Nature Doesn't Work At It

I was out taking some nature pictures today, being the first day of Fall. I wanted to get some shots of trees, scenery, whatever was in the area. An old bridge, a running stream, a river, my dog, etc.

There's all this stuff that makes for great pictures. Like if you want the changing of the colors, it's there. The running stream, always a great one to pose. Moss on trees, strange looking flowers, a bumblebee sucking on some yellow flowers, interesting weeds, faded and crackly, the river flowing through sand, on and on.

Even when it's not beautiful, it's beautiful. Like the muddy banks of a creek and sticks laying all helter skelter, like where they've just accumulated.

One thing to say ... for the most part it's just happening. Nothing's out there working at it trying to get the pose exactly right.

Then I try to take a picture of myself and I'm all self-conscious.

The Truck From Ho Land Is Here

A fresh shipment just came in! The sign was missing an L. It caught my eye.

Looking At People's Photos

I was at a funeral today and looking at the photo board that they always have now. I think this is something that is a fairly recent feature. I don't remember it at Grandma and Grandpa's funerals in the '70s. It's like salad bars. Someone thought of the obvious and next thing you knew everyone had one.

Looking at photos is an interesting experience. Even if you don't know the person whose photos they are. Of course in this case I knew her, but they would've been just as interesting otherwise.

What's interesting? You can peg the general era the photos were taken about every time. The formal class photo, an 8 x 10, soft color, the color nearly fake. Lots of greens and blues. Snapshots from the '30s and '40s. Still crisp, clear. 110 camera film from the '70s, the colors losing some of their realism, just about every time.

I also like the various poses. The fun poses that are almost cliche but are still entirely lacking in self-consciousness. At least they weren't going for a cliche look.