Sartorial Philosophy
"Either way, you just have to be immoderate. Like, dress like a slut or a mogul, but don't dress like a mid-level regional sales manager, ever." - Jonathan Adler
Posts
Chasing a vision
The clouds looked promising this evening, so I headed to Signal Hill. It didn't turn out as I had hoped, and there were lots of people milling about, so I didn't get my image, but it was lovely to be out photographing. I need to get out more.
Still Trying
I have a vision in my mind's eye of the Signal Hill petroglyph underneath a pink and orange monsoon sunset. This evening looked promising, so I ran out there, a little bit late, but didn't get what I was hoping for. Still, it was a lovely evening. A beautiful rattlesnake was coiled up on the trail. I let him be and walked around him. As I was taking this picture, I watched some other folks coming down the trail from the parking lot. When they encountered the snake, they spent 10 minutes antagonizing the snake with sticks, then got back in their car and left without ever seeing the petroglyphs.
Working In The Field Today
I was in the field today measuring the resistance to remote earth of ground grids around transmission towers. There was a terrific thunderstorm going off to the southeast right at sunset making a magnificent double rainbow. I got my point and shoot camera out and was photographing the rainbow. No tripod, so this was all hand held. I saw a lightning strike in the distance and heard corona on the overhead shield conductor right above my head, so I knew the lightning was hitting the line I was working on. Catching a lightning bolt by pressing the camera shutter is all but impossible as are long exposures during the day without a tripod, so I switched to video at 30 frames per second hoping to catch a lightning strike. Voilà: Update: Turns out, another photographer caught this exact lightning bolt from a location west of me. He posted his image on Facebook and it went viral. The story of his shot . His image . Pretty photos (if you are a power systems engineer):
Shiprock
I have been working in northwestern New Mexico this week and took the opportunity to visit Shiprock.
A Contemplative Celebration
Signal Hill just after sunset. Petroglyphs created by prehistoric people we call Hohokam, 500 to 1100 A.D. Nikon D800E, 14mm, f22, 30 seconds. Metal Halide flashlight on the petroglyphs. Elsewhere at Signal Hill, there are petroglyphs of antelope and humans, but I am always drawn to this rock with its spirals and suns. The spirals are for me a contemplation of infinity, an enso that never stops growing to encompass everything new, and the rays of light emanating from the suns remind me of the ancient Egyptian depiction of Aten radiating energy to Akhenaten and his family (Nefertiti and three daughters). Today is Independence Day. Celebratory fireworks were going off as I took these pictures. I am very fortunate to have tremendous freedom and opportunity. Aten's flux radiates on me as well and the Hohokam artist's endless spiral circles around to encompass me and my photography and storytelling. Of course, it is also possible the Hohokam artists were kids doodling gr...
The view from 10k'
The view from 10,000', atop Haleakala on Maui. The Milky Way behind Argyroxiphium S andwicense subspecies Macrocephalum, the Haleakalā Silversword 60 second exposures made with my point and shoot sitting on a rock. Inside the crater. Alpenglow at sunset.
The Antidote for Co-Dependency
I do my thing and you do your thing. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, And you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful. If not, it can't be helped. - Fritz Perls
Old Pueblo 50 Mile Trail Run
I was planning to do the Old Pueblo 50 mile trail run last weekend, but my training fell apart back around Halloween. Between traveling for work, sailing across the Tasman Sea, and coming down with a terrible virus, I was nowhere near ready to run 50 miles. So I volunteered at the 40 mile aid station. It was a great inspiration to see all the athletes come through. Dear friend Angela volunteered her Saturday and snapped this photo of a homeless man that ate a lot of our food: Even the poopers came out to support the athletes (by barking at their wives\girlfriends\dogs).