The Fisherman, Rockaway Beach, Pacifica, CA

This photo is a repost but for some reason this is what today inspired me to post. I should definitely try to spend more time photographing people, this would be a nice challenge.

I took this photo while I was waiting for the sun to set over the ocean. It's not what I had set out to accomplish but I am very pleased with the result.

One of my favorite bait ball symphony images gets 1150px treatment ! I love this one since it conveys sense of speed and hunting drama really well. When photographing dolphins in bait balls you rely on sound as much as on visuals - before charging pod exchanges series of low frequency sounds to coordinate attack ^_^

Olifant....as they say in South Africa

I was cleaning up some old image folders and came across a slew of images I shot at a watering hole in Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa. I was just starting out then and was not savvy enough to know that I should be shooting RAW and was using some pretty basic DSLR gear. In any case, I though I'd try to rescue a few images.....

The Shape of Light.
Infrared Long Exposure.
An architectural shootout in Rotterdam with +Kees Smans and all the way from Italy IR expert +Luca Cesari - If you want to know more on IR photography check the IR tutorial on my website www.bwvision.com written by Luca. Part 2 of the IR tutorial will follow soon.

Technical info:
Hoya R72 Infrared filter
f/5.6
ISO250
19 mm
270s (4m30sec) exposure
Software:
Lightroom 3.0
PS CS5 - Silver Efex Pro 2
#BWFineArtLE
#PlusPhotoExtract
#FineArtPls

Raven
Note to self: make more square formats - they are great.

#SquareSunday curated by +Matt Suess
#PlusPhotoExtract curated by +Jarek Klimek

#BirdPoker American Avocet Reflection Farmington Bay, Utah #Avocet

#BirdPoker Food curated by +Phil Armishaw

I think he has a lot more fish to catch in order to be satisfied....

The Shining Mountain

Now that we are more than half way through December and the winter solstice is mere days away I thought I’d share my favorite image from last winter. By Northwest standards it was frigid that morning--- hovering at 2 degrees above zero when I left my car. Luckily there was light winds and the snowshoe in warmed me nicely. It felt great to be alone in the dark in such a cold environment. The rising sun was a welcome sight, as were the blowing snow plumes flaring off of Mount Hood.

#PlusPhotoExtract

Here's a classic waterfall from the gorge this last springtime. I just wanted it in my portfolio here. Thanks for looking!

So the way I figure it, I'm at the halfway point with my next book "Moments in the Monochrome Garden" based on how many images I have in my 5 albums here and the related but more crowded and overgrown folder on my computer. Speaking from personal experience, that means I'm not even close. For me, this process is so hard and find myself second-guessing myself constantly. What makes an image book worthy? Wall worthy? What makes an image more than pretty? Or am I over thinking it and should I just get it done and hope for the best? I say this because I have also started on a book of portraits and the accompanying stories based on several G+ friends suggestions. That process is even more laborious. Funny how my life providing opinions and counsel in the marketing/advertising world is one of total decisiveness and action; (creating new worldviews and movements where there is a need) while here I am the worst possible client I can imagine. In fact, if I had myself as a client, right now I'd resign the business. That's a very sobering thought.
Is this insecurity over my "art" a common malady? Is this just part of the creative process? Hell, it's just a couple of friggin' photos, right? Or is there far more to it? In this shared passion and craft of ours, where is the line between the art and the artist?
I keep repeating to myself:
It's just a couple of friggin' photos?
It's just a couple of friggin' photos?
It's just a couple of friggin' photos?

And yet, I'm having the damnedest time convincing myself. (Sigh)

ready for harvesting
golden morning to Universe !

Low tide at Jan Juc

Literally two minutes of blissful peace - captured fifty-three minutes after the sun had gone down on an otherwise hectic day. Nice to get away from it all for a while...

My contribution to #MoodyMonday curated by +Philip Daly, and perhaps a candidate for #PlusPhotoExtract