Daniel Ruf

Conversions

"It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment."
Ansel Adams

The blog quote is more inspired by the consequences of the government of the State Of Iowa being short sighted when it comes to the preservation of our state parks than with the Mr. Adams' legendary work as a photographer.  Many of today's breed of photographers might be far enough removed from Adams' life to not realize his impact on both the federal and state parks systems in our country. A reading of his most recent biography will show that his long involvement with the Sierra Club led opened the doors to his environmental activism.  In Iowa, it would appear that the citizens are going to have to take up the efforts to get the state officials to see the need of not only the importance of our parks, but also the necessity to find the budgetary financing to support them. Right now they seem to be leaning on more citizen support, which would be fine if they were talking about developing a user fee for park patrons, but not if they are talking about keeping the parks within state control, but asking local public and private individuals to supply the funding.  We are all well aware from past issues that both the feds and state officials cannot be trusted with our money once it reaches the "official" checkbook.

Today's blog image comes from a recent trip to Fort Defiance State Park where I happily found some open water holes in Spring Creek.  While are part of the state has been under a pretty consistent snowy weather pattern, these events do allow for a fresh covering of snow for really clean snow captures. 

This particular shot was an attempt to make use of the warm afternoon lighting and the reflections coming from the surrounding forests.  The image is a 4 shot HDR processed with Nik HDR Efex and was further edited in Photoshop CS5 and then had a few touches with the Nik Color Efex plug-in.  When getting toward the end of my session with the image I decided that a look with Nik Silver Efex Pro plug-in was also warranted.  The result (below) showed a stronger reflection, which I prefer, while making the background of snow more secondary in the image.

While Winter still has some punch left it will present a lot of opportunity to enjoy snow events with the family and camera.  The closer we get to Spring, local warming trends increase the occurrences of fog...and with the right temperatures make for some outstanding hoar frost settings.  I know, it's odd what things trip my trigger, but in the subdued light of winter and days of blasting wind, we have to take advantage of the magic moments when they are thrown our way by the heavens.

Thanks for visiting my blog site.

 

    My new book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" 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=V1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buried Treasures

Recently I was watching a television program concerning various fossil finds around the country and the thought came to me that the narration treated these bones of unfortunate animals as treasures, hidden in the earth, from a time long ago.  As I reflected on the rendered scenes of the environment of that time I couldn't help wondering what civilizations in the distant future might think of the remains our civilization leaves behind as our historic ledger.

I've noticed a lot of discussion lately about the environmental movement as it relates to endangered species and become really disappointed by those that would take issue with the preservation of some near extinct species which they feel is insignificant, especially when the plant or animal is standing in the way of some huge construction project of human design.  Advocates from both sides of the debate hurl platitudes back and forth in an effort to sell their position to a public that, in most cases, is ill equipped to even render a fair opinion on the subject or even cares about BOTH sides of the argument.

The question that I have for those that see no real reason to yield to an endangered species is when is the time right to grant consideration to the last of a species.  Would it be when just one elephant is left standing?  Or perhaps it would be when clean water is no longer available and lines have begun to form in the streets behind some tanker truck that shows up on the odd dates of the month.  I know to many this might sound like a huge stretch, but I'm not sure it's as far off as people believe.  In fact, I'm not sure many people, other than environmentalists, give a moments thought about any of this as long as such things as lumber and eggs are still readily available at any price.

As a retired farmer I've been involved in many discussions, around a table in the local grain elevator, concerning commodity prices, falling markets, cost of production, etc.  One flag that is always raised in these discussions is that the American public will never understand the value of food and it's production until the shelves at the local super market are bare, such as we saw years ago in film clips from Russia.  Just as today's public is more removed from the farm sector than it was 50 years ago, so are those same individuals more distant from the wilderness experiences of families of the past.

Ansel Adams once discussed the value of the American wilderness as a re-creation experience over recreational experience and I think that's a pretty profound statement for our time.  Until we see the value of the environment as a place to recharge, reflect and contemplate many of us will fail to see or value the wildness that still exists on this planet.  More importantly, until we see the value of open space over office space, many will never stand on the side of endangered ecosystems.

Nature Photographers Unite!

For more views of my work visit;

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

"Art On 16th"  http://www.hankhallarton16th.com

Artisans Road Trip www.artisansroadtrip.com  

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

http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V1

Preservation

"(A)...singular aspect of the wilderness is that it gratifies every one of the senses."  Robert Marshall

The question that often comes up from gallery patrons and passers by is why I developed an interest in photography.  My college course work in fine art was developed around both drawing and watercolor painting, which I loved very much, but somewhere along the journey to adulthood I fell under the trance of photography and then the workshop with Ansel Adams only served to fan the flame.  It is my belief, at least in my own experience, that photography is not only about capturing light in a sometimes amusing box, but also about capturing a moment of time and place.  As the population of this world and the confusion it brings with it, I think it will be important that there is more than just a record of what may be lost in THE confusion.  When looking through portfolios of other nature photographers the "oooh's and aaaah" moments are those captures that are testimony to a fraction of life on earth that may never occur again.  Whether sunrise, sunset or crashing wave, a duplicate repeat performance is not likely, at least in our lifetime.

As important as the capture of time may be the minutes or hours of anticipation while preparing for a capture are equally fulfilling on a personal basis.  While a viewer, of say this blog image, will get the full visual impression of a garden image, they will never be privy to the search, wonder and captivation of the "place".  While it is always my hope that an observer will feel the presence of a place when looking at a two dimensional print, they will not feel the dew on their skin or wind in their hair.  These "subliminal" moments are the artists reward, which will likely not be forgotten.  I cannot recall any name of a particular capture without summing up a legion of sensations about the place. 

This image "Mother's Garden", which it actually isn't, is a digital image taken through several filters in Elements 8, including "Find Edges" and various brushwork, as well as some work in Topaz plug in's.  Wild the original capture is near Amnicon Falls State Park in Wisconsin, the scene, as depicted here, reminds me of my mothers carefully tended gardens when I was a child.  A mental moment in time and place...preserved.

Honor the 4th and our great patriots, past and present and hold hands with your family.

For more views of my work visit;

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

"Art On 16th"  http://www.hankhallarton16th.com

Artisans Road Trip www.artisansroadtrip.com  

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Telling Secrets

This past Saturday I was conducting my last session of a beginning photography workshop at A Piece Of Work, Inc. and I was joking to them about telling them all my secrets as I divulged to them that I had a file of "moons" in my editing software that I use for special situations such as the above image, a rather dark, somber production from outside my normal "comfort zone".  This led to an explanation of how the artistry of photography has changed so much since I sloshed paper in chemicals before I found the digital persuasion.   Today, while have a conversation with another artist, Hank Hall, during a creative drawing class that I'm taking, the subject of artistic secrets came up once again as I sat there listening with a big Cheshire grin on my face.  The grin wasn't so much about how two recent conversations managed to find the same "yellow brick" road, but more about the fine mentors that I've stumbled into on life's path.

Of course classes with the famed Ansel Adams at one of his Yosemite workshops ranks high on the list, but my college art professor, the late James Green at Principia College, probably had the strongest influence on not only my love of art, but also my energy with art.  While many profess to being artists, just as many lack the stamina and energy to pursue art activity.  While all of us, at one time or another, become so infuriated by the creative process it is of great importance to pick up the brush or pencil again and make lemonade out of our lemon rather than walk away.  I still can feel Mr. Green standing over my right shoulder challenging me to completion with a watercolor that I thought was a failure.

Before these two monuments art was not even a reality in my world.  The high school art curriculum was so close to a bad joke that it only lacked a punch line.  It wasn't until college, when art instructors, at least in my realm, actually took their art seriously and were real WORKING artists, not mere instructors of art, that the institution of studio art began to take on a life in my mind.  Recently I've had the opportunity to witness 3 art shows given by 3 different high schools, two of which were quite good and one that was appalling, to say the least.  In the case of the two quality exhibits the art teachers were actual working artists, meaning that in their free time they were slinging paint or throwing pots.  In the case of the other show the instructor not only was a "retired" artist of a youthful age, but didn't even bother to show up to the reception of the student work.

Art in America deserves the best in quality instructors as well as quality time to produce enthusiastic students of fine art.  For too long art classes in our lower grades of education have  been listed as "elective" courses and given minimal time during the class day for the rearing of artistic production.  Just as woefully for art is the concept that art teachers need only be active teachers and not active artists. 

Lastly, I have my parents to thank, not only for raving every time I took a new step in an artistic direction, but for never suggesting that art wasn't a method of gainful employment...I was my own worst enemy in that department.  For too long American citizens have not seemed to take fine art too seriously, but why should they if the education process in our schools doesn't hold the creative process in high esteem. 

So, to all those mentors, mentioned and not, that have blessed my life with their gift of both art and education and all there secrets, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

For more views of my work visit:

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

"Art On 16th"  http://www.hankhallarton16th.com

Art Of The Vine Gallery http://www.artofthevinegallery.com

Artisans Road Trip www.artisansroadtrip.com  

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