ephemerallife

on my way

As many of you are aware, I have been struggling a bit lately. Trying to find a direction for my photography. In some ways, I feel as though I've lost my photo mojo for the moment. So, I am going to try a little experimenting. This will be an attempt to rediscover what I enjoy about photography and have some fun with it.

 

 

A prime example is this image that I took yesterday morning on the way to work. The first twenty minutes of my drive winds through local farm country and, at this time of the year, I catch the light just prior to the sun's rise. When I saw this scene, I was struck by the saturated colors that looked as though they had come from the brush of Maxfield Parish, the American painter from the last century. I share a fondness with his work with my sister. She has often displayed prints of his work on her walls. This image is no Maxfield Parish and is not even similar to his work. However, his colors inspired my take on the scene. You just never know where inspiration will come from. Maybe that's why it is inspiring.

 

 

As part of my work flow, I often switch to black and white to get a good look at the tones. I find that the colors can sometimes be distracting and seeing the image in black and white helps me during the process. While, I have no intention of using the image in black and white, I thought it was interesting and that you might like seeing the converted image as well. 

Have a fantastic Friday folks.

 

haley and the horses

 

I think you might remember little Haley from some of my previous posts. She is a remarkable little girl. An area that I have noticed Haley having an exceptional gift is with the horses on the farm. Not just the horses, anything equine, such as the mules and the donkeys seem to all love her.

 

 

The horses seem to universally ignore me and most other people. I could wave fresh clover and juggle apples while completely naked and they wouldn't even glance in my direction. Haley on the other hand simply has to walk over to the fence and call their names. Soon, she has them all going all crazy for her affection.

 

 

I've noticed the "Haley Effect" on many occasions and have often wondered about her way with the horses. She doesn't feed them treats . She does talk to them and she does pet them gently. Is it her gentleness or something else that they like about her?

 

 

The Haley Effect only seems to apply to the equine breeds. Sarah, the resident barn cat, only tolerates Haley as much as she tolerates the rest of us. Pet her a little and scratch her ears a little more and she is about done with you.

 

 

Once picked up, Sarah quickly frees herself and goes looking for someplace else to take her nap. The other farm animals just ignore Haley as they do the rest of us. The one exception might be Zack, the goat. Zack thinks he is a draft horse and that might be the reason he likes Haley. If she's good enough for the rest of the horses, Zack figures she's good enough for a goat-horse like him as well.

 

Who knows? However, as long as I see those horses become so affectionate in her presence, I will always find the reaction remarkable. Especially since they are never phased by somebody as wonderfully kind, good looking, intelligent, and friendly as me. Dumb assed horses. I don't want to be your friends anyways. Me and the rest of.. I mean, me and the hogs are going to hang out in the sun for a while.

 

 

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speaking with John Dunn

reading by the window light

evening pano

 

This pano was taken one evening last week while on my way home from work. I stopped to get gas just a few miles from home. While I was filling the tank, I noticed that the light in the fields across the street was really nice. the day had been rainy, leaving mist in the distance. The soggy fields were black with moisture.

As much as the scene was about light, it was also about layers. The damp dark fields lead to the trees in the middle distance and finally to the two layers of distant trees on the far side of the farmland.

It seems, that over the years, I have developed this habit of seeing my surroundings with a photographer's eye, even while performing mundane tasks such as pumping gas.

 

the sunny side of the silo

Winter Grain Silo

 

The weekend before last, the sun peeked through the clouds for a few hours and then return to its winter hibernation. I loaded the car with gear and headed out for a drive and managed a couple good shots,

However, see that offending dark spot way up at the top? Dust on the mirror. Evidently, I was in too big of a hurry. This happens to the best of us. Slow down, check your equipment!

 

the morning herd

Morning Heard

 

I came across this herd as I rode around Saturday morning, hoping that the sun would come out. Alas, the clouds and overcast skies held sway until mid afternoon, too late for any good landscape photos.

I watched the cows eating and wandering the field as the farmer drove his truck around and unloaded bails of hay. To my surprise, t he cows pretty much ignored the farmer's offering, instead continuing to east the winter grass. What do I know about being a cow? I thought they would run for the hay. I know nothing about being a cow.

 

some of my favorite silos

 

I have some favorite silos. Don't you have favorite silos? Maybe it's a mid-west thing. These two are in my to ten. Not because they are old and interesting. The location isn't particularly interesting. I like these silos because of their color. 

So, if I love their color, I suppose that I should show you how they look in color:

 

 

Those blues and rust colors are what catch my eye. Maybe I am some sort of farm nerd. 

TIm

 

time to lean

 

Sometimes you just need to take a lean. Maybe your hoofs are a little tired or you back is sore. Leaning just seems to be the perfect solution. Even if you are a cow.

 

 

little lambs

 

Eight lambs were born on the farm this month. At last check, all were healthy and doing just fine. I'll visit and check on them this weekend. I'll be sure to report back to you.

 

big sky

 

As I was driving up to the farm, I was astounded to see this spectacular sky hanging over the barn.The contrasnts, the color and the sheer weight of it were all there. I stopped the car got out and just looked at the secene for a while when the clouds parted long enough to bathe the barn in color. I only took two shots and they were both wonderful. Tht doesn't happen very often and when it does, I walk away with a big grin on my face.

 

cooking lessons

 

 

Everybody needs to start someplace. Why not grilled cheese and apples? Life never gets too complicated at Carriage Hill Farm and that is one of the reasons the farm has become one of my happy places.

From a photographic standpoint, I've shot the farm, its workers and its animals in thousands of images. Still, each time that I return, I find something to point my camera at. It seems to me that the more familiar I become with the farm, the more I find to capture.

I'm sure that every one of us has a place to retreat and relax. What are your favorite places to get a way for a few hours?