Pear play

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Thinking about the abundance of culinary delights we sampled over the last week led me to a photographic contemplation of the humble pear.  In many ways, so simple and beautiful, and yet a complicated fruit.  Add to that the concept of perspective, and I had my hands full with camera and instruction manual (yes, I do consult it frequently since I have not memorized it).   My inability to comprehend geometry made the process more than challenging.  All part of a photographer's education.

So here is a shot that although it was made from just slightly above the jar and pear, is definitely listing.

In the next shot, I placed the camera on the table surface and made the photograph from the same level as the honey and pear.

The next two shots involve perspective, which I indicated earlier is much clearer now.  My husband, an architect and weaver, did a series of sketches that helped me understand what was happening between the level of the camera and the relative position of the pears.

Pear in a box.  Almost got it.

Thanks to Andrea for inadvertently supplying material for the photograph - her magical A's Bees honey!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

Brush strokes

One of the elements I love in oil paintings other than the subject matter and the use of color is the brush stroke.  Last week, nature painted our windows with a frost featuring some of the most interesting strokes I have seen.  At first glance, as in the image below, it seems that the frost was composed of connected dots.

But closer examination shows that the dots were actually feathers.

And this is where it really gets good.  These are the original brush strokes - details from middle of the first photograph.  What a painting!

By double clicking on the photographs, you can see even more  detail.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

I

Ab work

Despite the fact that in 1998, I had a photography exhibit at El Gancho Fitness, Swim, and Racquet Club in Santa Fe entitled Strong People: A Face of New Mexico exhibit, this week's blog shows no abs.  The images below, however, required better abdominal muscles than I have, and sent me back to the floor for more crunches.  Some of the most interesting details in nature frequently requires me, as a photographer, to be on the ground, either on my stomach or back.

For the photograph below, I was on my back but had to lift my head, neck, and upper back roughly sixty degrees off the ground, which made my mid-section quiver like mad.  That does not help when one is trying to keep a camera steady!  My apologies, but not being a mycologist, I won't label this lovely.

This shot was made on my stomach, which is considerably easier.

Lichen and moss on trees are complicated and make equally complex studies.

While exploring our world, I do my best to take in the whole picture - at eye level, above me, and below me - and then look for the details.  It doesn't always work, but my eyes are always busy.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

tango lag

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez proclaimed 29 October through 5 November as New Mexico Tango Week.  Activities included live performances by the tango orchestra Q Tango and dancers at the Kimo Theatre in Albuquerque, as well as the Albuquerque Tango Festival held this weekend.  Having participated in the festival - taking eight classes and dancing in five milongas (tango dances) - I am feeling very happy and content this morning, but a bit tango lagged!  It was such a wonderful weekend that I had to, once again, share some tango photographs with you.

Details of tango stylings by Carrie Field and Mike Malixi, who were part of the For the Love of Tango presentation at the Kimo Theatre in Albuquerque.

It would not be New Mexico without tango on a pickup!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image