The 20th day of the 11th month of the year of the OP

THE TRIP NORTH IS NOW IN THE CAN

As you my faithful and enlightened readers are aware I have been travelling for a show at Easton, MD and a shoot in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

To report on the economics of the art world, as narrowly defined by the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, I am happy to report that sales have held their own in this year of business woe. It is really a mixed bag. But just as the price of gold has soared this past year, evidently high end art is being sought as either a good investment or hedge against something still coming. Inflation, deflation, or just grumpy stuff! My problem is that I should have doubled or tripled my prices (already high) and then I would have done allot better. At least I made expenses, saw the kids/grand kids, and got some new photo stock. I did sell out of the tree frog and have to make more prints to fill orders.

He was the subject of an article in the local newspaper on Friday and Saturday.

Yahooooooooooo!

I drove about 1,700 miles and the old green beast crossed over the 300,000 mile mark as I passed over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Some milestone. Good ole For E'plorer just keeps pickin em up n put em down. All she's needed was a new transmission around the 200,000 mark and soon this 1991 will qualify as an antique, just like her owner. I've got to get something newer, but will probably keep the ford for shows, fix her up, and save her for the antique market.

The bottom photo is my booth at the show. I was on center stage with two other photographers. I guess because I was the senior citizen, I deserved the respect for having shown there for the past twenty years. Either that or I was the unpaid entertainment for the whole bunch. The top photo is of the frog who is becoming a rock star in his own right. He did outsell any other single image at the show. More to come about the shoot.

Ninth day of the 11th month of the year of the OP

MEET THE "ROCKIN ROBIN"

The 8th day of the 11th month of the year of the OP

OK, I'VE TURNED GREEN

So far this year I have been to a Blue "Grass" Festival and now this!

The Collard "Greens" Festival.

Look out Al Gore here I come!

Yesterday, was the "Collard Greens" Festival in Gascon, South Carolina, population 1390 souls in 2003. That information came from E Podunk.com. Really! Do a google search, it's right there.

The Collard green is commercially cultivated for its thick, slightly bitter edible leaves. They are available year-round, but many people believe that they are tastier and more nutritious in the cold months, after the first frost. Thus, I guess the timing for this little festival, cause we had frost warnings the last two mornings. For real!

We were there to peddle the community spirit of joining a local "Cert" organization. That's Community Emergency Response Team, which is a locally trained team to be at a community disaster even before the 911 people get there and to assist them when they do. Really worthwhile training and a fun thing to do.

Our crack team of amateur professionals did get eight potential members to fill out applications, which I understand is a pretty good performance or track record. You can see one of our enthusiastic members pitching a prospect in the bottom photo. He was selling this young lady on the benefits of community participation, but I don't think she was buying.

Having been at more outdoor shows than I care to remember, the sights and sounds were so familiar to me.

There was of course the amateur belly dancing crowd balancing swords on their heads --------- Bless their little hearts. (second from the bottom)

The Willy Nelson look alike contest. (third from the bottom)

And the monster truck display where little children were chased by the truck all over the place. Fortunately, the kids got away. (second photo down)

But the best was eating ice cream. This little girls shows us all just how to do it! (top photo).

I think that I have convinced a few of our team, that the financial benefits of staging our own festival would outweigh all that have gone before. My idea would create such local and even multi-state interest that the entry fees for booths alone would make us all rich overnight.

We could call it the "Mid-south, Deep south, up North Moonshine Festival". Sorry Al, has nothing to do with global warming.............more like internal warming. Think about it!

The 7th day of the 11th month of the year of the OP

MEET THE "CRANKY CRAB"

The fifth day of the eleventh month of the year of the OP

LOUISIANA HERON

I have spoken of the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine Florida as a place in the early spring to photograph long leg wading birds.

http://www.alligatorfarm.com/

This is one of them, the tri-colored or Louisiana heron.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricolored_Heron

Like most of these wading birds, they are wary and cannot be approached easily. A friend of mine always employed the "Don't make eye contact stalk", convinced that if she didn't look at the bird it would not fly away. Well, that's sorta like believing a congressman/woman is going to do as he/she promised as soon as you turn your back. Chances are good it ain't gone to happen.

Most tack sharp and close images of these types of birds, that you see in magazines and books, probably came from this location. From early March through May the board walk area is littered with photographers of all calibers and I would guess that hundreds of thousands of images are made here each year. Their website will keep you abreast of the progress of the bird's entire procedure from mating, nest building, to getting the little ones in flight. Fascinating place.

I have found two circumstances where one can approach these birds and capture some decent photos with a middle length lens. This one was with a 200 mm lens and obviously I was right down his throat.

The first set-up is when they are feeding and their mind is intent upon snatching some poor critter just under the surface of the water. These birds are fast. But when their attention is diverted, one can get closer, eye contact not withstanding.

The other set-up is when they are in a rookery and mating. Then they are totally distracted and one can get really close. I have had immature birds walk along the railing and peck on the lens as I was taking pictures.

Of course we men knew this all along. Food and sex can do all kinds of crazy things to critter behavior.

The bottom photo is of the rookery at the Alligator Farm and the top is of a Louisiana heron who will now, at least in spirit, make the trip from Florida to the Waterfowl Festival in Maryland.

The 3rd day of the 11th month of the year of the OP

"OLD ROCKY TOP"


Probably not, but a few mountains in Tennessee in the Great Smokie National Park.

Breathtaking place where we should take our children and grandchildren just to stand in awe.

I made this image two falls ago and it has been "tweeked" to enhance the shadows and colors but it is pretty much as I saw it that day.

I will be taking this piece among others to the Easton Waterfowl in Maryland for a show the 13Th, 14Th, and 15Th of this month. I hope that some of you might join us. It is fun and some of the best wildlife artists in the country will be showing. Plan on two days to see everything from all the artistic disciplines, including painting, carving, sculpture, and of course photography.

http://www.waterfowlfestival.org/

The photographers will be located in the Talbot County Historical Society building where we have been for the past 19+ years. It is on the second floor but there is an elevator for the weary. At last count there will be thirteen photographers, all with some pretty fine work. Here for fun is a partial list of some of their websites.

Steve Dembo http://www.dembophoto.com/

David Harp http://www.chesapeakephotos.com/

Rob Hendry http://www.robhendryphotography.com/

Larry Hitchens http://www.hitc.comhensphotography.com/

Of course if you go to the festival website, all the people who are showing are listed and most of them have websites. So if you like to spend a day just oooogling at wildlife art, these pages are pretty cool.

I just noticed that this is the 39Th year of the festival and it dawned on me that I have been there for 19. Wow, how did I get so old. But I like to think that I have gotten better in my profession over those years. Only the Ka-Ching at the end of the day will tell.

Only two months left in the year of the OP

FALL ON THE RIVERWALK

Like in most other parts of the east coast, the leaves are turning or have turned and fall is fast coming upon us.

These leaves fell here in last night's bit of rain. Nothing like in Philadelphia where the World Series was delayed. Or in Tennessee where the Vols destroyed the Gamecocks of USC. But we did get some overnight.

Taking photographs in or after a rain always dramatically expands the color saturation of the photos. Another of the reasons that I prefer to photograph in nasty or inclement weather.

It started to drizzle again before I finished my couple miles of walk and I am happy to report that all the Little People of the Kudzu all seemed to be happy. Heard them scampering about laughing and chattering about last night's haul of stolen candy. So I guess they are now firmly ensconced in their castles for another year.