June ( in three parts ) part III
The one with all the animals, the badlands and the flowers
June isn’t technically over. I will make more pictures but I couldn’t figure out how to handle the onslaught of photos and trying to cram them into a 3 part series. Turns out it’s suns out, cameras out.
A few things combined to making so many images this month. Summer is here. I picked up the GF 500mm telephoto lens for medium format—which is precisely what I needed at this moment. The world is new again. I can’t predict what the world might look like through this new lens and having travelled the same 40 square km for over a decade this is invaluable.
Seeing things with fresh eyes ignites curiosity and curiosity is the engine that drives this machine.
It’s a spectacular lens. If any of you are stupid enough to spend the kinda money to get into medium format digital and have arms like tree trunks I strongly recommend you pick one up.
There’ve been almost exactly no storms this storm season. We’ve had little squall lines move through. Rain storms, sure. But no organized super cell activity anywhere near me. By this time last year I think I had 2 tornadoes already.
The war with the birds, and squirrels over who owns the garden continues. Losses on both sides are deep. So many fallen plant friends.
I had one of the best days of recent memory with my daughter. We took the doors off lilah and went screaming into the badlands for a day of making pictures. It was a long cold trip home after sundown but very worth it. A jeep with no doors is a jeep worth riding in.
I’m continuing my slide into warm, soft, gentle pictures. maybe it’s the flowers. maybe it’s not wanting to clobber the beautiful bokeh available at 500mm on a large sensor. maybe i just want a beautiful soft warm dream of the world for a little bit. Without all the war and collapse and biting midges.
It feels, again, like things are shifting. I’m looking for different things. I’m making images that I’m not even sure are mine. This is what you want. you want to surprise yourself. Don’t buy the bullshit about having a “style”.
right now my focus is entirely on small details. strong highlights and not distracting you from the subject with my dark heart. Will I disavow these later. could be. could…. be.
lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about death. everyone’s death. Mine and yours and everyone we love. That sounds dark, maybe. But when you keep it front of mind (as many philosophical and religious traditions encourage) it can be sort of wonderful. Why be angry all the time. why be afraid. It makes room for kindness. death comes for everyone even the asshole who cut you off.
It takes a lot of energy to be angry, anxious, afraid, sad, cynical or any of the litany of emotions that often dominate our time. What i’m finding is—could this be the post 50 thing old people talk about—isn’t the lack of anger makes much qualitative difference in your life. It does, but not as much as the huge gain in free energy and momentum from just letting go of so much stuff.
this is basic barstool philosophy but if you can really take it in and sit with it you can find some interesting changes might follow.
on to the last of the june pictures unless something magical happens over the next two days prompting another post.
The first photograph looks like a painting by Andrew Wyeth. It really stopped me in my tracks! Thank you for sharing.