Kirk goes all "Thomas Heaton" and makes landscape photographs. Daft? Like a bloody fox. Brilliant!!! Blimey.

 

I was ready to get out of the center of the city so I decided to get rid of my really nice, fast, comfy, sporty sedan and dump a year's worth of fee income into a bloody good van. Which I then spent months and untold riches into finishing it out as a traveling, three star hotel on wheels. But without a shower, a toilet, room service, or housekeeping services. Or much space. That's okay because I'm thrilled to be able to travel on my own steam to far off places and then sleep in my new van because desolate parts of Texas are so incredibly safe. A quick jaunt to the Sonora Desert? This way I can wake up in the morning, pee on the big patch of poison ivy I accidentally parked in, chew on some nearby tree bark and then use up some of the van's battery juice boiling water on my mini-burner for a spot of tea. I perform gymnastics getting dressed in the tiny space. I should have just gone to bed in my clothes but it was just a teensy bit warm last night and sweating through one's nice clothes on a 95° night, in a metal box is less than comfortable. 

Although the van works most of the time it can be temperamental and make atrocious noises, and sometimes rattle,  but a few thousand quid in repairs later and then "Bob's your Uncle!" (Whatever the hell that means...). 

So, on the road. Getting away from the stress of the city and putting some good kilometers between me and the ol' ball and chain, and the bill collectors, and the people who want to give me free broken cameras that they found in the Goodwill resale shop. Offering them up like they are gold. And the hordes of street photographers who don't get the magic and majesty of Landscape photography. the thing I love more than anything else in the world. 

I loaded up the van with the basic essentials. Some beans, some haggis, some treacle, bangers of course, and a good supply of Guiness Stout. I don't really like Guiness but since the van's refrigerator has done a runner I buy it and drink it because it doesn't want to be served cold. Right? Oh, and some biscuits to have with tea. 

Then it's on to the basics of camera inventory. Of course we'll bring the 8x10 view camera and some film holders to match. And the medium format camera of the week. And, of course, something very Sony. Or a lot Sony. Mostly Sony. And a tripod that works for everything. And lots of stuff from Peak Design.

I've packed layers and layers of down filled clothing and fleece stuff. And technical under garments. And funny hats. Like the hats Justin Mott wears --- only warmer. 

Now it's September 9th and I'm geared up and ready for my big landscape adventure. Ready to drive through slush and snow, heavy winds and those thunderstorms that come racing through the....heather? I might freeze to death in the van over night but it might be worth it if I can get the composition right just as the last good light of the day fades to night. Right? And then? Biscuits and tea. Maybe with a touch of jam stirred in to cut the vile taste of Earl Grey tea... I can already imagine the melody of the sleet slamming it's peppy cadence on the roof of the van once I get it parked at low tide somewhere...close to the shore...

But then it dawned on me that the exhaustive trip I had in mind was just a short ramble over to Pedernales Falls State Park. A short 40 minute drive from my house in West Austin. And I'd mostly want to leave after a hearty breakfast at home. And I'd arrive there around noon, hike to the spot that I was thinking of, walk around for an hour or so, take some photos and then, when the heat gets to be too much, maybe just head back home, ring up my favorite restaurant to make some evening reservations and be done with the whole undertaking. Yeah. That sounds better. And cheaper. And easier. And then I won't have to give up a fast car for a top heavy van loaded with bedding and weird wiring. And awkward smells...

Yep. that's the ticket. Forget the van. Forget the sleet and snow. Forget the icebergs sliding precariously across a mountain road in eternal night. 

Home in time for the prix fixe dinner at Chez Extravaganta. Can't wait. Oh, and here is another attempt trying my hand at Landscape photography. Doesn't work for me. But I'll keep trying. Please buy my prints and my books and follow me on .... oh, never mind...

The color version.

the black and white monochrome version.

Variation.

indecision.

Collage or hodge-podge?

Huge dust bunnies? Nah, aircraft warning buoys.

the "Terry Richardson" version. 

the Garry Winogrand version. 

the Stephen Shore version. 

The Robert Adams "study." 

kirk makes a valiant attempt to do a vertical photo. 

Got my "S" curve working. Magic. I smell a limited edition calendar in the works....

The sad camera that was forced to participate? The gun metal version of the Leica M240 (m-e). And everyone's favorite landscape lens... a 50mm f1.4 rangefinder lens... thypochke = the Russian version.