If you’re reading this, let me offer my congratulations to you for having made it through another holiday season. It really is no small feat. I remember the anticipation I had as Christmas Day got closer and closer. But, I have to admit that I no longer feel that same sense of excitement. Rather, as the season becomes more and more commercialized with each passing year, I find myself becoming more and more jaded and indifferent toward it. When Christmas songs start getting played and Christmas decorations start getting put up before we’ve even gotten to Halloween. . .well, I find that to be too much. I don’t know about anyone else, but, by the time Christmas actually gets here, I’m tired of it and ready for it to be over.
We had a lot of cloudy days this month and a fair amount of rain, which we have certainly needed. In fact, we got enough rain over the last couple of days that the pond in our backyard, which had virtually dried up, is back to about half full. The gloomy days made it start looking like Winter was here, but the mild temperatures felt more like early Spring. But, that is expected to change in the next couple of days with our daytime temperatures not getting out of the 40s and several nights getting down to freezing or lower. And, within the next three to four weeks, if not sooner, we will have to be worried about the possibility of snow and ice and the challenges they present. Then, Spring will be right around the corner. So goes the weather in Arkansas.
IN THE FIELD
My wife, my dog, and I started the month with a quiet, relaxing week-long trip to St. George Island, a small barrier island just south and east of Apalachicola, Florida. The weather was nice and varied with sunny days, a couple of cloudy afternoons, and just a bit of rain. The mornings were surprisingly cool, but once we got in the sun, it warmed up pretty quickly.
Although I didn’t have any intention of really using it, I took my camera gear, “just in case.” I also brought along my little Canon 9GX Mark II point-and-shoot, which was pretty much the only camera I used. It’s pretty noisy even at low ISOs, and I don’t have nearly the options I have with my main camera, but I can stick it in my pocket and get it out for those quick snaps. It proved to be quite handy for photographing these scenes.
I only had one photography-centric trip this month: a return to the Buffalo National River in north central Arkansas. Looking at the weather forecast the previous night, I was expecting some clouds and cool temperatures. When I arrived at about 7:15 the next morning, the sky was more overcast than I had expected, but the temperatures were rather warm, at least according to my phone. But, when I got out of my truck and felt the blowing wind, well, it certainly felt pretty cold. And, the cloudy, gloomy sky only accentuated that feeling.
The lighting wasn’t great because of the heavy clouds, so I wasn’t sure if I would come away with any photographs that I liked. But, as I walked along the river bank, I noticed the ripples of the water as it flowed along the rocky bottom. Setting up my gear, I was able to capture several abstract images, such as this one, of the water as it flowed above the rocks.
Rippling water, Buffalo National River, Arkansas
I also made a quick stop at the Collier Homestead, where I photographed this old out building along a pathway. With the gloomy skies and most of the leaves fallen, it certainly looks like winter to me. It also reminded me of something the late Bob Ross might have painted.
Old Shed on Collier Homestead, Buffalo National River, Arkansas
I spent nearly three hours in and around the river that day. While I didn’t come back with a lot of pictures that were “portfolio-worthy,” I still had an enjoyable time, and that’s what really matters.
“NEW” PIECE OF GEAR
A few months ago, I purchased a “new” piece of gear: The ViewCatcher by The Color Wheel Company. It’s just a simple viewing frame made of plastic with an opening cut out of the center. The center opening is adjustable to simulate a couple of different aspect ratios (1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 14:11, 10:8). I had seen Ben Horne discuss it on his YouTube channel (“An Essential Composition Tool”), and, for about $12 on Amazon, I thought why not give it a try.
Well, I can say I’ve been pretty pleased with it. It has really helped me find nice compositions without having to pull out my camera. Yes, I could just pull out my camera. But, once the camera comes out, I feel almost compelled to press that shutter button only to be disappointed later on when I find that the effort I took to get the image didn’t result in as strong of a photograph as I had thought it would be. Using the frame eliminates this problem for me. I simply pull it out of my pocket and size up the potential composition. If I like what I see, then I set up the camera and photograph it; otherwise, I just move on with no time or energy wasted on a weak picture. Here’s a link to it if it’s something you might be interested in: https://amzn.to/3AGaCzb
CHECK IT OUT
“The Unbelievable Slowness of Thinking” by Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American
An interview of Ansel Adams conducted one year before his death: “Ansel Adams BBC Master Photographers (1983)”
FINAL UPDATE ON MY 2024 GOALS
In January, I set three goals for myself for 2024. The first goal was to go out more often and focus on photography by getting out at least 25 times and at least once each month. Well, my December trip to the Buffalo National River was my 25th trip of the year, and I was able to make at least one trip every month. Goal: Accomplished
My second goal was to make at least one-third of my images at times other than early morning. For this, I considered “times other than early morning” as being two or more hours after sunrise. In the end, only about one out of five photographs met my requirement, so I technically didn’t meet my objective. However, the point was to get myself out at times other than sunrise, and I think that was achieved, at least to some degree. Goal: Partially Accomplished
My final goal was to create more artistic images that reflected not just technical competence but also creative imagination. But, as I discussed in my September recap, I don’t know if this was a realistic goal to set to begin with because there are no objective criteria to assess artfulness; it’s just my own judgement, and I am notoriously critical of myself. I also believe this goal, while admirable, is ultimately about the results, not the process, and I don’t think focusing on results helps achieve my objective. So, I decided to eliminate this goal from my list.
That’s my December recap. I hope you enjoyed it, and I’ll see you back here soon.