Monday, June 22, 2009

Brantley Magazine & a bluebird




o6-22-2009


I was sitting at a table at the Brantley County High School cafeteria for an event honoring local people that had done good for our county this past year. Publisher of the Waycross Magazine, Dave Callaway was sitting across from me and I heard him tell the lady next to him about how when he first came to Ware and put out the magazine he had ticked off a certain photographer.

It took me a few seconds to think about what he was talking about and then it came to me. I was doing a show at the Okefenokee Heritage Center and he took a picture of me standing next to one of my photographs. I was sitting somewhere one day and happened to pick up this neat looking magazine that had Waycross across the top of it and was looking at it from the back to the front like I always do. There was the picture and I thought wow this is good to have my stuff in a nice magazine like this. Then I read the caption underneath.......... Wayne Morgan with his "painting" at the Heritage Center. I could feel my blood pressure rising.

I found his email address and sent him a quick note when I got home that said something to the effect of "I really do appreciate the exposure of having my picture in this nice magazine but I am "NOT" a painter. I wish I could paint but I cannot and I am a PHOTOGRAPHER. I work hard at what I do and it is always a struggle to just get recognized as a photographer and now this." He corrected the mistake in the next issue and I thought nothing else about it until this evening and we had a good laugh.

Now today Brantley has its own magazine that Dave has published and he also took my picture again with one of my photos on the front cover. I am extremely proud to be associated with it and think it is a breath of fresh air for our county. As long as he does not list me as a "painter" we won't have a problem.

After working graveyard shift last night and getting my sleep I looked out my back window to check on the bluebirds. They are nesting again and the male and female are bringing food back and forth to the nest. I grabbed my camera and caught this male bringing in his portion of a freshly picked cricket.
wayne

(912)288-0810


Friday, June 12, 2009

Man on a bench


06-12-2009


We rode back down to Jacksonville for more tests on Bonnie this week. Before leaving I checked out my camera and it appeared to have a full charge on the battery. They discovered she has a cyst on her esophagus so now we are waiting to talk with another doctor about the next step.

On the way home we were crossing over the road that had a sign pointing > Fernandina Beach when she said "I don't feel like going back to work today. I think I'd like to go to the beach." I am a river person and had not been to the beach as far as getting wet in a very long time so around I turned at the first chance I got and we headed to the coast. After stopping at a store to get a few beach things we drove straight to it. When I pulled up I saw this man sitting on a bench with head phones on and a bible laying next to him and I thought that would make a good photo. The parking lot was full and we had not had anything to eat since early this morning so we turned and went back to eat lunch. After eating and coming back about an hour later this man was still in the exact spot as before and I couldn't stand it any more. There was one parking spot right where I needed to be so I swung in and parked the car. I grabbed my camera and stepped out and took several photos of this man enjoying his time watching the birds and listening to his music. Normally I try to keep people out of my photos but this scene to me was something interesting and I was able to get a bird in it anyway.

We decided to ride on down to a less crowded area and get out to the water. It was a beautiful day and when we got to our spot I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures of the waves breaking when my camera died on me. For some reason the battery was completely dead and I did not bring a spare with me.

I put my camera back in its bag and normally I would have been frustrated but we had a really good time splashing around in the water like teenagers. Bonnie said with that one scene of the man on the bench the trip was worth it - plus we had fun.
wayne
(912)288-0810

Friday, June 5, 2009

I WILL SURVIVE




06-05-2009


I think some wondered if I would survive this past week on my own. My bunch should be back late tomorrow night from their cruise and I think I've done pretty well thank you very much. I sleep on one little section of the bed so it is not messed up and will be easy to make up just before everyone arrives. I've had very little dishes and most of that is just glasses where my sweet tea was in. I've worn my work clothes all week so all I have to do is take them in to work and that is taken care of. I have not even got one laundry basket of dirty clothes stacked up yet. I've heard that you can get by for three or four days on one pair of underwear by flipping them inside out. After a couple of hot, sweltering, grass cutting, weed eating days I would think that it is doable but........ I don't recommend it.


I've "conveniently" arrived at lunch and supper to kin folks homes a couple of times and been invited to eat which I would have felt bad turning it down. The to-go plates also helped me get by another day or two. I've also had a friend offer to buy me lunch on one occasion while I was in Brunswick and he was persuasive so again I would have felt bad not to oblige. I have watched very little tv as most everyday I've been either asleep or out taking pictures. I've been to Homerville, Okefenokee Swamp Park, Brunswick, Satilla River, Golden Isles Speedway and even stopped by at the recreation department and caught 9 & 10 year olds practicing softball.


There is a song from long ago called "I Will Survive" and I've always considered myself one. A suvivor on my own. At least one more day.


When I saw this gator at the Swamp Park my whole idea was to get down to eye level with it and get the tree root in the photo. Once again I brought no bug spray and the mosquitos are big and bad in the swamp. This other one was from my trip to a lake in Homerville.
The latest word is the Brantley Magazine with several of my photos in it will be out next Monday.
wayne