The Very Fragile White Columbine

Taken on the Alpine Loop up American Fork Canyon

The Best Lesson in Photography I Ever Learned Occurred in a Cow Pasture in Heber Utah.

So here I am driving back to Midway from Heber when I took a detour through some pasture land between the two towns. I would do this from time to time looking for any photo opportunity that might present itself.

I spotted a bunch of old farm implements and an old rusted out flatbed Chevy truck under a stand of willows that had been abandoned to the ravages of time. Seems like every photo portfolio has at least one picture of this sort of thing. I thought, why not – haven’t noticed anything else so far. So I climbed over the fence and took a few shots. Nothing interesting – just the same old thing you always see, however, as I was climbing back over the fence I had this nagging feeling that there was something there that I had missed. I turned and went back. This time I decide to take a more intimate look at the truck. Before, I was looking at the whole truck as the subject, but now, I just stood there and tried to put the whole truck out of my mind and looked for elements that might have interesting patterns, colors, or textures, etc.

What unfolded before me changed my whole approach to photography. Right there on one of the door panels was an interesting a piece of abstract art as I have ever seen hanging in an art gallery. It wasn’t created by brush and paint, but by years of being baked in the sun and buffeted by wind, blowing snow and rain, revealing layers of paint and primer over rusted metal. It was all there and I never saw it.

So the lesson learned: Take your time, get close - look closer

I first thought these circles were from the shock of the bullet impact or then again it could be like the story of the Calvary officer riding through a small Southern town during the civil war when he comes across a barn with several bulls-eyes with a bullet hole dead center in the middle of each one. See’n an old farmer walking by he asks: do you know who shot the holes in this here barn. Oh sure, the farmer said, that would be Billy Joe – lives down the road a piece. The officer says; well, anyone that can shoot like that should be in the Calvary. Well, I recon you should know that Billy Joe is not right in the head, the farmer explained, ya see, he’ll come out here and shoot holes all over the barn – then he’ll draw circles around each one.

That could be what happened here.

As soon as you take a camera out a crowd gathers to look over your shoulder to see what you're taking a picture of (everybodies a critic).

Signs of Spring...at last.

The Streets of Castel Gandolfo

The dome of Bernini’s parish church (1658) is seen at the end of the street.

Since garages are almost non-existent in much of Italy, cars are parked on the street.

Shannon and Linda doing lunch - Italian Style

At the end of the street you can see the Vatican Observatory, which is one of the oldest astronomical research institutions in the world. There is also a library that contains more than 22,000 volumes and possesses a valuable collection of rare antique books including works of Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Kepler, Brahe, Clavius, and Secchi

A Classic...how sweet it is.

The back of the buildings in the above photo, overlooking Lake Albano

Lukie Goes to the Park

Easter (Snowshoe) Bunny

Almost stepped on the little guy. Pays to carry your camera with you at all times.

Spring Foal - Heber Valley