Groundhog Regrets

A few days ago, we were on our way out Powell's Valley Road heading somewhere not so important after all, when I saw something that I should have gone back and photographed. I thought... well, the camera I have doesn't see things the way I do... everyone else is ready to get where we're going... there's a hundred excuses not to do it.

The scene? Amber waves of grain. Literally. It was sunny, the grain was ripened to a golden hue in the bright sunlight, the breeze was blowing, causing the grain to wave in the sunlight. And between the fields of grain was bright green fields of corn. It was an awesome sight in it's own way.

Today, they baled that grain into haybales. That photo op that I had the other day is gone for good.

Early this morning, on the way to work, I stopped and took a photo. I took it with two cameras, and I am hoping the other camera did an even better job - but we'll see. As it is, I am proud of this photo:


As I started to drive back down the road, I spotted another splash of blue against the golden backdrop of grain. It was an oh-so-very bright bluebird... Very, very pretty. Experience tells me if I'd stopped, and gotten out with the camera, there's a good chance it would have flown away before I got focused on it, and my daughter was ready to be at her friend's house already, so I drove on.

But maybe, it wouldn't have flown away.

But what really baked the cake (so to speak... ) was this afternoon on the way HOME from work. I thought, "I have some time to kill... I am going to drive up to Boyd Big Tree Preserve, and look around. I did, too. After I pulled of Route 322 onto Fishing Creek Rd, with my destination in mind, I looked over and saw the coolest thing.

I have yet, in the eight years I've been in Pennsylvania, to take a good shot of a groundhog. Yes, there's Puxtahawney Phil, but I've not seen him. But here was a groundhog, not waddling through the grass like we usually see, but rather, next to the road, his paws up on this weed that was more of a bush than a weed, biting at a branch very above his head.

I haven't ever seen a groundhog behaving quite that way. But I was driving too fast. Like the bluebird, I had the feeling that if I stopped, he'd run away, so I didn't. But that was the straw that broke the camel's back. I drove to Boyds, even took a couple photos - one or two might be okay.

But after I left, I pulled out my cell phone and jotted a note to myself... the subject was "groundhog regrets".

Secret Ingedient

From time to time, I've taken a few great shots... and a lot of merely good ones, I suppose, but a few really great ones. And they usually happen despite myself - meaning they are accidents of some sort, or just merely the result of being in the right place at the right time.


With that thought in mind, I am going to share a link to a photo my buddy Jose shared with me (No - I do not know the photographer).

This external link will take you to CNN.com's site. This is one of those "perfect moments" that most of us don't quite happen to catch...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/06/04/tanker.fire.irpt/index.html

An ebay experiment

I've never sold on ebay... I have bought a thing or two over time - but never have I sold.

But I wanted to direct some traffic back to my photobook's page on the blurb site, and so I thought I'd do something that I read about... which is to advertise/list prints on ebay. Provide a link back to the book's page, etc.

I can get 11x14's printed locally for a good price, for good quality prints. My objective here isn't to make money, but rather, to test the waters and learn a little about selling online.

With that in mind, I started my prices at 2.99 plus shipping - which wouldn't even be a break-even for me if they sold at that price. BUT it was something... A friend looked and advised - if I do ever sell anything, then sell more later - it's harder to keep customers once you raise your prices.

So I revised/listed my prints for a much more realistic price of $10 plus shipping... But again, I am not caring if I make money - my objective is to break even and learn the waters, so to speak, so I started looking for something that would be a worthwhile charity for Central Pennsylvania - and one thing I've learned is that the Central PA Food Bank is there for people - especially in the hard winter months and during the holidays...

Through scouts and other activities over the years, we've donated food before, but ebay has them as a charitable partner. So I put 10% of my selling price to go to that organization. The only catch? It's a minimum $5 donation.

So if I sell any prints at the starting bid of $10 - $5 automatically goes to the Food Bank, the other $5 is spread over the cost of the prints, the ebay fees, and so on.

In the end, I won't make anything.........

But that's okay.

If you are interested in purchasing a print from me, you can get it cheaper through my ebay page than through deviantart prints service. Right now, I have a handful of Harrisburg area shots listed - I can list special requests if you have any... and at this point I will gladly continue the partnership with the food bank - just to gain the experience and perhaps get some positive feedback on ebay - and learn the ropes, so to speak. :)

Arkansawyer on eBay

Central PA Food Bank on ebay.


Let me know what you think - and if you think a photo is worth $10 - $15 feel free to make a bid. :)

err. For those more serious ebay shoppers out there - my "postage" on the current listings was for priority mail to US addresses. Any suggestions on mailing large format photographs? Like packaging and priority vs parcel post, etc., etc. I am a 100% newbie at this... and again - looking to learn the ropes.