Week 30 - 2018 in photographs

Day 203

 During monsoon season in the mountains the clouds are always a good place to begin a day. In the early dawn remnants of the storm clouds from the afternoon and evening before hang around and add to the early morning show.

Day 204

 I particularly like Day 204 because the dark storm clouds still hung over my house while the sun behind the mountain began to illuminate the fell clouds left in the southeast. 

July is always overly busy and routine seems to dominate the days. Easy to take the camera along on to the deck or a walk down the street or to an errand in Eagle Nest but not easy to get out beyond my valley for a day devoted to light and camera. And even if you could steal a day away it would be too crowded with tourists.

The photograph below is a neighbor's house. He usually has a few cars in the driveway and on his front yard. But on this particular weekend there were nine. I photographed it to record it but then began to play around with it in my photo editing program. Fun time in the quiet of the morning with another mug of coffee.

Day 205

 In day 205 the people are implied. Nine cars are at least nine people. Could be 18 or more. It has been especially hot in Texas and here frankly. But hot here is upper 80's and a couple days of low 90's. In Texas it has been above 100. So they come fishing.

Day 206

I was killing time before a store opened and took a walk above the shoreline of Eagle Nest lake. Usually I can find wild flowers blooming and waterfowl swimming but on this day it was people. Don't people my landscapes. When I uploaded to my computer I searched for artistic alternatives to modify the photos I took. I decided to go with Monet or Cezanne. Any of the Impressionists. It seemed to go with the theme of water and beaches and fishermen. And it obscured the messages on the t-shirts.

Day 207

Day 209

At the end of my walk stands the ruins of Eagle Nest Lodge. And swallowed by the trees it appeared more haunted than usual. Of as if it was an life itself staring out at me. The majority of my snaps on this morning were variations on this subject. Debating if I want to do it as a painting. It might not be haunted but it haunts me.

Day 208

Week 29 - 2018 in Photographs

Day 196

Another week of black and white. Maybe it is just a matter of a lack of snow and rains leading to a lack of flowers. Or that I have been receiving a lot of compliments on my black and white photos. Or that I have always loved exploring a subject or skill. Next week is back to color, and rains, and flowers blooming so there may well be a strong link. But there are reasons beyond those desaturate a color photograph.

Day 197

The fence which is the subject of Day 197 is just down the street. I walk past it frequently and have taken numerous photos of it but it is tied with red twine which always seems to not fit. Black and white seemed a perfect solution to that problem.

And the reflection in the rain water in the bar ditch was to interesting to not photograph but mud is not a good color.

Day 198

Day 199

The problem with Day 199 was so many things I choose to normally frame out of a photograph; telephone lines, road, and guard rail. All distractions to the fog in the trees and the falling down fence in the foreground. And taking the color away seemed to work.

Day 200

I have played with clouds in black and white for years so nothing new in photo 200. But the clouds in the opening photograph were at dawn. The colors of dawn seemed to take away from the texture and light in the clouds.

My sister is the queen of flowers in black and white. Me not so much. My flowers need their color. But I love the architecture of the thistle bud and colors in the out of focus background seemed to distract so I tried it in black and white.

Day 201

Day 202 was the photo I always intended to do in black and white. The ruins of the Eagle Nest Lodge through a break in a lush green forest so doing it without color seemed a contradiction but from the moment I snapped the first photograph I saw it without all that green. Black and white is more mysterious.

Day 202