Surrending to the Digital Image

After years of shunning Photoshop, I have finally broken down and I'm beginning to learn to use it. We recently updated our Flickr account to "Pro" which is not really any sort of recognition of professional status, merely an expenditure of $25 for more space. I've been using Flickr a lot more ever since Sean started posting prolifically. I love seeing his pictures from home and reading the commentary. While looking around on Flickr I have seen some folks doing some great stuff with Photoshop. For instance, sometimes Sarah and Damien use Photoshop and I always really dig their pictures. I also know the Kev is a Photoshopper. So I threw my reticence to the wind and I have begun attempting to use Photoshop.

Erin took these 2 pictures on Nantucket. I think one reason I've been Photoshopping lately is that it gives me a reason to go back and really look at some of our pictures. I like revisiting all the places we've been.



The picture above was taken in Brattleboro, Vermont. I think the windmill was taken in Oklahoma or Texas. I antiqued the Brattleboro shot and tried to make a faux lomo with the windmill.


I like making fake antique pictures. The one above was in Douglas, MA and the one below is from Jerome, AZ.


This Volkswagen bug gathering takes place at the Sonic near our house. The following three pictures are from Bisbee, Arizona.

In other news, Erin got an unexpected raise at work and I joined the Society of Early Americanists and The Charles Brockden Brown Society. I recently read "The Culture Industry" which is an essay in The Dialectic of Enlightenment by Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno. Its premise has been largely refuted by postmodernists, but the basic idea is that Capitalist consumerism proliferates bad art, which chokes out real art and redefines the culture in terms of artificial aesthetic needs. The negative effect of the Culture Industry corrupts all the way down to the personal level. The Culture Industry would include for-profit film, music, photography, etc - any art created for a Capitalistically functional purpose. I think I have made this sound much more jargony than it is in my attempt to paraphrase. If you've ever been frustrated by bands that "sell out" or the millions of bad movies out there, reading "The Culture Industry" may be very enlightening (pun intended).

Mothdrawn to the Monolith

I returned to the Superstitions last weekend and camped out on the other side of Weaver's Needle. I love photographing Weaver's Needle. Actually, photography in the Superstitions is super-easy. Every angle has merit and everything you see if beautiful. I took most of my photos here either at sunset, sunrise, or by moonlight.


I went with Chris, who is the same dude I went hiking with on my last excursion. We camped under that pine tree in the left side of the photo.
I went in this cave. Erin did not approve, but it's actually pretty big, well lit, and in an area with lots of foot traffic, so big nasties probably wouldn't call it home.

The red sky on the left side of the picture is light pollution from Phoenix et al.


When the moon came up I got fantastic light. Enlarge the pictures for the best effect.

Chris tells me that the Grand Canyon experience is like this times a million. I can't wait.
I put this picture on Flickr and it got a lot of nice comments. I can honestly say I'm pretty happy with it. I was sleeping and Chris woke me up because the sun looked good and he knew I'd want to take advantage. Totally worth getting up for.
I like these clouds. I'm sure this is not the last Weaver's Needle blog.

In news not relating to hiking, Erin and I have been approved for ASU family housing. That means we get a house with a washer and dryer and cable, internet and water paid for for almost $150 less than we're paying now. The only down side is that the house is in Mesa, so it will be further away from campus. However, I know other people who have taken advantage of the family housing and they really like it. That means that come this summer our sojourn with the dogshit and cockroaches will end. The people downstairs have recently acquired a dog that they neither need nor have room for nor know how to control. It barks all the time. It amazes me how ridiculously stupid people can be in regard to animal ownership.

Ishmael had his teeth cleaned Friday. The poor little fellow was so doped up on anesthesia when he came home. He was not happy. He was growling and hissing at the vet's office. He recovered quickly and now his teeth are nice and clean.

Erin went back to Claims University in Connecticut this week. She comes home today. I'm jealous that she got to see folks back home, but Ishmael and I have had a real bonding experience this week, even in spite of his run-in with dentistry.