The Winows of Her Soul

   With eyes such as these, how could I ever not give her my all? So innocent and pure, these are the windows of her soul. This is a photograph that my wife and I will always cherish, because we know she won't stay this way for long.  Indeed, they grow up too fast.

Change Your Perspective

   This is one of my favorite type of shots to photograph. Although the composition has a vanishing point that clearly influences the shot, the subject of focus that I would like to draw your attention to is the perspective.  Perspective is very important in photography, as well as in our everyday lives. This is a simple and ordinary walk way of a bridge.  Nothing really too exciting or even really worthy of photographing, unless you change your perspective.  If you compose the picture as just an everyday shot with the predictable perspective, the results will likely not be pleasing to the viewer's eyes.  However, if you try a different perspective to compose the shot, the picture can suddenly become much more interesting to the viewer.
   Perspective in our lives works exactly the same way.  Personally, I have learned that if I go about my days with the same old mindset, things can become very boring and dull. It's as if I'm doing the same old routines and there is absolutely nothing I take pleasure in doing.  However, if I just change my perspective, as in the photo, my life suddenly becomes much more interesting, worth while and enjoyable.
   That is the point of this picture and what I am trying  to convey to the viewer through the composition. What is indeed a very ordinary bridge and walkway with dull shades of browns and grays, becomes a very interesting piece of architecture. Suddenly it's a river crossing with early morning blue sky filling in the symmetrical framework.  The purple tinted chain link fence  guides your eyes through the frame  by way of the horizontal and parallel lines of a vanishing point. The whole subject is transformed from dull to spectacular. So remember when life becomes repetitive and dull, change your perspective and see the beauty that is your reality.

In the Shadows of the Forest

 

   These two yellow beauties were reaching for the sun on a cool foggy morning in early Fall.  These are an example of the wonderful assortment of wild flowers in the central and southern regions of the Appalachian Mountains, known as Senecio Glabellus, or also known as Butter Weed.  I find it interesting that when viewed  up close, this flower's stamen(the upright parts in the center) has a part that resemble the eye of a needle.  Not all of the Butter Weed's stamen are shaped like this but when it's fully developed many have this unique quality.  I found these spectacular flowers hiding in the shadows of the forest floor in Pine Mountain State Park of Pineville, KY.

A Pile of Autmn Leaves Filled with Laughter

   It seems to be a family tradition in the making.  An event that our daughter looks forward to every time the Autumn leaves begin to fall from the trees.  As soon as our yard becomes covered in leaves, we rake them all into one giant pile to be used for play.  This is our daughter Ava Jane, as she played in the leaves this past Fall. I made her a deal that I would do most of the raking, if she would let me snap some photos while she was at play.  I took both, candid shots and a few wonderful portraits.  This candid shot however, was my favorite of them all because  I was able to capture many of her wonderful attributes.  Her wonderful laugh and beautiful smile shows just how wild and free spirited she truly is.  She is my heart and soul. She is my everything. She is my Ava Jane.

These are the Days That We Will Remember

   The most important time in a child's life is the time that you spend together.  We all have our time consuming responsibilities that make it a difficult task to accomplish.  However, no matter how hard it may be, it's something we must do.  We must set aside as much time as we possibly can for the sake of our children.  They are the people of tomorrow.  They will carry our torch when we no longer can, passing down our values as well as our teachings.
   This time does not have to be filled with expensive things or trips, in fact they shouldn't be.  This time we set aside for them should be just that, time .  A walk in the park along with a good conversation is worth more than anything that can be bought.  A hike, high on a mountain trail, where you teach them how to push themselves beyond their limits for the experience of personal triumph, is one thing that could never be found on the shelves of their favorite toy aisles.  Even just a reading from their favorite book would mean much more to them than what you may think.  How you raise your children and the things you do will play a big role in the way they parent their own. 
    I've heard many people with no children say, "I would not bring a child into this horrific, God awful world."   However, I say that it is through having children that we can bring a little beauty back into the world.  So, if you really want to make a difference, but feel as though you are not big enough, important enough, or whatever your reason may be, look no further than your children.  Because, believe it or not, when you spend quality time with your children, you are changing the world for the better, one child at a time.

Seeking Shelter From the Storm

   As any photographer will tell you, nature shots are one of the most difficult to capture. Especially those with insects that are always darting from place to place. As soon as you have your perfect focus , the subject is done with this flower and quickly moves to the next. So when I found this guy I knew I had a chance for a good close up.
  It appeared as if this bee was out collecting pollen and was suddenly caught off guard by a drizzling rain. Having no choice but to wait it out, he tucked himself in and hunkered down under the little daisy. He soon found out that the drizzle was turning to a full on rain.  Slowly but surely he became absolutely drenched as the water leaked through his make shift shelter. I couldn't help but to feel sorry for him as I took this shot, realizing I was photographing his misfortune and misery. It was at that moment I swore an oath to tell every one his story and how he tried his best to seek shelter from the storm.

Farewell, Until Spring

   I was actually at work when I found this gem. I had my camera with me but I had forgotten my tripod. I took shot after shot and couldn't get a one without it being blurred to some degree. I knew that this was a subject that wouldn't last long, so I just had to keep trying. Finally, after many tries I managed to capture this wonderful display of nature's magic.
   Simple and yet complex, this method of reproduction is just one of nature's many wonders. These seeds were being pulled away by the winds as I continued shooting. Sometimes one at a time and then at other times many would set sail as a hefty gust of wind picked them up and carried them away to their new homes. There, many will take root and become bearers of seeds just like the one that they came from, continuing the cycle of life.
   Some people may not even look twice at something like this. I however, can't help but to be fascinated by these special moments in time. These things happen all around us, all of the time and they're there for us to enjoy , if we would only stop to look. This is another example of why I love photography. It's being there in the moment with nothing else on your mind except what is in front of you and your camera. For me it just doesn't get any better than that.

Over and Through the Autumn Leaves

   This is my favorite shot of the Autumn colors that I photographed this year. Many people have complimented as well as commented on how much they enjoyed it. This is a road in the Pine Mountain State Park in Pineville, Ky. I was driving down from the top and as I came to this spot in the road I knew this was it. I knew that I had to try to capture what my eyes were seeing.
   The way in which the leaves littered the road as the light shined through the trees and onto the leaves was truly gorgeous. I had been practicing shots with leading lines in the composition (lines that guide the viewers eyes through the frame) and the twisting roadway was a perfect example of this great technique. I was so thrilled that it had turned out exactly as I had planned. Personally this shot is fun to look at, as my eyes are drawn over and through the Autumn leaves.

Another World Below

   When I was around the age of eighteen, I lived with my mother in a run down trailer, way back in the mountains. I had run away from all the problems of living with my father, only to find a whole new set with my mother. She was on a very low fixed income and we had very little money. We lived far outside of town and had no vehicle. This made my resources for change very limited. My everyday existence became a dreadful rerun of the days, weeks, and months before.I was practically still a kid. As teenagers we think we know it all, but I didn't. I had very little life experience to draw from to come up with a plan to get myself out of this terrible predicament.
   Many days I would go for a walk along the rail road to try to clear my head and think of a way out. There was a small murky creek that ran along side of the tracks. Along it's muddy banks there was a big  flat rock that I would always rest at. Many people used this rock for fishing, but I would use it as a place for thinking. Many days the sunlight would hit the calm water just right that it made a wonderful reflection like this one in the picture. Many times I would sit for hours, looking into the reflection as if it was a gateway into a parallel universe. I would imagine that if I concentrated hard enough and believed strongly enough, I could jump in and break through to the other side. I would enter a whole new world and leave all my problems behind.  It was a way to escape for a moment. A sort of meditation.
   So now when I see a reflection like this, it reminds me of this terrible period of my life. Yet more importantly, it gives me joy to know that no matter how hopeless things may seem, in the end things will be okay. Things will work themselves out if you just continue to hang in there and act on every opportunity that comes your way.

Adaptation

   I wanted to capture the feeling of this cold morning last winter. I was unsure of how to capture it until I came across this cow in a nearby pasture. The thick frost on the ground as well as the cow, describes just how bone chilling this morning really was. It also shows just how well some animals can adapt and survive in their environment. The extreme and harsh conditions in which some animals can thrive is truly magnificent.and impressive. So come this winter as you are driving along in your warm and cozy car, take a look in the surrounding country side and see what great displays of adaptation you can see.

Left Behind

   This is a garden decoration that belonged to my step mother, Diana W. Cupp.  I say step mother but she was actually more of a mother to me than my real mother ever was.  My father and her married when I was just a child.  She helped my father raise four kids, one of which was her own.  Life in a step family definitely had its ups and downs but we were loved, provided for, and taken care of.  She always enjoyed working in her little gardens.  We only had a little yard but she always made room for a few vegetable plants and lots of flowers.  I remember as a kid being so proud to be the only house on the block that had such pretty flowers growing every year.
   A little over two years ago she was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer.  It started out as a barely noticeable bump on the bridge of her nose, as if her glasses were causing some spot of irritation.  The barely noticeable spot quickly turned into a very aggressive cancer and over the next few months consumed her entire face and head.  We thought the chemo would help delay the cancer however, it was as if it only had pissed it off.  She truly fought hard as long as she could but to no avail.  It just wasn't the kind of cancer that could be defeated or even delayed.
   One day after she had lost her battle I was visiting with my father.  As I walked around the yard this statue of hers caught my eye.  As I stood there looking at it, I couldn't help but to think of her beautiful gardens. I wiped away the dirt and the grass clippings for a photo and as I did, I could see the paint chipping and peeling from the statues head and face. I couldn't help seeing the resemblance of the statue's face to her's. This garden statue of her's would just be one of the many things left behind.

For my mother, Diana W. Cupp

Between Earth and Sky

   This is a scraggly pine tree that lives on the top of the mountain in Pine Mountain State Park in Pineville, KY. I was hiking with my dog on the Chain Rock Trail in the park when I turned onto an unmarked trail that I was fairly familiar with. It was a short and rough trail filled with many eroded roots and loose rocks but it was well worth the effort. The trail ends here at this strange area that is a steep climb up to a sheer cliff just beyond the pine tree. The knobby rocks give it an alien planet sort of feel. As I made it to this spot this tree grabbed my attention.
    The contrasts between the rolling gray rock and the crisp blue sky filled with bright white clouds made the tree appear almost majestic. The tree appeared so proud, all alone against the blue sky. Growing out of the rocks, exposed to the elements high on top of the mountain, it displayed mother nature's strength, endurance, and her amazing will to survive.  I raised my camera, and did my best to capture all of the things I saw that day, high on the mountain, in that scraggly pine tree that stood between earth and sky.

A Long Journey

   This picture is symbolic of a difficult journey through life. A journey most of us will take in some way or another. It must begin with one step in the direction of the light or destination From the beginning it will be ordinary, dull, and quite repetitive. There will be many splinters and maybe a few injuries from the many ups and downs of this long journey.
   As you take step after step it seems as if you are spinning your wheels and going absolutely nowhere. It's as if at any point in the journey you look around and it's exactly the same as when you first began. You want to give up. However, you just can't because there is something deep down inside that will not let you. Maybe it's hope that helps you along. Perhaps it's faith. Personally, at these moments I feel that it's my human spirit that drives onward. It reassures me that there is a light and peace at the end of my journey.
   Whatever it is, it pushes us to continue on down the line. After all of the wear and tear this journey puts on our mind, body, and soul, we finally victoriously arrive at our destination. Of all the wonderful feelings and emotions that fill our spirits at that moment, none can compare to the life knowledge and experience we will have gained. It is this experience and knowledge that will serve as a reminder that our next long journey will be one that we can overcome, no matter the odds.

 For my dear friend, Nola G. Sizemore