Art of Preparedness

At approximately 3:08 p.m. a fire broke out in the Westerly Creek Damn in Lowry, in which large portions of the wildlife sancturay were destroyed. According to Denver Shift Commander Greg Champlin, the fire began in thick brush within the sanctury itself and quickly spread to the south. “Though winds were high, we were lucky today,” stated Champlin, “the winds kept circling around until the fire pretty much put itself out.”

Often I have been approached by friends, family and my special friend, “Joe the Casual Photographer,” on the subjects of orbs.

I will start by saying this: I am a firm and lifetime believer in angels, aliens, fairies, Jesus, the Buddha, the Illuminati, conspiracy theories, the healing and protective qualities of crystals, chakras, miraculous healings and many other natural and super natural phenomenon. I even believe in Dinosaurs! We live in a wondrous and truly magical universe.

However, as a soul dedicated to the pursuit of the camera obscura and all light/shadow pursuits, I believe that “orbs” are merely airborne particles refracting on-camera light sources. In other words, point-and-click cameras, especially those in which the flash and lens are less than an inch apart, have a propensity to generate direct flash back. Here are born our little “orb” friends.

We have all seen that alarming and evil looking little bungle called “red-eye.” This is caused by OFC (on camera flash). The light leaving the camera hits the back of the eyeball and bounces directly back at the camera lens. Professional photographers and their gear will not generate red-eye, nor will they generate “orbs”, because the angle between flash and lens is great enough to cancel the effect. In billiards, if one shoots a cue ball directly at a rail, the ball will bounce directly back into the stick. Same concept.

I know that “orbs” always tend to show up in photographs where lots of people gather in happiness and joy. It is tempting to believe that in these times little joyous spirit bubbles join us; and perhaps they do. But I doubt that what we have seen labeled as “orbs” are truly spirits. In photos sent to me there is often glitter attached to costume, to wigs, to face paint. There is also always either old carpet in small rooms or large dusty fields where numerous people are dancing furiously. In these images the “orbs” that are further away lose the fuzzy, translucent, orby quality and become mere points of light. This occurs because light becomes more specular (focused) the larger the distance between source and subject.

I have simply spent considerable time contemplating this phenomena as I am one who truly wishes to believe that these weird little objects are really spirits. Again, I do believe in the supernatural, and I don’t doubt for a second that there are often more then the observable guests enjoying good times with us humans. Nor do I want to rain on any one’s parade. I simply don’t believe that dust particles are particularly supernatural.

One more quick point: The human eye has a “latitude” of about 32 “stops”. Within these “stops” the best of us can see what we call the visible spectrum: violet to red, the rainbow. A camera has a latitude of between 5 and 7 stops, a fraction of what the human eye can see. Most ghostbusters and clairvoyants hold that visible spirits reside either in the ultra-violet or infra-red realms of the energetic continuum. So, unless a camera dedicated to viewing light outside of the visible spectrum is used, if you can’t see a spirit, your camera certainly wont.

The eternal unfolding of the waters above and below have brought to us a rare phenomenon; weather. Yes, blue skies have run to Vegas for vacation and the surrounding area of Ojai is enjoying the lightest blanked of, you guessed it, SNOW!!!

A hunt for photos led us into the Sespe Wilderness, where in a drive through the clouds gave us a little reminder of Colorado and Montana. At one point I engaged in a snowball fight with a snowplow, and to mine and my camera’s delight, lost.

On the way to the clouds

Single Peak

Layers

Leg Stretch

“Found in its natural element, a Snow Bunny!”

Rock

Bend

Blam!!!

On December 12, 2008 the Moon was in perigee, meaning it was at its closest point to earth in a 15 year cycle. It also meant it was 6% closer than average, and so 11% brighter! It was also the night of a certain Christmas Party for a certain bunch of news hounds on a certain boat in a certain harbor in Ventura. And like all full moons, it certainly brought about the wilder side of the night.

This plucky photog was on the scene, and though names are being withheld for the protection of those captured here, their stories will none the less shock and amaze you.

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Ryan in Market

“Hmmm, Any apples I wonder..?”

“Must expend energy…must run up hill…get to stop light…must not stop…must not sit in car any longer! Must run, run RUN!!!”

“Hmmm, someone has been here. but who? “

To see in a child the discovery of the most basic principles of our reality, the “laws” that comprise our universe, is simply God’s greatest gift. Even better, these moments serve as gateways to our truest selves. “Good times” depend on the way you spend time and whom you spend it with; this of course is an obvious point. Best, I think by way of a huge realm of experimentation myself, are the times where in focus is present moment, where number is small, not large, where food is prepared, not bought.

Recently we spent the evening with the Keenans. Barbara prepared macaroni-&-cheese made with pureéd cauliflower. It was incredible. Nestled deep within every bite was a feeling I can only describe as mirth. During the course of the evening Kiya discovered a stuffed penguin, or rather a penguin discovered her…

“A penguin!?! Really? Here, in this room? No way!”

“Yep! Penguin wants to go home with you!”

“Yeah! Take me home!”

Dinner with close friends, especially those who have children is true delight.