On The Road With A Green Bean

This past weekend, I drove up to Gainesville to see what changes had taken place since attending university there. Rolling into town at twilight, the first rains of summer greeted me, and provided a backdrop to the city of trees. I had forgotten how beautiful is that part of north central Florida.

An Argus Bean toy camera sat on the dashboard, ready to document any discoveries of Old Florida lazing down some country road. My friend and I found the past in places like Cedar Key on the Gulf and Micanopy, lost in time near mysterious Paynes Prairie.

Day trips are great for pulling you out of the ordinary.

Nature Boy

While studying art at the University of Florida, I took a Photography 101 class with the great Jerry Uelsmann. His first assignment, called "Evidence of Man," challenged us to explore how man had encroached on nature. Taking borrowed Pentax in hand, I set off to the wild and ruddy woods of campus. My first photograph turned out to be a discarded beer can in Beta Woods.

I recently gave myself a birthday present of an Argus Bean toy camera. At five mega-pixels with video capabilities, the green Bean is a most sophisticated toy. I especially like the sepia mode and, coupled with gee-whiz Photoshop effects, some unusual photos are possible.

With a nod to Mr. Uelsmann, I set out on another photo assignment. Now forty-four years after the first, man's encroachment on nature is complete. I retitled the assignment "Evidence of Nature."