A Merry Time in the Maritimes

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island.  The names evoke places that are familiar but foreign, close but a little hard to get to.  During a three-week visit, we enjoyed the maritime cuisine and photographed mainly rural and maritime landscapes.  Americans seldom give Canada a second thought as if it is some kind of extension of US society, but it is different in many subtle ways.  For example, outside of the big cities, signs of sprawling development and hyper-commercialism are rare.  These photos offer a glimpse of life in an environment that can sometimes be reminiscent of a simpler time. 

House at Bay Fortune, PEI

Dark Harbour, Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick

Field near Dundas, PEI

Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

Black and White

Making a photo in black and white can reduce the resulting image to a simple graphic scene that may have more impact than its color counterpart.  Although we’re awash in color these days, it can be revealing to conceptualize some scenes as black and white images.  Here is a photo of my Dad and sister, taken near their residences in SW Michigan.

St. Joseph, Michigan

Shells

The outer banks of North Carolina provide venues for nice family getaways, some right on the beach and close to seafood and BBQ restaurants. We were in Kitty Hawk, the town made famous by the Wright Brothers, and we visited the site of the first flight. Family members logged lots of beach time and they found lots of shells for me to photograph. Call it a division of labor.

Exploring Hawaii

My first trip to Hawaii was a four-week exploration of four major islands—Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, and Kauai—each evincing a unique character and a different mix of photo opportunities.  Oahu is the place for history and big surf, Maui offers a quiet paradise on its eastern coast, Hawaii includes active volcanoes and coffee plantations, and Kauai has mountains, gorgeous valleys, and wilderness hiking.  January is generally a crowded time on the islands, but it was easy to find deserted beaches and quiet surroundings.  

Turtle Bay, north coast of Oahu

Abandoned cottage, near Hana, Maui

West coast of Hawaii (Big Island) near Kailua-Kona

Taro chip maker, Hanapepe, Kauai

Ke'e Beach, north coast of Kauai

Waterfall adjacent to Waimea Canyon, Kauai

Yosemite Workshop

I returned recently from a terrific photo workshop on fine art digital printing in Yosemite National Park with noted landscape photographer Charles Cramer (http://www.charlescramer.com/).  Charlie was a student of Ansel Adams in the 1970s, and, appropriately, our group met each day in Adams' own darkroom next to his former dwelling (now the Ansel Adams Gallery) in the heart of Yosemite Valley.  But instead of mixing chemicals and focusing enlargers as Adams did, we we booted up our computers and navigated the fine intricacies of Photoshop CS4.  We also did some early morning and late afternoon shooting along the Merced River and in the nearby meadows.  I found the experience to be extremely valuable, especially to learn more about Charlie's personal techniques for making beautiful prints and his workflow process.  And, of course, it was wonderful being in Yosemite just as the oaks, aspen, and cottonwoods were at their peak of color.

From Sentinal Bridge, Merced River, Yosemite

Fallen tree, Yosemite

Yosemite Valley

Oak and granite in Yosemite

Nashville Scene

I was in Nashville for the annual meeting of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  The place has many interesting antebellum historic sites such as Andrew Jackson’s plantation, and Franklin, the site of a Civil War battle, is nearby.  Most people who know me would expect photos of the latter, but Nashville is also home to the country music scene, and I think my best images catch a slice of it.

Legends Corner, Nashville

Legends Corner juke

The Stage on Broadway, Nashville

Photo Show Opening

A phalanx of photographers, Wing Young Huie's Gallery, Minneapolis

What a great evening, October 3, in Minneapolis, with 20 photographers displaying their work at Wing Young Huie's gallery. In addition to the simple excitement of displaying one's creative work, there was an extra buzz resulting from the impossible crush of the crowd, numbering in the hundreds, and the serendipitous drug bust involving four flashing police cars right outside the door on Franklin Avenue. Inside, the buzz was totally upbeat, fueled by great wine, cheese, sweets, and, of course, great art.