# 6818-22 / landscape • people ~ pastoral

Talamore GC between the 16th and 17th (shown) holes ~ all photos embiggenable

TOT HILL FARM GC 8th HOLE

TOT HILL FARM GC

TOT HILL FARM GC clubhouse

AFTER 2300 MILES OF DRIVING-including 2 separate white knuckle drive snow storm events-and 72 HOLES OF GOLF later, I am back sleeping in my own bed.

Today, I fired up the desktop machine in order to process-or re-process-a few landscape pictures I made while in Pinehurst. The Talamore GC in particular called for some fairly nuanced processing that I could not have accomplished with the non-PS tools I had while on the road.

That picture has, to my eye and sensibilities, a very Hudson River School vibe and feel to it, albeit subtle. It has all the necessary ingredients: animals, contrasting foreground / background vistas, and interesting light (on the more subtle side than the very dramatic light found in most HRS paintings).

Not sure if I have nailed the processing yet. Have to live with it for a while and see.

# 6813-17 / travel • golf ~ I apologize

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my 1st tee practice swing

looking back to 1st tee from 1st green

well protected flag

hummocks, swales, elevation changes everywhere

I was gonna try to fool ya, with the barn and old pickup picture, into thinking this is not a golf entry. But, quite obviously, it is. I apologize.

Yesterday, I played the most brutal golf course-Tot Hill Farm GC-I have ever played. A course designed by Mike Strantz, the enfant terrrible of golf course design. His propensity is to create courses where every thing is “over the top”. Or, in other words, to take standard golf course features to extremes.

In the case of Tot Hill Farm, it’s extreme elevation changes together with exaggerated swales and hummocks that create a multitude of uneven lies. To put it bluntly, in 18 holes of golf I did not have a single level lie. As an example, re; the massive elevation changes: simply put, the uphill elevation changes, tee to green, turn a 495 yard (as indicated on the score card), par 5 to playing like a 600+ yard hole. Add uneven lies on every shot and you have a recipe for brutal.

Lest it read as I am whining, it should be noted the the grandson and I are having fun.

FYI, the old pickup picture was made on the golf course. The scene was behind the clubhouse which is, true the to course name, a restored old farm house.

# 6808-12 / travel ~ singing Dixie

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THE FIRST 1000+ MILE LEG OF MY GRANDSON / GOLF 2000+ MILE TRIP is in the books.The Penguins shut out the defending Stanley Cup Champs and the drive from Pittsburgh to Pinehurst NC through parts of the Blue Ridge / Appalachian Mountains was quite picturesque. Golf is good.

# 6804-07 / travel ~ on the road again

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PICTURE WISE, A FEW STRAGGLERS FROM THE LAST 24 hours in California.

Travel wise, today, after 36 hours of rest and recuperation at home, I am off on my 10 day golf-with-the-grandson trip. Our destination is Pinehurst, NC, approximately a 1,000 mile drive away.

Leaving this afternoon for a half-way stop over at my ex’s home for an over night break. Then on to Pittsburgh on Sunday to meet up with the kid and go to Penguins game. Monday, it’s on to NC. Next Saturday, after 5 days of golf, it’s a drive from NC to Morgantown, West Virginia, where I will stay overnight, then drop the kid off at school-University of West Virgini-on Sunday. Take a campus tour then head out to the ex’s home for another half-way over night break. Buy her breakfast on Monday morning and head home.

I will be posting entries during the trip. As promised, I will not bore you with a ton o’ golf pictures or golf stories.

# 6799-6803 / travel ~ So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen

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OK. I GOT MY OBLIGATORY BEACH / OCEAN PHOTO. SEVERAL, actually. On a similar note, I went to a major tourist attraction - the world famous San Diego Zoo. TRAVEL TIP: visit in November - pleasant temperature and not much of a crowd.

Today is our last full day in California. Maybe my last day ever in California. Headed home tomorrow. Won’t miss a thing except our son and daughter-in-law. Although, the Korean BBQ restaurant was pretty damn good. Best kimchi this side of the Pacific.

Long travel day tomorrow. Outta bed at 7AM (10AM EST). Arrive in Vermont at 11PM EST. Jump in car for a 1.5hr drive home. Arrive home a 1-1:30 AM Friday. Ugh.

6794-98 / travel ~ this and that

CALIFORNIA, SPECIFICALLY THE BUILT UP URBAN / SUBURBAN areas that are dominated by highway systems that are alternately Indianapolis 500 speedways-with a fair number of kamikazi pilots at the wheels-and very slow moving parking lots, is not much to my liking. Some might suggest that the ocean / coast line is a saving grace but, to be honest, it don’t do much to light my fire.

So, after 4 days I have managed to not take a walk on the beach. That run is about to end this afternoon cuz I feel that I would be remiss in my duty, photography wise, if I were to come home without a beach picture. I am also proud to write that I have not made a sunset picture. Although, I do have a fair number of pictures of family members taking pictures of or staring at the sunset.

And, writing of family members taking pictures, one photo opportunity I did not explore-I actually wish I had-was making pictures of them taking zillions of pictures of each other. FYI, inevitably, all of those pictures were taken with the subject(s) just standing somewhere looking at the picture taker…

…just shoot me (pun intended)

6789-94 / travel ~ how I see it

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IMO, THE CHALLENGE WHEN MAKING PHOTOGRAPHS WHILE TRAVELING is to make pictures that do not look like travel postcard pictures-deadpan pictures of ever so obvious tourist attractions and spots-yet, while staying true to your vision, still manage to capture an everyday-like sense of being there in the moment.

# 6786-88 / landscape ~ on the road again (and in the air)

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TOOK ANOTHER RAINY DRIVE. THIS TIME TO pick up some odds ’n ends for our trip to San Diego. Starts tomorrow. Get back next Thursday. 1 day of rest then it’s a drive to West Virginia (University of) to pick up the grandson for Thanksgiving break. After a Penguins game-in Pittsburgh, PA-it’s a drive to Pinehust, NC for a week of golf. He’s on the school golf team and wants to play a lot of golf.

I’m thinking that, since I will be a couple big cities-Pittsburgh, San Diego, Morgantown-I might be able to get in some street photography. That written, I promise I will not bore you with a entries about golf or a lot of golf pictures. Unlike some who think a photo sites should tell you all about swimming or faucets.