Spring

     I saw a heron this morning. Although I know that robins are the traditional birds of Spring, for me, it's the heron. I think that it has something to do with the heron being a bit of a totem creature for me. It is a bird from which I learned a lesson many years ago. Perhaps I will tell the full story in a future post. Ultimately the lesson is patience. Wait until the time is right and then strike like lightening!

    As a sign of Spring, the heron needs open water to catch fish. It signifies an end to temperatures cold enough to freeze over a river or pond. 

    I went out for a walk this morning. The river is running dangerously high from several consecutive days of rain, snow and snow melt. The weather today is cold grey and rainy.

 South of the border, a narcissistic lunatic is threatening the sovereignty of my homeland as well as the economic well being of the entire world. But, later, I was walking  on a street downtown.

 A couple was walking in front of me. The lady opened an umbrella and moved a little closer to her partner to hold it over both of their heads. It was a simple act perhaps. But one that proves that love, caring and kindness still exists in a cold, grey, rainy world.

    And I saw a heron this morning.

                    more later

What I Want From A Photograph

    What I'm doing when I look at a photograph is basically a feat of  reverse engineering. I want to look at the picture and be able to look into the lens, through the camera out the eyepiece or screen and into the eye and mind of the photographer when he or she took it. 

    It was American photographer Dorothea Lange who said, "The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera." That quote implies a certain emotional investment in the creation of the image. For a photograph to be successful, it is not enough to simply create an image of the subject or scene in front of the camera. Essentially, what I am trying to do when I make a photograph, is not simply make an image of the subject but portray my reaction to it or experience of it.

    Doing that involves a bit of self examination. How do I feel about the subject? What about the subject appeals to me? After answering these questions either literally or instinctively, the next question is, "What visual elements, line, shape, colour, form etc. can I use to emphasize the aspect of the image or scene that appeals to me?" This is where shooting with intent comes into play.

    An architectural shot of a building is a collection of shapes and lines. A photograph of an Autumn scene is a pallette of warm toned colours. A portrait can consist of  the abstract shapes of facial features or simply a warm inviting smile. 

    For the viewer to like a photograph, it has to appeal at a visceral level. Achieving that requires an emotional investment on the part of the photographer and a level of skill in bringing it out. Anything less is not a photograph, but just another picture. 

            ...more later

 

    

Coffeeshop Philosophy

    There's a fine line every that photographer walks. It's the subtle line of simultaneously being in the moment enough to appreciate it, while having enough presence of mind to capture it and do it well.

 

    This duality of mind can be a bit of a burden in that sometimes the urge to capture a moment overwhelms the joy of simply experiencing the moment. The urge to be a photographer capturing life can overpower the urge to be a human just experiencing it.

     One very real aspect of being a photographer is recognizing the need to step away from the camera long enough to experience the moment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfjkiTB1fHQ

   However, one of the greatest joys of being a photographer is having the camera as an excuse to experience any given moment in the first place!    

    Case in point;  The Mulberry  Coffehouse https://www.mulberrycoffeehouse.com/ (one of my favourite coffee shops in Hamilton) has a counter at the front windows that face on to James St. N. It's a great place to relax, sip a great coffee and just watch passersby on the street. While passing by the window, I was struck by the line of faces as I walked by on the street. I wanted a photo of it!

     However I didn't want to intrude on the patrons sitting there who were just there to have a cup of coffee. I did what to some street photographers is the unthinkable. I went inside and talked to my subjects. I walked down the line of people at the counter and explained who I was and exactly what I wanted to do. Maybe the Fujifilm X-T1 camera (Thanks Tom) slung around my neck leant me a little street cred, but, to my surprise, everyone I talked to was agreeable to the photo. "What do you want us to do?" Answer, "Nothing. Enjoy your coffee. Chat with each other. Whatever you were doing before I got here."

    I initially tried to shoot the photo using the panoramic setting on the X-T1 but that didn't work out very well. Eventually I did a quick lens change (from 35mm f2 to 16mm f2.8 wide angle) to get all of the front windows into the frame. 

    Here's the result.

    Not exactly the shot I had in mind. (I might try shooting it again.) But It's a pretty cool shot nonetheless.

    For the record, this isn't the first time I've made a photo at the Mulberry Coffeehouse. I don't know. Street photography and coffeeshops just seem to go together!

    I guess that what I'm saying is that being a photographer has allowed me to live my life with an intensity I would have otherwise not thought possible. Let's face it, the camera is the ultimate tool to capture the moment. But, sometimes it's best to put the camera down and just live in the moment.

            ...more later

    

New Year by: Gord Barker

    So it's January. First blog of the New Year. The only New Year's resolution that I really have is to lean a little harder into getting the work out there.  

    That being said, I will soon take a break from writing this to take a trip up to Treasure Mattes in Brantford. https://treasuremattes.com/ Treasure Mattes handles all of the framing of my larger prints for exhibition. I've had one of my photos accepted for a show at Art at Seven in Dundas, Ontario. I'm going to Treasure Mattes to get it framed. Jocelyn at Treasure Mattes has been framing my pictures since I started on this crazy journey of displaying and selling my photos. She is a great person to deal with and  always does an excellent job at a reasonable price. She is even tolerant of my crazy sense of humour.

     In addition to the the show at Art at Seven, I will be doing another show at the Dog-Eared Café in Paris Ontario later this year. https://www.dogearedcafe.ca/ I've currently got some matted 8x10 prints on display there. (shameless plug) I'm currently looking into a few other venues to show my pictures. I'll keep you posted. 

    Construction work has already started on the "downtown dig" which will extend through the summer season and beyond. Now, more than ever, local businesses as well as artists and craftspeople will need our support. It's going to be a tough year in Paris but we'll make it through.

 

     So that pretty much wraps up plans for this year on the photographic front. Keep reading this blog and follow me on social media for further updates. Things could get interesting.

           ...more later