Photography

In case you haven't noticed, I am having an off week or two. There just doesn't seem to be anything to blog about. I feel boring. It is all about perspective, isn't it? Life is essentially just the same as it was when I was blogging just about every day, but now, for whatever reason, I feel boring. Sigh.

The trees are absolutely fabulous. And how I can feel blah when the trees are exploding in violent, exuberant color is beyond me. Last Saturday, I took a large pile of books I finally admitted I would never read (Hello, Daphne du Maurier and academic historical books) to a local bookshop that gives you credit for your unwanted books against new books. Justin was watching the kids and I couldn't resist the chance to take a wee drive and admire the fall. None of my pictures are vibrant enough. Toward the end of the drive, I realized that the CPL filter I had on my lens, mostly as a way to keep the lens from being scratched, was washing out my pictures. Silly. I am really quite ignorant as far as photography goes. For all I know about settings on my SLR, I might as well have a point and shoot. Maybe photography will be my winter project. Expect great things!

For vibrant pictures, take a peak at Laura's blog. She has fabulous pictures of New England in the fall.

As a complete tangent from fall pictures, I was reading an article the other day, discussing the authenticity of a new picture of Billy the Kid (conclusion: It is really Billy the Kid, playing croquet). It was discussing the original real picture of Billy the Kid, which auctioned for $2.3 million (bought by one of the Koch brothers), which made it the seventh most expensive photograph in the world. Then, I had to know the most expensive photograph. Are  you read for it?

That is it. Rhein II by Andreas Gursky (1999)  $4.3 million.

Clearly, it is more the name attached to it than the actual picture.My mind is a bit boggled by this. Photos, to me, are something you get  your very own copy of in one hour from Wal-mart for 19 cents. Granted, this one was gigantic, at 73 by 143 inches. Still. I can understand historical photos being expensive, since there is no way you could ever get another shot of that particular thing. But the Rhein River (River Rhein?) on a cloudy day seems like something you might have more than one shot at. 

This is the list of most expensive photographs, if  you are interested. And even if you aren't, here are some of the cool ones.



Dovima with the elephants by Richard Avedon (1955) $1.15 million



Cowboy by Richard Prince (1989) $1.2 million



Untangling by Jeff Wall (1994) $780,000



Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico by Ansel Adams (1948) $609,000

And now, in an anticlimax, for my non-vibrant fall pictures. Can I get a million or so for a few? 

I love speckled leaves. Clearly.

This was so much better in person

I am the proud owner of two of these piglets. 

We went to see Connie the other day. It was terribly nice to visit with her.