Precision and Discipline - The Appeal of Target Shooting

 The midday July heat and humidity wrapped itself around me like a warmed over wet bear rug. Almost no breeze failed to help cool off my clammy skin. At least the shade offered some measure of relief and as I squeezed in alongside the scrap wood shooting bench I was grateful for the shady area cast by the large maple tree. Fifty yards down range on my backyard shooting range, a small black circle with a red center dot target sat taped to its supporting three foot by three foot by five inch carboard backing. I opened the breach of my sixty year old bolt action Western Field 22 caliber single shot rifle and inserted a fifth bullet to finish out the final five shot series. The front stock of the rifle settled onto the DIY shooting pad and I felt the butt plate slide gently into the socket of my right shoulder. The drop of the stock slid onto the rear pad and I placed my cheek against the stock. When I opened my eyes, the scope cross hairs were off just a bit from the dead center alignment of the target. A gentle nudge of the rear pad and they settled across dead center. The previous four shots from what I could tell looked as though they were almost touching in a tight group. My thought was, 'don't blow this...' I placed slight pressure on the trigger and felt it give a fraction of an inch. I checked my eye alignment with the scope to insure the parallax alignment would not bite me...too much anyway. (Parallax is that phenomena inherent in many rifle scopes where the scope reticle and the actual target are focused on separate plane so if your eye placement is off even a fraction, what might appear as a dead center alignment will actually be off as much as an inch or more). I squeezed the trigger...and felt a bit surprised when the report of the rifle ripped the quiet of the moment. The shot felt good. From what I could see through my scope the grouping looked good and the last shot appeared to hit dead center. After securing the rifle I made the fifty yard walk to the target and discovered the old rifle and at least for this one grouping, the old man could still shoot. A dime could cover the group and I felt good about the effort.

Target shooting is one of the recreational adventures I have attempted off and on over the years...mostly off. Back in the mid-90's I actually competed a few times in some club shoots...held my own, but...using that same, then 40-year old, rifle it was difficult to compete on an even scale going up against shooters using designated target rifles costing a great deal more than my old Western Field. But, as in a great many other endeavors, it is less about what kind of rifle you are using and more the person pulling the trigger when it comes to target shooting. Back then I actually managed to outshoot some of those guys who were competing with high dollar rifles, but the limitations of that old sport rifle lowered the success level I could attain.

Back in my Coast Guard days, we had to qualify at the range using the M16 and the 1911 Colt 45cal semi-pistol. I managed to qualify Sharpshooter on the M16 (just a few points shy of expert) and Marksman with the 45 (just a few points shy of Sharpshooter). Needless to say, all the 22 plinking and even BB-gun shooting at tin cans certainly played a roll in the success I had at the range back then.

Arkansas Muzzleloader State Championships

 When I lived in Arkansas I managed to compete in   two muzzleloader shoots. One was the Arkansas   Muzzleloader State Championships and the other   was the Arkansas Muzzleloader Invitational Shoot.   These shoots were a lot of fun and I managed to win   a couple of second place medals along the way.   These were tough shoots with some very fine   marksmen competing many of them shooting custom   made high dollar muzzleloaders. I shot with a simple   kit gun ( paid like $89.00 for it) that I assembled and   figured out how to effectively shoot the thing. Again,   it's the person pulling the trigger that makes the   difference and with that simple muzzleloader, I   practiced until I became proficient and confident in   how that gun shot at twenty-five and fifty yards and   managed to out perform higher dollar firearms as a   result.

The appeal to target shooting is different than the appeal of simply plinking at tin cans. Target shooting requires an element of discipline where every shot must be executed in exactly the same way in order to achieve the precision you are looking for. Internal elements like hold, eye relief, trigger squeeze, recoil, follow through, breathing, heart beat/rate, focus, all come into play. External elements also play a factor like wind, sun angle, heat wave mirage, cold and hot conditions, type and brand of ammunition, and humidity all can toss a monkey wrench into any target shooters attempts at firing a tight group. The trick is to keep exactly the same forces working on the rifle for each shot. The idea is not to think of it as a five shot group competition, but five, one-shot competitions.

Somatic conditions, or the feel of the shot, work their way into the shooters mindset. Visualization of how the shot will play out plays a significant role in the success of the shooter. Awareness of how your body and mind are working together to form the perfect sight picture, then translating that image into a smooth consistent action is what allows the rifle to fire at precisely the correct moment and the recoil to complete exactly as before, is what builds tight groupings.

Confidence, self assurance, focus, desire, and the understanding that yes, even the best shooters sometimes miss the mark. Failure then becomes a learning and strengthening tool that leads to a more consistent success rate.

The very idea of Precision shooting is what appeals to me. The discipline required to obtain that kind of precision certainly helps one to be able to focus on other aspects of life as well. I enjoy plinking at tin cans as much as anyone, but, to sit down and focus your energy onto that rifle and attempt to place five shots into a target fifty yards away forming a group a dime could cover, well, I just wish I could do it every time, but I fail to do so most of the time. Even so, when everything falls into place and the feel of the shot becomes focused deep inside your mind and body to generate that elusive tight group...well, the satisfaction is well worth the effort and the results are their own reward.

 

Simplicity - The Essence of Seeing

 Simplicity in photography creates images that flow like a soft melody and sometimes simplicity itself becomes the defining elements within a Landscape or a Nature photograph. Landscapes and nature photographs in general, by their very nature can be as complex or simple as nature itself. There are times the scene is filled with an abundance of details all working together to create an amazing view. Yet, there are times when simplicity becomes the defining purpose of the image. Of the two, the simple landscape can often be the most difficult to find and capture.

Creating the Simple Landscape or Nature image requires one important adjustment; Finding a location where all the clutter is naturally removed. This is not always easy to do and often requires that we employ creative compositional discovery techniques. In most cases it is a matter of and the essence of seeing, looking beyond the ordinary to focus in on form and using the purest of light to define the subject.

Light of course is always the main element in every great photograph, but without a great subject, light is simply light. Your job as a photographer is to combine the two into a creative form. For me, to create the Simple Landscape requires warm, low angle light. Late afternoon light when the shadows are long and the nature of the light takes on a natural glowing aura is the best time. Early morning light can be just as compelling and offers a unique range of possibilities, but any time of day can be effect and under certain circumstances even shooting in the middle of the day works well.

Look for those simple striking compositional elements where only a few pieces are present. Avoid overly complex situations with a lot of competing components. As in all landscapes, all of the components are elements that need to be there and anything that interferes with the story must be removed either by changing the angle, or changing your lens. In other words, focus in what is truly important.

Finding and capturing compelling and simple images requires the photographer to use not only their eyes, but to use their instinctive understanding of what make a great composition. Things like background, angle of light, Time of day, temperature of the light, camera level, timing, and position of the shooter. Simply moving a few inches to one side or forward or backward or even turning around and looking the other direction can often transform the composition. 

When observing a potential photographic moment, ask yourself three What is questions, 'What is capturing my eye...What is my vision locking onto...What is unique about what I am seeing?'  Then remove everything else from your composition by lens selection and your position and camera angle.

Simplicity. The Essence of Seeing is indeed one of the most rewarding of photographic moments. 

Gone But Not Forgotten

     I made the short drive recently over to one of my favorite photo-op locations. The day looked like a good day for some black and white photography as the sky shined cobalt blue and cloud formations presented themselves with unique and dramatic textures. I did manage to capture a few images before I traveled on around for a couple of miles to find one of my favorite old trees that sat out in an open field. This old tree in the past provided several wonderful photo-ops during similar conditions. The last time I photographed it, I was taken aback by the fact that two houses had been built to either side of it effectively disrupting the scenic value. Even so, with some careful framing and maneuvering, it was possible to capture the tree against the sky and background. However, on this day as I approached, my heart sank as all that remained of the stately old tree was a pile of burned out rubble. Someone had cut it down and burned it as so much debris. 

   I have over the years captured photographically several locations which today no longer exist. All of them tore down for the sake of progress or possibly personal gain. There is another location just a few miles from where I live where I captured perhaps one of my favorite images. There was another tall stately tree situated next to an old fence. By standing at the bottom of a dip in the road, the tree could be isolated against a broad sky. On one occasion I purposely made my way over there and captured this scene that was eventually transformed into a mirror image. The sun had just set, yet the sky retained a wonderful blue hue to it. The moon hovered just above the tree and light wispy clouds drifted across the blue hour sky. The tree nor the fence are still there, once again cut or destroyed by someone for some reason. I love the serenity of this image and its simplicity and as I do from time to time travel over that way let go a sad sigh as I pass by this now empty spot.

Old barns are disappearing by the hundreds off the landscape and with them that sense of nostalgic wonder. Yes they are old, but they are more than that. They serve as a reminder of times past, of someone's dream and of memories of simpler times. I am drawn to their character and love the way to add charm and interest to the landscape. It is sad really to see so many of them destroyed or dismantled their time seasoned wood turned into furniture or fireplace mantles, or simply burned. 

There were two old barns both just down the road from my home in opposite directions. Both are now gone and where one used to be, small apartments are being built. The other one is simply gone, probably sold to someone who used the lumber for other things. I miss seeing both of them as they were iconic symbols of the Kentucky landscape that represented the best of what old Kentucky stood for.

The winter image of that huge old barn still showed the weathered red paint that once adorned it. There was the overhanging part across the front where I'm sure hay and probably other things were lifted via pulley and ropes and stacked in the loft. It was one of the most beautiful old barns I've ever seen, but alas, all that remains of it is a few scraps of debris from around its base and most of that has been plowed under and grown over.

Many years ago, someone took this photo of the old Wister, Oklahoma train station. As a young boy growing up in Wister, that old station was still in operation and I even took a train ride once. I was very young, but I do remember it. The tracks and the station are now long gone and that small community missed an opportunity to turn that old building into a wonderful museum. Hindsight I suppose is always 20/20 they say. Even so, I wish that old train station could have been preserved. I am thankful for whoever snapped this image I'd guess somewhere around 1915 maybe.

There is another photo most likely taken sometime during the 1940's of the train station in Wister. From the looks of it, I'd say the original building had been replaced and this is the station I most likely traveled from when I was young boy. It too is long gone and all that remains of it is the foundation. My dad and I once a long time ago before he passed away, walked over to where it stood and found some old bricks and debris and what looked like the base line of the foundation still there. It brought back many memories for him and a few for me as well. 

In that little community, there were numerous old brick buildings most of which are no longer standing. One of the more iconic of them was the one I know as 'The Dixie Store'. It was a store my grandparents ran for a good many years before they branched out on their own to open their own store. The old Dixie Store stood vacant for many years and eventually was demolished for some reason, most likely because it became a hazard from neglect. But, I do remember that old store and the stories my grand parents told about it. In this photo taken by my grandfather, in the background you can see a couple other buildings. The one toward the very back with the white facing was a grocery store my Aunt May and her husband ran for many years. She was my grandfathers sister and I remember running up the wooden steps out front, through the screen door and hearing it slam behind me and stepping into another world where the wooden floors creaked and overhead fans rattled and swayed as they vainly tried to keep the inside cool. A few years back, probably close to twenty years or more now, my wife and I stopped in and discovered that old place was still standing as an antique store. We stopped and stepped inside and instantly, the sounds of the creaking floor and the rumbling of the old overhead fans and yes even the aroma of the building hit me like I had just stepped into a time machine. I was amazed at the power of those senses as they were the same as the ones I remembered from the years of my youth. I don't know if that old store is still standing or not, but the memories of having lived during those days are as strong and clear as ever.

Grand Opening

    During the early 1950's, before I was born, my grandparents opened their own store. It was called appropriately enough, 'Bridgman's Dry Goods Store'. It was a wonderful place and they provided household goods, clothing, and other assorted types of merchandise. The first few years of my life I probably spent more time in that store than I did at home and it became a place of adventure for me. Way in the back corner, barely visible in the photo there is an old woodened box crank phone. 

We had one just like like it in our home and I do remember using it having to turn the crank. The building where their store stood is still there having been used by numerous other entities. But I remember it so fondly as the place where as a young boy I spent so much time running around inside that building. The store is long gone having faded into the past, but the memories of those times are as strong and meaningful as any I may still retain.

    Gone but not forgotten. Yeah, sometimes events, circumstances, and even time removes from us those things that at the time were most likely taken for granted. Memories are a wonder thing to hold on to for they connect us across time to events, places, people, and wonderful moments that become a living part of who we are. I am pleased to have captured as a photograph some of the things around me that are now gone, and I am thankful for the few images taken by others that capture the moments of my youth and even years before that that evolved toward the future and became intertwined into my life experiences.