My magnetic personality…

When “flux” was first announced as the theme for March of 2009, I was very excited. My mind raced with all sorts of science-related (and science fiction related….flux capacitor anyone?) notions, but I quickly realized that I did not have within my power to make most or any of them come to fruition picture-wise.

Damn.

However, there was one which I confidently felt was within my grasp: magnetism. Physicists refer to such as magnetic field, while electrical engineers call the Vector field known as B magnetic flux density or magnetic induction. I think this picture best describes the output of such magnetic flux density

Mind you, getting this picture was no easy feat. I first had to find a store that carried the sort of science experiment kit for kids that would contain both magnets and iron filings. This took a bit of time as there really are very few of these sorts of stores left out in the wild. I could find such online more readily, but the cost (once shipping was included) was just ridiculous considering all things.

After finally locating a “local” store (60-minute round-trip drive) I returned home with my prize only to find it was missing the bag of iron filings! Shit! I phoned the store and they assured me they still had at least one other of these kits and so it was that my wife kindly agreed to make the exchange for me. This made more sense than my returning there seeing how her office is only 10 or so minutes from the location.

This also provided me the first opportunity to work with the macro, which offered up a rather tantalizing image

I was hoping to be able to better isolate some of the arched bits of magnetized filings, but I really had little if any control over how they assembled themselves once the magnets were added to the equation. Nevertheless, I very much enjoyed playing round with this whole caper and I took some snaps for a future posting that will be a The Makings of……thing.

Excited, aren’t you?

Flux

When I thought of this months theme, I had an image in my mind of the way electricity flows but how to portray that I wasn’t sure, then I remembered that I had one those plasma ball thingys, excellent thinks I, that’ll do the job nicely.
But when it came to actually taking the shot it proved more difficult than I had imagined but, I persevered and true to this months theme I had to try different ways of taking the shot, each time encountering different problems and having to continuously change and adapt to them.
So you could say that this photography lark fits with the theme and also isn’t the point of this group to challenge ourselves and change the way we would normally do things.

Fluxing my camera muscles…

Flux, as a topic, has not been as easy as I had originally anticipated. I think the problem stems from my preoccupation with science-related meanings instead of being open to all definitions. And, of course, there was a rather crude idea that had popped into my head, which fit one of the definitions of flux, but would not have been appropriate for this endeavor (at least I didn’t think so upon reflection).

As pictures started popping up from others in the group I quickly realized that the most useful meaning of flux was going completely over my head. Imagine that….me being dense. Once I began to embrace the more interesting meaning (“in constant change”) I realized potentialities to which I had been previously blinded. But what ‘constant change’ could I explore that hadn’t already been captured by my fellow group mates?

Fortunately for me it was the work of another Flickrite, who sparked a connection for me, what with his flurry of spring photographs. (sorry Mike…he beat you to it) And as I sat and enjoyed his photographs I realized that right outside my window, in my very own lawn, nature was in a state of flux; leaving behind the days of winter and making way for spring.

While my dear friends in England celebrate the brilliance that is blossoming daffodils and the like, we here in southwestern Ohio must make do with a slower state of flux between winter and spring. But they are on their way so be prepared to see pictures of our daffs and tulips my friends.

Tam’s flux

Using the very same definition TMC and fotdmike used… constant change!

We cannot keep our aquarium plants planted, seated, in one place…however you want to say it.

We love real plants in our aquarium…and so did our crawfish! Apparently, they loved gardening! Brad would get the plants seated in the gravel and be happy with the plant arrangement then the next day, they’d be floating around in the water.

So, for the past week our aquarium has been in a state of flux.

mike’s “Flux”

One of the meanings of “flux” as in a “state of flux” is a state of constant change. I know it is cos, well, I just know it is. Plus I looked it up in the dictionary… just to confirm. After all, it has been known (on rare occasions) for my memory to deceive me. I think the last time was about five minutes ago in fact. If only I could remember that far back.

Anyway, soon as ugly mug suggested “flux” as this month’s theme I instantly knew what I was gonna do.
Y’see, I’ve got these two candles in my workroom. That are in a state of constant (albeit very slow) change… from being perfectly serviceable candles to becoming something pretty near useless.

No intervention or meddling on my part. All caused by the temperature I tend to keep my workroom at. For the past three years or so. One day I may get around to changing them.

So here’s my contribution to this month’s theme…

Flux

The subject for February puzzled me at first. Flux? I got out the dictionary. (You have to appreciate that I last attended any formal educational faculty at the age of sixteen and had been an unwilling participant prior to that time). Flux = 1. a flow or discharge 2. continuous change or instability….AH! That’ll do. The housing market is currently very unstable. There’s a flat for rent in my block that hasn’t been occupied for nearly a year. The house next door to my mother’s has been on the market for over two years. Instability. The picture selected shows the estate and letting agents signage at the end of a small row of terraced cottages in the coastal town of Birchington, adjacent to Margate in Kent. In the absence of anything better, I considered that this plethora of real estate signs demonstrated the word flux in the context of instability.