The Desert Island

The scenario is a familiar one, and I’m nearly certain that you’ve been asked some permutation of this question before... You’re stranded on a desert island, what’s the one...  (fill in the blank)... that you want, need, must have?

Today’s "blank" is brought to you buy the word L-E-N-S. That’s right, what is your one must have, couldn’t shoot without, gotta save from sinking boat lens? My inspiration for this post began at fredmiranda.com. FM is a photo community that I frequent for its interesting discussions about gear, amazing landscape photography, and occasional humorous post. During the week there have been a number of discussions about trading gear or saving for an elusive optic... my favorite focal length...  a 300mm f2.8 lens.

Species Profile: Yucca brevifolia

When Mormon settlers crossed the Mojave in the mid-19th century they "saw" the hands of Joshua reaching towards the heavens... so goes the origin of this tree's colloquial name. 

Ice Out

It's never a guarantee of warm weather, but spring is officially here! 

Today's post is a gallery that celebrates another seasonal transition.

"Ice Out"

Image #1: Willow River Falls. Willow River State Park. Canon 5DmkII + 50mm f1.4 @ f16 w/ Fader Vari-ND

Image #2: The Flood. William Obrien State Park. Canon 7D + 300 f2.8IS

Image #3: Reflecting Spring. William Obrien State Park. Canon 7D + 300 f2.8IS

Image #4: Willow River Falls II. Willow River State Park. Canon 5DmkII + 50mm f1.4 @ f16 w/ Fader Vari-ND

Image #5: The Melt. Willow River State Park. Canon 5DmkII + 50mm f1.4 @ f16 w/ Fader Vari-ND

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Favorite Places: Bolsa Chica and the Back Bay

Tamy and I visited some familiar ground during our recent trip back to Southern California. Having graduated with degrees in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (EEB) from U.C. Irvine, we had spent many days surveying the coastal wetlands that stretch from Redondo to Laguna. Although most of the pristine estuaries that I recall have now collapsed under the weight of the development, fragments of the Southern California wetland ecosystem still remain. Two of our favorite locales are the Bolsa Chica Conservancy and the Back Bay. Situated about an hour south and west of Los Angeles, these tidal plains are oases for migrating shorebirds, ducks, and herons. 

Grasping with Hands

Binocular vision - Upright posture - Generalized skeleton - Facial mobility - Grasping hands  - Large brains

Sound familiar? 

Home Coming

On March 7th, two days prior to yet another predicted "snownado" (adj: sno-nado, a term used by the weather terrorists to inspire fear in the masses about upcoming snow events) Tamy and I boarded a plane for sunny California... the place we still call home. While Minnesota is where we live, work, and play we have been reticent to call it "home."  Although our visit to California was primarily relegated to family, we managed to steal a few days and immerse ourselves in the craft of photography. The moderate temps and coastal breezes were all that I needed to get the creative juices flowing. 

An Extension of the Mind and Eye

My cameras are an extension of my mind and eyes. They keep me engaged with the present and allow me to explore the hidden details of my life. Regardless of my path, I am forever seeking new ways to interpret the natural and human ecology of my landscape. To me, photography is so much more than an avocation. This passion for capturing milliseconds in time is my purpose. As an empiricist, I am the technician. I obsess about composition, exposure and point of focus. As an artist, I release myself from the confines dictated by the empiricist. I will purposefully defocus an image, blow-out highlights, and abandon the accepted rules of composition. 

Inspiration #7: The Finish Line

On Friday I challenged myself to make seven posts in seven days. While this might seem to be a trivial endeavor, it turned out to be more of a chore than I had anticipated. The "A-job" requires my full engagement. The preparation of lessons, development of labs, and endless piles of grading places a huge demand on my limited time at home. This out of office investment was coupled with long days of focused teaching, student interactions, and problem solving. I liken my job to a stand-up comic who performs a different act every hour and every day. No two performances can be the same, yet each must be polished as if it were rehearsed for weeks. The words fly out of my mouth as easily as I breathe, yet the effort to be fresh wears on the mind.

Inspiration #6: Choose to be Creative

After yesterday's effort to stimulate a discussion about the very nature of life and the mechanisms that preserve biodiversity, I am cognitively tapped out. Lacking the time or desire to be whimsical or whine, I am limiting myself to as few words as possible. 

Inspiration #5: Natural Selection

Life is a paradox. The multi-celled organism is a singularity, an entity unto itself. Yet, this "singularity" may be composed of one-hundred trillion cells, each of which is also a living entity unto itself. The body of this multicellular organism is a coop; a community of single cells each collaborating to enable the larger "ONE" an opportunity to thrive. Interestingly, the "ONE" is only a single individual among "MANY" that compose a larger population. Natural selection acts on the "ONE" and influences the evolution of the "MANY."