U.S. Pictures – Fine Art Imagery & More…
Personal Stuff
In one such attempt the following conversation ensued…
Me: “Hey, Alexa, remind me about the Fun Run for Exercise this weekend.”
Alexa: “I have added Bourbon to your shopping list.”
Me: “Close enough!”
The Part 107 Certificate, as it is called, provides me with an FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) license as a Remote Pilot with the rating of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. This allows me to fly my “drone(s)” for commercial purposes. I can now capture photographs of my (our) favorite places – from a new perspective – and offer them for sale in my online galleries. The “commercial” designation deals with the actual intent of the flight – so I did not heretofore shoot any photographs with the intent of offering them as wall art. But Now I Will Begin…
I studied an online course provided by the Pilot Institute and, because of that preparation, was well-prepared to pass the FAA written exam and obtain my Part 107 Certificate. So you might say I am a successful graduate of the Pilot Institute Class of 2022. Seriously, it is a good program and I will write a review in a future article. BTW, I managed to score a 92% on the test. I’ll take it. And make use of it.
It is permissible to fly a drone without a Part 107 license – for recreational purposes only. Those pilots/flyers must complete a training program and earn a TRUST Certificate. “The Recreational UAS Safety Test” is a free program and is offered through several sources. I did my TRUST training through the Pilot Institute’s TRUST Portal when I first got my drone.
However, please be aware that there are many unlicensed drone flyers out there performing commercial operations – doing things like real estate photography, inspection work, etc. – without a license. They are operating in the national airspace system without being properly trained and are, therefore, a safety hazard to others. The federal government has been monitoring, catching and (severely) fining perpetrators. Fines are even being levied against people (for example, real estate agents) who hire unlicensed drone operators.
Starting as a child of 11, when my parents gave me a home darkroom kit, I spent most of my time shooting and printing captures of Mother Nature’s creations around where we lived. That has continued throughout my life.
My photography is defined in the way I capture light and shadow and endeavor to do so in the way those elements are created in natural scenes, be they landscapes or seascapes, night or day.
I could not say why I “create as I do” but I know that if something out there catches my eye, I will go and take a look. Someplace in my mind I like to think that my photography attempts to capture some of the beauty seen in nature. No matter what medium or the camera used, I have tried to capture the essence of what is seen in nature through the camera. Being able to do so allows me to enjoy every shoot and, as a result, my camera becomes an extension of my eyes.
It is true that the architectural endeavors of mankind are also creative and beautiful and at night they may need artificial light (man-made) to be seen. However, during the day it is Mother Nature that brings out the designs, forms and textures of that architectural “masterpiece.”
My goal or wish, through my photography and writing, is to share with you the view of Nature that I have come to know over the last half century. Just as a painter strives to find unique ways in capturing and creating images, I too am always searching for a variety of creative outlets in photography and, occasionally, in writing.
Photography with its many disciplines is vast, it has been said that there are as many definitions as photographers. My photographs may not be for everyone, but if someone wants to see my work I invite them to do so at:
Link to: My Full Gallery at Pictorem
Link to: My Ocean City Gallery at Pictorem
Link to: My Full Gallery at Fine Art America
Link: Fenwick Island Dunes and Waves Panorama
Link: Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge at Conway in Black and White
The world is full of photographers, the ubiquitous cell phone camera has made sure of that, and anyone can look at the creations of others and say to themselves, “I could do that.” But do they (or we) really have the “eye” to see it? The creative eye that takes something out of nothing and creates a work of art? What does one need to do in order to create art? I have been striving to answer that answer for a very, very long time.
What I am seeking is what my Muse gives me when I visit her throughout the wonder of Creation’s pathways. What is within me seeks expression in the form of capturing a feeling or mood which often resides in the compositions that appear before me. For me it starts with an idea and evolves into the moment of commitment to an image. That is what I endeavor to share with my viewers and buyers.
