Define Your Facination

"Whatever the medium, there is the difficulty, challenge, facination and often productive clumsiness of learning a new method: the wonderful puzzles and problems of translating with new materials."

Helen Frankenthaler

During late Fall I happened on an old farmstead that was set aside as a community park near my home.  It was the first time I had visited with the intention of treating the site as a serious photographic opportunity.  At first glance it just appears to be a cluster of old sheds and farmhouse with little desire trip my creative trigger.  After having taken some time to view all the nooks and crannies I walked back to the truck think that this was just one of those sad little plots of ground of little consequence.  Finally, I thought that if I didn't at least take out the camera I would never take the scene seriously and would drive down the road empty handed, but always curious.

Again, taking another look around, I found this shed, the exact same shed that existed a few minutes ago, but this time I realized I was fascinated by the doors, the windows and the hodgepodge placement of farming equipment.  A nice soft lighting on the face of the building and long afternoon highlights on the steel roof was enough to find a position to address this now beautiful exterior.

A little later, after the thrill of the hunt set in, I came upon what I call "the potting shed" complete with a bed of flowers and another set of an interesting door and window.  This time I thought about putting the Lensbaby lens on the camera to get an idea of what would happen with the scene and especially the highlights.

The lesson for me was two fold.  One, that if you one doesn't make the effort the "promise" will never be realized.  Two, that whenever a scene becomes difficult to decipher define the fascination, or, in other words, what trips your trigger.

Thank you for joining me today and please feel free to comment.

SIC 'EM BEARS!

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" and new book "Take What's Given" can be purchased online at-  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V

http://500px.com/pigs4

Comments

[Mike Houge]

Nicely captured Dan. More proof that sometimes one just has to slow down and savor the moment-often times the beauty is there-we're just not taking in the moment!! You sure "tripped" my trigger with these images.

[Darin]

Nice shots, Dan. The first image (the red shed) reminds me a great deal of the machinery shed we once had on our farm where I grew up. An old, cracked cement floor inside the "workshop" area that was accessed by a swinging door. Then there was the larger area with large sliding garage-style doors that allowed access to the area we would store our lawn mowers. This whole area had all dirt on the bottom/floor area. Man how I wish I had my knowledge and camera back then.

[Daniel Ruf]

The learning never stops does it, Mike?

[Daniel Ruf]

Don't worry, Darin, there's plenty more where that shed came from. Unfortunately they are disappearing fast only to be replaced by some monstrosity of a steel shed. Get them while you can!