Buskers

Clarinet Girl, Asheville, NC  -  2015

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Having grown up in the New Orleans area, I've seen plenty of street musicians and dancers. It wasn't until I moved to North Carolina, however, that I heard them referred to as "buskers". A busker, I learned after finding a dictionary, is simply someone who performs in public places for donations. Whatever you want to call them, I like listening to them and photographing them.

I found this young woman "busking" in front of the Mast General Store one Sunday afternoon last June. I remember it was hot downtown that day, and I didn't wander around too long because of the heat. Now that the temps have moderated somewhat, I want to go back looking for more buskers to photograph. Of course that will only be on Sundays when my Saints aren't on local TV!

Ten To Get One

Matt, Swain County, NC  -  2015

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

My brother was passing near our area while riding the "Moonshiners 28" (Hwy. 28 from Walhalla, SC to Deals Gap, NC) over the Labor Day weekend. We decided to meet for a visit over lunch in Bryson City on Monday. I had been wanting to get some pictures of Matt with his motorcycle, so after lunch we found a suitable place on the side of the highway to make some photos.

Out of the all shots I made, I thought only one was really any good. That's why I always shoot several of each pose! With a digital camera it cost nothing but a little time to shoot ten instead of one. (Just don't show everyone all the versions of the same shot! I've never understood why some photographers do that. There's nothing more boring than looking at a dozen shots of the same pose or scene. Pick the best one, and show the best one!) I posted the color version on my Facebook page, but the more I thought about it, I decided a B&W version might be better. After tinkering with a few different approaches, I ended up with the version above. After finishing and comparing the two, I definitely preferred the B&W.

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign . . .

Rethink Bias, Candler, NC  -  2015

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I am forever on the lookout for interesting signs and billboards. I found this one on old highway 19/23 in Candler.

Street Photography

Travellin' On Poetry, Asheville, NC  -  2015

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Although I still would rather be wandering through the forests and mountains with my camera, when it's really hot and humid, or my time is limited, I find myself attracted to the wilds of downtown Asheville. I like that there are plenty of places to duck into for some air conditioning or a cold drink if the heat starts to get to me. Also, I can be home in less than 30 minutes if I'm pressed for time.

I just wander around, street to street, looking for interesting people or situations. I saw this young man with a sign, "Travelin on Poetry" with a plastic bowl displayed for cash contributions. Perhaps he would compose a poem for you on the spot for a little traveling money. The man on the left gave him some money, but from what I could see, he did most of the talking. The poetry man seemed content to just listen. I guess there's a market for that too.

Addition and Subtraction

Front End Detail, Waynesville, NC  -  2015

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I once read that the difference between painting and photography is that painting is about addition, and photography is about subtraction. With painting, you start with a blank canvas and add whatever content you want included in your composition. When using a camera, you start with everything that is present, and by various means subtract what you do not want included in your photo.

In the photo above I knew I had to subtract the content that I didn't want included in my photo: mainly, other cars and the other people viewing the cars. I chose to focus attention on the exposed components of this car's front end instead of trying to capture the entire car. I thought this was one of the more interesting aspects of this vehicle, and by squatting down for a low viewing angle and framing tight, I could exclude unwanted and distracting elements. By simply learning to subtract, anyone can make better and more interesting photos.

Last Calla

Last Calla, Canton, NC  -  2015

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The blooming phase of my wife's late planted Calla lilies is over for this year. They are well established now, and I'm looking forward to more and bigger blooms next June.

A Tree Stole The Show

Survive and Flourish, Avery County, NC  -  2015

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

I went to see a waterfall.

I wrote about my trip to Crabtree Falls in last Friday's post, but I left out an important detail. As beautiful as that fall was, I found I was even more fascinated by a tree.

At the base of the fall, about 10-12 yards down stream, a tree about 40' tall was growing on top of a boulder. Somehow over the years it had not only survived, but flourished on its seemingly precarious perch. Decades ago, a seed had found a bit of soil in a crack in this boulder, and it sprouted and began to grow. It was able to hang on during countless rain-swelled torrents, while its roots were somehow able to find support and nutrients clinging to its rocky home atop the boulder. It's a survival story to match any in the forest.

As I scrambled among the rocks at the base of the fall, looking for different angles for my photos, I found myself becoming more interested in this tree than the fall. Soon I was relegating the fall to the role of being merely a backdrop for the tree. Because of how the tree was positioned in front of the fall, many photographers have probably thought of it as being in the way. Some may have wished it was gone. To me, however, it became the star of the show.