One of the significant challenges about living away from home is keeping yourself occupied. It is amazing how many things you do at home that aren't part of your life when you step far away. Either they aren't needed when you're gone, or if they are important someone else takes them on (thank you Dana for picking up so much in my absence!!).
So when you relocated, suddenly you have time available, and different people handle that in different ways. Some folks I know here watch TV all the time - maybe that's also what they did at home for fun - but I get the feeling they aren't very satisfied with it.
Other people pick up hobbies - there are many offerings here, but most of them require driving or significant investment, neither of which are available to me. Some of us expand on a skill we already have and work to improve. Fortunately for me, I like photography.
I'm kind of an odd mix, really. I love machinery and gadgets and figuring out how things work. I'm good with tools and wood, and love building things. I'm very effective as a technical writer to analyze and determine the precise steps required to complete a task or procedure. But I have a creative side that isn't satisfied with this work.
Before I came here I was advised not to bring a good camera, because the dust and desert would eat it up, and "there's nothing here to take pictures of anyway." Sadly, I believed this and just brought a simple camera that I've rarely used since figuring out it simply couldn't provide what I wanted to produce. So through effective perusing of the camp "For Sale" site I've pretty much recreated the camera kit I have at home. Fortunately no damage has occurred from the environment, and I have found no lack of terrific subjects to photograph!
There are four of us in my work group who are interested in photography and we have started a monthly contest, with a randomly drawn subject each time. We each have a month to come up with our four top images of the subject. In July, as Dana and I were planning on a European cruise, the subject of "water" was chosen for the next contest!
Sadly, nobody here gets me. I took and submitted images that I was confident clearly expressed "water," based on my understanding that the theme meant the subject was to be water! I didn't win. Sometimes I guess I'm just too clever for my own good, but clearly my "all water" images were too vague for the judges who didn't share my vision. The winning top three images are lovely, I don't intend to demean my co-workers, whose beautiful images of buildings, etc, with water as an element, CLEARLY CHEATED!! WATER. JUST WATER YOU GUYS!!! OK, sorry, I'm better now. <sniff>
So here are my four entries, with a little description of what I was going for, although my lovely, wonderful, brilliant, perceptive, beautiful (I'm sure!) readers will doubtless see my purpose straightaway! You folks are fantastic!! :)
OK, you gotta get this one. Pretty obvious here, eh? Sun reflection on WATER. This was my most popular shot in the voting.
This one stumped people. One of the judges noted that the WATER was great - texture, color, motions - but that the water stopped and then there were just clouds. <sigh> OK class, all together, what are clouds made of? What's that?? I couldn't hear you . . . Yes, that's right - WATER!!
They liked this one. Again, if you slap them hard enough they get it. This one has obvious WATER! Plus, it has texture, depth, and motion. One judge complained that if I was going to show something like this why didn't I show larger waves? <hand on forehead> Right, I guess I should've prayed harder for rougher seas and higher wind!
I am very proud of this one. I know you guys will see it right off, but nobody here understood. There's WATER everywhere - lake, clouds, snow, ice, blue glacier ice, and - although you can't tell it at this resolution - waterfalls coming off the glacier. Amazingly artistic and visionary, eh?
Well, those are my four contest entries, and I'm certain at least three of these should have been in the top three. All kidding aside, we had a great group of images in this month's contest! Next month, though, I'll keep it simple and OBVIOUS when shooting the next topic: landscapes.
BONUS IMAGE: I didn't submit this one, even though it was one of my faves. I will title this "In Flight," and whichever brilliant, intelligent, delightful reader figures it out first will get a personalized congratulatory email from the artist!! :)
Best to all - more soon!! Mark
#North Atlantic #cruise #water photo
So when you relocated, suddenly you have time available, and different people handle that in different ways. Some folks I know here watch TV all the time - maybe that's also what they did at home for fun - but I get the feeling they aren't very satisfied with it.
Other people pick up hobbies - there are many offerings here, but most of them require driving or significant investment, neither of which are available to me. Some of us expand on a skill we already have and work to improve. Fortunately for me, I like photography.
I'm kind of an odd mix, really. I love machinery and gadgets and figuring out how things work. I'm good with tools and wood, and love building things. I'm very effective as a technical writer to analyze and determine the precise steps required to complete a task or procedure. But I have a creative side that isn't satisfied with this work.
Before I came here I was advised not to bring a good camera, because the dust and desert would eat it up, and "there's nothing here to take pictures of anyway." Sadly, I believed this and just brought a simple camera that I've rarely used since figuring out it simply couldn't provide what I wanted to produce. So through effective perusing of the camp "For Sale" site I've pretty much recreated the camera kit I have at home. Fortunately no damage has occurred from the environment, and I have found no lack of terrific subjects to photograph!
There are four of us in my work group who are interested in photography and we have started a monthly contest, with a randomly drawn subject each time. We each have a month to come up with our four top images of the subject. In July, as Dana and I were planning on a European cruise, the subject of "water" was chosen for the next contest!
Sadly, nobody here gets me. I took and submitted images that I was confident clearly expressed "water," based on my understanding that the theme meant the subject was to be water! I didn't win. Sometimes I guess I'm just too clever for my own good, but clearly my "all water" images were too vague for the judges who didn't share my vision. The winning top three images are lovely, I don't intend to demean my co-workers, whose beautiful images of buildings, etc, with water as an element, CLEARLY CHEATED!! WATER. JUST WATER YOU GUYS!!! OK, sorry, I'm better now. <sniff>
So here are my four entries, with a little description of what I was going for, although my lovely, wonderful, brilliant, perceptive, beautiful (I'm sure!) readers will doubtless see my purpose straightaway! You folks are fantastic!! :)
OK, you gotta get this one. Pretty obvious here, eh? Sun reflection on WATER. This was my most popular shot in the voting.
This one stumped people. One of the judges noted that the WATER was great - texture, color, motions - but that the water stopped and then there were just clouds. <sigh> OK class, all together, what are clouds made of? What's that?? I couldn't hear you . . . Yes, that's right - WATER!!
They liked this one. Again, if you slap them hard enough they get it. This one has obvious WATER! Plus, it has texture, depth, and motion. One judge complained that if I was going to show something like this why didn't I show larger waves? <hand on forehead> Right, I guess I should've prayed harder for rougher seas and higher wind!
I am very proud of this one. I know you guys will see it right off, but nobody here understood. There's WATER everywhere - lake, clouds, snow, ice, blue glacier ice, and - although you can't tell it at this resolution - waterfalls coming off the glacier. Amazingly artistic and visionary, eh?
Well, those are my four contest entries, and I'm certain at least three of these should have been in the top three. All kidding aside, we had a great group of images in this month's contest! Next month, though, I'll keep it simple and OBVIOUS when shooting the next topic: landscapes.
BONUS IMAGE: I didn't submit this one, even though it was one of my faves. I will title this "In Flight," and whichever brilliant, intelligent, delightful reader figures it out first will get a personalized congratulatory email from the artist!! :)
Best to all - more soon!! Mark
#North Atlantic #cruise #water photo
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