Cone flowers and butterflies

Yes, I  know it has been a long time.  Life has been a bit complicated, I guess.  I will go into more of that in the next few posts but for today, just some flowers and stuff.  I did not have the right lens on for butterflies but now that I know where they roam (and there were a ton of them!) I will try again.  But you get the idea.  It is after the 4th, so maybe more will come forth.  Watch this space!

Snow

Minneapolis is getting its first real snow today--this is a real storm, with double digit totals for most of the metro area.  As I think about it, this is the first major snow fall since I have been in the area--we have had snow, but nothing like this.

I went for a walk around my neighborhood to take these and I told a friend that I have taken these photos many times before--probably 20 times or more before.  Every big snowfall deserved at least a few feature photos and I often took them.  What I did discover today is that this isn't nearly as much fun when you are not getting paid for it or when you have to use your own vulnerable cameras.  I made it about six blocks and then asked myself, "Self, what are you doing?"  I am not the sharpest knife but I made it back to my drawer toot sweet.  According to real weather people, snow was falling at the rate of 2+ inches per hour.  I really thought that there was a lot of snow on the lens or something as these don't appear as sharp as they should.  They are sharp and in focus, but there was just lots of snow in front of the lens.

I am sure that since the snow will be around for a bit and it is "pretty" out, I will find a few more photos in the next few days.

More stuff...

In a rare get-together, a small group of Leader-Telegram veterans met up and had lunch.  I feel pretty lucky to be in the company of such photographers--between us, there is more than 100 years of photojournalism history and experience.  That is kind of fun and helps explain why lunch was three hours long.  I was lucky enough to say that I had my photo taken by David Joles, no small thing.  Brenda, our waitress, took the group shot.  Dan Reiland, the young looking guy, was curious about whether or not a lens was sharp and I guess that the milkweed pod confirms that the lens is indeed sharp.  Steve Kinderman, the other person pictured, mentored and guided us all--what a great boss to have for almost 20 years.

Travels and adventures...

You know, when I think of going on a trip, I think first, I think, of which cameras to take.  I know, that is a lot of thinking and other thoughts do cross my mind.  On a recent trip to England and Wales, I thought I would take lots of photos and take lots of photos on film.  That just didn't happen.  Most of the trip was in a car, and the roads in rural Wales (that is kind of redundent) are simply not conducive to pulling over and taking a photos.  I wanted and planned for my previous experience as a Country Today photographer, but what I ended up with were snapshots.

Snapshots are fine, I guess but these ended up to be pretty pictures without conveying any real sense of place.  That is fine--I was more looking for experiences than picture to put on a wall and experiences were certainly had.  Driving an SUV on very narrow curvy roads may have been an experience that shaved a few years off my life.  I think I said some very bad words on several occasions.  The weather was good, at least for October in the United Kingdom.  Company was great and no one was left at a rest area or sent to the Ruislips, to either East or West Ruislip.  The beer was as usual fantastic.  My camera monger in Portobello had a camera that I wanted and could afford, and accommodations were great, except for way too many stairs!  It was verdant (green, too!) and vibrant and the sheep and dogs were cute and photographically cooperative.  Without a doubt a very good trip.

The serious work of finding work with a steady paycheck continues and is ramping up.  I interviewed this week so I have at least a 12.5% chance of that turning out positively.  Those are decent odds, I hope.  It is easier to focus and settle down on task in part because of necessity but also because of the weather.  Single digits with a wind chill so it feels like December, but we still haven't had much measurable snow.  We will see what adventures the new season will bring.