returning (always) to the study of wabi sabi
wherein
the student perceives beauty
in the
ephemeral, transient, isolated, simple, subdued tranquil, natural, intimate, eternal, melancholic, asymmetrical, earthy, organic, rough, uneven, asperities, spacious, humble, sober, intangible yearning, impermanent, passage of time…
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Leica R8/DMR, 60 mm Macro Elmarit
overcast today,
gray, damp, cool, few flowers left,
leaves turning on trees
shamrock seems sad
[family Leguminosae, in particular the lesser yellow trefoil (Trifolium minus)]
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Leica R8/DMR, 100 mm apo macro elmarit
Traveling through the last few weeks with thoughts mostly of Ann and her upcoming birthday; which occurred on August 17th. It all began with a trip up the coast to Sheboygan, WI to introduce Jim Proue and David White. I’d thought it would be fun to have them sing and play at Ann’s little surprise family birthday celebration. They’d never played together yet hit the mark right from the get-go.
(click image for larger view – Slide show with more images from this get together)
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The night before the party we went to hear Tracy Chapman at the Pabst Theartre. Without doubt – the most incredible concert I’ve ever attended. Ms. Chapman (and her band) performed flawlessly; and actually “better than” the original studio recordings. (click image for larger view – Slide Show of a few “intermission” images)
Of course it took a few phone calls to invite the family; a bit tidying up, arranging for food and errands with Erin’s help; and then – the party sort of just happened. (click image for larger view – Slide show of additional party images)
The day after the party Ann did her annual Irish Fest. Below we see one of Ann’s customers — not showing off his hair cut — but rather performing a fine Irish kick. (click image for larger view – Slide show of additional Irish Fest images)
Then it was getting ready for a four day road trip to the beautiful Mississippi River hills and valleys in Northwestern Illinois, Eastern Iowa and Southwestern Wisconsin. (click image for larger view – Slide show of additional river trip images)
Photographer, Richard Avedon, said, “I think all art is about control – the encounter between control and the uncontrollable.” In my experience we have much less control than we often believe. Change and impermanence rule — that thought — that feeling — that observation — try and hold one of them for even a moment. Memory distorts and fades. We photograph. We write, draw, paint, sculpt — none of these expressions end up quite as we “thought, saw or observed.” We, and our thoughts, all fade away as flowers in the fall; leaving meager evidence of our former states of consciousness. Deeply meditating on this cosmic joke brings a peaceful smile to our busy-ness. Best enjoy the ravishing, uncontrollable beauty as it visits.
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Leica M8, 50 mm Summilux Asph
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Hostas. What more can one say?
Sonny Carter, over on the Leica User Group (LUG), began a tradition some many years ago. He decided that Fridays were for flowers. And he’s provided flower photographs to the list every Friday ever since. Over time other members have added to the LUG’s Friday flower bouquet. Ric Carter contributes steadily; as does Philippe Amard.
Only occasionally do I contribute. Always thought dandelions quite lovely — don’t even know if weeds count as flowers; often I can’t tell the difference between a weed and flower. Maybe this one should be on Wednesday weeds rather than Friday flowers. A minute ago Ric Carter informed me that Mr. Pollock in agriculture class back in Gates County High School said “A rose is a weed, if it’s in your peanut patch.”
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Last friday I also contemplated some flowers
with more views of these in a slide show here
“…the fact of putting four edges around a collection of information or facts transforms it. A photograph is not what was photographed, it’s something else.” — Garry Winogrand
My good friends at the Leica User Group have created a tradition called Friday flowers. I offer these in the spirit of that tradition. The blue flowers are a mere 5mm in diameter. Both of these were photographed with a 20 – 30 year old 65 Elmar lens on an M8.
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Last week I walked to the mail box and found five of these walking about in my front yard. This one seemed to be saying, “dude – like back off!”
Fall has arrived and new forms and colors delight the eyes.
Click this link to view additional images on these themes in a flash slide show
this morning on the porch
a tomato the moment
before biting into it
tasting
every bit as good as it looked
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“Fashion, flowers, nudes and portraits — they’re all the same: light, form, color. And mystery. And mystery is very important. When I started photographing flowers, I thought, ‘My God, where have I been?’ I’m totally addicted to this project. I’d never seen the mysteries of a flower. We walk by wonders every day and don’t see them. We only stop at what shouts the loudest.” — Barbara Bordnick
“You give a man color film, and sooner or later you will catch him out in the garden taking pictures of flowers. This seems inevitable. He just can’t resist. He’s got this colorful film, y’see, and he spies this colorful flower, and… well, not being a chimp, he does realize that there are enough flower pictures in the world already, and that the one he’s about to take isn’t going to be of any use to anybody. But he can’t help himself. It’s too great a temptation to resist. He succumbs to the weakness.” — Anonymous – from his 1/18/04 Sunday Morning Photographer article
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