Sacred Space

On Getting Eaten

Meet my new friend, who I named Ol' Crusty. He was in the middle of dinner (a young pig) and wasn't all that happy to have his meal interrupted. Did you know that alligators hiss? He had a whole lot to say in a very menacing, hissing voice ... which I roughly translated as "Get the hell out of here before I eat you, too."

Lessons, Part 2

Every now and then, I am pressed into service at work to do a tabletop shoot. It's good practice for me and a nice change of pace.

This week, since I was hauling my slumbering camera gear to Maryland, I volunteered to shoot this new piece of equipment for my employer. Simple enough. Done it dozens of times... at home, with all my gear close at hand.

For this trip, I grabbed an umbrella, a hot-shoe bracket and an assortment of other stuff. What didn't I grab? A light stand. One freaking light stand. Did I think I was going to hold that flash/umbrella/bracket assembly in my teeth? Good grief!

So, I had to serve as a human light stand and a hand model and the photographer, all at once.

The lesson here? Engage brain, pack gear. Think. Think. Think.

Lessons, Part 1

It's not a secret -- I've been in a creative slump for several months. The motivation to engage in photography completely disappeared. Not even the time-honored method of buying a new camera helped.

So, I handled the slump by not shooting. Big mistake.

Then, I scheduled a photography weekend to shoot a few things for my vineyard- and winery-owning friends in Maryland. Big mistake #2.

Let me tell you -- if you arrive to photograph the grape-crushing, you need to have your head in order. People are moving very quickly, shoving grapes into a serious-looking machine... there are grapes flying around, forklifts moving pallets of grapes into position... there's not much time to think about your lighting.

So, what would have prepared me for this very interesting event? Not shooting for several months? Uh, no.

Lesson of the day -- the best way to get over a slump is by shooting your way through it... because eventually the slump will pass and something interesting will happen... and you have to be ready.

Church of the Autumn Light

Fall is beginning up here. The nights are chilly, the days warm and clear. I spent the whole day outside, enjoying the company of my friends Colleen and Cheryl. We laughed and photographed and marvelled at the beautiful light.

Wines and Vines

I'm in Maryland, wandering through vineyards and wineries. These are luscious cabernet grapes, ready for harvest.

...While the Dew is Still on the Roses

My friend Rick and I walked through the rose garden at Fernbank this morning. It's a splendid rose garden, impeccably maintained. This time of year, the roses have recovered from the summer heat and are in full fragrance.

Early morning, in the company of roses, calls to mind an old gospel tune ... "I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses...He walks the me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own..." The lyrics speak of someone's very personal relationship with God -- a relationship that is not bounded by dogma or leveraged for political gain.

I believe in the separation of church and state.... in the broader sense. That is, a relationship with God that is housed in the temple of one's inner being - and one's actions in the world are the light that shines through the temple windows. I believe in a quiet, intensely personal spiritual life. Does that make me old-fashioned, or just odd?