Challenges

Definitely the theme this week. I have found that in the past 5 to 10 years out of the last 20, attending shows has been more about meeting up with people and catching up on newsy bits in the gem and mineral world and , of course, perusing the exhibits and dealers' stocks. This Denver---people in the mineral, gem, fossil biz more than often measure time in shows, "Yeah, I remember those came out about three Tucsons ago."---the challenge was also getting all the image processing finished after the day's photography was done (by Jeff, not me). Some late nights. Oh well, in the words of Warren Zevon, "I'll sleep when I'm dead..."

Back in the days of establishing and building a new mineral museum---about a decade ago, there were about two years when I slept no more than four hours out of every twenty-four. It was exciting, high-adrenalin stuff; hard work and hard play. Some days, the brain just needed cleansing and going for a walk or bike ride was just another excuse for having time to cogitate on matters generally perceived to be urgent. Photography allows me to block all invasive thoughts and be present in my surroundings, so, as needed, I would leave the office for an hour or so, grab a 36 roll of Velvia (how convenient to have one of Vancouver's major photo suppliers across the street in Downtown) and give myself a challenge to shoot any theme that came to mind before I left: trees, architecture, textures, building stone geology, or even a movie set (at the time, one of the few things I could guarantee any visitor to the city to witness on any given day).
I was researching something a while ago on the internet and came across www.dpreview.com and noticed a tab called "Challenges" (see first post). I had a quick look and it seems that certain people related to the site (I am not sure exactly how) issue challenges (also not sure why) to the site's users to enter photographs reflecting given themes. I do not believe there are prizes or anything, but I browsed the list of themes open to entries and saw "Summer 2009". I had just started the blog and decided to send in the kayaker image I used. I went through the other images after the submission date had passed and voted on them (one is appropriately not permitted to vote on one's own entry), then glanced at the new themes and spied "Juxtaposition". "Ohhh, I have such an image..."
Well, life got busy (hah! "Got?") and the site did not enter my thoughts until an email popped onto my Blackberry's screen proclaiming that my image had placed 11th out of 185 in the "Juxtaposition" theme. I have to admit to feeling rather chuffed about it; not out of any real competitiveness, but at a time of going public of sorts with photography, such recognition by peers is pleasing.

...

Approaching Rathlin Island, just off Northern Ireland's Antrim Coast, on the fast track ferry (read "refitted fishing boat") one is struck by the juxtaposition of the black 65 million-year old basalt flows overlaying the white chalk (limestone) cliffs. The erosion of these geological formations has resulted in truly "salt and pepper" beaches made of black and white cobbles. ...Oh, the thinks you can think* when encountering such thinkable things: black & white, yin & yang...but one thing stands out in my memory. The proximity to one another of each geological unit, yet the rigidity of their separateness; then contrasted with the infinite possibilities of pattern presented by individuals who left the order and became more rounded through travel. Rather reflects the human experience, no?

I know it's Sunday...just making up for a week of limited posts :-)

* With reverence to Dr. Theodore Seuss Guisel.