Beauty in a Yucca

The Yucca, commonly thought to be a type of cactus, is actually
a plant within the agave plant family and is an evergreen shrub.
Those who have spent time in certain desert climates in the
Western United States and Mexico know about the Yucca plant.

While they are visually unobtrusive, and often growing around
other small shrubs and bushes, they have long, very rigid
needle-tips that are ridiculously sharp. Throughout
the years, they have always provided a wealth of jokes
(and pain) for myself and my friends. If there is a Yucca
anywhere in the close vicinity, it is inevitably
going to stab someone.

Never have I had any desire to spend much time around them
until recently. Once I resigned myself to the fact that I was
going to lose some blood that day, I put the 100mm macro
lens on my camera, on a mini-tripod, laid myself on the desert
floor, and got up close and personal with one. Within a single
Yucca plant, I found a surprising beauty. Within this hostile
and vicious product of survival-of-the-fittest plant-evolution
lies the most wonderful tiny little world, delicate and whimsical.





The second image shown here has been juried into, and will be on display at the 18th Annual Louisville Arts Association National Photography Show, of which I am also the co-chair for. Please join us for the opening reception of the show on Saturday June 27th, 7:00 - 9:00 PM, at the Louisville Art Association. More information can be found at http://www.louisvilleart.org .

07/04/09 Post Note:
The second photo on this post won 2nd Place in the in the Louisville Art Association- National Photography Show (Color: Still Life, Scenic, and Abstract Category) on June 27th, 2009.

The High Desert is calling; it wants me back.

It has been an interesting and challenging few months. Delays caused my house remodel to drag on longer than I expected. My business is feeling some effects of the limping economy. I am learning many new technologies, and have jumped full-force into SEO analysis as well. I am learning new studio lighting techniques. I am learning to multitask more than ever. The final piece (for the moment) of the four-month remodel was having the carpet installed yesterday! I will finally get to move in upstairs, have a bedroom, and set up the office.

For the last four months I have lived in about 400 square feet of the house, sleeping on a mattress in the living room, next to my "office"; a shanty-town of a studio which consists of two computers on the dining room table surrounded by ever-increasing stacks of paperwork, computer accessories, printers, scanners, headphones, and hard drives . I feel like it is consuming me. This all changes today! Nice new bright carpet now adorns the base of my new office. Ample space, and a beautiful view out the window make a perfect new beginning.

Just in time for spring. I am emerging from a long winter's hibernation, and have really missed being outside, hiking and shooting. With the critical parts of the remodel complete, I can get back outside with my gear and soak it all in. My body seeks to awaken. My mind and spirit long to breathe and reconnect. The buds are on the trees. I need to embrace every day, and keep things moving. I miss nature photography. With my new dwelling now habitable, I can get a bit of the balance back. The balance that feeds me.

I am starting off the season spending another week in the desert around Moab again at the end of April. For a few of the days of the journey, I will be attending the Moab Photography Symposium. If you are attending this event, please contact me and I will look forward to meeting you there! It will be an amazing few days with an impressive line-up of photographers and artists.

Here's a few photos from last year's personal Utah expedition (unrelated to the Symposium), that have been gathering binary dust up until now…

Holeman Spring Canyon in a Sandstorm

Scattered clouds over White Rim Canyon

Strata and Erosion

A Warning to be taken very seriously on this road: "Soft Shoulder"