This old house sits idly beside Oklahoma State Highway 19 in the southeast corner of the state. Long abandoned, it still holds great charm for me. It makes me wonder about the family that lived here once upon a time. What was life like for them? How did they survive? What were their joys and celebrations? Their defeats and sufferings? What did the cold Oklahoma winter wind feel like as it rattled the siding and seeped through the cracks?
After taking a few shots (okay, a lot of shots) I stepped across the mud and entered the house through the opening in the side of the building. I stood on the old, rotting floor taking in the dimness now illuminated only by exterior light. I woke two large gorgeous white owls who now inhabit the home. I suppose they were Snowy Owls, but what do I know? I do know they were the highlight of my day. One flew around me several times, swooping within a few feet. She hovered for a moment while changing direction, and we stared at each other–man to bird–frightened animal to frightened animal. The house, once occupied by humans continues to shelter life of the most wondrous kind.
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I took this photo of the Washington Monument at dusk a couple of years ago from the steps surrounding our nation’s Capitol. Traffic jammed the streets, workers hurried home along the sidewalks, and tourists stopped to listen to their guide. I’ve always liked reflection shots. Reflections reveal a whole other world that is upside down from ours–a mirror world where bad can become good, war can give way to peace, anger can turn to love, pride can dissipate into humility, and selfishness can be replaced by compassionate giving. I pray for a nation where the monuments we treasure are not the evils that are so prevalent; rather they are the mirrors of those evils I believe exist in the depths of our being.
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I’m learning some new Black & White techniques. Here’s an intital attempt at rendering the Oklahoma Capitol in B&W. This shot is taken from inside the atrium of the Oklahoma History Museum. The vast windows face south toward the rear of Oklahoma’s Capitol. The dome was recently completed with the addition of the Indian standing atop. Symbolically that puts Native Americans at the very center of our state–lifted up, recognized, and valued. If only that were always the case. I was in a meeting this morning where we talked at length about the Native American culture. We talked about the importance of their traditions and languages to help them maintain a sense of identity. At the same time, we have legislators that have offices in this Capitol building who want to make English the official language of our state. It appears to me they think the languages of 37 Federally recognized tribes that reside in our state are of no importance.
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This week I had some all day meetings at the Oklahoma History Museum in downtown Oklahoma City. This morning, before my meetings, I took a few shots of the wonderful skylight (as well as other things) at the top of the dome. The morning light illuminates the atrium where guests first arrive. For those who bother to look up, there is a sense of enlightenment–perhaps intentional by the architect. Sometimes looking up does that.
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Here’s another view of the abandoned church I posted back in March. I pulled those photos out today and played with this one. I like the black & white effect, especially as it moves from shadow to light.
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