Seeing 2013 (#14)

For your consideration:

Last weekend I attended a Men's Retreat, one held annually at this time of year by a particular group of close friends and acquaintances.  As usual (and inevitably), it was powerful, moving and sublime.

This edition, however, provided a potent dose of enlightenment arising out of an experience entirely absent from the planned agenda:  a sacred and essentially extemporaneous communion with, and by way of, a Healing Through Poetry group also assembled on the Center's grounds.

Perhaps a third of my peers decided to participate in this courageous, cathartic and creative sharing; the enunciated verses were truly the profound essence which is the language of the heart.

As was the case for all but one of my friends present, I wrote and then spoke my first ever "public" reading.

I humbly offer my maiden poetic voyage herein, framed by two images:  one taken long before the notion of such an event was in my consciousness, the other in direct response to the opening of The Door.

§  §  §  §  §

Quadrivium, #0035-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: February 21, 2011, Canon 7D; f/6.3 @ 1/500 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 200;
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM @ 100mm

________

All I Want is a Window

All I want is a window

that I might be seen anew

All I want is a window

that I may have space for my soul to pass through

All I want is a window

that the Sun may bathe my heart

All I want is a window

that I may encompass, and not be apart

All I want is a window

that I might taste a myriad of weather

All I want is a window

that I may expand, free from weight and tether

All I want is a window

that I may witness and experience Enlightenment

All I want is a window

through which I may see

All I want is a window: so we might unite, you and me.

÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷

All I want is a Window, #2280-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: February 24, 2013, Canon 7D; f/8 @ 1/1000 sec; —1 EV; ISO 400;
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM @ 76mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#13)

For your consideration:  a small study in compositional formalism, mood and symbolism.

Here we have a series of repeating motifs . . . potent, missile-like verticals anchor not only the left of the frame but also define and support the horizon line; a precariously late warning sign upholds the other end of the boundary, while triangles somewhat more subtly also echo throughout, balanced both left and right.

Ill-defined geography hovers in the distance, presumably carpeted with organic canopies, while ironically the only distinct suggestion of life intrudes into the frame in skeletal form, simultaneously dynamic in flow and inanimate.

The scene is appropriately grey, and both implicitly and obviously a terminus and transition point — endings flowing into beginnings with mysteries yet to unfold . . . the truly observant will duly note the moment of the equinox.

Taken during the midst of a wintry bit of wandering along the largely abandoned streets of Lakeport, this is a view across Clear Lake from one of its several boat launches.

This offering is posted on an evening featuring rare snow on the local hills (of San Jose); it also is offered as a honorific to the memory of my late grandfather, Marshall Weston Petersen, whose ancient Argus 35mm camera (c. 1930s) was the genesis, long ago, of my passion for all things photographic — today, February 21, would've marked his 102nd birthday.

Dead Ends, #1113-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details:  December 21, 2012, Canon 7D; f/9 @ 1/640 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 500;
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM @ 236mm

________


Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#12)

For your consideration:  the view from Baker Beach, nearing sunset on an autumn afternoon, just beyond the entrance to the Golden Gate. The weather was as splendid as the scenery.

This large tanker steadily, slowly steered its way towards safe harbor; perhaps its home port?  Undoubtedly the crew was anticipating a welcome respite from the unrelenting challenges, perils and ironic confinement of navigating the vast open ocean.

This scene is emblematic of the close of what has been a long, trying week. There have been stretches  of calm and clear steerage . . . and significant intrusions of torrid, harrowing, raging weather. Emergence into warm, soothing sunlight, calm seas and the promise of a safe berth is mouthwatering indeed.

(PS:  happy Arizona Statehood Day [2/14/12] . . . rest assured there are no vistas like this in my home state!)

(Golden Gate) Incoming, #0502-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: October 13, 2012, Canon 7D; f/10 @ 1/600 sec; —2/3 EV; ISO 320;
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM @ 207mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#11)

For your consideration:  an x-ray of the current state of my soul.

Cold, oppressive, obscuring blankets sometimes persist far longer than would seem plausible.  Yet, eventually, nurturing light penetrates and dispels, allowing growth and beauty to return.  (Fortitude and persistence ultimately have their rewards — don't they?)

§ § §

Image taken just past noon; mild application of Noise Ninja in post-processing.

Fog, Lincoln Park, Legion of Honor, #0538-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details:  October 14, 2012, Canon 7D; f/9 @ 1/250 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 500;
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM @ 300mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#10)

For your consideration . . .

Here, a relatively rare view of the presumptive, alleged artist.

I love the extraordinary performance of my Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens;  the sharpness and contrast it produces are exquisite.  Its dual role as a spectacular tool for not only its intended purpose — extreme closeups of usually small objects — but also as a superb portrait lens is the source of frequent personal amazement and delight.

Another preliminary studio effort, this shot utilized the identical lighting configuration as employed for the image in this blog's prior post.  (Minor adjustments were made to the on-camera exposure settings.)

Having only a primitive studio setup at hand, and lacking a substitute model for framing and focusing considerations, the best I could do was scrunch down and occupy the same head space as my prior, albeit smaller subject, one Ansel Bear (sometimes known by the stage name Ursa Ansel).   Thus the odd, foreshortened pose.

(The author anticipates your concurrence that the use of odd is all too apropos.)

Self Portrait, #1935-7D

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: January 31, 2013, Canon 7D; f/11 @ 1/80 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 100;
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#9)

For your consideration:  a portrait of a long-time friend, companion, and silent confident.

During the recent holiday season I found myself in San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square, famous tourist mecca and the center of the universe for chocolate and ice cream cravers.

As I approached the main entrance, well before the intoxicating effects of sugar overload set in, I experienced a strange sense of déjà vu:  I'd not been to this locale in far more than a decade — perhaps as many as twenty years had passed — yet in an instant a long buried memory percolated up hazily from the depths of formerly dormant mental archives . . .  I suddenly recalled that it was in a shop in this square where I first laid eyes on Ansel.

Whether or not Ansel noticed me is hard to say;  he is to this day, after all, rather stoic and closed-mouthed.  Nonetheless I was drawn to him.  The attraction was not derived from any sense I had of fuzzy cuteness and all that promises.  Au contraire, Ansel stood out (or sat out, as it were) due to his studied frown and clearly skeptical, if not outright irritable expression.  No saccarine version of warm-and-fuzzy bromide, this creature.  Nope, far from it.

From that first sighting it was clear to me that I'd discovered a suitable foil to my perpetual need (at the time) for superficial soothing.  Here, if I could but bear it, was the chance to establish a relationship with a creature who would perhaps provide a bit of security and comfort in times of need . . . but always with an accompanying dose of quietly fierce admonishments that I embrace reality and deal with it.

And so it has been through the years since we left that nominally escapist establishment together. Partners in time.

I admit to having selfishly kept Ansel nearly completely out of the limelight of my social circles;  ours is a very private relationship.  Indeed, only my wife and, to a lesser extent, my daughter have gotten to know know him closely.  Few others have even met him.

Thus, this submission's image is a great risk — his reluctant agreement to assist in my new pursuit of studio lighting (and portraiture in particular) is a Big Deal.  Much like Salinger's example, he guards his space fiercely, and shuns publicity.  Even so, sit for me he did, just this past evening, for a rare photograph.

Naturally I'm deeply grateful for Ansel's patient cooperation:  he posed at some length, without uttering a single complaint, despite many nudges and adjustments in search of just the right perspective, composition, and (above all) lighting.  Goldilocks moments, he might say, if only he dared.

In the end this result emerged. The setup:  two studio strobes, both using black umbrella reflectors.  Close in, at nearly right-angled to his left,  was the "primary", set to 1/2 of full output.  The secondary, somewhat farther away and at roughy 45-degrees to the right of his nose, was set to 1/8th power.  No on-camera flash was utilized.  Minor adjustments in post-processing were applied using LightRoom 3.4 and Photoshop CS5.

Thus, I present not only my first "formal" portraiture experiment using studio lighting, but also the world-wide first introduction of a close, closely-guarded member of our family.

Ansel Bear, #1918-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: January 31, 2013, Canon 7D; f/8 @ 1/160 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 200;
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com