Daniel Ruf

Is March Fading?

"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever...it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything."  

Aaron Siskind

It's been a long time since I've refreshed my blog site, but it's been a pretty ugly winter here in Iowa with little snow and precipitation and the miles of skeleton shaped trees leaving us to wonder if Spring was ever going to show up. Right now on March 29 we're still wondering if Spring is getting any closer. There are some indications with some little sprigs starting to break the surface and my yelling "not yet, not yet". Both myself and my camera are aching to see wild flowers showing us with tulips, coneflowers and many others blasting through the surface of the earth and developing into beautiful heads of color.

I'll wait and my camera will have to wait, but being anxious for Spring cannot wait any longer. Let's have the "fireworks" of flowers...the yellows, reds, purples and many other colors be out of control in showing off their Spring beauty.

Thanks for joining me here and you can view my work at Arts On Grand in Spencer, IA as well as the Pearson Lakes Art Center in Okoboji, IA.

Just Seconds

"What makes photography a strange invention is that its primary raw materials are light and time"  John Berger

My wife and I just came back from visiting relatives in Wisconsin and while there was autumn colors they were not as strong as usual since the area had had a lot of rain prior to our arrival. All that being said, it was beautiful if one found the right spots. Top that with visiting her cousins and it was a very enjoyable trip.

The blog image is a "pure luck" . To make a long story short, I was getting a hair cut by one of her cousins on his back porch area which opened to a beautiful lake scene. I was taking various trips to the bathroom to see the progress of the haircut and on my last trip my wife yelled at me to get back to the porch as a beautiful sunset was taking place. On the way I was thinking that it couldn't be possible since I just seconds before I had been sitting where I could see the sky and nothing was happening.....not even a hint of a sunset.

When I got to the living room I could see this orange glow filling the porch area. It was incredible. I only had my iPhone at the time and got working as I was concerned that this sunset wasn't going to last long. Within 3 minutes is was gone, leaving no evidence that it had ever occurred.

It was our last night there and it couldn't have been a better ending to our trip.

Thanks for visiting my blog site and enjoy the rest of Autumn as the cold snap is just around the corner

Places to see more of Daniel's work:

Pearson Lakes Art Center - lakesart.org 

Arts On Grand - artsongrand.org

 

Morning Lights

    

"Photography is about putting the pieces together." Daniel Ruf

This morning was all about patience and putting the pieces together. I changed positions several times, yet as I walked away to my truck to leave for home I turned and found this setup.  My last position was about 10 feet to the left. We can have the best lenses and camera money can buy, but if you don't move your feet you might miss the best shot of the day.

This blog image was taken with my handheld iPhone and its wide angle lens. The clouds and rocks demanded the wide angle approach and both subjects compliment each other. 

While I was driving in search of the right spot for the sunrise at 4:30 a.m. and using "The Photographer's Ephemeris" app I came to this lakeshore spot and realized that the sunrise was less important than the nice cloud formation that was taking place. 

The black and white version.

 

It's continues to be a learning journey no matter how old you might be.

Thanks for visiting

Thank you for dropping by...go plant another tree

Places to see more of Daniel's work:

Pearson Lakes Art Center - lakesart.org 

Arts On Grand - artsongrand.org

 

Past....Forward

"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death."   Robert Fulghum

This mornings walk brought me to the above scene with splashes of color in the morning sky. I started to pass but as I did I saw the ladder leaning against the tree as well as a sturdy platform erected among the sturdy branches.  I couldn't help but wish that I had such an "imagination tree" back in my childhood, but even though it was missing, the imagination part was not. Cowboys, pirates and spaceflights were some of the imaginary characters of my childhood. I even recall drawing dials and clocks and windows on the inside of larges boxes to help create the imaginary flights to the moon and back long before it was achieved.

With all of those mental images floating in my head it wasn't a leap to think of what dreams and creative drama took place on the platform.  Was it seeing the new land while sailing in a large schooner, or was it covered with dolls or colored papers. No matter the activity, I'm sure that children were involved and creativity was the color being used to pass the time.

Here again I used my trusty iPhone and did much of the post editing in Photoshop CC.

Thanks for visiting.  Walking is indeed not only important for health, but the imagination and creative muscles as well.  You're never too old!

Places to see more of Daniel's work:

Pearson Lakes Art Center  lakesart.com 

500px.com

Facebook - Daniel Ruf Photography  (I can't believe I'm on Facebook again???)

Pocket Camera

"Creativity itself doesn't care at all about the results - the only thing it craves is the process. Learn to love the process and let whatever happens next happen, without fussing too much about it.  Work like a monk, or a mule, or some other representative metaphor for diligence. Love the work.Destiny will do what it wants with you, regardless.                                                                  

Elizabeth Gilbert

Walking everyday has been a daily agenda item for some time, but this summer I've made it a priority and in the process have been averaging  3 - 5 miles a day. I usually go out in the early morning hours specifically for the light, but if there is a partly cloudy forecast, then I'm traveling in my truck with my camera looking for sunrise and special light situations.

The "pocket phone" has been a nice tool to have along when walking. In my case it would be the iPhone as well as a library of photo apps at the ready. The good thing about having a "camera" tagging along is that it's another tool of discovery along the way. It helps keep the creative juices flowing and ready for those just right opportunities that may come along.

The blog image is from the iPhone and is a field I pass many times during the week.  In this case the tree on the right was just getting a brush of sunrise light that attracted my attention. After getting home I sat down to develop the image and found my way to a painting process. In this case I used some textures, a JixiPix painting app and combined it with a Topaz painting app on my MAC to get the results that I was looking for.

Landscape photography only works if one gets up off the couch and walks out the door. The getting off the couch is the same effort required of any type of art that I'm aware of, even if robots are involved. One has to get up to make the effort to turn on the switch.  For me, being in the outdoors is the switch for my adventure to begin.

Thank you for joining me and I hope that you grab a little of the Fall season before it's gone.

Places to see more of Daniel's work:

Pearson Lakes Art Center  lakesart.com 

500px.com

Facebook - Daniel Ruf Photography  (I can't believe I'm on Facebook again???)

 

Deep In A Slot

"Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendships a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day."  John Wooden

Waiting for Spring to come in Iowa is like watching paint dry. We're in the last week of March and every winter event has hit us in some way shape or form. Snow? We got it.  Rain? We're having it. Ice? You guessed it. Wind? Never stops. The geese are flying about undecided whether they should stay, head North, or fly like jets back to the South.

That puts me right back where I was the last time I sat down to write this blog.  I'm now editing and deleting iPhone files.  It's been fun and I've been doing a lot with Distressed FX textures for the first time. I finally downloaded files to my computer, which makes it easier to work with iPhone images with more effort and detail. Thanks to Cheryl Tarrant's website and blog for that information.

The slot canyon blog image is from a couple of years ago when my wife and I were on our annual "get out of Iowa in ugly March" trip.  I had made a Zion NP trip over 30 years ago on my own and really was excited to show her what a marvelous national park it is. Without thinking we hit the Easter break period for California schools and it was a bit crowded, but there is always a place to hide from the maddening crowd as well as galleries to visit.

Cross your fingers with the hope that Spring will actually show up. Next year we'll board up that groundhog den to see if we can't have an earlier Spring.

Thanks for visiting and don't be a stranger!

"Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendships a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day."  John Wooden

Waiting for Spring to come in Iowa is like watching paint dry. We're in the last week of March and every winter event has hit us in some way shape or form. Snow? We got it.  Rain? We're having it. Ice? You guessed it. Wind? Never stops. The geese are flying about undecided whether they should stay, head North, or fly like jets back to the South.

That puts me right back where I was the last time I sat down to write this blog.  I'm now editing and deleting iPhone files.  It's been fun and I've been doing a lot with Distressed FX textures for the first time. I finally downloaded files to my computer, which makes it easier to work with iPhone images with more effort and detail. Thanks to Cheryl Tarrant's website and blog for that information.

The slot canyon blog image is from a couple of years ago when my wife and I were on our annual "get out of Iowa in ugly March" trip.  I had made a Zion NP trip over 30 years ago on my own and really was excited to show her what a marvelous national park it is. Without thinking we hit the Easter break period for California schools and it was a bit crowded, but there is always a place to hide from the maddening crowd as well as galleries to visit.

Cross your fingers with the hope that Spring will actually show up. Next year we'll board up that groundhog den to see if we can't have an earlier Spring.

Thanks for visiting and don't be a stranger!

Splash Of Color

"I believe in evolution. But I also believe, when I hike the Grand Canyon and see it at sunset, that the hand of God is there also."  John McCain

Arizona has a wealth of incredible landscapes, whether it be the Grand Canyon, Saguaro N.P., Granite Dells, etc.  With all that being said I think Arizona has some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets I have seen.  Since my first look at a Arizona Highways Magazine years ago until my more recent visits I am always in awe of the color, gradations, and expanse of the golden hours of the morning and evening.

This shot is from Tucson with my iPhone and was one of the longest sunset events that I can remember. At least a half hour of changing color and intensity.

I hope you all have a great 2018.

Thanks for following my blog.

Other sites where you can find my work:

http://500px.com

Summerwind Gallery, Arnolds Park, Iowa http://www.summerwindgallery.com

Other Parts

"Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression."  Isaac Bashevis Singer

Just returned from a trip to the Southwest including stops in Sabino Canyon near Tucson, Zion National Park and Bryce National Park.  Along the way my wife and I took every opportunity to visit as many galleries and museums as possible, which put us in contact with several incredible gallery people and artists.  I especially like seeing other work, including the traditional arts of painting, pottery, etc. as it is an opportunity for instruction, reflection and insight into other visual concepts.  On this trip I found, but not surprised, that much of the work that we liked best were those that did the most with light.  In the Vail, Colorado we came across the "Claggett/Rey Gallery" which had a great deal of beautiful western art which was absolutely luminous.  In another collection of western art at the American Museum Of Western Art in Denver the work that had been painted during the Hudson River School during the mid 19th century was stunning and largely due to the use of light in the work.

Since photography is the capture of light, the use of light in a composition is nothing new to most photographers.  The blog image, taken at the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area near Tucson, was taken early in the morning when the light hadn't yet reached the canyon floor, but was being reflected from the walls around the subject. As I rounded a corner the subject seemed to jump out at me largely due to the radiance of the light off the rock formations along the creek. This is an iPhone shot that has been edited in Photoshop. The three large rocks along with the three clumps of grass and reflections were the focal points of the composition, in my opinion, with the rocks in the center background being the "trailer" to the composition.

While it's not rocket science, standing around in enough galleries as well as looking through online sites has led me to believe that a lot of photography/art is lacking the use of light as a "subject", and to be totally honest, it does slip my mind on occasions.  This is why the tromping through numerous galleries is so important to me as it reaffirmed the importance of light in art, whether it be artificial  or natural.  Light is what defines shapes, textures, depth and volume and to me is a building block towards composition.

Thank you all for stopping by and I'd like to remind you that I will be part of a new "reconstructed" gallery in Arnolds Park, Iowa called Summerwind Gallery (summerwindgallery.com), owned and operated by Roberta Williams, an outstanding artist as well.  She has managed to put together a group of artists that will be displaying some beautiful work of many differing subjects and mediums.  The gallery will have a "soft" opening on May 1 and the grand opening on June 4. This gallery is going to be a great edition to the arts in our area of Northwest Iowa.

For more views of my work visit;

http://500px.com

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

Summer Wind Gallery, Arnolds Park, Iowa http://www.summerwindgallery.com

Searching Through Winter

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep."  Robert Frost - from "Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening"

One winter morning a few days ago I was out on a foggy morning and happened by this wooded area along a gravel road and decided to stop for further investigation.  I really loved the mass of tangled branches as well as the darkness of the large oaks and how the fog twisted through the strong pillars of tree trunks.

I began by using my Canon camera, but then ended up using my iPhone as well and spent some time working on separation of the trunks by moving slightly one way or the other.  While doing all of this I began to think of a favorite Robert Frost poem, the end of which is above, while at the same time clicking, moving and searching.

It struck me as funny how a particular poem would come to mind that fit so well with the situation before me and how it enriched the experience of standing among these massive forms.  All the while those last four lines of "Stopping By The Woods...." continued to roll through my head while I was bobbing and weaving, searching, looking, deciding and searching more.

When I got home I sat down to begin to work on the image in my iPhone...adding a little texture, cropping, strengthening, adding some luminance when all the while "the woods are lovely, dark and, deep" continued to run through my mind.

An empty morning of searching through winter, winding up and down those gravel roads, stopping by empty fields or old farmsteads, or slogging through snow brought me to this empty forest and Robert Frost.

Thank you for visiting and enjoy the winter...Spring is on the way.

The Summerwind Gallery in old town Arnolds Park, Iowa will have its opening on May 1 and I'm so excited to be a part of this space.  Roberta Williams, the owner and artist extraordinar has launched the website listed below.  Take a look to see the wonderful group of artists that she has brought together for the 2016 summer season at the Iowa Lakes area.

For more views of my work visit;

http://500px.com

Arts On Grand, Spencer, Iowa http://www.artsongrand.org/

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

Summer Wind Gallery, Arnolds Park, Iowa http://www.summerwindgallery.com