Making Noise

Week 13

Making Noise
March 28, 2011

The image above was taken while in Southern California, north of Morro Bay where those interested can often find elephant seals sunbathing on the beach. Interesting creatures. Huge and all piled up next to, sometimes on top of one another, these beach-goers occasionally make their wishes known in the form of honks and yelps, mouths wide open and baring their tonsils (that is, if elephant seals have tonsils...). For some reason, the image brought to mind the idea of speaking up.

I'm a pretty low-key guy. Most people that know me will tell you I'm not generally one to make a big fuss, especially if the only person that's going to be affected is me. Not a commentary on whether it's a good or a bad thing, but it seems to be how I'm wired. I do believe, though, that there are times where speaking up is not only the best way to let people know how you feel about something, but there is a moral obligation to "make noise" as it were.

My point here isn't to dispense my own thoughts on specific issues, but rather to encourage those that may hesitate to speak up in the face of embarassment, shame, or assumed outsiders' perception that there is indeed a time to make noise. Making noise should not be violent or hateful. It should always be respectful, and if possible, kind. It should also be clear, and voiced with the understanding that there will be those who disagree, and they have value as people. Individuals make choices on how to behave, of course, but it's important to distinguish between that person's decisions and the inherent worth that person holds simply by bearing an image of the same creator that formed you and me.


image taken with Canon 5DMII, 70-200 2.8L IS lens, 1/1000 sec. @ f2.8, ISO 400

Nicely Arranged

Week 12

Nicely Arranged

March 25, 2011

It never ceases to amaze me how elabortate and beautiful our surroundings have been designed to be. I consider myself to be pretty clever and inventive guy of sorts, but with every ounce of creative juice I could muster, I wouldn't be able to touch the intricacy found in just one square foot of dirt under my feet.  One example comes to mind. I recently had a conversation about fractals in nature. For those like me that didn't know what fractals are, Wikipedia references literature that calls a fractal "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is (at least approximately) a reduced-size copy of the whole". So, like a snowflake, or a frost crystal, or ferns... the idea is that when magnified, these shapes are infinitely complex. (While the image above is not an example of a fractal, it did strike me as an unusual shape and quite interesting arrangement.) It's quite humbling to me. That we are not only privileged enough to dwell amongst it all, but indeed, that we are charged with taking care of it.


image taken with Canon 5DMII, 50mm 1.8 lens, 1/640 sec @f1.8, ISO 100

Unexpected

Week 11

Unexpected

March 14, 2011

One of my favorite things about getting out and cruising about the creation around me is the unexpected little surprises I run into. On a recent trip to L.A., I was hiking with a friend in the Hollywood Hills, and after listening to the clamoring of coyote from a distance and being chased away by a police helicopter from the Hollywood sign (a story for another day), we turned the corner and this is what greeted us.

Now the surprise wasn't that the sun was setting. That happens every day. Pretty predictable. The surprise was that this particular sunset was wrapped up with some amazing color, a nice little silhouetted tree we'd visited just an hour or so earlier, and all in a place that honestly, I'd not expected much from. After all, I live in the Bay Area, a quasi-mecca for hiking and while I relished the opportunity to hit some trails, I didn't expect this. I suppose I sold the City of Angels short....


Image taken with Canon 5DMII, 24-104 4L lens, 1/1250 sec. @f4.0, ISO 400

Doors

Week 10

Doors

March 12, 2011

Sometimes doors are opened to us when we least expect them, and the trick is deciding whether or not to walk through. This door, located at Mission San Jose, was not open. It was locked. And we would have likely been arrested had we gone through. But this isn't the door I'm talking about....

The type of doors I'm talking about lead to changes in a job, a relationship, or some other significant life event or path. The opportunity, for better or for worse can beckon from the portal, but in the end, we make the decision based on where we feel we are in life at the time, and where we want to be.

Dreams, desires, and even loyalties can impact which doors we choose, and aren't in and of themselves negative things. What we have to be careful of, is that in the end, we are honest with ourselves about what these doors really lead to, and whether or not they align with the priorities in our lives. I suppose that's the tough part.


image taken with Canon 5DMII, 24-70 2.8L lense, 1/400sec @f2.8, ISO 400

Blue Jay

Week 9

Blue Jay
February 27, 2011

On a shoot at the beginning of last week, we were finishing up and heading back to the car when this image presented itself. It's a lone Blue Jay atop the yet-to bloom branches of a tree overlooking our shooting area. One of my subjects commented "it's like my Dad is looking out for us".  I presume his father has passed on, and seeing that we were shooting an engagement session, his comment was to imply that "Dad" was looking over the upcoming wedding in approval. How awesome is that?

Conversation on what happens to our loved ones after they leave us can and certainly would go in many different directions should that be the purpose of this post, which it's not. The imagery is powerful, however, whatever direction you take it, and while the details can be debated on the "if"s, "how"s and "why"s, I think it's undeniable that those we cherish do indeed live on, within us and in our memories. Whether you believe that is the only place they exist, or that they themselves can and do look out for you, or perhaps if you believe they are with One who does, it's comforting, reassuring, and somewhat humbling to consider.


Image taken with Canon 5DMII, 100 2.8L Macro lens, 1/100th sec @f 3.2, ISO 400

Lucky

Week 8

Lucky
February 24, 2011
    One day last week (well, the week before last now), I came across this barbed-wire enclosed field of horses grazing lazily as the sun began to set behind them. I liked the way the ranch-owner (presumably) had inserted some horseshoes into the the twisted barbed wire, almost as a decoration. Now I have no idea if this is common, or if this is in some what traditional, or actually has some usefulness, but the image intrigued me, and got me thinking about luck. (Horseshoe - Luck... come on, it's not that far of a leap.)

Then I thought, "why do we say 'good luck?'" Maybe it's easier than saying "may the events and forces of the universe coincide with what you want to happen." I can see that being cumbersome to say every time you wish someone well. It's also less stiff than "may you perform at your best to ensure victory", and less gloomy than "despite that fact that odds are pretty slim, I hope you succeed anyway."  

What is luck, anyway? The idea that things will occur that aren't lined up to occur is somewhat... well, foolish. Whether you believe in an intentional grand plan or some sort of chaos theory, things are going to happen the way they are tee-ed up to happen, right? Maybe, maybe not. I suppose we won't solve that riddle this week. But isn't perceived fortune more about how we process events, rather than the shape of events themselves anyway?

Maybe luck is serendipity, maybe it's providence, but luck is really a subjective thing. Lucky to one is unlucky to another. It all depends on how you choose to view things, right? And how we view our experiences is a decision, not something that happens to us. So maybe the phrase "making your own luck" isn't so oxymoronic. After all, if you control how you perceive experiences, then every experience can be lucky in some way or another. Ok, that's a stretch. But we do have the opportunity to shift how we view and process events such that something positive is gleaned. It's a choice we make dozens if not hundreds of times every day. Try it sometime. Maybe for a whole day. Force yourself to think about the potential positives that have or could come out of what you're experiencing, and be thankful. Joyful even.



image taken with Canon 5KMII, 24-105 4L lens, 1/1600 sec @ f4, ISO 400

Just Because

Week 7

Just Because
February 19, 2011

A couple of weeks ago, now, I was driving through my neighborhood, right past this flowering, (what I believe to be) cherry blossom tree. There are several right in a row along the drive just a few streets away from home, and I couldn't help myself but stop. With the car running and rain starting to sputter down, I took more than a few photographs, getting somewhat lost in different angles, and thanks to a macro lens I had on loan, some close up's of these striking blossoms. I'm fairly positive the few kids that had just pulled out of their driveway next to where I had my face literally stuck up in and amongst the branches of this tree thought I was some weird old dude, but I'm ok with that. I got some good shots, so it's worth a sideways glance or two.

Nothing more this week than an image I enjoy, and a few words on how I came to create it. Hope you enjoy!







Image taken with Canonn 5DMII, 100 2.8L Macro lens, 1/800 sec @f4, ISO 2000