"Let their minds fill out the shot.."

The only photography training that I ever recieved, short of online workshops recently, was during High School.   I joined the Yearbook group for all the wrong reasons.  It would give me this full period of time during the school day that I could wander around, even offsite at times under the guise of "yearbook activities."  It gave me a pass to hang out with any clubs I wanted.   Football, baseball, cheerleading or band.  I could shadow any organization in the school and it was perfectly okay.   I eventulaly met my wife, a band chick, through this newfound freedom to explore the school with a camera.

Back to the training, though.   They sent us to this Olin Mills or Herf Jones workshop to learn compositional style and camera fundamentals.   I was a teenager and remember hardly anything from the class except for the girl that oddly enough, paid attention to me..

As the "photo editor" (ha ha) for the yearbook and working as a trade-school sort of arrangement for a local newspaper, I developed a pretty passible darkroom skillset.   I loved the develop photos.

Which brings me to this image from the Holiday photowalk, this weekend.  

The head of the yearbook organization was this really effective, mildly crazy, super-intense ex-Cop-turned-english teacher named Jim Reeves.   I always sort of imagined him as a strange mashup of Jimmy Buffet, Ernest Hemmingway, Dirty Harry & Steve Jobs.  I'd pour through the photos of the others (far better photographers than me, by the way) and he'd pour through my list and pick out the best.

Like Steve Jobs, he'd thumb through the photos into two piles, all the while, saying outloud "crap.  crap. crap.   decent.   crap crap crap decent. crap crap crap crap... "  until the stack of paper was reduced two a tiny piles of decent images and a large pile that would immediately find itself into the wastebasket.

As I took this shot, I thought of Jim Reeves... He would applaud the action shots of people and of photos of innanimate objects, he'd tell me..

<paraphrased>

"Let the viewer's mind fill out portions of the shot, it's okay if everything isn't in the frame."

I've improved in camera handling since then but I don't think I ever did get the nack for natural - epic composition and I constantly struggle with when it's OK to exclude a portion of the shot.   But, I did get that girl's phone number from photography camp.  However, to paraphrase the sitcom, "Kids, this is not how I met your mother..."

Utopia, Found?

Whenever you see a sign that advertises Utopia, you just have to take that picture.  That's a rule, right?

I don't know if this town, Fairhope, is utopia or not but I had a great time walking the streets snapping photos like this one..

In my usual fashion, this shot almost landed me in trouble.   Someone felt I was a little too close to their vehicle as I sat kneeled on the ground for the looooonnnnnnngggg exposure times to tick away.   I mean, I didn't think I looked like a carjacker but maybe a crowbar wasn't a valid photography accessory?

Utopia, indeed. :)

A-Pier-ances

I go to a Christmas-season photowalk and walk away with a bunch of pictures of piers.   :)
I'm undecided if I like the processing on this one but I know I'll release some other "versions" of this shot in the future, because I like the composition and subject.  

For this version I was going for stark contrast hoping to bring in the white reflections in the clouds on the water. 

A Very Creepy Christmas..

I attended my first Photo walk on Sunday, with the Eastern Shore Camera Club. What a cool time!  I met these fantastic people and walked around Fairhope taking pictures of this and that..  Also, got to hang with one my Flickr Heros, Brody ..

What a cool time!  I love photography and I'm thrilled to attend anything where other entusiastic and nice people are there..  Can't wait to do it again.

K, for this shot, I wandered off to the Pier at Night.  Walked to the end and for some reason, after a day of taking pictures of beautiful Christmas lights in an idyllic setting, the macabre-ish style lighting really called to me.

It reminds me of how many creepy things have made their way into the Christmas celebration.  From Dickin's ghost to Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, somehow the macabre has made its way into this season.   This photo is my tribute to that :)

The Art of Chill

Walking by the House of Blues (Orlando), this scene caught my eye.   Relaxing music, comfortable chairs, soft lighting and great service seems to bring a great mood to this spot.   My capture of it, on the other hand, was handheld and could have been improved to reduce the glow around the patio lights.

I wasn't about to pull up a chair and chill.  The two year old tugging on my arm had other plans, leading to some epic daddy-son time, instead.

I plan to return to this spot, though, as a patron! 

The decorations are out..

I'm not sure how common this is.   Around me, in Southern Alabama, all of the little towns around our 21 mile stretch heading to the beach, participate pretty heavily in Holiday decoration displays. 

Along the road, lightpoles get decorated with light-up ornaments and the parks get filled with fake reindeer and scaled-down Christmas villages.    Is this something that is just normal here in the bible belt or common elsewhere, too?   I don't remember seeing this in Indiana when I lived there...

Golden Masts

 I dropped by the marina @ Fairhope Pier to check for available slips.   I really wanted to get my boat in Fly Creek Marina but it was booked up for Hurricane Season.  Signed a lease at the Wharf instead.    

I'm not sorry, The Wharf has nice amenities and is a "hurricane hole" with its great floating dock system.   Still, the Fairhope area would've been a nicer drive.   Oh Well, maybe next year :)

I did, at least get this shot from the Fairhope City Marina @ Sunset.

Cotton: Ground; Cotton: Sky

A few weeks ago, I did a portrait session @ this cotton field near Elsanor, AL.   Everyone seemed to have a great time and I believe the portraits turned out well.   While we were waiting on the sun to do something interesting, I snapped this photo of the cotton field landscape.

 

A Long Walk Back..

(Click through for full crop)

On Thanksgiving, this year, after eating too much food, I accompanied my wife's family to the park just to the east side of the "Flora-Bama' Point bridge for a sunset portrait session.   It was a very productive portrait session, I think everyone walked away with a couple of favorite shots.

Having multiple cameras sure comes in handy when shooting portraits of 10 people and racing the sun on its descent below the horizon.   I handed off two mirrorless cameras and I shot with my DSLR and a Film camera.   Looking through the results, each camera had some great shots.

On the.. long.. long.. walk back to the car I stopped and snapped this shot, handheld with that Panosonic micro 4:3rds camera.  I thought it was a compelling result, though smugmug crops this preview, strangely.

I hope your Turkey Day festivities were enjoyable.

Alternative Shopping

When it comes to photo-gathering around retail locations, I have this rule.  I try to be a patron of the location.

This sometimes leads to some new and interesting experiences, which is the whole point to my photography: gathering experiences.

Driving back to the boat after meeting a developer friend for lunch, this VW caught my attention.  I had my little micro four thirds camera in the car, so I stopped to get the photo.  Now, the quandry.   I'd never actually been in a head shop before.  At least, not as an adult.  (I think dad or mom may have taken me to one when I was a kid but that's another story.)

This VW sits nestled between a law office and this Hippy Store.  I like Hippies more than lawyers, so I went it.

Turns out it wasn't a head shop but a cute little hippie boutique.
 ..of course.. everyone inside was very friendly and helpful.   I considered this may be a good time to do some alternative shopping so I looked around, settled on a hacky sack for my son and a necklace for my daughter.   

This leads me to reflect on the startling presence of multiple, differing "life views" that I exhibit.

I go so very far left on some things and so very far right on others...   I like guns and wanted to be a marine, yet I like hippie culture.  How is that possible?  

I don't know but the hippie in me says I shouldn't care and the professional is telling me to get back to work..

So, enjoy the fun image and your Black Friday.  Be safe and consider shopping .. alternatively..

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!

Sure, it is a cliche but, what are you thankful for this year?   

I'm just really super-thankful for my little family.  My awesome, beautiful, patient wife and fun and loving kids. They really especially helped keep me glued together through a tough year with the loss of mom and dad and other things.   

I'm also, really thankful for a patient employer who gave me the space I needed to get that stuff handled and for friends who have supported us. 

I'm thankful to God for his constant blessing, provision and tolerance.

The Photographer's Pier

Fairhope Municipal Pier in Fairhope, Alabama.   What an epic pier and neat little town.  The City Pier's marina has some of the lowest marina fees I've found.  Though, you wouldn't want to live aboard as the waves can get active despite the little sea wall.

The thing I love about Fairhope Pier is that it is the most active photography location I've ever seen.   Everytime you go, you'll find professional and hobbyist photographers milling about taking pictures of this and that.  (even in this shot) For good reason, too!  The rose garden and fountain.  The pier and surrounding beaches.  The adjacent park, smaller piers and duck pond.   Really, this place is scenic heaven.

The thing I really love about this pier.  It is very seasonal.   In about two months it will be bone-chilling cold here and no one will show up but hard core fishermen, morning runners and ME with a camera in tow.

There are two bluffs overlooking the pier. (North and South)  

Where I took this picture, a group of family or friends, sat in the grass.   A decent wine, some dixie cups, prepped to watch the sunset.  It struck me they really had a better grasp on the importance of living than most...

Maybe one day, Dina & I and our young adult children can meet up for a similar outing.  Something to look forward to!

The Rickety Pier

Because I spend so much time on the coast, I end up shooting alot of piers.  I think it is likely because they break up the scene well and provide a good subject.   They don't move around too frequently and rarely require a model release. :)  Sometimes shots of the most epic beach scenery can still be boring without something in the scene.

The problem is that it usually feels like there is only one good way to frame a pier in a shot.  Shooting down the pier with the end of the pier at Center, A Third or Phi.  I wanted to try something a little different with this little pier located in Fairhope, near the Municipal Pier

So, this is my attempt at a different composition than I usually would pick for a pier.  

I would love to hear your feedback on it!

Civil War Cannon @ Sunset

One sunset, walking around Fort Morgan, I captured this of one of the cannons near the Postern.   It's a pretty major gun and the resonating thought that stuck with me was:  "This gun was used against fellow countrymen."

A chilling thought.

I wonder what a civil war would look like in America today.  Would the borders be geographic? Probably not.   
Social, political, racial or religious? Maybe.   Borders based on economic classification.  More likely.

Pondering a Vacation..

I've been thinking alot about vacations again.  I often get into this viscious cycle where I feel a little stressed and overworked, that maybe a vacation will help.   But, they are always so expensive, so I end up taking on extra work to help with the cost.   The extra work causes stress, which makes me think about vacations..

Funny how that works, isn't it? :)

This is a shot from the Caribbean Beach Resort @ Walt Disney World in Florida.  Despite the tone of this post, I really like this resort.  I've stayed there 4 or 5 times along with some other Disney resorts as well.  I've liked them all, actually...

I do this really unhealthy mental exercise when planning vacations and I'm curious if anyone else does this.   When booking a hotel, I tend to over-idealize what I'm going to get.  To the point that the hotel or vacation could never live up to the expectation.

Example.

I'm digging around on Disney's site and see a resort like the Caribbean Beach Resort.   They classify it as "moderate".  My brain somehow interprets moderate as "way better than value."   I see 3 or 4 stars as the hotel rating in my head, so I envision this private bungaloo on a lush Caribbean-themed landscape along with all of the amenities, excursions and peaceful relaxation of a corona commercial.

What you get instead is typical "holiday inn" architecture with some creative stucko work, nice colors on a very well maintained ground.  Sure, it is nice but you still hear families outside your window, occassional neighbors nocturnal activities and groundsworkers wielding trimmers entirely too early in the morning.

Relaxation?  Yeah right.  Bill, you have two kids, dummy.  The only time you'll get to sit down is on the hot, cramped bus from the park to the hotel.  Hammock in front of the lake with a lager in your hand?  Sure thing, boss, while the kids try to drown an endangered duck in that pond.  Not going to happen, Captain Dreamsickle.

The fun the kids have, though... and the genuine laughter and smiles.. That's the stuff.   The brochure couldn't oversell the effect this place has on kids and next time I go, that will be the real reason:    To see these two have a blast. (again)

So, anyway.. I sit here thinking about my next vacation.  I know it won't be Disney and it won't be until 2012.   Jena's mentioned Hawaii -- where I've always wanted to go but then I have to wonder.. Will the extra programming work stress really justify the experience of taking a TWO and SIX year old to the islands?  

I'm thinking something a little closer and less magical.  Maybe we'll check out the zoo.

Happy Friday Friends,

Bill Dodd

(no ducks were harmed in the making of this post)

Harley Davidson

Harley Davidson is traded on the NYSE as HOG
 

Awhile back my Sister in Law dropped by the house on this beautiful piece of machinery.  She couldn't find me because I'd already grabbed a camera and started snapping away at it..

Some people, just don't get the allure to motorcycles.  I'm not one of them.

My pothead, computer hacker-phreaker friend and mentor in High School had a sportbike. (Crotch rocket)

I remember riding on that thing at 2 in the morning to various unscrupulous acts.   The freedom, the exhileration.   Oh yeah, so very awesome.    

I suppose I know that I've grown older because for the first 1/3 of my life, I've gazed lustfully towards sportbikes.

These days, a gorgeous chopper or well styled cruiser gets my attention and makes me consider a trip to a dealership.    Alas, I've never pulled the trigger on this obsession. Maybe when I get to my midlife crisis. The only bikes I've owned have knobby's and are frowned upon for street use.

Still, Harley Davidson.  What a cool history.

At the age of 21, William Harley drew up plans for a small engine to put on regular pedal-bikes of the era. (1901) By its completion in 1903, their 116 cc experiment couldn't even make it up a hill without pedal assistance. Talk about humble beginnings for a motorcycle company.   William Harley and Arthur Davidson's motorcycles have been used in two World Wars and are widely popular among freedom-seeking adults today.

However you may feel about the motorcycles, you have to respect such an iconic brand.

Shadowy Path

I've opened this photo from my 14k photo 2011 photo library with intent to process and share probably over 10 times.   Do you ever do that?  Refuse to give up on something trivial? I mean, there are 13,999 other photos I could spend my time on that might turn out decent but I end up back at this one.. :)

I guess maybe that's a sign of my OCD.

I'm still not sure on how I feel about it but I feel good enough to share to get your thoughts on it.. The ground-cover in the woods in this part of the Southeast US is always so heavily thicketed with underbrush that it makes for "busy" photos.

I think the vignetting and softening around the edges maybe downplays that somewhat.   I really enjoy walking through trails like this, where the trees create a canopy over the ground. It makes for magical shadows and light play.

Happy Humpday

Corn Maize

Farmers have turned to these Corn Mazes as an alternative form of revenue for their crops.   This particular shot was taken at Barnhill Farms.   This year, this particular corn maze was the victim of some mean-spirited idiots driving through their property with four wheelers, messing up the intricate pattern cut into the maze.  

Some people...

For the uninitiated it goes something like this..  A farmer plants a super dense plot of "feed corn".   When the plants are a foot or so high, the farmer contracts with a service to come out with a GPS-enabled bush-hog (mower) to cut an intricate fall-themed pattern into the crop.   The patterns are usually scarecrows, pumpkins, ghosts or Barney. Anything scary.

The farmer then maintains the maze with a normal mower.  As the unmowed portion of the crop grows, viola!  -- you have a maze through the corn.    

The farmers then charge admission and setup other games, hayrides and ag-friendly activities while thousands of families starved for something to do, bring their kids out for some hee-haw style good ol' fashion country fun.

Ya know, as I write this it occurs to me that I wouldn't qualify as the publicist for these things because I haven't made it sound fun.  It is, really.  Honest!

:)

Getting my ducks in a row...

Please forgive the pun.   I've been thinking alot of late of the balance between two of the prevailing philosophies of social network shared photography-types.     One school of thought is that you gain followers by frequent, interesting posts rounded out with a recognizable brand, possibly a home blog for easy search and reference.

I've done this; or at least tried to.

I believe on Flickr that I have about 20 people who check my stuff once a month.  On twitter, G+, Facebook, the numbers and interaction really aren't there as well.  I'm pretty sure my wife doesn't even know this domain name.  This is after a couple years of photo-a-day following this school of thought, often at the expense of quality.

Onto the other prevailing school of thought...

The other day, I was reading other comments from one of my favorite photographers' daily post where people were asking approximately how long he took processing and massaging photos for public consumption.

That particular guy is a bad reference, since he's a super-human photographer with exceptional skills all around. He processed several photos in a sitting and staggered the results for later posts to his blog. (AND can keep amazing quality)

Another photographer that I really respect is Eden Brackstone. http://edenbrackstone.com

Eden's contribution to the comment stream was that instead of doing a few photos a day, he would often work on one photo for multiple days, leaving and coming back to it.

That attention to detail really shows in HIS contributions as well.

That is another school of thought.   Take your time, do good work, post something meaningful and don't dilute your "stream" with crap.

This got me thinking.   My prevailing philosophy for life has always been to keep my own pace regardless of others.  That puts me faster than some, slower than others, better than some but worse than others.   Yet, keeps me happy.  

The result of allowing an arbitrary deadline, like a Daily post requirement, dictate when you are going to post a photo really does dilute the experience doesn't it?  Moving forward I've decided to apply my philosophy in life in my approach to photography sharing.   I'm going to take the time so that I'm satisfied with the result of a post instead of pushing to "get something out."

At the end of the day, if that means I don't get a billion Google+ followers or Flickr visits, who cares? I'm happy to have made some new friends thus far and in the end, I do this for me, not the social networking mob.

Finally Launched this Site..

I'd decided in the spring that I should take the time to setup a photo blog.    My programmer personality wants to spend 6 months hand-coding an amazing publishing platform for photo sharing and stories.    The photographer personality thinks that is stupid and just wants to get a "presence" out there.

So, here we are.

I don't want to call this a photo-a-day site because I promise there will be days when I have nothing worthwhile to share.   I also know that my full time jobs will squeeze me at times limiting my ability to post.  But, I also posted more than 365 photos last year, so… who knows what will happen?

With that out of the way -- Welcome to my photo-every-so often blog. :)   

I wanted to start the official site launch off with this shot because it is accompanied with a screen recording that I made during a one-on-one training session I did with a client while editing the photo.

Wishing you a great week and fantastic winter..

Bill Dodd

www.graffitivisuals.com