South Beach Marina, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Here’s something a little different this month. A simpler and more graphic photograph, the kind of photography I’ve been doing more of lately…seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary.
While this photograph was taken on Hilton Head Island, SC the location isn’t really important. The photo isn’t about Hilton Head. What it is about is the combination of red, white and blue in a simple, graphic design that to me represents that feeling I get on a sunny summer day with a great clear blue sky. That feeling of being on vacation!
Lots going on these days, so while I hope to send off a few more posts before the Big Adventure, it may be a too little hectic. But you’ll hear from me, don’t worry!
Pentax announced a new mirrorless camera today. A lot of the chatter I saw – on one blog, I don’t spend any time on the “forums” – was discussing the design, which depending on your point of view is either really cool or makes it look like it was built by Little Tykes or Tonka (one of the versions is actually bright yellow). Among the usual comments like “I’d buy it in a heartbeat if only…” was a quote from someone named Paul (hopefully not my friend Paul that frequents this blog!), who in referring to the comments about it being ugly, said:
“You’d think, in a creative hobby such as photography, that folks would be… you know… creative in other ways of thinking and seeing the world as well. The only thing I have learned from reading blogs and online photo forums is that photographers now-a-days are the most conservative, dull and uninspired group (of mostly old men) on the planet.”
Boy, doesn’t that pretty much nail it. There are exceptions of course, and I feel that I and anyone reading my blog qualifies as an exception, but I see that everywhere. A bunch of old dudes collecting expensive equipment and hauling it around in their PT Cruisers to a bunch of checklist places and taking cliché photographs of famous icons. Of course, no one reading this blog fits that definition so please don’t take offense! Although I believe that is perfectly OK if that is your goal. More than anything I want to make sure I don’t fall into that definition, and I’m trying really, really hard to avoid doing so.
Granted, a bright yellow camera and a field full of (mostly) gray and black does stand out, but you’d never lose it! I personally tend to prefer a camera that blends in, and you would do anything but blend in with a yellow camera! But I think you have to give them credit for thinking a little outside the box. And this actually looks like it might be a very nice camera. It’s got a nice, big APS-C sized sensor and it uses existing Pentax K-mount lenses as well as some new ones they are producing just for this camera. Interesting.
It was 65 degrees here in North Carolina today, and I washed my car! Changes are in store over night tonight but I’ll brag while I can!
The coast is a special place any time of the year, but it takes on an amazing quality in the winter. Crisp, clear skies and often some great color both at sunrise and sunset. Our favorite beach within a reasonable drive is Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. Amazingly this photo is from a visit there nearly 5 years ago, in January 2007. It’s really hard to believe how quickly time flies.
