Penning Photography Daily

Sitting in my car, with my camera on my lap.

I focused and caught the temperature gauge of my heater.

Another photo to file away, only to pull out today.

Something of no interest until it got cold, and I was reminded of the heat in my car.

Handy to be taking photos and seldom delete them.

Ok. I admit it. I’m goofy sometimes.

I had used the interval shooting capability to take a photo every 5 seconds from leaving my father-in-law Tom’s home to my driveway. That’s 198 photos in case you’re wondering.

My thought is to string them into a animated movie. I’ve not finished that project, but this is the final frame of that movie.

Just a goofy grin from me.

There’s a Jethro Tull song which I was reminded of when I took this photo. “Thick as a Brick”

It’s a long lament of the waste of youth and the timidity of old. Two portions of the song apply to my feelings today after meeting with a young family member who is facing a jail term for actions related to heroin use.

“And the love that I feel is so far away:
I’m a bad dream that I just had today — and you
shake your head and
say it’s a shame.”

“Your wise men don’t know how it feels to be thick as a brick.”

I can imagine my young friend feeling both, as I have felt them at times where I felt so abjectly alone with no way out.

What I tried to pass on today, as I visited with this young man, is there’s always hope. There’s always a way. It may take hard work, sacrifice, and persistence, not to mention years, but there’s always a means to a better place.

I hope he is strong enough to make the journey. I’ll do my part to help, but the journey to recovery is a very solitary road.

The Three Musketeers.

Chris, Karen and I made a journey today to visit a young family member in jail.

As we were heading out, I got out the Panasonic LX3 and put it above the rear view mirror, set the 10 second timer and held it in place.

I have my silly face on – with my tongue hanging out for some reason. Chris is rightly serious, concentrating on keeping us on the road in his newly acquired Toyota Highlander (slightly used but a hybrid!). Karen is patiently smiling in the back seat, with other thoughts crowding her mood.

We’re all concerned for our relative. His addiction to heroin and the effects that addiction has had on him and his family weigh heavily on our thoughts.

We had a long visit, each of us taking turns in the small phone-booth like visiting room (about 1.5 meters square on either side of a half security glass wall separating us). We had to use a phone to talk to him, no hugs, or any contact.

We spent about 90 minutes, each taking turns as we didn’t know if the visit would be limited. Some other visitors have had as short as 20 minutes and as long as ours.

The sense for all of us of a lack of control. Once inside the small waiting area of the jail, everything was controlled by anonymous corrections officers over loudspeakers.

Once we were all talked out, said our goodbyes and were ready to go, we had to wait for a while to be let out. We were locked in too. The air outside smelled wonderful.

I hope our words and expressions of caring help him make a turnaround.

There’s always hope.

Conor Ford – Karen’s nephew. His confirmation. Good family fun.

Chairman of the board, Conor.

The nice wide-angle of my Panasonic LX3 and the great rear display made it easy to take this wide overhead photo of the family table after Conor’s confirmation.

You can see Karen, in the middle right part of the frame, busy writing in Conor’s card. Last minute preparation!

Clockwise from 6PM: Conor, Grandma Mary, Grandma & Grandpa (Dawn’s folks), Conor’s parents, Tom & Dawn, Grandpa Tom and my dear Karen Sue.

A gymnasium full of confirmants and their guests, about to eat a tasty dinner.

So there I was, thinking of what to do for yet another self portrait, and this mirror popped up in my mind.

Karen uses it to apply her makeup in the mornings.

I popped it out, turned on the light in it, and started snapping away.

I love how my image is caught in reflection in the mirror above the sink as well as in the makeup mirror. Two for the price of one.

Just a macro of an eraser at the head of a Number 2 pencil.

I used manual focus on my Panasonic LX3. The autofocus does not work on objects less than and inch from the lens. =)

Still, it’s amazing that I can get anything in focus that close.

The world this small looks different than from a normal distance. All a matter of perspective.