(Photo Credits: Moose on the Loose, undisclosed location, 9/23/09)A truly serious photoblogger -- you know, like this one -- would have the discipline to choose one Image of the Day (or Night) and post that, but Moose is a rank amateur, so she's enlisting all of you to help out on her project to capture the sky above her undisclosed location. Let us know which of these pictures you like the best -- and we'll, well, we don't know exactly what we'll do, really, beyond being grateful, as always, for your support. Isn't that enough?
She's proud of these shots because she had to race back to her borrowed home in order to get them -- and learned in the process that she officially knows the way! Mother Nature deserves most of the credit for whatever beauty made their way into the pictures, Moose's chief skill as a photographer being a willingness to just keep pointing and shooting. Ever the student, though, she needs a grade -- so tell her how you think the project is going so far.
Oh, and for the literarily inclined, here's a rather too obvious poem to go along with the pics. What the heck -- We had to throw some bone to our long neglected Department of 19th-Century Poetry and Rock 'n Roll, don't you think? (Note to Goose: Please insert dashes and other punctuation marks. We couldn't find a decent version online.)
Ten points if you can guess the poet:
Blazing in Gold and quenching in PurpleMoose says she's not leaving her undisclosed location until she manages to capture that "leaping like leopards" quality of the sunsets. Oh, boy, kids, it's going to be a long autumn! Hang in there with us, will you? Peace out.
Leaping like Leopards to the Sky
Then at the feet of the old Horizon
Laying her spotted Face to die
Stooping as low as the Otter's Window
Touching the Roof and tinting the Barn
Kissing her Bonnet to the Meadow
And the Juggler of Day is gone
all great...but # 3 does it for me, hands down - not just the colors, and those little ex-volcanic suggestive protrusions of the Cerrillos Hills - but that lone light, more or less obeying the Law of Thirds, that draws one's eye in to the black landscape (I *think* it's a bit too far over for the State Pen, but that's the usual unromantic source of bright light over in that direction). A sunset to be consumed with chardonnay....
ReplyDeleteWhat is this mysterious "Law of Thirds" of which you speak, Kate? In Moose's school of photography that would probably mean something like, "Take no picture before you've had your third cocktail." ;-) In truth, this spectacular sunset was Moose's dessert last night. It followed two fine lamb chops and a single, lovely glass of cabernet at Harry's. She chased the sunset all the way home and was awfully glad she made it to her Canon in time. The little iPhone camera just wouldn't have done this justice.
ReplyDeleteGoose is with Kate and likes #3. There's spooky-wonderful about the various lights on those 3 peaks (how's that for photography expertise? ;) My second choice is #1, 'cause I'm a whore for those bathed in hellish sublimity shots that remind me of West Texas Heaven.
ReplyDeleteWUNDERBAR!!!
--Goose
Oh, here's a breathlessly lineated version with dashes to mark exultation in/with light and some variations on word choice:
Blazing in Gold - and
Quenching - in Purple!
Leaping - like Leopards - to
the Sky -
Then - at the feet of the
old Horizon -
Laying its' spotted face - to die -
Stooping as low as the
Kitchen Window -
Touching the Roof -
And tinting the Barn -
Kissing its' Bonnet to
the Meadow -
And the Juggler of
Day - is gone !
The version you found is that sent to Thomas Higginson, and it doesn't have a single mark of punctuation in it. How's that for crusty ole expertise at your fingertips.
Wonderful, wonderful, Moose!!!
Your Ever-Loving Goose
We much prefer the breathlessly lineated version. Thank dog we have an in-house manuscript scholar!
ReplyDeleteTwo votes for #3. Moose liked that one, too, though the car in #2 had something eerie about it that she liked. She enhanced the light a bit in the foreground -- maybe should have left it dark.
The law, or rule, of Thirds is perfectly manifested in the latest FB picture... Imagine dividing your rectangular screen/viewfinder/final print space into three equal parts - first vertically, then horizontally. Supposedly (and now you're going back to old drawing manuals, not just to photography wisdom) your image will be the more aesthetically pleasing if the strongest line/he most important feature of your picture is placed a third of the way up - say - and two-thirds to the right - say (like the molting tree in that picture). Or the light, in #3 above. Of course, one can also get wonderful effects by deliberately flouting this precept... however, it's a very good rule of thumb for basic picture composition...
ReplyDelete