Windy Richardson Photography

january 2010 (best of)

2010-12-06T09:50:00.003-06:00

I've been terrible about updating this blog. It's time to do the best of 2010. Looking back on the photography, I have to say my favorite part of the year was everything I saw and all the places I went. Photography became secondary...

Ward and I went to Holla Bend. We got there too late for birds, but did luck out and catch an amazing sunset.

My dad wanted me to go take pictures of this church. I ended up having some time to kill one afternoon while waiting on a friend, so I headed over there. Luckily I had perfect skies.

There's something about Longpool that gives me the creeps. I don't know what it is! The waterfalls are pretty though. :-)

This is the lead singer from The Fiery Furnaces. My friends talked me into going, "You can take pictures."

awkward kids

2010-09-02T08:22:00.002-05:00

I went shooting with my favorite shooting buddy, Ward, the other day. (Yes, I have favorites.) Ward is also one of my best friends, but he doesn't tend to like shooting in the heat. I've gotten to the point I don't even ask if he wants to go shooting in the Summer or late Spring. He suggested we make a trip out to Woolly Hollow State Park near Greenbrier, Arkansas. My expression was something like this. o_O

We headed out, but the waterfall out there wasn't running. DANG YOU SUMMER! We both decided it was much too hot. However, he managed to slide into the creek before we left. I threw my shoes across the creek at him, rolled up my jeans, and said, "A country girl can survive." I walked across the creek without falling. I put my shoes back on and promptly stepped in a giant pool of mud. "I thought you saw that," he said. No, no, not so much.

We left, and quickly realized it was shaping up to be a very nice sunset. We always seem to catch some good ones. So we stopped on the side of the highway for a few shots.

creepers of the corn

2010-08-31T08:34:00.006-05:00

I headed out to Scott, Arkansas for a little ramble with Kathy. I wanted to use up some Holga film, and I find Scott and Keo to be excellent places nearby for such a mission.

Our first stop was finding an old plantation out there. I had no idea where I was going, and Kathy joked that I was probably taking her out there to dump her body in the woods. Ha!

We found it along with some other cool stuff nearby.

At some point she mentioned that she looks a bit like the girl from the Ring with her hair in her face. Then we spotted a corn field. I asked if she'd be willing to take a few creepy shots. We had to trespass a bit to do so. SHUSH!

I got a bit lost finding my way back out onto the main highway and headed up finding this really cool abandoned house. I loved all the colors.

After I got my barrings we headed out to Keo. I love Keo. It's hard to explain, because there isn't much there, but everything is interesting to me.

zombie hole??

2010-08-27T08:03:00.006-05:00

There's this place in Arkansas near near Jerusalem, Arkansas in Pope County called the Blue Hole. A follow photographer dropped his camera in the water but it survived! It's since been rumored that zombies come from the Blue Hole.

I hadn't been shooting with Zack in ages. We decided it was about time to fix that. I currently have one of my dad's old trucks. It's a 4WD Ford F150, and I was pretty excited to take it out.

Our first stop was an overlook on the way to the Blue Hole.

After that it was time to get down to some serious business. I suppose if you are in shape the hike down to the Blue Hole isn't rough. I'm not in shape nor am I the best hiker. I fail at bushwacking. Half the trip was very, very steep downhill and didn't have a trial to speak of. We battled spiders the whole way down. Zack used his tripod to knock down about 50 webs. EEEks! I took a slide down the hill and grabbed a tree, a dead tree, which ended up falling over. I swear it landed a few feet from Zack. He handled the whole thing well. Brave boy!

Zack and I never have ideal light when we go shoot. It's just our curse, I think. We got to the first cascade pretty early and were able to use the sunrise to our advantage.

I hated this shot at the time, but managed to turn it into something I rather liked. I just really liked the light rays...

ZOMG, Zombies!!

Here's a few from another cascade at Blue Hole.

I stopped about a billion times on the hike up. As always, Zack was pretty patient about it. I took the chance to grab a few shots heading back.

We had to travel a lot of dirt roads to get out there, and I doubt I could find my way back without Zack. We took a side trip to a cemetery, because I like cemeteries. We managed to accidentally trap a deer in the fence with us at the cemetery. The poor little thing as so scared it just kept jumping into the fence. The deer was still very young and wasn't able to jump over. Zack tried to herd the deer out, but instead it darted around and for a split second looked like it was going to charge him. We decided to leave hoping the deer would settle down without us there.

This cool sign was on the dirt road.

Here's yet another sign. I thought it stuck with the zombie theme. Zombie children probably would play slow.

I got my feet pretty wet while hiking. I drove home barefoot. I guess this makes me a country girl. Since I didn't have shoes on it made shooting things on the way home rather difficult. I solved this by shooting from the bed of the F150. I know, I know I'm weird.

rock hounds

2010-08-23T10:10:00.003-05:00

I haven't decided if I'm going to stick to a more traditional format or not, but I figure I'll give it a try. I end up forgetting to tell so many stories because I post shots out of order.

My friends, Jennifer and Eric, are rock hounds. You know, they like to dig around in the dirt and look for random rocks and minerals. I do not understand this AT ALL. I do try to be supportive and generally like all things outdoors. I told them my trail guide mentioned a place that has quartz crystal and ended up being their tour guide for the day.

Winona Forest Drive is near Perryville, Arkansas and carves through a portion of the Ouachita National Forest. It's nearly 26 miles of fairly decent dirt road that connects Highway 9 to Highway 7.

If you travel from the East to West the first stop is the Nancy Mountain vista.

After that you can stop and do a short trail up North Fork Pinnacle. I didn't find much of interest through Eric found a fossil that's apparently pretty old. The only thing I spotted was a massive spiderweb.

Our next stop was the quartz crystal stop - Crystal Mountain vista. This is where we managed to get a creeper story. We hiked the short 0.2 miles up to the vista. A few hundred feet from the end of the trail I started hearing things. I stopped to figure out what direction it was coming from and who it might be. I realized it was definitely a radio but one set to talk radio. We got closer and spotted a trunk parked deep in the brush, doors wide open, no one inside, and a church sermon blaring from the speakers. I decided to ignore it, since there was three of us and two dogs. I knew the dogs would probably alert us of trouble. I got this shot from the vista while Eric and Jennifer tried to figure out where the quartz would be.

By this point a storm as moving in, and we were thinking it'd be better to rock hunt on a cooler day. Suddenly an old guy tromps through the brush towards us. "Y'all looking for crystals?" I said we were but didn't know where to go. He pointed at a very overgrown path and ran along the side of the hill. He said the crystals where that way. Jennifer and Eric weren't really prepared for a trek through bushwack. We ended up deciding to go and come back in the Fall or Winter.

The next stop was the Forked Mountain vista. Forked Mountain is probably the most famous mountain that you can see from Winona Forest Drive.

The final stop before ending up back on paved road is the Oak Mountain vista. This one was probably my favorite. It could have been the light and the new storm clouds that made the view, but I liked it the most anyway. :-)

After that we got back on Highway 10 and headed towards Little Rock. I was majorly preoccupied with the mist/fog created by the rain and requested that my friends make a few stops.

We actually turned around at this cool old barn I had shot once before (back in the point and shoot days). I was pretty excited to see it in better light conditions.

There's something about railroad tracks I will probably always be drawn to. The fog really gave it a creepy feel I think. Also check out the holga-like edit.

My final stop was trespassing onto some shooting range to grab some shots of hay bales. I wondered if I'd be shot, one being on a shooting range and two for trespassing. However, it was raining and NO ONE seemed to be around, so I took a risk and stayed near the road for a few quick shots.

a light to fill the voids

2010-08-20T15:32:00.000-05:00

Here's another shot from Mt. Zion. I really loved the light in this shot.

alter

2010-08-19T15:14:00.000-05:00

Catholic churches are amazing. Architecturally speaking, I'm in awe every time I step foot in one. This one was amazing. I was only able to grab a few shots, because I was illegally parked outside. Oops! I meant to go back, but they were having Mass the few times I happened by.

framed

2010-08-18T14:58:00.000-05:00

I tried to get a different view of the Louisiana State Capitol. I made a few ducks pretty angry, who did not like me encroaching on their territory. Luckily they only made a small fuss before moving and letting me stand at the edge of the pond. I was already running through my mind what I was going to say if I was chased off by some mean ducks. :-)

the barn is always cooler on the other side of the fence

2010-08-17T13:27:00.000-05:00

Why is cool stuff always behind a fence??

will you remember me?

2010-08-16T12:39:00.000-05:00

Leaving a small stone on a grave is an act of symbolically placing a marker for someone. I think of it as a way of showing remembrance for the person. It's a tradition I really love.

living history

2010-08-13T12:01:00.000-05:00

The Wormsloe Plantation has an amazing oak alley. One thing I associate with the deep South is giant living oaks. They are so amazing.

mile high sunset

2010-08-12T11:00:00.001-05:00

I don't get to fly often, and I'd never flown during picturesque weather. This trip I got to see giant clouds, a cool sunset, and lightening. The lightening was amazing and scary at the same time. It's weird to see an entire cloud around you light up.

Anyway this was somewhere over Arkansas - probably near Hot Springs. We got home around midnight. For the first time I got to see Little Rock from above at night. I lost my s$%# when I saw Big Dam Bridge. I really love that bridge. :-)

double heart

2010-08-11T09:09:00.001-05:00

I liked the litchen on the car. The rest of the cars out here didn't have any. I also thought the bumper sticker was cool since I double heart Chicago too.

waiting...

2010-08-10T09:08:00.001-05:00

I always get so impatient waiting for fireworks to start. I really, really love fireworks.

room for two

2010-08-09T10:53:00.000-05:00

I love this bench. It's one of those rare things that makes me smile as I navigate down congested one-way streets downtown. I always leave downtown flustered. I'm a country girl and will probably never full adjust to any sort of urban driving. I've went to this spot twice now for photographs. I imagine there's a ton of room for creative shots here...

a place to hang your hat

2010-08-08T09:06:00.002-05:00

I didn't edit this shot with the rest of my Texas pictures. I actually noticed it when I was doing backup. I liked the chipped paint of the sign.

drive-by nature

2010-08-07T10:49:00.002-05:00

Red Rock Canyon is really an amazing place. It's beautiful and about 20 minutes outside of the Vegas strip. It's really the perfect get away from the neon. It also has some cool hiking trails and good scenic roads to explore the area. We didn't hike. It was nearly 120 degrees and we were trying to fit a lot into the day. However, we were able to see a ton from the car and the pull-off points.

hidden gem

2010-08-05T09:04:00.001-05:00

I didn't scan this for a few months. I guess I thought it wasn't very good. It ended up being the best shot on the roll. If you shot film, scan all of it!

black-eyed fall

2010-08-04T20:01:00.003-05:00

Waterfalls in Arkansas during the Summer basically don't happen. We had about a week of rain, so I figured I'd head out to a bigger creek and hope for the best. I wanted to capture something in the height of Summer. Thankfully there was a little bit of water.

Of course the ride home involved a downpour and lightening storm. I guess I got more water than I bargained for!

taking it all in

2010-08-03T10:44:00.002-05:00

I was a fan of photography long before I tried it seriously. I also was on flickr a lot and saw what the locals were doing. When I jumped in with both feet I trained myself not to see it just like everyone else did. I'm not saying I don't walk away with the same shots most of the time, but I'm always looking for a new way to see it.

I took a lot of the standard pictures at the Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas, Nevada. Then I saw something a bit different once I stepped back. Finding ways to make people silhouettes isn't the easiest thing. You have to find an interesting backdrop and something that keeps them interested long enough there isn't motion blur.

it depends on how you see the world

2010-08-02T09:03:00.001-05:00

I liked the broken logo.

overlapping memories

2010-08-01T09:11:00.001-05:00

I got an accidental double exposure (or a ghost had some fun with my camera). The second shot is really faint so I'm not really sure what it is. The only thing I can really tell is that the second shot involved trees.

eye of the sun

2010-07-31T09:01:00.001-05:00

Here's another sunflower shot, but this time it's the more typical view. The focus is a bit soft, because I like to shoot flowers with a lensbaby.

time keeps passing

2010-07-30T15:36:00.002-05:00

The meter combined with the weathered wood just makes me think of the passage of time.

new sights

2010-07-29T15:33:00.001-05:00

Clark Creek generally runs underground through Lost Valley. I've only seen water flowing through the last 1/3rd of the trail. I was very surprised to see Clark Creek rumbling through the whole Lost Valley. I was so giddy to see all sorts of new cascades and didn't mind shooting in the rain.

100 gallon hat

2010-07-28T08:59:00.002-05:00

I've always loved the old Arby's sign in Conway. I forgot that it still lights up. I was a tad worried that I didn't have enough light to shoot this, so I was happily surprised by the lights.

angel's shelter

2010-07-27T15:28:00.003-05:00

Here's another shot for scale:

This tree is thought to be over 1500 years old! It is now owned by the city of Charleston, SC but was named after former owners - Martha and Justin Angel. It's the oldest living thing East of the Rockies. You can find more info here.

homey

2010-07-26T15:18:00.003-05:00

I think of the Nolan House, and I think of fireplaces. There was one in nearly every room. I imagine that isn't surprising for a house of it's age, but they were all so interesting. The mantles have long since been removed, but they all still have character.

oxidation

2010-07-25T08:57:00.002-05:00

Here's another shot from the Mustang graveyard. I imagine the owner thought I was pretty weird crawling around in gravel (in a skirt, I didn't plan well) to get this shot.

light speed

2010-07-24T15:11:00.001-05:00

The film ended up with a light leak. I shot the film, respooled it, carried it across the country in a backpack, let someone else shot it, and finally had it developed. There's really no telling where or when the light leak happened. I love how it worked out though. It looks like the trolley is about to take off at warp speed!

life and death

2010-07-23T15:09:00.003-05:00

The Parker-Hickman homestead is an awesome place to explore if you ever find yourself in Newton County, Arkansas. There's a small cemetery behind the homestead, which to my surprise was full of daffodils. It was really lovely to see a still cared for cemetery in the middle of the forest.

awakening

2010-07-22T08:55:00.001-05:00

I thought I'd try something a little bit different with sunflowers.

shut the barn door

2010-07-21T14:53:00.003-05:00

This was a really cool barn I saw on the way to New Orleans. It was near Lake Providence. Lake Providence was a pretty cool area. I wish I had had more time to explore. I guess the next time I go to NOLA I'll have to make the time. :-)

watchful eye

2010-07-20T14:48:00.004-05:00

I love New Orleans. I really liked these old horse hitching posts. A lot of these are gone or damaged. Many are plain black, but there's a few that are painted. I'm not sure if the originals were painted or not. I took a lot of pictures of these. I get fixated on details like that.

national light things on fire day

2010-07-19T08:53:00.001-05:00

Here's a shot from the Fourth of July fireworks in Little Rock. You can see the Clinton Library at the far left. The bridge is the Rock Island Bridge.

losing luster

2010-07-18T13:24:00.002-05:00

Here's another shot from the bulldozed cemetery. I won't go into another rant about it. It's sad.
:-/

southern living

2010-07-17T13:20:00.003-05:00

Another shot of the Nolan House. To me this place is the stereotypical old Southern home.

chasing ansel

2010-07-16T08:50:00.004-05:00

I'm certainly not as good as Ansel Adams, nor will I ever be, but sometimes I take a shot that I think is at least in the spirit of his style. Anyway this was taken with my Holga WPC camera that makes panoramas. This is one of my favorite waterfalls - Eden Falls in the Lost Valley.

the calling

2010-07-15T12:30:00.003-05:00

The light in Mt. Zion was pretty incredible. It was amazing how how the light and mood would shift just by the door being moved a few inches. I imagine this is why no two shots look the same here. This place makes for an excellent canvas because of this.

wounds

2010-07-14T12:27:00.004-05:00

Here's some of the damage at Fort Pulaski. This is definitely a photographers paradise. I had fun exploring the grounds. Pretty much everything is open for the public to see, even the top level of the fort.

green cars

2010-07-13T08:48:00.002-05:00

My dad told me about this place. It's basically a junkyard full of classic Mustangs. My dad calls it the Mustang graveyard. I had a lot of fun exploring.

big dam light show

2010-07-12T11:55:00.004-05:00

I've shot at the Big Dam Bridge enough that I can't really think of any new ways to shoot it. I still go back from time to time, just because it's a fun place to shoot. Plus I have a lot of memories here. I learned to shoot here. It's also one of the few places I can lure unsuspecting friends. I will suggest an evening strolling the bridge, then drag my camera along and beg for them to wait for me to get a few shoots as darkness rolls in and the lights start to pop on the bridge.

So far people have been patient. I suppose because the lights are really amazing up close.

the importance of being ernsty

2010-07-11T11:51:00.004-05:00

I imagine if you hunt for waterfalls in Arkansas or even if you hike a lot, you've heard of Tim Ernst. His books have made many of my adventures possible. Ernst tends to take pictures of himself standing next to waterfalls. I imagine this is mostly for scale, but his Captain Morgan style pose always cracks me up a little. If I have time, I take my own Ernst pose. It's actually a lot more fun than it seems like it'd be.

sights of the south

2010-07-10T11:49:00.001-05:00

This is the side of the Nolan House. I loved this place before I ever saw it in person. Now it's part of my memories, memories of a wonderful road trip, so now I love it even more.

that's...

2010-07-09T11:47:00.001-05:00

Random bits of urban life.

explosive

2010-07-08T11:44:00.004-05:00

I wanted to explore the inside of this old church, but the flooring seemed too worn for that. I was amazed at the outside though. The weather really helped highlight just as awesome the building really is.

tumble

2010-07-07T11:37:00.004-05:00

When I'm not shooting waterfalls, I miss it. I miss it in a way I'm not really used to. There's certain hobbies or interests I have, but if I'm not doing them it's sort of out of sight out of mind. That isn't the case with waterfalls. It gets in your soul. I'm telling you.

hay: the rural landscape's pink flamingo

2010-07-06T11:31:00.004-05:00

Zack and I did a bit of rambling not too long ago. The main mission was to explore Rickett's Mountain. I about lost it when I saw this barn. It's just a perfect rural barn, especially with the vines growing on it. There was a modern tractor parked out out of frame at the right. It took a bit of time (and trespassing) to figure out how to compose a shot without the ugly tractor in the way.

perspective

2010-07-05T11:29:00.000-05:00

I loved this church. It's in rural Alabama down a dirt road. I was rambling when I found it. I was lucky enough to stumble across a lot of hidden treasures.

i-n-d-e-p-e-n-d-e-n-t

2010-07-04T11:25:00.004-05:00

Happy Independence Day!!

red, white, and blue

2010-07-03T11:22:00.003-05:00

This was taken during a Christmas celebration at the Arkansas State Capitol, but it seemed to fit for Independence Day too.

guard cow

2010-07-02T11:20:00.000-05:00

Moo! I heart cows. I take so many pictures of cows.

tunnel vision

2010-07-01T11:17:00.002-05:00

This was taken at Fort Pulaski. Fort Pulaski is pretty cool, because if you walk around the outside you can see damage from the Civil War.

triple play

2010-06-30T11:06:00.003-05:00

Third times the charm!!

This is one of those waterfalls that alluded me. Given the right weather conditions and water conditions, waterfall shooting is pretty basic. Give me clouds and lots of water and I'll have a field day. However, if you don't have the right conditions waterfall shooting is really difficult or impossible.

My first trip to Triple Falls was cloudy, but there was very little water. The second trip had tons of water but tons of sun. I was starting to think I would never be lucky enough to catch this place during high waters and on a cloudy day.

My third trip out involved taking my car down the muddy, steep forest roads. This road is not meant for cars. By the time I maneuvered the roads all the clouds were gone. I was pretty upset about it, but liked the waterfall enough to stay and soak in the view. After about 30 minutes of splashing around in the creek checking out butterflies and rocks, clouds appeared! I was so happy I nearly tipped over my tripod setting it up. (No camera attached!)

I was able to snap a bunch of shots in short window of time the clouds allowed. This was my favorite one and as taken as the clouds were moving out. The water isn't nearly as smooth as I'd like, but I still think it's a good shot.

...and there were fireworks

2010-06-29T11:03:00.002-05:00

This is the second time I've tried to shoot fireworks. The first time was at the Arkansas State Capitol. It was much easier shooting them close-up. I found it really easy to overexpose the fireworks being further away.

It was just a weird night though. I was also having issues with my camera remote, so I missed a lot of pops or had camera shake. I still had a blast though. It's hard to not have fun watching fireworks, even if you didn't get decent shots out of it.

when one door closes

2010-06-28T10:59:00.002-05:00

...another one opens.

This shot has a lot of meaning for me. I doubt I could explain it, so I'll just say...live the life you want while you still have life to live. Life kicks the crap out of me, but instead of giving in I just keep seeking out a path that will work better.

inspired

2010-06-27T10:55:00.001-05:00

Here's a slightly different view of the Glory Hole. This place is really amazing.

scars

2010-06-26T10:42:00.004-05:00

Arkansas was part of the Civil War and being South of the Mason-Dixon we were on a side I don't particularly agree with. Arkansas isn't really saturated with Civil War history. So visiting states that had a lot more fighting it's weird to realize how recent it was.

When I was at the Colonial Park Cemetery I didn't really understand all the tombstones along the back walls. At first I just assumed they were stones that broke over the years. It didn't make much sense to me though. I mean if you take the time to collect broken stones and build holders into the brick wall for them, why not just repair and replace them where they should be? I googled it when I got a chance and found the real reason.

During the Civil War Union troops camped in the cemetery for a while. They broke stones to make room for their tents. I guess after the war either there wasn't records of where the stones should go or it was too large of a task to replace them. The stones were placed along the back wall. They remain as scars from a war with ourselves.

silver lining

2010-06-25T18:20:00.000-05:00

Big Dam Bridge is a cool place. Not only is it good for exercise and people watching, you can also get some pretty cool shots of the bridge lit up at night. They change the colors just often enough to keep it interesting. Another bonus is there's a pretty awesome view of Pinnacle Mountain. If you happen to be there during the right time, you can take in an amazing sunset over Pinnacle Mountain and the Arkansas River.

I headed out there with my friend, Joseph. It was a hot day with a few clouds. I expected the clouds to be gone by sunset, which is what usually happens on hot days. Much to my surprise the clouds doubled. There were so many clouds I couldn't get a true sunset picture. The sun dipped below the cloud line and didn't return again.

weathered

2010-06-24T10:35:00.001-05:00

I like that a Holga can turn ordinary life into something more interesting. This was the side of a very old, weathered laundromat. I'm sure the folks inside wondered what the heck I was up to.

This was actually one of my favorite shots from vacation.

it's a good day for baseball

2010-06-23T10:30:00.001-05:00

I get the tingles every time I visit a Major League Ballpark. (Okay it's really any ballpark, but the scale of MLB is something else.)

don't fence me in

2010-06-22T10:29:00.000-05:00

Locks are tempting...

forgotten

2010-06-21T10:17:00.003-05:00

I visit a lot of cemeteries now. They are peaceful. They are our history. They are photogenic. I'm used to weathered cemeteries. It's fairly common to see tombstones that are worn down to markers one forth the original size. It's impossible to fight nature.

This place was different though. These tombstones weren't battling nature; they were battling mankind. The back of the cemetery had recently been leveled. It looked like someone was able to start a construction project right over the broken markers. It's just sad to me. Heartbreaking. Even if the land was that valuable, there wasn't anything they could do to preserve the markers? Seriously?

I mean, the Colonial Park Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia had stones broken during the Civil War. The Union troops decided to set up camp there, and broke stones to make room for tents. After the war, it wasn't clear where the stones belonged so they were lined up along the walls of the cemetery.

It is possible to still respect the dead. I'm just saying. There has to be a better solution than bulldozing a cemetery.

labeling

2010-06-20T10:13:00.002-05:00

This house was really interesting. Everything was painted with obvious labels - fireplace, floor, door, window, etc. I'm all for interesting/artistic graffiti but this definitely fell into the delinquency category. Of course, who am I to judge? Also what harm is done to a place that is left to slow be reclaimed by nature?

the stories these walls could tell

2010-06-19T10:08:00.003-05:00

This church still has life. It's weird to say that about abandoned buildings. (Okay it isn't completely abandoned. For what I understand they still have service here on occasion.)

I believe Mt. Zion has touched many lives. The note above is probably a good example of this. I read through a notebook full of notes similar to this one.

sights and sounds

2010-06-18T10:01:00.000-05:00

I'm not the type to suggest places as "everyone should see that place before they die". I mean we all have different tastes. I'm sure there's tons of people who do not want to hike the woods after a waterfall, or roam around city streets, or other things I really love. I will say if there is one place you should visit before you die New Orleans is probably it. There's just so much to see and do, and no matter what type of person you are it's almost certain you will turn a corner and be blindsided by someone completely different from you. Then you can walk a few more feet and see things familiar.

It's a shock to the senses and a constant party. There's so much hospitality, history, and culture. I doubt there's anything I can say about New Orleans that hasn't been said, and even if i were able to repeat it all...it's just different when you experience it. What can I say? I heart NOLA.

let light in

2010-06-17T09:50:00.001-05:00

Shooting with a Holga is completely different than any other camera I've used. This roll managed to have a few light leaks. I don't get those very often, and it's always a bit of a surprised how the light managed to find it's way in. Regardless I thought that it worked well on this shot.

it was all a dream

2010-06-16T09:46:00.002-05:00

Sometimes it does feel like a dream. It's weird how quickly memories fade into a weird place that feels more like a dream.

when in rural georgia

2010-06-15T09:38:00.002-05:00

I met up with Evan Leavitt when I was in Georgia. It was pretty awesome, because he was able to show me a lot of places I was familiar with through his photography. I was still doing a self-portrait series during the trip and asked Evan to be in the shot. Some of my favorite self-portraits were ones that included someone else.

Here was one with Zack and Caden at Hawksbill Crag.

Here's one with many of my co-workers.

man vs. nature

2010-06-14T09:34:00.003-05:00

I was able to visit many states on my road trip that I hadn't seen before. Surprisingly enough Louisiana was one of those. Louisiana is a border state, but I've never made time to visit. I'm glad I did. It's such a friendly state that's full of culture.

one step closer

2010-05-31T22:37:00.002-05:00

Wow, it's been a while since I've blogged. I have trouble keeping a blog, which is amazing considering how much I love to talk. ;-)

Anyway, since I've been gone I did a massive road trip, took a few trips to the Ozarks, and had a little weekend trip to Dallas. There really is no rest for the wicked.

The shot above was taken in Georgia at the Nolan House. It's a place I've wanted to see since I first saw shots of it. I saw many other wonderful things on the road, but this house was at the top of the list.

when it fades

2010-05-05T17:26:00.000-05:00

I love the love bench. Heck I just love benches!

fighting change

2010-05-04T17:24:00.001-05:00

Boxley Valley is so beautiful. There's a lot of access points to the Buffalo River near here and the Lost Valley trail. I never pass up the chance to see the area again. I loved getting to see it on the threshold between Winter and Spring.

pick your poison

2010-05-03T16:59:00.001-05:00

Two shots for the price of one. I know the standard way to shoot flowing water is with a long exposure. Sometimes I like the look of a faster shutter speed. I think it works pretty well with cascades anyway. What do you guys think?

on the right track

2010-05-02T16:58:00.000-05:00

I like railroad tracks. It's one of those cliche things to shoot. I think with the lensbaby I was able to get a different result though.

ha!

2010-05-01T16:55:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love laughter?

the house tim burton built

2010-04-30T16:43:00.001-05:00

This was an abandoned building in Bigelow, Arkansas. My shooting buddy thought the slant made it look like something out of a Tim Burton movie. I have to agree. I asked a friend to do an edit to make it look more like that.

ruffles

2010-04-29T16:42:00.001-05:00

Flowers aren't my favorite thing. I just can't lie about that. I did get a new macro filter and wanted to test it out. I have to say flowers are a lot cooler up close.

tin roof rusted

2010-04-28T16:41:00.001-05:00

I've seen pictures from the Parker-Hickman Homestead in Erbie, Arkansas before. When Zack and I explored the area I asked to stop by. I wanted to see the place for myself. It really is a cool little place, and it's nice that it's now preserved by the National Park system. Hopefully it will be here for others to enjoy for a long time.

95

2010-04-27T16:30:00.001-05:00

This is the 95-foot tall Cedar Falls at Petit Jean State Park. This is probably the most popular waterfall in the state. I have at least two I like better, but I do think it's popularity is deserved. Even when the water is low this is a real beauty.

snow hawk

2010-04-26T16:37:00.000-05:00

Hawkbill Crag in the snow!

This hike was a bit rough for me. It might have been that I was sick or that the hike was in snow. It could just be that I'm that out of shape. I wouldn't say the hike is bad. It is all slightly uphill leaving though. Zack and Caden were pretty patient with me huffing and puffing back to the Jeep.

political storm

2010-04-25T09:00:00.002-05:00

Here's another shot with the new Holga 120 WPC. This time I kept the shutter open for about 10 seconds. I've taken tons of shots of the Arkansas State Capitol now, but hopefully this one is a little different.

push-ups

2010-04-24T16:35:00.002-05:00

I don't do a lot of portraits. People aren't really all that keen on having their picture taken. I have learned people are more than willing to offer up their kids though. The risk here? Kids don't cooperate! I was up for the challenge and planned for two kid sessions the same weekend.

This was the first time I felt like photography was "work".

sarah pollen

2010-04-23T16:33:00.001-05:00

Another day/Another flower macro. :-)

in the spray

2010-04-22T16:09:00.002-05:00

This is a more abstract view of Pack Rat Falls at the Haw Creek Falls Campground. It was near impossible to get this without getting water on the lens. This is another place that has tons of awesome views on the hike. However, this is a bushwack hike so it probably isn't for everyone. It's short though, so it's certainly manageable.

I actually busted it making the hike out there the last time. I landed on my knee and my shooting buddy was convinced I had broken something. I didn't feel a thing and it never even bruised up, so his worrying was kind but probably exaggerated. :-D

around the bend

2010-04-21T16:20:00.001-05:00

I have a certain friend (that shall remain nameless) that loves road shots. I used to lecture him about standing in the road getting shots. Of course, I do it too so I finally stopped nagging him. Anyway Zack and I both took this very shot to intentionally imitate his style. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Right? ;-)

so pretty it should be in the movies

2010-04-20T16:26:00.000-05:00

The Old Mill in North Little Rock, Arkansas is one of those places you should visit if you are in the area. I had put it off for the longest time because I've heard that over and over again. What can I say? I'm stubborn!

I actually didn't expect it to be as pretty as it was in person. A lot of things like that look great in pictures then are a let down in person. This place was really picture perfect. And hey! It was in Gone with the Wind!

zOMG!!

2010-04-19T16:18:00.001-05:00

This was in Boxley Valley in Newton County, Arkansas.

I really love cows. I really love back-lighting. I really love snow. What else can I say?

battles with the sun

2010-04-18T16:06:00.002-05:00

This is part of the Davies Bridge in the Petit Jean State Park. I think other than Cedar Falls it's one of the most photographed things in the park. I love bridges and waterfalls, so this is an awesome combination.

wanderlust

2010-04-17T09:03:00.001-05:00

Today I'm starting an eighteen day road trip. I'm going to queue up a few entries so there will be something here while I'm gone. I thought this shot was fitting for my first day on the road. I really do have a wanderlust, too bad wandering never seems to cure it. :-)

anew

2010-04-16T16:23:00.002-05:00

This was taken at the Old Mill. I felt a bit silly standing over flowers trying to grab some macro shots, but I suppose it was worth it. When I started out doing photography, I was very nervous about how I looked in public. These days I don't care. Though I realize how I must look.

getting low in the snow

2010-04-15T16:15:00.002-05:00

This was at the Steel Creek Campgrounds along the Buffalo River in Newton County, Arkansas. It's such a great area. The Ozarks had a pretty heavy snow about a month ago. I loved the look of the snow melting over the Spring grass.

under the bridge

2010-04-14T06:03:00.000-05:00

Here's another shot from The Lost Valley near Ponca, Arkansas. It's such a beautiful place. I've explored many places in Arkansas that this remains one of my favorites. A bonus is that the trail is easy to follow and not difficult. It makes this beauty accessible to a lot of people.

This small cascade under the Natural Bridge doesn't have a name, and since I'm not very creative I just call it the Natural Bridge Cascade. It works, eh?

celebrity treatment

2010-04-13T18:29:00.001-05:00

I don't really know how to take portraits. It isn't easy to transition from landscapes to people. It's hard for me to tell a person how to pose or to get them to smile differently. Also the lighting and stuff tends to be a bit different, because you are worrying about how it makes a person look, etc.

My friend and co-worker, Raney, hesitantly agreed to let me practice on him. He happens to be attractive yet camera shy. I found it was easier to just tell him stories and wait for him to let his guard down and snap a few shots. He was a pretty good sport about standing around in the cold while I fretted over the sunlight and fiddled with camera settings.

We drew enough attention to ourselves that people started to think Raney was famous. Someone even asked him for an autograph!

**I edited this again, so I'm pushing it to the top of my blog.

you can't make a mountain straight

2010-04-13T08:57:00.002-05:00

Here's a shot at the Wye Mountain Daffodil Field. I was testing out my newest camera - Holga 120 WPC. It's a pinhole camera which means the shutter had to stay open for about 14 seconds to get this shot.

you can park here but it will cost you

2010-04-08T07:51:00.003-05:00

The Arkansas Times published one of my shots! The only thing that stinks is I'm listed as "Windy Richards" and not Windy Richardson.

This was taken on Main Street in Little Rock a couple of weeks ago.

believe in AC000000

2010-04-06T09:50:00.005-05:00

Being a fan of any team in any sport means you get to start over with each season opener - unless you are a Cubs fan! No one forgets those 101 years without a World Series win. It doesn't stop Cubs fans from believing this will be the year. We believe. We believe!

As for the title of this shot let me post another picture and explanation. Eamus Catuli roughly means "Let's go Cubs." So the numbers AC0063100. (During the 2009 season) Okay these are the Chicago Cubs stats that everyone that follows baseball knows, whether they love or hate the Cubs. AC = "Year of the Cubs." 00 = number of years since Division Championship. 63 = number of years since National League Championship. 100 = very long years since winning the World Series. They actually had to add a digit for the 2009 season... This is actually outside of the field as is maintained by a private company. The sign for 2010 reads: AC0164101. oy vey!!

Here's hoping next year will read AC000000. However, here's a fun fact: Since teams can now reach the playoffs as a wildcard it is possible the Cubs could have a sign that reads AC020000 or something. I seriously hope when the Cubs win again they get the Division title too...

limiting evil

2010-04-05T11:41:00.000-05:00

The Parker-Hickman Homestead was built around 1847 and is believed to be one of the oldest homes along the Buffalo National River. It was actually owned and lived in by the Hickman family from 1912-1978. In 1982 it was sold to the parks service and added to the National Register of Historic Places.

About a mile past the house up a very bumpy mountain dirty road is the family cemetery - Cherry Grove Cemetery. I actually wish I had known the previous owners of the home before I went, because there were a few other surnames, but I now think they were all people that lived on this homestead. I originally assumed families from other homesteads were also buried there.

There is a tradition in the South of painting doorways and sometimes ceilings and other areas "haint blue" to keep away evil spirits or haints. Haint blue isn't a specific shade of blue, and since I've become aware of it, I've seen it in shades from pale blue up to a deep aqua. I believe the color is supposed to close to that of water because haints cannot cross water. Interestingly enough the water in the area is this exact color.

More info on haint blue.

white out

2010-04-04T11:36:00.002-05:00

The Ozarks got nearly a foot of snow this Spring. Arkansas has actually had a ton of snow. Zack, Caden, and I had already made plans to head up there and test out Zack's new Jeep. The snow was icing on the cake. We woke up at 2am to get there for sunrise. It's lucky we did, because most of the snow had melted by 10am. We managed to get some shots before that happened.

I loved the sun in this shot. It's rare to be outside and have it be warm enough you don't need a jacket, but snow completely covers the ground. I overexposed this a bit then upped the contrast in post to sort of blend the horizon line.

exposed

2010-03-31T20:16:00.002-05:00

I really loved this barn. The texture of the wood is fascinating, but I also liked how clear the field was around it. The way I shot this and the processing sort of made it look like cross processed slide film.

This was taken in Erbie, Arkansas.