Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) - Stillwater, MNNikon D800E + Nikkor AiS 105mm f2.8 Micro — Dutchman's Breeches (*Dicentra cucullaria*) - Stillwater, MN
Nikon D800E + Nikkor AiS 105mm f2.8 Micro

Inner Conflict

April 26, 2015 in April 2015

The transition from August to September and April to May are when I often feel conflicted about the priorities in my life. August is the tunnel that begins in summer and arrives in Autumn. This is the period when I mourn the loss of the me that is bruce and become the adult that is Mr. Leventhal. Emotionally conflicted, I feel the need to retire my camera each September just when fall is ablaze with color.

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) - Stillwater, MNNikon D800E + Nikkor AiS 105mm f2.8 Micro — Wild Ginger (*Asarum canadense*) - Stillwater, MN
Nikon D800E + Nikkor AiS 105mm f2.8 Micro

Now that April is yielding to May, and the spring ephemerals have returned from their winter respite, I must continue to play the role of Mr. Leventhal when I'd rather be bruce. This is the life of a photographer who teaches biology and the teacher who pretends to be a photographer. Until I finish molding young minds into neophyte biologists, this wannabe artist/naturalist/traveler will suppress the desire to wander afar and squelch the inner conflict that now bubbles from within.

Young Fiddle Head - Stillwater, MNNikon D800E + Nikkor AiS 105mm f2.8 Micro — Young Fiddle Head - Stillwater, MN
Nikon D800E + Nikkor AiS 105mm f2.8 Micro

Sunrise on the St. Croix RiverNikon D800E + Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 AFS — Sunrise on the St. Croix River
Nikon D800E + Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 AFS

Postcard From Spring

April 15, 2015 in April 2015

While spring is a welcome respite from the short cold days of winter, I do miss the soft light and simple elements of a snowy landscape. It is now April in Minnesota, and with the increasing daylight comes the burden of an early sunrise. The morning shoot that once began at 7:00 a.m. now requires the vigilant photographer to be in the field by 6:00. Cloudless mornings produce moments of brilliant light to anyone into self-deprivation. The solitude of a spring sunrise is as fleeting as its light, and much like my hours of sleep, it seems to dissipate in a flash.

Did You Know (41)?

April 01, 2015 in April 2015

With the introduction of digital imaging and the viral-like spread of social media, we are exposed to a near-infinite stream of visual candy. Flickr, the arcane but popular photo-hosting site, listed the iPhone 5 as the second most common camera used for making new work. By the end of 2014, 55 million photos were posted to Instagram per day, while a whopping 300 million pictures were shared via Facebook within the same twenty-four hour period. Despite the saturation of images saved and passed from server to server, the practice of making photographs continues to be a popular avocation. In fact, mashable.com lists photography as the number one hobby that anyone can master in 2015. While mastery is a loaded word and subject to interpretation, there is no doubt that any man, woman or child can easily join the visual revolution and contribute to the living record of humanity with a smart phone and one good eye.

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