Archaic

I enjoy shots of older things. Older buildings, trees, chair lifts, I find them to have a certain quality that only comes from age. It is not that they are decrepit, rusty, or broken, just that it keeps a style alive and current. Subtle nostalgia I guess.

- jon

Cityscape

Interestingly enough, most of my cityscapes tend to be shots from a moving car, such as this one. I enjoy how the lens bends everything towards the center to give the picture the same feel as being under one of these behemoth buildings. Taken in Chicago Illinois.
- jon

People

Rarely do I shoot pictures of people. Mostly I go for scenery, close and far, and avoid the portrait. It seems near impossible to catch people in a moment that properly describes them. This may be more of an action shot than a protrait, but I believe that besides being a nice grind it captures the person behind the action as well.

- jon

Weather

Because I do spend the lion's share of my Summertime on the water I decided to share one of my most intersting pics. This is a cloud formation from windshear that makes it look like the US Bank building is aflame. I thought it was rather wicked.

- jon

Travel

It's amazing what one can do with a camera. I have been fewer places than the vast majority of my friends, yet with a camera I have been able to tell a story in pictures and words that few can. I suppose it helps that people are moderately interested in my pictures, and that I'm loud and bribe them with alcohol. This shot courtesy of Quebec City, Quebec Province, Canada.

- jon

Nightshade

Here is an example of arguing with my camera. I took 36 pictures of this plant, got frustrated and walked away. Not hours later on my laptop looking at them blown up did I think that 36 was not enough. Perhaps I will go back tomorrow.

- jon

12,000

Today's post of flowers was taken at 12,000 ft on a mountain pass. Cool, eh?

- jon

Out There

Though I have forgotten to post the last few days it was also a function of intermitent internet. So here is today's out there for everyone to see once again.

- jon

Sad Flower

Don't really know why this flower is so sad. But it certainly is.

- jon

Distant

In a slighty distant mood from the blog today, please enjoy the picture.

- jon

Talking

In the past I have been known to talk to myself. A good way to calm down after being angry, rehearsing a soliloquy I am not going to ever say. To place hold a thought so I remember later. But this latest incidence of talking to myself, this blog, has to be the most entertaining. A live journal that I share a dialogue with air, and fortunately, on occasion a few people in passing here what I am saying.
- jon

Criticism

Criticism is a bold statement of one individual's work by another's eye. I don't mind criticism mostly enjoy an opportunity to defend, amend, or defer about a work. Though the other day I was given the most insightful and insulting piece of criticism. Was the picture beautiful because I took it, or because the subject itself was a work of art. Though not about this picture, I find it to be a good rebuttal. More for myself than anyone else. I suppose the constant threat of an object containing the beauty and I not doing much in the way for vision threatens part of my enjoyment of photography. But than again I think, at least I can share.
- jon

City

City buildings and shots are my favorites. Most photography sites offer advice to shoot in late afternoon or early morning when the sun is low. But sometimes I like giving up the saturation and color for sharpness that is only available when the sun is high in the sky.
- Jon

Brevity

I am not the most prolific writer. In fact I have a long history of poor and cynical writing. The only copy I ever wrote for the yearbook was rewritten completely because the advisor didn't like the tone of truth. On the other hand, I rarely have a problem writing on the same point to near infinitely just to try and make it. So, in the interest of brevity I am going to make my photo quotes a little shorter from now on. I'm just not sure I have that much to say.

- jon

Time

Life's great factor. I believe that there is no other factor as important as time. All other equations in life can be boiled down to measuring our existence in time. Yet the concept is both philosophically and physically illusive. How we perceive and define time are not constant. This leaves me with one fluffy conclusion of time. Spend it well, and don't forget it.
- Jon

Direction

In my search for subjects, or myself for that matter, it is often a question of what direction. What direction to walk, what to focus on, whether color or black and white composition. Each one of these questions enters my mind in the beginning of my photographic hunts. To be honest, they don't usually last that long. I soon find myself drifting through the scenery, ready to have it present itself to me. To have the days direction decided by the world around me and not what I think it should be.
- Jon

Through

Generally shooting close, macro shots allows me to look through a subject on many occasions. Creating an interesting background for something I find more important in the front. Carefully setting my eye to the viewers in the future. Trying to have them understand how I viewed the picture, how large the subject seemed to me. Leading to the opportunity for a two way communication in a one way medium. That you may look through my lens and see my vision for the shot, as much as I took the shot for you.
- Jon

View

It is hard to imagine a life without pictures. A view into what I have seen that I can share with others. The great speakers have been able to bend the minds eye, and the great painters have been able to color the world. But, none is as immediate, as candid as photography. Sometimes a person can spend a long time making sure a picture is just right. Even use a studio, or extended post-processing to make the work appear as they wish. For me, I enjoy the candid, immediate nature of photography. I enjoy capturing the moment as it happened, almost real time. This is one of those images. Perhaps it was just where I was, when I was, who knows why I was... in any event this was my view and I am joyous to share it with all.
- Jon

Perspective

I find myself frequently taking pictures from the same perspective. That I have a certain way I lean towards no matter my intent. Or I choose a favorite picture from shooting that has similar qualities with my favorites. We all have tastes and preferences, but I wonder if that is a limitation or a prowess. Castings things in an equal, hopefully beautiful, light is a nice exercise, but it would be nice to view things from many perspectives.

Vacation

Finding it odd to use the term at all, here I am left with that being the singular word which best captures my last few days, vacation. But alas, that is probably what it was. Having a recursive vacation prepares you less for the day to day reality than any normal vacation. Not to say I would be ready for day to day reality without the break, it remains that it will be an interesting transition.
- Jon