Project Athena - Day 101 (Black & White)

Yard Art

“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

I photographed this cross section of a tree trunk back in 2007 when it had just been freshly cut. Back then, the lumber was unsoiled and it still had the rich, earthy aroma of a fine wood.

That old photo has served as the texture and pattern in a number of my digital mandala creations. Today, I decided to reshoot this aged piece of wood that has weathered many a storm. in the elements as yard art. The concentric rings are becoming more distinctive and the cracks are more pronounced. It's still beautiful and full of wisdom.

Cross Section of a Tree

Nikon D3200 • Nikon 18-55mm lens • 50mm • F5.6 • 1/40s • ISO 800

Project Athena - Day 100 (Black & White)

What a tangled web we weave...

“Take pictures of what you fear.”
— Diane Arbus

Well....here I am in triple digits on this project and it feels like a huge accomplishment to be posting my 100th blog. I will let this photo speak for itself and evoke whatever it will for you.

Spider's WebNikon D3200 • Nikon 55-200mm lens • 200mm • F5.6 • 1/320s • ISO 200

Spider's Web

Nikon D3200 • Nikon 55-200mm lens • 200mm • F5.6 • 1/320s • ISO 200

Project Athena - Day 99 (Black & White)

Where it All Began

“To the complaint, ‘There are no people in these photographs,’ I respond, There are always two people: the photographer and the viewer.”
— Ansel Adams

In the beginning, there was black and white and it was good.

My first job while still in high school was working for a local newspaper called the Triangle Review. This is where my introduction into photography really happened. My job responsibilities included "paste-up", developing black & white film for editorial content, making prints with an old fashioned enlarger in a darkroom (which was really just a closet), doing process camera work, and shooting and developing the large format negatives that would eventually be used to burn printing plates for a web press.

I also was the editor and a photographer for my high school newspaper all three years. During my senior year, I earned a first place NSPA award for a photo essay about indoor bike racing. It was all shot in black and white.

So this week's theme feels like going home. I hope you enjoy it as much as I know I will.

Water Fountain, Fossil Lake Neighborhood, Fort Collins

Nikon D3200 • Nikon 18-55mm lens • 62mm • F/18 • 1/3s • ISO 100