wilson hurst

latent image intensification

B ack in January this location appeared considerably different, as can be reviewed in an earlier latentsifier post. I have now photographed Konza in the winter and spring, and have assigned myself the task of recording all four of the major seasons in this unique biosphere. Here are examples of the limestone rocks that are abundant in these hills and are accountable for the shape of the land and its resistance to agricultural. The Flint Hills region presents an appealing juxtaposition of gentle ruggedness.

“No one knows what causes an outer landscape to become an inner one.” - Margaret Atwood

Posted by latentsifier at 07:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Archives

A fter an afternoon of hiking over most of the well maintained trails in the 3487-hectare Konza Prairie Research Natural Area, we settled in on top of a strategically selected hill to experience the sunset. As both the sun and the temperature dropped, we consumed some of the beef jerky Tom had thoughtfully brought along, and wondered how things were going at the “Vista Burger” restaurant where the other two members of our photographic expedition had earlier retreated. I set my tripod up and pointed the camera directly at the sun, using an 85mm f1.4 Carl Zeiss lens to render a fireball on the horizon line.

“Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer the goal.” - Elbert Hubbard

Posted by latentsifier at 08:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) | Archives

N eed air in those 18 wheels? Sapp Bros Truck Stops has the usual air, gas, and rations - but also offers human conveniences such as laundry rooms, mailbox rentals, private showers, and TV lounges. Also on-site is a large elevated coffee tank constructed for the purpose of holding a supply of java at a height sufficient to pressurize a caffeine supply system, good to the last drop.

“The function of the artist is to provide what life does not.” Tom Robbins

Posted by latentsifier at 08:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Archives

W hile planning my trip to Council Bluffs, I read about water towers along the way that are shaped like giant coffee pots intended as roadside attractions. Most famously, Sapp Brother's operates a chain of about 15 truck stops along interstate highways featuring distinctive red and white coffee pot water towers as iconic identifiers. It turns out that one of these curiosities was located within a mile of my hotel, so I was able to photograph it on several occasions under various weather conditions. This image was captured very early in the morning as the sun broke the horizon and truckers had begun to stir.

“I do that art I do because I want to see it.” - Robert Rauschenberg

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O ld and new buildings happily coexist in Denver's post-modern metropolis. Tangible evidence of the flow of time, architectural styles and methods provide information on periodic events. They seem to support the notion of Newtonian time as part of the fundamental structure of the universe, a real dimension in which events occur in sequence. Of course since time itself is not an event or an object it cannot be directly measured. And although conceptually a linear abstraction, from a perceptual viewpoint time is decidedly logarithmic.

“Time is the fire in which we burn.” - Delmore Schwartz

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O n a dreary overcast day I journeyed with Jerry Schmidt to Kansas City with his editorial class for a photo session. On the way I made some drive-by-shootings of things which caught my eye, like this hut in the middle of a field. I was attracted by the intensity of the blue color, and the wonderment of a need for electrical power to such an isolated structure. Of course when photographing from a fast moving vehicle, imperfections are unavoidable in the capture necessitating a considerable amount of image post-processing. But that is part of the enjoyment.

“Between 150,000-170,000 Quonset huts were manufactured during WWII. After the war, the U.S. military sold the surplus Quonset huts to the public for $1,000 each. Many are still standing throughout the United States.” - Wikipedia

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F lowers have been photographed ad nauseam. But they are such a welcome sight in spring after the long winter that I always enjoy looking and making images of what emerges in my yard. Their very popularity as a subject matter provides the worthy challenge to produce something personal and unique. It also is useful to compare flower images made each succeeding year to evaluate creative progress and artistic development. Tool implementation, processing methodology, and visual predilection are constantly evolving and are an important part of the journey. The sequence of images in the stream of time is evidence of this progression.

“To be on a quest is nothing more or less than to become an asker of questions.” - Sam Keen

Posted by latentsifier at 08:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Archives