Ode to Tom

I have been meaning to take this photo for years. The locals will recognize it as Wisconsin Highway 35 (northbound), just outside the Red Wing Airport. This stretch of road is in rough shape and road crews have aggressively patched most of the cracks.

Who is Tom? Is this a cry for recognition? An epithet for a lost friend? Or maybe it was the last day of seasonal labor?

Ode to Tom.

The vernal equinox (+1 month)

Chasing Light: Capturing the Essence of the Vernal Equinox

This is my favorite time of year. The vernal equinox season (+/- 1 month) provides some of the most exciting light for a photographer. The early evenings, the long light, and the brilliant colors are amazing. The challenge for a photographer is to capture this essence, and almost all efforts fall flat. There is no substitute for the real deal.

The photos above were taken from the 'baldy' of Maiden Rock. This is the exposed rock at the bluff top that is very obvious when looking up from the ground. The leaf colors were at full peak, and my intention was to collect some seasonal stock photos. I went just before sunset (6:24pm on 10-16-2008) and started shooting. I wasn't really capturing anything inspired (above left) and soon lost all my light (note to self: bring a flashlight next time).

Then it dawned on me to try some long-exposure shots. The shot on the right was taken at 6:54pm, and in about 5 minutes it was too dark to focus. It took about 20 shots before I captured the effect I wanted. This shot was captured at 100 ISO, a 30-second exposure at f/7.1, and a -1 EV exposure. The light blur in the lake is The Port of Lake City paddlewheel boat on its way home.

I think I actually missed one of the best photo opportunities. As soon as I completely lost my light, I headed back to my truck about 1.5 miles away. It was pitch black, and I was using the silhouette of a tree as a homing beacon. When I finally got back to my truck, I noticed a full moon had risen, presenting an entirely different light, mood, and shadow. I didn't feel like falling off a cliff, so I summed it up to a learned lesson.

Red Wing Photography Club

This past February, the Red Wing Photography Club kicked off its first meeting. This grassroots organization is driven by a shared passion for photography. All skill levels are represented, and there are several sub-groups focused on wildlife, strobists, and special events.

It's fun to be involved with these lively enthusiasts. Several contests are underway, and several photography outings are in the works. Mary Ouret and Jeff Marcus provide the energy, and the growth of the group is impressive. One of the aspects I enjoy the most is how grounded the group is. There is no sense of elitism, and all of the support is positive.

Several local businesses have taken note of how popular the photography club is. These businesses are clever enough to understand that by providing a venue for the photos, they are ensuring foot traffic for themselves. Smart.

See for yourself. The main group meets once a month (3rd Monday of the month) at the St. James Hotel.

Red Wing Photography Club Exhibition of Photographs

Red Wing Photography Club Exhibition

On April 18th, 2009, at the Goodhue County History Center (1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN), the Red Wing Photography Club will present an Exhibition of Photographs.

Ardent readers will remember that this club was formed about this time last year. This is the first time the club has formally exhibited members’ photographs. Assuming there isn't a repeat of the Rolling Stones incident in Altamont, CA, it's likely this group will exhibit again.

The rules were pretty simple: no more than three pieces and nothing larger than 16"x20". And like most good photographers, the rules were almost immediately broken.

This exhibit is non-juried, non-themed, non-competitive, and not-for-sale. The objective is for members to share their favorite images, and for many members to exhibit for the first time.

A public reception will be held on April 18th at 2 pm at the History Center.

I did the poster layout, which is absolutely derivative of a WPA poster from the 1930s (read: rip-off).

You're welcome, and thank you.

April 1st victim

Wow. Hook, line, and sinker. You got me good. Might as well stuff me, mount me on the wall, put an apple in my mouth, and serve me at a picnic.

So, if a friend of yours told you that he was just awarded an NSF grant (despite not being qualified) to document glow-in-the-dark Antarctic rabbits from a 1980s Russian nuclear accident, would you believe him?

I did. But it was a very convincing set-up.

And then I noticed the calendar.

Blog from the Baghdad Bureau

Photojournalism Exhibit by Max Becherer

In September 2005, we hosted a photojournalism exhibit by Max Becherer. Max was an embedded photographer during the initial 'Shock and Awe' invasion of Iraq in 2003 and has traveled back and forth between Iraq and Afghanistan several times, often for months at a time. Max's exhibit presented various storylines depicting what life is like for Iraqis in the post-Saddam era. The objective was to offer an honest portrayal; it is what it is.

The exhibit was very moving, and I am proud to have Max as a friend. Max is a giant of a man with an uncanny eye for capturing the emotion within an image. His work includes some pretty horrific combat photography, requiring a special skill set to be both sensitive to the subject matter and still tell the story.

Max has shared some very emotional reflections on the past five years in Iraq. His piece was published in The New York Times on March 18, 2008. You can read it here. After that, visit his website at www.MaxBecherer.com.

To Max: Keep your head low and travel safely.