At least not for now.
I’ve taken a lot of ribbing over the years because the natural place to pose someone for a photo in my fairly small home is in front of my fireplace. The result was usually someone…
Daughter Shannon and me
wearing a magpie hat.
This magpie photo is one of my favorite images and I had a print of it hanging over my fireplace for years so many of my family and some of my friends have worn magpie hats. It became a well-worn joke around here. And on Feathered Photography.
But no more, at least not for a good long while.
Yesterday, in the same spot over my fireplace, I hung a 36″ x 25″ print of a Forster’s Tern coming out of the water after diving on a fish – the same image I posted to my blog five days ago. So now, if your photo is taken in my home you’ll likely be wearing a tern toupee instead of a magpie hat.
I know, that’s a lotta blue up there but I like it. It almost seems like I have a window to a pond or wetland right in my living room, complete with a beautiful bird and its reflection in a spectacular pose. I’m always a little embarrassed when that old (overexposed) 70’s chair on the right shows up in photos on my blog but it’s the most comfortable place to sit in my living room so I’m more than a little reluctant to toss it. Yeah I know, Archie Bunker-ish.
I can be a slow learner but I’ve finally figured out that I don’t have to have glass in front of my framed prints. I hate glare on the protective glass in front of my prints so with this one there isn’t any glass. Or glare, none at all. One of the advantages of being the photographer is that if the print is ever damaged I can replace it easily and cheaply. I considered using museum quality glass in front of this print but that stuff still has some glare and it isn’t cheap. If I’d taken that option it would have added $120 to the overall price of the framed print, effectively doubling its price. Thanks but no thanks.
For those who didn’t see it in my earlier blog post, here’s a better look at the tern photo.
In recent years I’ve rotated three prints over my fireplace but with the tern print there will now be four in the rotation. The other three are below.
The afore mentioned and highly iridescent Black-billed Magpie with nesting material in its bill.
A Pied-billed Grebe in some of the most colorful water I’ve ever seen.
A male Short-eared Owl carrying a vole to his family in the nest.
When I get tired of looking at one I’ll switch out to another. You know, variety being the spice of life and all that.
Ron
Very late Addendum.
A few minutes ago I got this request from Cheryl Anderson in a comment. I have time to grant her request so I will.
“I’m a reader, so I’m peering at your bookshelves. You don’t happen to have a list of them to post, or a desire to photograph the spines, eh?”
Cheryl, here’s a couple of photos of some of them. You should be able to read at least some of the titles but you’ll probably have to squint and tip your head to do so. My reading interests are heavily weighted toward nonfiction, mostly in the categories of historical/political biographies, US history (Western history in particular), Dudley family history, Mormon history (I’m not Mormon but my ancestors on both sides were) and a fair number of Ed Abbey’s books (including some fiction of course).
Ron, I am late in viewing this post. The picture looks lovely, calming and serene to me. I am sure you will enjoy looking at it. Thanks for sharing.
It made me smile because I also rotate my pictures.
What beautiful pictures. The one with the grebe is very pleasing to my eyes due to the unusual colors of the water and all its movements.
Thanks for sharing Ron.
“It made me smile because I also rotate my pictures.”
We’re a rotational duo, Beatrice…
I’m a reader, so I’m peering at your bookshelves. You don’t happen to have a list of them to post, or a desire to photograph the spines, eh?
Cheryl, see the addendum above.
Love it – and you are right about bringing a window into the wetlands. I suspect I would always have trouble in deciding which bird to feature next.
EC, you can bet I’ll have the same trouble.
All winners! That grebe photo is really something.
We are currently in Denmark visiting my wife’s relatives, and internet availability is a bit spotty. So my timing on visiting FP is a bit off. The good news is that I’m also seeing a lot of new birds.
“I’m also seeing a lot of new birds”
I’ll bet you are, Michael. During breeding season too. Have fun!
It looks great. I think Tana has one of your owl photos in Teasdale. As far as the chair, the friend’s condo in St George we stay in when all our properties are rented, has the same chair, different 70’s print but same, it is rather comfy. If the upholstery bothers you it can be reupholstered. We have an heirloom chair that is very comfortable, it is on it’s third makeover. It isn’t cheap but we love the chair.
Lol, I just noticed on a second look, you still have the whisky bird! I am honored to still have my quick quirky work on your mantel.
Of course I still have the whiskey bird, April. But I must admit I tapped it once in an …emergency 🙂 so it’s no longer completely full. I managed to do it without any damage at all to “the bird” but it was a delicate operation.
I totally like that idea of a window out onto a pond. Gorgeous photo and even better in that setting. To avoid the toupee, hat, Trilby effect I would drop the pictures down to the level of the mantle. And, being me, never able to choose a favourite, I would probably line up all four along the mantle. That grebe really speaks to me. But a comfortable chair ? They are far too rare and would you be able to enjoy your photos and your life if viewed from a place of discomfort ? This way it looks like a living room made for comfort and good living and what more can we ask?
You make an excellent point about comfortable chairs, Granny Pat.
Great idea to just skip the glass for prints! No humidity extremes and not much dust. Good for a few years is good enough (at my age).
Thanks, Dave. I’m pretty sure I’ll never have glass in front of future prints.
You beat me to the “Tern Toupee” punch, Ron — it was the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw the new adornment for your fireplace wall. We must be birds of a feather. 😂
I really like the pop of blue against all the oak and brick on that wall. I also really like your comfy chair — and hope you have the matching ottoman. 😃
Marty, I was going to use “tern trilby” in that context too but I thought trilby was a little obscure.
And yes, I have the matching ottoman but it’s in my downstairs apartment.
Tern Trilby is good too. I have crossed paths in person and online with many people who think (and state unequivocally) that they’re wearing fedoras when in fact they’re wearing trilbies (or even a homburg!). Sometimes I want to say something, but I figure, “Hey, they didn’t ask me.”
Love that you have the matching ottoman!
I am so pleased that one of your prized 4 photos is of a vole. Yay for mammals. LOL
And as for the 70’s chair, comfort trumps style in my book too. Wear it with pride.
p.s., I love the Forster’s Tern photo.
Thanks, Patrick. Yup, you’re a mammologist at heart!
A good move. I bought a print of the Magpie for my wife so you know I like that one, but the Forster’s is just a step above awesome as I indicated when you posted it. That is a photo only happens once in a lifetime and for sure deserves to be framed and hung in a prominent place.
Now you just need to have Shannon come for a visit so you can pose in front of the Forster’s for a photo.
You’re right, Everett. It’s been too long since I’ve seen Shannon.
Excellent!
Thanks, Kathleen.
I had a feeling this image would find a place on a wall in your home. And so it should. I can’t wait to see it adorned atop someone’s head.
I like floral print furniture and this chair looks perfect for settling in on a winter’s day with a good book. The chair on the left, however…
Lyle, the chair on the left saved my bacon. For the worst part (about 6 months) of my surgery recovery it was the only sitting place in my living room that I could get out of without help. So in my book that chair is a keeper.
I LOVE the tern photo in that position, and I’m glad that you realized that
you, the photographer, don’t need glass in your situation….yes, that “museum
glass ” is terribly expensive, and I prefer the glare of standard glass over the
loss of detail that “non-glare” glass produces. The blue “window” is wonderful with the brick color! When you re-upholster that chair, I think a plain surface
like the chair to the left or a small, low-contrast rectilinear pattern would compliment your fireplace and keep focus on your work–where it belongs !
Kris, I wasn’t even aware that museum glass cuts down on detail. Seems so counterproductive, for museums especially.
Wonderful photographs all! And nice to get a glimpse of your comfy-looking living room!
Thanks, Joanne.
Beautiful addition to the fireplace mantel! Wondered if you ever swapped them out…;)
2″ of rain in the past 24 hrs. and still coming down! A LOT for us – creek up needless to say. We’ll take it!
Wow, 2″ – that is a bunch. Plenty early enough to help the crops too. Congrats, Judy.
ron, looks great. have you ever shared who you use for prints?
as for the chair….. i get it. you could always get it recovered….. 🙂
David, Pixel’s Foto and Frame here in Salt Lake City has done my printing since day 1. They’re very good, they take great care of me and I’ve actually become good friends with the owner and some of the staff.
How beautiful! I also like the chair..I will take comfort any day over a “what is in style” chair.
Take Care,
Kaye
Agreed, Kaye – comfort over style.
I agree they are all Great Shots!
As much as I love em all, I particularly like the Short-eared.
Dick, my print of that Shortie is also hanging in my living room.
Ron,
They are all great shots. We should all have such a wonderful “variety.”
Stephen
Thanks, Stephen.
When you decide to change-out again, I vote for the Pied-billed Grebe cause it will look great with your brick colors. The fireplace will be the frame!
The grebe is the last one I had up there.