Today’s post, photography, politics and more, is about how I see things. Let’s begin with light, shape, subjects, and other such things in photography.

Photography

The doldrums of summer.  Usually in these parts we think of how difficult winter can be on some wildlife. Often, I believe summer is harder.

That is especially true with our (Wisconsin) wild canines. Our coyotes, wolves and foxes can look and presumably feel miserable this time of year. This Red Fox male was an itching, scratching mess. Look around his eyes. He spent ten minutes in front of me scratching. I was irrelevant to him. That irrelevance is always what I looked for when making wildlife pictures, but not this way.

A part of nature photography, especially wildlife photography, is telling the story of your subject.

There’s nothing like spending a winter’s day with Bald Eagles.  Especially when they are soaring and diving amidst blue skies.

Panning, and follow focusing is everything with these sorts of shots.

Everybody loves a good party. Snow Geese, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico.  Their annual migration to winter there, is a part of their story.

When is indoor shooting with a flash, still wildlife photography?  When the subjects are very hungry baby Barn Swallows in a picnic shelter, and they see one of their parents headed their way with supper. That’s when.

The Edge of Light

This image, which was made in Monument Valley Arizona/Utah, was not made at the edge of light, but early spring light is still low enough in the horizon to produce warm tones. Of course, when your primary subject is made of golden Navaho Sandstone, well you can see for yourself. The contrast between the cool blue sky and the warm golden rock is brilliant. That contrast, is a type of edge.

Notice I called the rock formation the primary subject. The sky, and especially the light were also my subject.

Late in the day above 12,000 feet in Colorado. The edge of the world, the edge of light.

This image is a favorite of mine as it was created at the razor thin edge of light. There is just enough light to still see those sunflowers.

The subject is in The Badlands of South Dakota.

The next two images were made in the morning, but after the real “edge” of light had departed. Pretty subjects will carry themselves almost, I said almost, without regard for the time of day.

These were made in the Valley of The Gods State Park in Utah.

Morning or afternoon light will flatter human history as well as natural history. This old lighthouse lives on the shores of Lake Superior within Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The edge as it appears at the break of day. This is a Wyoming sunrise.

Often times just before dawn, or after dusk, if you turn in the opposite direction of the pending red or gold, you see deep, darkish blue light. Find something with an interesting shape like this rock formation in the Badlands, and you have a “cool silhouette”………..rather than a warm one.

The Good Lord gives and gives to photographers who are willing to “see”.

During sunrise or sunset, if I was in desire of something to silhouette for a photo,  and nature subjects were a long ways away, I did not hesitate to scan the area for “things of man“.  Man creates a myriad of interesting shapes.  Both the radar and the structure below worked well.

Spotlight in a forest, can become an edge of light sort of thing as well. Even if it is four hours after sunrise. That light peeks between the trees and creates a spotlight for subjects on the forest floor such as this dewy flower. Now my depth of field prohibited me from using an aperture that would cover this entire subject in sharpness. I used f4.2 to be exact. I focused to get the parts of the flower that stood closest to the eye of the viewer sharp, and let the rest fall where they may. I was in attracted to the dramatic spotlight.

What about lowlight situations where there is no “pop” of any kind?   I usually looked for colors that separate from one another, Such as warm pink and cool green.

While we are no longer on the edge with the photo below, the soft light you see and the colors and tone still separated to create some pop.

Thank you for allowing me to share my photographic point of view.

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Politics

I would imagine that each of you has noticed the price of gas and other items that require refined crude oil, is going up. It will be okay though. Our presidential administration is asking OPEC and other oil producing forces to start making more oil. Dig into that ground and pump, pump, pump. Then refine, refine, refine. Do not worry about that supposedly important “global climate change” and other such things..

Of course…….the reason there is a shortage of gasoline here in America, is because that same administration cut way back on our own production, throwing Americans out of work. Better to have Russians, Iranians and others  pump and refine that stuff, than keep Americans working to do the same.

After all, oil fracked or pumped from the ground in other parts of the world, does not hurt our environment.  Only American oil production hurts the earth. Right??????

Yes…. that is sarcasm. 

Occasionally it is hard to know whether something is evil, or just stupid. I’m thinking 50/50?

Thank you to Mark Belling for bringing some order to my otherwise scattered thoughts.

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More of My View (the important stuff)

I think that everyone worth their salt, will at times step outside of themselves and have a look. I know I did and still do. We can fix some of the more glaring negative discoveries we make while on the outside looking in.  It was the ability to do that, that moved me on to my next phase of existence. I suspect, that the ability to do so was a gift, and not self motivated.

Our success will always be limited, if we limit ourselves to counting on our own self-worth.  Only God has the wisdom and strength to keep us moving, one step at a time, to the top of the mountain.

Don’t shortchange yourself. We are all capable of amazing growth when we willingly and intentionally share our lives with God.

Isaiah 41:10

10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Let God Bless you. He awaits you,
Wayne