Chile

From our trip to Patagonia...........  

  

Keeping the latest earthquake victims in Concepcion and Santiago in our hearts and minds

Faith on Film: The Crucifix......

 

There's only one way to get to Easter............

Crucifix from Wells Cathedral

And above the Altar 

 

Take a Look

Take a look at this Art Deco Kodak Camera....The Bantam!


http://gizmodo.com/5479094/they-dont-make-cameras-like-they-used-to

Are any of you familiar with it?  I'd love to have one.

Weekly Volcano #9: Lassen Peak

 

Lassen Peak (aka Mt Lassen ) last erupted in 1912, and was one of the first volcanic eruptions ever recorded on motion picture film.

Note the Beaver Dam and Pond in the foreground.

Bear Lake, RMNP, Colorado

 

A quiet scene from my new favorite photo place, Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Minolta SRT-202 

Weekly Volcano #8: The East Pacific Rise

 

We don't often consider the Mid-Ocean Ridges.  But 2500 meters below these calms seas is one of the most active volcanic systems in the world:  The East Pacific Rise, off the coast of Mexico, February1988.

Faith on Film?

Does this qualify? One of our local supermarkets decided to offer daily fish sandwiches for Lent.........An interesting idea, but should be on Friday not everyday.  I liked the little wrapper though..................

Faith on Film: Ash Wednesday

Faith on Film Returns for Lent

Ash Wednesday Meditations

It's Fat Tuesday!

Happy Mardi Gras...as we prepare for the solemn observance of Lent.........

 

This is what people typically expect from New Orleans Mardi Gras.............

 

 Lots of Drinking...........

  

And trash in the streets............. 

   

Costumes at the Bourbon Street Awards............

  

And more 'conservative attire'.....................

 

Lundi Gras

Lundi Gras is the relatively recent name for the pre-celebration marking the arrival of REX (King of Mardi Gras and the leader of the oldest Krewe).  He arrives by boat on Monday.  Recently New Orleans has revived Lundi Gras as a day for family and culture, marked by various live music venues along the river front.

For Lundi Gras, and also to Celebrate Black History Month in America, I am going to introduce you to a tradition little known outside New Orleans:  Mardi Gras Indians.

The tradition celebrates the affinity between Native Americans and African Slaves whom they often aided in escape and adopted into their disease devastated tribes.  In the Caribbean and South America, Escaped Slaves formed alliances with the Indigenous peoples to form 'Maroon ' communities, which still exist in some countries.

 

Extended Families form "Tribes" that wear costumes of similar color and design. 

  

The radition is passed down through the family to its yougest members.

  

Happy Lundi Gras! 

Happy Valentine's Day

 

For Valentine's Day we share with you our Pennsylvania Dutch Hex Sign, representing Love, Family and Friendship.  The birds are partridges called 'distelfinks'.  The Pennsylvania Dutch are descendants of German, Swiss and Dutch who emigrated to the United States prior to 1800.  These include but are not limited to the Amish, Dunkards, Mennonites and Bretheren.  You can see that this one was designed by Jacob Zook.Traditionally Hex Signs are placed on buildings to keep out evil.  You mostly see them over barn doors and in the eaves of houses.  I keep mine in the kitchen of my home.  I had it for years before I actually got married.

Small Town Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras wasn't always the drunken and debauched celebration popularized by late 20th Century New Orleans.  The Gulf Coast tradition originated with French settlers in what is now Mobile, Alabama.  And in smaller towns all along the Gulf Coast you can get the traditional feel of a Family Mardi Gras:

 

 Slidell, Louisiana is a town east of New Orleans, now considered a suburb; almost wiped out by Katrina and receiving little  attention.  But it seems to have had a better recovery according friends of ours who still live there.

 

More on Traditional Mardi Gras Celebration Monday.......

Weekly Volcano #7: Kilauea's Active Vent, Puu'Oo

 

Puu'Oo is a cinder cone located on the flanks of Kilauea (tan on the left).  This is a spatter cone erupting from the side of Pu'Oo.  It had been the recent focus of Kilauea Eruptions in the late 1990's.

 

Further down slope, the Pahoehoe lavas flows typical of Kilauea.

Meet My Other Blog: Longs Peak Journal

 

Longs Peak is one of three fourteeners in the Colorado Front Range, and the one closest to my home. 

This is a view from the Lafayette Dog Park.

My husband and I decided to start a shared blog documenting the life and times (i.e. our lives and experiences) living in the shadow of Longs Peak.  It's my 'folksy', living in Colorado Lifestyle Blog.

It allows me to write about subjects and show photos that might not meet the 'Artsy' standard intended here.  But sometimes there will be some cross over.  And I'll post a best of Longs Peak Journal here from time to time.

Last of Fall River (Until the Spring)

 

Vertical or horizontal View?  Depends on what you are trying to see...........The Horizontal view probably captures the stream scene best.

Last ride on the Fall River Road for us was at the end of October.  No more trips until the end of May 2010.  That is, unless we want to go snow shoeing.

Back to Basics: Bracketing

I always bracket my B&W.  One day I was clicking away in my front year photographing flowers and my neighbor across the street (also a photographer) said "bracketing aren't you!".  I guess it just sounded and looked like I was.

So here are four exposures again from the Fall River. With some adjustments any of them might print OK.  But which one do you prefer and why?

All taken @ f/8:

1/30 sec.
Probably too dark

1/15 sec
Getting better

1/8 sec 

1/4 sec

For the fans of silky water the last exposure might not be long enough.  Not a fan of silk, I would choose exp #3 as the best compromise, or try printing exp#2 and do some dodging to bring out the detail in the mossy rocks. 

Which would you print? 

The Weekly Volcano #6: More Mt Shasta

 

I said that I had several photos of Mt Shasta.  So Let's see how many months I can start off with a Mt Shasta Photo.  This is a more typical view showing that classic strato-volcano form.

Taken from the Medicine Lake Volcano, looking towards the south west. 

The dome in the foreground is part of Glass Mountain, a large obsidian dome and flow 

within Medicine Lake Volcano.

We'll return to the Fall River over the weekend.

More from the Fall River Road

Looking up the Canyon.

I think I have finally found my inspirational places to photograph in Colorado:  Rocky Mountain National Park, and Eldorado Canyon State Park.

The Old Fall River Road, RMNP

 

The Old Fall River Road was the original route to the top of Rocky Mountain National Park.  Now replaced by the paved, Trail Ridge Road, both roads are open to the public May-October. 

As the name implies, there is a Fall River.  I've passed by here a few times, but only last Fall was actually inspired to pause and do some serious work. 

This is a one shot deal, no bracketing, just finishing the last frame on my roll: f/8 @ 1/15 sec. Green filter for foliage, which you will see better demonstrated in later photos.  Although you can pick out the texture in the moss here.

Long Way Home: The Return of Night Moves!

Yes, Night Moves Have Returned!

And I share with you my 1 hour commute home along Wadsworth Boulevard.

And before you comment on driving while photographing.........Notice I have left a safe distance between myself and the other cars.  Also I don't focus, I just set the camera on infinity and auto-exposure (with my 3200 film), set the camera on the dash board, take the shot, and hope for the best. 

This is the best of 5 exposures.