Vacation at Last

After numerous cancellations we finally made it for a 6-day vacation to the North Coast of California. We had lots of plans for the year and every single one had to be put off for one reason or another. When we finally had a chance to go we called our favorite local RV Park (http://www.soundsofthesea.us/) hooked up the trailer and left.  Even that was not without problems, it seems the last time I unhooked the trailer I was at a rather severe angle, so severe that I was unable to re-hook the 5^th wheel, as a result I damaged the truck and ended up having to call AAA to come out and move the trailer so that I could get connected. What an ordeal….

We ended up spending a couple days looking for the Elk herd which lives in the region, but all I could find was one small group and they were too far away for good photos. Still the weather was fantastic and the views were great. We managed to have a nice time relaxing, catching up with each other and doing some sightseeing.

I call him Hula Man. He was truly happy; I hope to be as healthy and carefree at this age. We met him when we went to the Arcata Farmers Market on Saturday morning. It was "Sidewalk Art Day" and it was tremendous. The art was great, the music was amazing and the atmosphere had to be felt to be believed. It was better than Disneyland and it was free! Even with all the non-judgement in the air, Hula Man did have a critic... This young girl did not seem to approve of his moves.

The artists were everywhere; this guy was one of my favorites. I watched the judging with interest, he used a ladder to get above the pieces and get a clean view. I would hate to be the judge of something as arbitrary as sidewalk art, but I guess you could use any reasoning and it would be acceptable. Who is to say what is best?

Another great piece - 

After the market we wandered out to the beach and ran into a group of rock climbers. In a completely uncharacteristic move I asked if I could photograph them and they were happy to oblige. I ended up spending about an hour with them as they made it up a vertical face which hangs just over the sand.

Jake saying hello to some surfer buddies -

All in all it was a great time, everything worked in the rig, the roads were clear, the food was good and the company was terrific. Can't wait to get out again before winter slams the door on camping season.

Thanks for reading!

In Remembrance....

Dear Gracious and Heavenly Father --

Please comfort all who were affected by this terrible day in human history. Please shield those who serve and live under the threat of more violence and who risk their lives to protect us. Please help us all to remember that it is by your grace alone that we draw each and every breath and that it’s your love which guides our world and our lives.

In the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Red Bluff Workshop

The day after the reception for the Images From a Glass Eye photo show, Neil & Susan Silverman ran a workshop for the Tehama Photo Club. We spent the day walking downtown and learning new methods of shooting which will be very helpful on future outings. In this first photo Neil suggested a way to deal with difficult (harsh) light and the crowded backgrounds when trying to photograph the landmark clock tower. The results are nice and certainly do not look like a typical tourist photo.

Next we worked on reflected light and shade while photographing people, again a nice technique which can be used almost anywhere with a minimum of equipment. The results were much better than when not using a reflector.

From there we wandered over to a local car restoration garage and spent the rest of the shooting time on the classic street rods of the past. Good times.

We then went back to the club meeting place for lunch, a critique session and a slide show. This session alone was worth the cost of the workshop, then the Silverman’s wrapped up with a raffle that included prizes which in many cases were worth hundreds of dollars.

If you ever get a chance to attend one of their workshops I highly recommend you do so, they are fun and informative teachers who do their best to ensure that you have a great learning experience.

They can be reached at: http://www.silvermansphotography.com/

Nothing is New Under the Sun

I was fortunate enough to catch the sunset from the top of Hatchet Mountain last Saturday night. What a glorious sight. The new windmill array is spinning out enough power to take care of thousands of homes, all without killing birds, polluting or increasing our dependence on foreign countries.

The architecture is inspiring and the sounds are amazing. The entire project is something to admire, but I can’t help but wonder what took so long, the wind has been blowing and the mountains have been there since time began. Windmills have been in use for most of recorded history.

Whether it was politics or economics that suppressed alternative energy sources they are both popular and economically viable nowadays. If you haven’t seen them you owe it to yourself to visit, just head towards Burney, California and look to the northwestern mountains nearby. I promise you will see them.

See you there!

JP

What Happened to Spring?

For those of us who garden this has been a year to remember. I started off with a couple of tomatoes in April planning for juicy fruits of home grown goodness in June. Then came the hail.... Thunderstorms pounded my Early Girls without mercy. I ran to cover them and after a couple of weeks I was certain that victory was mine. I had successfully started my garden before May 1st.

Or so I believed....

At least God's little pollinators are out trying to do their part.

In the middle of May we were hit with another round of thunderstorms which would have caused a smarter man to re-evaluate the entire gardening calendar, but I was unphased. I refuse to let a little (or a lot) of rain slow me down.

After all, my peas are coming up strong.

Anyway as the season moves along I will share more from the garden, even if it flops.

For now at least the Ladybugs are happy.

Thanks for looking...

Embracing the Mystery

Nobody likes to admit they do not know the answer when asked a question. It’s human nature to at least offer an opinion. For example, I don’t know much about the real differences between a Mac and a PC, but I will be happy to tell you which one I prefer. We must - both as a species and culture, have resolution. We love answers.


As Christians we must learn to embrace the unknown if we are to walk by faith. We must be able to look a question in the eye and proclaim; “It’s a mystery ,” we cannot explain why God allows that to occur. I don’t know why that happens, I wish I did, but I don’t.

If we knew all the answers then there would be no need for faith, there would be no need to trust God because the outcome would be apparent. The mystery exists for us, it is a gift we need to understand and accept. It is our chance to show our trust in Him who created us, to show our faith.

There is a trend in Christianity today to rush forward with a rational explanation for everything. Everyone wants proof that the Bible is true. We rush to find the Walls of Jericho, we rejoice when fragments of scripture are found, as if the bible is somehow more true because a 2,000 year old papyrus reed says it is. We consider it amazing that these scraps say the same thing as our modern bibles. This seems like just another attempt to prove we are rational people, believing in something we can prove true because modern science backs it up.

Instead of trying to prove to ourselves that what we believe is scientifically valid, perhaps we should learn to exhibit the same qualities the saints before us did:

…Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.   Hebrews 11:1 & 2

They walked by faith, not ashamed to tell people that the Lord was in command. Willing to accept that they did not have all the answers. Willing to say the scriptures did not need to be validated, they are not of this world and the world will never accept them:

...All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.   Hebrews 11:13-16

Let’s learn to embrace the mystery. Be willing to share that we don't always have the answers, that sometimes we must walk by faith, for that is what pleases God. Our faith is a gift, both from the Lord to us and from us to the Lord. When He grants us chances to use our faith, let us not try to prove away the things He has chosen to keep unknown. Let us embrace and be thankful for them, faithful that the Creator of Heaven and Earth knows which things are best kept secret.

From Good To Great

This week I was lucky enough to be able to hear a gifted photographer Brian Rueb  (brianruebphotography.com) speak about his most recent adventure. It was an excellent presentation and very instructive. Even earlier this year I attended an outing with the local photo club led by another amazing photographer, Frank Kratofil (frankkratofilphoto.com) involving HDR techniques for landscape photography.

I learned something from both of these artists, but the most important lesson I came away with did not involve any specific technique. These days we all have access to the same information and the same equipment, the secret methods and unknown tricks are long gone. All it takes is a little research and the willingness to try something new to stay current with the newest trends.

The part of the lesson that was most enlightening was the effort these guys put forth. Frank can be found in the field an hour before daylight in the middle of winter on a regular basis. If you’ve never been to the Klamath Basin in the January it is difficult to understand the level of commitment required.

Brian spent the better part of an evening spinning tales of his 70-day walk around Iceland. No car, no reservations, no support of any kind. Just a backpack and a camera. Now I love photography and travel as much as the next person, but an entire summer spent living in a tiny tent with no method of transportation other than my feet would be enough to stop most people I know, including myself.

My point is that these guys could make great shots with any camera. Sure they are better with great equipment, but they are both living examples that you still have to be in the right place at the right time to make magic. And that takes dedication and hard work.

I’m sure we all knew that, but it was nice to listen to tales of these guys working so hard to get the shots and understand that it doesn’t come easy for anyone. The good shooters put forth the effort on a consistent basis to get results. Even in this digital age you still can't replace hard work.

Last Shoot of the Year

Northern California had our first snow of the year on December 30th, so a friend and I headed out to the mountains to take a few pictures and enjoy an afternoon away from the computer. Although I have stayed busy entering contests and developing images I hadn't been out to shoot anything new for weeks.

We headed up to Mt. Shasta, CA and tried to get to the upper falls on the McCloud River but the roads were impassable and there was no way we were going to get stuck in the forest in late December. Night time temperatures run in the single digits this time of year, so we ended up at Castle Crags State Park and the Railroad Park in Castella, CA.

The trains are there rain or shine and always look fantastic, if you are looking for somewhere to go when traveling down I-5 the Railroad Park is always waiting, it is a fun location for an hour or two shoot in any weather. Castle Crags are in the same area and well worth the trip for any photographer. There is a wonderful trail which connects to the Pacific Crest Trail about 2 miles past the park entrance. After a torturous initial climb you can stop at Popcorn Springs and soak your feet while marveling at the magnificent creation all around you.

So that's it for 2010, thanks for reading and for sharing the world through my Nikon. See you next year!