Patterns in the Sand

I live in Southwest Florida where I can walk for miles on beaches 

that caress the eastern edge of the Gulf of Mexico.

While I am walking I can't help but to notice the patterns

that develop in the ever-changing seashore sands. 

I interpret the patterns in the sand 

maybe

because I was a geographer

and I remember that

Process

is the key to understanding

the shifting of physical 

earth forms.

But also,

I love wind and waves.

And

who doesn't like

detective work???

     From the subtlety of tidal debris patterns to the unmistakable canine foot print, detecting is just a small part of being there when one strolls the calming zone between the land and the sea,

     While walking I ask myself what happened to leave the many and various patterns in the sand? What is the relative timeline in the scene? Which patterns were made first and by what force(s) of nature?

^^^

Please enjoy puzzling over some of the patterns and the natural forces 

at work in the following iPhoto images from some of Florida's sandy beaches.

 

XXX

FIN

Patterns 1

Digital Manipulations

I've been told that the work I show on my web site is about as far from photography as the commenting photographer could imagine. That's OK. This explains how so many angels could fit on the head of a pin.

In my book the point of Photographic study is to open the imagination. You see, the study of light and form is not only about what is seen with the eye, it is also about what can be seen with the mind's eye.

Here is a sampling of Photoshop manipulations I've done in the name of Photography throughout the years.

Siesta Nest Eggs was one of the first digital manipulations I performed with Photoshop 2.5 many years ago. It is essentially a clean up and color enhancement exercise done from a digitized transparency. Just a few items were painted into the picture.

Erotica-1gz emerged from the digital darkroom during a session with some web porn that came across my email box. The chief crime of pornographers is that they attempt to kill imagination with banality. Starting with the original color pixels, I merely rearranged them until a sense of mystery returned to the sacred act portrayed.

Computers and digitalization offer us countless variations of visual scenes. Variation is the key word here. Kitty Kat was originally launched as a study into the variations offered by duplication. The computational ease of cutting, folding, duplicating and transparency offer formal design possibilities that can stimulate imaginations these days.

Working with a 2mb digital camera never slowed me down in the early days. The little Kodak always brought home something to work with. The possibility for post production work in Photoshop remains nearly limitless. This Bahamian Church offered an interesting compositional problem and solution. Rub-a-Dub in Photoshop: Voila! The church stands out from its background.

Ed's Closet is pretty straight, early digital photography with an addendum of blue background and words. All easily available in Photoshop. I post this image to remind myself of the magical ingredient in all documentary photography: subject appeal. After viewing any photograph I like to ask myself what it showed me and where it took my thoughts and emotions.

Siesta Key Drum Circle

My second day of birthday celebration (see below) started as the sun began to make its descent. Every Sunday on Siesta Beach, crowds begin to gather and form a large, open circle. People bring chairs, drums, maracas and beverages. Soon there is standing room only around the periphery of the circle. 

As the drummers start beating their rhythms, children are first to enter the circle.

A regular dancer begins a ritual that invites others into the circle for the dance. 

This was a great opportunity to test my new lens from across the drum circle.

The big drums beat a rhythm that is enhanced by smaller drums and maracas.

Children, and the young at heart, are eager to join the dance.

For more drum circle, see Drum Circle II, below.