All of Coconino National Forest is closed to all non-authorized users due to excessive fire danger and the half dozen fires already burning which required me to call on last week’s challenge—create in my own backyard—as I endeavored to complete this week’s photo assignment; Front/back/side/soft lighting my subject. “You can’t take a bad photo in Grand Canyon”, I hear from passengers on guided rafting trips. The truth is a great many bad photos are taken in Grand Canyon all the time! And it all comes down to light, the undisputed bedrock of all great photography. Understanding the interplay of light and subject will help all of us create more compelling, polished and intentional images.  Back to the catmint with my Nikon D800E and Nikor 70-200 f4. The feasting bees, late afternoon sun and a few passing clouds provided an excellent laboratory to experiment with the effects of different qualities of light. 

Front Lighting: Sun—> me—> bee

What do your notice first? Visually? Emotionally? High contrast and hard shadow lines create a visual   intensity that communicates to my brain to be on high alert. The direct light on the bee casts a glare and washes out its orange color so that it almost seems lost in the fray. An aerial chase between a hungry bird and a panicked bee might be a more appropriate subject for front lighting. I find this image to agitate my mood. 

Back Lighting: Sun—> bee—> me

Again, what do you see and feel? The light shining through the flowers and foliage creates softer shadow lines that temper the contrast and invite my mind to rest within the frame. The bee’s translucent abdomen is aglow with the light shining through it to my lens. The bee’s luminance emerges as the simple and peaceful subject of the photo. The composition and the quality of light are in greater harmony here than in the front lit scene. I find this image to uplift my mood.

Side Lighting: Sun—> bee and me

Wow! This image really pops! Putting the sun to the side of me and my subject seems to have given the scene a brilliant balance of high contrast and the color saturation to match it. Notice the glare AND rich orange of the bee. The shadow lines are crisp but not chaotic. I find this image to excite and entice my mood. 

Soft Lighting: Sun—> cloud—> bee and me

Finally, soft light refers to a broader more gradual transition from shadow to light along the shadow line. Contrast is very low, colors are very rich, the eye is encouraged to move smoothly from one detail to the next because it is not being asked to make rough leaps from light to dark. I believe soft light to work best for expansive landscapes because the bee (the subject) might blend in too much with its surroundings if this photo were converted to black and white . This image subdues my mood and leaves me wanting something a little more. 

Let’s return to the Grand Canyon for one more moment and think of some of the most exceptional and awe-inspiring images from that place. Now recall some of the more ho-hum shots. What is the quality of the light in the scene? There is no right or wrong answer. Just an inquiry I think we should all contemplate each time we head out into the field with dreams of creating images for the ages.

Thanks to recent rains the forests around Flagstaff are open again for recreating. I head up the mountain to scout for my upcoming Flagstaff fall photography retreat and to play with aperture among the aspens. The day is warm and mostly sunny. The canopy of tall pines and aspens sways in the breeze but on the forest floor I can feel only the occasional wisp. I walk a few yards off trail, lay my head on a rock, close my eyes and listen. Breathe. Feel. Some time passes before I am fully arrived in the space and ready to begin seeing.  

We first learn that aperture controls our depth of focus which, while true, is only one facet of its function. Last week I played around with the myriad moods that the positions of sun, subject and lens create relative to each other. Turns out aperture can be just as moody. Many of us are taught to focus on our subject and select an aperture that will keep in focus what we want, and keep out of focus what we don’t. The stand of aspens I selected presented a hitch in that old get-up. There isn’t really one obvious subject to speak of at least in terms of stationary object. 

Cue the angels singing and the golden rays of pure enlightenment… Maybe not quite so dramatic but this seemingly mundane self-assignment illuminated an altogether unexpected light bulb in my brain. Subject need not be an object. Subject can be movement, a current that catches your eye and draws you into, through and around the frame back to the beginning like a lazy river. In contrast to the satisfaction of a definitive and pin sharp subject is the subtle joy of a soft eye free to wander and ponder. Both approaches can lead to exceptional images yet wildly different emotional responses in the viewer. And it is this exact quality that is at the very heart of all intentioned image making. 

Let’s look at the three images in order as they relate to this new idea of subject and emotional response. The first image was captured at f-2.8 with the focal sensor on the furthest right tree which is also the closest in the scene. My eye naturally moves left (deeper into the scene) as things get softer and eventually all the way left (shallower in the scene) as things get sharper again. My eye is drawn back to the beginning, to the sharpest, nearest furthest right tree and around I go again.  There is no subject, just movement. No beginning or end. Just space. An openness to interpretation. 

The second image was also captured at f-2.8 but the focal sensor was placed on the most central tree which is also the furthest in the most prominent collection of trunks. My eye feels less free to move about the frame. It tries but is almost immediately drawn back to the sharper tree since everything around it only gets softer. The motion is one directional; straight into the frame. The feeling I get is contemplative as I am asked to hone in and concentrate on one thing, be that in the scene or within myself. 

The third image was stopped down to f-11 to render much more of the scene in focus while maintaining optimal sharpness. (Side note: I also shot this scene at f-22 and the sharpness under the focal point was surprisingly diminished. I’ve always known that was a thing but never pixel-peeped quite like this. I would not recommend shooting at such a high f-stop if at all avoidable!) My personal sensibility finds very little about this image very interesting at all. There is just too much in acceptable focus for my brain to decipher a coherent story or definitive feeling. I have heard it said about jazz that it is all about the notes you don’t play and I think something similar is true here. This image may be more destined for a botany field guide than a living room wall. 

Thank you for investigating this topic with my images and me and good luck in the field with your own intentional image making!

Already? It’s 4:35 in the morning. What in the world do all of these birds outside my bedroom window possibly have to be chirping so exuberantly about at this hour? There is only the tiniest amount of perceptible daylight in the atmosphere. I attempt to talk myself into another half hour of sleep but the chirping is incessant and reminds me that one must make hay while the sun is shining. Or, as in my case, make images before the sun is directly shining. 

So I roll myself out of bed earlier than I have in any retrievable memory. I still have time to make coffee before the soft pastels of predawn are pierced by rigid shadow lines. Foiled! There is no cream in the refrigerator and the store doesn’t open until 6. I assigned myself this photography challenge and now I’m going to have to get out there and do it with no coffee. 

I trudge back into my room for my equipment, drag my feet outside and plop down next to the catmint. It must have been in peak bloom last week because about half of the once lavender-colored blossoms have shriveled to a delightful deep indigo. Just beyond the clusters of flower stalks is the stack of juniper fire wood providing a harmonious contrast to the catmint melody. My Nikor 70-200 at 70mm and f5 allowed hypodermic sharpness of select flower stalks and a dreamy softness in everything else.

Moving along I am drawn to some blooming dogbane along the blue-painted back wall. I have been struggling with the autofocus on the same lens so I switch the Nikon D800E to live view, frame the scene at 180mm, wait for the gentle morning breeze to still, manually focus in on the nearest cluster of flowers and capture the image at f6.3. These “weeds” that my housemate uprooted later that day will be remembered in an image that is compelling yet calming and complex yet peaceful. 6am has come and gone without my awareness.

I am still being lured through my backyard, now, to a tall tuft of ornamental grass. Again I use my 70-200 and live view at 120mm and f4 to move almost everything out of focus and transform the very character of the grass; from sharp blades to soft rays of blue-green that seem to glow before the pale yellow of the house’s painted exterior block wall. The grocery store has been open for over a half hour at this point yet I have all but forgotten about my errand. I am aflutter with creativity rather than caffeine.

The past year has given us all many reasons to keep it local. Covid 19 closed our borders and climate-related wild fires continue to remind us of our enormous footprint. I chose to challenge myself to create in my own back yard to illustrate that we need not travel far to remote and exotic locations. The euphoria of flow and the creation of beautiful images are experiences available to you almost anywhere you find yourself; with or without that cup of coffee. 

Reflecting on why I love to photograph and share my images I came up with what are essentially selfish reasons; expression and validation of self. These are not inherently unwholesome motivations. They are uniquely and beautifully human. They are, however, limited. I want my photography to do more! Don't you? Then, let's make that happen!

25% of each and every purchase of a digital file from my website will be donated to one of the environmental advocacy groups highlighted below. That's $25 per purchase! You can tell me which organization you like best, leave it up to me or tell me about a group you think is doing great things to protect our environment. Drop me a comment or message me so I can make sure your donation makes it into the right hands.

Please purchase and share share share! We need wild beautiful places as well as healthy sustainable communities and they need us!  

**All statements are copied from the links provided.

National Resource Defense Council 

https://www.nrdc.org/about#mission

"We combine the power of more than three million members and online activists with the expertise of some 600 scientists, lawyers, and policy advocates across the globe to ensure the rights of all people to the air, the water, and the wild."

The Conservation Fund

https://www.conservationfund.org/about-us

"At the Fund, we make conservation work for  America.  By creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are redefining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all 50 states to protect over 8 million acres of land since 1985."

Sierra Club

https://www.sierraclub.org/explore-issues
 

"The health of our environment shapes the health of our communities. For over 125 years, Sierra Club members have worked to protect the earth’s vital resources, natural beauty, wild creatures, and scenic landscapes." "We’re protecting more than trees. The most vulnerable among us are the first to feel the impacts of the environmental crisis. And we’ll settle for nothing less than a healthy world for all."

The Nature Conservancy

https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/

"The planet is at a crossroads. The actions we take together right now are important to protecting the natural world we rely on today—and for setting us on the path to a more hopeful, sustainable future. The Nature Conservancy is taking on the planet’s biggest, most important challenges by focusing on priorities that science shows are the most urgent and where our innovation and expertise can be game changers."

Environmental Defense Fund

https://www.edf.org/our-mission-and-values

"We work to solve the most critical environmental problems facing the planet. This has drawn us to areas that span the biosphere: climate, oceans, ecosystems and health. Since these topics are intertwined, our solutions take a multidisciplinary approach. We work in concert with other organizations — as well as with business, government and communities — and avoid duplicating work already being done effectively by others."

National Parks Conservation Association

https://www.npca.org

"We're protecting and enhancing America's National Park System for present and future generations."

Green For All

https://www.greenforall.org/about_us

"Our goal is to make sure people of color and working families have a place and a voice in the climate movement. That our neighborhoods are strong, resilient, and healthy. That as the clean energy economy grows, it brings jobs and opportunity to our communities."

League of Conservation Voters

https://www.lcv.org/mission/

"The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) works to turn environmental values into national, state and local priorities. LCV, as part of the Conservation Voter Movement along our state LCV partners, advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions, and elects pro-environment candidates who will champion our priority issues."

World Resources Institute

https://www.wri.org/about/mission-goals

"WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations."

The Trust For Public Land

https://www.tpl.org/about#sm.0001bxnds7zx0eg6ur61dyuo9ubrf

"Our mission is to create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Every park, playground, and public space we create is an open invitation to explore, wonder, discover, and play. We're proud to say that we've been connecting communities to the outdoors—and to each other—since 1972. Today, millions of Americans live within a 10-minute walk of a park or natural area we helped create, and countless more visit every year."

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

https://www.nfwf.org/whoweare/Pages/home.aspx

"Since our creation by Congress in 1984, NFWF has grown to become the nation's largest private conservation grant-maker. We work with both the public and private sectors to protect and restore our nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats."

Earth Justice

https://earthjustice.org/about

"As the nation’s largest nonprofit environmental law organization, we leverage our expertise and commitment to fight for justice and advance the promise of a healthy world for all. We represent every one of our clients free of charge."

The Wilderness Society

https://www.wilderness.org/our-mission-timeline

"Our mission is to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places."

Center for International Environmental Law

https://www.ciel.org/about-us/our-mission/

"Since 1989, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) has used the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. CIEL seeks a world where the law reflects the interconnection between humans and the environment, respects the limits of the planet, protects the dignity and equality of each person, and encourages all of earth’s inhabitants to live in balance with each other."

Greenpeace

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/about/

"Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future."

Clean Water Action

https://www.cleanwateraction.org/about/who-we-are

"To protect our environment, health, economic well-being and community quality of life. Clean Water Action organizes strong grassroots groups and coalitions, and campaigns to elect environmental candidates and to solve environmental and community problems."

Union of Concerned Scientists

https://www.ucsusa.org/about-us

"The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with people across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future."

Friends of the Earth

https://foe.org/about-us/

"Together we speak truth to power and expose those who endanger the health of people and the planet for corporate profit. We organize to build long-term political power and campaign to change the rules of our economic and political systems that create injustice and destroy nature."

River Network

https://www.rivernetwork.org/about-us/mission-vision-values/

"River Network empowers and unites people and communities to protect and restore rivers and other waters that sustain all life. We envision a future with clean and ample water for people and nature, where local caretakers are well-equipped, effective and courageous champions for our rivers. We believe that everyone should have access to affordable, clean water and healthy rivers."

Defenders of Wildlife

https://defenders.org/mission-and-vision

"Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities."

Center for Biological Diversity

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/about/

"At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature — to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters and climate that species need to survive. We want those who come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive."

Environmental and Energy Study Institute

https://www.eesi.org/about/goals-strategies

"EESI's overall objective is that the United States lead the world in mitigating and adapting to climate change by transitioning to a low carbon economy based on energy efficiency and renewable energy."

Society of Environmental Journalists

https://www.sej.org/about-sej/vision-and-mission

"The mission of the Society of Environmental Journalists is to strengthen the quality, reach and viability of journalism across all media to advance public understanding of environmental issues."

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to my second attempt at blogging. The sound of the word itself is analogous to how I feel about the whole idea which might explain why I never got it off the ground the first time. Thinking about what to blog about is a bit like slogging through a knee-deep bog of cluttered ideas that clog my stream of creativity. Eeek! So let's pause for a moment. This is a photography blog. One creative expression of another. No pressure...

Maybe a good place to start is with a question; what allows profound creativity to sprout? The answer is as simple as it is difficult; presence. 

Try this with me. (Pro tip: Read steps 2 through 4 before you do step one)

1. Close your eyes.

2. Take a deep, slow inhale in through your nose and exhale slowly and completely though your mouth. Do this again with a keen awareness of your body and the sensations of deep breathing. 

3. Begin to notice what else you can sense of your surroundings without looking. Smells, sounds, hair tickling your nose. Don't adjust, merely sense. 

4. Allow your mind to tumble, like a clothes dryer in slow motion, with what compels, inspires and energizes you. Simply allow thoughts to come and go with each inhale and exhale. 

What came up for you? Sitting at my computer with the blinds closed to keep out the late April afternoon desert sun, the fan on a medium speed to move the air without that jarring squeak many ceiling fans develop, having worked on this new website all day to the detriment of my more scholastic studies, and nearly exhausting my mental energy for one day, I am reminded with each full breath why I have chosen to engage in photography and writing. Let me see if I can put this simply...

This planet is AMAZING! The diversity of life, color and form we cannot be sure exists anywhere else combined with the fact that my body and consciousness are all a part of it compels me to celebrate! Think about the way folks dance at a wedding. We may never know where those sweet moves come from. We only know that their purpose is unbounded celebration and sharing the good vibes that are flourishing in the heart of the person attempting to drop into the splits for the first time in 20 years. When I communicate the majesty, mystery, beauty, sorrow, turbulence or serenity of a particular moment in space and time through a photograph, I feel as though I am expressing my most genuine and ecstatic self. This is how I know I am connected. This is how I know that as within, so without. This is how I know that we must see ourselves in all forms of life and matter and treat the planet and the world accordingly. This is the invitation of my photography; See parts of yourself in the image and see parts of the image in yourself. 

Whew! We made it through the first blog post! Stay tuned as Anthony and I embark on 6 months of van-life to destinations such Ten Sleep, Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier, Banff, Squamish, Bellingham, Portland, Bend, Phillip, and Red River Gorge!!! Not to mention the thousands of miles in between!