iPhone Photography. Clouds. Vermont Landscape.

“EEEK!!!”

That would be my reaction when I am looking out my window or driving around Central Vermont (or really anywhere with a great “sky-scape” perspective of the world above.) Today has been one of those days where the sky “spoke” to you, if you listened.

The clouds where not just beautiful, cool and expressive. They were SPECTACULAR! I mean S.P.E.C.T.A.C.U.L.A.R., and then add a few explanation points!

The first photo from the day was on my iPhone4; I was coming home after a few errands, and drove RIGHT past the entrance to my road because I knew if I just went up the road a little bit further… I could get THIS photo!

When I pulled over to take the shot, had no idea I had an audience, you know, when you have that feeling someone is watching you, turned around, and two kids sitting on a rock where like, “huh???” I waved. Hopped back into the car. Practiced my three-point-turn, and back to the house so I could take THIS photo with the Canon 7D/70-200mm at f13/320s.

It was terribly difficult to keep my head out of the clouds ALL day. The best views were to the West and it continued to build and build. I had to fight the urge to bail on work and literally just drive around taking cloud and sky photos. The struggles of living in Central Vermont. Like I’ve said before, “hate me,” but you too could live here! At least visit!

So, I “struggled” through my day, teased and tormented by the beautiful world above me, when it was time to take a short drive to my friend’s house. Little side note: I am an awesome “chick-sitter.” Before your imagination runs nutty on that one, my friends have chickens and I’m looking after then while out of town.

At any-rate, I could not resist. I faught the urge to shoot till after all the young chickens were safe and sound in their home, went out into the middle of Warren Common Road and with my iPhone, took THIS…

To be frank, though I am happy with this little photo, it still does little justice to the visual experience in-person. Generally speaking, the sky is always beautiful in these parts of Vermont, but it’s not everyday where the clouds just scream,”LOOK AT ME,” like they did today. I do feel a little bit behind on my work-list, but that will be there tomorrow, today’s clouds are already gone…

I Love iPhone Photography and Central Vermont Clouds.

The scene out my front door never gets old! Taking pictures with my iPhone never gets old either. All images taken right outside my home, and with that iPhone! Wish I could convince my students how creative they really can be with just there little camera phone. They get stuck thinking a big fancy camera is necessary to take a beautiful picture for their own pleasure.

Sure, as a professional you must have professional tools to do the job. However, to be a creative person who enjoys creating beautiful images – you only need your mind’s eye and imagination. From there you do the best with what you’ve got. That’s how I got my own start in this field. I did not set out to be a professional photographer like many of my colleagues, who took out loans, went in debt, etc. to have the equipment.

That simply was never an option. The only option was learning to be a photographer with whatever I had available to take an image with. In the early days that began with a Kodak Instamatic 100, and a Kodak Trimlite Instamatic 38! Anyone else out there remember those?!?  It gets better, I won a Kodak Fisher Price 110 Camera at the New York State Fair back in the ’80s!! I’ll never forget the house-hold choirs my mother made me do to earn development of those pictures.

The camera that really helped photography find me was my Canon G9! I was traveling about the globe and all I really had room for was something small that shot a high quality image with manual controls. Man, I miss that little camera. I use to describe it as a “pug.” You know, like the big dog in a little dog’s body. The Canon G9 and it’s predecessors are like having a DSLR stuffed into a point shoots small body.

Sometimes size does matter when you need to pack your life into a knapsack and one carry-on. However, I will end on saying that as a professional who is responsible for photographing once-in-a-lifetime events like a college graduation or wedding – I’ll never underestimate the value in having my professional “rig” to count on. It’s heavy. Makes my shoulders and back wish I had a standing appointment with a massage therapist. It’s reliable. It’s super durable (fell down a hill just the other day and the camera held up better than my phone!)

As a professional, I never leave home without the big camera and all it’s gadgets. As an artist, I love creating images and really don’t care how, as long as I can!