Random Acts of Photography

Urban Farm and Harvest Festival

Sunday dawned a beautiful, early autumn day here in Albuquerque so I decided to visit the 4th Annual Urban Farm and Harvest Festival at the Albuquerque Open Space Visitors Center. I spent a couple of hours walking around and looking at all of the displays that numerous vendors had set up.
One of my favorites was the display at the Los Poblanos Organics booth. They had several different kinds of organic vegetables on display and for sale. These tomatoes caught my eye as did the basket of green chilies.

Filed under: farm festival harvest photography urban

Posted by Jim Hunter

Musings and Morning Coffee

I’ve never been what would be considered a documentary photographer. However, a few months ago, a possible, long-term documentary project was unexpectedly dropped into my lap. I say “possible” long-term project because at this point I am not at all sure how to proceed and it’s also entirely possible that circumstances could end up going in an entirely different direction. In that case, it could end up not really being a project at all or at least end up as something completely different and probably not all that interesting.

Without really knowing it at the time, I now realize that I’ve already spent over eight years documenting this particular subject and the finale most certainly will not be played out for quite a few more years which surely leaves the ending up in the air and subject to change. The project could also just completely fizzle due to circumstances entirely out of my control.

All of the preceding has just been a preamble as to why I’m so unsure as to how to move forward with the project or the best way to approach the overall subject matter photographically. The only thing I am sure about at this point is that I must continue to make photographs of the subject as best I can and just see where it ends up. Otherwise there would simply be no point the whole exercise.

I do intend to go forward with this project and trust that it eventually concludes with the outcome that I believe it is currently headed towards. At this point, I’ve yet to see or hear of any documentary projects or even short photo essays that deals with this subject, especially over such a long period of time.

If all of this has seemed a bit cryptic it is not that I have been trying to protect any ideas or any past or future intellectual property that may be produced during the course of the project. I simply wish to protect the persons involved until the project is finished and I have their full consent and permission to publish.

If anyone with experience in long-term documentary projects happens to read this, I would love to hear your thoughts on how to proceed with a project when the final outcome cannot be known.

Note: The photograph above has absolutely nothing to do with anything in this post. I simply felt compelled to include an image.

Filed under: documentary photography

Posted by Jim Hunter

My Favorite Photographs of 2010 and a Sad Goodbye to Kodachrome

Here on the next to the last day of 2010, I decided to take a look at all of the photographs I made over the course of the past year.

The first two are of my best friend and favorite model Heather. I chose these two from the several hundred photographs I made of her this year because I believe they best depict both her beauty and personality.

Next in line is one of my treasures. I made this image as part of my aborted attempt at a 365 project. I have photographed this tea set many times over the years but, this is by far my favorite.

And last but not least, this photograph of the Cleveland Clinic Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Nevada designed by Frank Gehry. It is just such an amazing piece of architecture.

Here at the end of 2010 I also have to say goodbye to an old friend, Kodachrome. Kodachrome was my favorite film right up until the time that I made the switch to digital. I have literally shot thousand of rolls of Kodachrome over the years. Unfortunately, I still have a number of rolls sitting in my freezer that were shot but remain unprocessed. I also have a number of rolls in the freezer that had yet to be used.

I guess I'll hang on to them if for no other reason than pure sentimentality and nostalgia.

Filed under: 2010 Kodachrome favorite photographs photos

Posted by Jim Hunter

Rio Grande River

The Rio Grande River and Sandia Mountains as viewed from near Coronado State Monument in Bernalillo, New Mexico north of Albuquerque.

Will Rogers once said, "The Rio Grande is the only river I ever saw that needed irrigation." That is probably just as true today as it was back in his time.

Scanned from original Kodachrome transparency.

Filed under: Albuquerque Bernalillo Coronado Monument New Mexico North America Rio Grande Sandia destination landscape mountain recreation river scenic southwest water

Posted by Jim Hunter

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, Cochiti, New Mexico.

These cone-shaped tent rock formations have been eroded from pumice, ash and tuff deposits left from volcanic eruptions that occurred 6 to 7 million years ago which left deposits over 1,000 feet thick.