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