Category: Life

What’s Up with Retro?

Gear, Interesting Stuff, Life, Photography

I watched a piece recently in which a 20-something YouTuber extoled the virtues of a fixed lens, limited function camera that has been sold out since its release – the Fuji X100VI. His message was a simple one – it makes photography fun again. He is a professional photographer and it seems none of his other higher end Canon mirrorless cameras were fun any longer.

I saw something similar in my recent short career working in a camera store – young people in their teens or twenties with old film cameras they had found in the attic or purchased at a thrift store. They wanted to buy film and/or get a quick lesson on how to use them. In those cases, they often did not know anything about photography, but wanted to learn using these cameras, not something more advanced. When asked about the appeal of these devices to them, the answer was – I’m told they are fun.

I have only one question for both – why?

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How Perfect is Perfect?

Artistic Ideas, Life, Photography

One odd thing I’ve run into in both daytime and astrophotography is the hunt for the perfect image. The number of photographers who mention it, speak about their quest for it, show their edits for it and either feel rewarded or insulted if others don’t share their views has always puzzled me.

The definition of perfect of course takes many forms. Here are a few examples.

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My Next Trip

Life, Photography, travel

Over the past few months, I’ve had a number of experiences that have shaped how I will be approaching travel in the future.

Seniors are definitely great travelers. It’s what the retirement brochures say you will be doing with your time once you retire – visiting family far away, visiting places you have never seen before, having adventures with like-minded souls and meeting new friends. All hyped up to help you comfortably transition from filling your days with work to filling your days with ???

But I’ve never been a big traveler. There are a number of reasons for that, but mostly because I’m a solo traveler – no regular companion. A number of reasons for that too, but I digress. I was determined to add more travel to my retirement plans and have only modestly achieved that goal. Some trips have been with family, some have been with friends, some have been with groups having a common interest and some have been on my own. I’ve enjoyed some more than others but have learned something from each one.

In the past few months, I’ve looked into 5 separate trips, each one offering something different. Two are now booked, another will likely be booked by the new year, one is complete and the other, well, didn’t happen. Here’s what I’ve learned about me and my travel interests at this stage of my life.

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Family Moments

Life, Photography

Early spring for my family is filled with birthdays, including mine. This year, the eldest sibling in our family reached 70 years of age. Who would have thought that day would come! Seems we were all just in our twenties, let loose on the world to make a difference.

My brother turned 70 and we gathered the extended family at a restaurant to celebrate. Mid-way, my sister suggested, and my niece’s husband took, a group portrait of all us old ones (I was going to use another word…) and that resulting image has now been shared with everyone through multiple printed copies. (Not shared here for privacy reasons.)

I realized as I printed the photos that we don’t have many family moments like these in pictures. A sad reality of growing up in a household where food and clothing were the priorities and a camera was a luxury we could not afford. But you don’t get a second chance at these. So I have a few thoughts on this subject.

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Discovering Young Talent

Life, My Community, Photography

It’s a sad reality for each generation that we tend to gravitate either to the familiar – people we know – or to the contemporary – people who are like us. That means same generation, maybe the same values, maybe the same challenges, maybe the same likes and dislikes.

It’s certainly somewhat true for me and something I have to work hard to avoid as I get older. Even in this age of endless social media, I now tend to seek and follow people who are closer in age to me than to the grandbabies in the family. It’s not because they share the same likes and dislikes, but more because they share the same challenges of age, mobility and have somewhat similar general life experiences as me (didn’t grow up in the Internet age).

I think it’s important to recognize these trends in us and maybe from time to time to step away from them. Here’s a couple ways I’ve done that.

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Not a Tribute – Just Sad

Life

A few days ago, word of the death of Alyn Wallace began to circulate on social media channels. Alyn was an accomplished landscape photographer and nightscape photographer, primarily known for his stunning captures of the night sky against iconic natural and man-made backdrops.

I believe he was in his early thirties. Cause of death has not been disclosed as of this post. All indications to that point were not indications at all – postings on his website about future projects and upcoming plans.

Alyn was the author of what is fast becoming the manual for this type of photography. Photographing the Night Sky is a masterpiece of image and word, and shares easy-to-follow guidance on these types of image captures. It was published in 2022, and is its own fitting tribute to his legacy.

I didn’t follow his work closely, but admired it. His artistic eye was evident in all of it, giving even more strength to the stunning compositions he captured in the middle of the night. He worked alone, typically out of sight of the majority of humanity as we slept while he worked. He must have enjoyed the magnitude of the sky, the solitude of late night captures and the peace of both.

I just wanted to thank him for his work and to say he will be remembered. Days like this seem to come too often. Thank you Alyn for sharing your days with us.

One-Handed Photography

Landscapes, Life, Nature, Photography

I’m still recovering from major surgery this past September. But I’m mobile enough now to get out of the house for some photography, so I decided I would go out to a local area known as the migration pathway for Sandhill Cranes. These are large birds, similar to other species of cranes, with huge wingspans and beautiful graceful flightlines. Many photographers in our area “flock” to the farmers’ fields where these birds stop on their journey, to fuel up on the remnants of corn fields.

Sandhill Cranes on the Wing

I had one particular challenge this year in getting out to photograph them. They are notoriously shy and make it a point to stay as far away from the roadways as possible. My challenge: because of my surgery, I am still walking with a cane, so trekking around the countryside to get the best vantage point for photographing these birds would be no easy task. Here’s how I did it.

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Not in the Mood

Artistic Ideas, Life, Photography

This is a bit of a hypothetical discussion, as I am at home, recovering from surgery. All is well and I will be back on my feet in no time, but for now, I have to imagine what it would be like to live this topic that I am writing about. What is the topic? How our mood can affect our photography. Duh!

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One Door Closes…Again!

Career, Learning, Life, My Community, Photography

Back in 2014, I made the decision to retire from full-time work. I was proud at the time that I was able to make a career in jobs I never really loved but that were enough to fund my other interests, such as photography.

In 2021, I decided a little more work was ok, for the first time in a field of interest, and accepted a part-time job at Henry’s, one of Canada’s leading camera and video retailers. This week, that too has come to an end, making room to move forward into new personal challenges.

The job at Henry’s was not just another job. It filled a gap that was years in the making. And it came at a time when the Covid pandemic had stripped away all of my regular face to face human contact. I needed it more than it needed me. So why am I leaving?

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Farm Life

Life, My Community, Photography

I had the pleasure, and it was a pleasure, of visiting a working farm a few days ago. Bragg Farms, in Clarington, Ontario, is home to cornfields, sunflower fields, soy fields, potato fields, many free range chickens and, wait for it, tourists, along with a website and an online store.

I had the chance to spend time talking with one of the owners and it was an eye opening experience. Farm life certainly isn’t what it used to be when I was a kid.

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