Pagan time of year refers to the period of time that is significant in pagan and ancient religious traditions. While the specific time of year may vary depending on the specific tradition or culture, generally it includes celebrations and observances that mark the changing of seasons or important astronomical events such as solstices and equinoxes. In many pagan traditions, the changing of seasons and astronomical events hold great spiritual significance. These events are seen as opportunities to connect with nature, honor the cycle of life and death, and align oneself with the rhythms of the natural world. One of the most well-known pagan time of year celebrations is Samhain, which falls on October 31st or November 1st. Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, and is often associated with honoring the ancestors and the thinning of the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds.
With the Articulated Arm, if I need to raise the flash a bit all I need do is loosen one joint -- perhaps the elbow, perhaps the wrist -- and move the flash into place. After doing so, I might find I'm still 'off' by a bit, and I might loosen another joint, maybe the shoulder this time, and do my fine-tuning. While this takes longer than doing the adjustment by loosening an Arm with just one knob, I think you can see that this also allows very precise and methodical adjustment changes.
By loosening the locking knob at the elbow, or any of the other knobs, for that matter, one can slide the tube portion of the arm to or fro to either shorten, or to extend the arm to its maximum length. With the Articulated Arm, if I need to raise the flash a bit all I need do is loosen one joint -- perhaps the elbow, perhaps the wrist -- and move the flash into place.
Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, and is often associated with honoring the ancestors and the thinning of the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds. Another important pagan time of year is Beltane, which falls on May 1st or the night of April 30th. Beltane is a celebration of fertility, growth, and the coming of summer.
Wildlife Photography
One of the most versatile pieces of equipment I own is the Bogen Articulated Arm. I use it for holding flashes, sometimes for supporting a camera, and often for holding a prop or securing a hummingbird feeder at one of our Arizona or Costa Rica hummingbird sets. I've used these arms for years, yet I'm surprised, each year, when I showcase the equipment needed for our hummingbird setups how few people know about them.
I was first introduced to these Bogen arms at the start of my photo career over 25 years ago. I had purchased a beefier model that's still available, the Bogen Magic Arm (model 2930) from a local camera store, drove home, opened the box, and found that I was missing the vital piece of equipment necessary to use it -- the Bogen Super Clamp that attaches to the other end! I drove back, bought the second piece, and was in business.
Since then the Bogen Magic Arm has been improved with a similar model, the Bogen Variable Friction Arm (model 2929) that uses a knurled knob that, by rotating, gradually tightens the joints and locks the Arm into place. With the original model, the Magic Arm, a single lever accomplishes this, but the transition from loose to locked is rather abrupt, and without care the angle and position of the Arm may move while locking. This doesn't happen with the Variable Friction Arm, so for my money it's worth the slightly higher expense.
All three models are called 'Arms' because they function quite similarly to our human arm in terms of movement. On one end is a detachable Camera platform with a 1/4 - 20 screw thread. On the other end is a bare stud, onto which one normally mounts the Super Clamp. The end with the camera platform functions like a wrist -- think of the platform as the hand; the other end is the shoulder joint - the super clamp being the shoulder, and the juncture in the middle is the elbow of both arms. Just as your hand and arm can twist and bend in an almost infinite number of directions, so too can all three of these Bogen Arms, which makes placement of flashes or accessories very, very flexible.
One feature of the Articulated Arm I really like is illustrated by the image on the left. By loosening the locking knob at the elbow,
or any of the other knobs, for that matter, one can slide the tube portion of the arm to or fro to either shorten, or to extend the
arm to its maximum length. By default the arm tubes are positioned at their full length. I find this feature extremely useful
when I am fine-tuning a manual flash lighting ratio, where movements of just an inch or two may make a difference in
as much as one f-stop when I'm working close in with hummingbirds -- you all remember the inverse square law, don't you?
While I've just described all three Arms, my recommendation for newcomers is the least expensive of the three, the Articulated Arm. In this model, there are three different controlling levers for controlling the movement of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints. While that may seem cumbersome compared to the one locking lever of the Magic Arm, or the variable friction knob of the Variable Friction Magic Arm, and it is a bit slower to use, those disadvantages are offset by the control you have. With either of the other two, you must have the Arm's position set exactly where you want it when you lock it into place. If an adjustment needs to be done, the lock must be loosened and the fine-tuning done, at the risk of the other joints going out of place.
With the Articulated Arm, if I need to raise the flash a bit all I need do is loosen one joint -- perhaps the elbow, perhaps the wrist -- and move the flash into place. After doing so, I might find I'm still 'off' by a bit, and I might loosen another joint, maybe the shoulder this time, and do my fine-tuning. While this takes longer than doing the adjustment by loosening an Arm with just one knob, I think you can see that this also allows very precise and methodical adjustment changes.
The Articulated Arm is the least expensive of the three Arms and, as I said, perhaps the one to start with if you're thinking of doing a flash setup for macro or hummingbird photography. Most of our Arizona Hummingbird flash setups use the Articulated Arm, and I also use these for supporting the tube feeder used as bait. Accordingly, each hummer set uses at least 5 Articulated Arms.
If you find that you need the stronger, and heavier, Magic Arm I can assure you that your Articulated Arm won't be neglected. You'll still use it for holding props, or a flash, or a feeder, while the stronger Magic Arms (I'd recommend the Variable Friction model) support your heavy flashes. By the way, I'm talking about heavy flashes here -- studio model types. The Articulated Arm will easily support any hotshoe-style flash -- Canon, Nikon, Vivitar -- that you'd normally use for hummingbird work.
Do I love these things? You bet! For years, and virtually since I started in photography, I've owned about six, and those carried me through the beginning of my wildlife photography career. Those Arms still work -- they are beat up, sticky with tape from attaching props like sticks or branches, but they work. Now, as we conduct our hummingbird shoots where we have at least six or seven sets going, and often more for remote projects or off-location, portable shoots we do for kangaroo rats, owls, or whatever, well I now carry over 30 Arms of various types, and about 40 Super Clamps to mount them to.
Why more Super Clamps? Sometimes I replace the detachable camera platform (where I mount the flashes) with another Super Clamp so that I have one on either end. One attaches to whatever support I'm using -- a chair, light pole, tripod leg, etc., and the other clamps onto a prop I wish to support -- perhaps a branch or a background panel. If you own several Arms, chances are you'll want to get an extra Super Clamp or two.
Good camera stores should have all of these Bogen products in stock, as will the various catalog stores. I order mine from my favorite store, Allen's Camera (215 - 547-2841), whose prices match and usually beat NY catalog super stores, and the service is always first class.
Our Past Photo Tips of the Month:
While I've just described all three Arms, my recommendation for newcomers is the least expensive of the three, the Articulated Arm. In this model, there are three different controlling levers for controlling the movement of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints. While that may seem cumbersome compared to the one locking lever of the Magic Arm, or the variable friction knob of the Variable Friction Magic Arm, and it is a bit slower to use, those disadvantages are offset by the control you have. With either of the other two, you must have the Arm's position set exactly where you want it when you lock it into place. If an adjustment needs to be done, the lock must be loosened and the fine-tuning done, at the risk of the other joints going out of place.
It is often marked with bonfires, dancing, and maypole ceremonies. Imbolc is another significant pagan time of year, falling on February 1st or 2nd. It is a celebration of the return of light and the beginning of spring. Imbolc is associated with purification and the awakening of the earth after the long winter months. Pagans may also celebrate other times of year such as Lammas, Ostara, and Yule, each with their own unique significance and rituals. Overall, the pagan time of year is a reminder of the cyclical nature of life and the interconnectedness of all things. It offers opportunities for spiritual reflection, connection with the natural world, and honoring the ancient traditions and wisdom of our ancestors. Whether through individual rituals or community celebrations, pagans embrace these significant times of year to deepen their spiritual practices and celebrate the rich tapestry of the cosmos..
Reviews for "Embracing the Pagan Concept of Time as Cyclical"
1. Emily - 2 stars - The book "Pagan Time of Year" was a huge disappointment for me. I found the writing style to be overly flowery and pretentious, which made it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the story. Additionally, I found the characters to be one-dimensional and lacking in depth. The plot itself felt disjointed and confusing at times, making it hard to follow along. Overall, I struggled to connect with any aspect of this book and would not recommend it to others.
2. Mark - 1 star - I couldn't finish reading "Pagan Time of Year" due to the slow pace and lack of engaging content. The story dragged on with little development, and I found myself losing interest quickly. Additionally, the characters were uninspiring and lacked any real depth or complexity. The overall experience left me feeling bored and unfulfilled. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations, and I would not recommend it to anyone seeking an exciting and captivating read.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - "Pagan Time of Year" fell short for me in several ways. First and foremost, the writing style was unnecessarily verbose, making it a tedious read. The author seemed more focused on showcasing their vocabulary rather than telling an engaging story. Moreover, the plot lacked originality and failed to hold my attention. The characters were forgettable, and their actions often did not make sense within the context of the story. Overall, I found this book to be pretentious and uninteresting, and I would not recommend it to others.