Countrified!

I have this obsession with images of nature and images of a rural setting, and when they come together it just always seems like such harmony is being created.

Captured yesterday outside of the Mount Evans Wilderness area here in Colorado, by the Chicago Creek Camping area, I am not sure I can find all the words to put this shot into perspective but I will try my best.

One of the great things about Colorado is exploring, it seems down every road that you have never traveled on, something photographic is always there within seconds, and this was one of those places, I have always wanted to explore this area some but just never really have, maybe it's fact I have always thought it was a rough dirt road, but while it is a dirt country road, it wasn't rough. The creek and river flowed right next to the road with old beautiful country cabins dotting the landscape next to it, when I saw this sitting in the yard of one, covered by wildflowers. I actually almost missed the scene completely, but luckily I JUST saw it. I didn't have the lens on really I wanted, as I had my Tamron 200-400mm on my camera at the time, but decided what the heck, and had at it.

It is hard to describe the sounds I heard when I was shooting this, but let's just say that between the constant buzzing of Hummingbird's, the soft roar of the river, and the very strong scent of wildflowers mixed with the incoming rain, THIS was SERENITY defined! Not a sound of man anywhere, nothing, nada.



Technorati Tags: Landscape, outdoors, nature, country, rural, Colorado, rustic, season, Mount Evans,

Something To Ponder

Some of you may recall the recent journal I wrote titled "Ponder This" and this Tuesday morning, while reading my Twitter stream, once again, I saw a post that made me think and kind of made me take notice, you can say.

This one comes from danielwharmby (Daniel Wharmby, a California based professional editorial photographer some of you may know, his website is here and if you aren't following him on twitter, you should be! Like NOW!) What he posted just made sense. Pure sense;

--My instructors used to say "There's no point going around the world if you can't tell a story in your back yard."

Now how true is THAT!? How often do we sit around dreaming of being able to go and shoot somewhere exotic, while often we don't realize the incredible locations we have at our very own dispose. I know often I do. There are a billion locations here in Colorado that I still want to shoot, and haven't yet. Heck, it was only a couple years ago that I discovered one of my favorite gems to shoot, South Valley Park, which is tucked away in a subdivision here in metro Denver of all places. It is one of the best kept little secrets around, and is like a mini Garden Of The Gods kind of place.

How often do you guys get out and actually explore where it is you live and shoot? Have you ever checked your local parks and lakes? You might be quite shocked, I know I certainly have been several times.

Often it seems that paradise is close by, but rarely we see it. However when you open your eyes and starting to take notice, you start to notice the very things which are around you! And believe me, beauty isn't always that far away!


South Valley Park, Colorado....a little local gem of a location almost in my backyard

Reminiscing....

Reminiscing....

I wonder what one is to do when they become disenfranchised with their camera maker?

Minolta, where are thou? You were such a great legend, a great maker, an icon in the photography world....come back, for I miss you, I miss the days of affordable lenses, true dedication, and cameras that actually advanced the future.

These new cameras that just came out that has your mount, is not what I have known nor loved the last almost 20 years. A chocolate and copper colored DSLR? I did not get myself into a whole new definition of the word "Fashion Photography" by purchasing your cameras.

I don't want to switch systems, I just want my Minolta back, where the motto "Now you don't have to buy expensive lenses to have them stabilized" was a sales cry. Instead, we now have 70-200mm f2.8 lenses that cost more than a Canon IS lens of the same focal length.

Please come back Minolta, many of us miss you....terribly.....
---John



Technorati Tags: Minolta, camera, photography, nature, sony

A Snowy & Surreal Monday

I wake up, put the coffee on, let the dog on, and what do I see out my front window? This below! You know, sometimes you just know when it's going to be an interesting day...and it seems this could be one of them! Naturally I went for the camera fast as I could!

Of Days Gone Past....

The Vintage Retro Signage of Denver's East Colfax Avenue

I am still working on processing images from this shoot but here is one I thought you all might enjoy. There really is a "Lost America" kind of look and feel to Denver's Colfax avenue, a lot which I really feel should be preserved, but sadly, is slowly disappearing...it has been suggested that I at some point publish a book showcasing my retro photography, and I have given it some serious thought, and yes, I suppose in the future I will do that, why not I figure.

It is amazing how one's trained eye becomes so much more aware of immediate surroundings isn't it? I imagine most folks just pass these old signs and the architecture which they represent on by, never thinking twice....
---John

Got Snow?

Got Snow?
Originally uploaded by jdebordphoto

Got Snow?

We sure do in Denver today, a full on Blizzard! I just took this a little bit ago. Snow, finally, it has been in the 80's lately, so this is a nice relief.

Now my German Shepherd Klaus wants to talk and say a few things, so I will let him;

"I don't know how Johnny let's me get in these situations....I sit here with all this snow falling on my damn face, while he holds the ball above something you guys call a damn camera, just so he can take these photos of me. I am starting to think I am nuts! But, I love the snow, I get excited when I first wake up in the morning and see it outside, and become very hyper and must go out and play RIGHT AWAY! I love to romp in it, jump in it, bury my ball and chew bones in it! I love this damn stuff! " Ok Klaus, that is good, settle down, I know you are excited, we will go back out and play some more in just a few minutes, any longer and you will be blogging in the description here! lol
---John

How The Time Does Fly

Ahhh how time flies!
In the last coup0le of months I have been busy, as in VERY busy....sorry I have been afk on here for awhile now. Been shooting a lot, became a Gallery Manager for Photography>Animals, Plants & Nature on deviantART (my account is here) joined twitter here and have been shooting like a madman!

  One of the things that I have accomplished though as a GM for deviantART is being able to bring in some of the VERY BEST in the Nature Photography world, and interviewing them. Recently I have had the opportunity to interview two very huge infleunces on my work, Guy Tal & Judd Patterson. (click links to read the interviews)

  I also have been shooting quite a lot lately, always processing photos, the never ending story huh? Anyways, onwards and upwards as I say!


Magpie captured in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park on New Years Day.