In a world of so many great photographers and writers, I am venturing into some unknown territories, leaving comfort zones, finally very willing to practice the art of seeing. By maintaining the practice of posting daily photos, I hope to continue learning about the possibilities that I trust are out there for the taking.
Once I noticed the color on the mountain, I ran for a camera. By this capture, the color had faded some.
And 20 minutes later, we got a rainbow.
Thinking about the photography gear I want to use next weekend at the 4th Annual Birthday Slumber Party for about 26 women, I pulled out the Orbis Flashring and practiced on my live-in model, Ray.
Orbis Flashring
I was practicing using the Orbis Flashring when Holly came over, so she willingly let me shoot her too.
Muggy and buggy with the humidity but loved our sunset.
Home sweet home.
Hallowed Black filter applied to a SJ sunset.
I seem to be stuck in a daze from too many sleepless nights last week and from my sadness over the newly installed desktop computer acting way too unstable. I’m spending lots of the day trying to trouble shoot problems I have no business trouble shooting. Clayton had come and worked on formating my computer the day after I returned from the Photography workshop. Everything seemed to be going smoothly. I believe I even said, “Wow, this is going too well.” I called him the next day because of the computer crashing I kept experiencing. He came right over on his lunch break. I was impressed.
But then I had more problems occur.
Clayton couldn’t get off work at 3pm today to work for me as planned. Then on his way home around 6:45pm said he was beat (understandably) and couldn’t focus. He’ll be coming to help me tomorrow morning. (Katya and Tina arrive right around the same time Clayton is supposed to work for me.) Hmmmm. Maybe this is a good thing for the two single ladies and single guy.
Changing computers even when everything goes great (which I actually have never experienced) is difficult. I’m so used to my plugins, presets, filters etc. Each day I realize what else I’m missing, not where I expect them to be on the new computer.
I wish I had a full time techie assistant here all day. Anyone interested?
Cloud cap over San Jacinto.
I was outside the back door shooting as this color popped. I did nothing to enhance the color in Lightroom. The entire sky in all directions came alive with this red. It was quite startling. I used the 85mm lens that had been on my camera from earlier. Too bad I didn’t go back in and change to a wider lens.
Out of the camera color in the sky.
Now that the day has warmed up I’m off for a walk.
Yesterday I asked Ray about the weather forecast for tomorrow. I asked if we had a storm front coming in. I guess I’m getting good at reading the clouds because I was right in my assessment. Around 8pm last night gale force winds sounded scary and I can see we had some weather overnight.
Things change fast in the mountains. The sky is almost free of clouds now.
Morning clouds lifting to reveal Mt. San Jacinto.
2pm Oops. The dark cloud filled sky is back.
And at 5pm…..
Spray of light.
Over the weekend, during some very infrequent free moments, because I didn’t bring my computer, I read. There are a number of wonderful photography books that have been published this year and the one I was reading is Vision Mongers, by David duChemin. I only wish I had a few days where I could sit, read and contemplate all that David has written in this book in one sitting.
Here is one paragraph in David’s book I highlighted…….. p. 29 -”You don’t see the thousands and thousands of frames of garbage we’ve shot–and still shoot–the visual experiments that we’ve tried and failed at, the stages we’ve gone through to find our vision and master our craft. But this can be your path, too–and because time both speeds by too fast and seems to take forever to get here, I can confidently say, “Be patient, you’ll get there.” If you study your craft. If you shoot and shoot and shoot some more. If you give up trusting your gear to create great images and start trusting your vision instead. And most importantly, if you love putting the world into a frame for the sheer sake of it, for your love of expression.”
I’m home and haven’t exercised since Friday morning. I haven’t photographed anything for way too many days. Time. I’ve got to make the time. I did sneak out for a quick grab shot when I noticed the back-lit clouds, blanketing the snow covered San Jacinto range. Soon Ray was calling me to come back in and watch the Emmy Awards show.
A quick peak before the clouds moved back in.
I’m on the fence again with the Canon G11. I used the G11 for this handheld shot. I didn’t take the time to pay attention to my settings: F4, 1/2000, ISO 200, focal length 13.7 mm, focusing on the lightest part of the clouds. I see the subject distance reads 64.4m, with a lens that is 6.1-305mm. I’m trying to figure out why the photo is so grainy when I view it actual size. I wish I’d taken more shots with a variety of different settings. If I don’t start doing this, I won’t learn. Time, again.
Tomorrow I leave to spend the night in LA. Ray will be home to hold down the fort. Saturday morning I pick up Milly and we drive to Oakland for my sponsor Debbie’s 34th Birthday Brunch. There will be 36 of us.
Debbie asks that we all have a photograph taken with her. We take a group photo also. Each year I am the dedicated photographer. Hopefully this year some of what I have learned in the last year will contribute to making us all look beautimous. I am bringing off camera flash lighting equipment and a rhttp://www.lindajeffers.com/blog/2010/02/packing-and-shooting/eflector. Whether I use this equipment, that I’m not too comfortable using, is another story. I do enjoy the opportunity to practice and am grateful I have subjects to practice on. Someone else asked me to photograph her with her sponsees, after my friend Carol D. referred me as someone who likes to shoot people. Thanks Carol.
This photo of me, no make-up, no hair “do” and lots of old lady neck wrinkling, was one of many shots taken today, practicing with off camera flash lighting. Now I’m off to watch more of Zach Arias’ One Light DVD.
Self timed portrait (?), trying to learn off camera lighting.
Well I’ve committed to JJ, I will be backpacking along the PCT from the Mexican/California border home early April.
This photo is for JJ, Jeff, me and maybe (hoping) my BFFBBP. (best friends forever best backpacking partner, xx/oo)
I ran outside with my camera to shoot this shot when I realized I really hadn’t shot a photo I could post here today, except for the photo above, which I wasn’t orignially going to post. I figure posting the photo above is good for my ego deflation, so up it went too. Hey, I’m not my looks anymore, I’m so much more. tee hee.
For those of you who know this stretch of mountain, left side of photo begins with Fobes Saddle (5980′), next Spitler Peak, Apache Peak (7567′) (where the fire was last year), Antsell Rock (7679′), South Peak (7884′), Red Tahquitz (8738′), and on the far right behind trees is San Jacinto Peak (10,804′). This year is a high snow year so I don’t know if the PCT thru-hikers will be roading walking to Idyllwild or not.
4 shot pano of the peaks backpackers hike by along the PCT.
While I’m away without!!!!!!!!!!! my computer, I hope to practice blogging from my phone with a photo or two.
I’m having trouble getting it together today. I’m all over the place, still in my sweaty hiking clothes from this morning’s Bump & Grind hike. My attention has gone from trying to figure out some older light stand and reflector holders (I have a call into Photoflex) to shooting the back of my hand as a subject metering device for some manual practice with the 580EX II, to thinking about making lunch for Ray and me before his NEW golf cart arrives this afternoon.
This shot got me up out of the computer chair:
The clouds are building and some more weather is on the way.
We do live in a beautiful place.
I heard Ray quietly walking over to me at 6:30 this morning. I wasn’t asleep and I wasn’t awake. Ray was so quiet as he tip toed over to the side of my bed. He couldn’t tell if I was awake with my eyes closed enjoying the comfort of my warm cozy bed or sound asleep. He decided to say, “Linda. Come see the moon over snowy Mt. San Jacinto. It’s beautiful.”
I lifted up my head, looked around Ray, out the window where, in the still somewhat dark sky, the full moon was positioned perfectly over the peak of Mt. San Jacinto, shining down on the newly snowed on San Jacinto mountains. Aaaah.
I thought, “I’ve got to get up and take this picture”, as I simultaneously placed my head back on the pillow. For 3 seconds I stayed put under the covers, feeling guilty, fearing I was missing a great photo op. Then I got up. Peed. An went outside with my tripod and camera, not concerned with the cold because the moon was rapidly moving lower in the sky, minutes away from slipping out of sight behind “the Mountain.”
Our Mountain.
Thanks Ray.