gloria_hopkins

Once you start worrying about words like "existential" in photography ... you know you're in trouble......

Why must people place such demands on such a simple craft? If you want to be an artist, DO NOT WORRY about what others think for once you do, you're SUNK.

Photography is about the heart, not the mind......

These arguments are silly.

I tried SIX times to post here. Apparently I have too many question marks and

one too many exclamation marks in my post to make the cut. I tried to fix and

repost many times but a girl just has to give up after awhile .....

I wrote a sentimental little piece on my "Patchwork Tripod" and if you want to

see it, please go here:

http://gusthegreybird.wordpress.com/

It's nice ... and I'm sorry about the link. If this doesn't work, I flat-out

give up....

Gloria

I am astounded at the suggestions to shoot to kill a feral dog.

Have I visited a new photo.net?

Where people enjoy and photograph natural things?

Except maybe, those natural things which have teeth?

What the HELL happened to photo.net????

It is thought among some artists that symmetrical images make for somewhat boring compositions. For example, a butterfly photograph would exhibit bilateral symmetry and while the mirror image may be interesting and the lines, colors and patterns may be well gorgeous, it might not the most exciting or challenging composition. I don't happen to agree with this POV. I think mirror images (and images with radial symmetry such as a sunflower) can make very striking photographs if done well.

Hope this helps

Hey folks: I hope everyone is having a fine weekend.

I am wondering if any of you good folks have photo itineraries, diaries or

journals of the journey from the continental US to Alaska via the AlCan

Highway on a motorized (car/truck) road trip?

I am interested in image-making stories as well as day-to-day travel issues

and any practical travel advice you can provide.

Also ... I am interested in studying Alaskan artists. Should you know of

someone who's work implores you to make mention of him/her, please do let me

know? THANKS!

Many kind thanks and returns ... gloria@gloriahopkins.com

Gloria

Hey all, thought I would let you know that Wakodahatchee Wetlands in

Delray Beach, FL is HOPPING with birds right now.

I see inquiries every now and again and thought I would post an

update. I havent been back there since 2002 and was very excited to

see it thriving. Nests everywhere, babies everywhere and there are

black neck stilts breeding and some cool little shorebirds I

couldn't ID. May is the month for least bitterns but I didn't see

too many of them.

Don't know about Green Cay - didn't visit. Have a great week!

Gloria Hopkins

www.gloriahopkins.com

Many kind thanks Mike. You're a true friend.

My photo.net experience wouldn't be complete without a little harassment from Frank. I have accepted it. It's kind of like having my own personal internet stalker, lol!

Pick someone else Frank - I've grown bored with internet sparring and I certainly don't have time for the likes of you.

I find myself wondering what happened in your life to make you such a miserable person. How tragic.

Many thanks Guy and Kent. I will definitely look them up. And, I know Cindy! She's awesome.

Sorry to all if I am politically incorrect! My folks still call themselves native Americans. When talking to other native Americans or someone who knows American Indian history they will get specific and name tribes, but in general, they just say "we're native American."

That's wrong today? I really don't want to get into a whole other discussion, but I don't want to insult anyone either!

Is your use of "native american" the currently politically correct term for American Indian, such as in Choktaw, Hopi, Navajo, Creek, Sioux, ... ?

Yep, that's what I mean. And yea, I agree it's a pretty unclear thing these days. As to all the other stuff you mentioned, I really have no idea what you are talking about.

Good luck Frank!

Hi folks - some of you may remember that I did an article for

photo.net about female wildlife photographers a few years ago and it

was pretty well received.

http://www.photo.net/learn/nature/ghopkins/women/index

I'm toying with an idea about doing something similar with native

American photographers, but I only know of one other than myself.

If you have some native blood, or know of a nature photographer with

native blood, please write me at gloria@gloriahopkins.com ? I'd love

to talk with you.

Thank you, and have a wonderful week!

Gloria

PS: I have a visitor coming for a week and won't be spending a lot

of time online for awhile, please email me rather than leave

responses here. gloria@gloriahopkins.com

PPS: for anyone following my composition series - after much delay,

article four is coming out soon - edited by none other than the

fabulous Mr. Spinak :-)

Your concern is touching. Thanks for that. I'm concerned too, very much so, but trying to be encouraging.

He's pretty experienced. He has only four "fourteeners" in Colorado left to climb - I think he's been doing this about seven years. He climbs with a very elite group of climbers there in Colorado (one is going to K2 - one did Everest), so I'm sure he's learned a lot from their practices, and he is very tough physically.

Seriously considering it is a good term because there are serious things to consider. He has to find the right guide(s), and really, from what I've heard, you have to take the time to learn to climb that particular mountain. I've heard it can be pretty dangerous if you don't know it. There's, like you said, the mental element, time of year, and a dozen other things to consider.

I appreciate your help, and your concern.

Have a great day!

Gloria

I think once you pigeon-hole yourself into a set of desires and non-deires, *you* become boring.

How dreadfully aweful it must be to be ai predictable. Ugh.

The uninspired is so dreadfully uninspiring. May as well go and dig a hole for yourselves .....

There is another scam going on with a woman who lives in the UK.

She preys on artists, photographic and painters, and someone needs to put a stop to her.

She says she lives in the UK and is buying a home in Australia. She says she wants to buy about 10 of my paintings (first red flag) and offers to deposit the money into my account ASAP (second red flag).

The third red flag is that she knows nothing about me or my work. What FOOL would buy original art without first knowing at least a little about the artist, not to mention the work!

It's a klumsy scam but that only pisses me off more. At least give me credit for having a brain and the spunk to nail you when I figure you out ...

Watch out for this chick. Lives in the UK, moving to Australia, wants to furnish home with "art" and wants to give you money right away. Little idiot ...

Ah, you know Mt. Rainier! Awesome. I did that painting for my boyfriend�s birthday. He�s seriously considering climbing it and I am trying to encourage him in whatever small ways that I can. I told him to put the painting in a place where he can see it every day :-)

I didn�t know that you were aware of my relocation to the west. I apologize if I have forgotten some past dialogue! Good Lord � that�s baaaad ... and I�m sorry.

Gas prices are prohibitive and the �roadtrip� is a luxury, hence, I must pick a spot to live and just go. No wandering around for me-at least until they make hybrid RVs! Yea!

Thanks for the extra tips on coding. I�ve read them but I�m going to have to wait until the morning to put them to practice. Too much Sunday brunch � and all that goes with it :-)

Thanks again! You�re awesome,

Xoxoxoxo

Gloria

Hi again Scott: Here is a page with a Photoshop keyworded image on a blank, non keyworded page that I created this morning. I don't see the keywords I entered in photoshop. But, if you download the photo, click on 'file info' you should see everything I entered.

http://www.gloriahopkins.com/html/photoshop_test_page.html

I was reading PS help and I think this "file info" information, including keywords, exists so their internal browser can find, arrange, and categorize photos within Photoshop. I'm not sure it has anything to do with web search engines. I am digging deeper.

Glad you like my work, thanks :)

Gloria

Thanks, Scott. In my web design software, I am able to assign keywords to individual photos. For example, I select the photo, right-click to bring up the properties dialogue box, and enter keywords in the appropriate space.

Alternatively, in photoshop, under 'file' 'file info' you can assign to the file keywords, copyright info and all kinds of other goodies. I was just wondering which is the most effective way to do the keywording - what will search engines look for and see first. Thanks for all the tips on other ways to do it. They are very helpful as well.

And thanks to you Ellis - most helpful, as always! That looks like a fantastic book.

Wow, thanks a lot! And thanks for replying so fast! I'm here in the middle of a big update and that's going to change some things.

Man, this is great - thanks again!!

Gloria

Hi everyone, I'm sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I've searched

the web and can't find answers.

I'm in the process of keywording my website and I just found out

that I can keyword individual photographs as well as the page

itself. But I'm uncertain about something.

I have the option of keywording photos in Photoshop, or adding

keyywords in HTML to the image after it has been imported into my

web design program (NetObjects Fusion MX). Since all photos have

been imported already, the latter option would be ideal for me (less

work).

I don't know which method is more effective, or if there is any

difference. Or should I do both to be the most effective?

If you can point me to a good site which could answer this question

for me, I would appreciate it! I've looked all over the web for this

specific issue but have found no comparisons.

Thanks and have a wonderful weekend!

Gloria

www.gloriahopkins.com

Kathy: The cigarette butt thing is my biggest pet peeve of all time. I once got out of my car, picked up the butt and gave it back to the person. I really, really hate that.

If I may wander off topic a little, relevant to tossing trash out the window, I'd like to mention something else. Some think it's OK to throw things like empty sunflower seeds or peanuts out the window. They're natural, biodegradable, came from the ground, etc.

What they don't know is that small animals are attracted to this roadside natural trash, thinking its food. They get hit by cars. Raptors are attracted to the small animals and they are also hit by cars. Something as unlikely as a spent sunflower seed, can kill.

Yes they like thick, bushy areas. I think it's because they can dash into the dense foliage if necessary (cats/dogs/raptors). If you can, try putting out a shallow dish and keep cool, clean water in it and watch them bathe! We have a pair that has been vising our yard for years and they always bring their babies to our water dishes.

If you get a female who incessantly flies into shiny objects, she's probably trying to threaten what she feels is an intruder and there is a good chance there is a nest closeby (I've seen males do it, too). I have always thought this behaviour could be stressful for the bird, not to mention a big expenditure of its energy, so I eliminate or cover highly reflective objects from my yard during this time.

Have fun!

It's probably the "I'm Special" complex. One person takes a stone, thinking they're the only one taking a stone, and what harm can just one missing stone do?

Stupidity and maliciousness play no part, I'm sure. It is probably just a healthy sense of wonder and awe, blissful ignorance and the inability to recognize that one's actions in a natural environment, however small, can have tremendous impact.

He folks: Long time no see - hope that everyone is happy, healthy and

thriving.

Is there anyone in the Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale area who has a 400

f/5.6 that I could borrow for a couple of days in mid Feb? I want to

photograph the skiiers on Ajax but sold my lens a couple of years ago.

I'll be there Feb 7-15 and would GREATLY appreciate any loaners!!

Please contact me at gloria@gloriahopkins.com or Aspen resident and

fellow photo.netter Dan Bayer at dphotobayer@yahoo.com

THANK YOU! Could be likely that I will forget to check back here, and

my "please notify me of responses" button apparently doesn't work so

please email me!

Gloria<div></div>