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You are human. You can tell stories. That separates you from other animals.  We humans all have cameras now with our cell phones.  So use it to record your story.  But then what?  Read on, maybe I will give you an idea on how we can get to know each other better.

Photojournalism corresponds directly to what people should be informed about. It is a form of journalism using photographs to tell a story that should be told to the people.  

Whereas, Street-Photography corresponds directly with the photographer not the people. It is a form of building a photo album, a story, of what is interesting to the photographer at the moment the shutter is pushed.  It does not have to be a story that should be told to the people.

Of course you, may be interested in my photo album but I really built it for me – to fulfill my desire to record scenes I found interesting.   I try to get to the point where, in the split second, I have to pull the trigger I automatically apply good photo composure, color, and all that make a great photo.  But I do not fret over my failures because I am recording a story for my viewing pleasure.  I can enjoy the scene in review even if the composition is not perfect.  So, I am not ashamed to show you my album of less than perfect images of my perfect photos.  Hope you feel the same about the photos you take.

New subject: I started this blog to share with my Kids & Grandkids.  I hoped it would encourage them to enjoy sharing their own personal life with me by sharing their photo albums with me. That way I would really get to know them through seeing what interested them.  In short,  I tried to make them each become Street-Photographer’s snapping their unique interest.   Hope that all makes sense.

I want to show you a dozen or so photos from my Drummond Island morning journey on foot down the road doing road-photography  (We do not call them streets):

Dave Wrote:  Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. This is the slow time of year for bird photography. Going thru some older files.  Here are some shots of Jaegers from Daytona Beach, Fla. from a few years ago. In late afternoon there are thousands of gulls that gather on the beach.  Jaegers gather there also to prey on the gulls.  Jaegers are a piratical kleptoparasitic bird. They chase the gulls to make them either disgorge or drop what prey they have caught. We go there to see the gulls but my main interest i s to try to photograph the jaegers. This one day I was successfull to shoot two different species. First an immature Pomarine Jaeger then a Parasitic Jaeger. The last is the Pomy chasing a Parasitic. The best I’ve   ever gotten them. Dave

NOW – FROM NATURE IN FLORIDA TO PEOPLE ON THE STREES OF BROOKLYN

Color – I love it.  Color is a major element in life! We people (humans) use color as an identity of our culture, to show our feeling today, to proclaim our religion, to make our social statement, etc.   Since street photography is about people,  look for the color I found as I snapped these photographs, secretly, with my iphone.

For unplanned reasons, I spent nearly a week in New York City’s borough of Brooklyn.  Each day, I had time to do some “Street Photography” in areas where people actually live.  I found it to be a brand new experience.  It stimulated the idea of  traveling to major cities in the future and street walking in areas where people live. 

That will be a lot different from trips I have done in the past.  I worked in most major cities of the US and Europe, but always down-town in offices and hotels where people work, not where they live.  After this Brooklyn experience, I want to go back to those cities and photograph where people live, love, eat, play, attend religion service, and shop.  My street time in Brooklyn really got me to thinkin’ that way.

Here is some of what I saw. Hope to show you, in the future, more from NYC & other cities around the world:

Dave wrote: Hi Jim, We are having a stormy day here in upstate NY. It has been a very wet summer so far with endless rain and thunder storms here. Here are some pictures of female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at a large patch of Bee balm flowers in our yard. The hummes are attracted to the bright red flowers.   Dave

I wrote:  As a street photographer wanna-be, I need to travel to a city to practice “Street Photography” and photograph street life.  I just returned from such a trip to Manhattan, New York City.  

You and future generations may look at my photos and wonder about NYC modes of transportation, skimpy fashions, tattoos, hair styles, and business dress. You may see we have new roles for Men, Women, Parents, and “They”. 

Anyway, the purpose of my “Street Photography,” is to show you things I saw out there that made me wonder and laugh.  I apologize for my inexperience but hope that I have made enough progress as a street photographer to hold your interest. – Enjoy! Oh by-the-way I have hundreds more to post here in the future – popular places like Time Square, Central Park, and Wall Street – so be ready to come back to this blog.

This week and last week have been a lot of fun for me and my computer and my camera. Thought I would try to tell you of some of that fun – just for fun!

I am up here on this rather remote island – Drummond Island. It offers a fair amount of time to read,  ponder, and sleep.  Did you ever hear of mindful photography?  I never did until last week. Now, I’ve been reading and pondering it.

The book I’ve been reading describes it as a sort of a spooky zen thing – but I like a lot of their ideas: 

“Mindful photography is not about the one-upmanship or the desire to take the “best photo.” It’s a slower, more Zen style of photography. In regular photography we often become consumed with the idea of capturing the perfect shot. 

Mindful photography, on the other hand, is about being in the moment while also doing photography.  Studying, pondering, and creating an emotion with what is seen.  Then, without much  thought of photo excellence, snapping the moment to help recall that emotion in the future. The subject is not the focus of the photo, the emotion is the focus.

Oh, by-the-way, Mindful Photography can also improve mental health according to Jaime Kurtz (James Madison University).”

You know, I have many photos of clouds, of squirrels, of ducks, of deer, of tree bark, my horses, my cows, ……. None of them are great photos. They are photos that document the emotion that I was feeling or day-dreaming about at that moment.  Maybe I am a mindful photographer after all?  For example, this week, I was feeling and day-dreaming about the dominance among animals. I took photos of dominance happening.

I was watching several buzzards steal a fish from a Gull, then one dominating buzzard chasing the other buzzards away.  A dominate deer peeing to mark her territory, warning all other deer that the apple core I held in my hand was her’s alone.   Momma duck calling her babies to follow her away from me, that man on the bike. Clearly Momma was a dominate boss and each of the 10 babies fell right in line. Even Daddy duck fell in behind the family as Momma duck told him to do!  And, horses – Yes, herds of horses really have a dominate pecking order which every member respects.

I will share a few of my mindful photos with you in a moment – But first I will tell you of  an other thing I sometimes do with my photos.  I remove all images, keep the color – squish the colors around and make what I call abstract photography. To get started, I just stare at  a photo on my computer, let my mind dominate my hands by telling them what I want to see on the image. I go to PhotoShop and put it there – I think that is mindful photography too – I will show you some of them too

DAVE WROTE: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. Something a little different. Birds of grasslands, pastures and marshes. An Upland Sandpiper a bird of open country, grass lands and open areas. A Virginia Rail a  bird of swamps and marshes. A Wilson’s Snipe a bird of wet meadows and wet pastures. We are having hot summer like weather here in upstate NY. 90 degrees F. today.   Dave 

NOW SOME THOUGHTS ON OUR LOVE OF ANIMALS:

Why do we adult humans love to be around animals?  Some of us take care of animals. We feed them, doctor them, comfort them, memorialize them, and cry over them. 

But, more important than owning them, humans love to live among them. 

 Even in this modern world it is possible to live among animals without owning them – those animals are called wildlife. In the suburbs in this wonderful country called the United States there are hundreds of wildlife acres near-by that are government protected and, also there are large corporate headquarters with miles of hiking trails.  From my own experience, rural Texas ranch country, open ocean shores on the Atlantic, open Great Lake shores, farm land in the Appalachia Mountains, and a retirement community with the name “The Great Outdoors”, offered me opportunities to spend hours every day watching wildlife live their daily lives.  

Just this week I have spent hours living with and watching wildlife.  I have seen loons strutting on the water while fishing for their breakfast, black bear sniffing the air for dinner, crows and woodpeckers think they are stealing suet which was food that was actually put out for them, alligators crossing dry land looking for better hunting grounds (water ponds), deer searching for the sweetest grass (weed) to munch on, and the opportunities to be among wildlife without owning it goes on every moment of the day.  Some of those moments I see mosquitoes and black flies busy finding food on my bare arms. Yipes!

Oh, I forgot to say why humans love wildlife. That is because I do not know why. But I do have a few thoughts for you to ponder and get your mind thinking about it.

1. They are cute.
2. They offer such a change of scene – they are tiny, big, kind looking, monster looking, many beautiful colors, they have many shapes, they move with grace, jump in a split second, – Wow, the list of things to capture our attention is long.
3. Their intelligence surprises us.
4. The ychange our environment – even their wake in the water is a beautiful change to a flat surface.
5. They humble us by their strength, survival techniques, etc.  We humans are often beat by them.
6. They like us!  I know some of them do anyway.
7. They are like use in many ways – gathering food, loving their off-springs, etc.
8. They bring us closer to nature – look at one and the next thing you know you see others. Not just more animals but the next thing you know you see the whole environment,….
9. They surprise us – they do things we never expected. They pop up where we least expect them.
10. …….The list goes on — You can add more I am sure! 

What a week I have had here on Drummond Island – I lived among many animals the few days that I have been here – I hardly find time to get my chores done – I just go out hunting animals – or they just come around and I stop my chores to watch them. Anyway, I will show you a few recent photos I took (made) to record my experiences living with wildlife.

DAVE WROTE:  
Hi Jim, I know I just sent you some pictures. I couldn't resist sending these to you. I shot this beautiful male Scarlet Tanager last evening in the hills south of Rome, NY. A rainy day here in Rome so I am playing with my pictures and the computer.  Dave

05 29 2021 Dave Cesari 05 29 2021 Dave Cesari 05 29 2021 Dave Cesari 05 29 2021 Dave Cesari

I (Jim) wrote: “Read on to see the relationship of a poem, nature, and my iphone. First the poem”: “I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud”

By William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

————————————————————————————————-

I (Jim) wrote this too: That is why I carry my iphone camera with me at all times – to take photos of nature. Months or years later, when sitting in my comfortable chair in a vacant or pensive mood, I can fill my heart with the pleasant beauty of God’s nature:

 

I Wrote: These photos of Dave’s are fantastic to see.

Dave wrote:  Hi Jim, Here are some more warbler pictures from last week. Yellowthroat, Black-thoated Blue, Black-throated Green & a Mourning Warbler. Dave

SOME OF MY STORIES FOLLOW: Nature has always been my life – out and about watching wildlife – reading the story that each animal has to tell about his life. (Now days I should write “His/Her” – if I write “Her” or “His” that is sexist – Oh well.)

Last week I saw that stubby died of Natural Causes.  Maybe old age, maybe stress, maybe???  We who knew the gator called “Stubby” were very sad – he was considered a friend. 

Oh, who is stubby – Stubby is 10 foot alligator that I have known for years here in our TGO community.  I first took photos of him in the pond near hole 3 of our golf course.  Lately it lounged on the shore of the pond in the Spartana section of our community.  We called him “Stubby” because his right front leg was only a stub – I assume the result of fight or maybe an illegal trap? – What ever happened is his story.

Stubby’s passing made me think of animals I have known that just tend to get in trouble more than other animals.  

Before I show some of my stories, here is a story I found on the internet: Charlie, a 120-pound Rottweiler could have gotten into trouble but he really did not get in trouble.  Charlie was sitting in the front seat of the car when he got his foot caught in the trigger of Gilligan’s gun, accidentally shooting a round into his owner, Tex Gilligan. Tex suffered three broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a broken scapula, but he still forgave Charlie. Now that’s a friendship.  See, Charlie did not really get into trouble. 

This deer on my property on Drummond Island stood out from the rest because of a broken leg – He got our pity and became hand fed.  I never found out what happened to his front leg. Maybe it is the result of his “Get into trouble” personality.  

See what I mean in the photo below.  The photo was taken a little later in the year. How did he get that flag caught on his full grown antlers?  Anyway, since he was hand fed I was able to sneak up on him and cut the flag from his antlers – were he got it I never found out – I have seen flags like it flying on boats that docked down at the local marina – Maybe he tried to take a boat ride.

The hard shell of the turtle below has a story to tell about this guy getting into trouble with a passing golf cart – I bet.  Guess where I found him – In the middle of the road of course – Does he have a “Get into trouble” personality?  I made sure he was off the road when I left!

I cannot believe this one I saw today – just crawled out of a drain ditch filled with water. Nothing unusual – I see gators almost every day – but this one quickly turned and retreated into the ditch – Guess what – His right rear leg was just a stub! – I am beginning to believe this “stubby” thing happens when they are just young – I have read that old gators will actually eat baby gators – maybe these “stubby” guys are the ones that got away?

Dave Wrote:  Hi Jim, A lovely morning here in upstate NY. Finally got some pictures of warblers. As  I have told you in the past the warblers are my favorite group of birds. A male Blue-winged Warbler and a male Restart.  Dave

Jim Wrote, “Now My Story”:  In my camera I have close to 15,000 photographs – no no, I mean they  are 15,000 snapshots.  It’s difficult to define what makes an image a snapshot or a photograph.  Although “snap” has a negative connotation, I don’t think a “snap” is defined by its quality.  

Here is what I think: Planning an image based on subject, quality of equipment, lighting, and camera angle is not a snapshot, it is a photograph.  The photographer had intent behind it and made plans to create what they desired in the image.

On the other hand, a snapshot occurs by happenstance and was not preconceived by the photographer.  Now days, a person takes a phone camera “just in case” something pops up to capture the moment. The snap-shot did not allow time for planning the shot.  The equipment was small enough to carry in ones hip-pocket. The subject most likely just popped into the snap-shooter’s life – it was not pre-planned.

I understand the reason the photographer creates a beautiful photograph.  But, now the question is: “Why take a snapshot?” 

There are four reasons why I take my iPhone with me at all times. Remember, I am an experienced snapshot taker – nearly 15,000 snapshots in my iPhone camera makes me experienced. So, here are my four reasons:

1. To make me happier.  I’ve noticed that happy families tend to display large numbers of unplanned photographs – called snapshots. Mom changing her first-born’s diaper, Grandpa saying grace, Jimmy falling off his first two-wheeler, Heather cuddling her new doll, the snake crawling across the patio at the family bar-b-que, and more.

2. To control my memories. Snapshots tilt your memories toward the good experiences you’ve had simply because you’re more likely to snap times of joy. Having snapshots of the good times keeps times of joy vivid in my mind.

3.To share.   When you see something beautiful, it’s natural to feel a desire to want to share it with others.  It is a way to build friendships for now and your senior years.

4. To hold onto. I like to remind myself how easy it is to forget. I’m always trying to figure out ways to hold on to memories now that I am lucky enough to be getting quite old!  Every now and then, I sit for an hour browsing through my snapshots and really feeling great after that session.  Much better than after any TV show!

IN CONCLUSION:  You can even categorize your snapshots. Three major categories are:  1) Family gatherings, 2) being home and out and about on your bike, 3) traveling on the road.  

Here are a few of mine: “Being home and out and about on my bike”:

Just be glad I did  not make you sit through looking at 15,000 snap-shots