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Posts for Tag: color

"Long ago, it must be I have a photograph - Preserve your memories -They're all that's left you..." Simon & Garfunkel

Within the last several years, I’ve become interested in photographing empty seating (like chairs and benches) because there’s something about an empty seat that looks “off” to me. I know it’s not the seat being empty, per se, because a photo of a stadium with all, or even just a few seats empty doesn’t trigger anything special in me when I see it. Put an empty chair on the side of a hill, though, and that would do it. Somehow, chairs and benches seem more empty when there is only one of them surrounded by vast, or even somewhat vast, openness. Think of a bench in a farm field or a couch in a vast desert area.

So last year, I started taking photos of memorial benches in Bernheim Forest because most of them are usually not being used and they are surrounded (mostly) by beautiful scenery. Almost every bench at Bernheim has some sort of dedication plaque affixed to it describing a person or organization to whom the bench was dedicated. If I took a photo of a bench, I made it a habit to also read the dedication plaque. Near the end of Fall last year, I didn’t take a photo, but I sat in a bench to get a stone out of my hiking boot. I read the plaque when I got back up, and it was dedicated to a Steven W. Faulkenburg. I could put two and two together to realize he had been a soldier who died in battle about 1 month from his 46th birthday.

So I get up to leave, and there is another bench very close by, which is unusual because they are usually spaced far apart. Because of the close proximity, I read the dedication on that bench too. I immediately noticed that the last name, Faulkenburg, was a match with the first bench. This plaque, however, is in rough shape, so it’s more difficult to read. I can eventually make out that her name was April Dawn Faulkenburg (awesome first & middle name combination), and she had died just 3 years after her father at the age of 24.

When I got home, I did a little research to find out that Command Sergeant Major Faulkenburg was quite an individual, and there are many records of his service online. On the other hand, I could not find a single thing about his daughter, so I don’t know what could have led to such a short life. The only time I ever spotted her name was on a thank-you notice, posted among the sympathy notes under her dad’s obituary.

Now, whenever I return to Bernheim, I always look at those two benches a bit differently. Sitting beneath several Ginkgo trees that are unmatched for beauty for about 2 weeks during the Fall, they sit alone, facing each other. The symbolism is not lost on me.

I was too late last year to get the kind of photo I wanted to get of these benches, but I was monitoring the season this year in order to make a visit when the time was right. At first, I thought I might have been a few days too early, because there is still some green in the trees and they had not hit “peak gold” just yet, but the leaves don’t last long once they hit their maximum gold color, so there’s a risk of coming back on another day to a naked tree. After I looked at my photos, I think I like the touch of green in there even better because the mixture of color seems right. If I could paint (hint: I can’t even color between the lines), this would be a scene worth painting, which is why I attempted to give it a sort of painterly look.

The Ginkgo tree is thought to be the oldest, still living, species of tree on the planet at over 200 million years of age. Timeless age, meets timeless beauty and, for the Faulkenburg family & friends, timeless memories...

Louisville's Secret Outdoor Art Gallery...

In a world of moving pictures, I have always been more fascinated by still images. They seem to work on the brain in a different manner than moving images. If you read a lot of photography blogs, you will soon figure out that there are two photographic subjects that are despised by “serious” photographers. They are train tracks and cemeteries. “Too cliche,” the serious photo bloggers will tell you. Well, that may be, but what if you just want to capture beauty in whatever form you happen to find it? I’m sure I would enjoy photographing, not only trains (and their tracks) but planes and automobiles as well, but I just don’t have access to a large variety of different subjects in those genres.

Serious photographers will also say that you are wasting your time if you head out to make photos in the middle of the day, when the sun is harsh and contrasty. “Go out only during the ‘golden hours’ at dawn and dusk,” they will tell you. Well, there certainly is good light during those golden hours, but what if you only have access to a particular location or subject outside of the golden hours? What if your schedule doesn’t allow you to be choosy? Perhaps you could learn to deal with contrasty light and other impediments to satisfying photographs? It's worth a try.

I say photograph what you want, when you want, or when you can. Each press of the shutter button will teach you something about your camera, light, perspective, etc. and you will see things, both in your subjects and yourself, that you may not get the chance to see if you wait for the perfect time or place to start taking pictures and enjoying photography. I also like to think of myself as a conduit of images to people who, for whatever reason, can’t get out themselves, to see what I see. Whether it be deer in the local state park, or a particular work of art at the local outdoor art gallery known as Cave Hill Cemetery.

And, as much as I enjoy gathering photographs, I really enjoy getting a good look at them on the computer and editing them in a way that I find pleasing or even surprising. You’d be amazed at how much color one can find in what first appears to be a gray slab of granite! When you look intently at something, you will see more.

Back in the day there used to be a show called “CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt”. Each episode would end with some usually eclectic story of a location, person, phenomenon, etc. to leave you with something to think about after the news portion of the show. The video would start rolling with some calm footage accompanied by a voiceover by Charles Kuralt describing what you were about to see. It was usually something you wouldn't see anywhere else

In the spirit of that show long ago, some photos from Louisville’s secret outdoor art gallery, all gathered in the last week or so.. Happy Sunday morning!

A Cabin In The Woods..

Actually a lot bigger than a cabin, the Bernheim Forest Education Center sits nestled in the surrounding autumn color. Kinda makes me feel sorry for the people who don't get to live in Kentucky..

A Symphony Of Color

It's as if the statue by George Grey Barnard was conducting a symphony of color. Taken this morning, shortly after sunrise. The dreary gray sky helped with the saturation of the colors.

Painted Lady

Actually, this is probably a male Painted Lady. Tough break on the name, dude. This type of butterfly is a veritable cornucopia of butterfly colors.

Lorikeet

A Rainbow Lorikeet at the Louisville Zoo.

Best Buds

Nothing too special about this photo. I just liked the colors. Felt like I was looking through stained glass.

Fiery Plant

Just really liked the colors of this plant. Could be a tree or a bush, I don't know what it is. It has large, 3 to 4 inch, spike-like thorns on trunk that would run fully through your wrist if you fell on it. I believe now that this is what's known as a Honey Locust tree.

Kentucky Colors

Say what you will about the excessively hot weather this year but, in Kentucky, it seems to be agreeing with the butterfly population.

Looking Down

When walking through the woods, or life, remember to look down every once in a while. You might be surprised by what you see there.

The Color Of Spring

God is the experience of looking at a tree and saying, "Ah!"
-   Joseph Campbell