The extended farm family was enjoying the threshermen’s meal under the giant catawba tree when the sky’s opened up. The solution was obvious and near. The big side porch fit everyone with room to spare.
Enjoy your Saturday, folks.
Portals
The transition from one space to another is a tricky one. You want to draw people out the old space and want them to enter the new space. But, how do you want them to experience the transition from one area to another? Do you want it to be a smooth subtle transition, as though you are leading them from one spot on a path to another? Do you want them to be jolted into a new reality? lure them from darkness to light? From grey to color?
Portals are tricky and you have to understand your purpose while placing yourself in the mind of the visitor. Good portals work. Others don’t. This one worked rather well.
Have a great day folks. I hope your Sunday becomes a pleasant transition to the rest of the week.
Utilitarian Art
Art can take any form. Paintings and sculpture, we all know as art. Music and theater are also art. How about Urinals?
Can urinals be art? It’s obvious the designer of this urinal sure thinks that something as base as a urinal most certainly can be art. I know that I certainly hitched my pants up a little higher after using this one.
Art Is Not Free!
I am always amazed by the number of free art museums in Ohio. I am also awed by the massive building wrapping murals that pepper downtown Cincinnati. Arts festivals abound with lots of free music and booths filled with art. It is all free for the viewing. But, we all know that somebody has to pay for it. Time, materials, space…they all cost money. The artist is trying to make a living. The people putting up the tent and the lighting or the power all need to be paid. Museums still need to pay employees and their utilities. It’s never free.
Sometimes the museum is endowed or sponsored by a large corporation or other benefactor. Sometimes the city foots the bill for a festival. My point is that everyone is getting paid, even if it doesn’t come out of your pocket.
So, why am I regularly approached by websites for the right to use my images for free? My time, my years of experience, and my expensive equipment all have value. Why are you not willing to pay for them? “We will give you free exposure.” That is a load of crap. Your free exposure is free because it is worthless. I don’t know you from Adam. So, don’t expect to get the fruits of my investment in time, energy, and hard work for free.
And while I am on the subject. Make that suggested donation when you visit a free museum. Work to have your community support the Arts because your life will be all the more rich. It is an investment in the quality and value of your life and your community.
Friends and family? You still get free photos from me. Because you support me in many ways that provide me with the encouragement and motivation to keep shooting. And, I really like you guys.
Tim
CAC and Daniel Arsham
The Contemporary Arts Center, located in Downtown Cincinnati, is a gem. I have always been aware of the center, but I had never visited until today. As is the usual case, I could kick myself for not going sooner.
Jim and I decided that far too much time has passed since our last outing and Cinci just beckoned us with it’s restaurants and museums. The first Stop was Bakersfield, a little tacos, tequila, and whiskey joint in the OTR area. We filled up and got fueled up for the rest of the day. Next stop – CAC.
The CAC building is a piece of art in its own right, but we will save that for another time. The CAC does not have a permanent collection, but spreads temporary exhibits over 6 floors. We took the elevator to the top and worked our way down. One entire floor was dedicated to an exhibit of the work of Daniel Arsham. The sculptor had several pieces of freestanding human figures and 3 dimensional pieces mounted on the walls. Long story short and the exhibit was amazing.
Here are some highlights:
And of course, there has to be a photo of Jim taking photos. It is a rule of our outings. 1 Food. 2 Art or History. 3. Photo of Jim Taking a Photo. Sorry Jim, it’s tradition.
Oh, and don’t forget a photo of other people enjoying the artwork. Can’t forget that one either.
Accidental Images
There are times when you take all of your years of experience and your equipment, and you put them to work creating a stunning image. You work hard, walking around the subject, trying different angles, and different light conditions. Finally, you take the perfect image and…well, it’s really not that interesting, the focus is off just a hair and you wish you had widened the depth of field a bit.
There are other times when you are fiddling around in the dark, trying to set your camera, struggling with the low light, and your gear’s poor ISO performance. You take a test shot and move on, not giving the image a second thought…and that one accidental shot, fired off almost thoughtlessly is the one that you come back to and think, “not bad for pure dumb luck”.
Maybe spontaneity has it’s place.
One of Jen
How many portraits have you seen of Debbie sitting at that same chair? Sewing, quilting, talking, or laughing? Well, here is one of Jen. Like Debbie, Jen can sew, talk, and laugh. I am not so sure about quilting. I’ve never seen her do it, so the question remains unanswered. I am guessing that she can.
Well, Jen? Can you quilt? The fine folks reading this blog want to know.
In the Wind
There are days when I like a good challenge in a photograph. I like to look at a photo and try to figure out what the photographer was thinking and what they are trying to say to me with their work. If you are one of those viewers, then you are going to be disappointed today. I am not trying to say anything to you and you won’t find this image challenging at all.
It’s simply soothing in it’s simplicity. It is pretty and maybe nostalgic. Maybe simple images are a kind of pabulum. I am too tired and have too big of a migraine today to wrestle with those kinds of issues. So please, just sit and enjoy the image for what it was intended. Simple pleasure. Look at it and let your thoughts become lost in the wind.
Imagined Conversation
It is, I suppose, my nature to imagine conversations between people that I can see, but can’t hear. And so…
Miss Susan: I want the musicians over here, near the hay. I also want the benches around the walls. You will also need to move the corn grinder out behind the barn.
Mr. Carr: Yes’m.
Miss Susan: And Mr. Carr, I hold you personally responsible to see that the fiddle player has no liquor tonight. I will not have him dancing a jig in his union suit as we did last month.
Mr. Carr: Yes’m!
Miss Susan: Not a single drop, Mr. Carr. If I smell any liquor on that man, you won’t see a single pie the rest of the summer.
Mr. Carr: But…
Miss Susan: Not a drop!
Mr. Carr: Yes’m.
The Farrier
The horses on the farm are massive Percheron draft horses. I am dwarfed by them and to be honest, I am a little nervous when I am standing right next to them. Not enough to run screaming in terror, but just enough to keep a healthy eye on them and to make sure they know I am there.
Explaining my own nervousness is to give you some understanding of why I am incredibly impressed by the farrier. He is out to the farm on a regular basis, ensuring that the horses are well shod and have healthy feet. He’s really not that much bigger than me, but he rules those massive horses. They obey him without question. Maybe it’s the routine or maybe his own skill with them is part of the reason they do what he wants. Either way, to see him in action is impressive.
To keep the horses still and to support their massive feet, they are led into a frame. The farrier works one hoof at a time and gives the horse plenty of time to rest in between. I enjoyed the entire afternoon of watching him in action. I’ve included some extra photos below so that you can see a little more of the farrier in action. And, as a bonus, you can see his dog AJ…and our farmer, Jim.
tim mcmurdo 