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!



The Balloons Are Back !

The funny thing about blogging is that you get to see your life as it circles back around. This is the second time I have been to the Montague Balloon fair and this will be the second time I’ve posted pictures made while there with our RV group. As I tried to make images this year I found myself more drawn to the people and less to the scenery. I guess that is also the way I am feeling about life these days.

In this year I have had a good friend experience a healing in his son’s life, expected to go quickly he is now cancer free and returning to productivity, a blessing beyond what I can express in words. His family could not be more thankful for every extra day.

I have seen another friend struggle through a midlife change and emerge triumphant, he is a changed person, more confident and actually different than the man who decided enough was enough a couple of years ago. One buddy, almost beaten -- is just emerging from a hole dug so deep by the collapse of the economy I did not think he would be able to come out of it, he is not only on the way back but feeling good enough to start exploring next steps.

It is amazing what God can do, if we give him time to work and have the faith to keep going. I am not implying that all the storm clouds have passed, we have plenty of new challenges which we have just confronted, things undreamt of just last year, but if history is our guide we will get through them.

One way or another we will get to where we are supposed to be, I pray that in the end I am able to live up to God’s standard. That I may be able to quote Timothy with honesty and say:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day -- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

Enjoy the pictures, keep fighting your own good fight and accept the grace which is freely given, in the end it is all that matters.

It's time to go see the fall colors ---

Composition Class... Learning to See

The Shasta Photo Club has a new series of classes going on this year and the first one was on composition. We are trying to learn to see in new ways and apply those lessons to our images. In this first image I was trying to incorporate Triangles & Curves. The Triangles are the rocks pointing inward and the water is the curve drawing your eye through the center. The bush at the top is the Anchor, it serves to stop your eye and give you a resting place.

The day was rainy and dreary and conditions were tough so I decided early on to try and make small images isolating detail. This shot attempts to use Diagonal lines, Light vs Dark, Rule of 3rds & Bokeh.

Curves..... Since God created woman we have been held hostage to "S" curves. They are always great and never fail to grab attention. We were instructed not to make the same picture over and over and were only allowed two hours as a group. This curve caught my eye, hopefully the instructor likes trees! I like this photo but it lacks a true subject so I expect it to get criticized pretty heavily.

Diminishing Lines & Rules of 3rds, I attempted to take a simple yet classic portrait. Imagine a farmers daughter instead of a hay fork and you get the idea. With the weather and wind pounding us, isolating details and taking small photos was the only real choice.

Inside the barn there were tools to see and it was dry! This image uses geometric shapes, Rule of 3rds and Delay. That is another way of saying that you should be surprised when after a moment you notice the hole in the upper right hand corner.

That's it for now, we were required to make 5 images and stick to 4x6. The outing was tougher than I thought it would be, not having a lot of time and being forced to try and make different styles of images was a stretch, the conditions would usually send me off in search of nothing but macro shots, having an assignment made me look for more.

Thanks for reading....

The Farmers Market - It's Good For Everyone

“Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population”- Albert Einstein

Most of my friends are conservatives. So spending time at the Farmers Market is something totally different for me.

Everywhere I looked there were Jugglers, HackySack circles, Hula Hoops... It was like a party for 500!

The vegetables were amazing.

I liked it, the people were fun to hang out with, peaceful and friendly and for the most part easy going. I think it is safe to say that liberals make the best artists, entertainers, singers and writers. There is something inherent in the creative process that insists on living with idealism as a core value.

Here is an example of an idea that has been gaining in popularity and someday will be embraced by the majority. The local farmers market. This one in Arcata, Ca and has more hippies per sq foot than anywhere in the USA. It has been running successfully for years, even decades.

Perhaps it is not an idea that can work everywhere and for all things, but the essence of the place is good. Go see for yourself, it’s every Saturday in Arcata, CA.

Thanks for reading!