Saturday, April 07, 2001

I played tourist today, twice. Amazingly, I steered clear of cemeteries and went somewhere "normal" or what passes for normal, as one of my destinations is the capital of weirdness in my way of looking at things.

The weatherman broke his promises again, with last night's talk of partly cloudy extending a thick grey dome over the city, denying sunrise and its warmth, offering instead a cold haze to obscure distant points. I was up before the day started for the rest of the city, the weather and a Saturday morning slowing the pace of the town. I wanted to get over to the Inner Harbor area before it filled with tourists and get some pinhole shots of the Constellation. The soft edges from the weather and the pinhole should work well together, the rigging of a 19th century sailing ship contrasting with the modern skyline. Fingers are crossed for some of the shots but it'll be a start towards collecting some more images for Lane's DITL project.

Stop number two on the tourist trail was Washington, D.C. D.C. = Damn Crazy, as far as I'm concerned. It's amazing to me that two cities separated by such a short distance can be so totally different. I've heard it said that part of Baltimore's charm is the combination of Northern efficiency with Southern hospitality.

Washington manages to do exactly the opposite, starting with what appears to be a logically arranged gridwork of streets when seen on a map. In reality, this gridwork results in three streets intersecting at insane angles, with a confusing pattern of traffic lights that leaves you unsure of which of the red and green light show is actually directed at your traffic lane. D.C. drivers regard the lights as suggestions only, driving with an aggressive abandon and a level of courtesy that treats the slightest hestitation as a sign of weakness.

Why venture into this madhouse at all?

The Cherry Blossom Festival, a chance to enjoy the sight of the many trees surrounding the Jefferson Memorial and the Tidal Basin while they are briefly covered with delicate pink and white blossoms. The grey clouds and haze muted the colors but allowed them to blend into an unbroken pastel ring. A few steps along the path through these trees and all thoughts of traffic, the resulting frayed nerves, indeed, any of life's cares, melt away in a peaceful contemplation. The walkway was crowded, to be sure. It's a popular destination at this time of year. Yet, under a canopy of pink, looking across the still waters of the Tidal Basin to the far shore with its own soft pastel fringe, it was possible, for a moment or two, to be alone.

Its the only sane place in the whole town.
7:22 PM ::link::

Friday, April 06, 2001

Jacqueline has some new tombstone photography of her revisit to Graniteville, focusing on closeups of some of the wonderful old carvings in this graveyard. Jackie's husband did a nice job with the camera as well, though he had a better subject.
9:48 PM ::link::

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men [and women] to stand by and do nothing.
-- Edmund Burke

Some say that this country has become too dangerous to aid a stranger.

Haven't we learned the cost, not only to the victim of an assault but to our society, when we say, "I didn’t want to get involved"?

Patti, you did a very good thing.

8:12 PM ::link::

Intentionally develop slide film using the chemicals and process intended for negative film? What sounds like a horrible mistake can bring some interesting results as the colors and contrast shift dramatically. Cross processing is a way to play with alternative imagery without access to a darkroom or software.
3:26 PM ::link::

As long As We Both Shall Live, a photographic essay documenting long married couples in America. The site includes photographs and interviews with couples married for more than 40 years in an attempt to learn why they have chosen to remain together. The couples discuss the ways they have grown and changed over the years. One excerpt from the interviews stands out for me:

I don’t know whether I read it, or what, but it kind of has helped us through a lot of things, is that there are three words that save a marriage. And it’s not "I love you..."

...it’s "maybe you’re right."

3:00 PM ::link::

Thursday, April 05, 2001

Using a digital camera and 50 flash units to provide light from differing angles, a researcher at Hewlett-Packard has been able to recreate inscriptions on badly eroded clay tablets, providing a glimpse into the past. Not that far in concept from the taphophile trick of shining light across a faded tombstone to reveal the inscription, this technique has been able to reproduce details such as the fingerprints of the scribe that held the tablet.
1:37 PM ::link::

Wayne Schaumburg will be conducting his excellent walking tour of Green Mount Cemetery during the month of May. This is a must event for any Baltimore taphophiles or history buffs. I was fortunate enough to follow along on his excursion through Green Mount last October and had a great time. If you haven't been to Green Mount or want to learn more about the fascinating folks buried there, don't miss this chance. The tours fill up quickly, so make a reservation now.
10:35 AM ::link::

It used to be a guideline that you should never try to handhold a lens with a shutter speed less than the reciprocal of the focal length of the lens. You can throw that rule out the window with Nikon's new AF VR Zoom Nikkor 80-400mm lens. Sensors within the lens are used to distinguish jittery movements and a microprocessor controlled series of motors move the lens elements at the same frequency but in the opposite direction to deliver a stable image to the camera.

I'm not about to toss my tripod away and rush out to get one of these but I can see that it would be a valuable tool for someone doing a lot of sports or action photography.
8:51 AM ::link::

Wednesday, April 04, 2001

Taking a step backwards in photo technology, using the simplest type of lens, the pinhole, can yield some wonderful images and be a great deal of fun. An excellent place to start to learn more about using a pinhole is:

Once you've tried it and fallen in love with the paradox of a soft image with infinite depth of field, you'll be ready to join with pinheads around the world in the next Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day on April 29, 2001.
8:57 PM ::link::

Here we go again. The pros and cons of digital versus film is a debate that's not going to be settled anytime soon. It always seems to inspire interminable debate in any photography forum.

My thoughts on the subject are divided. I'd love the ease and convenience of a digital camera.Many of the latest models allow enough control of the exposure factors that creativity would not be limited. Indeed, it may be increased with the ability to have immediate feedback and to be able to take multiple exposures with no concern for costs of film and development. I've seen some spectacular digital photos on the web and for gathering images for online distribution and viewing, a digital camera would seem the logical choice.

If online distribution was my only goal, I'd switch to digital in a heartbeat. When it comes to print, both as a single image or for distribution in print media, I still see some shortcomings in the digital camera area. It's a simple matter of mathematics. The resolving power of a digital camera, at least an affordable one, is still far below that of film. It's more than adequate for display on a monitor but for larger reproduction at a resolution in the high quality print range, well, the information just isn't there.

So why should I care about that? The lady that got me hooked on cemeteries and helped to rekindle my love of photography has been batting an idea back and forth with me for a few months now. We've discussed doing a compilation of our photography and research on cemeteries in book form. We're both such terrible slackers, so easily overhelmed and distracted from a task, that it may never see the light of day. I'd like to keep my options open, just in case we ever get it together. So, until an affordable, high resolution digital camera is available, I'm sticking with film.

This opinion, like socks and underwear, is likely to change on a daily basis. ;-)
9:51 AM ::link::

The ideas behind one of this country's first "green burial" memorial preserves are discussed in this article which includes an interview with the founders of Memorial Ecosystems. This 32 acre preserve will be maintained as more of a parkland than a burial ground through low density burial and use of biodegradable coffins or shrouds. As much as I enjoy finding a beautifully carved headstone or well crafted statue, having one's remains returned to Nature as nourishment for a tree is a nice touch.
9:02 AM ::link::

The Atlanta, Georgia area will have a new veteran's cemetery, thanks to the generous gift of a World War II veteran and land developer. 35 miles north of Atlanta, the site will be able to hold 200,000 graves and is expected to open for new burials in 2003.
8:39 AM ::link::

Tuesday, April 03, 2001

What causes gray hair?
They can ask my wife. She's caused enough on my poor head that she should have a pretty good idea of what is involved in the process. ;-)
9:16 PM ::link::

The breeze is chilly enough to make you want a sweater and the sun is warm enough to make you glad there's a breeze. The buds on the trees are teasing me every day, promising fresh green growth and new life. Like Amanda (no permalink, see the 3-28-01 entry), I'm tired of the dead look the world has had all winter. I want warm sun, green grass and some strong summer light. I want a bright, high sun to cast deep shadows in old carved stones. I want that glow that comes when infrared captures living leaves and living skin. I want new... new growth, new techniques, new ideas, new images. I want Spring.
3:22 PM ::link::

Always great to see another cemetery photographer sharing some cool tombstones. Be careful, Erica, it's an addicting hobby. ;-)
9:18 AM ::link::

Lane's Day In The Life project is moving along, with her recent addition of a number of photographs showing common scenes in an uncommon way. I've been such a slacker on getting something together to participate in this project, just can't seem to stay out of cemeteries. I'll get something together soon, I promise. Lane's always looking for new participants, so if you have an idea for showing the everyday in an interesting way, join in the fun.
8:38 AM ::link::

Monday, April 02, 2001

Most folks are familiar with Graham Nash as part of Crosby, Stills and Nash but have no idea that he's also the force behind Nash Editions, a digital fine art printmaking studio.
3:23 PM ::link::

Photographytips.com has, what else?... tips to make you a master of the basics of the art and craft of using a camera. A new site, there is already a good deal of helpful and useful content on equipment, composition, technique and more. The site is easily navigated, logically laid out and easy on the eyes. Geared for the beginning amateur shutterbug, there are some tips here that will help improve anyone's image making.
2:39 PM ::link::

A disturbing but beautiful exhibit of Gunther Von Hagen's plastination process used to preserve human corpses and display them as works of art provokes consideration on several subjects.

Some see the exhibition as a sensationalist attempt to profit from man's fascination with the grotesque. Others see this quite unusual display of preserved and dissected corpses as a celebration and exploration of the magnificent machine, the human body. The poses, from a chess player with exposed brain to a runner with layers of muscle and tendon trailing behind, as if blown there by the wind of his passage, are quite unlike most educational exhibits of anatomy. They offer a view of the body and its inner workings that no other venue could provide.

Some object to the exhibit on the grounds that it shows disrespect for the dead. They find this use of remains dehumanizing and lacking in compassion.

I have to disagree. The exhibition uses donated corpses, for the most part from people that agreed to have their remains used in this manner. The exhibit can provide a view of the human body that can increase our wonder and appreciation of the fascinating ways in which our bodies work. In this artwork, the dead can be a part of a celebration of the beauty of life.
12:18 PM ::link::

Lot's of good fun yesterday, what with the "Fairvue Firda", Kaycee's KCats picture, which gullible me swallowed hook, line and sinker. That put me in a cynical and untrusting enough mood that Randy's efforts raised an eyebrow but no real concerns.

The thing that brought the biggest grin this weekend was not an April Fool prank.
It was real.
8:26 AM ::link::

Sunday, April 01, 2001

In addition to the "redesign of the day", I had some fun this morning, though I'm not sure it counts as an April Fool prank. Every morning, I wake to the not so gentle proddings of a dog nose in my ribs. It's about the only "trick" the dog knows, aside from a similar treatment when her internal clock says it's supper time.

I suppose I should be grateful that she wakes up in this fashion, rather than letting me find a pile or a puddle on the floor. Still, a nose in the ribs is no way to start your day.

Well, this morning for some reason, despite the change from Standard to Daylight Saving, I woke up before the dog. Guess who got a poke in the ribs. ;-)

9:49 AM ::link::

Just some April Foolishness, borrowing a mahvelous look from a mahvelous friend.
7:41 AM ::link::

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