Week 23 - 365 Days of Photographs 2014

Day 155 - Cimarron, New Mexico

What is it about June which always makes me feel so far behind. And with a one woman show of my paintings in July I really do feel very far behind. Trying to avoid panic with photography. There is nothing in life which cannot be avoided for at least a few moment when behind a camera. Or in front of the computer immersed in post processing a photo. And if that photograph you are working on is of a place you visited on a leisurely afternoon all the better.

Day 156

And lacking a scenic spot there is always the morning light through the blinds and the patterns captured. Photographs can focus on a reality we missed in our busy lives or like the photo below, alter reality. Eagle Nest lake with the tiny pontoon boat looks healthy and full. Cropping deleted the yards and yards of dry shore line once covered with water. Eagle Nest lake because of the drought is at less than half of its capacity.

Day 157 - Eagle Nest Lake

Or the camera can point the eye to the deterioration of what we viewed as quaint. Thankfully the house below isn't mine. Sadly mine may have as much to be fixed but is less picturesque.

Day 158 - Sun room in New Mexico?

The green house/sun room above has added screen to protect the plants once raised there from the south sun in summer or from the hail of our monsoon seasons? No owners to ask. But it and the plastic and poly bow green house I built made me very aware of layers we apply these days. The window next to the green house is single pane and no screen but the window featured below is double pained and screened. The dog looking out is less visible than the remnants of sheer curtain in the photo above.

Day 159 - How much is the doggie in the window?

Double layered glass makes for some interesting images especially when you factor in reflections like in the self-portrait below. Selfies are easy with smart phones but more difficult with DSLR's. I liked the one below because it includes my camera and beyond the double glass a painting of mine layered in with the reflection of the aspens behind me. A friend said it seemed anxious. I am anxious currently. See opening paragraph about the one woman show.

Day 160 - self portrait

To wrap up on a more calming note I leave you with a black and white of a fountain in a pond set in the valley surrounded by mountains. In color it is almost too busy. In black and white it has a serenity which almost allows you to hear the soft sound of the water falling on the surface. And I remember the birds swooping over the surface beneath the spray making high pitched calls.

Day 161

Mag 223 - For the Record

Visual Prompt by The Mag

For the record

Taped conversations

in the Oval office

One maniac to mega-manics

recorded history

erased.

Gone from the record

Eighteen minutes.

One maniac or just the secretary

editing history

blank.

Hearings all recorded

in Senate chamber

One maniac on trial for months

over 18 minutes

erased.

J. Binford-Bell

President Richard Nixon

Watergate Hearings

Week 22 - 2014 in Images

Day 148

Day 148 was a very special day for me because on that day I was able to see clearly out of both eyes at last. The world was really puddle wonderful as e. e. cummings would say but all the images for this week were taken the before my surgery and through the use of modern technology scheduled to post on the appropriate day. Meanwhile I was out with my camera taking photos with two good eyes which will be posted this week coming up.

Day 149

But I had one good eye for almost a month and when these pictures were taken. What I noticed was my new found joy at the quality of light. Cataracts make everything too bright or too indistinct. Sunrises and sunsets become less than enjoyable.

Day 150

Day 151

Modern surgical procedures gave me back the light, and as I have said before, the edges. And the pleasure of spending time on the computer photo editing some of my previously taken photos.

The last three photos of this week were posted because they will be May 2014 for me: The May 13th snow storm, and the feverish building of the bow tunnel after that and before going under the knife again.

Day 152 - Memories of a May snow storm

Day 153 - Walking the Fence Line

Day 154

Regardless of my artistic intentions when out with a camera some photos are a recording of a time and place, a period of my life which I must mark. If I am lucky those images captured sometimes speak volumes to others. Sometimes they speak just to me. Image 153 - Walking the Fence Line surprisingly speaks to my of my childhood. No, I never lived on a ranch, but I have known lots of ranchers and spent time on ranches and farms as a guest laborer if you will. The work goes on whether there is 10 inches of snow or not. There is no calling in for a sick day or a snow day.

Let's Take a Trip

Lips supplied by The Mag 122

Just a little trip

You know I never lie

Come away with me

down the rabbit hole.

Trip the light

of wonderland

Just a tiny trip

to a land of nonsense.

You know you want to

escape this reality

trip among the stars

with Tweedle Dumb and Dee.

Take this magic pill

and come away with me

a short walk along the briny sea

with me and the Carpenter. 

J. Binford-Bell

June 2014

Week 21 - 2014 in Images

Day 141

The late spring snow put me in the need for flowers. Thankfully green houses and studios were able to provide them for me. Inside flowers are a great subject. No went to ruffle their petals and close to the tripod if you wish to set one up. You can also alter lighting or move the subject to a different background.

I confess to not using a tripod as much as the authorities would recommend. Having done outside landscape photography from a 4 x 4 jeep for years I have gotten to be an accomplished master on finding objects to brace myself and my camera on or against. First photo was the butt/feet, knees/elbows tripod. Being able to get in and out of that position quickly is my physical fitness program.

Day 142

Painfully sharp focus was really not a necessity for the photo above. I used the straddle the chair and balance on the elbows on back of chair tripod pose for this one. Then I played with it in post processing to get the riot of color feeling.

Day 143

The first orchid was photographed in place but I moved the second orchid for a better background. In post processing I blurred the edges to get the attention to the star of the photo.

Day 144

I said there would be more snow pictures. When you get an event such as the May 13th snow storm you take a lot of pictures. And frankly I find it difficult to blow a snow photo. I confess there will even be a couple in next week's review.

Day 145

I initially took the mud picture to emphasis what us locals call the mud and flood season the rest of the nation calls spring. But when I got it home and uploaded to the computer I was entranced with all the tracks in the mud and remnants of snow. My studded snow tires, the two sizes of tires on the front end loader, and the driver's truck to get to work.

Day 146

This one was a study in patterns and best in black and white. The sculpted snow atop the metal roof and the electrical wires make for an interesting abstract.

Day 147

My little country road. I obviously was not the first up and out that day, and the car that was had some difficulty with negotiation of the mud and very wet snow.

Week 20 - 2014 One Image a Day

Day 134 - Red Pickup

On May 13th it snowed eight inches to a foot around the valley. It was that wet, wet spring snow which fell in huge flakes and stuck to everything. The day before was grey and heavy. The clouds seemed to portend a change in the weather. I took the picture above on the day of the snow. And while it is first in today's review of the week it was the last of this set of seven I took. Actually there are more snow pictures sitting in the folder for Week 21. This week photographically ends with the red truck in the snow.

Day 135

The breezes of coming change were ruffling the reflections on one of my favorite ponds. Frequent followers will know there are two ponds which get included frequently in my weekly photography review. The photograph below is of the other pond and it was taken the same day as the Red Pickup.

Day 139 - Winter Wonderland

But back to the day before it snowed. When I first began water coloring in college I was overly fond of Payne's Grey and Prussian Blue. And the approaching storm created a Payne's Grey sort of day. I would love to paint the Cloud Horse below but I no longer have Payne's Grey in my palette. All the teachers that urged me to use more color would be thrilled.

Day 136 - Cloud Horse

Day 137 - Horse of Earth and Sky

Day 140 - Storm Horse

I want to take the three horse pictures above print them out, and mat and frame as a triptych. Photographers do not have to print their compositions until purchase or a competition. But that does not mean we do not consider it.

Day 138 

While I was focusing on the horses in the field behind me the sun was peeking through the clouds and lighting up the shore of Eagle Nest Lake and the top of Gold Knob. Always look behind you.

Neutral Ground - Magpie Tales 220

New York Restaurant by Edward Hopper 1922
Visual Prompt by Mag: 220

She picked the place

knew they would be 

invisible

so often there

just once more.

She scheduled the time

knew it would be packed

ignored

among the others

who dined there often.

She wrote the script

what needed to be said

goodbye

and he could not

raise a fuss.

She had the cab

waiting just outside

departure

to new beginnings

the end of an old affair.

J. Binford-Bell

May 2014