looking, seeing, and that little black box.

The Online Photographer had a post a few days ago -- about photography, about cameras, about seeing the world. I really recommend it. You can find it here.

quote:
"When they look at your work, nobody cares what brand camera you used, and you don’t get any credit one way or the other (i.e., positive or negative) for the name on the box you happen to choose. What you want from a camera is for it to be "good enough.” Beyond that, I’m here to tell you that the next incremental improvement in your work is not going to come from buying a slightly better box."

I really dig this -- the idea that art and creativity have less to do with the tools used, and more to do with the ability of the artist to convey a feeling or a mood, or simply reflect the scene. This applies to oils, to watercolor, to charcoal, to pastels. But mostly it should apply to photography, especially digital photography... when the next big thing is just around the corner, and it can run around a thousand dollars, but probably more.

TOP goes on to say:
"Photography is all about looking: looking at the world, and looking at pictures. It’s not about cameras. Well, it is, but it only begins with the camera. It doesn’t end there. Shooting skills, visual sensitivity, craft and technique have more to do with how good your pictures will look than the brand name on the box."

Enough said. Of course, I have the new Canon 5D Mk II, so I suppose I shouldn't really be talking. Then again, the major difference in my camera upgrade is the size of the file and the size of the print. The quality's better, of course, but it's still up to me to create the image. To find the location, to work the scene, to determine point of view, and depth of field, and so on. The camera doesn't do any of that for me. I do.

Udvar Hazy

We went to the new Smithsonian Air & Space Museum last week -- the Udvar Hazy building, near Dulles, VA. This is my new favorite museum, not only because of all the shiny planes, but also the architecture. It's mostly shaped like a hanger (if you've seen Transformers 2, you'll know what I mean), and the detail work is interesting and varied throughout the building.

Here's my latest architectural 'find' at the Udvar Hazy Air & Space Museum:

Cleveland rocks!

I'm back in Maryland after a week-long visit to Cleveland.

I spent some time wandering around the city, seeing the changes over the past few years. The slow economy has hit Cleveland hard, but the housing crisis has been much worse. And the Flats have really changed since I lived in Cleveland.

I was able to do a little shooting during my time in Ohio -- from oddities in the Flats, to reverse camera macros, to long exposure night photography, to museums, I fit in a lot of experimentation in a short while.

I found this odd structure in the Flats, and still have no idea what it is, or why it's there. I do know, however, that security guards at Federal Courthouses are very touchy about where you park. I wasn't hauled in for interrogation, but I think they ran my license plates, and I was given a firm talking-to.

The window light streaming in from the security lights next-door was pretty eerie. A long-exposure brings out the quality of light.

I had fun experimenting with macro photography using a reversing ring. I did realize, however, that serious macro work will require a more intricate tripod head, and am considering something that will make minute adjustments. Until then, however, it is still amazing for abstracts:

And, of course, I came across some very interesting architectural detail. It just happened to be in the women's restroom of the Canton Museum of Art.

adventures in photography

I hadn't realized how long it had been since my last post... luckily, it's because I got busy with work, rather than true slackerdom. (slackerness? slackerocity?) When I barely have time to keep up with Twitter and Facebook, I know I'm busy.

I'm in Cleveland for the next week or so. Driving to Cleveland from Maryland is fairly simple: 70W, Penn tirnpike, Ohio Turnpike. With no deviations, it's less than a six hour drive, door to door.

Well, unless of course, you're me. I managed to drive North for not even an hour, meander around in Western Maryland for 6 hours, and then finish the drive to Ohio. The clouds were so incredible after the storms! I just had to stop and shoot. If you're a shutterbug, you'll understand.

Here's a favorite image from the trip:

Gettysburg, PA

It's surprising to me how close I live to the Gettysburg battlefields, and how infrequently I've visited. I've driven by a few times, yet haven't taken a proper tour. I hadn't even driven through until recently, when I had a few moments on the way to an appointment.

It was a very foggy and overcast day. The fields looked barren and empty, just waiting to be planted, to grow. I was able to make a few images while driving through. Here's my favorite:

down south

I was in Orlando last week, keeping a friend company while she attended a conference. I spent time on the coast, at the pool, and wandering around the city. I had a great time at the Botanical Gardens on a warm, sunny day.

minimalism

Although I did not do well keeping up with my POTD project, for a few days, I took part in the "Minimalism" pbase.net project for January.

Here's a few of my favs of a lamp in my office: