Sometimes it isn’t until after the fact when I have been out traversing Siouxland that I run across various images that may or may not have anything in common. By themselves they may be simple, nondescript kinds of photographs. And some folk may think that anyway even as a collective. But collectively images should have something in common.
It’s possible that even a tenuous element(s) can create a common factor. I find color is one such element. And it mostly depends on how one sees color and if color then becomes the main subject matter, relegating that actual subject of the photograph as a secondary subject. Beauty and art is in the eye of the beholder. Andy Warhol proved that time and again.
I always enjoy meeting “folk” when I am out and about I Siouxland checking out places or taking a hike or walk somewhere. But the same can not always be considered mutual depending on who it is I encounter.
On a recent walk on the Union Trail Bridge in Correctionville a family of deer were munching their way along the trail when they saw me. They paused, and as I began photographing them they decided to look for another “dining” area. Evidently eight or nine is company, but ten is not. Sometimes sharing is not all that it’s supposed to be.
There have been times over the years I have photographing, here in Siouxland and elsewhere, that I could tell my presence wasn’t appreciated. When working for a newspaper and covering news events, it is not always possible to spare people’s feelings especially is they are public figures or involved in a public event. And sometimes those folk let the photographer know in no uncertain terms that their presence is not welcome. I recently encountered that while driving by an area I was familiar and had seen what appeared to be abandoned eagle’s nests years before.
In another area I had an eagle’s nest and it was occupied, but by Canada geese. Who also didn’t seem to like my presence on the ground but did not raise as big a fuss as this particular eagle who continued to soar and swoop and scream until I walked quite a distance away from the area.
The eagle seemed to be protecting its own nest along with that of a Canadian goose couple in a nest not far away. And some ways down a road there is yet a third nest, also occupied by Canadian geese. It’s always good to have neighbors, because that couple also raised an alarm that someone was walking about on foot. Welcome to nature’s Neighborhood Watch.
No matter where I might roam in and around Siouxland, there are always choices to be made when shooting photographs. And depending on the subject or location and other particulars like lighting, choosing to make black and white images or color can sometimes be a tough choice.
I like color for when it really work and is as much the subject as whatever the photographed subject is. But then, black and white could be a crutch when subjects are boring and the contrast between light and shadow creates some dynamics in the photo. But then, like color, it becomes the subject more than what is photographed.
And tonality in black and white is important. The top photo uses darker shades to set off the buildings and architectural elements while the next photo the middle grey doesn’t enhance the image, but doesn’t necessarily detract either. So then it’s incumbent upon the photographer to frame the subject so it will stand out from the surroundings if that is the intention of the photographer.
And color is just that, color. People see their surroundings in color and do not give most times a second thought what they are seeing. So is the image more banal because color becomes a default or the norm? Choices. Sometimes too many, sometimes not enough.
While driving about Siouxland this winter in search of photographic opportunities involving the American bald eagle, I never tire of just watching them. Their mannerisms and interactions with one another. I fell lucky that I have been able to watch and photograph them on different occasions.
By now the majority of them have moved on as migration is in full swing. Thousands of Canada geese and other waterfowl have been passing through the area. Sometimes almost too numerous to guess how many. A friend recently told me that seeing more opportunities to view eagles was encouraging because it meant they were coming back and not quite as endangered as previous years. But still, it doesn’t mean they are out of the woods, as the saying goes. I am hoping for a few more opportunities but the numbers may not be quite as plentiful, but it is still a joy to watch them.
When out photographing in and around Siouxland I sometimes make “artistic” esthetic decisions on the fly. Shooting with a digital camera one can “work” in black and white and then again in color. A lot of folk I know always, always shoot raw images and later decide what to do and state they then have plenty of image “space” to do as they believe an image should be represented, that is, their presentation of their artistic vision.
And that is good. Everyone sees differently. When teaching a photographic location class through a Lifelong Learning program at a local community college, the group would travel to 4 different locations that I would select. And these were vary and change with the seasons, indoors, out of doors, morning and evening. I wanted students to work in various conditions so if they happen to be traveling for vacation for other reason and wanted to photograph something, they could acquire a skill set and thought process that might help them navigate what it was they wanted to photograph and how to photograph it as well. Plus these sessions reinforced the basic photographic skills taught in another course about shooting manually, selecting appropriate white balance, or not, and picking an aperture and shutter speed while shooting in manual. It was all to get people comfortable in using their individual cameras and making informed choices when photographing rather than relying on the camera to make decisions for them. Aperture priority never takes into account low ISO settings and even slower shutter speeds while trying to achieve the desired depth of field for an image, and then the photographer realizes upon returning home that there is little usable from their most recent excursion.
A recent discussion by some local camera club folk revolved around in camera and software editing skills and not truly representing the scene photographed as it was. Press the shutter and no cropping and minimal toning and voila, a Henri Cartier-Bresson moment. But that may not be what the photographer intended. Ansel Adams photographed a lot of landscapes and always brought a vision of how he wanted the scene interpreted. From his selection of lenses, film, filters, processing (over or under) then the printing and the use of his zone system.
The world revolves diversity of thought and vision. Although recently some might question that. So open and thoughtful debate should always be a good thing. Respectfully done of course, but then again, there will always be a few zealots not in agreement or nice about how they respond to others. Sad really, to be stuck in time with no before or after.
Recently while driving about Siouxland and heading to destinations in hopes of finding more eagles, I realize that not all of the images, if most of any of them, are really exciting. Mostly just a documentary exercise of photographing them in a place. It seems most of winter has been quite grey and overcast, along with extremely cold. And only every now and again does the sun seem to make an appearance.
But it is still nice to get out into nature, albeit, a cold nature this winter to look for the birds. Some days out have been balmy in the teens and low 20’s temperature wise. And even though I am a bit of an early rise these days, I don’t always like venturing out in the wee hours of the morning as “black ice” still exists in areas when traveling around Siouxland. But if you go with a couple friends at least one is not singularly disappointed. And on a cold day, there is always lunch to look forward too.
Somedays while out photographing in the Siouxland region I am not really inspired by what I see. However I do enjoy witnessing and seeing the various lighting conditions that might occur when out. Whether it’s sunshine or heavily overcast, the lighting is the one thing that creates the image one will take. The conditions may not be ideal, but still, I used to tell photo students that I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a day that out photographing.
When I first began photography the film used was Kodak’s Tri-X, 400 ASA black and white film. A versatile choice as one could utilize it in so many ways. Underexposing and pulling processing to flatten it out for better tonality and resolution or pushing it by one, two and sometimes three stops or more to work in low light situations. Then selecting a paper to help complete the “visual” process.
Now while out shooting I consciously shoot either color or black and white, tweaking settings in camera for one or the other. With some added tweaks in post processing. I am not a “raw” shooter. Jpegs only. It makes me think of shooting slide film where one had to be spot on in exposure. Unlike shooting negative film (think color negative) where one sometimes had latitude to do some tweaks while printing. At least one has choices, then as now. And it’s better to pursue what is comfortable to a person in pursuing their endeavors than to listen to the “maddening crowd” and follow. One might never see the cliff for all the bodies in the foreground, metaphorically speaking.
It’s always interesting to revisit places I have previously photographed while out and about in Siouxland. Time of day, time of year, varying types of weather. As the joke goes in much in the country, “Just wait five minutes and the weather will change”. Spirit Mound is one such place I have frequented over time. It was one of the stopping over points during the Lewis and Clark expedition as they traveled the west for then President Thomas Jefferson, later known as the Louisiana Purchase.
One never quite knows what one might find upon another visit. Different seasons definitely gives one a different look and view. Spring and summer plants are growing while fall they begin to dial back and winter it’s either brown or white. Add in a little fog and hoar frost and it is very white.
And while an individual photograph may not knock one’s socks off, collectively they tell a bit of a story and give a more expansive view and idea about a place. Spirit Mound is not an exciting destination to visit, but depending on the circumstances and time of year, it can be a pleasant and quiet place to enjoy and contemplate life as it continues moving forward.
Apparently during the fall I was asleep when birds were migrating to their winter climes and somehow I kept missing them or seeing them when I was out driving about Siouxland. But that may have changed as spring approaches and birds are again making their way back to someplace where they want to spend their summer months. Recently I have been finding quite a few eagles and they will be appearing in some posts down the road.
My skill set are photographing these creatures is still developing as I can capture an image, it’s just that it is not always in focus. Operator error while using my longer telephoto lens, and sometimes coupled with a tele converter reaches 1000mm or better. And my cavalier days of handholding a long lens while shooting sports or some kind of emergency scene when working for newspapers has been on the shelf a few years.
But these creatures are fascinating to watch and see them jostle with one another for a food source or positioning on a branch. I also enjoy hearing them call a warning out when some large creature with a “big glass eye” is creeping about, or just chit chatting amongst themselves. This particular day I was happy because the sun was really shining and the grey clouds and overcast skies were not present. And they have been for most of my outings looking for these large raptors. But it is an enjoyable way to spend part of a day.
I live in the Siouxland area that encompasses a wide swatch of land in northwest Iowa, northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota. The people that inhabit this area are generous folk and your basic honest, Midwestern people you like to have as neighbors. I explore the area and share observations, mostly photographic, sometimes through video, and and short text. All images and video are copyrighted material of the author.
Jerry Mennenga, Sioux City, Iowa
jerrylmennenga@yahoo.com
lostinsiouxland 