Utah, deserts and water: A self-portrait

This following self-portrait was written during a workshop I was reviewing at the SLCC Community Writing Center. I was given the writing prompt: "Do you like thunderstorms? Why or why not?" Being a desert native, I found it an interesting prompt.

While writing it, I realized I was perhaps mimicking the style of Jill Ker Conway in her memoir The Road from Coorain. Jill was born and raised in Australia, so her connection to the land was formed out of a constant need for water. In the desolation and dryness, she saw the beauty and life in the desert.

I too see that in Utah, and being a native, I feel connected to the land; almost as if it is encoded in my DNA.
***

I am a creature of red sandstone and sage brush. Minuscule flecks of dirt, home to thousands of microcosms, flow through my veins. My heavens are supported by towering mountains, my Earth made firm by resilient roots.

Water is foreign. Water is new. Torrential down pours accompanied by flashes of white hot fire lash the eager womb below.

Rainstorms are raw. Life giving fury unleashed from above.

I love to dance in the savagery: flirting with the droplets kissing my face and caressing my bare arms. Their touch cools my skin but awakens a burning desire deep within my spinning core.

I am a creature born in fire, tempered in patient slumber, awaiting heavens gifts.
***

Photography Experiments

Time for another photographic installment:

This is one of the best shots I took I think. I did as you can see, use the color accent feature. I accented yellows, but didn't make the the accent a strict "yellow;" thus the yellow in the green was also highlighted.

Once I had it on the computer, I enhanced the colors a little and sharpened the focus. I honestly couldn't tell the difference when I did sharpen it, so perhaps the image was as "sharp" as it was going to get.

Why do I love this picture? Partly because of the (accidental) composition. The lone sunflower being attended to by the dutiful bee. This was taken up Emigration Canyon on a pullout where people could look at the spectacular view of the mountains (mountain shots coming soon). Nature eking out a life in such inhospitable environs.

I also love how the accented colors added...something...to the picture.

What do you think?

Photography Experiments

Many of the pictures that will follow come with great thanks to two very special people:

My friend Steve(n) who gave me the camera for my birthday. Without his generous gift I would be stuck taking film photos and you would be left waiting for me to get them developed.

Also, my friend and "husband" Andy. While we sat at the coffee shop one day he started playing with my camera out of boredom and in the process learned more about it than I ever would have. Without his experiments many of the pictures you will would not have happened.
***
Pepsi Blue, Pepsi Red
These two pictures were taken in my car playing with the Accent Color feature. And may I just say I love that feature! You can do some very amazing things with it.
















Identical shots, different colors accented. I did edit these: slight blurring of the edges and color enhancement, as well as touch-ups to remove dust specs and such.

I know they aren't the most "artistic" of shots, but I really like them. I like how the eye is automatically drawn to the color and (at least to me) feels almost forced to stay there because it is the only thing to really see.

Isn't that what Pepsi and Coke are really trying for anyway? To make their audience see them...everywhere?

Photographs coming soon!

Greetings all!

There will be new pictures coming soon! A friend gave me a sweet digital camera for my birthday and I've been experimenting with it. Have taken some really cool pictures, which I will be sharing with you...

...as soon as I figure out how the hell to get them from the camera, to my USB drive, to here.

Once I've got that part figured out, I'm good.

Photography Experiments

Another post about my attempts at black and white photography.

I learned something today: I finally got around to developing the 6 rolls of film I took while visiting my college and watching friends graduate.

When I looked at them on the computer however, I was upset to see that nearly every shot I had taken indoors was grainy. Not blurry, grainy.

I asked my nearly all knowing Uncle Arthur why, and he said it had something to do with the speed of film I bought. The faster the speed, the larger (or was it smaller?) the crystals in the film at that "melt" when hit by light.

If I bought a high speed film (which I did thinking it would be better), indoor shots would be grainy because the shot was exposed to less light. Huh.

But back to the picture above: I love architecture, and this is, I think, one of the most interesting buildings in Salt Lake. This is our public library. I took this shot wanting to capture the play of reflection on the glass. I think I did an okay job. I wish the background were less busy (what with the billboard and the umbrellas), but all in all, I am rather happy with this picture.

Comments?

2nd place winner!--submission online

If you are interested in reading my story, visit this website: http://www.slcc.edu/cwc/publications.asp#2008. Mine is the 2nd place non-fiction piece titled "Nothing Special."

Any comments you have about it are welcome, just post them here!

Photography Experiments

This is one of the first pictures that I took. I read a blog somewhere that mentioned when taking photos of people, to not have them centered.

Centered photos were like mug shots. So I played with taking this shot of my mom as we were out to breakfast off center.

I should have listened to my camera however. The flash popped up, but silly me thought it would wash out the photo.

The only thing that really worked I think, is the background. I wanted the foreground to be in focus and the background to be slightly out of focus.

Still, I wish I knew why the image was grainy though...