Tag Archives: Eye

Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street

Homework … Penelope the Ricoh GRD 4 likes it … More Thoughts From Philly

March 23, 2015 streetshooter 4 Comments

Sometimes I get kinda art schooley and I make photos that remind me how much I still have to learn. Problem is I enrolled in the school of life a long time ago and never graduated. I was afraid of graduation cause then if I was a graduate I would be making photos of my cat and plants. I’s have too much education to do things like that. It would be beneath a life graduate to make silly simple photos. You’d need to get a pardon from the international life committee of graduated and non graduated students and that wouldn’t be easy. So of course the easiest way to do this is to make the photos and never post them anywheres. They just become records of our innocence lost. We need not worry about our peers seeing our silly photos that may mean a lot to us but we stay in the closet and not let them be borne. It’s prolly easier to come out of the closet and say your Gay or Les or Bi or Trans than saying, hey, I’m a serious photographer, Look at my cat photos.

I know none of youse ever suffer thru this situation. I know it’s my personal bullshit that makes me feel stupid silly things but nonetheless, I do feel it. Does that make sense? No matter, my Doc thinks I’m not all crazy, he swears I’m half sane and that’s a good point to hold on to. I got Penelope off the shelf and as soon as I turn her on, she turns me on. Now I think I’ll dig on the shelf again and pull someone off that hasn’t seen the light of day in a while. Tomorrow I’m on the streets again and will bell rest of week. I need to get way from the cat and the plants. They making me crazy.

So the Canon EOS M2 has found a new home thanks to ebay. Nice camera, great IQ but it has a Touch screen I cant turn off… by,enjoy your new home. I have Andre’ the Fuji X100s and Walker the Nikon Coolpix A to do the work. I have Rogers Leica M’s and some other things around if I need another camera. I don’t. My Olympus Pen EP-5 came home 15 months ago after being repaired and I never opened the box. I guess it’s fixed. Dunno, wanna just go with the flow the 2 guys can feed me.

So I am ready to go out and work in a steady manner. I prolly won’t stop my Homework or Plant Life stuff cause I love and don’t have to stop.That stuff satisfies on a different level but it is very satisfying and I will keep looking for photos.

Isn’t that what real photographers do, they can make good photos of anything with any camera. I envy them there ppls cause I’m not that.I always wanted to be a good all arounf photographer.I worked that life pursuing that dream and fell short always.

I guess I just have to be a Human Being with a camera, sheeeeesh… go figure

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Streetshooter

Nikon Coolpix A … Meets The Dreamcatcher

March 19, 2015 streetshooter 9 Comments

Walker the Nikon Coolpix A is getting inspired and is starting to find his way around the block. Listen, I know I sound nutty but truth is, I let my cameras think they are the source of inspiration for our photos. Well, in a way they are but then again so am I. I’m not about to have my cameras thinking they can do this without me. By the same token, I don’t say that I can do this without them. Like Billy Jean said, “Fair is Fair”.

Anyway, there are those amongst us and un-amongst us that think a camera is a tool. Well, to each his/her own even if they are wrong. So, shooter, why you name your camera, it’s a tool? True enough. I’ll bet there isn’t one single person in the world that doesn’t name his hammer. I’l talking Union Carpenters, the backbone of this great nation. Ya think I’m wrong.. read on.

This is for you, yeah you, with the smirk on your face. So we take our un-named hammer and we bang some nails in. Alls well with out tool right. Then you set the nail and get ready to swing and all the sudden, the dog bites your butt. TOO LATE TO STOP HAMMER SWINGING PROCEDURES! Oh yeah, sure as there’s another camera your looking at… BANG. Now look. This part is not funny. See, when a 16oz or 20oz hammer bangs right on your thumb, well this is Hammer Naming Time. Let’s see, hmmm what is a good name for a hammer that is not my friend and is just a tool that smashed my thumb. Well, it doesn’t take this long to find the name….

It’s something like this. I speak from experience. Swing, dog bites ass, total distraction of the un-named hammer that just smashed the thumb…. “Damn you, you M…er F…er! Now these two words, (blocked out for Judy and all my female friends)….are universal. I mean regardless what language you speak, when the hammer smashes your thumb.. these 2 words are the only two in existence that describe the name of your Hammer.

So, I suggest that you name your hammer and make it your friend. Then when you smash your thumb, you know it was a shared experience between friends.

The Dreamcatcher

This series goes back a long time. When I start to see these photos pop up I get very excited. For me it means that I am as open as I can be at the moment. This series keeps me awake but in a different way. I mean, normally I just make photos and do my thing. When these start popping up, I start to think and see images in my head. Not at the moment of exposure, I get that too but like in my dreams. I see some images and then when I’m out there and I’m really out there but I know it so it’s ok according to my Doc, I see the basic substance of the image in my mind. Then I kinda wake up to a new level and it’s like Photo DejaVu. It’s very exciting and stimulating. I mean it’s like self actualization.

My friend Walkser the Nikon Coolpix a made both these photos. That’s cool for me because usually, Penelope the Ricoh GRD4 makes these and stimulates me to doing so. So now that Walker is doing it, I’m very happy my friend is willing to help me find these images. Andre’ the Fuji X100s isn’t really into the Dreamcatcher and I don’t force the issue. We should never force friends to do anything, it should happen naturally.

Anyway, I’m tired again and have todomeds. I’ll be back hopefully tomorrow.

You’ll have a blessed evening, morning or afternoon depending where you are in the world.

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Streetshooter

Walker the Nikon Coolpix A … ain’t LoSt on the StReEt

March 16, 2015 streetshooter 4 Comments

As I get myself geared up for the season, I seem to be thinking the same way I always have. Imagine that. I have a thing for fixed focal length cameras. Andre’ the Fuji X100s sees 35mm and Walker the Nikon Coolpix A sees 28mm. These 2 focal lengths will do almost all my work for ever. As youse know, I picked up the Canon EOS M2 and lenses etc for it. It’s a nice camera and good quality but, it’s not my cup of tea. I knew that when I got it but wanted to see if this year would be different from last year, nope. I don’t like zoomie lenses and I can’t bond to that camera cause Walker and Andre’ do what I need. So I don’t need it and it’s being sold by tomorrow on the bay.

Funny thing. I’ve had every variation of the 28mm Elmarit for my M cameras. I got a pair of M6’s because I would use the 35mm lens and the 28mm on the second body. Nope, years of struggling and I never adapted to 28mm. I always used 35mm. So now digitally, I find the 28mm getting used a lot like the last 10 years maybe. I still love the 35mm FOV but no longer have issues with the 28mm. Now I need them both, the horror. Of course Penelope the Ricoh GRD4 does 28mm very well, in fact better than any camera ever released…but…I really like APS-C sensor. There’s just something about it that floats my boat. So I find myself with the Fuji X100s and Nikon Coolpix A and feel very well covered. That means anything else I have, hmmmm won’t get much use.

It’s been said that a good shooter can get a good shot with any camera. So what? What does that mean. I can get my photos with any camera, but so what, bunk to all that shit. I wanna use my cameras that I want to use. I ain’t using a camera that intrudes on my vision, you’ll know that, damn.

Ya know, we don’t get enough time to live let alone to make photos. We have that responsibility to do both with passion and in the way we choose to do it. That responsibility belongs to us at first and then if you choose, to others. You have to own yourself and do for yourself. If not, others will own you and you end up doing for them and you still get to die alone.When you release that shutter, all that you ever were and are at the moment of exposure is right there with you.

Why would anyone let others influence us to the point that we don’t recognize our selves or our work? It happens mostly out of a lack of confidence and the need for approval. The idea that others like what we do can and will steer us into a direction that may not be our chosen path but the path influenced by others. We are all guilty of this phenomenon in both ways and it’s ok as long as we recognize it as deal with it.

It’s when we refuse to recognize it or just don’t that we have problems. How do I know about this stuff? I’ll tellya. I have a shrink and he recognizes me even when I don’t. Whats your excuse?

Be blessed everyone.

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Streetshooter

Ansel Adams and the Zone System … One More Zone

March 11, 2015 streetshooter 12 Comments

Ansel set the stage for how we interpret the tonal range in our photos. The Zone System is the most followed course of work by the most dedicated shooters. It works and works well. I kinda think that there exist 1 more Zone that should be addressed.

The Zone I’m talking about is the Zone of Awareness. I suppose I have written about this many times over and over. I think I enjoy the rediscovery myself. I mean I love learning and relearning what I already know but take for granted because that’s what we do. It’s great to redo your stuff and when no one is looking, check your knowledge banks and recalibrate your way of thinking.

Photographers more than any other people have a tendency to repeat success. We get blinded by the idea that something works so we will do it over and over and even with variation to make a series or body of work, call it what you will.

So what we do is justify the failures we make so easy by using the photo that was a success to start a train of thought or series. Why is all this important? I’ll tell ya how I see it. Photographers really find it very easy to go to auto mode and kinda just drift and maybe make some photos that satisfy you. For most of us that’s enough and we are happy with this scenario. Now hold the F**K on! I am not one of those ppl but I have to write that I am so we are all equal in the shit we call the world.

If your out there and wandering around and shooting aimlessly and think it’s ok. Please move to the next blog. Let’s get something straight right from the get go. We are photographers, granted. We have different ideas, thoughts, working methods, desires cameras etc, etc.

There are a million variables, right. Well, hang it all up to dry. The common denominator is that we are all humans first and foremost. If your making photos of ppl then they are the same as you at the start. So what makes the serious shooter stand apart from the rest of the crowd? Awareness!

Awareness is what separates success from mediocrity. We can accept mediocrity from everyone around us but not from our selves. The Horror! It is an awareness of the self that makes us strive to do better for ourselves. It pushes us to perform better and to make images that work at the lever we want them to work.

So, that means to me that I have a responsibility to share what shit is in my mind with anyone that wants to digest it. I want the shit that’s in your mind so I can digest that. Ya know, here’s something so crazy it just might work. How about as shooters we share our work in different ways so that we all get the ideas of what other shooters think and feel.

Of course this is being done by many and it’s gonna catch on. What does this mean actually? I think it means that I want others to see what I was feeling and seeing and thinking as I’m working. I want other shooters to recognize the Zone that I strive to maintain as I work. I want the awareness of my self to be evident in the photos I make and share. This means that I will not be concerned about a level or success of the photos but only that the Intent shine thru and that the Eye, Heart and Mind cane be understood.

I’m doing more on this probably forever cause photography is my life’s work. Tomorrow more thoughts and photos…………………………………………………shooter out………………………

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street

Walker Evans and Nikon Coolpix A = Happy Tourist

March 11, 2015 streetshooter 18 Comments

Understanding the basic premise of photography is essential to understanding what you are doing as a photographer. That is that we see a three dimensional reality and abstract it to make a new two dimensional reality called the photograph. Now lots happens from point A to point B and that’s where each of us lives and works. That’s where we introduce our own set of variables to achieve the desired result, the photo.

So that should imply the necessity to understand what our variables are and how to play with them. How to seek and find the discovery of the photo and the self. Well, much of this is being in tune with your Eye, Heart and Mind. Together these elements will or will not realize your Intent.

Tourist have a much better awareness of this than die hard shooters. Tourist have a camera that pleases them and many different cameras in the tourist group. But, each has the camera that allows the least amount of intrusion when they make photos. Tourist are the most aware of the Here and Now. They are totally aware that this photo they are going to make is probably the last time they will see the subject in the flesh. They frame carefully trying to be in the Here and Now and make the best long lasting record of the moment of exposure and thus have the contentment that they succeeded in making the photo that lives in the album of their trip.

Ok, give me the shit. Tourist, c’mon shooter, your barking up the wrong tree. Am I?

I think not. We are all tourist thru life. No none gets a permanent Visa. You bet your butt your a tourist and ya better start thinking that way cause tourist are the most noble shooters out there. They don’t need to study the mechanics of photography, They just have to locate their subject matter, frame and make the photo. Catalog the photos into some kind of grouping and then decide where they want to travel to and make more photos.

Sound familiar? See, you are a tourist. Told ya. I love being a tourist especially in my home town. It allows me to feel free and open with the environment and ppls. This is not an illusion but facts and a way to work.

I’m at Love Park watching the tourist watch me and I feel happy. Being around tourist gets me to think and feel as they do. That’s a wonderful gift and I cherish it completely. I look to the fountain and I see this guy walking and screaming profanities that I never heard before. As I watched him I started to feel like I was seeing Moses and the lost Tribe. Something like that. He’s looking right at me and I raise Walker the Nikon Coolpix A and he lowers his head in a very humble position. CLICK!

I became anxious to see this photo when I get home.

Photos are not only a reflection of ourselves, they may also reflect others and in many ways. This is an anti-tourist photo. I guess that’s not entirely true cause if in fact I am a tourist, then this is a tourist photo. See what can happen if we dissect the natural process of what we are doing? Well, we must do that to understand what and why we are doing it and also to get a pathway to subject matter that we should be on.

I’m heading out to work and seeing where I can find some photos. I’ll be back later and write more. Post your thoughts plz as I need to know if this is interesting to you as it is for me.

………………………………………………………………….. To Be Continued………………………………………………………………

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Andre’ the Fuji X100s … 9 Months … Still My Best Friend

February 8, 2015 streetshooter 12 Comments

The time of slow down could be seen as a productive time for the backend of process. I mean, working LR and getting organized and cleaned up is always a good thing. It’s no so much that I live in chaos and disorganization, I don’t. I’m diligent about this sort of thing. It’s the Windows 8, Imac, LR camera, world meeting of the lost mind of one known as Shooter.

See, all my things go haywire and do it in a way that makes me think it’s a conspiracy of things, thoughts, principles and actions set against one known as Shooter, aka me. Luckily I take good meds and that assures me that it’s not just against me. I am not the only target. All youse out there are targets also.

I know, I know. No one wants to admit about the breakdown of the natural order of all photographic concepts and thoughts and principles are on the attack, but they are. What? You think only you get to feel the Winter Doldrums and have an excuse for not doing much. Oh, ye of little faith. Be it known that all things in the known universe are susceptible to the Winter Doldrums Fall Out and be lazy phenomenon.

So, with all this going on Andre’ the Fuji X100s beings the finest camera ever designed in the known universe and I’m told by the higher ups that he is also the finest designed camera that will ever be borne in the known or unknown universe. That’s saying something but damn right, I’m a saying it.

Oh, yeah… sorry. Racing thoughts happen to plague me and from time to time I don’t realize that I’m in a racing thought mode but sometimes I do and it doesn’t matter because by the time I get to the end of the racing thought train I forgot what I was thinking before I started the racing thought syndrome.

This is one of those times.

Andre’ felt we needed to get out and burn some battery power. So I cleaned his eyes and his rear accommodating visual apparatus for Shooter to see what he sees. We started walking and Andre was nice cause it’s cold and my hands were getting cold but his internal heating system puts out just enough heat to keep him from freezing in my hand. Film cameras like the M Leica don’t do that and you can get a frozen M to your hand and it ain’t pretty I tell ya.

We we are walking and he’s looking at the girls. Andre’ is a leg man. He gets that from 1st Generation Andre’ the Leica M4 from the 70’s. He made photos of legs that sold very well called Gambe’ Game.

We are walking and I’m still feeling detached from everything. I mean everything is there but I don’t feel connected. I don’t care about things because I just don’t. I do care about people. I love people and I’m told I may be a people too, imagine that.

Then why feel disconnected? Why is that detachment so obvious? Why care about it anyway? It’s an aura that we can’t see or feel until it presents itself to us. I am a BBC and CNN watcher. I get info from there. When I really want to see what’s going on in the world, ya know where I look? Flickr. Yup, that’s right. Flickr shows us what everyone is doing all over the world. It shows us how people are feeling and responding.

My flickr friends keep me focused on many things. Andre’ the Fuji X100s keeps me tuned to reality as we know it.

I walked passed this window and a woman was sitting there all alone in her store. No customers and kinda sad looking, I walked passed. I stopped in maybe 10 seconds. I looked at Andre’ and changed my exposure. Andre’said, go for it. If you mess up, I got your back and will change the ISO. I always trust him more than any camera I ever had. Wait a sec…. don’t gimme that shit like he’s the only camera I have. Don’t go there because the Leica crowd will castrate me. Get it.

I put Andre’ to my eye and then like magic, this woman looked me dead in the eyes. I mean I’m outside and she’s inside and I knew she would never know I was there. Then as I clicked the shutter and put Andre’ to rest in my hand, she smiled at me as if she knew I was a human being too.

I remember being about 10yo and climbing on the side of this building. That was 55 years ago and that building still remembers me. Maybe it made photos of me climbing or maybe it’s soul missed me because when I saw it, I was compelled to see my old friend in a photo. I wish I had a camera back then because then I would have better memories of people and things and pets.

Memories. Interesting thoughts. I mean when winter Doldrums hit and there’s nothing to make photos of, maybe then it’s time to make the real photos that will mean more as every day passes. It’s sad to get lonely but it’s sadder to get complacent with ourselves and life.

There exist nothing around you that doesn’t have the beauty of the universe in it. Just look at everything, no not like the first time your seeing it. That’s a bunch of shit. Look at anything as if it’s the last time you will ever see it. Make a photo of that experience and poooof, winter doldrums be gone.

speaking of which, I’m outta here till shortly……..

be blessed on your journey my friends………………………………………..shooter out…………………………………..

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Winter Doldrums Defeated By … Walker The Sony RX100M3

January 31, 2015 streetshooter 12 Comments

Brrrrrrr, I hate it. Winter keeps me cold not just my physical being but inside also. Even my mind sloooooos down and tries to find comfort by the burning ideas region. It’s all smoke right now, no fire of ideas burning.

I try to live and work by the theory of Eye, Heart and Mind. It works but now, my eye and mind are very close in here but my Heart is down there a ways. The elevator from me head to me heart is out of service because it’s too cold. Usually this time of the year I work my LR catalog and get things ready for the new year. Usually this time of year LR always wants to mess things up with my hard drives and catalog. Well low and behold, the LR mess with shooter’s catalog and hard drive Gremlin is front and present. Oh yeah, everything is a mess. Don’t even think I’m gonna mees with today, hell no.

Anyway, back to the street. I guess that the doldrums are inside of us more than exterior. Ya get to feeling kind down and then it’s easy to place the blame on other things going on. Yeah, yeah. I’m more guilty of this than anyone I don’t know. I’t not like slump time, it’s more like focus your intent time. Time to recognize the moment with the eye, heart and mind then with many photos and seeking the moment in LR after the moment has passed. Winter doldrums could be the best tool and friend you ever have.

If your slowing down and focusing your Intent, maybe just maybe you can see the photos before you knew they were in the camera.

The Zen of Archery applies to the Zen of photography. If you go out with your camera and shoot a lot of frames thinking you’ll edit later in hopes of finding something, well, good luck. When I was an archer, I used scopes all kinds of things to help me hit the target. Just like a camera, load it up with stuff and go for it and not be from the ryr, heart and mind.

A friend Ray told me, Don, you’re a good archer but maybe you should start to enjoy it instead of making it work. I didn’t have any idea what the hell he was talking about. I was in the high 90’s all the time and that’s out of a possible 100.

I mean I had this stuff down. Then one day Ray took off all my stuff from my bow. I mean just the arrow rest was there. He said lets go find ourselves. Well, first off I was happy because another nut was now on the planet. Any way, Ray showed me how to shoot intuitive. So I started to like the feeling of standing my ground, looking at the target maybee 100 yds away and then set the arrow and breathe and just let everything go without intrusion. I would squint my eyes, draw the bow and feel the arrow come back to my chin. I closed my eyes for a second and could see in my minds eye the arrow hitting the target. I then opened my eyes and looked at the target, no aid to help me see… raise the bow and feel where it was to be, draw the arrow the to release position and let it go.I close my eyes for a brief second and then open and heart Pfttttt! Plumpt! I walked to the target and was amazed that I hit the target, no not a bullseye but I was close. I did this every time I went to the Archery range and the more I did this intuitive style, the better my hits were.

Here’s the relationship to what you do in life and now we are talking photography. A camera has to eliminate intrusions as much as possible. Yes, you can go out and shoot your brains out and maybe get something. If this is your style, you and I will have little to talk about.

When I wen to the target to see my hit, I loved seeing it in there and sometimes a BULLSeye. I mean, I did this with my feelings, I was aware of my intent and my eye, heart and mind all being aware in the here and now and I see the hit on the target and I claim it as mine. I mean really mine. I was there and remember the experience.

Shooting photos is the same. If your connected like this, the reward for you is that YOU are aware that you were there when you release the shutter and when you see it as a finished image, that image represents you in total. It is you. It is the experience as you recorded it totally aware of doing so.

Hey, ya know what. It’s too cold for archery and my back can’t do it anymore. Just go out and make your photos connected this way and you’ll have the rewards of loving what you do.

Stay connected to yourself and you’ll have the ZEN of life with you at all times.

Be blessed my friends, even youse that walked out of the room…………….

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Winter Doldrums Defeated By … Andre’ The Fuji X100s

January 22, 2015 streetshooter 7 Comments

It’s no secret that Phila has not paid the Spring Summer weather service so now we have Winter. It’s ok, we just have people on the street freezing and homeless, people committing murders, divorces, marriages, babies being borne, young people and even old people dying. There’s lots going on here and maybe if I wasn’t so damn cold I could get off my azz from the couch and stop watching CNN.

Well, this is called winter doldrums and it’s a disease that creeps in when the wether gets cold and stays until it warms up. There is no known cure NOR HAS THERE EVER BEEN FOR THIS WINTER DOLDRUM SICKNESS.

So a few dayz passed and Tanya said get the hell off your ass and get some exercise. I thought to my self, Shooter, maybe she’s right. So I went upstairs to the office and sat at the Mac and started exercising my fingers by typing and opening LR and looking at photos.

Well, I damn sure felt better, no kidding, I be exercising this and exercising that and man o’ man, it was a good workout. Me brain cells even gitz werkin’. all 17 of em’. Then all the sudden, out of nowhere, I hear a voice. Now see, I’m allowed to hear voices as per VA Guidelines. I recognize dem dere voices so they are VA approved. No problems yet. shhhhhhh, closes the door to the office, pit’s Springsteen on, yup, good ole’ Bruce and then starts to listen to the unapproved voice that is not VA certified recognized warranted selected deselected and otherwise allowed to hear said voice.

Well, the voice is non other that Andre’ the Fuji X100s. He says, listen shooter. I doin’ care about you and yer fancy schmancy Leica’s, Nikons, Sony’s Ricoh’s Canon’s nuttin. You don’t get me out to work pronto, I’m a gonna give you the worse case of Mental Diarrhea ever suffered by any one in the history of mental diarrhea.

So beings da smaat shooter that I am, I grabbed Andre’ the Fuji X100s and we headed out. Well, he’s got it made ya know. He fits in my pocket to stay warm and then, yup you guessed it he gets me to hold him and keep him warm in my hand. Then he says to me, listen kid, you walk around and find the photos you want. DO NOT BOTHER ME until needed. So, I put him in the pocket and walked around. Then, oh yeah, then when all else was right in the world, I started to tune in to my inner self. It’s a dark place in there. No, no not because theres a demon or bad energy in there, sheeeeesh, I don’t have lighting inside so of course it’s dark.

Well, once I started to release everything about any preconceptions or expectations, wants or demands. I started to feel some images. Andre’ told me not to worry and just enjoy the moment. I really wanted to get into just being free with my camera but I was freezing my butt off. He don’t have a butt so what the hell does he know anyway.

All I know is this. I love making photos and the ones that I like the most are the ones that I like the most. The Winter Doldrums are def here and they ain’t going anywheres in a hurry but truth be told, Andre’ and I are up to the task of staying mentally flushed and not falling prey to the nothingness that surrounds us all….. more about this tomorrow…………..

Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Barsik The Cat and Andre’ the Fuji X100s Face Winter

January 15, 2015 streetshooter 12 Comments

Don’t worry, Walker the Sony RX100M3 was there also. See, I don’t really like winter. It’s not just the cold, or the lack of warm sunlight. It’s not that I have to wear 200 lbs of clothes and still be cold, nah.. not any one of those. It’s not even getting lectured how I’ll be cold if I don’t wear the proper protection against the cold, nope not that either.

It’s not just the cold on the cameras that makes my hands cold because I’m not wearing the gloves that Tanya told me to wear so I wouldn’t have cold hands and I know that cause it’s been that way since I was a kid and I still ain’t learned to listen.

No it’s not any one of those things I hate about winter, it’s the whole damn package. All of the above and more are problems for me. So, what to do?

Well, first make sure your batteries are fully charged as cold makes them get uptight too and they drain faster. Keep your lens and all glass surfaces clean. This is obvious right, don’t believe it.

The thing is for me… winter makes me aware how precious life is. I mean I see my beautiful garden covered in snow and the remains of all the work and all the love in a frozen state. I see the cold all over the world I live in and it effects my energy, my vision both internal and external. So I guess I’m stuck in a mode of not stagnant but kinda like slo mo forward with a lot of looking back. I mean winter is a slow down time. It’s a most important time and I look forward to it every year. Why? Well I slow down and smell the dead frozen roses.

It’s a time for reflection, a time for cleaning the memory banks and deleting those things recorded that make us complacent. It’s a time to dream about the warm weather and the body loosening up and how we can’t wait ti get out and really work.

Winter is a reality check for Lightroom. Oh yeah, I got the balls to say it. Time to work the catalogs, just ask Judy, she knows. Time to organize everything. Time to drink Kona in the morning and Spatlese at night.

I’m not the only one waiting for warm weather. All the birds in the world come to my birdbath. Now they just sit and wait. No camera, no lightroom, no Kona or Spatlese.

Just sit and wait…… patiently and in the cold and wait… yup, just wait………….

Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Andre’ the Fuji X100s at the Mummers Parade

January 10, 2015 streetshooter 14 Comments

Well Little brother Walker the Sony RX100M3 was there too. Actually I started with the Rx100M3 and after a few minutes wanted to get Andre’ the Fuji X100s warmed up. So I took andre’ out and like instantly, I woke up. I mean it’s like my old friend was glad to be with me and I was glad to be with him. He’s so much my partner that he preset the exposure to 1/250 f5.6 with auto ISO. There’s the possibility that I set that before I put him away last time but I know he was happy to be with me making photos and set my starting exposure for me. Yes, I believe in magic also.

See for me, making photos is the is the culmination of my life experiences at the exact second of release. I guess that the experience and the resulting images are the mark of awareness that I am alive and present in the here and now. Andre’ has a way of getting me focused to the awareness of life that no other camera ever did, except my Leica M4’s. It’s an intuitive process that makes me be in the Zone. The Zone is about the here and now and the awareness of the Eye, Heart and Mind.

Some may ask, why is it important, I just wanna make photos. Well, if your not in the here and now, where exactly are you? What is so interesting there that you aren’t in the here and now? If you are in the here and now, are you aware that you are or are you drifting aimlessly to no destination? Ya think this will have an effect on your photos, on your life, the heck with photography.

So what do I do as a shooter? Good question. My old buddy, Paul McGuirk many decades ago told me, “Don, you are a very keen observer. You observe with your heart not only your eyes.” I have a pain in my soul and he will never know how much I love and miss him.

So my photos are my observations of life. In the future and I hope a long ways out there too, I want people to know what the world looked like while I lived in it.

I may not be at one with the people in my life and I may not be at one with the world. I may not even be at one with myself.

I know one observation. I am at one with Andre’ the Fuji X100s and that makes me at one with myself when he’s with me.

Have a blessed journey my friends.

shooter out………………………………………………….>

Street Photography Chronicles by Don Springer