First Snow
Michigan’s first real ice/snowfall of the New Year.
Delicate Home
Catch the full quote from Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot here. It’s a good annual reminder of how delicate our home is.
Happy New Year, everyone.
Top Music Picks for 2014
This has been a pretty memorable music year for me. I can’t think of another year, except for maybe 2004-2005, or 1994, when things have lined up so well (maybe you need a 4 in the year number?).
Here are a few albums/songs/artists I enjoyed this year.
††† (Crosses) – The Epilogue
While not exactly new this year, and maybe not so witch house, Crosses is a great mashup of the best of Deftones and electronica. Grab a few samples and check it out – definitely sexy stuff.
The War on Drugs – Under the Pressure
This was on a lot of people’s “best of” lists this year, including mine. It only took about a minute into the lead song on Lost In A Dream for me to hit “buy.” Even better is “An Ocean Between The Waves.”
Flyings Colors – Mask Machine
I’m actually a bigger fan of their first album, but Flying Colors – a prog super group I should’ve known about their first go-‘round – had a second great album with Second Nature. The breakdown at 3:28 is great with Neal Morse taking over vocals. Also check out “One Love Forever,” my favorite from the album.
Mastodon – The Motherload
Definitely NSFW after the 0:40 minute mark, but man – what a song, and what an album. I finally got to see Mastodon live this year, and while there was little to no twerking, they’re a great band.
“If you want you can will it. You can have – I can put it right there in your hands.”
View on YouTube
TV On The Radio – Careful You
Apparently everyone else has heard of TV On the Radio except for me. But now I get it. Especially with “Careful You” on their latest album.
Tycho – See
Pretty amazing video for a great song – just like all of Tycho’s stuff. Think early morning on a west coach beach, set to music. Great for working, or relaxing. Tycho does a great job of mixing analog with digital to build these lovely soundscapes – all to a catchy beat.
Beck – Waking Light (Live on The Tonight Show)
The whole “Morning Phase” album is a gorgeous piece of mellow gold (pardon the pun), but it starts so perfectly with “Morning” and winds through “Waking Light.” A lot of people are calling it the spiritual successor to Sea Change – I like to think of it as Beck doing John Denver.
Gwinn Tree Farm
Tree Canon
Load ’em up.
Ready for delivery.
Red and green.
Merry Christmas, everyone, from Gwinn’s Tree Farm in Horton, Michigan.
Burr’ed
Did some exploring yesterday, and got covered in burs. Even my camera strap was festooned with little scratchy hangers-on.
It wasn’t from this photo, but a good reminder.
True to Your Roots
However I have discovered over time– the best photographic opportunities are in your own backyard (neighborhood, city, community) and staying true to your roots is really important. There are tons of photographic opportunities waiting to be shot where you already live.
City-Side View
Austin, Texas
Imagine a place like this in Michigan: a patio on the 2nd floor of the hotel, exposed to the elements. Crazy.
But in Austin, it’s possible – and a great idea.
Summer Is Always Slipping Away
Even when you’re right there, right in the middle of it, summer is always slipping away.
Lake Michigan beach, paused thanks to a quick rain shower.
Canon Canonet QL17 G-III – Kodak Ektar 100
Magic
Some summer time plant life, taken with the Pentax K1000 and a lovely roll of Kodak Portra.
Magic.
Kodak Ektar 100
Had my first roll of Kodak Ektar 100 printed, and boy, talk about some touchy film.
Or I should say, touchy camera (my Canonet) and film combo. Lots of underexposures, crushed blacks, and double exposures (like the one above) in the roll.
It’s a bummer when the photos you’re looking forward to seeing come out botched. But that’s the magic of film, right?
Austin
Had a chance to visit Austin, Texas, last week for a higher ed conference. Lovely city, and very weird. Neat that both the state capitol and major university are in the same town.
And all that barbecue? Man.
More to come.
