Winter's Here! Winter's Here!

Something different.

Wasn't sure about this but you never know until you try.

Winter Really Needs To Be Only One Day!

Inspiration hit once again today. Only to be extinguished
by Old Man Winter! Where the heck is this "Global Warming"?
Oh well...I tried today but wasn't really pleased with the results.

It's just too damn cold outside!!!! I took about 10 different angles
of this church and by the time I got back to my car I had lost
feeling in my fingers. I hate winter!!!

Ummmmm....

This is not the kind of photo I usually take. A little creepy too.
But this scene was too much to pass by.
I guess trees have to dress warm for the winter too!

Another shot at sunset. I don't know why but I love the light.
Frankly, early morning just dosn't work for me. Not because of the light.
It's because it's early morning!

More Random Shots

It could be a vibrant color in a place you wouldn't expect it or just simple composition.
It could be a subtle contour of a car or richly textured landscape.
I don't know why they appeal to me but they do.
Why do I feel I have to capture these small pieces of the large puzzle we call our world?
I don't know. It has been a part of me since I can remember. It's the way I the express myself.
Am I any good? I believe I am. If others believe so, then that's a bonus. But you have to believe in yourself first.
Are there people that I think do this better than me? Absolutely! Without question! Those are the ones I admire and look up to. The ones to learn from but without sacrificing my vision.
It's a funny business of capturing images through a little box of lenses and mirrors and stuff I don't know the names of. But I love it. Enjoy.

Another Fun Day Out And About.

I Really Don't Know

This was one of those things that kinda makes you scratch your head and go,"What the heck."
This either took great skill or someone had way too much time on their hands.

Through My Grandfather's Lens.

I want to do something a little different here now. Not just show my photos but the photos of someone how meant alot to me. My Grandfather. These next five photos I've included here are all taken by my Grandfather many years ago. They date between 1938 to during WWII. All with his old Kodak Compur with leather bellows and all. I actually have this camera in my possesion and will cherrish it always. I actually have used it very recently after a small repair to the bellows. Not bad for a camera over 65 years old. The stories it tells continue.

After my Grandfather passed away a few years ago I came into his photo collection. Not photos but the actual 35mm negatives!!! Imagine a box 1ft deep and 2ft sqaure full of rolls of negatives.
Negative rolls wrapped painstakingly in fine tissue, some put back in their original screw top tin. Most with the dating on them. Some not. All complete uncut rolls. A photojournal of my families life starting in Latvia in the 1930's to some that are in the to mid late 1970's. I don't know if there are negatives from that point on. There should be but I don't know where they would be.

So I have, after some research, decided to start scanning them and will attempt a complete archieve of his efforts. I've done some quick scans to see how some would look and these are the results. This is a very difficult process. Not technically but emotionally. I'm reliving my families history through the eyes of my Grandfather.

We never talked about taking pictures but I knew he loved it. He new I liked it. But I don't think he knew how much he influenced me. I miss him dearly and wish we could sit down and talk of all the things we have learned. I most definately would have loved to see his reaction now as I take a picture and have it pop up on the back of my D70! I can see the look now. He would smirk, smile and shake his head. Then probably cautiously take it from my hands and go absolutely crazy! Thanks Grampa. Thanks for everything.
(From the picture you see below to my desktop some 65 years later,
this old Kodak has seen a lot. Even the same case!)

I love this photo. My grandfather is in the forground with his camera, goofing around with his friends. This is about 1939 I believe. Just the look on his face says it all. He's having fun doing whatever they are doing. Obviously he's on a photography outing with the boys.
Another reason I love this photo, is that you actually see him with "HIS" camera. I believe he might have just bought it and was out trying it out. This picture must have been taken by a friend that was using his old camera.(Or just had it on a tripod.) I'm learning a lot of things after the fact but some of the things we did with photograpy where very similar. It must have skipped a generation. My dad has no clue about cameras. Sorry Dad. :)

Another picture I love. This was taken during WW2 in Denmark.
Just after they left Latvia. Imagine leaving your home and packing all your possesions in a couple of steamer trunks while the world around you is being destroyed.
This was taken infront of a large home or hotel of some kind. They never actually lived in it. They lived in barracks just in behind it. All I know is that he has other pictures of the building while Red Cross trucks are making deliveries to it.
The photo consists of Left to Right: My Grandmother, my Great Grandfather, my uncle George, my Great Grandmother, my dad, and my Grandfather.
A neat technical note: This photo is actually cropped. On the negative my Grandfather actually scratched away the area around the scene you see above. I guess in future he was going to crop it down to what you see here. He never did. So I guess I just had to do it for him.

When I see pictures like this I always have to stop and stare.
Imagining what it was like back then. Trying to live the moment with the sujects.
This picture was taken in the late 1930's. The hardest part about this photo is that our family dosen't really know who have these people are. Obviously my Grandfather is taking the picture. My Grandmother is actually holding my dad in her arms. His brother is just below him to the left of the picture between the older couple. They are, I believe, my Grandfathers parents. But no one can say for sure. Sad.

My Grandfather always liked to take people pictures.
Whether it be candid or posed. Some liked it. Some didn't.
But I think my Grandmother liked it.

I absolutely love this photo of my Grandmother.
I just wish it was in focus. My Grandfather knew how to compose
a photo. Just love the lighting. This was taken about 1938-39

Fun with Photoshop.

Here was something I wanted to try. I had an old photo of my Great Grand Parents
that needed some touching up. So without knowing what to do I just started fiddling.
I think this took me about 2 hours to do. I remember years ago when I graduated from
design school that one of my instructors told me,"I was too technical and needed to express
myself more." "Do some drugs or something," he said. He never did like me very much. Even more so after my response. Oh well.
I just find this kind of stuff really fun. It's like turning back the clock. Undoing the effects time. Reliving or visiting a place in time we have never experienced. To see a photo like it was just taken. Being there for a moment in time when the subjects had no idea what was in store for the rest of their lives.

Ooooooo...Mr.Photo Guy Himself.

I kinda like this pic of myself.
Except the glaring hotspot on my forehead!
Funny how that seems to get bigger every year.
Nothing like setting up your camera and taking photos of yourself.
Hit the self timer, run, fall down, put your back out,
trip on the tripod, and only to realize you set the focus up wrong.
Start process all over again. Oh the hardships we endure.
Maybe one day I'll get paid for this!

DUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know why. I just had to post this picture.

Places Around Me And Yes...More Cars.

I couldn't resist. I over did this one but I wanted to see how far I could go. That building just bothered me. But not as much as that lawn chair does. I should have just kicked it out of the way. Kidding.