civilized ku # 1155-59 / ku # 1111 ~ it was a sunny day (on and off)
Friday, October 21, 2011 at 10:08AM 
late PM light after rain ~ Jay, NY - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggen
Intersection signs ~ Jay, NY - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggen
Above the flume ~ Wilmington, NY - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggen
Late PM light ~ Jay, NY - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggen
Puddle with reflection ~ Jay, NY - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggen
Fall cover with fence ~ Jay, NY - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggenYesterday, for most of the morning here in Au Sable Forks, the sun was out and the temperature was rising toward a forecast low 60˚ish day.
It seemed like a great day to play golf in Lake Placid on my home course, which (weather dependent) will soon be closing for the season. As it turned out, the sun featured itself for the drive into Lake Placid and the drive home. In between, after only 7 holes on the course, the weather changed to heavy black/dark gray cloud overcast with lots of rain. I sat for 45 minutes in a rain shelter - cameras and umbrella locked safely away in my car - and, when the rain had turned to a light drizzle, played the last 5 holes.
As I walked down the last fairway, the sun begin to reappear through increasingly larger breaks in the clouds. It was apparent the sun was going to make a late day full on appearance so the picture making thought that I might make a few more sunny-day pictures (I made a few - intersection signs and above the flume - on my way in) on my drive home entered my head. That thought was on the money as several such picture making opportunities caught my eye.
FYI, on civilized ku # 1152-54, Steve (no link provided) commented - As for all of the photographers in the scene, renowned wildlife and landscape photographer Moose Peterson is up in Lake Placid/Wilmington teaching a class. Those people were likely with him I would presume.
After a little Google Machine investigation, it seems that Steve was correct. Moose Peterson was conducting a workshop in the area. That said, I had never heard of Moose Peterson and, after finding out some who and what about him, I can state without reservation that my life is still complete without ever seeing any of his pictures.
Moose may indeed be "renowned" but, re: my recent civilized ku # 1149 entry wherein I stated my reasons for my ongoing advocacy for straight picture making, he is an outstanding example of why I continue my crusade in defiance of the picture cliché*. Suffice it to state, Moose loves making clichéd pictures of clichéd referents, employing a veritable host of clichéd picture making/ processing techniques.
Moose does all of the aforementioned very well and he is quite successful at it, career and finances wise. He knows what he's doing and he knows his audience well. That statement is evidenced by the fact that he regularly sells out his workshops with the participants (20 per event) more than willing to ante up the (minimum) $1,500.00USD price of admission (instruction and party favors only). That would mean the gaggle of picture makers I encountered a few days ago were dropping in the neighborhood of $2,500-3,000.00USD (not including travel) each to learn how to make pictures (or sharpen the same skills already under their belts) which look just like everyone else's pictures.
Not that I should be surprised. People with money (lots of money), more often than not, spend a lot of that money trying to be just like everybody else - driving the same style cars, living in the same style houses, wearing the same style cloths, owning the same style status goods, using the same cameras (Canikons were everywhere in the picture making gaggle), et al. Creativity is usually not their strong suit. They seem all too bound by convention, which, quite obviously, is good, aka: a gold mine, for purveyors such as Moose Peterson.
My only regret at discovering the aforementioned gaggle of picture makers is that I did not know, until after my Google Machine inquiries, the renowned (IMO, justifiably so) Photoshop guru, Scott Kelby, was part of the workshop teaching proceedings (he was most likely part of the picture making gaggle). Had I known, I most certainly would have tracked him down and bought him a drink (or whatever) if for no other reason than to thank him for sending a lot of visitors to The Landscapist with a mention on his site:
I ran across this blog this past week, and I just really found the photography interesting. It’s called “The Landscapist” but it’s not your typical landscape photography site, and I particularly liked their vision statement, which is, “Photography that aims at being true, not at being beautiful, because what is true most often is beautiful.” There’s just something about their stuff I really like...
Thanking him aside, I would have liked to ask him if, after 4 years since making his comment, he has figured out what that "something" about my stuff he "really likes" is.
gravitas et nugalis
Featured Comment: Scott Hussey wrote: "I dunno, Moose Peterson does not seem like too bad of a guy to me .... I am not ready to lump him in with the people I really have a problem with."
My response: lest I did not make myself clear, let me reiterate - I do not have a "problem" with Moose Peterson or Moose Peterson wannabes, As I have stated (repeatedly), to each his own. That said, I do admit to not liking, out of hand, pretty picture clichés no matter how well or sincerely made they are.
That said, I am friends with quite a few pretty picture makers - as long as they are nice guys or girls.
Reader Comments (3)
I love that quality of light captured in these pictures, and the atmosphere, and the nice (but not in-your-face) colors.
By the way you have 2 of the embiggens mixed up.
Moose Peterson photo subtitle:
"Photos captured by D3x, 14-24AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film".
I think that says it all.
I dunno, Moose Peterson does not seem like too bad of a guy to me. I have never met him in person, but my impression is that he likes the outdoors and nature, and seems pretty genuine.
I understand that people need to make money, but there are some people in the photo instruction business who use methods I really do not agree with (obsufucation using technical art terms, questioning the dedication of someone that does not want to pay for their services, etc.). I might not like all of Moose Pertersonn's work (I do like some of it), but I am not ready to lump him in with the people I really have a problem with.