Sense of Place

No picture today. The camera will not work and I can't figure out why. I think it may have to do with the fact that, in an attempt to travel light, I pulled out an old lens that this not been used in months. In any event it does not look like I'll be snapping a picture today.

Man is it cold. The seminar wound up about noon and I walked up to a small shopping center called Gaithersburg Square to grab a bite of lunch. It the wind. It would be cold without the wind, but the wind makes it bitter. I just checked and the temperature is 36F with a windchill of 27F. I didn't come with clothes for this kind of weather. Head and hands are suffering most while I'm out walking. It's that danged wind.

Today's seesions were again from Richard Day in the morning on photographing birds. The trend seems to be planting flowers and other plants that will attract birds of certain types. I did become convinced of one thing...I'm never going tot get pictures of those cardinals around the house unless I'm in a blind. Not sure it's worth it. I don' t see myself as a bird photographer, but then Janie wants a bird house tree. Things might change.

The closing session was the highlight of the weekend for me. It was Jim Clark's Capturing a Sense of Place. This approach is bascially creating a emotion in your photography...connecting yourself to a place. It becomes your passion. And thus, your connection to the place is found in the pictures you show, thus connecting others to the place. This presentation wthout a doubt set off the weekend for me. It really should have been the keynote for Friday night I think. It would have set the tone for the weekend ratherly nicely.

After we dismissed, as I mentioned earlier, I walked to the shopping center. Went to the Borders and bought a copy of Aldo Leopold's Sand County Almanac at Jim Clark's suggestion. He said it was where he was 'at.' Since I like his approach, I decided to give it a try. I really like Jim's approach to photography. It's a mix of pictures and story telling. If you've not done so, you should read his story/essay called The Story of the Mason Jar.

When I started writing this, my mouse died. Replaced the battery to no avail. So I looked out the window and saw a CompuUSA within walking distance the other direction from the shopping center. Got there in the midst of a store closing sale. What a zoo. Did get 10% off my new mouse though.

Tomorrow, back on the train. It's been a good weekend.