Calm Photos

In the beauty of nature, there is only truth . . .

“Just get up and go get some coffee somewhere.”

That was my wife’s advice earlier this afternoon after I told her about the phone conversation that had taken place, just moments prior to my call to her.

I was put on a conference call that ended-up being very disturbing. I won’t go into details other than it was disturbingly familiar, a reminder of the frightening manipulations and mechanizations that nearly buried me a little over 13 years ago. The difference this time is that wisdom is increasingly on my side.

So up I went, right over to the coffee shop in the Washington Square shopping center across the street. It was there that I came upon a book highlighting the 60 years of work by Paul Strand - perhaps one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century, along with Edward Weston and Ansel Adams. And like Weston and Adams, Strand was a wandering star, rarely at home or at peace in any one place other than within their own artistic visions. Always in search of the “good light” and landscapes that would become the canvas of their expressions and photographic interpretations of life and the world around them.

I can relate. Chances are they too had close relatives who said “you’re always chasing your %$#hole. Why can’t you be happy in one spot, get along and stop all this moving around. Keep your mouth shut. Never get in a pissing contest with a skunk who has more firepower than you. Why are you so selfish.”

I now take those words as a compliment considering what I’ve witnessed here in the south suburbs of Dayton, and considering the quality of life lived and work created by the likes of Strand, Weston and Adams.

By the time I had finished my coffee and browsed the book on Paul Strand, a recent quote I heard on TV started floating once again through my mind. It was few weeks ago when I watched an interview with actor Sir Anthony Hopkins on Inside the Actors Studio - “when I was young a Jesuit priest taught me what is known as the world’s shortest prayer: f*&$ it. ”

And that’s about how I now feel about that phone call.

Hey, I feel better already !

One photographer’s vision of the world around him,

. . . and of the spirit within.

One of the many advantages of Aperture over Photoshop - as far as pro photography is concerned - is the way the program organizes image files with minimum effort and time on the part of the user. Original raw files are securely stored away while the photographer harmlessly plays away with automatically copied versions.

In addition to the various project folders I’ve added to Aperture, the program also organizes images by date, automatically creating folders listed according to the year the photographs were shot, in the last week, in the last month and by photographer rating. The user interface of Aperture was specifically designed for professional photographers who manage thousands of shots.

In many ways the program is smarter than the photographer, because after all, most photographers fall within that realm of scattered brain, artsy-fartsy types who start to get pretty squirrelly if they’re not out shooting and instead are spending all their time behind the computer, present company included.

In those ancient days of storing away 35mm transparencies in plastic sleeves there was the possibility that some images that should have been selected as stand-outs are inadvertently filed away, forgotten and neglected. With digital image file management, and especially with programs such as Aperture, the photographer continually has opportunities to go back through and review old images, sometimes with eyes and awareness slightly altered over the months and years as creative vision becomes more well defined, or maybe perhaps when it starts going in a completely different direction.

This is the case with the following two images. Going back through my 2006 files I re-discovered one of the many shots I took of a Saturday night rodeo on a summer evening near Waynesville, Ohio. When I first did my initial edits I focused on the typical “rider and bull” action shots - the ones with the bull and rider in mid-air, dust swirling about and the look of determination in the rider’s face. I had plenty to choose from. But while reviewing the thumbnails in Aperture this one jumped-up at me. It caught my attention where it hadn’t before. Maybe it’s because I’ve been looking at a lot of candid portraits and street images lately, but then again, there had to be something about the scene that first caught my eye when I took the shot. It’s what I call a good “story teller.”

Crowd shots can be good at that, especially at sporting events where there’s lots of color and character - the attitude of the riders, stance of the rodeo clown, the looks on the faces of the kids, the low light of late day. The image tells the message of rural Ohio in summer.

Below is another “hidden gem” recently discovered. Why I first passed this one over I don’t know. It was one of many I took while hiking and photographing Dark Hollow Falls in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park in early April 2007. Most of my photographs of the area include the waterfall, but looking just across the stream I was moved to capture the still bare tree branches against the darkening sky with a cloud of mountain mist moving down slope. The lichen-covered rocks and fallen trees communicate that sense of wilderness in the landscape without distracting from the overall composition of the frame. What initially caught my eye - and the element that I wanted to emphasize - was the texture and feeling of the mist just above the ground and creating so much depth amongst the trees.

Tis a good one the more I look at it. What I love about what I do is my ability to instantly go back to the particular place and moment when each of my photographs was taken, and remember what I was feeling at the time and the thoughts that were directing my vision. I have close to 10,000 images in my stock library, and I can confidently say that I can go back and revisit each and every “shot-scene” and tell the story behind the photograph. That’s almost scary, but that’s the difference between the average shooter and someone who truly gets into and is passionate about his or her avocation.

chad hunt photography

A photographer and photo journalist who has captured some of the most amazing candid portraits I have ever seen, in what could be considered the most challenging of shooting environments (no pun intended).

The best photo journalists are always those who master the art of capturing the emotion of the moment with an exquisite attention to detail. Chad Hunt is one of the best.

Small Signs

* Last night, while putting my daughters to bed, my oldest, Emma, said “Dad, I have something I need to tell you.” At first I thought oh no, what did my eight-year-old mini-me do now. Instead she smiled and asked a simple question. “Do you know about Aquila ?” Well of course I did. One of two of my favorite constellations in the night sky, right along with Orion. Aquila - the Eagle of Ancient Greece who carried thunderbolts to Zeus. Altair is its’ brightest star, forming one of the three points of the summer triangle.

“We’re studying the stars in science class and each of us had to pick a constellation to report on. I chose Aquila because it made me think of you.”

* Early this morning, on my way to the gym, I received an email from a writer based in northeast Georgia, inquiring about usage of one of my photographs of a Golden Eagle on his web site to promote his newest work of fiction in which this magnificent bird of prey serves as principal image in the hero’s journey through various stages of life.

* While exercising in the gym at the Five Seasons Club (now go ahead certain readers of this blog and run the numbers on that one - it’s your favorite pastime), I notice that all the new weight machines have the brand name of - you guessed it - “Eagle” prominently displayed on the top. And then one of the few people in the gym at that hour is guy with a t-shirt on with a large eagle on the front, promoting the “Eagle 5K Race.”

* And then when I get into my studio and check my account on iStock Photo, I notice that the non-exclusive licensing rights for one of the 30+ photographs I have listed with this stock agency just sold on 12-17-07. It was another photograph that I have of that same Golden Eagle, taken in Ft. Collins, Colorado back in February of 2006.

Small signs. Immense meaning.

The Darkest Hour

December 20th, 1994. Never before, or never will it be again, as dark as it was for me on that day. The humiliation and destruction was nearly complete.

They almost succeeded. Almost.

Alone in the night, and the fears and anxieties close-in, hungry for the final thud of the coffin lid or the locked gates of places where people are conveniently placed away from sight, never to be heard from again.

I hit rock-bottom just days before the longest night of the year. I’ve been told to “get over it” and “move on.” But how can you when it is your own blood, and what makes the sting of this stigma and embarrassment so ever-lasting and painful are the echoes of the giggles, laughs and willing assistance of paid participants.

I’m like the ex-smoker who hates smoke-filled rooms the most. I know them so well because I was almost - almost - one of them.

Forgiveness is my only redemption. My only true hope for peace. At least I know this now, but I’m not there yet. I’m still fighting the hurt, the night, the darkness.

I don’t think it was a coincidence that such a painful fall occurred at that time of year, just as it I don’t think that December 25th was randomly chosen from the calendar as the date to mark the birth of Jesus Christ.

You see, it is in the darkest hour of night that the small signs of hope shine the brightest, marking the turning back to the sun, the return of hope and the promise of spring.

This year the winer solstice occurs on December 22nd, at 1:08 AM. From that point forward each day becomes slightly longer, the shadows a bit shorter and the night less and less overwhelming.

Even now, just four days prior, the small signs are appearing. Like the little bright lights on the Christmas tree that sits in the corner of the family room or the stars in the sky that make the Eagle.

As long as we keep looking and knowing and loving, the darkness will never prevail. Never.

Thank you Emma. I love you.

I’m very excited to announce that on April 30th, 2008 I will be presenting my body of work on the nature and landscapes of Ohio to the New York City Chapter of the Sierra Club in Manhattan. The last time I was in NYC was September 11, 2001. Obviously I departed in a somewhat altered frame of mind, so I’m looking forward to returning under more normal circumstances and even more excited to have the opportunity to share my visual discoveries of Ohio woodlands and landscapes with this particular audience.

This past November 14th I was pleased to present samples of my work, show a few pieces of photo gear and talk about my profession to four groups of 8th graders at Northmont Middle School in Clayton, Ohio. I was invited to participate in Career Choices Day at Northmont. As usual, it was fun and motivating to see some lights of interest turn on amongst a few faces in the audience as well as answer lots of interesting questions, such as “have you ever been attacked by any of the animals you take pictures of” and “what is your favorite place to take pictures.”

On Saturday, February 23, 2008 I will be conducting a half-day workshop on Nature and Landscape Photography at the Orvis Store at the Dayton Mall. Last spring I was there to show some of my prints as part of the store’s grand opening (pictured above with my special helper Emma Crotty). I was happy to be invited for a return visit to present an instructional workshop. I’m often asked if and when I will do a workshop, so, here’s my first of what will hopefully become many more. More info to follow.