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?

King of the Hill

What story can you envision for the life that is lived here? What song would you set it to?

Breakfast

I'm in micro mode today, quietly observing the little things that go on, like this little fish eating breakfast off a lily pad. It's a comfort, seeing that the natural world goes about its business without much fanfare.

Light in August

My best friend Susie and I went exploring yesterday, just looking around and going to places we'd never been. This stand of trees feels like the end of summer to me... still and quiet.

Gabi the Watch Dog

Building a relationship with my new camera... it has taken a couple of weeks to sort it all out.

It is big and heavy and sort of intimidating. The lens is the best I've ever owned, by a long shot.

In buying this gear, I removed any limitations imposed by my old equipment and I guess that created some kind of internal pressure to excel.

I'm getting over it.

Looking In

Emily on the outside, looking in. Even in the pouring rain, she finds a place to sit outdoors and just be.

Seeing the Light

Maybe it happens for everyone. When the light seems further away, when it doesn't shoot straight through to the heart.

It's uncomfortable. At least in the morning I can still see it, before the day bites like a rattlesnake.

There's hope.

Rain and Roads

Commute. Rainy day. Enough said.

Gotcha!

Meet the parsley caterpillar. This little guy is busy munching his way through what remains of my parsley after a dozen of his brethren visited a few weeks ago.  

When the first brigade appeared, my parsley was reduced to stems in no time. My first impulse was to escort them to the garbage can. But then I discovered that they become swallowtail butterflies and I had to fish them out of the garbage, and put them gently back on the parsley.

This straggler returned on Sunday morning, giving me a good excuse to set up a small photo shoot. 

Hmmm... how did it get to be August

The every-day photo thing didn't exactly happen. There are a whole bunch of excuses reasons.

My creative energy is at low tide, so maybe this will help get me going again.

I'm on the road today, up in Maryland. This huge sign is right outside my hotel window -- very helpful for people who are prone to forget what day it is.

Serving a Purpose

My next door neighbors are among the most authentic people I've ever met -- not a shred of pretension and a quiet intelligence that need not prove itself. This is their laundry shed. Its not pretentious, either, but it fulfills the purpose.

In the end, isn't that all that matters?

Red Hats

Harder than I Thought

Hmmm... only a few days into the project and I almost caved on my self-assignment. It was already dark, freezing cold outside and I had nothing of beauty to share today. So, I dragged myself away from the football game and started looking around the house.

This cheerful little sweet potato vine caught my eye, as it does almost every morning. It's a lovely counterpoint to the howling cold.

Cheers!

Year End

I love fog. A dense fog simplifies the world and makes everything quiet; much like snow, only you don't have to shovel it and it doesn't have to be cold to have a good fog.

On the last day of 2007 two of my dearest friends and I met to celebrate our successes for the year. Some events were deemed a success simply because we survived them; others represented real progress toward challenging life goals. The best thing about doing this with trusted friends is that they know your history and can see progress more objectively than you can. They cut through the distractions and simplify.

Like a good fog.