New Combo Jazz, 20100131

Left is a photograph taken of the pianist with the Japanese trio, Visions. I watched the images, shadows cast on the wall, the light and shapes seemed to reflect the interacting piano and bass...

Garden Path

I have been trying to figure out how to cover the garden paths between the raised beds, as they are long it would be too expensive to lay any commercial materials.

Well, it got around the neighbourhood that I accept logs, wood from cutting down trees. Shortly after new year a guy stopped his small farmers' truck at our gate. I have never seen him before. In the back of the truck were logs, branches he had chopped from a tree. Do you want these he asked, I heard you took this sort of wood? Of course I replied, so we unloaded the lot. He then asked if I took smaller ones, and point to some thinner branches. Yes, I can use these for kindling, thank you. Off he went and returned twice, later for a third and fourth time. The second two he dumped conifer hedge trimmings. Gosh, what to say, no thank you after he had dumped half of them on the ground on his first return. Okay, what to do with these: 1) make a raised bed and slowly layer them to make a blueberry patch, as the firs acidify the ground; 2) Eureka, how about layering them lengthways along the paths, and make a covering. This will break down over time, will look nice and green, can be trimmed to remove the larger branches, looks good and even smells nice too... So that is what I did, see the photo left of the trimmings being laid. It is a bit springy to walk on, but where it has been frequently used it is flattening down, and it is also easy to run a wheelbarrow over it. So far, no problems, is this a win win?

Morning Snow

The path towards the top of the mountain side...

Morning Snow

The hillsides, or mountain side if you prefer...

Morning Snow

Colour, the first or Black and white, the second?

Morning Snow

The view from the university rooftop...

Morning Snow

Hannah rushing back indoors...

Morning Snow

We awoke this morning to find the ground covered with a layer of snow. Here, at 06:45 is Hannah in her gown walking in the snow on the path.

Jazz Photo- New Combo 20091218

Before when taking photographs I employed two cameras; one permanently held B&W film, the other colour slide film. B&W was usually given priority, so that film we in the better of the two camera, a Nikon F3, the other being an older Nikon FE. Now using a Nikon D300 the camera can be used for either without the problem of having to switch films and settings on the camera. But this feels is rather peculiar, because previously it was a simple matter of deciding this image would be better in B&W and that one in colour and choose the appropriate camera. Now the master image is always colour and the switch is made after the photographing session is complete. I provide two examples of the same picture, one is in B&W the other on colour. Which one do you prefer of the two, if any, and why? Please comment if you would...

Setting sun

The afternoon sun provides a gorgeous light for photography. So, this photo of the path stretching up the hill just across the road from our house is bathed in rich light, and shadows. Our neighbour recently had his home renovated, and externally repainted, but it is really the colours on the tree, the fence, and the bicycle waiting to be used that attracted my attention.