THINKING OF MY DAD.

For some reason, this Father’s Day seems to be resting on my mind more than others have.  Thinking about my Dad more.

We had a strained relationship when I was growing up.  He was always there for us, but distant.  Maybe it was his generation, and how they were raised.  Maybe it was what he went through in WWII.  I can’t imagine how his generation accomplished what they did.  A twenty year old young man, crawling into a bomber, flying over Germany to drop their payload, and then getting back home, meanwhile seeing other planes around them being shot down.  What was going through their minds?  How scared were they?  But he was was one of the lucky ones that made it home.

All through high school, we didn’t get along, and I left home as soon as I could.  Looking back, I don’t think I was the son he was looking for.  I wasn’t a star athlete.  I was more the hanging out with the bad kids.  Never got in any real trouble, but do know I caused his some grief.

Things seemed to change  after I was discharged from the Navy.  I was married, and soon we had out first son.  I went off to college, and then started my career.  When ever life seemed to get hard, he was always there to talk to.  I called home a lot.  I missed him.  He never had a lot of material things, but seemed happy with the life he had.

I was traveling all over North America, but living under a lot of stress.  Talking to Dad always seemed to bring peace to my soul.  But I always had to call early ‘cause he was in bed by 8:00.  

When we came to visit, it was such a homecoming.  He, Mom, and the sisters were always waiting in the driveway when we pulled in.  How did they know we were arriving?  How ever it happened, it made the heart warm.  And leaving was always so sad.  And I always had to call as soon as we got home, letting them know we made the trip okay.  No cell phones back then.

And when him and Mom would come to visit us, it was so special.  We lived in a world that was so different form theirs.  And the life I had, I’m sure he couldn’t imagine.  I remember one time when they came to visit, I had to go to Chicago for a truck shoot.  He went along with me, riding through the city in a grip truck, and then setting in the shade watching as I put the photo shoot together.  I looked over at him, and he really seemed to be enjoying watching what I was doing.

That night, we stayed at the Marriott downtown.  Our room was on something like the 42nd floor and had floor to ceiling windows.  I asked him what he would like to do, and all he wanted was room service and to set and look out and see the city from that high.  As simple as it was, that was a very special evening to me.

We moved to McCall, and I was able to spend five years with him before he passed away.  I am so thankful for that time.  I think that was when I got to know him.  Better late than never.

Now changes are happening in my life again, and I really miss not being able to talk with him.  I know what he would say… “..everything will work out and be just fine”.  He is still my strength when I need it.  Today, I miss him more than ever.

I love you, Dad.  

A few random thoughts

It's been a long time since I last posted anything.  Good thing I don't have any followers.  No one missed it.  I have to start being more consistant with my writing.

A couple thoughts on fishing.

Last summer the fishing was pretty weak.  Low, warm water didn't help things.  The snow pack so far this year is not looking that much better.  Hope we get a lot dumped on us during the spring.

Did catch a couple nice twenty inch Rainbows in October.  A lot of fun.  Only thing is I took a friend down a few days later and couldn't buy a strike.  Good thing I had photos to prove I caught big fish.

I would like to get out and get some winter fishing photos.  I need to find a model and do it.  Our snow may be below normal, but it's beautiful.  Wonder who I can get to wade when the temp is around 14˙.

On to photography thoughts.

I recently was made aware of the portraits a mother in Russia shoots of her children.  Fabulous images. So much soul in her work.  I keep going back to look at her images.  Check her out.  http://500px.com/ElenaShumilova.

Last spring I got to teach photography to a fifth grade class.  I had a ball teaching these young people, and was pleasantly surprised at the images they came up with.  A few weeks ago, I started with a new class.  Last years class was only nine students, this year it's twenty-two.  Big difference.

I'm already getting excited about what they are producing.  We spend about half and hour talking about some aspect of photography, then they get to shoot, using what we covered that day.  They have already shown some interesting images.  I can't wait to see what they com up with by the end of the class.  The way an eleven year old see the world is refreshing.

Now to try to get more folk to follow my ramblings..........

Tom

July Weekend

This was another great weekend.  Aside from all the tourists in town for the 4th of July festivities (and all the personal fireworks that seemed to never end), It was good.

I am getting real spoiled spending time with my Grandson Oliver.  Jon and Rachel come up every weekend so she can work a couple shifts at Lardo's Grill.  Jon always brings Oliver over to hang out for a few hours.  Love that little guy.  He definitely has his dad's ability to charm.

Had to brag a little.  Hope you don't mind.

I got to go fish with Warren a couple times.  Friday he asked me to go with him to teach his cousin and her husband to to fly fish.  They live in the San Francisco bay area, and are for sure city people.  Very nice and friendly.  Very excited about the area up here.  Not used to the "wild" country.  Why are folks from urban areas so pre-occupied about bears?  Seems they are always worried about a bear attack.  If you happen to run across a bear in the hills around here, you are probably only going to see his butt as he is running away.  They don't like humans.

Then Sunday, Warren and I got to go fishing on our own.

We went to a small stream about twenty miles from town that can be a sweet little water for small brookies and rainbows.  A great small rod water.  Nothing big was caught, but a lot of little 4 to 8 incher.  I know this is probably not exciting to those who chase the big one, but there is more to it than catching big fish.

Spending an evening with a good friend, bantering back and forth, enjoying the area, this makes a wonderful evening.  Listening to the water as it drops and splashes through the rocks.  Watching a small hatch happen and the small fingerlings feeding.  Hooking a small brook trout and watch it swim away when released.  This brings is a warm feeling that can heal the wounded soul.

Afterwards, meeting at the truck, breaking down equipment, sipping a little scotch and laughing about how small the fish were.  You can't buy this kind of camaraderie.

We are already trying to think of where to go next weekend.

Impact in photos

I've been mostly posting about fishing, but today I would like to talk about photography.  The thing that is not really thought about when taking, or making, a photograph.

When I first became interested in photography, I was still serving in the U.S. Navy.  A friend was taking a Famous Photographers course.  This was way before the internet, online courses.  Everything as done through the mail.

I looked at his books for the course and thought this is really exciting, so I used my GI Bill and signed up.  I received three ring bound books with all the assignments and a basic class on photography.  I never did complete the course, but one thing stands out.  One of the assignment had to do with color photography.  The "instructor" was Irving Penn.  At that time I had no idea who Irving Penn was, and to this day regret that I did not keep his critique.  It was a personal, and I believe hand written, critique of the photos I had submitted.  All I remember of it was that he wrote that color should be held to a minimum for impact.  Or something along those lines.

After being discharged, I decided I wanted to become a photographer, and applied to Brooks Institute of Photography.  In the '70's, photography was very popular, and Brooks had something like a two year waiting period to start.  During this time I was doing what I could to learn photography and came across a book published by Kodak called "Impact: Photography for Advertising".  The book talked about how photos needed to have an impact to grab the viewer.

Today, with digital cameras, something has been lost in the art of photography.  It has made it too easy to get good images.  No longer does a person have to learn the technical side to take photos.  The cameras do all the work.  You can look at thousands of photos online, and there are a lot of good ones, but few great ones.

The most obvious weakness in a lot of photos posted today is they lack IMPACT!  How many sunset shots, that are of just the sunset, have you seen?  Most are what the photographer saw and captured.  What nature provided.  Nothing added to make it a great photo.  When I was teaching a photo class, I told the class that I did not want to see any sunset shots unless there was more to it.

What I am attempting to bring out, is that there must be some thing in the photograph that connects with the viewer.  There must be either some sort of emotional connection, or it must tell a story.  Something besides a pretty picture.  It must draw the viewer into the image.  Make them want to be part of the story, or emotionally move them.

The masters of painting where able to do this.  If you look at a Rembrandt painting, he draws you into the image, and touches your soul.  He was able to connect the viewer with his story.

They great photographers also brought this to their work.  If you look at a Joyce Tenneson, Irving Penn, or Richard Avadon image, you will be drawn into what the artist produced.

Emotion isn't just taking a photo of a puppy or a small child.  It must have the extra magic that hooks the viewers soul.

Peruse photos by great artists and try to understand what makes the piece great.  Try to put this little extra in what you are producing.  Add the emotion, or impact, to take your images to the next level.  Go beyond what most of the photos out there are.  You will be amazed how viewers will react to your images.

Fishing with Warren

A short post about yesterday's fishing.  One of my fishing buddies finally got all his honey-dos finished, so we had an opportunity to go fish.

After a late start (I was up 'til 3:00 with my grandson) we hit the road.  Now hitting the road around here is never a long trip.  Within fifteen minutes we were at a spot I wanted to try.

I have driven by this section of water dozens of times, but had always heard it was not good fishing, so had never stopped.  Then a couple days ago, another friend stopped me and said he landed a 29", 9# rainbow at this spot.

We stopped and got out to check the water, and damn!, big fish swimming around.  Figured we may as well give it a shot.

Got everything set up and got some line wet.  After a few minutes, I felt a tug, but didn't hook up.  A few more drifts, and BAM! A hit and had a fish on.  It fought like hell and was a lot of fun.  I was standing on a flat rock that eased into the water, so I beached it on the rock..  Wow, a nice 16" 'bow.

After releasing it back into the water, looked up at Warren, and he was still tying a fly onto his line.  It seems like every time I looked up stream to him, he was tying another fly on.  He said he kept loosing flies.  Now Warren is a farmer, and did lose the tip of one finger to some machine, but past that, he insists on tying some fancy knot for his flies.  Swears he has lost too many fish with the clinch knot, so is never going to use it again.

To me, he's got the wrong mindset.  He is missing fishing time screwing with his fancy knots.  Even if he did loose a fish now and again, he would at least be catching fish, not tying knots.

All and all, it was a fun day.  We didn't fish very long.  Both of us old farts were tired, so went back to town for a burger and a beer.

Can't wait for the next trip!

Happy Trails

Tom

><))))˙>

Fishing with Clark

This week is panning out pretty well.  I got a couple shoots booked, did a little fishing, and shot some fishing photos for my website.

Sunday I ran up to Goose Creek to check the water level and get some line wet.  Took the 4 wt. as this is not a big fish stream.  I had fun, but only caught fingerlings.  I did get excited about how the water and background looked.  Great place for a photo shoot.

I called a friend, Clark Lucas, and asked if he was up to do a little modeling for me.

Now Clark is a Steelhead and Salmon fisherman.  Little Brookies and Rainbows aren't his thing, but he agreed to downsize for the sake of my photos.  He did insist on bringing his own rod.  a 9' 6 wt.  I tried to get him to use my 3 or 4 wt. but no deal.

He is also a master fly tier.  His spey and steelhead flies are works of art.  I feel honored when ever he has given me some of his flies.  I could never tie any thing like these.

I also figured Clark was someone who could get to the spots I had picked for photos.  He has recently retired from the Forest Service, and after thirty years running around the mountains, he is in pretty good shape.  So much for what I wanted, the wuss wouldn't go to the holes I wanted him in.  Afraid of a little fast water on a freestone stream.  Of course, he is a skinny guy.  Probably would have got washed down the river.  

I can't really pick on him.  He did get into some pretty hairy spots for me.  Thank God for carbide studs.  The rocks are slick.

It was a lot of fun, and I think Clark got into it a little.  When I was finished, he fished for a little bit.  Trying to catch one of those 10' Brookies on his 6 wt.

I'm much indebted to him, and hope to get him out to model again.

Still haven't talked about my fishing, but I'll get to that later.

<'(((((><

Tom

It's been slow and boring, this last month.  Rivers and streams are in spring runoff, so are too high to fish.  At least for my fishing ability.

With this, I have been working on some photos for an upcoming art show this summer.  Have shot some new images, and worked on some of my older shots.

It has been interesting working with some techniques to get something interesting.  Have been working with multiple exposures, then a lot of photoshop.  Have come up with some stuff I like.

This was a new image.  I also found an older one I liked, but it needed something, so I added a little surprise.  Can you find it?

Another one that is still in the works.......

If you would like to post some input, it would be welcomed.  

Maybe next week I will have something of interest to post.  Until then...........

Tom