A Long Absence but Still Seeing On

Oh my.  It has been more than a year since I sat down and typed out a post.  Certainly there are the usual reasons - job got busy - two hour daily commute - family things - I'm getting older and really, really need to incorporate a bit of exercise into each day - I could go on and on...

But I also found myself feeling less excited about taking photographs.  I had learned all my camera settings, learned them well enough even to teach a couple of photography classes.  I could take okay pictures, but I had done enough shooting and editing to realize how much work goes into really fantastic images and I found I really didn't enjoy spending lots of time in Photoshop.

I've been continuing to participate on DPChallenge since it does keep my brain in the creative world, although my goal has transitioned from trying to create shiny, winning images more towards figuring out how to capture images that either evoke a bit of emotion or that tell a story.

This was my first real success.

I've learned that moody weather can make for interesting photographs, so I went out driving right after some rain one day.  The electrical towers and the surrounding farm land caught my eye - it my image that included the road, which I just took by happenstance, that was my favorite.  (I had other photos from the other side of the road closer up to the towers, photos I expected to be stronger, but this image really screamed RURAL SOUTH DAKOTA to me, and I found that exciting since I rarely get excited about the fact I do live somewhere so rural.)

Here was another I captured on my way home from work in the fog one day.

There haven't been many other successes yet.  Sometimes I still just go with something fun and a bit off the wall. (I took the image below for a challenge called "Portrait in Minimal".  I do not have a studio, I don't have easy access to kids or models, and the tiny city I live in isn't full of great street photography opportunities.  So I figured what was more minimal than an outline of a face.  True it wasn't a winner, but I still think it's an interesting image.)

So despite my absence here, my quest to 'See On' continues.  Just at a slower pace and with a bit more deliberation to the process.

See on,
Julee

Fall fog.

A fabulous fall storm rolled into the area last night.  The eastern side of the state is just being inundated with rain while the western part of the state is under a huge winter storm - crazy - it is only October 4th mother nature.

But I'm okay with rain.  Just keep those temps warm enough to melt ice for another month at least please!

There was a nice afternoon fog today as I drove home, so I drove onto some country roads to see if I could find any interesting photo with the fog.

 

Not too bad.  I started with my regular 70 - 300 mm telephoto lens, but as I transferred to my Lensbaby it started pouring.  I tried capturing a few shots from my car with my Lensbaby but I nothing turned out very pretty.  I am still struggling a bit with getting the focus right where I want it with all the bendy options, plus my camera isn't weatherproof so I don't walk out in full on rainstorms.  So my first shot of they day turned out to be the best.

But, the little bit of shooting still made me happy.

See on.
Julee