Sneak Peek 2 (Blown Away!)

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

                                                                             -- John Lennon

Well, sometimes reality steps in and throws us a curve ball when we least expect (or need) it. But, if we're "going with the flow" we can try to take it in stride and use it as a wonderful opportunity for a little "creative problem solving."

My "plan" for Lesson 4 in the Back to Basics workshop originally called for an outdoor demonstration -- with a sculpture of Mark Twain as my subject and the afternoon sun as our light source. Unfortunately, Nature decided to throw in a brisk breeze as a little challenge. Our in-camera mic lacked noise cancellation, and both the tripod and drawing paper were buffeted by the gusts.

Oops! I was so focused on the wind that I forgot I was wearing sunglasses.

My camera person added weight to the tripod for added stability (see both clips). My sound engineer added a portable noise-cancellation system to our equipment inventory. And I experimented with some dubbing during the initial editing. (Although, without an ambient sound bite, that wasn't completely satisfactory.)

"It was quiet... too quiet!"

So, creative solution: do an indoor portrait demonstration video for Lesson 4 (already underway) and shelve the Mark Twain video project till the sunshine/warm temperatures/calm winds return. (Watch for the latter as a possible "bonus" video in March.)

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A few words of inspiration from the delightful Mr. Clemens --

pen & ink on Strathmore Series 400 Calligraphy laid paper