A Photographic Challenge

Flowers are beautiful, and masses of flowers are glorious. How can I resist taking dozens of photos of this azalea garden in Raleigh, N.C.? I shot all of these hand-held, with a Canon 17-36 L wide angle lens on an EOS 5D digital camera.

But, while the color and scale is fairly easy to communicate in a photo, how do you find composition?

Perhaps a closeup, with enough of the background to give context.

Or, maybe a contrasting element, like rough tree trunks.

Or, a few strong elements to break up the homogeneity and help eye travel (This is where having my 4X5, with its focal plane movements, would have been nice. I could have kept the 3 the trees in sharp focus.)

Or, somewhat more subtly, a wide angle shot with an off center bit of contrasting color. (click on any image for a larger version)


Bit of a subject contrast from my previous post, eh?

Poncho House Ruin

One of the fine, large pre-historic ruins of the Southwest, Poncho House Ruins was occupied and built during the 12th century and set in a great horseshoe bend of Chinle Wash, near the Arizona-Utah border.

Nancy and I visited Poncho House last week, accompanied by a Dine (Navajo) Guide from nearby Bluff, Utah. The drive to the ruin is scenic, with views of Monument Valley in the distance. The final 1/4 mile of road, which is really more of an exercise in rock-hopping, requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

We then hiked a mile, halfway down into Chinle Wash, then along a benchland where we could approach the ruin. The benchland would have been an ideal spot for farming, assuming that enough water would remain in the wash for irrigation during the dry season. The ground is littered with black, red white and grey pottery shards, some with bits of intricately-painted decoration.

Our guide showed us a number of artifacts that he had found, and hidden so that that they will remain with the site: a comb, fashioned from yucca fiber and thin twigs from river willow; a bit of woven mat; arrow points; etc. He also pointed out metates and grinding stones, and gouges in the sandstone where workers had sharpened their stone hoes.

As we entered the ruin, we saw bits of turkey feathers, human hair, corncobs, and handprints in the hardened adobe between stone masonry.

The cliff walls are covered with pictographs, as well as the faint outlines where walls once abutted.

The people living there had an incredible view: The weathered spires and cliffs above the wash seem more appropriate for a Martian landscape.

Spring?

Woke this morning to find over 6" of snow on the front steps; perfect photography weather!

Spring in Santa Fe

Spring has finally come to Santa Fe. Flowering trees behind adobe walls make for a few interesting photos. I walked through the neighborhoods on the east side and played with compositions using my wide angle lens.

Spring is a good time to visit "Rachel's Corner" on Alameda and St. Francis. Rachel and Jose have sold pinon, chiles, beans and other local produce on this corner for years. Recently, they have been joined by a few artisans. Here, gourd artist John Shaffer shows off his work.

Defending Wilderness in Washington

I just returned from a brief trip to Washington, D.C. to advocate as a citizen lobbyist on behalf of America's Red Rock Wilderness Act. The red rock country of Utah and Arizona has fed my soul for many years, and I decided that it was time for me to give back a little.

I met with my representatives from New Mexico, plus a few from Texas. Even got a photograph of myself standing next to Senator Bingaman, in his office, beneath a photo he purchased from me at the Santa Fe Art Market some years ago.

I do not consider myself in any way a "political" person. The complexity and seeming glacial pace of the legislative process quickly causes my attention to wander. Nevertheless, I come home with a new respect for Washington because I gained a bit of insight into the incredible balancing act that our representatives must perform as they address the demands placed on them by their varied constituencies. "E Pluribus Unum" is no small feat, and it requires constant tending.

Washington is a surprisingly beautiful and vital town. I had little time outside of my work to visit some of the landmarks, but I did have a chance to see the Vietnam Memorial, and to pay my respects to a couple of guys I once knew. This image, with the faint reflections of me and the surrounding landscape, signifies for me the contrast between the ephemeral visits of millions who pass by, and the permanence of the price price paid by each of the people whose names are on that wall. Please, click on the image to see the names.

Monument Valley Snow

I drove to the four corners region and Monument Valley ahead of a predicted snow storm, hoping to capture some rare images of snow in the Valley, and in the nearby red rock country. I camped in Valley of the Gods, which is about 1/2 hour to the north, and nearly 2000 feet lower, meaning, warmer! I have tried to make this trip before, once leaving too late and getting stuck in snow in Cuba, NM.

But, this time I made it. the first day was fairly uneventful...a few clouds rolling in, a few interesting tourists to surreptitiously photograph.

That night brought snow to the entire region. I woke up to find 3 inches of snow blanketing my camper and all of Valley of the Gods. Driving unplowed roads south to Monument Valley, I saw that the snow was deepening. Visibility was less than 1/4 mile.

Monument Valley had even more snow; the drive down into the valley was, to say the least, exhilarating.

The storm began to clear by late morning, and the sun quickly began to melt the snow, creating patterns with the contours of the red earth and the ripples of snow.

Back on the rim of the valley, I drove over to the primitive campground. There was parked a lone station wagon. Another photographer had actually camped there overnight. Brr!

He was disappointed; the storm had cleared too late, and the light wasn't right for him. He had apparently driven from Southern California to follow the storm, and had been through 2 feet of snow near Flagstaff. He would hurry back towards Grand Canyon, hoping to find better images there.

I shot this last image about 100 feet away from where he had been camped.

Fear Less, Love More

Wise advice, given by my father many years ago. And now, more important than ever. Fear turns us inward; it shrinks our souls. Love looks outward, expands, seeks to help, sees hope. An attitude of fear and scarcity may drive one to accumulate wealth, but an attitude of love and abundance creates fortune that ripples outward, beyond our imagination. Love attracts; fear drives away.

Now we stand at a crossroad: Fear, hate and greed have brought us to the threshold of ruin, but we have a new leader who asks us to give, even as we may wonder how to pay tomorrow's bills. Perhaps he will inspire us all to consume less and give back more.

I sat in a convocation of artists a short while ago. Inevitably, someone began talking about how hard life has become for artists, how some artists, unable to pay the rent, contemplate suicide. Another artist in the group cut the conversation short: "I am giving away small paintings randomly to people I meet," he said, "Without any expectation of payback. " He continued to describe how that simple, illogical act had changed his outlook to livelihood, and how it had helped his creativity.

We need creativity now, but not the creativity that builds better weapons or finds new ways to get rich quick. We need a collective creativity that is built on a recognition that true wealth only results when our striving creates benefits not just for an individual, but for a community.