Ruminator

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography Here is  # 1 . Technical aspects: Camera – Fuji XT-2 Aperture – F/2.8 Shutter Speed – 1/110 sec. Focal Length – 18mm ISO – 400 Film Simulation – Classic Chrome Location – White Cloud, IN ( https://goo.gl/maps/n36m8cNxcJxgdT8a6 ) Date – March 31, 2018 @ 6:36 am On this early spring morning, I was headed to meet a friend for a hike.  I crossed a bridge I had many times before but as I did I saw this majestic scene.  I tried my best to capture what I saw and felt, but I am not sure I did the scene justice. As I pulled off Highway 62 and onto the road headed into the park, I immediately stopped in the middle of the road to take a photo.  The photo had a mystique to it that I felt best displayed my mental state.  It is one of my favorite photos I have taken, and like life was a spur of the moment decision.  It consequently is my number one (at the moment). This picture is one of the Blue River.  In my opinion, it is not a river, but truly a creek, but that ...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography I wrote recently about something I have mentioned to other photographers I am helping learn about growing their skill.  What they expressed that is afflicting them is now impacting me. I said in a recent post that I was uninspired to take pictures.  That is not the whole truth.  As I have tried to mentor a few photographers (many who don’t listen) I have told them all there is ALWAYS something to shoot.  For me, I am struggling with that message now.  It is not because I don’t have the passion or desire, but more than my subject(s) of choice don’t lend themselves to easy access. I am a nature and a minor street photographer, but what is holding me back is the heat.  At the time of this writing, the temperature is 92 degrees with a heat index of 104+.  Anyone who knows me, knows I hate the heat.  I hate it because I suffered a heat-related episode in my 20’s and any heat stress on my body the musc...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography   https://timothybme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Thank-You-Edit.mp3 Here is  # 2 . Technical aspects: Camera – Fuji X100F Aperture – F/5.6 Shutter Speed – 1/800 sec. Focal Length – 23mm ISO – 320 Film Simulation – Acros+R Location – Burnsville, NC ( https://goo.gl/maps/T5CTUdfEJ2kVzbm1A ) Date – April 26, 2019 @ 12:09 pm As we reached my top 2 at the time of this writing I can easily waver back and forth between the shot above and my soon to be revealed number one.  For now, this ranks as my number two, not for the shot itself, but the shot, memory, and experience when I took it. Mount Mitchell is the highest peak east of the Mississippi summiting at 6684 feet.  Mark and I planned to visit this on our five day trip from Indiana through this area of North Carolina before returning home again, but not in this condition.  As we left the Blue Ridge Parkway and headed up the road it was not long before we had to pull off at an overlook.  We sat in th...

Photo By: Emerson Miller / Paramount Network https://timothybme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/13-Sunrise.mp3 A few posts back I recommended a mini-series on HBO called Chernobyl and how I was drawn to it because of my desire to go shoot photos there.  It is unrealistic and I know I will never go there.  However, there is another show I want to discuss, with a setting that leads me to a desire to go shoot there.  I know this location is not so lofty and much more attainable. Yellowstone is a show that premiered in June of 2018 and follows the fictional character named John Dutton (Kevin Costner) as he tries to keep control of his huge ranch (250,000 acres) sandwiched between Yellowstone Park and a Native American preserve.   For those of you who are around my age, you may remember the show Dallas.  This has a feel of Dallas and a more recent show Longmire (don’t let anyone convince you Longmire is boring).  It takes 3-4 episodes before it gets good. So why do I like the show?  First, ...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography   https://timothybme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/11-N°084.mp3   Here is  # 3 . Technical aspects: Camera – Fuji X100F Aperture – F/5.6 Shutter Speed – 1/3800 sec. Focal Length – 23mm ISO – 320 Film Simulation – Acros+R Location – Canton, NC ( https://www.google.com/maps/place/35%C2%B023’13.5%22N+82%C2%B046’31.8%22W/@35.3870951,-82.7775516,860m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d35.3870913!4d-82.7754866 ) – This is as accurate as I can remember, may not be 100% accurate. Date – April 26, 2019 @ 9:45am On the third day of our trip, we have headed up the Blue Ridge Parkway when we happened by chance upon this shot.  With the trees, background, and figures within it this made for a quick, yet memorable shot.  Thus landing in my top three. As we headed up the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mark saw two young girls lining up to take a picture of what appeared to be their grandparents hugging.  He whipped into the turnoff, I gra...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography Here is  # 4 . Technical aspects: Camera – Fuji X100F Aperture – F/5.6 Shutter Speed – 1/80 sec. Focal Length – 23mm ISO – 200 Film Simulation – Acros + R Location – Hot Springs, TN ( https://goo.gl/maps/srJhV3iD9UuEiVUy7 ) Date – April 25, 2019 @ 6:23am Anyone who knows me or follows my work knows my love of nature especially trees.  I most enjoy trees in their barren, leafless form.  Today’s listing is one such tree, but it is the memory and adventure to get to it that landed it in my top four. Mark and I left the highway then turned on a two-lane road.  Within moments we made a turn on a side road called  Max Patch Road .  Maybe 100 yards down this side road the pavement turned to gravel.  The gravel had potholes.  The Jeep’s suspension was tested.  The road was a slow ascent in the pitch black.  The headlights illuminated our path ahead, but to both, the left and right was a blanket of pure darkness provided by the trees.  Almost every horror ...

I finally was able to get one of my favorite (if not my favorite) professional photographer to answer a few questions as part of my interview series.  I am honored he took the time to answer a few questions for me. I discovered Kevin’s work via research on YouTube and happening upon his channel.  He is a professional wedding photographer (and some street) but emphasizes documentary photography.  Most weddings especially here in the United States are portrait driven or posed, Kevin’s is not.  He captures candid moments from various views and none are staged or posed.  He also shoots predominantly monochrome which is my favorite. Kevin is a Fujifilm ambassador, which means he gets to try out various Fuji cameras, provides feedback to Fuji and helps to promote the brand.  Unlike other camera companies (to my knowledge) he is free to like or dislike cameras, lenses or even functions of those cameras without repercussion.   Also unlike other companies, though he gets to try vario...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography https://timothybme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/08-Your-Hand-In-Mine-Goodbye.mp3   April 25 th , 2019 @ 3:08pm.  This is the date and time upon which I found the rock I plan to give to my son someday.  Right now to him, it would be just a rock, later, as he matures, I hope he will return this symbol to its original place and enjoy the journey as I did that day to this wonderful destination. The specific location is located at Black Balsam Knob off the Art Loeb Trail.  More specifically the rock was found here; https://goo.gl/maps/TdskvwuTb6iEpVg28 .  I picked up a rock at the location seen at 1:54 on this  video (and at the spot in the picture above).  More on that decision as to why in a bit. Thinking back on this trip I have narrowed my favorite locations between Black Balsam Knob and the location of my Top Ten picture #6. Ironically I have a rock from both locations.  One was given to my wife (from West Prong Little Pigeon River), and anothe...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography Here is # 5 . Technical aspects: Camera – Fuji XT2 Aperture – F/8 Shutter Speed – 1/60 sec. Focal Length – 18mm ISO – 400 Film Simulation – Classic Chrome Location – Mount Saint Francis, IN ( https://goo.gl/maps/7sWjx6Stu1AcFREx5 ) Date – April 8, 2018 @ 8:15am On a cool Sunday morning, I made my way to my favorite local hiking spot, Mt. St. Francis.  I didn’t know it yet, but I would soon be taking one of my favorite shots and in this case number 5. The sun was breaking through the trees casting long shadows over the sidewalk and the lake I was quickly approaching.  I moved from the concrete path onto the frosted grass leaving a set of single, uniform footprints behind to show where I had been.  I made my way toward the first path noticing for the first time in quite a while that there was no mud for my boots to sink into.  As the gentle thud of my boots echoed on the wooden bridge, I felt my body slowly begin to relax.  I moved across the bridge...