Spider Webs: Nature's Perfection

 Not many things are more distracting than to received a face full of spider web while you are strolling through the woods. Almost invisible at times, it's easy to walk square into a thick coating of one that seems to cover your entire face. What's worse is when it gets in your mouth. More often than not, I will pick up a short stick and wave it in a circular motion in front of me as I take a woodland stroll as this will effectively eliminate those unseen creations of nature. I must look ridiculous doing that, but hey, it works.  Oddly enough, on those days when I have my camera in hand and nothing is happening photographically, spider webs often provide an amazing photographic resource.

Stronger than a steel strand of the same diameter, spider webs are produced from a liquid inside the spider that is made up of proteins that somehow generate a silky substance that is either fed from the spiders abdomen via gravity as the spider swings across an opening or is simply pulled from the spider by its legs. Regardless of how it is extracted, spider webs are some of the most perfectly and intricately formed creations of nature thus providing the photographer with an amazing opportunity to capture something that is truly unique in the world.

In order to photograph a spider web effectively, the light needs to be just right, usually coming from a low angle that back lights the strands. A dark background is also necessary so the strands have something to stand out against. I don't always try to photograph the entire web. Sometimes I concentrate on just a portion of one when the design elements stand out. The background lighting will also make for an interesting composition so always keep that in mind as you frame the image. Also remember it is best to focus on the web as straight on as possible because the depth of field issue will sometimes make part of the composition out of focus. Don't be afraid to crop the image either. Just a single area can be the most interesting part of the web.

The best time is early of morning when the light is angled low and more often than not the morning dew has settled on the web. This really creates a wonderful contrast and the dew often looks like a string of suspended diamonds. If dew is not heavy enough, you can simulate its effects by using a small spray bottle and simply giving it a couple of squirts, or in a pinch if you have a water bottle, take a small mouth full and with pressed lips, blow it out in a fine spray.

Spider webs offer a unique and fun subject matter. They are truly one of natures most perfectly designed creations. I'm always fascinated by their delicate yet strong engineering design.

Writing and Photography - repost

 Taking a little time off so to fill in the gap...here's a repost of an old one from 2011....

There is a quiet nature that fills the air just before dawn...during those moments as the sky grows brighter little by little.  The softness speaks to those who take time to listen...what is said during those times often lingers long after the darkness has faded.  As with most days we soon are caught up in activities that rush about and distract us...but those silent moments...those times when it is most quiet...we always seem to remember with fond reserve.  Words found to describe such times are rare...yet the memories capture the heart of one who has discovered the rarity of those encounters.

I rediscovered such rarity one morning as I drifted across silent waters enjoying a brief and long anticipated escape canoeing the haunts of Shanty Hollow Lake.  It's an odd sensation floating on calm waters in the dark...no real sense of movement.  A hundred or so yards out I coasted to a stop and allowed my gaze to lift upward towards a sky filled with the light of countless stars.  The silence of that moment filled my soul.  For timeless minutes I simply drifted...no wind...no sounds...just the first light of morning to break the darkness.

As I moved on toward that morning rendezvous the stars slowly, one by one, twinkled one last time and faded away.  There was no way to capture the first part of that morning except in words...and in searching for those words I am reminded of the similarities between writing and photography.  Where in writing one seeks to stir the imagination by painting word pictures in the mind of the reader...in photography...one uses light to build an image that expresses emotional visual stories the viewer interprets in their mind.  The thought processes are often the same...to find the right combination of words...or light...to define the subject in such a way that the reader or viewer understands the importance of what you were trying to express.  Writing helps one to become a better photographer because it serves to develop that creative side of the mind...and that in time will lend itself well served.

Keith

Almost, But Not Quite

 If I were to condense my life into one phrase it would be; "Almost, but not quite". I was almost good at a lot of things, but I never quite reached the point of being great at anything. Even though it seems like most of my everyday life fell short, I suppose I hit one homerun which I will talk about in a moment. 

I was always physically a year behind everyone else growing up; never quite big enough to play football, never quite fast enough to be a good sprinter, never had enough endurance to be a good distance guy, a solid swimmer but never competitive, never quite smart enough to make the honor roll, almost a good artist but not quite, always wanted to learn how to fly, but never did, still looking to capture that one great photograph, was a decent marksman but never an expert...you get the idea. Oh, I was somewhat competitive in most of those endeavors, but always seemed to fall short. There was always someone faster, bigger, stronger, smarter, more talented.

Even so, in spite of all that, I suppose I never gave up, but kept on trying, kept on pursuing that next level. There were times I felt discouraged because i could not get there, and times I felt like I actually made some progress. Most of the time I simply pressed on biding my time until another day when I might make that forward leap to the next level, until one day I realized time and age had finally caught up with me. The windows of opportunity gradually began to shut never to be reopened. A few new ones jarred loose from time to time, but barely cracked open enough to allow for a clear opportunity to materialize. 

Even as a photographer, there are times I feel like I've almost achieved something unique and powerful, until I see the works of other truly talented photographers and realize I am still a long ways off. I often fondly recall times from my past that were truly unique in their own right. My time in the military qualifies for such, but even so I realize how I missed a lot of opportunities back then to achieve a higher level of accomplishment. I suppose I was never destined to experience the moment(s) of excellence my heart always felt like it could achieve. 

But, you know, all that is okay, because as I ponder on all the events of my life, collectively they add up to a great deal more than their individual values. Because I have accomplished a great deal in spite of those apparent short falls. I've hiked across and deep into the high country of the Rocky Mountains. I've kept myself physically fit, I've gained an education that lead to a career that supported my family, purchased my now paid for home, and gave me a sense of purpose for many years. I've witnessed numerous sunrises as I've sat inside my canoe on gentle waters, and stood transfixed as countless prairie sunsets bid my day farewell. I've felt the cold wind on my face and the hot sun on my back, and weathered many storms both physically and internally. I've stood spellbound beneath a starry sky to witness one of the grandest displays of creation. I've witnessed the birth of my two sons and watched them grow into men. I've spent more hours just sitting on the front porch as the morning awakens and as the evening dissipates into the night. I've sailed on storm tossed seas and performed life threatening rescues and had someone gratefully shake my hand  for having done so. These are but a token of the life defining events of my life, all of them lead and contributed to that one perfectly defining moment.

I did manage to achieve the highest mark on one thing. It is what I call my homerun moment, the moment when I stood with knees shaking and thoughts of an uncertain future haunting me as my new bride walked down the isle and took my hand as my life partner. Through all the almost forty one years, she stood by me, encouraged, corrected, guided, cried, consoled, confided, and offered herself as a beacon of light in my often sometimes stormy, sometimes dull life. Everything else pales in comparison, for she was the defining moment of my life, and she has been the God given lighthouse that has always brought me through to a safe harbor.