Seeing 2013 (#32)

For your consideration:

A study in tones, subtle geometries and topography which by prior arrangement conspire to elucidate a universally recognized form of sensual beauty, presented with an unyielding aura of confidence and power.  This tableau exists purely in two dimensions, yet by dint of both subtle perspective and continuos gradations it speaks of a fully-realized body offered without restraint, wholly present, fearless in pose and proximity.

I presume the viewer shares an evolutionary kindred with the entry's subject; intimate familiarity with one's own species makes recognition of a familiar model having a common pedigree swift and intuitive.  And yet, perhaps not.  Incongruities challenge the standard assumptions.  Even for the fairest of Scandinavian clans this inhabitant features a considerable degree of translucence.

Then there's the small matter of the navel. (Everyone has one, right?  Right?)  This model's seems to be an "innie" . . . however, something's amiss.  The symmetry is simply too perfect. Set off and encircled by an orbital-like ring, this hardly seems the remnant of an umbilical cord of any organic constitution.

An acute disconnect from the clan of Courbet's L'origine du Monde is certain.

What then can we divine from this semi-realized, modestly ethereal torso?

At the very least this visitor bares witness to the reality that regardless of how authentically presented—nakedly honest, if you prefer — ultimately we can never know the true depths of our fellow travelers; beneath the exteriors of body and personality to which we are accustomed reside untold elements of mystery.  Indeed, all of us harbor interior chambers unknown — and perhaps ultimately inaccessible – even to ourselves.

In recent times astronomers, physicists and cosmologists have been investing prodigious intellectual and material resources to in the pursuit of dark matter.  Without it, explaining the realty of gravity is a real problem.

This entry's subject suggests we might alter the parameters of the search.

Dark matter, indeed.

Nude, #7359-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details:  August 11, 2013, Canon 7D; f/3.2 @ 1/250 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 400;

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM @ 57mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#31)

For your consideration:

The scene — tranquil, stellar and the epitome of both strength and safe harbor — beckoned not only to mariners on the sea's horizon but also to photographers seeking to capture the potent and dynamic enlightenment emanating from this edifice's beacon.

Some close friends and I gather at this rustic refuge once every year or so, for good eating, nourishing and in-depth sharing of experience, strength and hope.  And this:  to take a much needed break from the superficial frenzy of modern society's demands, to actually notice and reflect upon the unfathomable, perpetual power of the ocean and the equally imponderable depth and vastness of the heavenly vault above.

Most of us tend to lose something of our soul by participating in the subtle hypnosis of pursuing the demands of work, seeking the Next Thing, and making sure that we breathlessly "communicate" our every event, thought and emotion through virtual worlds of tweets, text messages and emails.  The irony of course being that as we devote more and more of our attention to the now ubiquitous glowing screens in our palms, ostensibly in pursuit of being connected, we also unwittingly become farther and farther removed from authentic, intimate interaction with our fellow humans, and with the blazing beauty richly found in the natural world surrounding us.

Thus I so relish the brief, too rare weekend escapes such as my friends and just shared on the shores of the Pacific coast.   Of course, being of incurable nocturnal inclination, I was compelled to set up my tripod and point my camera's lenses hither and yon in the depths of the late evening.  While there were many wondrous sights to behold in that peaceful solitude, nothing could compare to the profound expanse of the overhead sky, a dome utterly dusted with innumerable stars on this crystal clear, moonless night.  Indeed, the density and population of these distant suns strewn horizon to horizon was such that I was unable to discern the traditional constellations among vast array of sparkling pin points.

Meditating on the miracle and grace of being a part of this magnificent construction was both humbling and comforting: it is the ultimate affirmation to simply exist and be included in this miraculous Realty.  In the wee hours of this recent morning, with the heavy sound of waves relentlessly, eternally crashing against the cliffs just behind me, I felt an great peace and sense of healing by nature's spectacular beauty.

So, dear reader, herein I share a small, brief window into the gorgeous aesthetic which served as a sturdy, towering calling to my Spirit, one of solid, stoic, unmovable strength, potent enough to exist not only for its sake but also to serve as a safe haven all who seek such things.

Lighthouse, Pigeon Point, 12:22 a.m., September 28, 2013, #8025-7D

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: September 28, 2013, Canon 7D; f/2.8 @ 6 secs ; ±0 EV; ISO 1250;
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM @ 61mm

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Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#30)

For your consideration:  a man of tremendously generous spirit, a man of brilliantly optimistic demeanor, a man of self-made means, a man of deep, practical wisdom . . . a man possessed of a firm work ethic and an easy sense of joyous play.

The rare and extraordinary gift of agape love, based on an emotional yin/yang synchronicity, is deeply felt and, occasionally, quickly developed when people of open hearts connect.  When this happens, a spiritual treasure is wrought from the ethereal chemistry which can neither be touched nor seen, yet is purely sensed and recognized — an enlightenment — as a gradual, wholesome, comforting and healing tie between souls.

The subject of this image has indeed become one of these jewels for me:  a kindred spirit, an encouraging, caring, good-humored friend who is at once a mentor and a sponge for life experiences both known and sought.  Steve is a free-floating, buoyant guy who is truly the master of his domain even as he is thirsty for the panorama of new ideas, experiences and challenges which life has to offer.

Steve has a good line on the direction of his life, and a clear vision of what he wants.  He is disciplined, yes, but like the coil in his pool, knows when flexibility and riding the currents is the proper path.

I, for one, am greatly pleased, and blessed, to share the gift of his friendship.

Steve, #5966-7D

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: June 22, 2013, Canon 7D; f/9 @ 1/500 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 250;
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM @ 24mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#29)

For your consideration:  instant Karma . .. or at least a snapshot of what appears to be exceptionally energetic chaos.

Which rather aptly describes the interior of my cranium of late.

A myriad of transitions compete for my attention;  some are genuinely weighty with long-term implications, others less ponderous yet no less demanding, competing for my focus . . . and more than a few others ramble and gallop  scatter-shot across the projection screen of my consciousness for their own development.

In the days, weeks and months ahead I'll (likely) delve into the details, but for tonight suffice it to observe that with revelations also come attendant opportunities and callings for action — concrete choices and steps specifically in service of making manifest the visions and insights at hand.

This bounty of plots is at once exhilarating, frightening, challenging and . . . exhausting.  No surprise, though: any and all movement, whether physical, mental or spiritual requires the expenditure of energy — often in significant portions.  As it should be:  rewards tend to be proportionate to the effort put forth.  An elegant balance, that.

Thus, this image, submitted at the end of a long evening wrestling with one of these new callings: a self-imposed decision to utterly restructure my entire photography catalog database, as managed by Adobe Lightroom, a task which is quickly revealing itself to be far more nettlesome than I'd expected.  Of the major adjustments to my life's course this one is of lesser import . . . yet is also exquisitely symbolic of the overall state of affairs in play generally, and of the care, attention to detail, fortitude, stamina and persistence which each of these adventures demand.

A peek into my soul this evening.  A new birth, incubating.

Vector Birth,  #7747-7D

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details:August 24, 2013, Canon 7D; f/9 @ 3.2 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 160;
Tokina AT-X Pro 11-16mm f/2.8 DX @ 15mm

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Seeing 2013 (#28)

For your consideration:

A (long overdue) pair of submissions, representing a duality inherent in a particularly potent aspect of the human condition: seeing red . . .

Who does not at times experience impatience, frustration, irritation, annoyance, peevishness?  (Or, as a master wordsmith friend of mine recently exquisitely observed, of himself: peckishness).  Certainly, everyone who's ever trod this blue orb of ours.

Properly expressed, anger is a healthy, natural signal that discomfort has reached an unacceptable level.  The emotion per se has no intrinsic, subjective quality such as "wrong"; what counts is how it is conveyed.  Ideally a dialog ensues, one which is neither threatening nor harmful, and results in an understanding agreement for the participants.

Yet, what of rage?  This is another beast altogether, a viscous entity which by its very nature surpasses reason and any conscious notion of a negotiated outcome.  This blistering torrent of emotional energy arises after unexpressed anger incubates for far too long . . . The normal constraints of reasonable discourse are obliterated, often in an instant, by the eruption of pain which simply can no longer be held captive, imprisoned within.  Under the vitriolic whip of rage genuine damage can result, leaving sometimes deep psychic — and unfortunately too often — physical harm in its wake.

So, what to do when harboring such toxic feelings?  How to avoid becoming unhinged?

I recently had an amazing experience . . . I'll go so far so to claim it as the most significant experience of my life to date.  I retreated, with ninety-one other men, only one of whom I knew beforehand, deep into the old growth coastal redwoods of the coastal Mendocino forest.  I had no expectations (a bit of grace, that) going into this week-long gathering of raw male energy, masculine soul outpourings utterly unrestrained (save for the One Rule:  no physical violence). The sharing which was at turns hilarious, heart-breaking, moving and enlightening.

And, at moments, intensely frightening to bear witness to and experience.

For all of us present were in our own way scarred — broken at depth in a bewildering multitude of ways . . . by family, friends, society, religion, occupations, and perhaps most potently, Self.  Among this conclave existed a remarkable, even miraculous implicit/explicit understanding:  each of us was safe to fully let loose, authentically, deeply, and often with primal forcefulness.  Such outpourings sometimes arose as the finale to a slow build up of what started out as a tentative, quietly stated narrative.  Other men, in reaction to something heard, or triggered, or provoked by a prior sharing perhaps hours (or days) before, suddenly unleashed their unbridled angst, confusion and, yes, indeed, RAGE, for all to behold.

And to collectively hold.  And to affirm.  And, in the end, to provide the soul's balm of cathartic healing.

Thus, secluded from the demands of our public lives, in the privacy of our spiritually intimate plumbings, we discovered that as we bared our deepest wounds we were finally Seen:  our worth and strength and wisdom, arising from our brokenness, was at long last recognized by a fellowship of peers. 

I can only directly speak for myself, of course, but I suspect, as it was for me, this retreat provided the fundamental, essential seeds of deeply personal transformation for every member of this unique clan.

Just as the majestic, towering Sequoia Redwoods need the raging intensity of fire to germinate their seeds, so too did many of us voluntarily expose ourselves to one another's — and our own — emotional infernos. In these affirming revelations and the shedding of fetid emotional relics are the burning embers of inspired healing, and growth to come.

Namaste, indeed.

Seeing Red (On the Edge), Highway 29,  #6334-7D

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: June 30, 2013, Canon 7D; f/11 @ 1/250 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 250;
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM @ 61mm

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Fire Falls (Mendocino Scarf),  #7470-7D

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: August 15, 2013, Canon 7D; f/4.5 @ 1/100 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 800;
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM @ 120mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#27)

For your consideration:  an emphatic display of the potent energy infusing the miracle of organic life, an immense, relentless force ever striving for pure growth and affirming expansion . . . all the while adorned with a sublime complexity and delicate detail which remains virtually invisible at first, casual glance.

Thus this macro study:  a chance, dear reader, to pause and ponder the myriad wonders and beauty of our everyday surroundings — too often subsumed by our preoccupation with the "bigger picture" of modern society's demand for accomplishment, for the next quick fix, the latest technological marvel, and (especially) the ever quicker instant social media meme . . . 

And yet for our all our perceived, self-congratulatory "advancements" . . . well, as a now (virtually forgotten) mega-artist one crowed, you can't touch this:

Yellow Blast, #6124-7D

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: June 23, 2013, Canon 7D; f/9 @ 1/250 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 500;
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#26)

For your consideration:  a candid portrait of stoic grief, a man deep in thought — perhaps emotionally immersed to a degree even unfathomable to himself.

This is my father-in-law.  The occasion, a recent sojourn to a small, hot town made by a clutch of close family from both coasts, was not a pleasant one: we gathered as shepherds for this man's wife's journey to the eternity awaiting us all.

Ironically, the unstated belief among us was that Mr Book would precede Loretta to the Other Side.  Yet presumptions are proven yet again to be notoriously unreliable.

This man's frail exterior is but a cosmetic veneer for a tough, determined soldier of life.  Indeed, the pose here is hardly one of resigned passivity; I (surreptitiously) focused on this moment in an effort to capture his deliberant perseverance in light of inexpressibly painful circumstances.  The body language may be closed, but the expression reveals a stout soul.

Loretta Mauren Kozial Book passed over four days after this image was taken.  Throughout out the agonizing process of his wife's deterioration Jay lived each moment with an aching yet grace-infused dignity which obviously came naturally to him.  Reflecting on losing his wife, soulmate and life partner of sixty-three years, he shrugged his shoulders and simply said, "It's a part of life".  And:  "When you gotta go, you gotta go."

This is a man who has also, over the course of his lifetime, lost three sons, their lives cut short far far too prematurely.  At the wedding of his daughter to me, he announced from the stage before our gathered family and friends, "I have a new son."  Wow.  To this day I am in awe of that intimate sentiment.

Thus it was an honor and profound privilege to be allowed into this proud man's presence during this undoubtedly excruciating passage.  He epitomized a role model we could all do well to emulate.

May you be free from pain and suffering, dad.  Peace be on you.

Jay Book, June 1, 2013, Kingman, AZ, #5190-7D

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: June 1, 2013, Canon 7D; f/3.2 @ 1/100 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 640;
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM @ 65mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#25)

For your consideration:  a mother-child reunion (perhaps) . . .

The setting:  an early morning hike in the Saguaro National Park, destination Wasson Peak via the Hugh Norris Trail.

Having grown up in Tucson (back in a time when large swaths of natural desert still survived within the city limits) I learned at an early age to respect the pointed, painful dangers of navigating paths more often than not dotted with well-armed cacti.   The species posing hazards to the unwary were plentiful and varied: barrel cacti, century plants, saguaro, prickly pear and juniper, among others.

The most fearsome of all, of course, was the infamous Jumping Cholla (pronounced "choy-ya").  By the age of five, any kid growing up in the Tucson of my youth well knew the supernatural, malevolent powers of this particular desert inhabitant.

Oh yes:  they stood seemingly inert, silently biding time and enduring the passing of the blistering summer sun, impervious to the heat as were the rest of their needle-armed kin.  We children weren't fooled, however: plentiful were the stories of sudden, unprovoked attacks on playmates who let their guard down.  The lore was maturely established.

Even so, it did seem at some level hard to really believe such a thing was possible —that a plant, rooted in the ground, could spontaneously fling itself at passersby, with painful results.  Nonetheless, we all knew that the first rule of playing in our natural surroundings was to give the jumpers a wide berth.

As for me, the day inevitably arrived when I must've gotten careless, if not cavalier . . . without any provocation on my part — honest! — the lone cholla in my neighbor's yard lunged and got me!  I'd like to believe that I fell to the ground and stoically, bravely yelled to my playing mates "I've been hit!", but 'tis far more likely I burst into tears and immediately fled the ambush in search of parental triage.

Years, nay decades have passed (without a purple heart I might add), and I've come to believe that of course these well-defended organisms are benign, unless brushed up against.  Certainly such plants can't harbor sentient sensibilities, let alone piercing strategic tendencies.

However . . . discovering this particular specimen . . . Well, it does seem to be cradling an offspring, yes?  A ginger embrace . . . and did I hear whispers of "wait until he [me] gets closer . . . patience . . . patience . . ."  Or was that just my vivid imagination?

Regardless . . . although I know better . .  I gave this prickly pair plenty of room as I continued my own assault, upwards towards Wasson's summit.  

It's never a good idea to disturb a mother and her cub.

Cholla (Prickly Pair), #3014-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details:  April 8, 2013, Canon 7D; f/6.3 @ 1/500 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 320;

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM @ 135mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#24)

For your consideration:  the locus of what minimal activity transpires past midnight in the old downtown section of the seat of Mojave County. I was blessed to be in the right place at the right time (after forty minutes of waiting) in order to photograph a tableau containing a potent duality of states.

My wife and I were hunkered down in Kingman to shepherd her mother's passing; naturally it was a sad and stressful situation for the gathered family.  Bearing witness to one's parent (or mother-in-law) in extremis is a difficult aspect of life's tapestry; at the same time it is a profoundly spiritual experience for those willing and able to be fully present.  Playing a role in the final stage of mortality's play is a sacred privilege  and draining for all involved.

We each took our leave, as we could in our own fashion, for personal respite and regrouping.

Of course photography was not the focus of this trip, accordingly I brought along minimal camera gear as my toolkit for whatever emotional breaks I might be afforded:  one body and two relatively compact lenses. I had no idea how much time I'd have behind the viewfinder, if any; certainly the notion of the dubious luxury of nocturnal roaming empty city streets had not occurred . . .

Consequently, when the opportunity for some (beloved) late evening exploration presented itself I was faced with a fundamental technical challenge:  lacking a tripod, how would I stabilize my equipment for the long exposure times required?  A small beanbag might suffice, but it was unlikely I'd be able to hunt one down in this small town on short notice. Fortunately, my wife Julianna made a simple suggestion:  towels, from our hotel room.

So:  camera carefully cradled in a nest of towels atop the roof my in-laws' car, with a 2-second timer delay after pressing the shutter release, I was able to capture this — a scene largely inert and abandoned in the wee hours . . . yet also revealing an impending onslaught of immense noise and power . . . an atmosphere in transition.

Kingman, AZ, Amtrak Station, 1:29:01 a.m., #5937-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: June 4, 2013, Canon 7D; f/9 @ 1¹⁄₃ sec; ±0 EV; ISO 200;

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 27mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#23)

For your consideration:  in honor of the passing of a woman beautiful in spirit, tender in demeanor, and delightful in her compassion and engagement with the world around her.

Over the course of the past week my wife and I, joined by wife's three other sisters and her father, have been as hosts and shepherds gathered for my mother-in-law's final days inhabiting the constraints and enclosure of this planet of her birth.  We each brought along personal vulnerabilities, aspirations and prayerful wishes that Loretta's transformation — that unfathomable release into the purely spiritual realm — be as smooth and comfortable as possible.  As was to be expected, she had moments at turns sublime and challenging.

What can we the living truly know of the Great Beyond?  Nothing of our common existence can penetrate the profound mystery of the inevitable transiting of that door.

The final few days were difficult for the family, most of all for Lauretta:  she seemed to struggle mightily to find confort and peace with her destination, or so it seemed to me.  Yet, in the last hours, a tranquility emerged.  As she slipped beyond us, so too did she seem to become ever more loosely confined by the vestiges of her mortal vessel.

And then, in an instant: she was free.  

At long last (eighty-seven years of human limitations!), the doorway opened, the curtain parted, The Way was clear, and she soared forth into the incorporeal realm of pure enlightenment, peace and lovingkindness.

And as a friend-of-friend once said, concerning the death of a loved one:  "she's been fine ever since."

Lauretta Book:  March 17, 1926 - June 5, 2013. 

Requiescat In Pace.

Heaven's Gate, #4167-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: May 12, 2013, Canon 7D; f/9 @ 1/640 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 800;

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM @ 24mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#22)

For your consideration:

A study of deceptive scale, movement and orientation . . . a subtle tinge of surrealism applied to a tableau devoid of artificial artifacts. This scene is stripped bare of supporting accoutrements; its energy derives largely from the geometric flow of its basic elements, and its energetic illumination.

Not long ago I took in a rare and wondrous exhibit of the works of Man Ray; his ouvre was a major influence on my very early exposure to the photographic arts.  I was stunned at the potency of his use of harsh, direct lighting and the fundamentally vital role shadows play in his compositions.

I've long been fascinated by the inherent conundrum of shadows in photography:  at once both central compositional elements in and of themselves while also being in essence and fact only empty, untouchable and implied representations of congruent objects.

Forms, then.  In the end, it all comes back to Plato.

Plugged In (Homage à Man Ray), #3344-7D

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details:  April 28, 2013, Canon 7D; f/11 @ 1/2500 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 640;
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM 

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#21)

For your consideration:  rugged day, far harder evening.  C'est la vie, de temps en temps.

In such times sometimes all that's to be done is to rely upon one's foundation, solidly rooted, and simply endure.  Time will erode and remove superficial, cosmetic adornments, but the true core will emerge amidst the damage as a beacon and, for the soul, safe harbor.

The scene below: a solitary edifice silently narrates a saga of once prosperous times long since past.

Solo Smelter, New Idria, #7581-7D

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details:  May 19, 2012, Canon 7D; f/16 @ 1/400 sec; —1/3 EV; ISO 320;
Tokina AT-X Pro 11-16mm f/2.8 DX @ 11mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#20)

For your consideration:

Gleaming in the still-awakening moments of a fresh day, the distant (fully thirty-one miles from this scene's vantage point) housings of some the planet's premier astronomical instruments stand as ironic sentinels over their brightening surroundings.  The inverted-vee-shaped encasement at the leftmost of the plateau is the world's largest solar telescope;  thus it alone is congruent with the opportunities afforded by the rising Sun, while in contrast its kindred structures are undoubtedly already dormant until well after the dusk, still many hours off.

 Meanwhile, one can rest assured that the non-wandering cacti in the foreground will remain implacably  and firmly rooted in their posts and roles as passive, sleepless witnesses to the full twenty-four hour spectrum at hand . . . and for many more to come.

Frankly, this is not one of my most stellar photographic submissions.  The oddly flat lighting and relatively large distance between the essential elements in the scene conspired to produce serious challenges to hue, saturation and contrast.  Ah well, one does the best they can with the skills and materiel at hand.  (I actually spent several hours in the post-processing phase of this offering 'ere finally uploading it:  at some point diminishing returns threaten to intrude.)

Nonetheless:  while this effort will certainly leave Zone-system adherents and Van Gogh admirers underwhelmed, on a deeply personal level this image brings me great satisfaction.

For I've spent many childhood hours atop yon distant scientific edifice, thanks to the ever kindly, ever persistent nurturing of my abiding interest in astronomy (and all things science) at the hand of my grandfather.  Later, during my college years, I spent far more time simply soaking in the beauty and warm memories of this tableau, most usually in the company of dear friends while absorbing astounding sunsets . . .  ever blessed by the gifts of the desert.

Kitt Peak and Saguaros at Dawn (Observatory Observers), #2944-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details:  April 8, 2013, Canon 7D; f/11 @ 1/200 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 320;

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM @ 300mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#19)

For your consideration:

An encounter during the earlier portion of my recent trek to the summit of Wasson Peak, west of Tucson.

Depicted is one limb ("arm") of a rather sturdy and grand Saguaro, this one standing perhaps twenty-to-twenty-five feet tall.  On the tip here reside what will soon become blossoms of the Arizona State Flower;  they only bloom at night and are primarily pollinated by bats.

I have loved the majesty and grace of these huge cacti since my childhood (we had one growing in our back yard).

I've grown older I've come to appreciate the combination of their pointedly formidable exterior, their astounding strength and subtle flexibility under harsh conditions (the >70mph winds which persistently nearly blew me over on my hike didn't faze these entities in the least) . . . and their stoic and vulnerable foundation in their desert home.

Warriors of the Light, perhaps, à la Paulo Coelho.

Saguaro Limb, #2976-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details:  April 8, 2013, Canon 7D; f/8 @ 1/400 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 500;

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM @ 140mm

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#18)

For your consideration: another entry in the Sill LIfe series . .  here, a pivotal moment of apparent élan —an exemplary display of defiance and courage in the face of overwhelming odds.

Perhaps.

There are oddities to be discerned by closer inspection . . . our protagonist may well be a fallen warrior fighting to the bitter end, even in the face of impending doom . . . yet, alas, 'tis not the case.

Au contraire, this  tableaux speaks to a larger, far more commonly found truth:  there is often less than meets the eye;  we too frequently draw quick conclusions based on cursory observations of unexpected situations.  And so it may well be here, for the main subject had be in static repose, inanimate, for several days prior to its discovery by the wielder of ominous tweezers.

Thus this image presents challenges to our notions of perception and outcome, perspective and nobility, and highlights the fact that our discernment of the nature of time is highly subjective.

Sill Life: Pièce de Résistance, #2368-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details:  March 14, 2013, Canon 7D; f/11 @ 1/250 sec; +1/3 EV; ISO 640;
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM  (w/ 36mm extension tube)

________

Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#17)

For your consideration:

An instant of pure bliss:  the pristine, sublime atmosphere of cool desert solitude, in nocturnal transition. Capturing this scene was just as surprising as my willingness to voluntarily arise from bed at 4:30am.

I was intensely motivated:  I yearned to simply encounter the virtually silent terrain just west of my cherished, native Arizona's Gates Pass 'ere the intrusion of modern society's buzz and bustle du jour. Never before have I had the insight or consciousness that greeting the Sonoran landscape on its own terms, before the onslaught of tourists and partying locals, might be both restorative and deeply healing.

And perhaps an opportunity doomed to be ever more elusive . . .

Yes, sadly — the tentacles of my metropolis birthplace now threaten to utterly surround this spirit-laden refuge, effectively smothering any last chance to authentically experience a last bastion and harbor of severely, uncompromisingly beautiful scenery.

Thus it was an extraordinary and fleeting gift to witness the wonderfully balanced moment when night's last shadows blended perfectly with the sun's impending greeting.  Discovering the Moon's thin crescent, still just visible before sol's overwhelming emergence,  was quite simply exquisite to behold.

I was able to pass nearly the entirety of the day roaming among my beloved arid soil and its denizens.

Yet, even without any competition for having the expanse all to myself (I encountered but two other people), after mid-morning the blessed peacefulness quickly evaporated:  unbelievably — absolutely beyond any prior desert weather I'd known — winds exceeding seventy miles per hour appeared out of nowhere (well, literally from the southwest) . . . Sustained and unrelenting, enshrouding Tucson and its environs in a murky blanket of dust and causing lengthy power outages (I later was told) at both the University of Arizona and the hotel I shared with my wife, this unexpected and frankly unwelcome development cast a challenging pall on my agenda of reading, writing and perhaps even a Siesta.

Ah, well, no matter . . .

Sonora Desert. Gates Pass. Camera. Spring.  Palo Verde. Ocotillo. Saguaro (stationary, of course).  Paradise.

Gates Pass Dawn with Moon, #2928-7D

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: April 8, 2013, Canon 7D; f/6.3 @ 1/125 sec;  ±0 EV; ISO 640;
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM @ 116mm

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Seeing 2013 (#16)

For your consideration:  of those who've recently agreed to sit for portraiture in front of my lens, this particular subject proved to be both the most severe and the easiest to capture . . .

Although getting this sitter to remain still was a non-issue, the penetrating and unwavering stare did resurrect disturbing memories  from my very early youth, tremors which had long been slumbering (out to pasture, so to speak).

I grew up in Tucson, which in the early Sixties still featured large tracts of undeveloped desert and tumbleweeds within its city limits, as well as still living vestiges of its pseudo-wild west culture.  Being a kid I mostly relished such clichéd accoutrements such as cap guns, lassos, sombreros and spurs.  (Guilty confession:  stick horses, too.)

In retrospect, the weekly testing of the forest of air raid sirens across the valley lent a surreal flavoring to the dusty ambiance — every Saturday promptly at 1:00 p.m. came the eerie howls. While I did indeed comprehend the import of those warnings, their threat paled in comparison to The Sign.  As the link reveals, this neon ghost still resides perched above Miracle Mile, undoubtedly maintaining its unwavering and glowering stare over all passersby day and night.  Trust me:  on those (blessedly) rare occasions when the family car passed by this landmark (or so I beheld it) I kept my own beady eyes locked on it;  even now I remember the mixture of fear and fascination which lingered long after the stare-downs.

Not coincidentally the specimen (a cousin perhaps?) now in my possession also hails from Tucson.  I've been wanting to explore its photographic potential for quite some time.  Using my recently acquired studio lights, I have carefully explored and exploited the abundant nuances of texture, shadowing, and surprisingly rich  geometry and character of this headstrong subject.

I am extremely pleased with the result. (Really, be sure to view it full-sized.)

Steer Skull, #1996-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details:  February 8, 2013, Canon 7D; f/11 @ 1/80 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 100;
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

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Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

Seeing 2013 (#15)

For your consideration:  an incongruous apparition, one which appeared (came to my attention) late in the afternoon in an industrial section of town.

When I first encountered this surreal encasement I was quickly distressed:  not for the Buddha's well-being (he seemed peaceful enough despite enduring a suffocating attachment) but rather because my camera was at home.  This posed an acute dilemma: continue on my chosen path (i.e., return to my office from an errand I'd just finished) or pursue the manifestation of acquiring my photo equipment with great haste,  hoping to be able to return to and capture the scene before it vanished . . .

(A warehouse, not coincidentally, was mere yards away).

This post reveals my choice, and my reward.  I knew if I passed on the chance to photograph this, the unrealized opportunity would permanently join a small collection of other missed shots, mental images which huddle with mild regrets in some minute, securely encased store room of my brain.

Thus it appears that enlightenment, or some semblance of it at least, can be discerned if one risks seeking, even when the source remains obscured.  Furthermore, serenity can be experienced even in claustrophobic circumstances.

Tightly Wrapped Buddha, #2307-7D; 

© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: February 28, 2013, Canon 7D; f/8 @ 1/3200 sec; —1/3 EV; ISO 250;
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS @ 24mm

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Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com

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

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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

________

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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

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Visit my full photographic repository at jwmurray.smugmug.com