Bhāvanā

I've been sitting on this photos since I took it over two months ago. I thought I'd keep it until I had something to really "say" about my life up to this point. Well, two months later and I just turned 50 years old and I still don't have anything to really "say." I've been an artist all my life but will never be known as one. After years of experimenting and working in a variety of mediums I eventually choose photography as my means of expressing myself. Unfortunately this coincides with a time when being a photographer is greatly devalued. This has resulted in my never having become rich or famous (which was never a goal to begin with). It has also caused moments of self doubt and feelings of worthlessness at times. Being an artist still has power over my identity. It's changed over the past ten years from being what medium I working in to how I live my life on a daily basis. It's no longer so much about the method of how I create something but about experiencing life as it unfolds and trying to really appreciate what is happening around me. Life seems to keep placing me in the exact right places at the exact right times. I don't take any of it for granted. I'm a very fortunate man indeed, even though I am not wealthy or popular. My barometer is my family, especially my daughter. I'm also constantly amazed at how my timing seems to just "work out." Take this photo for instance. I've come to this dock at night for many years just to think. I ended up here randomly after a night in self reflection, listening to the drums of the Tuchux as I sat nearby their encampment. I happened to have my camera and tripod and decided to take a self portrait. By the time I took this shot, holding still as I meditated, the moon had risen above me. I left feeling resolved to continue trying to be the best father & husband I could be. It's how I stand against the darkness in the world.

#morainestatepark #lakearthur #artist #artistsofinstagram #art #selfportrait #artistlife #artwork #nightscape #fs_longexpo #nightshooters #nightimages #longexposure #longexposures #longexposureshots #nightsky #nightphotography #longexposure_shots #buddhist #buddhism #learningthedharma #meditation #spiritual #spirituality #mindfulness #pennsic #pennsicwar #tuchux #worldprime #earth_shotz

Stavkirke

"A stave church is a medieval wooden Christian church building once common in north-western Europe. The name derives from the buildings' structure of post and lintel construction, a type of timber framing where the load-bearing ore-pine posts are called stafr in Old Norse (stav in modern Norwegian). Two related church building types also named for their structural elements, the post church and palisade church, are often also called 'stave churches'." ~ Wikipedia

#Stavkirke #midwestliving #wi #travelwi #discoverwisconsin #wisconsin #wisco #onwisconsin #wisconsinphotographer #travelwisconsin #explorewisconsin #midwestmoment #conquer_wi #nordic #norse #nordiclife #viking #vikings #doorcounty #washingtonisland #norwegian #stavchurch #kirke #medieval #christian #christians

Whirling Through Time

Whirling Through Time. Life's been somewhat chaotic. My time skips by like a whirling, flat stone on water. Every time I smack down I am focused on something. Each contact is different than the last, I have a brief period for me to focus, resolve, plan, and then it's time to fly off the next splash. I know it's like this for everyone though, so I don't feel concerned. I actually have been relishing the little splashes. Some are a brief period of creative formulation. My approach to shooting is becoming more precise in how I want to render a scene. With each session I feel the whirl of the stone as it skims across the water, the front lifting up to catch air as it sails once more into the sky! Winter will be fun once I am trapped in my office with all these photos to process! Until then I like to just take morale breaks and process a photo, just for the heck of it. Today I really need one.

#Pennsic #Pennsicwar #Pennsicwar46 #Pennsic46 #sca #bellydancesuperstars #the_bellydancer #medieval #medievalreenactment #societyofcreativeanachronism #vladspleasurepavilion #bellydance #bellydancer #scadance #middleeasterndance #dancephotography #italianvilla #casabardicci #veildance #lovebellydance #love_bellydance #bellydancing #dance #dancing #dancer #oriental #orientaldance #perfomance #passion #bellydancestars

A Late Summer Ride

"One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things." ~ Henry Miller

#henrymiller #yamaha #bikelife #streetbike #instamotor #instamotorcycle #motorcyclelover #rideordie #motorsport #roadracing #motorcycleporn #bikers #motorcyclelife #cruising #yamaha #2wheels_9 #r6 #2wheelslovers #Motorcycle #instamotogallery #moto #motogp #sportbike #superbike #instamoto #pistonaddictz #bikeswithoutlimits #sportsbikelife #bikenight #rideout

Blue Mound State Park Mountain Biking

While photographing the mother & daughter on the nicely graded Military Ridge Trail the day before I learned her husband was very involved with a nearby mount bike trail. Located in Blue Mound State Park is a biking trail rated for advanced riders. He and I met in the park and I sort of jogged along behind him carrying my gear on my back and holding a C-Stand. We didn't have to go too far though. He's involved with Capital Off Road PathFinders, a local chapter of the IMBA, who maintain this trail, so he knew of a certain rock formation that would be perfect as a setting. I had to agree and we quickly got "the shot" of what biking along this trail can be like. I'm hoping they'll need some fall colors as well and I'll get to redo this series in more depth.

#driftlessregion #driftlessarea #wisconsin #wisconsinlife #discoverwisconsin #travelwisconsin #outdoorlife #getoutside #loveoutdoors #outdoorsy #outdoors #getoutdoors #biking #cycling #mountainbiking #mountainbike #bikeporn #mtb #mtbporn #mtblife #bikelife #freeride #bikepark #instabike #bike #bikestagram #biking #cycling #cyclinglife #cycle

Cycling on Military Ridge Trail

This week I was assigned the task of capturing "summery" looking photos of people riding along Military Ridge Trail, and biking in general. It's very late summer here in Wisconsin. Even though we're experiencing a very unseasonably period of summer like warmth the trees are already turning golden and the walnuts are shedding their leaves. I asked a local mother and daughter to model for me and we rode a good 4 miles along the trail until we found an area that still looked "green" enough to look like summer time. All in all it was a lot of fun and makes me think I really need to go biking more often. I'm STILL riding the same bicycle I bought in 1991!

#driftlessregion #driftlessarea #wisconsin #wisconsinlife #discoverwisconsin #travelwisconsin #outdoorlife #getoutside #loveoutdoors #outdoorsy #outdoors #getoutdoors #biking #cycling #mountainbiking #mountainbike #bikeporn #mtb #mtbporn #mtblife #bikelife #freeride #bikepark #instabike #bike #bikestagram #biking #cycling #cyclinglife #cycle

15 Years & Still Thirsty!

This year's Thirsty Troll Brew Fest was really a lot of fun.I was hired to go take a few promotional shots. There were a lot of awesome folks in Dirndl Dresses and Lederhosen who made my job very, very easy. The weather was also perfect! I did get to sample some of the amazing beers from a few of the brewers. This year's lineup was really good.

2017 Brewer Line-Up: 3 Sheeps Brewing Company, Ale Asylum, Alt Brew, Bullquarian Brewhouse LLC, Capital Brewery, Corner Pub Brewery, Dead Bird, Esser’s Cross Plains Brewery, Funk Factory Geuzeria, Grumpy Troll Brew Pub, Hop Haus Brewing, Indeed Brewing Company, Karben4 Brewing, Lake Louie Brewing LLC, The Lone Girl, Leinekugels, Next Door Brewing, New Glarus Brewing, One Barrel Brewing Company, Potosi Brewing, Revolution Brewing, Rhinelander Brewing, Rock County Brewing, Second Salem Viking Brew Pub, Vintage Brewing Company, Wisconsin Brewing Company. Other tastings The Cider Farm and Bos Meadery.

#thirstytrollbrewfest #craftbeer #beerfest #beerfestival #beer #beerlife #beerporn #beersofinstagram #lager #ilovebeer #beerbeerbeer #beerme #beergeek #drinklocal #beerstagram #beerlover #beerbabes #beerbreak #beertography #craftnotcrap #drinkcraft #drindl #bierbierbier #lederhosen #oktoberfest #partytime #bullquarianbrewhouse #cornerpubbrewery #essersbest #rhinelanderbrewery