Thanksgiving Holiday Rituals Along with an Abstract Photography Tip

As Thanksgiving holidays shake out, this one was nice.  Given the last minute decision making and planning that is part of the Korean persona, the Thanksgiving dinner held at the home where I am convalescing from surgery showed again what can be accomplished with a force of will and an ability to direct chaotic ant-like beings to the proper place at the proper time.  Relatively speaking.

I was the only expat in attendance.  Not too surprising since all of my expat friends in this area have moved on to other locales.  Plus, it was a last minute event, which can cause angst and  create general discombobulation among those whose lives are more orderly or regimented.  More pointedly, the back-stabbing knave from the American northwest was not mentioned once by any of the Koreans in attendance.  Handling a double edged sword unwisely or clumsily is not appropriate, especially when dealing with those who are friends.

Anyway, I was in charge of the turkey, the mashed potatoes, and the dinner rolls.

 Cooked Turkey

© Mark Eaton

Long ago I was taught that most people who read from left to right will view a photograph beginning at the upper left corner of an image.  The viewer will proceed downward diagonally, and will eventually be led to the lower left hand corner.  When I compose my abstract photography, I strive to keep this in mind.  In the image above, the tips of the turkey legs connect directly with the diagonal line flowing downward from the left so that the eyes are then moving downward diagonally to the lower left hand corner.  What I consider important to the composition is connected.  

Even with the muted periphery, there are several interesting points, interesting to me at least, that allows a viewer's eyes to sweep around the image.  At this point in my life, I instinctively compose my abstract work in this manner.  A guy can't even take a holiday photo without life's lessons influencing the outcome.  

A woman whose home has my photographs on her walls was photographing the turkey, too.  She stopped for a moment to look at what I was doing.  She then stood next to me to see what I was seeing.  I stepped back, and she proceeded to take my place.  She is as tall as I am, so her view was similar.  "Oh, I like this better.  Thank you, Mark," she said to me. 

Back to the dinner party.  There was a lot of conversation, and there was much laughter.  Apple pie, ice cream, and more food for those who still were hungry.  However, the meds, the discomfort of the body fighting constantly to heal itself, and the fact that I didn't take time to nap during the day all worked together to drain the energy from my tank.  I was told later that my face showed it.  I slipped away from the festivities to sit alone.