52 Weeks Photography Project
December Edition
No. -49 Under The Weather
The prompt, under the weather, tempted me to consider poor health as a topic for an image.
The second thought was actual weather, if I could somehow get under it.
But I did find this little gem for a broader interpretation of the theme. When you want to get under the weather, an umbrella is just the thing.
No. -50 Home Alone
In 1984, Bea and I were living in British Columbia, on a small island off North Vancouver Island. Sointula was the town on Malcolm Island. I obtained a ‘leave of absence’ from my library position in the local school and we set off on a year long adventure.
So much happened during that year that it probably needs its own story…..
We arrived back home in Ontario.
My family owned some land on Lake Muskoka and our small log homestead needed a complete rebuild.
We quickly removed the old building (saving some old logs for a future garage) and ordered a flatbed of squared logs from the local sawmill. A new cabin began.
The day they arrived stunned me. Thirty logs, twenty four feet long, dumped on the driveway, is unnerving to say the least.
I’m a librarian not a woodsman. I went to get books from the library. How to Build a log Cabin jumped off the shelf. (No Google..no Youtube)
The first chapter emphasized that “one log at a time thinking” would calm my doubting thoughts.
Block and tackles, long strong ropes, tied to the bumper of the van. and soon, the first log was in place. The dove tail notch is tricky at first but after a few, they get easier.
Slowly, working as a team, Bea and I raised our future home, and where we have now retired.
Alone on Lake Muskoka, we have spent some very isolated winters, in very deep snow….alone at home….beautiful.
No.-51 Double Exposure
B&W Ilford film and a 1980 Canon Rebel XTI, taught me the tonal Zone system in photography. In a darkroom developing prints, I learned that total black spaces and full white areas must be controlled carefully. The camera settings, and the final print were very closely related. Shades of grey were a tricky balance.
The winding of the film seemed to feel like a little reward for another negative created. Thirty six in a roll but I preferred the twenty fours. An easier size to thread on the developer spool.
This image is a product of those times. I wound the film with a finger on the clutch so the film would not advance. There were many attempts at trying to balance the exposure, and over the years, somehow this one survived. An in-camera double exposure for sure.
No.-52 Self Portrait
Cloning in photography is a lot of fun. Making selections in Photoshop and using several setting shots, you can produce multiple images of the same subject. This is a good eight minute video on how to do it.
The old log poles (discussed earlier) were strong enough to build a garage. We used most of the old roof boards for siding and installed plywood for the new roof. For many years this was the workshop. Always filled with lumber and saws.
Then one day the idea of a music playroom was on my mind, and would not let me go. Out went the saws and tools and in went the vinyl, the tapes, some cds, the amps, speakers, and microphones. If you build it the musicians will come. Where have I heard that, but it’s true. Seems to be that most folks have a tune or two. Been some pretty loud nights along the way.
