Thursday, November 29, 2012

The Photo Bin - November 2012


I've gotten away, recently, from what I had envisioned my photo bins to be - a handful of images that find their way out of the camera during the month that have no particular post or story to associate with, but that somehow whisper "share me." They need not be technically strong (and given my photography skills, they usually aren't) but they do provide a little glimpse into what's going on around my world. Random remembrances, if you will.

So this month I get back to that concept with a half-dozen shots, starting with the colorful autumn image above from a day on the Elk River. Scenes like this are why I love fishing small trout streams in the fall. I've missed more than one gentle take while gazing at the breathtaking surroundings.


I've recently discussed my love of obscure images. It's true that many are intentional efforts to capture something unique, but quite often they begin as happy accidents - shots taken with incorrect settings or inadvertent trips of the shutter. The image above is the latter. I like the circular motion of this Smith River scene, light and leaves and water in a twirl, and it brings to mind that slow motion moment when the footing goes south and a thorough dunking is eminent.

All too familiar with that one.


Not much explanation needed here. It's the grandson's first sparkler experience and he's not looking quite sure about these things. But, as it should be with little boys (and, by extension, their grandpas as well), it doesn't take long before...


... the sparks fly.


Sometimes, though, a quiet play in the sand is just fine.


Finally, a nod to my favorite fishing buddy, though I have to admit he's a fair-weather angler. On the dark, cloudy days he fails to show and leaves me on my own. The wuss.

But I like having him around because he never outfishes me, he doesn't talk a blue streak, and he shrugs off my regular misteps. He'll occasionally spook a fish, but that's more my fault than his. He stays close but we've never crossed lines. He understands me.

Few do.


12 comments:

Unknown said...

Mike great photo's as always.

If you could tell me how you get them to enlarge when you click on them, I would love to know for my own blog, please?

Best Regards.

Mike Sepelak said...

Thanks Richard!

As for the pics, I see that yours also may be clicked and displayed so perhaps your concern is their size. Drop me a line and we can discuss.

what the karp said...

I just started following your blog, beautiful pictures! what kind of camera do you use?

Mike Sepelak said...

Welcome Nate! Glad to have you aboard!

My camera arrangement is pretty simple, I'm afraid. The on the stream shots are typically with my Olympus Tough 8000 point-and-shoot (shots 1,2,6 in this post) while my around the house images are captured with my old Nikon D70 (shots 3,4,5). I love them both.

what the karp said...

I usually use a nikon coolpix L24. When i have money, I buy film for my Holga. It's kind of an obscure chinese toy camera that takes interesting pictures. You can see some results here. http://rule6lomo.blogspot.com/
I usually fish with my digital camera just because it's easier. http://whatthekarp.blogspot.com/

cofisher said...

Nice job Mike. I got a little motion sickness staring at the second photo but it is cool.

Brk Trt said...

They're all wonderful photos, but that first one is very special.

Mike Sepelak said...

Hope you're feeling better soon, Howard. Here's a virtual barf bag. :-)

Thanks, BT. It's a lovely place. But then, that's why trout fishing especially appeals to me. Being in these kinds of settings.

Unknown said...

It IS true that trout are rarely caught in ugly places, but you have done a wonderful job of capturing that special place and bringing it to us. As beautiful as the first picture is, I have to say that my favorite is the firework 'when sparks fly' shot. Just something about it.

Great as usual Mike

Mike Sepelak said...

I'm with ya on that, Austin. The sparks shot just has an energy that catches my fancy. Glad it resonated with you too.

Ken G said...

On the creeks that I fish I come across old structures all the time, remnants of the long past left only to the imagination what they were originally used for.

What is that in the first shot?

Which, by the way, is pretty well technically executed even if it was an accident. The best photographers have a trained eye and only think they're taking a snapshot. A snapshot honed by taking a few hundred or so others

Mike Sepelak said...

I'm not sure what that particular structure is, Ken. There's a second several hundred feet downstream, on the opposite bank. I think I need to go back soon and research more completely. :-)

The first shot wasn't an accident, except in the sense that I accidentally got it right. The second was the inadvertent trip of the shutter. And you're right about the best photographers. I look at their work and wish...

Good hearing from you!!!