Subtle Detail

The morning after Christmas I was out putting salt out on the driveway to help get rid of the couple of inches of ice we had received a couple of days earlier, when I noticed the light. I ran back inside and grabbed my camera and snapped this image.

It was snowing lightly that morning and the way the sunlight in its winter angle revealed the subtle detail in the yard. I have always found images like this appealing.

 

This is another image of my grandfather. Taken in the 20s, It hangs proudly in our home.

Family

It is so weird to know the people in this picture. Some of the people here I have known for years, others I have been told about by my mother. This summer was the first time I had ever seen it. This image was made in the early 60s. Aunts,uncles and cousins make up the picture. There are not too many pictures of my family from my mother's side. I never had the privilege of meeting my grandfather and grandmother. Before I had seen this picture, my mother only had two pictures that they were in. That's them on the left. Someday someone will ask me who these people are and I can tell them they are my family. From left to right, Back row: Grandpa and Grandma Martin,  Chuck, Junior, Mae, Blonde, Charlie. Front row: Bobby, Ivy, Yvonne, Elsie. This picture made in another time other than the one I know is their's. I am thankful to the person that took the time to round up my family and capture a moment.

Altered State

I was sitting in my truck today waiting on Ethan to take a drug screening. Time to break out the Crackberry and take some self portraits.

This image is a little weird. I moved the phone just as the picture snapped. It looks a little surreal I think. It may not be a real perception of life but like Bob Ross might have said, "A happy accident."

Waiting...

Not bad for a cell phone pic.

Hang On, Let Me Adjust The Drag!

I used to fish a lot. I spent many hours on the water in the summer. I love to fish. The species really do not  matter. Spending time fishing for Bluegill, Largemouth bass, Catfish, and Trout is very relaxing. Especially catfishing very little skill or cost involved. All one has to do is get some simple tackle and bait and go out and sit on a river bank or the shore of a lake and wait. As recent last summer,  Melissa and I would fill a cooler with beverages and snacks like Oreo's, Funyouns, and Beef Jerky and off we would go. Some summer days were almost like being at the beach with a small transistor radio stuck between two camp chairs watching for a tale-tale sign of a rod bending over as a fish would take the bait. Then  hang on for the fight. For many years, I chased Largemouth Bass. As a sport, bass fishing is a multi-million dollar industry with people spending loads of money on tackle, lures, and boats. I figured out  a long time ago that a person can can catch the same fish with a johnboat and a lawn chair as a person that has invested thousands of dollars in a state of the art bass boat. I have used live bait and artificial lures to catch the big one. Spent time with family and friends and countless hours cleaning fish afterwards. Fishing taught me patience and to enjoy being out in nature. For several years I had to tell people that I had caught some trophies in my time. Some people would look at me and I could see the look in their eyes like here comes some fish story.

 

These fish hang proudly on my wall. After being in storage in my sisters basement for four years. They made the trip north this summer. They need to be retouched but on a cold winter day they hold dreams of days to come.

Snow Day

I finally got the driveway clear before the next snow and cold temperatures hit. I thought I was prepared for the snow. Earlier this season I bought a used snowblower. I had to put a fuel shut off valve on it and change the oil. So last Tuesday night just as the snow was starting to come down I brought the blower out of our shed to the garage. before I could get it into the garage the chain broke. So I went to the local hardware store and picked up a chain. Great. Eleven bucks for the chain and twenty-three dollars for the tool to make the chain the right size.

It is great that Ethan is here. I put him to work clearing the driveway. After the snow, we were greeted with sub-zero temps. Ice melt only works when it is so cold.

The view from our backyard. At least I don't have to worry about mowing for a couple of months.

Fall 09

Sometimes a day can make a difference. Earlier this fall I had a day where I just planned to find a few covered bridges in Waupaca County. The leaves had just begun to turn colors. Some trees were on fire with color while others remained green. I had found two bridges in the county one in the Waupaca area and one down by Wild Rose.

This is the Crystal River.

The bridge here is a foot bridge. I must admit I found the place a little touristy. Since I was the only one around I did not seem to mind.

The next place I traveled to was the Springwater Bridge. This bridge was a little more conventional in the fact that it is a real working bridge. As I got out of my truck I asked a homeowner if I could park there and take pictures. The owner told me to take as many pictures as I wanted and that I could also use his property to access getting a good shot. I thanked the man as he cleared leaves from his yard.

    

Occasionally the view in the other direction can be as appealing as the original subject.

I try hard in some of my landscapes images to leave out unwanted elements when I can.

 Signs can take on so many meanings and statements whether intended by the photographer or not. Q has become a whimsical friend.

A New Look

My last post mentioned that my camera was dying. So Santa got me a new camera this year for Christmas. I have made a switch to Nikon. I have used Nikon in the past and have always had good results. A new camera is exciting and scary at the same time. My old camera took me a lot of places and I knew how it worked in and out. I also had confidence in it.  Will this new camera be able provide me with the images I expect?  The answer is yes. I knew the moment after I made the first image that my confidence had been restored.