Keep On Tryin'

I've tried many times to make a decent image of these tall grasses...  But I've never come up with anything I particularly like.  I'm not sure I've even posted any of the previous ones.  But this one's close....  kinda.  So here you go!

Weathered

Another spot from a lunch time walk.  Just a short distance from this old building.

What Passes For Art...

This is in response to a Facebook post from a old friend, Scott.  He posted two photos, with the following:

OK FB world, this is art.  (Or at least what passes for art in my mind.) Please click on each picture to see it in full, then answer:  Which one of these pictures is better?  Cactus lines parallel with sky lines, or cactus lines intersecting sky lines?  Explain your answer.

Scott's photos:

 

Photo 1                                        Photo 2

 (reprinted without permission, but I beg forgiveness in the spirit of the exercise).

Now I previously posted my preference, with an offer to "provide a detailed analysis later".  Now is later, and this is the forum I chose to expound.  I'll post this link in the comments to the original FB post, we'll see in anybody clicks through.

Firstly, the anser to "which is better?" is:  It Depends.  For what is "better" but a construct of a critic?  And who am I do discern which is "better"?  After all, "where there is clarity, there is no choice.  And where there is choice, there is misery..."

That said; I prefer the Photo 2. 
I like how the lines of the clouds cross the lines of the cactus.  But they’re not exactly perpendicular, which would be too static (IMHO).  The sky is a deeper blue, I expect from the angle of the sun (behind the photographer).  This provides a better contrast against the green of the cactus.  From this angle, the clouds present  a more even gradient of white (top left to bottom right), which I find more appealing.    As far as the cactus itself?  I much prefer this version.  The cactus is a much larger part of this image, more dominant.  The closer positioning emphasizes the spines, and also leads to a sharper angle, giving more of a “vanishing point” effect.  The flat lighting allows the details of the cactus to stand out. 

As far as Photo 1? 

This is my “less favorite”, by a fair margin.  The lines in the sky are de-emphasized by the lines of the cactus, not reinforced.  To me, the left-to-right gradient looks unnatural.  Or, you could present landscape orientation, in which case the cactus looks unnatural.  Either way, I don’t like it.  The side-lighting of the cactus it a bit contrasty and makes the light and shadows a key visual element, rather than the shape of the spines themselves.  The overall color of the cactus is darker, and it doesn’t “pop” against the sky.  It seems to almost blend in, fade away towards the top…  Most significantly, I don’t like the angle from further away.  The cactus doesn’t hold its own in this version.  Rather it is left to compete with the sky for the viewer’s attention.

 - - - - - - - - -

So there you have it Scott.  That'll teach you to ask my opinion.  Of course YMMV, and all that rot.

April 1974

Continuing the series, (Jan, Feb and Mar):

April 1974... 40 years ago... I was 13.5 years old, in 8th grade and living in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Pirates opened a season in which they would finish 1st (and lose to LA Dodgers in LCS).  It would be their 4th divisional championship in 5 years.  In today's world it's easy to forget how successful the Pirates were in the 70's.  They won 2x World Series, 6 division titles, and only finished as low as 3rd once.  But the big story in baseball was Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's home run record.

Meanwhile, "The Sting" won the Academy Award for best picture.  And the US suffered a "Super Outbreak" of Tornadoes....

What was happening in music?

Albums released in 1974 include:

•  Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second Helping.  Featuring the iconic "Sweet Home Alabama".  Skynyrd's first, and biggest hit. 
• Poco - Seven.  Poco's first album post-Richie Furay, continuing to be the best unknown "country rock" band.
• J.J. Cale - Okie.  The 3rd release from my favorite obscure artist.  Yep. I liked J.J. Cale before it was cool.
• Blue Oyster Cult - Secret Treaties.  My introduction to BOC, and still one of my favorite albums....  "Being chased around, by the neighbor's cat, but it's so lonely in the state of Maine!"

Yep, I have all of those on vinyl.   As for singles, only 3 songs topped the charts in April 1974:

• TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia) - MFSB (4/27 and 4/27)
• Hooked On A Feeling - Blue Swede (4/6)
• Bennie And The Jets - Elton John (4/13)

Some really good songs made their chart debuts:

• (I've Been) Searchin For So Long - Chicago (peaked at #9)
• Oh Very Young - Cat Stevens (#10)
• Don't You Worry ' Bout A Thing - Stevie Wonder (#16)
• Piano Man - Billy Joel (#25)

Slice Of Life #41392

I was pulling some images off my memory card this evening, and found some images from April 2013 that had never been processed.  Taken during a Boy Scout event at Lincoln's Tomb in Springfield, IL.  Actually, this was taken between where we parked and the tomb (about here, iirc).

I suspect it didn't get processed previously because, well, it didn't exactly meet my expectations.  But a year later, I don't dislike it quite as much...  I doubt it'll my by "best of the year" list, but it's not terrible...  Or is it?

What do y'all think?

Quiet Moment

Another from last weekend's visit to Boy Scout Camp Vandeventer, near Waterloo, IL.  I've previously posted both here and at Happenstance.  And, yes, there will be more.  In fact. there's another view of this same spot posted at Happenstance today...  Which do you prefer?

(large version)

Reflections On Fountain Creek

Another image from last weekend's excursion to Camp Vandeventer, in Waterloo, IL.  While there was a lot of time to interact with the scouts, there was also plenty of time to wander off and explore.  Expect several more photos to dribble out.  Here and at Happenstance.

Still Waters

I spent the day yesterday with my son and his Scout Troop at Camp Vandeventer outside Waterloo, IL.  We had a lot of fun, did a LOT of walking.  And I took quite a few photos! (fair warning)...

This panorama is stitched together from 5 individual shots.  Larger version at Panoramio, click on it there for a really large version.

March Madness!

Or not...

For the first time in many, many years, I didn't fill out any brackets for the NCAA Basketball Tourny.  I even thought about it a couple times over the past few days, but just couldn't muster the energy.

Just as well, as Duke lost their 1st round game.  As a Duke grad, I always pick them to go deep into the later rounds.

Oh well, huh?

Old Bricks...

I was out for a lunchtime walk yesterday, and came across this old building.  Not sure what it was, but it was pretty cool.  I'm going to have to explore another day, maybe with better light...  Located a bit off the main road, but right along a converted rail line (now walking / bike path).

I also took a nice image of one of the windows on the left, worked up in black and white.  Will post at TWIBAW and/or Happenstance later...  Look for it!

Hats Off To Larry

Would you beleive that there's only been 1 song with "Larry: in the title to make it to the Hot 100 music charts??  I know, who've figured.  It's Hats Off To Larry, which Del Shannon took to #5 in the spring of 1961.  It was Del's biggest hit after Runaway...

Go figure.

New Year's Resolution - Update #2

Ready For Spring, I am......

(image from this blog: 3/16/2013)

Meanwhile, we've made it 20% of the way through 2014! As with the 10% milestone, it's time to check back on my New Years Resolutions. Trying to keep those goals S.M.A.R.T.  And in the spirit of accountability, I’ll publish my progress…  SO, what did I resolve?

1) More Photography!  UPDATE #2:  I was quitre active with new images on the blogs, with 20 images here, 6 others at Happenstance and  The World In Black And White.  That's 73% more than the same period last year,.  And 20% over the first 20% of 2013.  Haven't done much outside the blogging world though.  But I'm taking more photos, which is a good thing.  I’ll grade myself a B.

2) More Walking!  UPDATE #2:  During the 2nd 10% of the year, I walked 15% more than the same span in 2013.  And significantly up from the first tenth of 2014.  Still below the average miles/day to reach the full year +25% goal.  But between weather, sick, and some business travel, I'm pretty satisfied.  I'll call it a B+.  The next 3-4 months are when I need to start making headway, though.

3) Weight.  UPDATE #2: I dropped 2.2% during the second tenth of the year.  Not as good as the 1st tenth of the year, and not as good as my goal.  But 6.0% down for the year.  Current pace is to hit my "maintain" target by 5/4/14, which would be 6 days behind original goal.  Slow and steady wins the race, right?  Call it a B.

Look for next update, on or around 4/21 (30% of year).

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I'm not particularly Irish, but some of my distant roots are at least nearby... 

(image source: Irish Pub Recipes For St Patrick’s Day)

Regardless, I'm happy enough to wear green today.  And listen to Irish music...  Or at least Irish-ish music.  Some of what I've been listening to today:

• The Emerald Underground - An Emerald Moment
• Her Infinite Variety: Celtic Women In Music & Song
• Shane MacGowan - The Snake
• McCartney's Give Ireland Back To The Irish
• Tim O'Brien - Two Journeys
• Van Morrison - Moondance

Vermilion River

Another image from the rest stop just south of Pontiac, IL.  The Vermilion River runs right by the southbound stop.

Rest Stop

On the drive from Chicago-land to St. Louis Metro, there's a rest stop where I (almost) always take a break.  Just south of Pontiac, IL, it is.  Besides being well located for both north and south bound, it's rather scenic...  at least as far as rest stops go.  And I've taken lots of photos here through the years.

Expect a few more, I have several more on my hard drive from yesterday!

You can see a larger version of this at Panoranio.  Click on the image there for a full screen version.