| Looking forward to a great new year |
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While in Spain last month researching sites for the 2026 total solar eclipse I came across the town of Belchite. It was the site of a gruesome battle during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. The fighting devastated the town and the ruins have been preserved to serve as a memorial to those who needlessly died. The town had no strategic value but the side that was losing the war thought they could easily win a battle and that would be good publicity in the newspapers.
Belchite was completely destroyed, the ruins still stand and you can take tours. The guide I had showed us what was left of the house where her father grew up. It hit me that the civil war really wasn’t that long ago and it showed what happens when people don’t communicate with people they don’t agree with. Franco, a brutal dictator, stepped in and terrorized the country until 1975.
As we enter a new year my hope is that we can step back and listen to what the other side is saying. Nobody is 100% right or wrong. Hell, Hitler and Mussolini were supporting the Spanish government Franco was trying to overthrow. That doesn’t sound like such a bad thing until you realize what followed.
So let’s communicate with others, either directly by talking or through photography, art, music or any way to have a conversation where we try to understand why people are feeling the way they do.
I hope you have a safe, healthy and happy new year. |
| | My favorite photos of 2024It is that time of year again to invite everyone to see some of my favorite photos that I made during the year. It is kinda like when people come in my gallery and start showing me boring photos on their phone, but at least I'm giving you good size images to look at if you are using a computer! It was a good year and I'm looking forward to 2025. The gallery of photos are in my Journal at https://www.lorenphotos.com/gallery/favorites-of-2024/all/ |
| | | Annual Winter Indoor Photography Workshop Series For the past several years I've done a workshop series during the winter months so people can keep their photography edge or learn some new things without having to out in the cold. This year's workshop is focused on composition and how little things can make your photos better. I'm a huge believer that most photos need a strong center of interest, when I have a weak photo it usually has a weak or no center of interest. We'll talk about the difference between subject and center of interest and then we'll have fun assignments that help you recognize your center of interest and how to make it stand out. If you did this workshop any of the previous years, you don't need to worry about it being duplicative, everything we are doing is new. You don't need any special camera or lenses, you can even do it all with an iPhone. It starts Jan. 9 and we'll meet four times - every two weeks via Zoom. For more info and to register go here: https://www.lorenphotos.com/product/indoor-series/ |
| | 'Tis the season for cancellationsI've had some last minute cancellations for upcoming trips so I have openings for both the Cuba trip Feb. 23-March 2 and the Florida trip March 20-April 4. Cuba is truly a special place and I have a great local guide to show us around. It is a must-see place. And Florida in early spring is a photographer's dream and the weather is warm. Click on the links above for more info or let me know if you have any interest. |
| | | A frosty morning in Vermont |
| Frosty morning and sun dogsWhen it gets cold, think below zero, something special can happen and it did last week. When I woke up before sunrise the thermometer said -1 degrees. I looked out the window and could tell there was good heavy frost on the trees but it also looked like there was fog, which is unusual in the cold. The day before it was -9 and I was too lazy to go out but once the sun came up the trees were spectacular. So I got bundled up and went out. The fog was actually ice crystals and when I looked toward the sun I saw sun dogs. They are like rainbows and can arch across the sun but I was only seeing two dogs shooting color up from the ground on either side of the sun. I worked like hell to make a great photo but I didn't have the right foreground. There are a couple of OK photos on my Journal. But a little later I went to a golf course where I knew the trees would be great. It is also a cross country skiing center so I caught a group skiing past a couple of cool trees. There is more to that day's adventure on my Journal at https://www.lorenphotos.com/gallery/blog-sun-dogs-frosty-morning/ |
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| | Get updated on Loren's newest workshops and seminars You can get a notice when Loren adds a new workshop, seminar or tour to his website. Click here and go down to Workshop Notifications
Visit my gallery If you haven't been to Woodstock, VT, lately our gallery has moved. Check out the new space for Focus Gallery at 23 Elm St., Woodstock, VT.
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