#228 It's about Me and a Place to Visit

 

Random 1: Mission San Francisco de Asis, Rancho de Taos, NM

#228 It’s about Me and a Place to Visit

This post comes out of left field, right field, and down the road a ways—two photo essays and a recommendation. There’s no high purpose to the two photo essays other than I found some photos I could have fun putting together. The recommendation is a fun place to have lunch and a visit. There’s plenty to see here, so let me get started.

I remember a catchy advertising slogan of a “flowers-by-wire” service that went “Say It with Flowers.” The implication was that flowers can carry a variety of emotions and sentiments. I’ve pulled up a few flower photos to see what they say or might say.

Blue, blue, and more blue.

What message would a  large blue flower send?

Does a blue background compliment the pink hollyhock. Taken at the church in Taos.

Delicate, wouldn't you agree? 

Butterflies and bees.

Near Red River, NM.

Share the good stuff.

Oregon Gardens, Silverton

Flowers for sale.

I have no idea where this was taken 23 years ago.

Taos, NM

More or less color.

Near San Luis, CO

This is more colorful, but is it more interesting?

Vincent Van Gogh as well as many other famous artists believed that self portraits (now “selfies”) gave insight into the human soul. I can’t compare myself to any of those other artists, but I too believe that the selfie can lead to insight. I find it hard to pass up opportunities to add a selfie to my collection—and then see if it tells me anything.

Mirror images.

Another use of flowers. 

"Off with his head," said the Red Queen.

Windows as mirrors.

And what does the red light mean?

A picture in a picture. It's got to say something.

A shadow of the self.

The warrior kachina is my spirit (12% Apache) fighting Parkinson's.

The reality is most of the time even the sweater wins.

Am I just a shadow of my former self?

A Recommendation: The Historic Butteville Store

10767 Butte ST NE, Aurora, OR 97002

503-678-1605  www.butteville.org

Hours: closed Mon., Tu - Sun. 9:00 - 6:00

Breakfast (9-10:30), lunch, special Sat dinners twice monthly

Anne ordering lunch.

Library Room

Years ago Anne and I went to a nice Christmas High Tea and concert at the Butteville Store. Sadly, the Store no longer lists that type of entertainment in their scheduling. Instead the current management has earned a fine reputation for cafe or bistro-style meals and specialty ice cream dishes. 

We’ve gone several times, with small groups or by ourselves, to the Store and been delighted each time. The lunch sandwiches and home-made soups are interesting and tasty and the ice creams and sundaes are delicious. 

This was the wheel of the sternwheeler which used the Buttrville landing dock until the rail took over in the early 1900s.

The history of the community is not to be missed. The site’s web page gives a vary complete history of the Native American (Kalapuya tribe) background, the French Prairie area, the community (which is one of the oldest in Oregon), the sternwheeler landing, and the building. The Butteville Store is a museum of artifacts and pictures of the rich history of Butteville and has excellent seating both inside and out.

Ospreys (and sometimes eagles) can be seen on the Willamette River a block away from the Store.

Donated to the state of Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. in 1999, the historic Store is now administered as part of Champoeg State Park with food service provided by HalfPint Bros. Only a few miles off the I-5 freeway between Canby or Aurora and Newburg, the Butteville store is a fun and rewarding stop. 

Random 2: a rough wood fence in Santa Fe, NM.

NEXT: We'll see what I can find.

#211 Putting People in Our Travel Photos

Note: If you're looking for our Christmas Letter, it is #210. To reach it, scroll down past the bottom of this post. 

#211 Putting People in Our Travel Photographs

Cat reading the daily rag in Mousehole (mow-zel) village, Cornwall, UK.

    Putting people in our travel photographs, other than friends or family, is often uncomfortable—it’s difficult to invade people’s privacy. It needn’t be. We can include people in situations that don’t intrude and we can use techniques that are standard repertoire of Street Photographers. I find it easier to include people in my travel photography by recognizing several situations where people can be photographed without invading their privacy. Starting with the easiest subjects and moving to some more difficult situations, let me demonstrate how we can find subjects to include in travel photography.

    First, those who want to be photographed are easy and willing subjects for our cameras.

One-ear was easy to photograph. All I had to do was hold up a Euro coin and he posed nicely.

Elaine Davidson of Edinburgh, Scotland, holds the world record of more than 6000 body piercings. She loves to show off at festivals and her booth on the Royal Mile.

This Seattle street artist attracts attention and poses for photos. Buy a painting or donate to his tip jar.

With hair like this, she knows she's attracting attention. She wasn't bothered by my quick snapshot.

A stylish golfer (?) in St Andrews, Scotland, gave me a big smile as I took this candid shot. 

This Edinburgh couple show off native Scottish costumes often. I've seen them several times.

    Second, performers, profession and amateur, are special people used to being targets of picture takers.

This BBC actress at Stirling Castle didn't mind my photographing her as long as I didn't bother the crew.

A street dancer invited me and my camera to dance with her at a festival in Dumfries, Scotland.

A docent or guide at the Crannog Centre on Loch Tay encouraged the tourists to photograph or video her efforts using first century fire starting techniques.

A Medieval Band Playing at a Festival in St Andrews

At a session of Irish music at Betty's Bar in Tralee, guitar player Michael Dooley invited us to sit right among the musicians as they played.

Participants in numerous street parties, this one seeking donations for cancer research, are eager that audience share in their fun. Birthday, Hen, Bachelor and other types of parties are easy to photograph. Perhaps their state of inebriation has something to do with their openness.

    Third, sports figures or those participating in sports as special kinds of performers become used to having cameras pointing at them.

Bols is a very quiet sport, but here is still enough action for a picture or two.

School sports are a good bet for a photo--everybody is taking pictures. Here a field hockey team waits for the next bit of action. Notice how intent the redhead is; she's our Scottish niece.

We came upon a school of kayakers practicing near Aberfeldy, Scotland.

Most amateur sports participants will ham it up for anybody with a camera, especially at the finish line. It didn't hurt that this particular ham was our nephew.

    Fourth, people whose jobs put them in the public eye are often open to having their pictures taken, but if in doubt be sure to get the permission of the person before you point your camera.

I asked this whisky shop clerk for permission to take the picture and later gave him a copy.

While Anne and sat visiting with a Dunvagen (Isle of Skye) hotel barkeep one rainy afternoon she graciously let me take her picture.

Posing for photos seems to be part of the job of being a Native American tribal chief.

It wasn't hard to snap this candid photo of a librarian at the Innerpeffray Library, Scotland's oldest lending library, near Crieff.

    Last is the candid shot where people are caught doing every day things. Again be courteous enough to ask permission to include them in you photograph or be discrete enough not to invade their privacy. Even though people in public places or activities are fair game for the camera, it never hurts to ask, and if you ask, be sure to follow people’s wishes. 

For this candid tearoom conversation shot in Kirriemuir, Scotland, I set my camera on the end of my table set to silent shutter and took the picture without disturbing the chat.

Juxtaposition

He didn't notice me at all making this image in a garden in Perth, Scotland.

These Irish lads in Dingle Peninsula pub noticed the old man tourist with the camera, but weren't bothered at all.

People get so absorbed in their own affairs that the don't pay any attention to another tourist taking a picture.

I caught this lady peeking at the sweets from outside the shop while I was inside eating mine.

NEXT: If you have any ideas for topics you'd like to see in this blog, drop me a note.