Photo:Engage

  “ If you are out there shooting, things will happen for you. If you're not out there, you'll only hear about it."   - Jay Maisel      For 123123 Day, I present a coordinated trio of images from my long-anticipated trip to witness sunrise at Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island off the coast of southern Georgia. Happy and Healthy New Year! As I wrote in my posts from July 22, July 31, and August 2, 2023... “Dragon Tree” by Douglas Florian The dragons all heap scorn on me Because I’m born an earthly tree. While dragons roam and dragons race, I’m stuck at home, tied to one place. For though my sap is dragon's blood, My roots are trapped in dirt and mud.  Great claws I grow, But I can't gore. And I don’t know To even roar.  In dragon dreams I scheme to fly And scream in fire across the sky To leave this lowly life terrestrial, And soar, what’s more, in skies celestial.      I had the most marvelous morning sitting amongst the trees and photogr...

  “ Visual ideas combined with technology combined with personal interpretation equals photography. Each must hold its own; if it doesn't, the thing collapses."   - Arnold Newman     If you find life and its many challenges difficult to keep organized and some things are out of whack, you're not alone. Staying focused with minimal distraction is a key life goal for many of us. How can we stay balanced, and not in danger of falling like the proverbial fiddler on the roof?      Some would suggest that we prioritize our activities, putting our first things first as author Stephen Covey taught. We should integrate all aspects of our life, meaning to rid ourselves of that which is incongruent with our principles and goals. We should set goals for ourselves, so we have the beneficial stress of something to work for, and a reason to celebrate when we succeed. We should ensure we practice self care, for a faulty body has a hard time having a sound mi...

  “ Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world. ”  - Gustave Flaubert      I do so love a good baking reference, like Alton Brown's classic way to determine when goodies are done in the oven: GBD! And even better when a little history is tossed in. My post from December 10, 2022 mixed in both...      Official historical markers have been around in this country for about a century now. Virginia posted a few signs at key spots on US Route 1 in 1926 and a few other states had some even earlier. Massachusetts had hundreds up by 1930 and this number doesn’t include the many markers posted by private groups. But the big explosion of the now ubiquitous signs pointing out significant local history happened after World War II.      The great American road-trip came into being as post-war families piled into their cars and hit the road to see their country. In the middle 1950’s, almost fifty million people went...

  “ The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. ”  - Marcel Proust     Our old friend Marcus Aurelius's favorite poet, Heraclitus, once said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.” We all change throughout the years and who we were once is not who we are now. Neither are the places we've been before. Change is the hallmark of time's passing. May we all accept that change with gracious kindness and hopeful anticipation. As I wrote in my post on December 31, 2022...      Out with the old and in with the new, just like the rising of a vibrant dawn after the darkness of night reveals fresh possibilities. As we cross the bridge from one year to another, may the joys and heartbreak that marked our lives in the past year yield happily into the opportunities for love and growth possible in the new one. Happy New Year, my friends, and peace be with al...

“ A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know. ”  - Diane Arbus     I didn't see it when I composed and captured this image that beautiful morning on the sands of Rehoboth Beach. And I wasn't certain I would process it in monochrome, although I had a suspicion it would work well that way, what with all the contrast.     But what I didn't see was how the pylons of the jetty would glisten in the rising sunlight revealing several little beings robotically clapping in unison at the coming of the light. I saw it clear as day, although not a single other person seemed to. I'm not sure the witticism in my title for the photograph helped either. Either way, I suppose it is now a private joke, one I'm sharing with you.     As for the quote from my old Roman favorite, it's of a different though related note. Even if something gathers no acclaim, it doesn't lessen its intrinsic value. It is beautiful all the same. Re...

  “ There are almost too many possibilities. Photography is in direct proportion with our time: multiple, faster, instant. Because it is so easy, it will be more difficult. ”  - Ernst Haas     As November comes to a close, I reflect on how much this month means in my life. At the start, it's the anniversary of my marriage to my wonderful wife, and at the end, it the month of her glorious birth. And in between is the Thanksgiving holiday, when my thoughts most revolve around the idea of my wife, without whom my life would be altogether poorer. I am grateful she married me and adore her for her loving care of our children. She is a fantastic spouse, a saintly mother, and an excellent person, full of kindness and sharing spirit. November truly is the month of my life. As I wrote in my post from November 26, 2022... “The rains they did replenish springs, And it gratitude to each heart brings, When we reflect on bounteous season, For grateful feelings all have reason.” - ...

  “ If you are truly successful at capturing the pulse of life, then you can speak of a good photograph. ”  - René Burri     If you've never attended a military funeral before, or perhaps have only seen it acted in a movie, then you may find my description below interesting. But it's about much more than the ceremony, important as that is. What is paramount is the life and memory of the veteran being honored and celebrated, and the respect and gratitude directed towards their family by those attending. I'm grateful to have served with such brothers and sisters. As I wrote in my post on November 12, 2022...      When you arrive, you realize more people came to pay respects than you thought would be able to on a Wednesday afternoon, but then you remembered the incredibly gracious way the man you’ve come to remember and celebrate treated everyone he met, so of course a large group would attend his funeral. After waiting for the veterans cemetery to g...

  “ I wish that all of nature's magnificence, the emotion of the land, the living energy of place could be photographed. ”  - Annie Leibovitz     So there I was on the beach, early in the morning as always, to capture some landscape images in the lovely South Carolina Lowcountry sunrise light. As I wandered along, I was delighted with the sheer number of shorebirds along this still very natural bit of shoreline. Hilton Head Island has only been connected by road to the mainland since the mid-1950s, so the area is still quite impressively pristine. And, to my surprise, I came across this intrepid pair. As I wrote in my post from May 21, 2022...      You can’t imagine how delighted I was to witness these two wonderful horseshoe crabs crossing each other’s paths as they headed out to sea one sunrise morning. I watched them travel about the beach for quite awhile before they lined up for, pardon my pride, this spectacular composition.      A...

  “ The art of photography is all about directing the attention of the viewer. ”  - Steven Pinker     I always thought there ought to be a version of the classic Peanuts cartoon where Linus explains to Charlie Brown what Easter is all about. I can hear him, in his Linus voice, clearly quote from the Apostles' Creed, "Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty." But we have more about what actually happened that third day...      The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 28 (NRSV)      After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fea...

“ The world moves fast, changing everything around us with each new day. Photography is a gift that can keep us in a moment forever, blissfully eternal. ”  - Ali Novak     Our world does move fast, with events sometimes overwhelming us with their speed and ferocity and urgency. So much is happening that it's all too easy to lose focus of what it is we want to do with our limited time. The events of the world outside ourselves pierce our attention and compete for our emotional energy, but are usually well outside of what we can actually control. So I ask you to think about what you're focused on, for that will let you know what you truly value.  As I wrote in my post on February 5, 2022...      Taking the liberty of translating into a modern voice the timeless wisdom of Marcus Aurelius, who was both emperor of ancient Rome and a moral man, he wrote in his personal journal the following lesson about focus:      “Concentrate every minute on...

  “ Photography, as a powerful medium of expression and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation, and execution. ”  - Ansel Adams      So many passionate winds blow against us. One wind could be the stress caused by the underachievement of a colleague at work. Another might be the way our spouse is acting, or the way our kids are pushing our buttons. The buffeting wind from above could be how upset we are about the government, maybe having to do with the pandemic and vaccines. Whatever the winds you're personally dealing with may be, they can make you anxious and unhappy, if you let them.      I'm here to tell you that you do not. You cannot control most of those things. Truly, you probably don't even have much influence on them. You can only do your best at work, perhaps compensating for the weakness of a coworker in the same way that they may compensate for one of yours. Your spouse and kids are unique beings with...

  “ A photograph can be an instant of life captured for eternity that will never cease looking back at you. ”  - Brigitte Bardot     We can try to outrun them. Or pretend they don't exist. Or that they don't apply to our current circumstances. But no matter what we do, universal principles will be there to correct our actions. We can't get away from the consequences of our choices because bedrock principles will always be the standard against we are judged, if only by our own uncompromising conscience.      Drifting away from our principles for a short time is perfectly normal but it's important to periodically take stock, accept responsibility for our mistakes, and realign ourselves with what we value most. We must never allow ourselves the hubris that comes with thinking we can outmaneuver that which never changes. We will only find ourselves dashed upon the rocks, the unyielding true principles of life.      Consider the classic naval...

  Photo:Engage     a photography blog you  want  to follow “ The camera makes you forget you're there. It's not like you are hiding but you forget, you are looking so much. ”  - Annie Leibovitz      In a world seemingly custom designed to sink us into despair, we must remember the great good around us: the many people we know who do good things for their community. The helpers, as Fred (Mr.) Rogers' mom used to tell him. Look for the helpers when things are bad. You'll see the good overcoming the evil. We need inspiration like this, even when it's nature that provides it. As I wrote in my post on September 18, 2021...      We become quiet from anticipation as the darkness peaks just before the dawn. The show’s about to begin! Let the curtains open on this morning’s bright star. Let the sun’s glorious light wash over us from ‘Center Stage.’ Let the opportunities of a new day release what’s been holding us back. Let us realize wh...

Photo:Engage     a photography blog you  want  to follow “ We are making photographs to understand what our lives mean to us. ”  - Ralph Hattersley     I felt inspired to write a poem extolling the faithful service rendered by the easily unnoticed jetties that protect our beaches. As I wrote in my post on July 17, 2021... Depth Charge Such eagerness released by the invisible gusty force, the sea builds with the breeze an expectant hope. Whose power climbs as the ocean follows its course, ‘Til its water begets foamy waves up the shoreline’s fine slope. Tumult and tossed, the surf does froth and boil, And would rise up and carry away the coast’s sandy glitter. But for the old barrier, wood and joining steel to spoil, that counters the mighty curl of the seaside heavy hitter. Apricot waves and lathered salty spray deflected, our faithful breakwater’s purpose writ large. The early morning surf diverted, the beachfront protected, a fan of sunrise mist...

  Photo:Engage     a photography blog you  want  to follow “ I think good dreaming is what leads to good photographs. ”  - Wayne Miller     What makes any particular photograph interesting? That probably depends on who the viewer is but for the most part, it's about subject, composition, and light. Answer these questions: What is the focal point of the image? Is it composed well? And is there good lighting?      It's quite common to see photographs of a pretty scene that lack an obvious subject. Grand vistas often awe us in person but lack pizzazz as a photograph. Why? The image has no subject. The subject is where the viewer can rest their eyes as they look around the image. It's likely the main point of the image. Make sure your images have a subject!     Let's address lighting. This is tricky because it's very subjective. Harsh lighting from a noon summer sun casts vertical shadows and makes an image look flat...

  Photo:Engage     a photography blog you  want  to follow “ There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself,  for what we see is what we are. ”  - Ernst Haas      Who doesn't enjoy watching and listening to the waves crash against the jetty? Even a gentle surf becomes something special and powerful when it has something immovable to break against. The amazing colors in the predawn sky make a spectacular backdrop for the blues and white highlights in the wave curls and jetty spray. Although it requires an early morning wakeup, a fair amount of preparation, and a wee bit of luck to capture an image like this, I find the experience gratifying even I never get to release the shutter. As I wrote on December 19, 2020...      It’s mornings like this one that make my efforts as a photographer so filled with joy. The clouds at the horizon helped pump a lot of creamy color in the sunrise sky w...

  Photo:Engage     a photography blog you  want  to follow “ In photography there are no shadows that cannot be illuminated. ”  - August Sander      It would be easy to underestimate the importance of what happened. The nonsensical is the daily normal so why should an attack on the US Capitol be any different? I think we need to be very wary of where this national rupture is going. There is too much division backed up by hate, intolerance, and arms, and the willingness to act. The constant barrage of lies from the president and his enablers have made the truth a precious commodity valued only by some. As Voltaire warned, those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. We need to be vigilant and guard against this getting worse. As I wrote in my post on January 9, 2021...      Who can believe what we’ve seen this past week? I felt incredibly sad and angry at the spectacular mayhem perpetrated at the Ca...

  Photo:Engage     a photography blog you  want  to follow “ Photography is a love affair with life. ”  - Burk Uzzle      The post-holiday blues are a common enough phenomenon. But some wise people have taken to reflection, finding peace in the "day before the day before" the special day or in the days afterwards. It's important for us to remember the meaning of our holidays. As I wrote in my post on January 2, 2021...      The second day of the new year always feels strange to me, even a little sad. Yesterday was the joyful holiday that celebrated the promise of new things, the potential for the year to come. We enjoyed staying up until midnight as the calendar changed and spending the first day exulting in the possibilities. But the second of January... that usually means the holidays are over, that most people are taking down their decorations and lights and starting to carry on with the business of real life.    ...

Photo:Engage     a photography blog you  want  to follow “ Wherever there is light, one can photograph. ”  - Alfred  Stieglitz      It's wonderful to be photographing down at the shore again. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed my recent studies of Raleigh and Cary and the neighboring areas near my North Carolina home. Documenting some of the history of a place, especially ones so vital and dynamic as the state capital and vicinity, is an honor and privilege. I am always grateful for the liberty to go where I wish and photograph what I like. And I'm glad to be able to share my work with you.      The Delaware shore, in my experience, is the equal or better of most any beach area on the planet. At once both commercially developed with many shops and homes and yet still abundantly wild and protected, the state has an extensive seashore in its state park system where developers will never build. The parks maintain not only s...