Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa Scooter and Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.

Comfort with Ambiguity

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Vespa GTS scooter in snow covered forestWinter Scooter Riding is Confusing (but Beautiful)

Comfort with ambiguity caused me to think about riding the Vespa scooter in winter because at best all the elements are in play and in flux conspiring against you.  A slight change in weather has great influence over how you ride.  The uncertainly clearly leaves you in an ambiguous situation that defies the best planning.  No wonder most riders stay at home.


Comfort with Ambiguity

That phrase, comfort with ambiguity, has been with me for days.  Today, it’s there again before I physically start to move. My mind is already in another county.  I heard that phrase while watching a TED TALK by Cindy Meyers Foley , Executive Assistant Director and Director of Learning and Experience at the Columbus Museum of Art.

In discussing the challenges of teaching creativity she postulates that artists employ three essential tools that are critical to creativity — in art, business, engineering, medicine — any field.

They are:

  • Comfort with Ambiguity
  • Idea Generation
  • Transdisciplinary Research

Think about the people you know, the work you do and look in the mirror.  How do you score with these three?

Vespa GTS scooter covered with snow

No Snow

While today won’t look like this of my poor Vespa caught at work on a snowy day, it is supposed to rain.  Ride to work?  No.  Why?  Don’t want to. I have a lot to do and don’t need an extra dose of ambiguity.

Today, I’ll save the Vespa for another day.

Photography Project

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Shadow of man on snow covered parking lotWandering to Saint’s Cafe

On my way to Saint’s Cafe with a new inkjet print in hand — a gesture toward beginning a new photography project.  Cold and snow have the Vespa scooter at home in the garage sipping electrons from a Battery Tender.

Paul Ruby pondering life at Saint's Cafe in State College, PennsylvaniaLooking at Stuff

Paul Ruby appears with a new print and an old Bausch and Lomb Tessar view camera lens mounted in an old Alphax self cocking shutter.  I’m fascinated by the engineering and mechanical manipulations surrounding old shutters and lenses for view cameras.

Our photo meetings take place in hopes we cajole, pressure or shame each other into creative motion.  Discussion usually revolves around shows, paper, books and other issues that can clog a photographers mind.

Steve Williams with new digital printInkjet Prints

My first 13×19 inch print on Epson Exhibition Fiber paper made with an Epson P800 printer.  After preparing the printing file in Photoshop CC (from a RAW image made with my Canon G15 (Now available as the Canon PowerShot G16 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera) I clicked the print button and a few minutes later was holding a dazzling inkjet print.

The image itself was a sleeper for me, a quick snapshot while walking out of a parking garage.  Much later while perusing images in Lightroom did I recognize the strange view as a unique part of State College, Pennsylvania.

Not sure what will come of any photography projects but at least I’m in motion.  That’s a start.