Ugh! My UGGs!
The cost of a photo…
Lonely Tree
Took a ride to the Fort Sheridan area along Lake Michigan in the northern burbs of Chicago. In particular, I went to the beach (brrrr…) and Post Cemetery (an old military cemetery near the Fort area). I’ve had my eye on this site for a long time. But, yesterday, the sky seemed right and I had the time.I think this shot of the tree (above) captured my feeling of the area. Kind of chilly and wispy. But, still with color rather than the dried out wintery look.
Visitation at Fort Sheridan Cemetery
I keep a list in my car of places to go for photos…things I see when I’m driving around. My plan is to those places when I think the lighting or mood is appropriate for my “vision” of the scene. So, I pulled in to the parking lot and got out with my 24mm lens attached to my camera…NOT the lens I thought I’d be using (I figured a telephoto lens would compress the perspective better). But, I saw this van at the end of one of the rows of headstones and I liked it and I didn’t have time to change lenses….luckily. I’ve found (sometimes!) that distractions like these actually can add to a scene’s interest. It turns out, I also felt the sky added to the interest!
Joe Branch and His Comrades
I “had” to take a shot of the headstones. And I had in my mind that I wanted it to be “timeless” and poignant. Here’s a try at that…
Soooo…what do my UGGs have to do with this? Part of the “cost” of taking photos (besides gear and other resources) is that one has to put up with the elements. So, while I was happily exploring the terrain and scenes for about an hour, I became too enthralled to pay attention to what I was walking through. And, when I got to my car, I saw that the bottom of my UGGs were FULL of mud and stone and sand. So much that I had to take them off and drive home barefoot (don’t tell on me!). Then it took about 45 minutes for me to clean the gunk off once I got home.
Was it worth it?? I hope so!
-Stephen M. Levin
“My Mind’s Eye”
www.stephenmlevinphotos.com
All 3 of these are absorbing photos–so very beautiful. But the van shot is really special–so many interesting things going on! The sky, the rows of headstones, and the of course the van (not your standard North Shore variety) which we assume is carrying the loved ones of one of these fallen soldiers. Really moving. Thanks for sharing.
Yes…that van was not something I had visualized in my mind on the way there, but I thought it worked out well, too.
Thanks, Sheryl!
Nice shots, as expected. Thanks for cleaning your boots before I got home!
Oh my! Can you imagine!?
I got a creepy feeling from your headstone picture! Better keep some waterproof boots in your car.
I hope it wasn’t “too” creepy!
My boots are waterproof…unfortunately, not mud, stone, and sand proof! You shoulda seen me washing and scraping them off!
I’m seeing more of a dark side in your work. I was about to say that I don’t think you have a dark side and then that struck me as unfair. Anyways, what is a dark side? Can we have brightness without it?
Perhaps there’s some darkside. But what’s really more important to me is the mood it elicits from you.
I’m just wondering and reflecting…I wasn’t feeling particularly “dark” when I was out there. Hmmm….
(Thanks, Dave!)
Great pics. Look forward to seeing more.
Thanks, Elaine!!
Like your pics. Especially the tree. I have same tree from previous season but I like yours much better – it has a nice, warm mood.