(1995) I think this is called a butte. Maybe not - as I'm no expert on the southwest. But it was definitely a "spiritual power vortex" as they call them out in those parts.
9/13/2005
Sedona Butte
(1995) I think this is called a butte. Maybe not - as I'm no expert on the southwest. But it was definitely a "spiritual power vortex" as they call them out in those parts.
3rd Avenue Fair 1.
This is a quote from Constantine's Sword by James Carroll about the time that Bob Dylan played before John Paul II.
"At the conlusion of Dylan's brief set, the pope went to the microphone. 'The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind.' he said in his heavily accented English, quoting Dylan's legendary lyric. His Holiness defined the wind as 'the breath and life of the Holy Spirit.'
Then, as if justifying the presence of Bob Dylan and, not incidentally, defending Dylan's now renounced conversion, John Paul raised the epic question: "How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?" And he answered it: "One! There is ony one road for man, and it is Christ, who said, 'I am the Life'!"
9/12/2005
9-11 + n days
You know this blog is just a stream of consciousness and improvising. In a way - it's surreal if you think of the mix of pictures and often unrelated words.
But life is accidental as well. I decided to start looking again at some of my old negatives, and this one - shot a few days later - from the 59th street bridge - was on the first negative sheet.
So I guess I must be ready to start looking at some of my photos from 9-11 now
In The Rubber Broom
"Not only does it pick up dirt from tile, but you can mop with it, sweep with it, it can even be used to clean your windows... Now on t.v. you will see a broom like this that has sold millions. But that broom is rubber and falls apart. This broom is metal - covered by rubber. Go ahead, try and bend it... You see folks - this is a once in a lifetime buy. Not $40. Not $30. But $22. And if you buy within the next five minutes - I'll throw in this mop as well. Think about it. A mop and a broom for $22."
9/11/2005
Street Fair
I spent a few hours at the 3rd avenue street fair. I actually shot three rolls which is the most I've done for one location. All M3. I guess I'm always surprised by what I find at these events. I really only saw one other "pro" photographer there. Ladened down with two big zoom dslrs. I just felt so comfortable with the camera. I put an ND filter on (my trade secret) because I really do like to shoot at about f5.6 if I can and I don't like using more than one film type.
Speaking of Tri-X, I finally spent time printing some of the recent shots. Three very good prints. Funny thing: one handheld of the Crucified Christ at the Met - just very dark and mystical. And a few shots done on the tripod at night.
I had a thrill when I saw the 8 x 12's. Even did one 11 x 14 which held up well. Pretty productive day.
I wanted to write something about today being 9/11. In fact, I wrote two posts and then saved them as draft. I could feel myself falling into the chasm of red-state blue-state opinions. And the media is filled with that spitting head syndrome. Does anyone think their mind can be changed by some photographer's opinion? I doubt it. Do you think my mind could be swayed by argument. Nope.
Some states believe the country is going to hell in a red handbasket. The blue states think the handbasket is blue. The independents borrow from each handbasket. Locked in battle to the death. So I think I've only said that the country is polarized and everyone knows that. Now if I can keep my mouth shut about New Orleans disaster, The Supreme Court hearings; the war in Iraq; the use of SUVs; Homeland Security et. al.
Fair and balanced from now on. That's my motto. What does it mean? It means what I say it means - no more - no less.
Speaking of Tri-X, I finally spent time printing some of the recent shots. Three very good prints. Funny thing: one handheld of the Crucified Christ at the Met - just very dark and mystical. And a few shots done on the tripod at night.
I had a thrill when I saw the 8 x 12's. Even did one 11 x 14 which held up well. Pretty productive day.
I wanted to write something about today being 9/11. In fact, I wrote two posts and then saved them as draft. I could feel myself falling into the chasm of red-state blue-state opinions. And the media is filled with that spitting head syndrome. Does anyone think their mind can be changed by some photographer's opinion? I doubt it. Do you think my mind could be swayed by argument. Nope.
Some states believe the country is going to hell in a red handbasket. The blue states think the handbasket is blue. The independents borrow from each handbasket. Locked in battle to the death. So I think I've only said that the country is polarized and everyone knows that. Now if I can keep my mouth shut about New Orleans disaster, The Supreme Court hearings; the war in Iraq; the use of SUVs; Homeland Security et. al.
Fair and balanced from now on. That's my motto. What does it mean? It means what I say it means - no more - no less.
9/10/2005
New York Morning
Oh, I was thinking as I fell asleep last night, I'm tired of what I've been shooting. I want to go somewhere different. I've done the night thing to death. I was mulling over different changes of scene - but it felt like I had been everywhere in this monumental city. That's not true - I haven't really explored a lot of places in the outer boroughs - and definitely haven't tried Staten Island and very little in Queens.
My thoughts circle around in this virtual tour of the city. I let them fly around until, much to my surprise they land at 59th street and 5th avenue. This just seems to be the navel of Manhattan for me right now.
But it's not the great navel it used to be with the Plaza closed down. And lately a lot of the lights are out by the fountain, and you just stand there in this murk and smell the horse manure.
I'm imagining it at different times of day. Dawn. Dawn on a weekend morning. So the alarm got set, and at 6 a.m. or so I was standing in front of the Bloomberg building waiting for the sky to change.
This time I put the tripod in the middle of the empty street - and photographed with the guards small in frame watching me. I was - after all - on public property so there was nothing they could do but watch me.
And then I moved on. The homeless hadn't been swept from the avenues yet. One was sleeping in front of a ad that has Greta Garbo. Oh - the contrast is a little too obvious. I'm sick of the obvious. More homeless. I'm finished with that.
And I walked past the obvious irony. But the image stayed in my brain and I had to return. That was a shot I had to have and I'd be pissed if I didn't. And I took several shots. Obvious. And can't wait to see it.
Windows were being cleaned everywhere. Construction workers sitting around eating breakfast waiting for things to start up.
The sky glows behind the buildings.
How beautiful the city was without New Yorkers. Stay in bed and let me watch the gleaming patterns form without the usual frenzy.
Into the park and there is this multi-seated bicycle by duck pond. Red. About 10 seats facing each other. As I approach it - a guy on a walkie talkie asks me if this (meaning the Party Bike) is mine.
No. Not mine. Never saw one before.
So he's on his walkie talkie trying to explain to some security guy: There's this bike - this party bike down here unattended.
But party bike sounds like something else to the guy on the other end of the crackle and I hear: There's a bike down there?
- Not a bike. A PARTY bike. You know - one of those bikes with like 8 seats on it. You'd better come down here and investigate.
- Roger that. Party bike. Stay there - I'll be right over. Over.
And I walk off and do some nice reflections in the duck pond - thinking of that question from Catcher in the Rye - but where do the ducks go in winter?
And on my way back - there are three park security guys standing around the red bicycle hydra trying to figure out how to move it. Could it be a new security threat?
I just stand around watching the show. I had no desire to take a picture of it. I'll leave it to your imagination. One of the security guards climbs into it - there is a seat in the center - and there might be a small motor in it. I'm not sure.
But the next problem seems to be what to do with the thing. It's like 8 bikes all pointing to a center hub where the security guy sits.
So they're going through where to bring the thing - and that's about as much of the show as I have the patience for so I continue on my way until the roll is gone. Hop in a cab and by 9 a.m. I'm back in my bed - sound asleep.
My thoughts circle around in this virtual tour of the city. I let them fly around until, much to my surprise they land at 59th street and 5th avenue. This just seems to be the navel of Manhattan for me right now.
But it's not the great navel it used to be with the Plaza closed down. And lately a lot of the lights are out by the fountain, and you just stand there in this murk and smell the horse manure.
I'm imagining it at different times of day. Dawn. Dawn on a weekend morning. So the alarm got set, and at 6 a.m. or so I was standing in front of the Bloomberg building waiting for the sky to change.
This time I put the tripod in the middle of the empty street - and photographed with the guards small in frame watching me. I was - after all - on public property so there was nothing they could do but watch me.
And then I moved on. The homeless hadn't been swept from the avenues yet. One was sleeping in front of a ad that has Greta Garbo. Oh - the contrast is a little too obvious. I'm sick of the obvious. More homeless. I'm finished with that.
And I walked past the obvious irony. But the image stayed in my brain and I had to return. That was a shot I had to have and I'd be pissed if I didn't. And I took several shots. Obvious. And can't wait to see it.
Windows were being cleaned everywhere. Construction workers sitting around eating breakfast waiting for things to start up.
The sky glows behind the buildings.
How beautiful the city was without New Yorkers. Stay in bed and let me watch the gleaming patterns form without the usual frenzy.
Into the park and there is this multi-seated bicycle by duck pond. Red. About 10 seats facing each other. As I approach it - a guy on a walkie talkie asks me if this (meaning the Party Bike) is mine.
No. Not mine. Never saw one before.
So he's on his walkie talkie trying to explain to some security guy: There's this bike - this party bike down here unattended.
But party bike sounds like something else to the guy on the other end of the crackle and I hear: There's a bike down there?
- Not a bike. A PARTY bike. You know - one of those bikes with like 8 seats on it. You'd better come down here and investigate.
- Roger that. Party bike. Stay there - I'll be right over. Over.
And I walk off and do some nice reflections in the duck pond - thinking of that question from Catcher in the Rye - but where do the ducks go in winter?
And on my way back - there are three park security guys standing around the red bicycle hydra trying to figure out how to move it. Could it be a new security threat?
I just stand around watching the show. I had no desire to take a picture of it. I'll leave it to your imagination. One of the security guards climbs into it - there is a seat in the center - and there might be a small motor in it. I'm not sure.
But the next problem seems to be what to do with the thing. It's like 8 bikes all pointing to a center hub where the security guy sits.
So they're going through where to bring the thing - and that's about as much of the show as I have the patience for so I continue on my way until the roll is gone. Hop in a cab and by 9 a.m. I'm back in my bed - sound asleep.
9/09/2005
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