Desert Rat from Tex-Mex border

[sparx]

I ordered a GRD 4 from B&H today to replace my Canon S95. My former camera experience is with a Argus C3 (1957), Yashica GSN, Nikon 6006. I am new to digital other than about one years occasional experience with the S95. I like photojournalism and urban photography (what we call street here). I am retired with a previous background in social anthropology and psychology. Married and older than dirt (75).
I do not want to be a professional photographer, I only take pictures to remind me of where I have been and the people I meet. I'm not into scenic, I like pictures and photographers that tell stories about life.
One of my favorites is W. Eugene Smith - and I like his quote, “I didn’t write the rules — why should I follow them?"
My wife thinks I'm cranky, I don't listen to her either.

 

[thelps]

Hi and welcome to our friendly little corner and congrats on the GRD IV purchase. Its a well developed little tool and you should find it a great companion on your journeys. I had a Nikon 801 (8008) for a while and some of my better images came from that.
My wife thinks I am cranky (we use the term grumpy) also. Perhaps her perception is wrong LOL.
We'd all love to see some samples of your images. There is a section for non Ricoh's if you have any pearlers from the S95

 

[sparx]

ok I posted two pics from Photobucket from my Canon S95 in the Open Gallery (and I see I posted in the wrong place)

 

[quester]

Hi sparx and welcome here. I'm another desert dweller, and only a kilometer away from the border myself - in my case it's the Israel-Jordan border. Would really like to see how your desert fits in with life there. Saw the tractor shot - very nice.

The PX is my first digital camera, been using it for almost 2 years, and am on the edge of upgrading to a GR.
The acacia tree is in my front yard, the mountains in my back.

I'd write something about my wife, but I'm too scared.

 

[sparx]

Thanks for your response. We have a similar tree here in West Texas called the Mesquite, with thorns just like the Acacia. Your mountains look like ours and I have a book of photographs of Jerusalem in the late 1800s that show cactus like the one around here. I live in the mountains as you can see in the donkey pictures. Looking at a map, we live between the same latitudes, 31 & 33 degrees, so I would expect we would have similar terrain.

 

[quester]

We have a similar tree here in West Texas called the Mesquite, with thorns just like the Acacia. . Looking at a map, we live between the same latitudes, 31 & 33 degrees, so I would expect we would have similar terrain.

We have Mesquite here for landscaping purposes - it's not a native to the desert. Beautiful tree, but some people here are allergic to the flowers.
Terrain's similar, but I bet you get more rain - our yearly average these last ten years is not more than 15-20 millimeters.

Hudspeth County - well that's a coincidence. Two nights ago I saw the last part of "No Country for Old Men" on TV, and the place was mentioned by the sheriff. I remember thinking if there is such a place or not.
So if you're 75 and live there, I guess that says something about you - or that Cormac McCarthy allowed himself some artistic freedom....

 

[sparx]

Nope, cupola other movies filmed in my neighborhood and there is a building still standing from one of the westerns.
had a link for a picture but it would not show. will try later.

http://www.panoramio.com/user/4653201?c ... oto_page=4
try that and look for the last man standing prop

several pictures here of Hudspeth County, Cerro Alto, Alamo mtn, Coronudas (not my pics)