Leaf…Suspended

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Suspended Leaf 2

Suspended Leaf 1

Suspended Leaf 3

Yesterday, Jim and I went for a nice cool hike in Clifton Gorge. It’s the only spot in this area where you can feel as though you are trekking through the mountains. Of course, the allusion is due to hiking down into the gorge.

We walked along the river, skirting boulders and a fair bit of mud when we came across a leaf, floating on the breeze. It seemed to be suspended. As though it was hovering in mid air. We both took our time and shot frame after frame of the patient leaf. I think we could have continued to shoot for hours, such was the nature of the floating leaf.

Of course, being suspended on a gossamer thread might have had a lot to do with the entire set up. Still, you have to take the opportunity when it presents itself.

Have a great week, folks. I will leave your with a shot of Jim shooting the leaf.

Jim and Leaf

The Tracing

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

Carriage Hill Farm-2015--1037

Do you remember tracing pictures onto paper when you were a kid? I would take the original and lay a fresh sheet of paper over it and then run to the window. The brightly lit glass was the closest thing I had too a light box. Pencil in hand, I would outline the drawing until I had a near perfect copy. That’s when the crayons came into play. On the table, I would fill in the tracing with color until I was sure I had yet another masterpiece on my hands. That’s when my finished art work would go to the refrigerator to be held in place by a banana magnet…the sure sign of success.

Seeing Jen tracing a drawing using the very same method brought back a lot of wonderful memories for me. Thanks Jen.

Have a wonderful Sunday, folks!

Carriage Hill Farm-2015--1041-P

Accidental Images

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

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.

Imagined Conversation

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

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.

Reach

Posted on by Tim McMurdo

There are times when you should reach for the sky. Go for it. Pursue your dreams. Reach. Stretch. You can almost feel the moment when you accomplish everything you’ve been working towards. Then you realize you are a light pole and that you are anchored to the ground. Not only that, your bulbs are all burned out and you can’t even offer illumination to those that gather to watch your effort.

Other times, everything works out just fine. Mission accomplished. Piece of cake. What’s next? You just never know. So, reach and stretch. This just might be the time you succeed and make a difference. It could happen.