Postcard from a Truck Graveyard

The Truck Graveyard

Across the road from new truck sales
Lay a yard filld with trucks that died
These vehicles' voice offer tales
Once on them a trucker relied

They thought that he would be companion
Their eternal guide protect them
He  took one to the Grand Canyon
He was truck's total brain stem

Made the decisions for each day
This truck didn't object just follow
Whichever way trucker would stray
Even if where lay Capistrano Swallow

Then one day the truck's tires went flat
Soon in this graveyard this truck lies
Trucker lost his favorite hat 
Old trucker no longer truck guides

by Sara Kendrick

Japanese-Style Digital Sketch by J.R. Corkrum

From his original photograph

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To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from Scottsdale

All to soon, the Cactus League Spring Training in Arizona came to an end. Today was the last day of preseason games here in our fair state. Tonight or tomorrow the teams will head back to their respective cities, play a couple more exhibition games, then start the regular season on Sunday or Monday.

It is always such a sad time for diehard baseball fans like myself to see Spring Training come to an end, especially when it is in your backyard. They are so different than regular season games because they don’t count…and you get to see a lot of different players on the field…the regular players are usually done by the 5th inning. Then it’s time for the younger players to show their stuff.

When I came to Tucson, the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks were the only two teams training here (the Chicago White Sox left the year before). So I went to several games every year…until both teams moved up to the Phoenix area. Now, all the teams in the Cactus League are in the same vicinity so travel is easy for them.

So even though we have no teams here anymore, a few teams like the Diamondbacks and the Dodgers normally come down and play a couple of games here. But, this year, those two teams went to Australia to play there. So, for the first time in over 50 years, there were no Cactus League games in my fair city.

I only went north once this pre-season to see a game…and happily for me, it was the San Francisco Giants, my favorite team in baseball, playing the San Diego Padres in Scottsdale. Even though they lost that day, it was still a fun time at the old ball park.

What makes these games so special is the size of the stadiums…they are very small, so you are right on top of the action. The players are a little friendlier and looser than normal so a baseball fan can have fun interacting with them. Its just a great experience that you will seldom find in a big-league ballpark. 

I also got to experience Old Town Scottsdale, something I had not done before. It is quite a place and certainly worth a visit. I was with my good friends, the Millers, from Walnut Creek, CA, so I got to experience the city with them. Always more fun when with friends. And of course, there were fellow Giant fans everywhere.

If you ever visit Scottsdale, be aware they have guys and girls running around town in golf carts. They will take you anywhere you want to go for no charge (they live on tips). It beats taxis. Our driver found out I was new to Scottsdale and gave me a great tour around Old Town.

I can honestly say I may never have had such a great day experiencing  Spring Training baseball from sunrise to sunset.

PS: This photo was not of the Giants game I attended. I forgot my camera. Dummy!

Postcard from a Long Lost Garden

The Morning-Glory

We wreathed about our darling's head
The morning-glory bright;
Her little face looked out beneath
So full of life and light,
So lit as with a sunrise,
That we could only say,
'She is the morning-glory true,
And her poor types are they.'

So always from that happy time
We called her by their name,
And very fitting did it seem,--
For sure as morning came,
Behind her cradle bars she smiled
To catch the first faint ray,
As from the trellis smiles the flower
And opens to the day.

But not so beautiful they rear
Their airy cups of blue,
As turned her sweet eyes to the light,
Brimmed with sleep's tender dew;
And not so close their tendrils fine
Round their supports are thrown,
As those dear arms whose outstretched plea
Clasped all hearts to her own.

We used to think how she had come,
Even as comes the flower,
The last and perfect added gift
To crown Love's morning hour;
And how in her was imaged forth
The love we could not say,
As on the little dewdrops round
Shines back the heart of day.

We never could have thought, O God,
That she must wither up,
Almost before a day was flown,
Like the morning-glory's cup;
We never thought to see her droop
Her fair and noble head,
Till she lay stretched before our eyes,
Wilted, and cold, and dead!

The morning-glory's blossoming
Will soon be coming round,--
We see their rows of heart-shaped leaves
Upspringing from the ground;
The tender things the winter killed
Renew again their birth,
But the glory of our morning
Has passed away from earth.

Earth! in vain our aching eyes
Stretch over thy green plain!
Too harsh thy dews, too gross thine air,
Her spirit to sustain;
But up in groves of Paradise
Full surely we shall see
Our morning-glory beautiful
Twine round our dear Lord's knee.

Maria White Lowell

Digital Sketch Entitled Morning Glories by J.R. Corkrum

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To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from Tucson

My life has been filled with great music. From my earliest days of Rock n’ Roll (for which I was royally chastised by the nuns at school), to my discovery of modern jazz and later classical music. Of course, we all enjoy music of one sort or another, but my life’s journey with music has been very special…a personal odyssey, if you will.

Last week, I sat captivated by the Arizona Symphony’s performance of the powerful Tchaikovsky Fifth Symphony. The power of that music had me pinned to my seat as if held by a giant magnet. I recall the same thing happened in London when the Philharmonia Orchestra played the “Mars” Section of Holst’s “Planets.”

After last week’s symphony, I thought about some of the great venues where I heard some of the finest music composed on this planet. Besides classical, I listened to some of the great legends of jazz play their music in small jazz nightclubs…but I will leave those memories for another day. Today, it is about classical music.

I’ve been privileged to hear some great symphonic music in the concert halls of London, Paris, Oxford and other European cities…not to mention here in the US. Another piece of music that pinned me to my seat was the remarkable Beethoven 9th Symphony. The first time I heard it live, I could hardly walk after the performance. And to think he wrote it while totally deaf.

I’ve heard Mozart played in St. Martins In-The-Field Church in Trafalgar Square in London; the haunting Vaughn Williams’ “Fantasy on a Theme of Thomas Tallis” at the Southbank Center, also in London; Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” in Sainte Chappelle in Paris; and more Vivaldi in Venice. I could go on, but suffice it to say I’ve been fortunate to hear great music performed all over the world.

I began my journey with classical music while in my 20’s. As I listened and enjoyed, I wanted to learn more about it. What I learned early was: in order to really appreciate the music, one must know more about the composer, where and when he lived, what his life was like, and how long he lived.

Then I learned the basic eras of each composer and how church music later morphed into secular music…how the Classical era of Mozart and Haydn followed the Baroque Era of Bach and Vivaldi; and how Classical was followed by the Romantic Era…and on an on. I learned where each composer fit into the scheme of things and how his music differed from others in each epoch. By doing that, classical music appreciation fell into place.

It’s been a wonderful journey…and it continues to this day. Living in a university town affords me plenty of great classical concerts. Besides Tchaikovsky, in the past couple of months I’ve heard Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”, a piano concert by one of the world’s great pianists who played the music of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, and Chopin…all in one glorious evening. I am a very fortunate man and I hope to hear more great music before this journey comes to an end.

Postcard from Tucson

I created this digital sketch from a photo I took on campus at the University of Arizona. For your information, it is part of the large Electrical and Computer Engineering Building. Like other buildings on campus, the architecture is a reflection of the classes taught inside. Notice the rounded top of the building that looks like a computer. There are others just like it all around the building.

Still, it fits nicely into the general architectural scheme of the entire university…and the rocks give it a desert feel. After all, we are indeed in the desert. I love all the design elements in the image…the stairs leading up to the building, the rounded exterior, and the covered walkway leading inside. All are wonderful design elements leading to the creation of the entire image.

Frankly, I think this image works much better as a digital sketch rather than a photo. As you may have noticed from recent blogs, I’ve really gotten back into sketching and painting…digitally, of course from my own photos. If I did these by hand using pencil and paints…well, take my word for it…it would not be good. My skill is in photography and now in post processing…creating different styles of images that express my inner feelings as an artist. Thank God there are new products on the market that let me experiment.

It’s funny that I thought when I retired I would have more time for photography and digital painting. But, that is not necessarily the case except perhaps in the summer when the heat keeps me indoors.

But this time of year here is amazing…the weather is wonderful and the activities abound. This week alone I have been to 3 concerts in 4 nights, two lectures and a baseball game. And this weekend is the incredible (and very large) Tucson Festival of Books where authors famous and not-so-famous, come to give talks and participate in author’s panel discussions, and of course, promote their books. It is a two day event that keeps me hopping all day long. Love it!

(To see a larger version of this image, just click on it)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from a Bygone Garden

An Iris Blessing

May your blooms be floriferous and in good form,

Distinctive, with good substance, flare, and airborne,

With standards and falls that endure, never torn.

May you display many buds and blooms sublime,

In graceful proportion on strong stalks each day,

Gently floating above the fans and the fray.

May you too reach toward the moon and stars,

Bloom after bloom, many seasons in the sun,

Enjoying your life, health, and each loved one,

Until your 'living days are artfully done.

By Georgia Gudykunst

 

Digital Sketch by J.R. Corkrum

“The Lonely Iris”

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To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from Oxford

This photo shows the chapel at Keble College, part of the Oxford University System. It is one of the largest colleges in terms of students. However, there are only around 700 undergraduates and graduate students enrolled. It is also one of the youngest of the Oxford Colleges…founded in 1870.

It was built as a monument to John Keble. He was a leading member of the Oxford Movement, which sought to stress the Catholic nature of the Church of England, which probably explains the ornate nature of this chapel, compared to others at Oxford. Consequently, the College traditionally placed a considerable emphasis on theological teaching, although this has long since ceased to be the case. 

After the WWII, the college started emphasizing scientific courses. Originally for male students only, Keble became coed in 1979. Its somewhat controversial architecture led many scholars to proclaim that is was the ugliest college in all of Oxford.

One story claims that a French visitor, on first sight of the college exclaimed, "It is magnificent but is it not the railway station?"

It is a beautiful church and I was lucky to get this shot. I was using a film camera back then and I took this photo without a tripod. Needless to say, anti-shake lenses had not been invented then. I have a great many happy memories of my times at Oxford. I would love to go back again.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from Tubac

This image is far more about style than place. Although I took the original photo in Tubac, AZ, the finished product here is a digital sketch done in the style of Japanese woodblock printing.

The term for this style is “ Moku Hanga” (木版画).  Although similar to woodcut in western printmaking, the Moku Hanga technique differs in that it uses water-based inks—as opposed to western woodcut, which often use oil-based inks. The Japanese water-based inks provide a wide range of vivid colors, glazes, and transparency.

Before the invention of moveable type, Moku Hanga was also used to print books in China and Japan. The first printed books were seen in Japan in the 8th century in Buddhist temples. Much later, around the 17h century, woodblock printing was used to create works of art…and like Western painting techniques, there were many schools and movements based on style.

Here is how it works: The image is first drawn onto paper, then glued face-down onto a plank of wood, usually cherry. The wood is then cut away, based on the drawing outlines. A small wooden hard object called a baren is used to press or burnish the paper against the inked woodblock to apply the ink to the paper. Although this may have been done purely by hand at first, complex wooden mechanisms were soon invented and adopted to help hold the woodblock perfectly still and apply proper pressure in the printing process. This was especially helpful with the introduction of multiple colors that had to be applied with precision over previous ink layers.

Of course, my version of Moku Hanga is all done using digital computer software…and like the Japanese schools, I can create several different styles. I am having fun experimenting with this new software. This image is of large metal flowers so prominent outside Tubac craft stores and is one of my very first attempts at creating Moku Hanga drawings. You will see more in the near future. All comments on my work, good or critical, are gratefully appreciated.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from Yosemite

…How boundless the day seems as we revel in these storm-beaten sky gardens amid so vast a congregation of onlooking mountains! Strange and admirable it is that the more savage and chilly and storm-chafed the mountains, the finer the glow on their faces and the finer the plants they bear. The myriads of flowers tingeing the mountain-top do not seem to have grown out of the dry, rough gravel of disintegration, but rather they appear as visitors, a cloud of witnesses to Nature's love in what we in our timid ignorance and unbelief call howling desert.

The surface of the ground, so dull and forbidding at first sight, besides being rich in plants, shines and sparkles with crystals: mica, hornblende, feldspar, quartz, tourmaline. The radiance in some places is so great as to be fairly dazzling, keen lance rays of every color flashing, sparkling in glorious abundance, joining the plants in their fine, brave beauty-work, --every crystal, every flower a window opening into heaven, a mirror reflecting the Creator.

From garden to garden, ridge to ridge, I drifted enchanted, now on my knees gazing into the face of a daisy, now climbing again and again among the purple and azure flowers of the hemlocks, now down into the treasuries of the snow, or gazing afar over domes and peaks, lakes and woods, and the billowy glaciated fields of the upper Tuolumne, and trying to sketch them. In the midst of such beauty, pierced with its rays, one's body is all one tingling palate. Who wouldn't be a mountaineer! Up here all the world's prizes seem nothing.

The largest of the many glacier lakes in sight, and the one with the finest shore scenery, is Tenaya, about a mile long, with an imposing mountain dipping its feet into it on the south side, Cathedral Peak a few miles above its head, many smooth swelling rock-waves and domes on the north, and in the distance southward a multitude of snowy peaks, the fountain-heads of rivers.

excerpted from, “My First Summer in the Sierra”

by John Muir

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To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from Kodachrome Basin

I took this photo near the entrance to Kodachrome Basin in Southern Utah. It is a unique state park filled with with strange chimney rock formations. In fact off in the distance, you can see one of the white chimneys that inhabit this area.

I like this photo as it contains the three elements a good landscape photo should have: a foreground: a middle ground; and a deep background. If you count the sky, it actually has four elements. The flowers in front are the focal point of the photo. From there, your eye travels across wide open spaces to the red rock formations that also inhabit this region.

But, the Pièce de résistance are the orange/pink mountains in the distance. That, my friends, is Bryce Canyon National Park. As you can see, it is not a canyon…but mostly incredible rock formations that run north to south for several miles. Bryce faces almost due east. Behind those pink rocks is just forested land.

As I said, Bryce itself is not a canyon…but when you get close, you see it consists of many small canyons (or basins) surrounded by fantastic rock formations. I always thought Bryce Canyon should be called Bryce Canyons. But, what do I know?

Kodachrome also has its own unique beauty that I have shared here before. So how did this park get its name? In 1948 the National Geographic Society explored and photographed the area for a story that appeared in the September 1949 issue of National Geographic. They named the area Kodachrome Flat, after the then relatively new brand of Kodak film they used.

In 1962 the area was designated a State Park. Fearing repercussions from the Kodak company for using the name Kodachrome, the name was changed to Chimney Rock State Park, but renamed Kodachrome Basin a few years later with Kodak's permission.

So the point of all this is to show how close Kodachrome Basin is to Bryce National Park…so if you visit one you should make a side trip to the other. And while you are in the neighborhood, make a stop at Red Canyon. All of this is part of Utah’s magnificent Highway 12 country…one of the most beautiful highways in all of America.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from San Francisco

How often have I written of San Francisco in this blog? Many times, I am sure. I can’t help it…The City was where I was born and raised. My father was also born and raised here. But, it was my Grandmother who showed me the real City. I was her first grandchild…thereby her favorite.

For many years, she ran a woman’s boarding house up on Jackson Street. But, no matter how many women lived there, I always had my own room when I came for a visit. When I would stay with her, I helped out in the morning with the chores. I remember opening the old-style refrigerator for the man who climbed the back stairs carrying a large block of ice on his back. The iceman cometh…almost every day.

When the chores were done, we would go out on excursions into the City. If it were a Sunday, we would start with Mass at Old St. Mary’s Church, right on the edge of Chinatown. Then we would wander through Chinatown, often on a side street like this one…stopping to have lunch in one of the many little restaurants that dot the Chinatown landscape.

On other occasions, we would ride the Powell Street cable car up to Nob Hill, often stopping at either the Mark Hopkins or the Fairmont for an ice cream sundae. Back then, the cable cars were for getting to and from places…not the big tourist attraction they are today.

Sometimes we would ride the cable car all the way down to Fisherman’s Wharf, also not the great tourist attraction (or should I tourist trap) it is today. She taught me which were the best restaurants on the wharf and which ones for tourists. Too bad I didn’t like fish. But I do remember the giant crab pots always boiling on the wharf. They are gone now.

My Grandmother was a great and special woman. She sang in the San Francisco Opera Chorus and her circle of friends included the legendary conductor Arthur Fiedler. She was class personified. How could she not be with a maiden name like Winifred Rose Callahan.

So when I describe myself as a San Franciscan in absentia, it is only because she taught me the ways of one of the greatest cities on this earth. I will love and remember her always.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from Venice

I stood in Venice

by George Gordon Byron

    I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs,
    A palace and a prison on each hand:
    I saw from out the wave her structures rise
    As from the stroke of the enchanter's wand:
    A thousand years their cloudy wings expand
    Around me, and a dying Glory smiles
    O'er the far times, when many a subject land
    Looked to the wingéd Lion's marble piles,
Where Venice sate in state, throned on her hundred isles!

    She looks a sea Cybele, fresh from ocean,
    Rising with her tiara of proud towers
    At airy distance, with majestic motion,
    A ruler of the waters and their powers:
    And such she was--her daughters had their dowers
    From spoils of nations, and the exhaustless East
    Poured in her lap all gems in sparkling showers:
    In purple was she robed, and of her feast
Monarchs partook, and deemed their dignity increased.

    In Venice Tasso's echoes are no more,
    And silent rows the songless gondolier;
    Her palaces are crumbling to the shore,
    And music meets not always now the ear:
    Those days are gone--but Beauty still is here;
    States fall, arts fade--but Nature doth not die,
    Nor yet forget how Venice once was dear,
    The pleasant place of all festivity,
The revel of the earth, the masque of Italy!

Painting by J.R. Corkrum

“Blue Pole Canal” 

Postcard from Capitol Reef

Every so often I love doing a black and white image. I took this photo on one of my exploratory trips down the back roads of Capitol Reef National Park in Southern Utah. It is a very undervalued National Park that gets few visitors compared to some of its neighbors such as The Arches and Canyonlands.

They get so few visitors that they don’t charge an entrance fee. There is only one campground, and they do charge for that. But, every night I was there, the campground was full by about 2:00 pm. I understand that as the campground is one of the nicest I ever stayed in. They can accommodate both tents and travel trailers.

They have a nice amphitheater for after-dark presentations. One one night, they gave a nice talk about the park, then showed an episode of Ken Burns National Park series. So for a small, undervalued park, they due on heck of a job.

The campground sits in the old Mormon settlement of Fruita. There is a long, mostly paved road that runs south from Fruita and eventually dead ends in this slot canyon. This photo shows the road going into the canyon and leading to the parking lot. From there, you can hike into the canyon and see what havoc Mother Nature can wreak with water and wind rushing through limestone canyons. While this canyon is not as narrow as other slot canyons in Utah, it is still fun and quite interesting to explore.  

I hope if you are ever in the vicinity of Capital Reef, you will take the time to explore its many nooks and crannies.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com…or visit my Flickr Page.

Postcard from the Vatican

About a year and a half ago, I showed you a photo of St. Peter’s Square taken at night. It’s a photo I am proud of as I took it without a tripod trying to hold it as steady as possible. A few days later, I came back to the Vatican and shot this daylight image of the Square.

If you look at the other image, you will notice the obelisk is on the right side of the image…here it is on the left. In both images, you can see St. Peter’s quite clearly. It is a big, big church (or more properly, it is a basilica). Later this day, I wandered all over the inside of the basilica. I took several images on slide film, but the developed slides somehow disappeared. I saw them at home after they came back from the processor, but then they mysteriously vanished. I never found them. Sad.

You will notice a distinct lack of people in the square this day. It is just a few days after the start of the second Iraqi War and people all over Europe and the Americas stopped traveling, afraid of reprisal terrorist attacks. Later in the day, my friend Susan toured the Sistine Chapel (while I took off to see more Roman ruins) and she reported there were not very few people in there. The place is normally jammed with tourists.

The Vatican, AKA Vatican City (officially Vatican City State), is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome. It has an area of approximately 110 acres, and a population of around 840. Of course, its most important resident is the Pope, leader of the Catholic Church.

He is also the head of the Vatican government and all of the highest state functionaries are Catholic clergyman from around the world. The city-state itself is supported financially by the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications.

The Vatican became an independent city-state in 1929 during the reign of Pope Pius XI thanks to the Lateran Treaty between the Church and Italy (signed by Mussolini).

The Vatican is actually the property of the Holy See, the main organization of the Catholic Church which dates back to very early Christian times. It is the Holy See that oversees the church activities for 1.2 billion Catholics around the world. Surprisingly, the Vatican City State is distinct from the Holy See. The two entities have distinct passports: the Holy See, not being a country, issues only diplomatic and service passports, whereas Vatican City State issues normal passports for its citizens.

This is probably more information than you ever wanted to know about the Vatican, but when in Rome, its nice to know the territory.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from Chicago

In the depth of winter, I thought you would like a reminder of the glorious days coming our way soon. -JRC

 

THE SEASON OF SPRING

the season of spring
weather seems to sing
lovely lovely days
are coming our ways

the season of spring
blooming blossoming
of nature of all kind
let roots unbind

the season of spring
birds unfold their wings
diving high into sky
wish one could fly

the season of spring
careful hearts love sting
reaching out towards others
some persons might bother

the season of spring
nice sound bells ring
new wave new style
faces have on a smile

the season of spring
an new awakening
busy humanity on earth
as if it’s a new birth

listen listen to my words
the season of spring is near
now a look into your lovely eyes
and one can see spring is already here

 

by Morhardt Carmen Mencita Monoi Angel

Postcard from Glacier National Park

This is one of those experimental digital sketches I do once in a while from my original photos. The image is a of snow-melt waterfall high up in Glacier National Park in Montana. I don’t believe it has a name but probably runs pretty much all year long, depending on the amount of snowfall.

I didn’t have to hike to or make any major effort to get the original shot as this waterfall is right by the side of the road. At my age, you gotta love that! My friend Dave and I were driving up the “Going to the Sun” Highway that runs from the west side of the park up to Logan Pass and into the high country when we ran into this waterfall (or cascade, if you will).

The highway is one of the most scenic roads in all of America. The views are absolutely spectacular. It was built 75 years ago during the Great Depression and was one of many government projects designed to get people back to work.

The road officially received its name, "The Going-to-the-Sun Road," during the 1933 dedication at Logan Pass. The road borrowed its name from nearby Going-to-the-Sun Mountain. Local legend, and a 1933 press release issued by the Department of the Interior, told the story of the deity, Sour Spirit, who came down from the sun to teach Blackfeet braves the rudiments of the hunt.

On his way back to the sun, Sour Spirit had his image reproduced on the top of the mountain for inspiration to the Blackfeet. An alternate story suggests a white explorer in the 1880s concocted the name and the legend. No matter which version is accurate, the road named Going-to-the-Sun still inspires all who travel it.

The road is only open about 3 months out of the year because of the high snow fall in this area of Montana. It takes a couple of months of snow-plowing to get the road open each year. So, if you are planning to go, it will have to be in summer.

If you are lucky, you will see mountain goats and big horn sheep along the road, so drive carefully. But do plan to stop along the way to take in the amazing views.

Postcard from Tucson

A Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to One and All.

Thank you for being here. See you next year! - JRC

Postcard from Italy

To be honest, I took the original photo somewhere in Northern Italy…possibly in the wine growing region of Piemonte, not far south of Torino. I took it on one of my rips to Italy, but I could not tell you exactly where or when. It was originally photographed on slide film, then digitized by scanner.

The title of the photo is, “Fearful Tower.”

Of course it was not all doom and gloom that day. Actually it was a beautiful day with some wonderful clouds in the sky. When I looked at the original slide, I knew I wanted to do something different…and I thought the image was perfect for some sort of moody, doom and gloom photo. 

I worked on it a few years ago and could never get it the way I saw it in my head. But with all the new post processing tools that came out this year, I thought I would give it another shot…and this was the final result. Not bad…I think I achieved that “gloom and doom” look.

I also can’t remember what we did that day, but I am sure wine and some great Italian food was part of it. There was a wonderful little deli and grocery store in the Alba town square where we would buy our goodies for a day of exploring. The two ladies that owned the place were extremely friendly and helpful, even though they spoke no English. Just part of many great days in Italy.

Even the gloomy dark tower here cannot spoil my happy memories.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com or at my Flickr site.

Postcard from Grand Coulee

I bet you were expecting to see a picture of a dam…the Grand Coulee Dam, to be precise. Sorry, this photo was taken in the town of Grand Coulee, WA, just south of the dam. The plethora of power lines in the photo all originate from the dam. The huge dam supplies a great deal of electricity and irrigation water to Central Washington.

However, this is a sunset photo, as you can easily ascertain. And while I normally avoid photographing power lines, they work in this image. The photo is titled,”Power” and refers not only to the electrical power flowing through these lines, but to the power of the sun and the power of a forest fire.

You see, the sun is behind a thick veil of smoke which consumes the entire horizon…the result of a massive forest fire several miles away near Lake Chelan. Nature uses fire to replenish itself and renew the cycle of life in a forest. It takes a long time for that process to unfold, which probably explains why it took so long for man to understand the value of these great conflagrations.

Once, up in the Canadian Rockies, I took a nature walk through a burned out forest. It had been at least 10 years since the fire…and I could see nature replenishing itself with lots of new growth. The undergrowth had all been burned away, but the ashes supplied vital nutrients for the new trees and plants. Nature is a miraculous process.

Another unintended consequence of a large forest fire is that is supplies plenty of smoke to make beautiful sunset scenes for photographers. Smoke blocks much of the sun’s intensity…so much so that it is easy to stare directly at it. Thank God I had my camera with me this day so I could take advantage of Mother Nature’s gift.

PS: This photo was originally taken on film, then computerized with a scanner.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com

Postcard from San Francisco

As you can see, this is another one of my photos from the America’s Cup races last summer. As I said in previous blog, it was such a joy to be there to enjoy the races and take some photos with my new camera. After all, you don’t see these kinds of boats very often.

This photo is of the back of the New Zealand Kiwi boat. What makes this photo so special for me is the use of a new post-processing tool in Adobe’s Lightroom that brought the photo to life.

Its called the Radial tool, but I just refer to it as the Spotlight Tool…with it you can highlight a certain area of the photo with a “spotlight” and at the same time, lower to exposure of the surrounding areas.

In this case, I created an oval-shaped area around the center of the boat and made it slightly brighter, while lowering the light of everything else, including the background of the America’s Cup Park. Notice the water underneath the boat and extending out to the white sailboat in the background…see how much brighter it is and how the rest of the water (and the park) are darker? The sun helped, but so did the Spotlight Tool.

That is what the Spotlight Tool does…it brings the eye to exact place I want it to be when you view this photo. The whole focus of this picture is the boat, with the rest only serving as a backdrop. 

The digital tools available for processing photos these days are amazing. It is hard to keep up with all of them. But I try. I hope I didn’t bore you with this bit of technical stuff. Sorry if I did…but please enjoy the photo anyway.