Seeing Rainbows

Rainbow and Tumacacori Mission
Tumacacori, AZ

Late winter or early spring, I had the opportunity to swing by Tumacacori Mission. It had rained while I was there but truthfully I was looking for rainbows anyway. You know there's always some glimmer of optimism in us all.

Just so happened to glance at the mission and to my delight a rainbow appeared next to the mission. This image coincides with my message and theme darkness and light coexist. In my mind, however, light and hope prevail. We have to be patient but it pays to remain optimistic. Life is so much easier and happier when we do.

www.photographybyalhernandez.com

If You Could Read My Mind

Red Fire Truck: Abandoned Glory
Patagonia, AZ

As I was looking at this old abandoned fire truck, I thought about what it would say to me if it could talk. Today, while looking at the photo, similar thoughts crept into my head but this time in the form of Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind".

So looking at this image today, I wonder what kind of tales it would tell of volunteers putting out blazes in and around the town of Patagonia where ample ranches with endless grasslands abide. There must be some powerful stories enough for an a old time movie, I reckon. It all comes to me the romance of the San Rafael Valley just by looking at this blown out fire truck head lamp. What stories it could tell.

It sad to go through life always wondering and never experiencing I suppose. That's why its good to just venture out and go outside of your comfort zone. You won't have stories unless you do.

www.photographybyalhernandez.com

Journey's Eve

San Miguel Stroll
San Miguel de Allende, GTO, MX

They said Enoch walked with God. Like Enoch, my father also tried all his life to walk in the path of the righteous. He had his shortcomings but he has inspired many with his work and deep caring friendships. My Dad till this day is surrounded by friendships made over decades.

Dad has often joked with me and addressed his own mortality and fears. "No one leaves this earth alive." He says. How true this is. It's not morbid but rather a statement of fact. We all must die. We make room so others might live. The cycle of life continues long after we are gone.

It may very well be that my father will be like his grandfather and bounce back from illness, I don't know. What I do know is this. That whatever my father wants, he deserves. If he is tired, then I will not get in his way. We will see what is in store for him, but for now, I would like to see my Dad walking a few more days and enjoying the life he has until he's ready to meet his maker, preferably in his sleep.

www.photographybyalhernandez.com

Unexpected Treasures

Head Lamp & Green Fire Truck
Patagonia, AZ

Been thinking about where the treasures are and how to find them. Many times the treasures require searching and lie somewhere beyond the beaten path. Some times they are behind barriers like this chain link fence. Nevertheless there are life treasures to be found.

Some of the best treasures, I've found, are the unexpected random pleasures of meeting new people and establishing new friendships with strangers. Fellow sojourners on life's journey. To my surprise, I love people and care deeply for them. They enrich my life; its why I freely share both my art and words with them.

There are many who have more than me financially, but few have been blessed more. My treasure chest brims full with the friends and rich memories which I've accumulated. My manifest is full of treasures and my life is far from over. By the way I keep score, I should die a very wealthy man indeed.

www.photographybyalhernandez.com

Play Me a Memory

Truck On Gravel Road
San Rafael Valley
Near Patagonia, AZ

Feeling inspired again. The creative juices are flowing so I thought I would play you a memory; something from my travels in the San Rafael Valley near Patogonia, AZ, a place where you get lost between sky and endless grass. It's a good place, a happy place where my heart is content and worry free where melancholy makes way for joy.

This morning I want to share this place with you. I want to play you a different kind of tune one whose refrains are joyous. It's a road we need to choose but it's way off the the main thoroughfare. You have to choose to go there. It doesn't come easily. It's a conscious choice. You really need to drive down it and remember it at will.

Nothing gives me more pleasure than being the cantor like Billy Joel's "Piano Man". He's the go to fellow to perk you up with a melody. My instrument of choice is my camera. The memories played back are the same. Hope my images do the same for you.

It Came to Me

Prickly Pear Cactus at Sunset
Pima Canyon
Tucson, AZ

Many years ago, I met an artist in San Miguel de Allende, who spoke about her art in poetic almost metaphysical phrases. When I asked her about her process she would say, "it just came to me." Nearly each piece started and finished on some kind of external impulse, inspiration followed by a dissipation of the same. It could very well be the ebbs and flows of the creative process. I do not portend to know.

What I know is this for several long weeks, I've not had the inspiration to write or even process images. It's true, I've been tired and distracted by work but I've felt a very real piece of me gone hollow by my neglect and absence.  Writing and photographing is who I am. Whether or not I earn money doing it is irrelevant to my process and to my being.

We do find many distractions along the journey but we should stay true to our compass and course. The journey you are on is not about anyone else. You own it solely. It holds your destiny. Some were born to lead and some were born to follow. I choose to follow my own path and to find my way.

At the end of my life, I will conclude my journey. I want to make sure that all that has "come to me" is fulfilled by my creativity. To this extent the vast expanses of the unobstructed desert suite my needs well.

Change of Venue

Belly Dancer Before Show
Granbury, TX

It's been a while since I've had an opportunity to write. Been busy with regular job duties and in the interim two long weekend trips. Celebrated my father's 90th birthday in Florida and the following weekend did a whirlwind trip back home to Dallas to visit family, friends, and even did a quick shoot in Granbury, TX.

Belly Dancer Before Processing

This particular image is far from what I accustomed, landscapes. However I try to incorporate some of the same techniques. The original image had many distractions which took away from the natural pose my subject gave me. Given that I was not in a studio with strobe lights and props, I turned it into one digitally with post processing. The results were nonetheless appealing.

Few truly understand the vision required to fine tune an image to make it aesthetically and artistically appealing. It's ok, I understand but you really do get what you pay for. There's more to all of this than just pointing and shooting the camera. The digital world frees you up from one chore so that you can in fact spend your time being more not less creative.