Lonely trees

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Lonely trees are photographed often enough to border on being cliche.  But I just can't stop myself, I snap away at them almost every time I see one. 

What amazes me about them is when they're green and healthy, and not burnt by lightning.

Taken near Maple Lake, August 7, 2005

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Birdscapes

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Sometimes (ok, ok, most of the time) the birds I want to photograph are too far away.  I have no money for super expensive equipment, and no desire to tramp through delicate habitat to get closer.  I console myself on these occasions either by watching the birds through the binoculars (where they are clear, if not close up) or take pictures anyway, and call them birdscapes. 

This picture was taken alongside of a country road.  Not a real marsh, not protected or managed, just a flooded field.  These transient mini-wetlands provide much-needed stopover sites for hungry and tired migrant birds. 

Near Hartney, Manitoba, Jul 28, 2007

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Rippled water and an indigo sky

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In photography, they often talk about the rule of thirds.  Actually, they talk about it with art as well.  This photo doesn't fulfill this guideline.  I like it anyways, but I've always been contrary like that. 

Taken July 27, 2005 at Oak Hammock Marsh.

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Funnies

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I read a LOT of comics.  Have always enjoyed them.  Comic books, manga, comic strips, webcomics... 

Here's a few that I've seen, about artists!

buttersafe.

hahahahaha!!

This is Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson. 

heeheehee!

ok, not about artists, but I'm afraid that I'm all three characters in that one!!

This is W. T. Duck by Aaron Johnson.

 WAHAHAHAHAHA! 

Wish I knew how he heard this conversation!!  My poor man has to deal with so much!

Another W.T. Duck

*snirk*

Reminds me of some of those motivational blogs...  "You can achieve anything!  Just buy my ebook!"

Another one...

Touche, indeed!

Ok, another one...

Love, love, love this one!!!

Seriously, what's life without funnies??
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Contrasting viewpoints

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I've only been to Rat River PWMA once.  We didn't see much there, but it was a great drive!  We got there in the middle of the day, which could account for our meagre sightings!

I don't recall for sure, but I think this photo was taken from a short bridge leading into the marsh area.  I like how neat and tidy and symmetrical the shores look.  How carefully squared off they are!

I think this is the view on the other side of the bridge.  What a difference!  Downright chaotic! 

Of course, I like it just as much.  OK, maybe even more. 

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Bug vortex

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There are some neat videos circulating of birds flying in tight formation, forming little "bird tornadoes".  Very cool stuff. 

I have no such things, but I did get an ok picture of a bug vortex we saw once, on the way to Whitewater Lake.  Taken May of 2007, a dry year!

I hope you can see the vortex, it's straight ahead.  Try clicking for the BIG photo!

I don't know what the little bug (gers) are, sorry!

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Books are a thing of the past!

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No, they're not.  They're really not.

Bloggers and writers all over have jumped all over the article about how Amazon sells more ebooks than hardbacks, making loud proclamations that the change is coming.

Maybe it is.  But maybe it isn't.

Nearly all of the opinion pieces I've seen on the matter take the same tack.  Physical books are going away!

Ummm...  First off, read the statistic again.  More ebooks than HARDbacks.  I buy very few hardcover books.  Hardcover books do not typically constitute the majority of books in a bookstore.  This is a selective statistic, designed to get attention and promotes knee jerk reaction.

Worked quite a tick, dontcha think?

If you're interested, try reading the whole article.

I don't know what the future of books is.  This article describes the present.  Extrapolations are completely subjective, and are indicative more of the writer's mentality than they are of the state of things to come.

I don't have an e-reader.  Yet.  Am on the fence about it, truth be told.  But then, I'm also cheap.  And I can see advantages to a wide scale digitization of reading material.  My point isn't actually about books.  When somebody tells you about an article, read it yourself.  Don't let somebody else give you your opinion.

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Artifacts and errors

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Sometimes the sun doesn't cooperate.  The light doesn't stay where it should.  It sticks out, shining onto the horizon.  Stubborn, stubborn light. 

When that happens while I'm picture-taking, I groan, and keep trying for a photograph without these unsightly details. 

But sometimes it works.

I love the way the light is shooting upwards into these clouds. 

Taken at Oak Hammock Marsh, October 17, 2005

I had to think a long time about whether to crop out that stop sign!  But I like it, it's leaning into the light.

Taken at Oak Hammock Marsh, September 19, 2007.  The following photo was taken the same day, on the same stretch of road. 

May your mistakes guide and illuminate you.

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