03-28-13 Energizer Candle Accents #3

I know the meaning and intent in this arrangement. But who cares what I think. How about sharing your interpretation?Canon 5dIII 1/25s f/3.2 ISO250 50mm

03-27-13 Alienation

I guess my title tells you what I was thinking when I staged this photo (#2 in a series of 3?). I know that most artists don't want to be quite so blatant in expressing their meaning. I suspect a proper title might have been "Energizer Candle Accents #2."Canon 5DIII 1/250s f/1.2 ISO640 50mm

03-26-13 Luminaire

I knew when I saw these "candles" (made by Energizer) at Target that I had to have them and that they could provide an interesting photo opportunity. Frankly, this shot isn't what I had envisioned when I was walking out of the store. But it's what I ended up with in an impromptu photo session last night.So what are we to make of this tableau? It could be that, to paraphrase Macbeth, it "[signifies] nothing." And it's no accident that I mention Macbeth, since in the speech where that phrase is borrowed, he also talks about a candle. Though his candle is "brief"; these Energizer candles are supposed to last 90 hours.Maybe its about loneliness, alienation and the meaninglessness of life. Yes, Macbeth talks about that too. ("[Life] is a tale told by an idiot signifying nothing.")And maybe I'm asking you to think too much. (At the end of the play, Macbeth probably thought too much; he should have put more thought in to his scheme to become king at the beginning of the play.)Maybe this photo tells the story of a photographer who should have been doing something more serious than playing with Energizer candles and his prized Canon 50mm f/1.2 lens.

03-25-13 Snowy Patterns

As much as I like green and as much as I get tired of the monotonous tones of winter, I do like rare cases when wet snow falls without much wind. And this photo is what we get when that happens. This photo is a bit of a jumble and seems almost abstract, but I guess that's what I like about it.And if you study this photo closely, you will find that I was paying attention to the rule of thirds. And maybe if you look closely again, you will find the hidden man in the tree???Canon 5DIII 1/1250s f/4.5 ISO320 200mm

03-21-13 My Space

They say that a neat workspace reflects a personality that is less than creative. Well, I don't know who "they" are and how "they" conclude such things. And my desk is not really this neat. Did I Photoshop it? I'm not saying.I will say that I spend at least 6 hours a day here (often 4 hours before I go to work). Do great things happen here? I don't think so. But good things sometimes do. One of the blue arrows points to my "Window on the Virtual World." That exists beyond the desktop, through a cable and out into the ether. That's where some of you exist, too. How does that make you feel?Finally, I would like to point out that the iPad, Macbook, iPhone, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and keyboard all have built in Bluetooth. The Pelikan fountain pen does not.

03-17-13 Late Summer

I suspect that there is nothing all that special about prairie grass, unless, of course, you live where there is no prairie. Or, like me, live where there is no living grass right now. And, as I know I've said, when I am feeling SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) kick in, I go looking for photos I took in better weather.This clump of grass lived on the bluffs overlooking the Little Bend of the Missouri River on Lake Oahe. In late July, 2012, I took close to 50 photos of this grass one morning, mainly because the wind was gusty and the grass wouldn't sit still. I imagine that taking photos of children might be like that. Though children offer considerably greater diversity, don't they?

03-15-13 Behind the Green Door?

Readers of a certain age and experience may recognize the allusion in today's post title. All I will say is that there was a film made in the 70s by the same title. The title is testament to the fact that I sometimes am at a total loss to find a creative title for my blog posts. The title is also testament to the occasional depth and breadth of my knowledge. :-)

03-14-13 Portugal!

The thing I remember about the day we spent on Tavira Beach on the south coast of Portugal, which is considered one of the best beaches in Portugal, is that it was cold and windy. By "cold" I think it must have been in the low 70s. Boy, do I long for the cool 70s!

03-13-13 Appetizer

I guess I'm taking you to Portugal for a few days. Deb and I visited in 2010. Frankly, Portugal has been one of my favorite European travel experiences. And the food helped. I am not a foodie but I still remember several of the meals we ate during our stay. Wonderful!

03-11-13 Footprints In the Snow

Big Foot? Sasquatch? The UPS Man? No. Just me.

03-09-13 Winter Weather

We console ourselves during snow storms like the one that hit today with the thought that "it will soon melt." The problem with that idea is that all of the other accumulation of snow hasn't yet melted. So when will all the snow be gone? Check back sometime in early April.Should I admit, by the way, that I took this photo with my iPhone as I drove south on Broadway? Probably not. So I won't.

03-08-13 Vox Populorum

This is the Minnesota state senate chamber. Though it isn't legible in this photo, there is text in the semi-circle above the Speaker's podium. In Latin it says, "Vox Populorum Est Vox Dei." Translated it means "The voice of the people is the voice of God." That's got to be encouraging for the senators who may think that when they pass legislation, they are speaking for God.As my loyal readers may remember, this isn't the first photo I've posted of the capitol building in St. Paul. But, unlike the others, it isn't HDR. The reason is that visitors only have access to this balcony when on a guided tour. And our tour only had a few minutes in this room.Also, unlike my other capitol building photos, which reveal an obsession with symmetry, there is little linear symmetry in this photo. But there is unity. When I stepped into this room, I was immediately struck by all of the circles that are present. To me, the circular shapes make this room much more friendly and inviting. Was that the architect's intent?Though I don't know the architect's intent, I do know that the circle has long been a symbol of unity, wholeness and even of femininity. (Back off, Freud!). And, in some circles (pardon the pun) the circle is a symbol of God. And in writing this sentence, today's post has made a complete circle (pun again?). God is mentioned in the first paragraph. And the last sentence ends with the word "God." Or should I say "Deus?"