The Canal and the Springs in Jinan

The blast furnace known as Jinan, which is the capital of Shandong Province in China, has more than seventy springs.  Many of those springs feed the large canal that flows through the city.

Residents of Jinan often visit the springs at the canal to haul up freshwater from the springs.  The water then is poured into jugs and large water bottles.  

Bottles

© Mark Eaton

Fetching Spring Water

© Mark Eaton

The canal is lined by weeping willows, and it is large enough for boats to navigate.  A reader will note that the large view of the canal in Jinan shows the polluted air that casts an interesting light over the entire region of the province. 

Tour Boats

© Mark Eaton

Photo for the Day: Water Falling Stop Action

Later in 2014 I will publish more of my Water and the Sea project.  I'm drawn to water by its beauty and its mystery.

Water Falling Stop Action

© Mark Eaton

Paradise in Suncheon

있잖아요!  저기는 순천대학교 뒤에 있는 정자 하고 저수지 하고 개울 하고 폭포 있는 곳인데 아주 좋아요!

One of the benefits of not being tied to a car is walking.  Thankfully, I enjoy walking, and with my Teva sandals I can walk anywhere.  Thankfully, my sense of adventure, curiosity, and exploration has not waned over the many decades of my existence on this orb.

Several weeks ago, during one of my treks along the Dongcheon in Suncheon, I was curious about all of the construction along one of the tributaries that feeds into the river.  As I walked along a new walking trail, I soon came upon a break in the action thanks to a new construction site.  At this place a crossing on the tributary itself, and a walking bridge overhead, were being constructed.  There wasn't anyway I was going to turn back, so I crossed over the tributary on the newly laid crossing and stepped deeper into the construction zone.  I was the only person anywhere near this area.  

In Korea, if a person is dumb enough to enter a dangerous area, being forewarned and all that jazz, and that person gets hurt, then it's that person's own damn fault.  I had to be especially cautious where I placed my feet in this area, because there were many obstacles just waiting to make their presence known to my naked toes.

At this point I had to climb out of the tributary due to its structure.  On top of the tributary there is a bustling little community with a lot of university aged students.  For a point of reference, this spot is behind Suncheon National University.  I received a couple of wide-eyed looks; 'where the hell did this guy come from?' kinds of looks.  One young business professional stopped me by a convenience store, and we chatted for quite some time.  I can't emphasize enough the importance of carrying business cards everywhere, all the time, always...and a smile...and a willingness to meet new people.  Just like that, I've a new client.

We parted ways, and about half a kilometer from our original meeting place, I heard my name being called.  I turned around and saw the same young man running towards me with a drink in his hand.  He had bought kiwi juice for me, and he ran all the way to give me the treat.  Life is so interesting.

I continued my walk up the tributary, but on top at this point.  There are a few places along the route with newly built stairways that allow people to walk down to the water.  Anyway, upstream I walked.

At that point where the urban ended and where the rural began, I saw a new park that was mostly finished.  Overlooking the park is a small apartment complex set in the mountain, and I thought to myself that there has to be some money there.  It is a narrow park due to the geography of the area -- it is a small canyon after all.

The park ended at the base of a large earthen dam.  A trail up the side of the dam took me to the top -- break left and one can hike up the mountain; break right and one can walk over the dam to the other side and to some sort of small village.  It appeared to me that the village route would continue the upstream adventure, but that must wait for another day. 

For a few weeks I have been telling my wife about this jaunt only to be met with the 'yeah, right, okay, sure dear' type of response that is often found in a marriage.  However, this past Saturday, my wife wanted to get out of the house, and I suggested a drive to the general area of this park.  A small picnic lunch with liquid refreshments was prepared.  My wife, while driving, was working hard to veer off course, but I kept a steady gaze on the prize.  We did find a couple of interesting places to revisit as I tried to get to the area looking from a driver's perspective.

Finally, we found a bridge to drive across thanks to a landmark I had deliberately committed to memory during my original trip.  We found a great place to park next to the tributary, but because the new park is ironically hidden due to geography, my wife was not enthusiastic about walking up a mountain on a very warm day.  And then we crested a gentle hill, and she saw what I saw all those weeks ago.  She laughed, and asked for the 1,000,000th time, "How did you find this?"

Except for the few workers working on the new landscaped grounds, we were the only people there.  In a couple of years when the new foliage has a chance to thrive, it will be a lush park.  The constructed pools have signs and banners telling people not to swim, and I'm sure no one will ever take a dip into those deep pools...ahem, cough.

I suggested to my wife that we stroll to the 정자 so we could enjoy some shade, eat our lunch, nap, and talk.

 정자

© Mark Eaton

We finally left during early evening.  But we will return.  When we left our home to drive to this location, I told my wife that it is paradise in Suncheon.  After setting up our picnic in the 정자, she exclaimed, "This is paradise in Suncheon!"  Sometimes I do get it right.

Pool

© Mark Eaton

View From Atop the Earthen Dam

© Mark Eaton

View From Atop the Earthen Dam II

© Mark Eaton

Apartment Overlooking the Park

© Mark Eaton

Atop the Earthen Dam II

© Mark Eaton

And the adventure continues.

A Wonderful Dream - Photo for the Day

Spend the day on the beach, eat dinner at a local restaurant, make some new friends at the cafe, and then swim back to the boat to have a good sleep.  That is my idea of a wonderful dream.

Near to Shore

© Mark Eaton

I composed this piece at Haeundae Beach in Busan in South Korea.

남열해수욕장 -- A Change

Unlike the empty political slogan from across the ocean that merely masks deliberate destruction, deceit, warmongering, and decay, 남열해수욕장 (Namyeol Beach) is experiencing a change.  In 고흥 (Goheung in Jeollanam-do), 남열해수욕장 is my favorite swimming beach in the province.

My wife and I, along with a very dear friend, drove to the beach from Suncheon.  We didn't expect to see anyone else at the beach since it is several weeks before the official swimming season, however, there were other people there after all.  I shouldn't have been surprised because it was a national holiday to celebrate Buddha's birthday.

What did surprise me was the makeover the beach is undergoing.  Gone is the wooden boardwalk that ran parallel to the beach.  Gone from the beach itself are the covered tables with the wooden recliners.  Now there are massive boulders forming a wall parallel to the beach.  Atop the wall is a sandy walkway that also served as our picnic spot under the shade of the trees.

I believe other changes are in store, especially owing to the fact that even on a national holiday work was being done at the far end of the beach; that part of the beach nearest to the mountain with the observation tower.  It is from that tower that people watch the rocket launches from the nearby Naro Space Center.

I present three photographs I took to show some of the changes.

Atop the New Wall

© Mark Eaton

The Cleared Beach and the Tower

© Mark Eaton

Building the Wall

© Mark Eaton

Much to the surprise of my wife, I wasn't the only person in the water.  The wind was a bit cool, but the water is already nice -- a couple of more weeks and it will be very nice.

In the background of the top photo a viewer can see our camp.  A lovely picnic along with talking, swimming, hiking; a wonderful day.

Gutter's End - Photo for the Day

So where does all that water flow during the rain?  To the end of the gutter, of course.

Gutter's End

© 2013 Mark Eaton

South Korea and water make a lovely match for poet's, painters, and photographers. 

Tomas Eriksson - Fine Art Photographer From Sweden

Tomas Eriksson is a fine art photographer from the town of Gävle, which is in Sweden.  He is very enthusiastic about his wife and children, and I know that his focus is on his family above all.  He is a marketing coordinator for a leading industrial welding and piping company in Sweden.

For him, photography is a cure for the stresses of life.  Being in the field with the camera makes him forget those everyday problems we all face.  I must say that his cure is most excellent.

Everyday life provides plenty of inspiration and motivation.  Without question, life's many experiences, both the positive and the negative, have affected Tomas as a person and as a photographer.

As I mentioned by way of introduction, Tomas is from Gävle.  In fact, he has lived there his entire life.  It is an industrial city by the Baltic Sea and near the River Dalälven.  As can be seen in so many of his photographs, this region provides a lot of inspiration and photographic opportunities.

He is fascinated by industrial buildings as well as old buildings.

I asked Tomas about his vision and dream.  This is what he told me:

"My vision and dream when it comes to photography is to develop my photography style.  I have started the walk, but this path contains a lot of slippery rocks...hopefully I will get to the end without losing my grip too many times.  I know this sounds cryptic, but I come from a country where fine art photography is rather unknown."

Sweden, according to Tomas, has a long and strong tradition of nature and documentary style photography.  It is expected that a photographer should do very little post processing work.  That type of conservative thinking is not a principle followed by Tomas, fortunately.  I will quote him directly as he speaks to this subject; his comments about the photographer Nick Brandt is insightful:

"Personally, I want to see a finished photographic work where it is obvious that the photographer has put his or her soul into the whole process.  I want to feel something, I want the photo to speak to me and I want the photo to give me the opportunity to get carried away in my own thoughts and fantasies. Nick Brandt's photos give me all this as do so many other great photographers out there. I do not care if Nick lives his life in Photoshop; it is the outcome, the final photo that matters to me."

There came a point in the maturation process of life that Tomas realized that he needed to be his own master.  Fine art photography lets him be in charge of the entire photographic process from dreaming and conceiving to printing the finished product.  The maturation of Tomas was not without pain, however, it was important for him to not be constrained by the given rules or the status quo.

If the dodging and burning the sky will produce the desired results in a composition, then he will dodge and burn the sky.  If adding texture completes the image, then texture will be added.  On the other hand, it is important for him to for the original scenery to be honest and not brought in from another image or created from scratch.

Tomas shoots in RAW mode.  In Camera RAW he makes adjustments to the white balance, and occasionally will make black and white conversions.  In addition to the techniques mentioned previously, he will also work with HDR.

Being so close to water, he spends much time photographing water using long exposures.  The exposure time can be from 30 seconds to three minutes.  He uses a tripod during long exposures.  Additionally, he will select from ND400, ND64, ND8 and gradual ND filters that he always carries.

In the not too distant past, Tomas worked with a number of other photographers in a fund-raising event in Bari, Italy to raise funds for children suffering from cystic fibrosis.  I have a lot of respect for this man.

To see more of his fantastic fine art photography, please visit Tomas Eriksson Photography.

All photographs posted in this article:  © Tomas Eriksson.

At the Edge of Time II - Photo for the Day

The surreal merges into itself and beyond.

At the Edge of Time II

 © 2012 Mark Eaton

Photo For the Day: The Old Dam

My wife and I enjoy taking walks, and sometimes we find pleasant places to rest.  Such was the case this past 추석 holiday season when we spotted this old dam late in the afternoon.  While my wife napped, I set up my tripod along the edge of the rocky stream.  

When I photograph a scene that requires a long exposure time, I will use the tripod and snap the shot using a shutter release cable.  Additionally, I will lock-up the camera's mirror to further ensure there isn't any wobbling or shaking during the exposure.

The Old Dam

© 2012 Mark Eaton

ISO: 50

Aperture: f32

Shutter Speed: 2 sec.

Water and the Sea

I am fortunate to live in the peninsular country of South Korea, because the ocean can be accessed easily.  I am fortunate to live in the southern region of the country that isn't overly crowded that has some wonderful areas to photograph water and the sea.

I have an ongoing project called, Water and the Sea.  Within this project are submissions that support this theme and vision.  I have updated Water and the Sea with Ardea, Grus, Egretta, Et Alia.  AGE shows the various species of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds that use the waterways, bays, reservoirs, and seas during their journey.  The different seasons of the year brings different species of birds.

 Feeding

© Mark Eaton

This specific submission of AGE contains many images of birds in flight.  The flapping and bounding of these majestic and beautiful creatures near the surface of the water at a low aperture setting combined with a slow shutter speed created interesting shapes and designs.  Well, interesting to me anyway.

Flight Path

© Mark Eaton

I compose my photographs knowing the large prints are best to see the details of what I think is important to perceive.  Flight Path above and Heron Flying Near Shore below are examples of the importance of printing large.  The subtle design and important details are missed with smaller sized prints.  I imagine the details are almost completely lost on the small screen of a mobile device.

Heron Flying Near Shore

© Mark Eaton

This is the link to my website to access the fine art photographs submitted for this project:  Water and the Sea

For the Feet

To view my physique now, one would doubt any claim that I spent my younger years immersed in athletics and fitness.  Alas, it is true.  Then in my mid-40's, my mind and my body said enough already.  And that was that.  Now, I spend time walking with my wife along rivers and beaches for exercise.  Much of that time is spent talking and laughing.  A shame I didn't have quite as much fun when I pumped iron or jogged.

Being a big boy (my wife would say, correctly, big baby), my feet took a pounding over the years.  It is always a challenge to find footwear that is comfortable for my feet.  Here in South Korea, just finding footwear appropriate for my large size is a difficult task.  

Teva sandals and Vasque hiking boots were the only two brands that provided long term comfort and support for my feet.  Ever.  I don't do much hiking these days, but I do spend a lot of time around water and in water.  I don't enjoy spending money on myself; one look at my antiquated digital camera set and my field computer will confirm that fact.  However, I felt it necessary to treat my feet this summer.

A visit to the Teva site on Monday, the order placed, with the package arriving Thursday afternoon.  It was just that fast.  Hurricanes in a box.

Of course, there was a crowd gathered to see what Mark received.  Mark will show off his toes in public now.  Yet it was the size that amazed most everyone.  The obligatory comparison of foot and hand size followed with some comments and laughter.

After the day was done and put away, and after the cleaning, I asked my wife if she wanted to take a walk last night.  She was surprised, pleasantly, and said yes.  A moment later she looked at me, laughing, and said that I wanted to try my new sandals.

It was a nice walk and talk.  The Tevas were very comfortable with no foot pain and without any lower back discomfort associated with poorly crafted footwear.  It will be a good summer for the feet.

Maybe I should get a pair of Vasque boots for the winter.