James Brubaker

Author: admin

  • November 13, 2022 – Why be a photographer? – Come to the photo club meeting on first Friday in December – read on:

    I have talked with those who judge photographs for the Professional Photographers of America’s International Photographic Competitions. They gave me a document explaining the “The Twelve Elements of a Merit Image” that they all are required to use: 1. Impact, 2. Technical Excellence  3. Creativity  4. Style  5 Composition 6.Presentation  7. Color Balance  8. Center of Interest  9. Lighting  10. Subject Matter  11. Technique  12. Story Telling.

    Now that we have cell phone cameras, we are all professional photographers. Most of us are not professionals at photography but we are professionals at our life. We use our cameral to bring fun to what ever we do in our profession of living and not to win an International Photograph Contest.

    The Happenings says the Photo Club will be meeting on the first Friday in December. There is no better place to share, learn, and meet photographer birds-of-a-feather who help each other.  So, the purpose of my rambling here is to say:” I want you to be at that meeting.”

    But, for right now,  think about why you grab that camera or cell phone while doing your own personal (professional) living.    For sure, I want you to have the confidence to use your photos regardless of how they stack up to the 12 elements of merit.

    Believe me, I want to make better photos but really their “contestant” merit quality is not what matters to me. I just want to make you stop and look at what I saw – maybe ponder the same story & emotion (element 12) that I did when I took the photo – or cause you to see the event I saw and make up your own story.  So now you know why I grabbed the camera.  I would love to get together with others that grab theirs for the same reason (photographer birds-of-my-feather) and I  hope to see you at the Photo Club meeting.

    Here are two photos I grabbed from my thousands of photos:

    On the streets of NJ, this man caught my attention – I assumed he was was rushing to the Synagogue – maybe overslept – anyway he showed an image of importance and of being late – I watched and snapped a shot.
    Again, NJ, I spent an afternoon at a youth horse show. Love horses and horse people – the audience.  I snapped this shot  to show how many were on cell phones (Back row) – but I caught another story – “Is that golden hair the man’s pony tail or is the a youthful girl between me and the man??” -I am still not sure.
    As you swing through life, use your photos, share with all and talk about them with  birds-of-a-feather.  Come to the Photo Club meetings.

  • Nov 12, 2022 – Info from Dave on the flock of birds & two photos from my NYC street’s “Things I Saw.”

    About the bird flock I posted yesterday, Dave Cesari e-mailed me this information last night:

    “Jim, Those birds you posted are Tree Swallows. They gather like this every year in Florida. Sometimes these flocks hold several thousand birds. At night they roost in cattail marshes. We have seen them in the cattails in the Blue Heron  wetlands early in the morning. Dave”

    Lets lighten up that sky and take a telescope look at it – Oh my, the storm brought us many birds – did they blow in from up north? I stood and watched them turn back and forth – I wonder which bird told them it was time to turn back and weave across the sky?
    This one of those photos that tell a story … Your story. Is it a friendly encounter between the driver and the walkers?
    The sign on this porto-potty made me laugh. Before you can use it “Call Ahead”
    As you swing through life call ahead …….. Thanks!

     

  • November 11, 2022 – Things saw I after the storm

    “Thanks to all Veterans for their service on this Nov. 11, 2022 Veterans Day”

    Biking yesterday after the storm – why the dark cloud?
    Lets lighten up that sky and take a telescope look at it – Oh my, the storm brought us many birds – did they blow in from up north? I stood and watched them turn back and forth – I wonder which bird told them it was time to turn back and weave across the sky?
    By now you know I see faces, birds, alligators, sailing ships and much more in the clouds every day – but what monster walked under this camping trailer and left his wet foot prints on the pavement? It made me have goose bumps!

    P.S.      ——      If you clicked to Dave Cesari’s page with the Trumpeter Swans – You noticed I spell “Trumpeter” wrong – I fixed it last night.

     

    As you swing through life – Find fun things to see – then snap a photo of them and share what you saw.

  • November 10, 2022 – Hey kids, We survived hurricane Nicole

    ‘Tis been a fun 12 hours.  I slept as normal – waking up every couple of hours – My Apple watch says I slept 6 hours and 59 minutes. Even had some deep sleep and plenty of REM sleep – 1 hour and 30 minutes I think.  It is crazy how life is so saturated with technical  stuff these days.

    On way to airport during last hurricane – but I was safe in NYC heading for Drummond. But, Look at all the technical stuff on UBER dash board. You would think we were on final landing at the airport!

    But airplanes do not like to fly into modern airports when the wind is 60-90 miles per hour – Orlando has been shut down and cruise ships went out to sea I understand.

    At the airport – maybe it was the time for prayers – maybe they were praying for safe flight – anyway I stood by hoping some would rub off on me (I changed all faces for their privacy – actually the face is from a statue in Spring Lake New Jersey)

    I woke up at 3:00 am and tried to open the front door – it faces north and winds were, I think, around hurricane strength – straight out of the north.  Well I got it open – almost got blown into the house – made me laugh – you know I love all kinds of weather – maybe that is why I have selected the ranch in Texas, the homes on the shores of Islands and Florida – Lots of fun weather in each of those places.

    But you can not beat NYC for street photography:

    They know how to park so much better then I every could.
    Candid shots like this always get me to wondering what is on the mind of folks I love to study as I wonder Manhatten.
    But here in Florida – Yesterday I counted 16 of these guys heading north along a fence – heading for higher ground just before the many of inches of rain hit the St. Johns river where they live.
    This guy was hiding under some wall hangings I removed befor the high winds hit – I saw him head for cover under a flower pot – hope he is safe.
    Optical illusions happen in hurricanes I have been told – anyway our back lake looked like it had ocean waves when I awoke this morning.
    As you swing through life Be safe but get out and enjoy God’s weather. It is lots of fun.

     

     

  • November 9, 2022 – Rainy day – me and my computer

    On a rainy day, I enjoy reviewing my old photos looking for those that best allow you, the viewer, room to let your mind tell you the story behind the photo. You know what I mean – you decide what is going on in the minds of the subject – animal or human.

    As you swing through life find something each day that causes you to stop and ponder “What are they thinking?”  Then take a photograph of them.

  • November 8, 2022 – Featuring Trumpet Swans by Dave Cesari

    I am testing a format change – I have a number of ideas in mind for future changes – but for now click in the left column to see Dave’s new posting on Trumpet Swans.

    Before you click to Dave’s Trumpet Swans, see below, my view from the Nature Trail Bridge a few days ago.

    Liked this little gator swimming over cloud’s reflection and notice fuzz from trees looks like a Drummond Island early snow squall. The reflected rainbow helps direct your eyes to the center of interest – the gator.
    As you swing through life Try something new each day.

     

  • Oct 26, 2022 – Featuring Dave Cesari showing Chickadees – a bird we have all seen at our feeders up north – I sure miss seeing them!

    Oct 26, 2022 – Featuring Dave Cesari showing Chickadees – a bird we have all seen at our feeders up north – I sure miss seeing them!

    BTW – There are two ways to view past posts: scroll to bottom and click on previous posts. The other way is to click on a post title in the left column (the menu).

    Dave wrote: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. A series of  Black-capped Chickadees. Black-capped Chickadees breed  across the northern USA and Canada.  A similar bird the Carolina Chickadee breeds in the southern US. They are supposed to breed south to central Florida but I have never seen one in Florida.  Chickadees readily come to bird feeders and stay around all year. They are not migratory but do irrupt southward on occasion. Dave

    10 26 2022 Dave Cesari
    10 26 2022 Dave Cesari
    10 26 2022 Dave Cesari
    10 26 2022 Dave Cesari
    10 26 2022 Dave Cesari
    10 26 2022 Dave Cesari             Jim’s Comment=I see a  Chickadee in action –  almost surreal art – I love it!

    I stood on my driveway and held the camera over my head for this shot.  Haha.

    I enjoy practicing with my new drone – Really a camera with very long arms. This is my home on the lake from a birds flight view.
    As you swing through life,  add some action time each day.
  • Oct 16, 2022 – Featuring Dave Cesari – and a new Menu!

    Oct 16, 2022 – Featuring Dave Cesari – and a new Menu!

    Dave has done so much for this blog.  I am working to get a better clickable menu in place (In the left side bar here or maybe in the menu on your cell phone).  Let me know what you think.

    Dave’s photos are outstanding and his messages regarding the habits of the birds in our life gives us insights we only find here on this blog.  The improved menu should help you go back over time to see his postings of the past.

    He also points out about the decline in bird population.  Audubon’s websites are a place to read about the details of the decline and what you can do about it.

    For this posting Dave wrote: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. This is my latest set up. Worked on it today. A nice day here 66 degrees F. Blue Jays, a Chickadee and a White breasted Nuthatch.  Dave

    10 16 2022 Dave Cesari
    10 16 2022 Dave Cesari
    10 16 2022 Dave Cesari
    10 16 2022 Dave Cesari
    10 16 2022 Dave Cesari
    10 16 2022 Dave Cesari
    As you swing through life enjoy your photos on a rainy afternoon and jump on the computer and enjoy the photos posted by your photographer friends!

     

  • September 1, 2022 – Dave Cesari photos and and an education on the Red-throated Loon.

    September 1, 2022 – Dave Cesari photos and and an education on the Red-throated Loon.

    Dave wrote:  Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. A Red-throated Loon. This bird is an adult just starting it’s molt into winter or non-breeding plumage. In winter plumage they are basically black and white.  Red-throated Loons breed in the high Arctic. They winter off the Coast of the Atlantic Ocean. They can also be found on the Great Lakes in winter. I have seen them on Lake Ontario in winter.  It is quite unusual to have one in the Rome, NY area. This bird was on the Barge Canal about 3 miles from our house. It was fun to see and photograph it in mostly breeding plumage as we have never seen that before. Dave

    09 01 2022 Dave Cesari
    09 01 2022 Dave Cesari

    I want move your eyes from this quite unusual Loon in the Rome, NY area to a rather usual animal in our TGO Florida.  But even if this guy isa  common site in and around the lake behind our house he/she is always fun to see and photograph.

    That smile suggest he/she is looking for a friendly dog or squirrel to share lunch with. I used the 3x lens on my iPhone and a little photoshop to get this close to his lunch table.

    09 01 2022 Hidden Lakes
    As you swing through life, do as Dave says – grab your camera and have fun shooting the Loon in your area – even if you have to substitute that Loon with and Alligator, have fun with your camera!

     

     

  • August 23, 2022 – Featuring Dave Cesari – A new Dave Cesari – READ ON!

    August 23, 2022 – Featuring Dave Cesari – A new Dave Cesari – READ ON!

    Dave Wrote:  Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. A train and the RR tracks behind our property. See I can shoot something besides birds. Very slow here not much moving yet. aves

    08 23 2022 Dave Cesari
    08 23 2022 Dave Cesari
    08 23 2022 Dave Cesari
    08 23 2022 Dave Cesari

    I wrote:  You do not know how wonderful Dave’s photos were for me?  They triggered memories.  One of the first times I got off the homestead farm I grew up on, was when I was sent to first grade in a one-room school house, at age six, in  a little coal mining town in the hills of southern Pennsylvania.

    Think I cried for the whole  first month.   Then, I found the coal trains going right along the school play yard – Rather than play ball with kids I did not know, I would sit by the tracks and watch the trains roll by – wave at the engineers. I think it was the start of my years of travel lust.  That joy of travel never ended – all because of those trains!

    I think that must be me on the bank – right next the that smoke belching traveling machine!
    Dave has trains in his back yard – Here in TGO we have friendly deer – I counted nearly 20, near the Rally Lot, one evening when I was out on my bike!  A good promo for TGO – The Great Outdoors.
    As you swing through life – Do something new – Dave did and triggered in me a fun memory. Of course Mom and Dad forced me to do something new – go to first grade!