While I was busy doing other things last week, winter seems to have slipped in the back door and established itself rather firmly. Not much snow, mind you, just a skiff, but darn cold temperatures and not much different to look forward to for the coming week. Luckily I had a heads up on this decline into seasonable temperatures so I made time to run out to the barn on Friday after setting up for the Sundog arts and crafts show to put a warmer blanket on my poor horse. I blanket Alpac in winter to keep him from growing a really heavy coat, as horses can get pretty sweaty when worked if they have a full winter coat, then take forever to cool out. There are advantages and disadvantages whether one blankets or not, but I have always blanketed my going horses and have an extensive collection of equine outwear amassed by now. I'm sure he was grateful for it this morning when it was minus 31 at turnout time. I made it through the show in relatively good form, and am happy to report that it was the last one for this year. Nothing on the horizon for me until well into 2010 and I'm content to keep it that way for the moment. Sundog was a good enough show for sales (could have been better but I say that almost invariably at every show) and was excellent for making contacts both for potential future clients and for photo shoots down the road.
I keep forgetting that I am minus my serious camera, and making plans to do shoots "next week", or "in a couple of days", then I remember I don't actually have the camera that I need to execute these plans. Not so much of a concern right now as I'd really need to be desperate for a photo op in the current cold snap, although it has been known to happen. I'm trying to adapt my thinking to what I *can* do with the little camera and shorter lens, rather than mourning all the things I can't do without my usual set-up. Maybe this week the big camera will at least send a message home to let me know if it is fixable or not.
Since I am shy on the usual number of new shots to choose from, you'll be seeing a bit of a "mix and match" variety here for the next while. Now that I'm less preoccupied with show prep and with new photos coming into the system, maybe I'll get some time to work with the ones I already have.
Shot one is an eye close-up, one of the things the little camera is actually better at than the big one. Not sure who this is--one of the many bay geldings in the driving pen at Ebon.
Shot two is from about a week or so ago and is also taken with the little camera. Would have been a differently framed shot with the big one, but it is still reasonably acceptable. I was wandering around outside that day, which was sunny and relatively warm for the time of year, when I noticed almost all the mares in the north pen were lying down in the sun and enjoying a quiet moment. You'll often see one or two lying down, but it was a little unusual to see so many (about five or six) all down at the same time. This is Wendy, the big mare, eyeballing me over her shoulder to see just what I was up to behind her back.
Back to the summer for the next two shots. Shot three is one of a number of moving water studies I took at the weir. Water outdoors that isn't solid already seems quite exotic to me, and just a distant memory. I liked the coloured reflections with the intense blue of the water, and the contrast of the smooth areas with the texture of the spray, also the rhythm of the movement in the water.
Shot four was taken on my back deck, showing the Clivia in flower, along with one of the larger cycads. All are tucked safely and warmly away in the studio for the winter. My studio is on top of the house and has large south facing windows, so is an excellent place for overwintering the houseplants and a few geraniums that I keep from year to year.
Shot five is a new photomontage that I found time to create last week. I call this one "The Doors of Creation" (even though that's really a window, not a door or doors). It features my friend Pearl's Canadian mare, with a medieval star chart laid in the background, among other things.
I have a few commissions and other odds and ends to get done for clients before Christmas hits, which really isn't that far off at all. I'm kind of appalled at how unready I am, but as I have often told myself in the past, it will come and go whether I'm ready or not, then I'll get another chance at it next year. One way or another, the world will keep spinning and the sun will continue to rise, so I'm just going to keep plugging away and not get too bent out of shape over the whole thing.
