Taking my new Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master lens out on its first shoot recently, on my way to the actual shoot location, I saw this farm irrigation system. It was a good chance to check out just what 12mm can capture in a dreamscape setting with the setting sun and dramatic clouds above. The emptiness of the land to me lets me dream of what grew here earlier in the season, and what has grown on it in decades past. What do you see in your dreams in looking at these landscapes?
I found myself at 5:50am on a piece of ranch land just outside of Artesia, New Mexico recently. After somehow getting buzzed by a semi on the tiny dirt road as I stepped out of my Jeep, it was all quiet after that, save for the sounds of farm animals on the neighboring ranches. I like to make animal friends when I am out on these rural shoots, like these horses in Belen earlier this year. So I was glad that two cows came over to see me this sunrise time and even prop up an ear in curiosity at perhaps the two large cameras and lenses I had on my person. It was nice to have company, but I eventually had to move on and finish up photographing the property. I feel like the cows, like the horses, were sad I went away. Maybe some day I can have an animal sanctuary as long has been my dream and then I can stay with all the animals all the time!
The Japanese have a custom of watching the first sunrise of the year. My first year living in Japan friends took me to a Buddhist temple at midnight on New Year's Eve and then to a beach at sunrise. I really like this custom. So this morning shortly after 7am I took my camera and tripod out onto the frosty ground and watched the sunrise over an Iowa cornfield. You can see five jets already streaking to far off destinations so early in the new year!
