Thanksgiving With the Grandkids

Kevin Bethune

John Bethune

I think these are a couple of pretty good portraits. Of course these guys make it look easy.

The Value of Fine Art in One's Life

A  Study in Black and White, by Daniel Bethune

Yesterday, I took down the little show that Dan and I had at the RAA Gallery. The painting above is now hanging in my living room. This painting shows so much better on our wall than it did in the gallery. I am sure that the lighting I have here helps in the viewing of the work.

When I think of art, I usually think of my own photography. I mostly consider the individual pieces as they relate within a body of work. My vision is often one that incorporates the overall look or the theme of a body of work. What I see now, is that a single work of art - this painting - stands very well on it own. I do not intend to take away from the artistic value of my photography, but there is nothing more visually stunning to me as a nice painting like this one.

Spirit Tree Series Revisited

Spirit Tree Series Number Ten, November 2011

Spirit Tree Series Number Five, 2009.

I recently had an opportunity to revisit this image in Lightroom. I was considering making another print. The problem I faced was that when I first worked and printed this image it was with Photoshop Elements. I have not used that program for almost three years. I imported it into Lightroom, and could not resist working on it further. What I found was that my skills in the digital darkroom had greatly improved. Fortunately, I shot all of this series in raw, and was able to start all over again. I am very pleased in the new interpretation of this image. This tree now reveals the essence and the glow that attracted my eye over the years that I traveled through Prairie Creek State Park.

Older Photos Revisited

Prairie Creek, The Prairie

This one is from 2009. Back then I printed it full-frame. I like this crop, and I think it more closely resembles my original intention.