With advancing age I have a greater appreciation of the sunrises. Sometimes in this hurried pace of life I must make time to face the morning sun. Stand and bask… if only for a brief period of time to reflect, to clear the mind. Take in a few deep breaths… and the fall colors look more vibrant …a waterfall’s splash sounds more inviting. The smell of the woods… All give moments to reflect on in a busy, fast-paced world. One continues the day with a slightly different attitude!

This will be the year I make a renewed effort to continue to face the morning sun… reflect… take a few deep breaths.

Autumn Colors and Blowing Snow

Fall has been a quick one. As always art fairs, gallery showings, and the business end of photography has kept Karen and me running.

Yet I have been fortunate to find good light and the right conditions on several photo excursions. I look for pockets of color along lake or stream edges, up hollers, along road sides and ridge tops. I look under the forest canopy for isolated bursts of color. Transition zones between forest and fields. Burnt out areas… Later in the season brilliant colors give way to the various shades of tan, brown, and chocolate. Beech leaves hang on all winter.

My favorite time to photograph is early mornings while everything is wet with dew or frost or even rain.  The light is softer and more dynamic.  One can photograph as long as the fog remains or all day on rainy, overcast days.

Anyway, the last Friday of October a storm system came through bearing strong winds and a wet heavy snow.  Not one to miss an opportunity I grabbed my camera equipment and headed down to the lake (Paintsville Lake) near our Gallery.  Remember the pockets of color mentioned earlier?  This made a backdrop for the blowing snow.  A tripod was a must.

Slow down the timing. Keep the lens clean of snow and have fun. Waves of snow were blowing through. I had the world to myself and came away with a few nice images and some good memories.

Black and White

A recent trip to China opened my eyes to another way of “seeing.” Ancient Chinese artists captured a world in black and white punctuated with subtle earth tones of mountainous landscapes peering through the clouds, torrential waterfalls, or quaint village scenes. The art was a delicate balance of nature and mankind in harmony.

Can I create a similar feeling through the lens with my own personal twist? I am currently working on a series of black and white photos allowing myself full reign to experiment, dodge, burn, play with textures, light and shade – no restrictions! Let’s see what happens. Stay tuned.

Biography

Dean is a photographer who captures the natural beauty of Appalachia. He grew up working and exploring the ridges and hollows of Eastern Kentucky. Life on a tobacco farm gave Dean a down-to-earth understanding of the workings of nature, which later influenced his photography.

Many years were also spent exploring and working in other parts of the world from Thailand, India, and throughout the Himalayan regions of Nepal, to name a few. The diversity of landscapes and cultures of Southeast Asia and the Western United States made a major impact on the way Dean looked at his homeland. These experiences opened his eyes to a new and different say of “seeing” through the camera.

Dean also uses extensive fieldwork and his life experiences to create a personal composition. “My goal is to evoke a mood… a feeling. Take what may seem ordinary or every day in nature and focus on the ever-changing light and its interactions with color and texture. My favorite time to photograph is during dynamic weather such as when waves of snow are engulfing the landscape or the silent flow of mist across a lake…”

Dean’s photography has been exhibited in Louisville, Lexington, Cincinnati, and Chicago. Dean’s work can also been seen locally at various art fairs and in his two books, “Spirit of Appalachian Kentucky” and “Appalachia – Spirit of the Seasons.” He is a member of the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen and the Lexington Art League.

Dean presently lives with his wife, Karen, in a home/gallery they built on a hillside in Eastern Kentucky. Fine art photography is their full-time profession.