We Got A Little Holiday Snow

The Holiday Season is upon us. We have received a little Christmas present in the form of snow. Not a blizzard mind you, just a taste. Less than an inch in the first little squall, and then an inch or so yesterday morning. Everything looks so clean (even my dirty truck) and everything becomes so still during and immediately after a little snow. The temps. have even stayed cool enough to keep it around. I went on a little walk-about and captured some of the island early snow vibe and posted a short on my YouTube channel.

Beautiful Out on the Point

Yesterday charged up the DJI Spark and headed out on a walk. As I got to the bottom of Whitehead Street I noticed some quite spectacular surf out at the point. I got all the way down on to the beach where I was going to fly and discovered I hadn't brought the old android phone that I use as a monitor on the remote control. So I sat down to think if I wanted to walk all the way back to the cottage or not and get it. The more I sat and the more I looked at the waves, the more I felt I would be missing a great opportunity/tide to get some nice photos if I didn't go back. So back I went. 

Once returned, I went beyond the beach and out onto the point itself. I did end up getting A few good snaps, but the video was kind of a bust. I wanted to film the surf, up close and personal but always found I had maneuvered the drone to the wrong place, at the wrong time, pointed in the wrong direction. All in all I am always surprised at the quality of the images that this dated little piece of tech can obtain. Especially when it had to struggle against some pretty stiff headwinds to keep still enough to take them.

Bringing This current

Haven't done a whole lot in the studio since my last post nearly 6 months ago. I have kind of been trying to figure out where I want to go with both the photography and painting. It has been a little bit of a creative struggle, so I have turned back to my artistic roots and been doing quite a bit of sketching. I have also been taking a number of on line courses through Skillshare on a host of topics from video editing to Urban Sketching. Trying to up my drawing game.

Also spent a considerable amount of time building a camping platform for my pickup truck with an eye to an extended camping trip in the spring of 2022. So, to test out the build I went on a short camping trip in the early fall and had a wonderful time taking photos and sketching. A few of the sketches follow.

 

Island Times 016

Episode 16 was  posted on Saturday. This week I have continued with more of a montage themed video, depicting the beauty and solitude I have found living on the island. By way of studio news I finished the painting "Early Spring Surf," 11x14inches acrylic on canvas panel. In last weeks video there was some video and time lapse of me starting this painting. After all the summer like weather we had earlier this month, mother nature has made it feel more like  March than the start of summer this memorial day weekend. Hope you are enjoying your weekend where ever you are.

"Early Spring Surf," 11x14inches

Island Times 015

 Posted episode 15 of Island Times on Saturday. This week worked on a little bit of a format change, turning the channel into more of a video magazine or collage of sights, scenes and sounds of life on an island off the coast of Maine. I hope to showcase more of the photography, art, and video that I am into. Still trying for 10 minutes per week. No particular story line, so I like the randomness of it all. Enjoy.

 

Island Times 014

A little late with notice here but the latest Island Times was posted on this past Saturday. This past week I focused on flying my drone from different places along the shore of the island. I tried to concentrate on being more comfortable in controlling the drone so I could try getting some different types of shots. Was able to hover and move along the tops of waves, and took advantage of looking straight down for effect. 

Still struggling with absolutely no desire to splash paint on canvas. With the beautiful weather we have been having, I have been more interested in sitting at the beach, reading and watching increased activity as a result of the lifting of covid restrictions. Boats have returned to the bay as the lobster pots go back in the water. 

Island Times 013

I've posted this weeks Island times. Kind of an interesting week. I rushed early one morning to get the drone in the air so that I could get some video of a quite spectacular sunrise. I am not sure that its true beauty is caught in the video. I have to learn more about operating the spark's camera in manual mode to be able to get better footage. It is not a very good low light camera. I then used the drone later in the week to try out one of the auto camera effects called "tracking". worked pretty good, but those clips will be in next weeks video.

Did some light gardening, actually had to mow the lawn for the first time, and got to visit a grandson for his 2nd birthday party sans mask (now that I am fully vaxed)! 

A gorgeous day yesterday but we are now back in the low 50's with overcast skies for a few days.