Back Behind the Lens

First of all, many thanks to my readers for putting up with such a long hiatus on Garden Shoots. In February, I broke a bone in my left hand and dislocated a tendon in one of the fingers. Typing was laborious and one-handed for quite a while. I’m happy to report that I am – finally – back to normal.

While I was taking this break, I did get to do some traveling, not to see gardens but to take some photography workshops. It’s amazing what you can do with only one fully flexible hand, and I also need to thank my friend and photographer buddy Sarah for helping to schlep my bags on the first trip. It was a workshop in Santa Fe (through Santa Fe Photographic Workshops) with the incomparable Sam Abell. Called “The Next Step,” it was focused on the process and intent of photographing. He encouraged us to be reflective about our work and – where  possible – “compose and wait,” paying attention, at the same time, to what would be included in our images.

At the end of the workshop, he spent time with each of us one-on-one, and suggested that over time, his own guiding principle has become “less is more.” Mine, too, as those you who know my work through this blog can attest.

Although I didn’t end up with a photograph-of-a-lifetime, it was a magical week. Here are some examples of what we did, on our two field trips, as well as on a side trip Sarah and I took to Taos.

At a wonderful, funky diner in Albuquerque, a study in light and shadow.

More light and shadows, in an architectural abstract.

On the train to Albuquerque, the window light frames both the woman (who later chatted with us) and the view to the highway.

Using the train window to frame a passing view.

“Compose and wait,” on the UNM campus at Albuquerque.

Taken in the same location, but I inadvertently cropped off the tree trunk. Do you prefer this one or the first one?

A ‘portrait’ of the owner of Crazy Fish, an absolutely wonderful sushi restaurant in Albuquerque, where our group had lunch.

Waiting in the train station in Albuquerque, more light and shadows caught my eye.

Priest, San Francisco de Asis Mission Church, Sunday morning

Taken at the Kit Carson Home and Museum (in the courtyard). Abell liked the simplicity of this image.

Up the Down Staircase(s) in San Francisco

Since today as I write it’s snowing like crazy here, I decided it was time to return to my recently-developed interest in photographing buildings. Staircases in particular. For example, on a recent field trip to photograph churches in Baltimore, one of the most interesting shots I came across was this one.

Staircase at the Backus House, part of the First and Franklin Presbyterian Church in Baltimore

Staircases can be beautifully curved and wooden, like this one. But it was on my trip to San Francisco this summer that I first had a chance to see and photograph staircases to my heart’s content.  Before my trip, I researched architectural sights I shouldn’t miss, and thanks to Thomas Hawks’s website, came across lots of inspiration. Some were in public view, others required a bit of fancy footwork to see and photograph. I’ve turned some of these images into notecards, fascinated by the shapes and tonalities (makes a change from the garden notecards I usually print, as well).

I hope to return this coming year, maybe even with a tripod.

A black and white rendition of the staircase at the Mechanics Library, looking up from about the second landing.

From the top down, in color, and cropped to eliminate a distracting sign at the bottom of the stairwell.

A view of one of the staircases at San Francisco’s main library, near City Hall.

I stumbled on this set of stairs in the interior of another wing of the library, hidden away from the main rooms. I loved it. Converted to black and white, but it didn’t take much.