Over the past three years I normally start my day by saying three prayers before I place my feet on the floor. Then, I make a trip to the bathroom, get dressed and head to my chair for quiet time. After at least 20 minutes of contemplative prayer and meditation I then like to read some reflection before ending with prayer. When ready I will grab my backpack, place my camera around my neck and make my way to the bus stop. My destination is one of several coffee shops, either on campus or off campus. This is my morning routine. This was yesterday’s snow moon on my walk to the bus stop.
One of the first images I made with my first digital camera the Nikon D100
“Photography is not about cameras, gadgets and gizmos. Photography is about photographers. A camera didn’t make a great picture any more than a typewriter wrote a great novel.”Peter Adams
A few days ago Fujifilm announced the release of the pro Fujifilm X-T3 camera body and the new Fujifilm XF16-80mm f4.0 lens now in a kit. The lens is something I really want and will most likely buy in the future, but I really do not need the pro camera. However, in a very short time I was convincing myself I’d make better images with two new tools and my mind became totally occupied on working out a plan to justify the purchase of both. It took several hours of this mental masterbation before reality checked in and I knew that no lie could justify the purchase of both. Maybe I should post the above quote on my bathroom mirror to help me remember. Or, maybe I should sell my condo and buy the kit. Or, my car. I know, I’ll take out a second mortgage. Sell my oldest grandchild. Sigh!
One of the first images of the moon I made with my Nikon D100 and Nikon 80-400mm lens back in 2003
“Wisdom cannot be imparted. Wisdom that a wise man attempts to impart always sounds like foolishness to someone else … Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.” Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha
No, this post is not an attempt to impart what wisdom is because I agree with Hesse. It cain’t! However, if I can boldly say this, what wisdom I have found is from the knowledge I’ve gained from reading, study, learning from my mistakes, learning from those who have wisdom and made mistakes, my own inward spiritual journey and aware that what I think I think I know is not always so. Or, as Socrates says, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” Hopefully, many of us have a bit more wisdom than we did at the age of 20 or 40, that it’s a evolving process. There are those who think I have wisdom and those who think I’m foolish. Debating whether I have any wisdom or I’m just a fool is not the point of this post. The point is to share with you the desire I have to continue seeking wisdom, to live it, to do wonders through it!
“There was never a dawn, regardless how beautiful or promising, that did not grow into noontime. There was never a noon that did not fall into afternoon. There was never an afternoon that did not fade toward evening. There never was a day yet that did not get buried in the graveyard of the night.”
I watched the supermoon from my condo, having no real interest in shooting images of it. However, I changed my mind and took a half dozen shots. Since I no longer have a focal length greater than 55mm this is it. I like how it turned out, giving a view of what the human eye sees rather than the typical closeup. This tree is in my front yard so I framed the moon with it and allowed the street light to illuminate the tree.
Here is another pre-dawn image from the Arapaho Bend Nature Area. I arrived earlier than expected so I walked along a narrow path to the North end of the pond, where I took the image. I spotted something dark on the path that startled me as I walk along in the dark. I chuckled when I realized it was a pile of horse manure. Nothing to be frightened with. Within seconds I found a second smaller pile, only this time I did not see it. Yep, I stepped in it. The life of a photographer. 🙂
