On-going Obsessions |
I have several on-going obsessions or themes for images that I am always open to photographing, no matter what I had planned or intended to shoot on a given outing. My main photographic passions are:
Lighthouses | Leaves | Water | Barns | Patterns | Winter | Rivers | Nature in Abstract
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Lighthouses
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Of course one needs to be in the vicinity of water, most likely BIG water to shoot such subject matter, and simply I am. I know of no other place than the Great Lakes that offers better opportunities to shoot these historic and inspirational structures, and I need little coaxing to head for the coast to shoot a lighthouse. |
Tawas Point Lighthouse, Iosco County, Michigan
© Hank Erdmann Photography |
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Leaves
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To me, a leaf, or a set of leaves, is as beautiful and inspiring as any wildflower, as that's saying a lot, as Wildflowers can be some of the most beautiful and inspiring things on the planet. Having said that, most trees flowers are small, non-descript and fairly hard to see, making the leaf or the leaves, in all their incredible structure, pattern, texture, color and shape, the de-facto “flowers” of a tree. |
Japanese Maple Leaves Pattern, Morton Arboretum, DuPage County, Illinois
© Hank Erdmann Photography |
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Water
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In all it's forms, shapes, moods, colors, and states, water is not only the life-blood of our planet, to this photographer, it is my life-blood inspirationally and creatively. Whenever I need a kick in the creative ass, I head for water, usually BIG water. Whenever I need a spiritual lift, I still head for water, albeit without the camera. Water in all its forms is spiritual, sensual, mystical, inspirational, creative, sometimes scary, and totally awe-inspiring in its power. Without water, we are naught, life is naught, I would be naught, even if I could somehow stay alive.
Simply put; Water is pretty neat!
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Salt Creek, Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve, DuPage County, Illinois
© Hank Erdmann Photography |
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Barns
D.H. Day Barn, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Leelanau County, Michigan
© Hank Erdmann Photography |
My father-in-law, a water colorist, would occasionally talk about his painting group complaining about how one of their number, never painted anything but barns, and never taught sessions about anything but barns. Limiting one's self to nothing but a single subject would indeed be creative hell, but if one were to be stuck on a singular subject, it is my contention that you'd be hard struck to find a better subject than barns to be stuck on. Not as varied as water or leaves, barns would be great third choice. Almost infinite in construction, texture, color, mood, scene, size, and shape, they are as endangered as big cats in Africa. As they wear out, and as owners dedicated to their preservation pass on or lose the financial wherewithal to save them, they are decaying into oblivion, or even worse being torn down, replaced by metal and plastic pole sheds (such artificial structures do not deserve the name barn). Metal and plastic my wear well, but they are another assault on or ever increasing tenuous connection with natural materials, and nature itself.
Photograph them now kids, they won't be on that horizon for long!
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Patterns
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Patterns of the natural world, I'm constantly aware and open to the infinite patterns of nature. I'm now working on the beginning stages of a print exhibit of natural world patterns. |
"Rainbow Ridge", Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blount County, Tennessee
© Hank Erdmann Photography |
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Winter
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I know it's really nothing more than the frozen extension of my water fixation, but hey I like cold weather, I'll take a 20 below day over heat, humidity, sweat and hurricanes any day. Being a crazy photographer, I'll move north, way north, to retire! |
Sunrise Over Lake Michigan, Newport State Park, Door County, Wisconsin
© Hank Erdmann Photography |
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Rivers
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Yeah, water again, but Rivers, especially Midwestern Rivers "float my boat". |
Ferns Along the Pere Marquette National Scenic River, Lake County, Michigan
© Hank Erdmann Photography |
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Nature in Abstract
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A few years back the masterful Freeman Patterson and Andre Gallant came out with a book entitled "Photo Impressionism and the Subjective Image". It dragged me out of a creative funk, kicked me in the creative arse, and changed the way I see photographically forever, thanks, guys! |
"Painting With Wildflowers" off Shrine Pass, Summit County, Colorado
© Hank Erdmann Photography |
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