Saturdays Online: What Ever Happened To.........

We'll start with a low-tech digital image from my Android Phone:

The Lake near my home often has reflections, but rarely the clouds that make it more interesting.

Now lets move on to our subject for today.  From low-tech digital to highest-tech.  A very high tech digital photo process (a bit more than just your ordinary camera).  I'm speaking of the Lytro.  You know, that camera that captured a point cloud rather than a flat 2-D image, and allowed you to focus on specific areas of the image?  Actually a neat idea, but apparently no market.  So they are shifting to infinite focus video and virtual reality.........But they claim to be continuing to make the still image camera too for now.........

Visit the Lytro Gallery Here.

Well that's how it goes, and that's why I keep it simple...........Next Week, why film still matters.

Accidental Abstraction @ San Luis Rey

You know how sometimes you 'accidentally' take a picture when you are unpacking or setting up your camera.  Sometime those accidents can be interesting.

I'm assuming that what happened here:

St Mary's Chapel, Mission San Luis Rey

Ooops!  Somehow  got really caught up in yesterday's snow storm and "forgot" my Lenten posting.......

So let's start with St Mary 's Chapel at Mission San Luis Rey:

An remember, we may be a little fuzzy because they didn't allow tripods!

And even though this is digital image....It's Still "Faith on Film" as far as I am concerned.........

Saturdays Online: You Can't Just Leave it Anywhere!

So I've finally done it.  Set out my solargram pinhole can camera to capture the Spring Equinox:

What a difference a day makes!  It was nearly sunset when we mounted the pinhole camera.  So I left the shutter covered until the next morning.  By then it has snowed a little bit.  But still not like Boston!

For a definition of Solaragraphy click here.

But a word to the wise.....You can't just leave them anywhere, as one would be solargrapher in Atlanta recently learned.  And no, the Police are NOT going to call you to find out why you left your pinhole camera in a public place,  Mine is safely in my back yard!

Ash Wednesday

We begin Lent with a Posting from Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, Oceanside California:

We will spend the next 40 days at the Mission.
(OK there may be some non-Mission posting too!)

Saturdays Online: Some Thoughts on Legacy

For me there are two aspects of Legacy:

1. Who are we as artist and who cares?
2. What happens to the work of those who never become famous?

We can contemplate the first item ad nauseum.  And some people spend a lot of time on that.  But from time to time I actually wonder, WHAT will happen to all of my negatives and prints when I am gone?

I have two cases in point:

First, the recent death of one of my Photo Friends Richard Knepp.  Whose website for now still persists, probably until the domain name expires, etc.  But for now His Legacy is still visible.  He was fairly well known amongst the practitioners and followers of old school Monterey style View Camera Photography.  One of those continuing the Legacy of Ansel Adams and Edward Weston.

Another case, someone without reputation, and totally unknown: Vivian Maier, whose work went unprinted until discovered by....several photographers/collectors in Chicago.  She was a nanny who took street photos around Chicago on her days off.  Who knew?

Most of us, if we are lucky, may be "rediscovered" after our passing by interested collectors.  Or our photographs, if printed, may turn up on some future version of "Forgotten Old Photos".  Sorry "digital and never printed types", your work will not be around for anyone to rediscover.

And, Oh Yes:  HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

So I leave you with those thoughts near the summit of Pikes Peak:

Stair Study #4

Stairs as Sculpture

Stair Study #3

Stairs in Use........

Stair Study #2

Stair Study #1

One of the more interesting 'non Dali" elements at the St Petersburg Dali Museum is the staircase:

Into the Distant Darkness.......

My take on the Vanishing Point:

Saturdays Online: An Original Take of Winter Photography

No Not this....just a winter fog and snow image from the reservoir near my home.  Although I did make the image with my Android Phone:

I'll let you task a look without a hint as to the content:

Click Here

Kudos to Angela Kelly.  I'll have to try that!

Another Winter Fog Image from my Android Phone:

So do I need to take a phone camera class, or am I doing OK on my own?

Waiting for the Train

Waiting for the east bound train heading out to Chicago.............

And a bit of wide angle distortion makes it interesting?

The New Amtrak Station

Actually a little bit of the Union Statin is still set aside for Amtrak, and the ticket counter, etc, are still inside.  But the Train Platforms have been redesigned

Looking for Direction

Harkening back to an earlier travel image.

A Visit to Union Station

Donald posted his Images from this Night time excursion a while ago.  He loves night time photography.  For me it's OK, but I'm not as captivated..............mostly because of the danger of mugging.  So we always arrange to go with a group.

As you know I have inherited the Nikon D-40.  No I haven't abandoned Film!  NEVER!  But I carry it when I'm not feeling especially motivated, but know that I'll regret NOT having a camera better than my phone with me.  And something always turns up.