things seemed to really kick in during the Fall, with a few commercial projects underway and some publications.   And instead of being out shooting when I could, I was working processing photographs for print.   And in a way, that can be as exciting as shooting new images because many I haven’t printed before.

So that’s my little brief update, I hope all is well with you folks, and I hope to be posting more in my recovery.

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21 Comments

  1. Greg Lato

    Hi, my name is Greg and I’m a bad blogger too. As evident by two “favorite photos of the past year” post appearing on my blog home page list…But at least I know I’m in such esteemed company.

    I’m also a bad blog reader…going absent for quarters at a time and not being able to complete comments due to demands of children and the rest of life’s bothersome requirements and distractions of diminishing returns.

    Time to go start another episode of Bubble Guppies…and hopefully get another comment in.

  2. Tom Whelan

    The twisting trunks and foliage in the oak photo are gorgeous. Bad blogger? I’ve been posting, but I’ve been wretched at commenting. And I’m always terse, compared to your more philosophical posts.

    • Mark

      Hey Tom – thanks for stopping by this ghost town! 🙂

  3. Howard Grill

    Lovely images Mark! I wouldn’t lament if the time spent was processing images for publications etc! Making a finished product seems to be a pretty good use of time. Unfinished images on the hard drive doesn’t do anything for anybody. I should know,I have hundreds of them! It sure is tough to find the time to do everything we want……

    Winter is coming and I certainly find that to be a hard time to go out photographing.

    • Mark

      Thanks Howard. Yes, indeed, it is tough keeping up with everything. Maybe some winter inspiration will come soon! 🙂

  4. Paul

    A bit late to the party, I am, but I love the red oak. Supreme. I’m with you in the group meeting of bad bloggers. I’ve just not had much to say this year, it seems. Oh well. It’s all good. Things come and go and I’m just fine with that.

    • Mark

      Well when the group meeting is held, I’ll be sure to let you know Paul. 🙂 Thanks!!

  5. Earl

    So how’s recovery going, Mark? I myself have fell off the blogging wagon so many times I’ve lost count. It’s hard with so many social media platforms these days to split time between them all. Plus we each have these daily lives that keep getting in the way — blogging often takes a lower priority, which it should. In any case, I enjoy keeping up with you, however and whenever that happens.

    That is indeed a beautiful red oak photo!

    Take care!

    • Mark

      Well Earl, I expect you will have a great many adventures to write about in the near future. 😉

      I agree – staying social takes work!

      Thanks very much on the photo.

  6. Brad Mangas

    Boy can I relate to this Mark. The only advice I can think of is, one day at a time, one day at a time.

    • Mark

      Good advice indeed Brad.

  7. H William

    Good post, Mark. As a 76 year-old blogger I find that it is often hard to know what to post. I usually find an image that somehow speaks to me and go from there. Sometimes it works, maybe not some other times. I don’t get out to shoot every day but I have a number of images that still need “The Magic Touch” that I can work with.

    As a fellow Michigander….welcome to winter!

    • Mark

      Well at 76, I am sure you have no shortage of stories. 🙂 I have many that also fall into that same category. In fact, it is why I started photo-scanning some of my older slides.
      Yeah, welcome to winter. Ha!

  8. Kevin J Railsback

    I think everyone that has a blog has moments where they’re not sure what to write. You begn to worry if what you’re writing is valuable to your followers.

    The best advice I’ve heard was to write what you’d be interested in. If you’re interested in it, other will be too.

    This is the worst time of year for me, followed closely by the time in between winter and Spring. Filmmaking wise, it’s not very pretty.

    From time to time I test video cameras for Panasonic. They always seem to send them to me a these in between times and expect me to shoot footage that will sell a million cameras, I wish they’d be more on natures schedule. 🙂

    But your thoughts and feelings are echoed by many of us at this time of year.

    • Mark

      That is good advice Kevin. The block seems to have been with me most of this year looking at my total post count. 🙂 So I guess I just need to follow that advice times 12.

  9. Monte Stevens

    Love the oak image!!! I find when the writing block surrounds me I post so-so images and quotes which is not necessarily the best. A good blog will have good images (like the oak) and good content. For me, good content includes honest feelings we are experiencing. You are in my feeder so anytime you post I’ll be there to read it.
    As for shooting times, well, I shoot almost every day but not necessarily in nature or traveling in search for an image. I shoot on the way to coffee or on my walks. A camera is always with me, just in case.

    • Mark

      I wish I could say I photographed a little every day. I try to keep my mental camera going and of course my phone shots I play around with and out on Instagram occasionally. I appreciate the continued and long time support Monte!

  10. Anita Bower

    Completely agree with Cedric.

    • Mark

      Thank you Anita!

  11. Cedric Canard

    That is one gorgeous photo Mark, the Red Oak one. It’s been a while since I’ve been on the web and this is a nice sight to feast my eyes on. It is always such a pleasure visiting here. If you ever do run out of words to write, rest assured that your photos speak beautifully for themselves.

    • Mark

      Thanks so much Cedric. It has become a favorite of mine from this year. It was one of those moments where I just saw the flowing branches in this oak quite far away and immediately knew it would make for a nice composition.