I’ve gone back to a photography practice I did for several years, marking each day with a photo, so that at the end of the year, I had 365 (if it all went well) memories of that year. I had this idea of doing posts that scoop up my favorite photos from each week, but I got just a bit distracted around January 8th. Hmm… At least I am getting out for daily walks and taking my camera along, so that’s a bit of consistency on what has started out as another incredibly weird year.
Lensbaby Learning
One of my holiday presents (from me!) was a Lensbaby Sol 45 lens for my Sony camera. I’ve been taking it out on walks to learn how to use it. It basically does a sweet spot of focus and then blurs the rest. I slightly overexposed this photo as I was learning how to work with the lens, which doesn’t do automatic focus or exposure, depending instead on the photographer’s skill. I need to work on that! But combining the overexposed image with a white vingnette made for a cool look.
Trees in B&W
I’m still in the land of the longleaf pines and so I took this one looking up to capture how long and lean these trees really are. They don’t provide a lot of shade, but they are still beautiful to look at. I went with black and white because that emphasized the structure of the trees, and because I’m working on my black and white photography skills this year.
Forest View
Longleaf pines also space themselves out nicely, another reason they’re not known as shade trees. This path at Crooked River State Park, with a bench to enjoy the view, goes through a good stand of longleaf pines. As you’re reading this, you can either enjoy the forest view or imagine yourself sitting on that bench in the quiet, looking out at the world from a safe place.
Outta Florida
And finally, I’m out of Florida after two months. All told, I spent 6.5 months in Florida in 2020. If you had asked me five years ago if I planning to even visit Florida, let alone live there, the answer would have been a hard no. Funny the twists and turns that life takes.
Coming Up…
I’ll be bumming around the Southeast the rest of the winter and into Spring. It’s cold down here by Southern standards, but I don’t have to shovel snow so I’m good. I’ll spend several weeks of that time near beaches, so even better.
Imitate the trees. Learn to lose in order to recover, and remember that nothing stays the same for long.
May Sarton
Hi, Andrea, and thanks for leaving such a great comment! The fall will come, even though it feels so very far away right now and then you’ll have started your own Alto life. Maybe we’ll meet up in the southwest in the next year or so, you never know!
I agree with Jennifer’s comments. thanks for being so real and sharing glimpses of your style of the Alto gypsy camping life. Yes, through your writing and photos, I am living vicariously until this fall (2021) when I will begin my own f1743 full time East Coast adventures before heading southwest to visit friends and sample boondocking. Thanks for your insight and highlights. A Evans
The long leaf pines remind me of our Lodgepole pines. Tall and straight.
I have not heard of a lensbaby. I’ll go look it up, looks like fun! My mother LOVED long leaf pines…and their huge pinecones! I always think of her when I see one now. Have fun out west!!!
I love all the learning and expanding you are doing with your photography skills and we readers get the benefit. With all the craziness going on around us, seeing beautiful photos is a wonderful diversion.