Still life-ing.

Contact printing the 8X10 still lifes.  They really look better on real paper.  Using Ilford Multigrade Warmtone.  I just ran the contacts under the proofing enlarger while I worked on enlarged prints on the Zone VI enlarger.  When I finished I had 12 contact prints!

Pilates student dropped one of my nautilus shells....but really made it even more interesting.

All the scavenged materials I have around- shells, bones, desert-rusted cups, busted hotel crockery from Connecticutt...using it all, plus some.  These are all in a big tin funnel Debbie Fleming Caffery gave me.

Working through this progression.  I thought I was done but I might have just been starting to learn.

Light from the other side.

And from the other, other side.  Lighting on these looks simple, but it's pretty complex.

Texas Historical Cannons.

Starting the TSRA calendar for 2015.....

Jackson and I shot a morning on the Battleship Texas at the San Jacinto battleground.  This is a little iphone image.  I mostly worked with my D300 Nikon.  The Battleship staff were very helpful.

The first impression of the Texas is how dark it is.  WWII camo paint, they say.

Jackson checking out Turrent 1.

Looks like there might be some details for a view camera approach on board.

Visitors.

Twin Sister replicas in the graveyard at the site of the Texan camp.

Flag drying.

Jackson with a 1911 issued to the ship in 1913.  Rare thing.

Porthole.

Calendar shot will be something like this.  Big guns and a lot of them.  14 inchers.

40mm Bofors AA gun dismounted on deck.

Twin Sister Replica in the theater.

Curator Andy Smith was very knowlegeable and helpful.  We were the first folks on the ship that morning at dawn.  I had visited when I was in about the 4th grade and Katie and I went a few years back.  This was the best visit with the most access.  The Texas is quite an artifact. 

First little printing run of the Fall.

Water temp finally down and I made a little run.  Over-did it as usual.  Printed on 11X14 all the way to 20X24.  Want to repeat this week.

  Zone VI enlarger as bad as any.  Very complex burning-in to get an even print.  Big light source and all the hype really didn't do anything.

Looking South from the nose of the Wing in afternoon light.  Big print on 20X24.

A show of White Trees coming up so I have to print a few images and send them into the frames as I go along.  Love this print but very tough to get it to the right emotional pitch.  Made this a little 11X14.

My old friend the Pear Tree.  Every year the development gets a little closer.  Wonder which one of us will go first?

Black tree with a little rising Moon.

The Dance Floor at Shiprock last Summer.

The afternoon shadow of West Hill at Shiprock.

Still beating on still lifes...

Letting it evolve.  Nearly there.  I think.

I kept building it taller, better, adding more stuff while simplifying the overall build.  I'm scrimming the light source like mad.  Getting complicated.  Need to process some film and see where I am.

Not bad.  Glad I shot a piece of film.

Might go with this.  

It collapsed overnight.  That's common.  Usually falls into a big trash can with a towel draped over the opening to keep from breaking things.  I might set it up one more time....or I might decide it's done and do some more cups and ice.  Or shattered nautilus.   Or candles burning on a broken cup.  Or whatever evolves next.