Life: Through the Lens

Time to get those cameras out and get outside. Buds are appearing on the trees and bushes; crocus, daffodils and tulips are poking their bright blossoms out of the dirt. Birds are frisky, as are the rabbits, and nests are busily being constructed. The children we work with periodically at a local elementary school are anxious to take another photography expedition. At the Senior Center last week each child was able to share his or her experience taking the near/far photos, and identifying local attractions. A PowerPoint presentation was also shown, showcasing what they found when they opened their eyes and looked at their town in a little different way. Their teacher was excited with the images, and the writing they did to explain them. This spring and summer, have your own children and grandchildren start a journal or scrapbook of his or her own images. Have them write stories, poems and descriptions to go along with their photographs. You will be amazed at what they see, hear, touch...

As we prepare for a new adventure, to Colorado, Yellowstone and Idaho, we wonder where other adventurers travel to. Please respond with favorite destinations, as well as why you appreciate these places.

It's been suggested there are too many nature photographers, all taking the same kinds of photos. With digital photography becoming more and more affordable, and easy, it's possible to take better photos with entry level knowledge. The challenge is to take photographs which are different than other photographers, photos which stand out from the crowd. Tagging that idea, it's also important to be able to get your message across through your photographs. One photographer who is concerned about the affect of global warming on the wildlife populations suggests it's extremely difficult to tell the tale of potential dangers to the polar bears, for instance, when a gorgeous coffee table book about polar bears shows them in their natural environment, on what looks like plentiful miles of ice. Mixed messages. Photography is fun, rewarding, and an extremely useful medium for educating others on a variety of issues and topics. Spread the word...and take some pictures!

I'm reading the book I mentioned in my last post - Last Child in the Woods -Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder , by Richard Louv - starting with the quotes in the front of the book. The first one is a quote by Walt Whitman , a fabulous writer and naturalist: There was a child went forth every day, And the first object he look'd upon, that object he became, And that object became part of him for the day or a certain part of the day, Or for many years or stretching cycles of years. The early lilacs became part of this child, And grass and white and red morning glories, and white and red clover, and the song of the phoebe-bird, And the Third-month lambs and the sow's pink-faint litter, and the mare's foal and the cow's calf,... The second quote is from a fourth-grader in San Diego: I like to play indoors better 'cause that's where all the electrical outlets are. How disturbing is that? Yet it's quite believeable. It takes effort to teach a ch...

There was a very disturbing report on the Morning Edition of NPR February 6, stating that fewer and fewer people were spending time in the "great outdoors." It's speculated that the steady decline since 1991 could be due to rising gas prices, or the popularity of more sedentary, technologically based, activites, such as video games and the TV screen. Could we be headed toward a time when a generation of young people doesn't have a vested interest in environmental issues? It's true that many people can support a program they don't actually participate in, but we need leaders in these movements in order to keep the cause alive. The "cause" meaning an appreciation of the natural world; a connection with land and spirit you only experience when you're actually out in it. Through this appreciation and love, a passion is nurtured to protect the land and the living creatures on, in and next to it. There's a book which may be worth reading in order ...

There are so many things to teach our children. The landfills we pass along the road and the trash we picked up as we explored various ecosystems on our trip have reminded us once again that our environment needs preservation. The cactus at a beautiful southern Arizona mission had plastic garbage bags stuck to the spines. One park area had paper cups and pop cans littering the parking lot, and they could be seen periodically along the road way as we drove one of the roads through the park. When park services include trash receptacles , and most people arrive by automobile and could at least take their trash with them, this unnecessary littering of the environment becomes even more appalling . If we show our children the world they live with and teach them to look at it as a precious possession, one we need to care for and nurture, then our land and its resources will be preserved for future generations to love and appreciate and care for. Walk softly; "Take only pictures, leave ...

Traveling by car may be tiring, and a bit grueling at times, but it's one of the best ways to see the country. Our discussion on this topic usually comes back to whether flying over the land in a small aircraft is better than driving, as far as seeing the vastness of the country, as well as the topographical differences, but we can't come up with a firm decision. It depends.... For instance, from the air you can see the sand dunes of the south west, and see they extend quite a ways, but you can't always see what is happening to the lands. You also can't see some of the humorous, and sad, aspects of road travel when in an airplane overhead. One such example is signage. And you definitely can't meet the people, and sample the cultures of the various geographic and cultural areas of the country. So, in my opinion, road trips "win."