Patterns in Nature / Seeing is Believing / Sometimes…Less is More
Circumstances beyond my control have kept me from creating new work for a while, so I have been reaching into my archives, which are very deep. This post is about seeing patterns in
Flamingo Feathers, 2013
nature. When I would look at a scene to photograph, I crop it in my mind to create the maximum impact. The flamingo’s feathers were all that were required here to showcase an example of the beauty of natural patterns. In the image below the patterns of this spider web became more
Beaded Web, Weston, FL 2011
pronounced by the beaded drops of water after a light rain. Again, although the web spanned between two fence posts in my backyard, omitting them from the composition made the image.
The lesson…sometimes less is more.
Duncan Miller Gallery, Los Angeles recognizes Barry Steven Greff’s image: Rush Hour, Grand Central Station in their Your Daily Photograph
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Rush Hour, Grand Central Station, NYC 2009
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BSG’s “Niagara” Recognized in Photo +, PDN’s 2016 EXPOSURE Awards
This week I am honored to have my image “Niagara” chosen as the winner in the “Natural Forces” category in Photo+, Photo District News’ (PDN’s) sixth annual EXPOSURE Photograhy Awards. Billed as a “global celebration of photography,” it truly was as winners of other categories hailed from: INDIA, LONDON, BANGLADESH, SAMOA, SOUTH KOREA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, BRAZIL,
Niagara, 2006
JAPAN, ITALY, BAVARIA, HUNGARY, NORWAY, FRANCE, PUERTO RICO, RUSSIA and PORTUGAL.
To see the other honored images visit: EXPOSURE Awards
As always, I greatly appreciate the recognition.
After the Storm / Surf’s Up / Time to Shoot
As indicated in the last post, as a long time resident of South Florida, if you pay attention to the local media broadcasts, you can maintain a pretty good idea as to what, if any, effects a storm will have on your area.
Goodnight Irene, Deerfield Beach, FL 2011
As often happens, it is not until late in the game that the storm takes a wobble one way or another. Matthew went 30 miles west just before passing South Florida, resulting in 100 miles between the eye and us. That turned out to be good news for our area, only downing some branches, and the occasional tree uprooted by a strong gust.
Sunrise after Sandy, Stuart, FL 2012
Notwithstanding, in the past I have gone to the beach to shoot after the danger has subsided and created some classic images. The sky is eerily beautiful and the waves are always strong (hopefully not too strong because the storm surge is often as damaging as the wind).
Not feeling up to it this time, here are a few from some former storms. Until the next one.
Thunder Road / Diary of a Storm / Approaching Destruction
For those of you that do not live in South Florida, or on the southeast coast, you are most likely unaware of our “hurricane protocol.” As Hurricane Matthew approaches within the next 24 hours, I thought I would reflect on what we have become accustomed to with these storms.
Thunder Road, Weston, FL 2013
Unlike other major weather events around the country we have the advantage of “notice.” We know a hurricane is approaching within a few days. The actual path, intensity and final landfall are still speculation to the weather experts until almost the last-minute. Even though the news stations broadcast 24 hours a day about the storm, showing its “projected” track, it is not until just before it reaches us that we know who it will hit and how hard. A slight “wobble” east or west can make all the difference in the world but when the male weather forecasters remove their sports jackets and roll up their sleeves, you know we are in for a rough ride.
The Wind of Wilma, Weston, FL 2005
In Andrew I took a hit, while my friend’s homes a bit further south were obliterated. The aftermath looked like a bomb had detonated, even the street signs were gone and it was almost impossible to navigate. As time goes on, your luck runs out and for Wilma, I was ground zero. To see your pool screen being ripped and mangled out of the ground and your large trees being uprooted is a surreal experience. The wind sounds like a fright train, the exterior walls move in and out and your front door rattles as if it will burst open (if it does, you’re toast). Finally, when the heavy, attached cement barrel tiles start to rip off your roof, you know you are close to disaster. That’s when we grabbed a mattress and hunkered down underneath it as far away from any windows as possible. Luckily, Wilma stopped just short of total disaster, but still took several years to come back from.
Going, Going…Gone, Wilma, Weston FL 2005
Thankfully, we have lived through the storms we have faced so far and hopefully will do so with Matthew, which is bearing down on us right now. The anticpation of its arrival motivated me to get this post out while I still had power…and a roof.
The Power of Mother Nature, Wilma, Weston, FL 2005
Here’s hoping that we just experience some really bad weather without the potential destruction it can bring… until the next one.
Save the Tiger…and Many other Animals that Desperately Need Saving
I recently came across the story of an animal rights organization (Four Paws International) http://www.four-paws.us/ whose relentless efforts resulted in the closing of the “worst zoo in the world,” saving the last 15 of its 44 surviving inhabitants and rescuing them from their tiny cages
Amur Tiger, 2010
in the war-torn Gaza Strip for re-location to far better places to live out the remainder of their lives http://theatln.tc/2cigT6F
It has also been the long-time goal of the well-known (WWF) World Wildlife Fund http://bit.ly/2creLHa to protect these magnificent creatures. In a common sense pairing that utilizes the influence and (social media) power of celebrities, many organizations bring attention to the overall, and often specific cause(s) of protecting many rare or endangered species. For example, http://www.savetigersnow.org/ combines the power of the WWF and the celebrity of actor and environmentalist Leonardo Dicaprio @LeoDiCaprio. A list of many other celebrity fueled efforts can be found at http://bit.ly/1iucgGh and a few more animal rescue links can be found on this blog.
Of all of the animals I have seen and photographed over the years, I have been most drawn to the Tiger which has always struck me as being particularly regal and spectacularly beautiful. As with many things, it wasn’t until later in life, after I had lost my Dad to the test of time, that I realized his nickname for me growing up had always been…”Tiger.”
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Recognizes BSG’s FLAMINGO PREENING
National Geographic Recognizes BSG’s FLAMINGO PREENING….[VOTE CLOSED]: Final Tally in their Daily Dozen Editor’s favorite images for September 12, 2016.. Thanks for your support.
FLAMINGO PREENING
Addendum: Final Tally: 10 behind second place image from Saudi Arabia and 24 more votes took top billing from Singapore. Considering the images and votes were from all around the world and chosen by National Geographic, I am honored to have been a part of the competition.
