On a recent trip to the Black Hills, we did some exploring near the town of Lead. Not too far from the Wharf Mine is the ghost town of Preston. To get there, follow directions to the Wharf Mine. Once you reach the mine parking lot, there is a dirt road (on the NW end) that will lead you about a mile to the town of Preston. WARNING: The dirt road is 4×4 only!
My Facebook Manifesto
This blog entry could’ve also been named, “my FB rules of engagement”. I write this because I think I am not the usual Facebook user. I do not play Farmville, Mafia Wars or Farkle. I do not answer 21 questions about my friends, or read the answers that they post.
You might ask, “why?”
Well, part of it has to do with my computer background, and specifically my understanding of computer security. I don’t “allow” a bunch of applications in Facebook, because I know what information can be shared about me and my friends when I do. So, I just don’t do it. I have a few applications that I use, and most of those have been authored by Facebook itself.
That was Rule #1. No unnecessary applications. I also block most applications from appearing on my news feed, which is a wonderful thing. My news feed isn’t littered with everyone’s scores on Farkle, or requests to send me a new cow. I get to see what I want to see on Facebook — more of that later on. :)
Rule #2. No chain letters. It seems like every day I see someone post something about “bla bla bla, bla bla blah, and only 12% of you will repost this…”, or “please repost this or you will feel bad”. I have drawn a line here — I don’t repost things on Facebook. I’d really like all of my posts to be something original from me. So, I treat it just like I would treat a chain letter I receive in the mail. It doesn’t go on. Much in the same way, I don’t “Reply All” to things that I receive in e-mail.
Rule #3. No location stuff. Growing up, my Mom and Dad told me not to tell everyone that we were leaving town for vacation. That way someone wouldn’t take advantage of that knowledge, and rob the house while were gone (or something worse). So, I’ve also applied that lesson to Facebook. When we’re gone for the weekend, I don’t say “Looking forward to getting out of town this weekend.”. When we get back, I’ll say something about “Enjoyed a weekend away.” There are many reasons to do this, and to train your kids to do this, too. Enough said.
Rule #4. No X-Girlfriends. This has been more of an agreement between my wife and I. Facebook is a great way to connect with old friends, but there are some old friends that you probably shouldn’t connect with. Get my drift? So, in an effort to keep our FB friends on the up and up, we don’t friend people that used to be “more than friends”.
So, how do I use Facebook?
Facebook, for me, is a great way to stay in touch with people that you normally wouldn’t. I have a lot of my high school classmates, as well as extended family on my friend list. I liken it to a pulse. You may not call this person, mail them a letter or even send an e-mail. But, every once in a while you get a status update (a pulse) from them, keeping you in touch with what is going on in that person’s life. That is what I like about Facebook. A tool to help you stay in touch.
Fascination with B&W
You quite often find that photographers will characterize themselves as black and white photographers, or color photographers. Even greats like William Eggleston swayed one way and has stayed here. For Eggleston, he chose to be a part of the color camp, of course (Side note: Eggleston started out as a B&W photographer, switched to color very early in his career, and never looked back).
I am not a film photographer, nor have I ever really been one. I shoot digital, and have always had the ability to change the image to black and white after the fact. I will look at an image, and then determine whether I think the image is better represented in color, or in black and white. For some images, the colors play too important of a role to leave them out. For others, they just become a distraction. And, very rarely, you will come across an image that works perfectly in both (see images below).
With that being said, I find myself being drawn more and more to black and white photography. I really don’t know why — I just am. Maybe there’s just a fascination with the past. Or, the fact that black and white forces you to concentrate on the elements in the image, and their relationships, versus getting preoccupied with color.
Stiffen up, why don’t ya!
I like to take walks during my lunch hour at work. It provides a nice and needed break in the middle of the day, as well as opportunities to take pictures. So, lately, I’ve been carrying my camera with me when I walk. The lens cap is on, the strap is around my neck, and I’m holding the camera with one of my hands so it doesn’t bounce when I’m moving.
What I’ve noticed is that people act differently when they see you with a camera. Normally, when I see someone approaching, I like to smile and say “Hi”. Most of the time people respond back with a greeting or a smile, or both. However, when I have the camera with me, I’ve noticed that people have a tendency to look away. To me, this is extremely intriguing since I clearly have the lens cap on. But, it makes me question why?
I’ve known a number of people that freeze up whenever they are in front of the camera. This is somewhat understandable, since some people don’t like their picture taken. Maybe that also carries over to even being in the presence of a camera. What do you think?