I first took this shot standing on the ground at the end of the rolls of hay but the image looked flat. Then I got the bright idea to climb up on the hay. It made all the difference in the world. Sometimes just a minor adjustment of position or perspective helps us see our world quite differently. It’s an obvious and foundational truth in photography. However, for some reason, in life we always think that our current position and perspective are the best.
Fall is such a grand time of year. I find it wonderful that in those weeks when death is upon them, the leaves show their most spectacular self. In the aging years of beautiful people, the same phenomenon often occurs. While we are so busy trying to make something of ourselves and blending in to our world, many of our elders have learned that it’s okay to be different from everyone else; it’s good to live out their own colors and show off their individuality. It’s a shame it takes us so long to learn these lessons and get to the point where we lose our self-conciousness enough to embrace our rainbow of colors.
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.
I have lived in six different states and visited many others. Each has its unique landscape and charm. Although I’m partial to mountains and rolling hills, a couple of things I do love about my Oklahoma home are the big skies and expansive landscapes. Here is a shot I took last year in NW Oklahoma on my way to Woodward. The heads are heavy and drooping, ready for harvest.
Continuing with my black and white theme, here’s a shot of the Elk Mountains in Colorado that I took while backpacking there last year. I’m working through John Beardworth book, Advanced Digital Black & White Photography, in order to improve my b&w images. This book has taught me the basic digital b&w methodologies (both historically and currently), it has helped me understand the use of color, masking, dodging, and burning. I highly recommend the book for those wanting to learn b&w. However, I’m also aware that technique is not enough. There is always the artist’s choices of shadow, brightness, cropping, focal points, etc. that make (or break) a photograph. I can’t get that from a book. But I can get it from those of you who view the shots I post here. As I’m learning photography, I would love feedback about what you like and don’t like. It will help me get better. Write me a note. What’s wrong with this picture? What do you like? What could be improved? Where is your eye drawn when you look at the picture?
Check out more of my flickr photos on my Flickr page.