The World as I See It

Influences in My Life

2012-01-29T11:04:00.009-05:00

This photo brings up so many thoughts and feelings. It was taken on one of our annual guys snowmobile trips back to Vermont on this date in 2003.

When Marjorie and her husband Henry first married, they lived with his parents on their dairy farm (the next farm over from this). Some of you have seen a recent black and white photo of that farmhouse in winter - with snow and the mountain across the valley. He worked the farm with his father to take care of their room and board. She taught school to pay the salary of loggers as they worked hard to start their own business and move out on their own. Later they built their first lumber mill run by the power of a local river/stream. They later built another, larger lumber mill (where I later worked) while also running the dairy farm (with help) that went with this farmhouse.

She soon quit teaching to become the mother of seven all the while working alongside her husband in all his endeavors including the dairy farm, the lumber mill, managing Dale Carnegie courses and his service in the Vermont House and later the Vermont Senate.

As she approached 60, she decided she needed to slow down just a bit. That's when her son, my best friend in Boston, George, and I started looking for someone to take her place eventually in the lumber mill's office. We were looking around the small campus of Eastern Nazarene College where George was a Junior and my new bride, Vicki was finishing her senior year (and where Sunshine went to college about 30 years later). After coming up empty, after a few weeks, I joked one day that maybe I should go do it. At the time I was out of college and on the management trainee track for a Boston-area bank. The more we joked about it, the more seriously we considered it. After all, George would be graduating in another year, his plan was to go to medical school at the University of Vermont, in Burlington, an hour away from the lumber mill. You have to consider a plan that includes living near any of your best friends after college is over.

After consulting my bride, I took the job and we moved to Vermont that summer of 1974. We lived there for a little over six years before moving back to the Washington DC area to be closer to our families.

My time with Marjorie was both interesting and influential in my early years of adulthood. This was a woman of faith, understated style, determination and an incredible work ethic. I am thankful to say that she, and the entire Manchester family, treated us like family - not just as employee. Moving away was one of the hardest decisions of my life.

When I moved there, Marjorie still came into the office occasionally to train me and to continue to work part-time. On a typical day she treated me to lunch while I drove her to one of her/our favorite lunch spots. Sometimes her husband Henry, or son Alan who by then was running the mill, would join us for lunch. But most days it was the two of us. Those drives and lunches were some of the most interesting times. She would share what her life was like growing up in Vermont. And she would also share some of the stories of life in nearby, small Vermont towns over the years. You could easily create a Hollywood mini-series from those stories. I am now convinced that every place in the world has the potential for a drama book or series. Life is truly stranger than fiction.

On a related note, of working in a lumber mill, some folk don't like the idea of logging and the need for lumber mills. But I try to remind them that, if done properly, trees are one of the few renewable resources. Henry told me that back in the 1930's Vermont was almost clear cut of trees. Today it is a heavily forested state and yet supports an active logging business, without detriment to Vermont's beauty. It also supports the livelihood of so many Vermonters. And we get the benefits beyond Vermont. At times, their lumber mill has supplied wood for Ethan Allen furniture, stock for piano actions and rails for Mad River Canoes - to name a few. If you ever get a chance to fly in to Burlington, you will be treated to flying over miles and miles of forest - not something you see very often here in the East.

When I first moved there, Marjorie was turning 60. I was 22 at the time and I remember her sharing how young she felt at 60. She recalled remembering how old she thought 60 was when she was younger. Over the years, I remembered her comments and wanted to compare them when I reached 60. Last year I reached 60 - and I feel the same way. I feel like I'm 35 (well maybe 45)...not 60.

Another thing that I admired about her was her quietly helping those in need. Working in the office and spending a lot of time with her, I was in a position to see just some of this help. Most everything I saw, was done anonymously. She and Henry were very hard-working and successful business people. But she and Henry also modeled the responsibility that comes with success. Although I am sure Henry supported her and often suggested people to help, she was the primary person to make this happen. They did not pursue a life of luxury as I often see used to measure success in cities like Washington - where I live.

One of her many projects involved taking one of her granddaughters in for the summer. That summer would be spent mentoring that young woman on some of the finer points of decorating and cleaning a house, cooking and all that goes with managing a home. I imagine managing money and other great advice was part of the summer. It wasn't that their Moms could not and did not do all this. But it was wisdom from another generation and more importantly, real quality time with grandma. It was also an early touch of independence - being away from home for a while - sort of a special, one-on-one summer camp.

One of the benefits of having me in the office was that it allowed Marjorie to go to Montpelier, on occasion, and spend a few days with Henry in his later political career in the state Senate. (someday I need to write a post about Henry and how I consider him one of the few modern Renaissance men I have met)

One of the miracles that Marjorie pulled, that also impressed me, was creating incredible meals out of a small kitchen that would shock most of you. To complicate things, the culture and life of a dairy farm, a lumber mill, a large extended family and many friends, often resulted in more people showing up than one could reasonable expect at any given meal. She never (in my hearing) complained about these last-minute changes. She simply produced and produced from a tiny kitchen.

This photo also reminds me of the warmth and comfort of a good Vermont farmhouse. It doesn't necessarily have designer furniture but it has very good, solid and attractive furniture. How nice to have a beautiful, large cherry hutch in your dining room that was made by Ethan Allen from lumber from your lumber mill. Imagine having an early Fred Swan Vermont painting of a family sugar house on the wall. It is attractive in a Vermont way. And it is comfortable in a way that I can not effectively describe. She entertained in what I would describe as the Vermont way. (being a "flatlander", I am no expert in how others might define that) Think of the most comfortable, welcoming home you have been in.

In the early years of our annual boys trips up for snowmobiling, we stayed in "the farmhouse" with Marjorie, after Henry's death in 1998. The scene you see above was our usual morning scene as we had breakfast and lounged around in one of the many comfortable chairs, enjoying the warmth of a very functional wood stove. We would tease each other about the wisdom of leaving this perfect comfort for the harsh conditions of traveling on a motorized sled at 40-60 MPH in sub-freezing temperatures.

I may have a few facts wrong here but this is the best of my (sometimes poor) memory from over 30 years ago...

We joke about a photo being worth a thousand words. This photo brings up thousands in my memory.

Style, Form and Function

2012-01-14T12:19:00.001-05:00

2012-01-04T20:00:00.002-05:00

2012-01-03T22:19:00.002-05:00

Christmas Lights

2012-01-03T12:07:00.001-05:00

New Baby

2011-12-24T07:51:00.010-05:00

Years ago, when I purchased my D200, I thought I was set for life. Given my skills at the time, I was. Then I stumbled into sports photography and my camera was no longer adequate. For the last three years, my D300 was better but still not adequate for the poor lights of high school fields and gymnasiums. Though I have not formally started a business, this feels more like a business investment than a personal purchase.

But now having a full-frame sensor, I look forward to better landscapes, wildlife shots and portraits. Like most photographers, I wish I could go back to all my good photo situations with the better skills and equipment of my latter years. Oh well... Just thankful to have lived to the day of this technology and the amazing ability to shoot limitless photos, with basically no cost, with modern camera cards.

My last two camera body purchases have been used - a good option for an amateur to upgrade. Now I need a 24-70mm 2.8 lens and a 300mm lens :)

Lot of Intelligence

2011-12-09T10:26:00.004-05:00

2011-11-28T20:50:00.001-05:00

Last Day in Maine

2011-11-23T17:35:00.004-05:00

Northern Maine

2011-11-13T20:31:00.003-05:00

I can't adequately show how beautiful these remote Maine (and New Brunswick) lakes are. Some have gravel pads for campers or small cabins but they are not visible from the lake and they are few and far between. When you look from your spot out on the lake, you see no other proof of man being there. You feel as if you are the first person to discover this lake. This is one of the thrills of my years of going off the beaten path to photograph scenery and wildlife.

New Brunswick

2011-11-13T19:33:00.000-05:00

Northern Maine

2011-11-11T17:26:00.002-05:00

Northern Maine

2011-11-11T17:25:00.003-05:00

Maine

2011-11-11T17:25:00.001-05:00

Northern Maine

2011-11-08T22:10:00.001-05:00

Neighborhood Rowdies

2011-10-29T22:01:00.001-04:00

2011-10-26T22:03:00.001-04:00

Favorite Taken Two Years Ago Today

2011-10-25T09:49:00.003-04:00

Skyline Drive Virginia

2011-10-16T09:26:00.001-04:00

Skyline Drive Virginia

2011-10-16T09:24:00.000-04:00

Hamilton VA

2011-10-10T14:54:00.004-04:00

Hillsboro, VA - September 29, 2011

2011-09-29T17:27:00.003-04:00

Wayne Henderson - September 29, 2007

2011-09-29T14:25:00.002-04:00

Grayson Highlands Fall Festival
Not only is he an incredible craftsman and musician, he was my dad's mailman when my dad first retired to southwest VA in the 1970's. Had him repair my (valuable?) Martin guitar - so I can say I have (a piece of) a Henderson guitar.
If you want to read about him and his craft - try Clapton's Guitar by Allen St. John - the story of Wayne making one of his accoustic guitars for Eric Clapton

Family Member - September 29, 2007

2011-09-29T12:35:00.001-04:00

Indian Head, MD

2011-09-05T18:45:00.003-04:00

Northern Neck - September 05, 2010

2011-09-05T15:06:00.001-04:00

A polarizing filter makes all the difference..

Clyde - September 05, 2010

2011-09-05T11:10:00.001-04:00

My favorite biker/rider photo - taken one year ago today

Iwo Jima

2011-08-24T23:22:00.005-04:00

Friend Andy Richards in town for a few days. Whenever possible, we try to get together and go shooting.

Movies - Favorites, Greats, Escapes, Romance, etc.

2011-08-24T08:42:00.000-04:00

Absence of Malice - drama with Paul Newman and Sally Field
The Adventures of Robin Hood - 1938
Always - love among firefighter pilots - Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, John Goodman
American Graffiti - crusing the streets in the early 60's - great soundtrack and caast
As Good as it Gets - romance and humor - Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear
Aspen Extreme - Michigan ski buddies move to Aspen
Ben Hur
Best in Show - making fun of people who show dogs
Bridges of Madison County - romance - Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep
Contact - Jodie Foster looks for intelligent life in the universe
Cookie's Fortune - sweet look at life in a small, southern town; Glenn Close, Julianne Moore, Charles Dutton, Liv Tyler and Chris O'Donnell
Dave - Kevin Kline is a presidential look-alike - with Siguorney Weaver
The Day of the Jackal - great assasination thriller - based on Frederick Forsyth book
Dead Solid Perfect - low-budget version of Tin Cup, with Randy Quaid
Deep Impact - another asteroid disaster movie
The Dish - sweet look at scientists in small Australian
Doctor Zhivago - epic based on Boris Pasternak's book
The Eagle has Landed - WW II thriller with Michael Caine, Donald Southerland and all-star cast
Empire of the Sun - Speilberg film about boy separated from family in WW II and living in Japanese POW camp
Fantasia - classical music set to Disney animation
Fiddler on the Roof
Four Weddings and a Funeral - Hugh Grant looks for love
Gladiator - modern epic
The Godfather
Good Will Hunting - Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver and Robin Williams
Gosford Park - murder mystery, period piece, ensemble cast
Grosse Pointe Blank - hit man John Cusack returns for his 10th high school reunion - with Minnie Driver and Dan Aykroyd
Groundhog Day - Bill Murray relives the same day over and over - with Andie McDowell
Guarding Tess - Secret Service agent Nicholas Cage protects former First Lady Shirley MacLaine
Heartbreak Ridge - Clint Eastwood is an aging Marine Gunnery Sergeant
High Fidelity - John Cusack runs a record shop; Jack Black's best performance
The Horse Whisperer
An Ideal Husband - period romance with humor - Minnie Driver, Rupert Everett, Cate Blanchett and Julianne Moore
L.A. Confidential - 50's police thriller - first big film for Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce - also with Kevin Spacey, James Cromwell and Danny DeVito; Kim Bassinger won an Oscar for this!!
Legends of the Fall - family drams set out West around WW I - great scenery
Lone Star - Southern border sheriff investigates old murder
The Lord of the Rings
Love, Actually - loves stories around London around Christmas
Message in a Bottle - Nicholas Sparks romance with Kevin Costner, Paul Newman and Robin Wright Penn
The Milagro Beanfield War - small town in NM deals with development
Moonstruck - great romance with Cher and Nicholas Cage
Mr. Holland's Opus - high school music teacher Richard Dreyfuss
Much Ado About Nothing - Shakespeare at his witty best with Kenneth Brannagh, Emma Thompson; hilarious small part by Michael Keaton; great music and dance scenes
My Dog Skip - young boy grows up with companion during WW II
Noises Off - silly cast tries to put on a play
October Sky - based on Rocket Boys book
Oklahoma
The Paper - Michael Keaton, Glenn Close, Robert Duvall, Marisa Tomei, Randy Quaid
Phenomenom
Pride and Prejudice
Prince of Tides - sappy romance based on great Pat Conroy book
Pure Country - two-hour country music video
The Quiet Man - John Wayne classic filmed in Ireland
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Return to Me
A River Runs Through It - beautiful scenery - directed by Robert Redford
Rocketeer
Rudy
Sabrina - modern version with Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond and Greg Kinnear
Saving Private Ryan
Sense and Sensibility
Shawshank Redemption
Silverado - good, relatively modern (1985) western
Simon Birch
Sleepless in Seattle - formula RomCom with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan
Sneakers - electronic security thriller with Robert
The Sound of Music
Space Cowboys - space with humor - Robert Redford, Donald Sutherland, Tommy Lee Jones and James Garner
Spy Game - thriller with Robert Redford and
State and Main - quirky comedy with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rebecca Pidgeon
Tequila Sunrise
Thomas Crown Affair
The Three Musketeers (1973)
Tombstone
Toy Story (all three)
Twister - summer escape
Ulee's Gold - slow drama with Peter Fonda
Who Am I This Time? - based on short story by Kurt Vonnegut
Witness - Harrison Ford thriller set in Amish country
You've Got Mail - formula RomCom with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan

2011-07-31T20:49:00.002-04:00

2011-07-31T20:38:00.003-04:00

Favorite Movies - My B List

2011-07-29T14:10:00.000-04:00

Life of Brian - the end is too sacrilegious for me, but the rest is really funny; "What have the Romans done for us...?"
Monty Python - Holy Grail
Two Weeks Notice
What Women Want

Sadness and Loss

2011-07-26T14:59:00.002-04:00

Sadly we have lost our beautiful sister-in-law, Jeaneen - pictured here with her three sons and my wife's brother - also pictured are her niece and her mother-in-law

July 05, 2009 - Photographing Tiger (and others)

2011-07-05T14:57:00.001-04:00

...as a credentialed photographer at the AT+T National

Summer Fun

2011-07-03T16:55:00.002-04:00

2011-06-26T17:58:00.001-04:00

Great Movies

2011-06-23T09:14:00.000-04:00

Not necessarily my favorites but I recognize these as either great or culturally significant:

Casablanca
Day of the Jackal
The Godfather (I and II)
Schindler's List
Shawshank Redemption
more to come...

Southwest Virginia

2011-06-20T10:48:00.000-04:00

Four Generations

2011-06-20T10:38:00.006-04:00

2011-05-31T06:20:00.001-04:00

2011-05-31T06:20:00.000-04:00

2011-05-31T06:19:00.000-04:00

2011-05-31T06:18:00.000-04:00

Outlived

2011-05-28T10:34:00.011-04:00

Sam Peckinpah - 59 heart
Clark Gable - 59 heart
George Harrison - 58
Heloise - 58 heart
Richard Burton - 58 stroke
Randy Savage - 58 car accident
Phoebe Snow - 58 cerebral hemorrhage
Patrick Swayze - 57
Vince Lombardi - 57
Marty Robbins - 57 surgical complications
Madeline Kahn - 57
Stokely Carmichael - 57
Grete Waitz - 57
Martha Mitchell - 57
Socrates - 57 Brazilian soccer star
Steve Jobs - 56
Adolph Hitler - 56
Paul Lynde - 55 heart
Seve Ballasteros - 54
Osama Bin Laden - 54
Vivien Leigh - 53 tuberculosis
Christopher Reeve - 52 heart
Abbie Hoffman - 52 suicide
Jim Fixx - 52 heart (while jogging)
Billy Mays - 50 heart
Michael Jackson - 50
Bernie Mac - 50 pneumonia
Jim Varney - 50
Veronica Lake - 50
Rod Serling - 50
Veronica Lake - hepatitis
Bob Crane - 49 murdered
John Allen Muhammad - 48 executed
Judy Garland - 47
Jim Jones - 47 suicide
Elizabeth Glaser - 47 AIDS
John F. Kennedy - 46
Graham Hill - 46 - plane crash
Andre the Giant - 46 heart
Kiel Martin - 46
Walter Payton - 45
Natasha Richardson - 45 skiing accident
Freddy Mercury - 45 AIDS
Marvin Gaye - 44 murder
Tyrone Power - 44 heart
Natalie Wood - 43 - drowning
Reggie White - 43
Elvis Presley - 42 heart
Robert Kennedy - 42 assasinated
Gilda Radnor - 42
Gary Coleman - 42 fall
John Lennon - 40
Dennis Wilson - 39 drowned
John Kennedy Jr. - 38
Marilyn Monroe - 36
Princess Diana - 36
Steve McNair - 36 murdered
Stevie Ray Vaughan - 35 helicopter crash
Eva Cassidy - 33
John Belushi - 33 drugs
Chris Farley - 33 drugs
Donny Hathaway - 33 suicide
Timothy McVeigh- 33
Karen Carpenter - 32 sandwich
Mama Cass - 32 sandwich
Patsy Cline - 30 plane crash
Jim Croce - 30 plane crash
Kenny Irwin - 30 racing accident
Hank Williams - 29 heart/drugs?
Heath Ledger - 28 drugs
Mary Jo Kopechne - 28 Ted Kennedy
Jimi Hendrix - 27 choking
Jim Morrison - 27 heart/alcohol?
Janis Joplin - 27 drugs
Kurt Cobain -27 suicide
Otis Redding - 26 plane crash
Duane Allman - 24 motorcycle accident
James Dean - 24 car accident
Lee Harvey Oswald - 24
Selena - 23 murdered
River Phoenix - 23 drugs
Buddy Holly - 22 plane crash
Freddie Prinze - 22 gun accident
Ryan White - 18 AIDS
Jett Travolta - 16 seizure
Anne Frank - 15

Charleston

2011-05-26T20:24:00.002-04:00

Surprisingly, I found this a very difficult shoot. I had one evening in Charleston and a couple of hours to grab all I could. The main part of difficulty lay in most of the homes facing East. I had only one afternoon and had to shoot primarily into shadow. I can't help believe that the early morning warm sun would give colors of more depth.

Charleston

2011-05-26T20:24:00.000-04:00

Charleston

2011-05-26T20:23:00.000-04:00

Monitors

2011-05-26T07:11:00.000-04:00

I'm viewing my web site from a low-res monitor. Pretty scary. I have had several discussions with some serious photographers about calibrating our monitors so we can edit our photos to their best. Though this is very useful, we realize that there is no guarantee that our photos will be viewed on calibrated monitors.

Each software editing program we can use will show the same photo file differently. It is a bit frustrating. We can choose one program, edit it to our best abilities yet know that this photo will probably look different to each person viewing it finally - depending upon what their monitor is capable of.

Akron, OH

2011-05-26T07:04:00.002-04:00

Akron, OH

2011-05-26T07:03:00.002-04:00

Regrets

2011-05-16T15:15:00.000-04:00

Selling a 1965 Mustang in the 70's
Not asking my parents more about their history
Not building a dollhouse for my daughter
Not journaling every night
Not buying a weekend place within 3-4 hours of home
Many meals - the wasted calories and money
All the LP's and cassettes I bought for one song - where was iTunes when I needed it?
Every penny spent on interest
Most of the calories I have eaten

Concentrating

2011-04-30T10:51:00.000-04:00

2011-04-27T20:17:00.001-04:00

I like how you can see the individual in each - feels like seven separate portraits put together - to me. I need to do some editing to get the shine out of the two faces but enjoy for now...

Crazy

2011-04-26T08:15:00.000-04:00

When is it okay to use the term "crazy"? In this era of political correctness I don't hear it often. I think it is mainly because we are no longer sure when to use it.

When I was younger it usually described foolish behavior. Now you have to be careful you don't some form of mental retardation - which brings up its own dangers with political correctness.

One Year Ago - Alaska

2011-04-19T11:18:00.000-04:00

One Year Ago - Alaska

2011-04-18T11:16:00.002-04:00

Charleston, SC

2011-04-15T08:02:00.001-04:00

Competition

2011-04-14T11:48:00.000-04:00

2011-04-11T13:07:00.003-04:00

Neighbors do this every year around Easter. Love the vanity plate too.

Win - Win

2011-04-11T08:51:00.002-04:00

Experiences

2011-04-10T21:41:00.005-04:00

Airplane ride on water floats
Airplane ride on snow skis
Airplane ride - commercial turboprop - right seat
All-state chorus in high school
Athletes - John Havlicek
Athletes - Guy LeFleur
Athletes - Carl Yastrzemski
Athletes - Frank Howard
Athletes - Jimmy Connors (Stowe)
Athletes - Bjorn Borg (Minneapolis)
Athletes - Roscoe Tanner (Minneapolis)
Athletes - Tiger Woods (AT+T Classic, Congressional Country Club)
Australia - Sydney, Opera House, Blue Mountains
Australia - drove on the left side
Austria - Castle Neuschwanstein
Austria - Innsbruck
Billy Graham - Annual Pentagon Prayer Breakfast - 1950's/1960's?
Billy Graham Crusade
California - redwoods
Canada - Montreal
Canada - Toronto
Canada - Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada - Ottawa
Celebrities - John Glenn - his home in Arlington, VA - 1960's
Celebrities - Maria von Trapp (Stowe, VT)
Celebrities - Al Martino - DC Zoo - 1970?
Celebrities - Ronald Reagan - Vermont
Celebrities - ran alongside Al and Tipper Gore - Race for the Cure - Washington, DC
Celebrities - Danny Glover - Denver Airport
Celebrities - Joe Theisman - flight to DC
Celebrities - Randy Owen (country group Alabama)
Celebrities - Vince Papale (corporate kick-off motivational speaker)
Celebrities - sportscaster James Brown (corporate motivational speaker - also - I worked with his sister for a couple of years)
Chicago - Sears Tower
Chicago - Uno Pizza
Chicago - Wrigley Field - Harey Carey singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Chicago - Soldier Field - Bears football game
Chicago - Gene and Georgetti's
China - Great Wall
China - Forbidden City
China - Chinese acrobats performance
China - rode train to Hong Kong
Churches - Chicago - Willow Creek
Churches - Orange County - Saddleback
Churches - Los Angeles - Crystal Cathedral
Churches - Notre Dame - Paris
Concentration camp - France
Conference presenter - Montreal and Salt Lake City
Cross-country sking - Trapp Family Lodge - Stowe, VT
Darlene Zschech - Willow Creek
Denmark - Copenhagen
Denmark - Little Mertaid Statue
Developed my own slides
Dining - Inn at Little Washington
Dining - Las Brisas - Laguna Beach, CA
Dining - L'Auberge Chez Francois - Great Falls, VA
Dining - Gene and Georgetti's - Chicago
Dining - Red Fox Inn - Middleburg, VA
Dining - No Name - Boston (at least in the 70's)
England - drove on the left (with a stick shift)
England - London - Tower of London, St. Paul's, Harrod's, fish and chips, etc.
England - Oxford
England - Stratford upon Avon
England - Warwick Castle
Finland - Helsinki
Found Indian arrowheads in Alabama
France - Paris - Eiffel Tower, Louvre/Mona Lisa, Notre Dame
France - Alsace region
Germany - Heidelburg
Germany - Nuremburg Christkindlesmarkt
Germany - Oberamergau
Glider ride
Golf - Pinehurst
Golf - Pebble Beach
Guitar lessons by Charlie Waller
Hamburgers - Mission, TX - Gonzales Burger
Hamburgers - Tucson - Pat's Drive In
Hawaii
Hong Kong
Hong Kong - Star Ferry
Hot Dogs - Pittsburgh - The Original/The Big O/Dirty O
Hot Dogs - Los Angeles - Pinks
Hovercraft ride - to Macao
Hydrofoil ride - to Catalina Island, CA
Indianapolis 500
Indonesia - Kuala Lumpur
International Date Line - crossed
Italy - Milan, Lake Cuomo
Japan - Tokyo, Narita
Kenya - Nairobi
Kenya - safari
Lichtenstein
Los Angeles - Pink's
Los Angeles - Kodak Theater, Grauman's Chinese Theater
Los Angeles - Venice Beach
Macao
Maine - day with father and son loberstermen
Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur
Married a cheerleard :)
Martin guitar
Massachusetts - Plymouth Rock
Netherlands - Amsterdam
New York City - Statue of Liberty (I know it's NJ), Empire State Building, Little Italy, UN, etc.
New York City - carriage ride around Central Park
Nikon cameras
Parker shotgun
Pastries - Mike's - Boston - North End
Pastries - Termini Brothers - Philadelphia
Pennsylvania - Nazareth - Martin guitar factory
Performances - Darlene Zschech live at Willow Creek
Philadelphia - Pat's Original Cheesesteak
Phillippines - Manila
Pittsburgh - The Big O
Photography - photographed Tiger Woods during a PGA event
Photography - photographed a wedding
Remember 01/20/61 - JFK inauguration
Remember 11/22/63 - JFK assasination
Remember 07/20/69 - Moon landing
San Francisco - cable car ride; Alcatraz, Chinatown
Scuba diving
Skiied Utah - Park City, Alta, Brighton
Skied Vermont - Stowe, Smuggler's Notch
Shooting stars
Snow ice cream
South Africa - Johannesburg - rugby match from corporate box - stadium in movie Invictus
South Africa - Cape Town
Stargazing - rings of Saturn through a telescope
Sweden - Stockholm
Sweden - Stockhom - Vasa Museum
Switzerland
Texas - Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, etc.
Texas - The Alamo
Texas - McDonald Observatory
Texas - Marfa Lights
Trains - rode in the cab of a freight locomotive
Utah - stayed in the Hotel Utah (across from The Temple and the State House) before it was closed to the public
Utah - Mormon Tabernacle Choir - live
Utah - skiied Alta, Park City and Brighton
Vermont - Cabot - sleigh ride
Vermont - many 100-mile snowmobile rides; snowmobiling on frozen lake and frozen river
Vermont - skiing - Stowe, Smuggler's Notch
Video - videotaped several weddings
Washington, DC - rode streetcars in the 50's
Washington, DC - walked up the steps of the Washington Monument - now closed
Washington, DC - flew a kite at the first Smithsonian Kite Festival
Water skiing
Wayne Henderson - repaired and played my Martin guitar
Whitewater rafting - WV

Sunday, April 03, 2011

2011-04-03T14:09:00.001-04:00

Unbroken

2011-04-01T09:54:00.002-04:00

Listening to a highly-rocmmended (and so-far, excellent book) about a WW II airman who was a world-class runner before the war. His story is not only fascinating, but the author's descriptions and statistics of the staggering amount of deaths (especially during non-combat situations) are fascinating.

Since I look for humor, in every possible situation, these lines gave me a smile. The author is describing how desperate some men were to find alcohol to numb the fear of dieing and the shock of losing friends every day.

"It was probaably for the best. Louis noticed when he drank the stuff, his chest hair spontaneoulsy fell out. He later discovered that "Five Island Gin" was used as paint thinner. After that, he stuck to beer."

On the sobering side (no pun intended), it makes me think of how many start with alcohol, during combat, to deal with the terror arround them. And how many, today, use it as the drug of choice to deal with bad relationships, dead-end careers, abuse and the other depressing parts of daily life.

Amy - Three Years Ago Today

2011-03-21T21:54:00.002-04:00

Broken Bat

2011-03-21T21:42:00.000-04:00

Bucket List

2011-03-21T21:41:00.025-04:00

Augusta - visit (non-tournament is okay)
Balloon ride
Carter Fold
Chunnel ride
Concorde ride (no longer possible)
Eurorail ride
Family to Germany in December
Grand Canyon
Helicopter ride
Holy Land?
Letterman Show - audience
NASCAR race
New York City - skate at Rockefeller Center
New Yorker Magazine - article published :)
See the Northern Lights
Oshkosh Air Show
Passion Play - Oberamergau, Germany
Photograph lightning
Rendezvous BBQ - Memphis
Ride in a DC-3
Ryman Auditorium
Shuttle launch live - photograph
Visit Mexico
Visit South America
Yellowstone

Photos or Video?

2011-03-10T11:03:00.000-05:00

I spend a ridiculous amount of time with photography. Most of you see about 1/3 of my work. I spend hours taking high school sports and even more hours editing them. All of my friends take me to task for the amount of editing I do for sports. They believe the volume I take does not allow for time I spend editing and still maintain a healthy life balance. They're right but like many, I'm compelled to do illogical things.

I have other projects that makes this even more absurd.

1. I have photos and negatives to scan and add to my collection. Have done a fraction of this.

2. I have been taking raw photos since they were available. The plan was to go back and edit some of these properly once I learned how to edit raw. Haven't started this yet.

3. Video. I have a surprising amount of video that has not been digitized, edited and posted - whether for family only or for sharing.

My friend Andy sent me an amazing trio of YouTube videos about a man who found a roll of film in New York City and embarked to find the owner. The story and the videos were fascinating. Besides that, I wondered at how he smoothing combined video, photos, background music and narration. My first guess is iMovie.

Several years ago, I got extremely frustrated trying to consistently make a music video (on DVD for a Christmas present) using my photos. I was working on a PC system and so frustrated that I didn't want to bother trying to figure out if the problem was the software, the hardware burner or the media. I simply went out and bought an Apple iMac knowing that all the pieces would work together. I successfully used iMove and iDVD and made my DVD. I even went out and bought Final Cut Express with the idea of making more sophisticated videos.

But my business frequent travel, with a business PC, and with maturing video software for the PC, nudged me back to the PC world. Apple further frustrated me by switching to Intel chips, and making new software only work on Intel-based newer computers. By that point, I no longer had the luxury of paying Apple's inflated prices (except for my iPhone).

I still put together a few music videos (my photos set to music) each year - one for our annual Vermont snowmobile trip - one for family events such as James and Tara's engagement.

Andy's video forward reminded me that I could easily move my efforts to video instead of photography. I stay with photography mainly because I like that viewers can linger on a photo, on an online album, as long as they like. Videos are not designed to be paused. You can play videos over and over but it is still not the same as lingering. Videos are incredibly effective and can be artistic is a way photos can not. Very tempting...

If I am already spending too much time on my current photography workload - where am I going to get time to do these other projects?

Cousin Marv Playing the Harp

2011-03-05T22:47:00.000-05:00

2011-03-04T22:52:00.000-05:00

2011-02-25T22:24:00.001-05:00

Elizabeth, NJ

Longshoremen

2011-02-24T22:27:00.000-05:00

Newark, NJ

Travelers

2011-02-18T21:30:00.000-05:00

Couple from Germany touring Canada and the U.S. for six months. They are from Heidelberg where I had many three-week trips 10-15 years ago. They also spent a few months in Morocco. Amy spent two years there with the Peace Corps. (more later...)

Bikers

2011-02-13T20:06:00.001-05:00

There are riders and there are bikers...

South Texas

2011-02-13T10:55:00.000-05:00

Cropping

2011-02-13T10:06:00.001-05:00

Upon reflection, I wonder if I should have cropped out the shadow of the waterspouts. The shadow hints of something which can be nice. Or maybe I should have cropped wider to include them. But most respond to the almost infinite levels of light and shade. Maybe I should have cropped out the spouts as distractions. What do you think?

South Texas

2011-02-12T10:54:00.000-05:00

2011-02-10T23:21:00.000-05:00

Fort Davis, TX

2011-02-10T23:20:00.000-05:00

Marfa, TX

2011-02-10T23:18:00.000-05:00

West Texas

2011-02-10T00:24:00.000-05:00

West Texas

2011-02-07T21:27:00.001-05:00

2011-02-07T21:20:00.003-05:00

2011-02-05T10:43:00.002-05:00

Interesting student in one of my Philadelphia classes this week. John has an incredible portfolio as a professional photographer shooting for Time-Life and other magazines. His photos were used for two great coffee table books on the Philadelphia area.

On 9/11, John rushed up from Philadelphia to New York City. By the time he got there, routes into the city were obviously closed. From Jersey, he took some images used in Life magazine. The experience affected John to the point that he chose a career change, to law enforcement, to help combat terrorism. He still does the occasional studio work and free-lance assignment but now has a new life.

Many of you have been kind to tell me that you think some of my images are as good as the professionals. With the advances in technology, many of us amateurs have the opportunity to make better photos. I'd like to think I have learned something over all the years I have been making photos. But I have to admit that I did not take this seriously until a few years ago. I have also been fortunate to be mentored by a retired Sports Illustrated photographer, Marc Gold. Marc not only honed my skills for sports but taught me many valuable lessons for photography in general.

John took a look at my work this week and said that some of it is as good as most of the stock photography out there today. This in no way diminishes your review of my work. It just adds to it. It is also nice to hear this from a professional.

You are my audience. As an avid photographer, I shoot firstly for myself. I have a passion to capture moments. I love the process of schlepping through fields off back roads looking for landscapes and wildlife; down city streets; at family reunions and around high school sports events. I like taking photos of kids, motorcycle riders and even people who choose to add tattoos their overall look. I love coming back home (or to a hotel room) to see what I captured. I love the process of editing to try and make something out of what the camera captured. It's a good thing I like editing because I spend a lot of time doing it.

I believe photography is meant to be shared. I don't know how much of this I would do if there was no one to also enjoy an occasional photo of mine. You have been very kind. I believe we all do our part our part. My part is to hopefully give you a smile or a memory occasionally through photography.

I could technically call myself a professional in that I have been paid to cover certain events for professional magazines and newspapers for pay. But I am not a full-time freelance professional photographer (yet). It is nice to be considered professional. It is good to get feedback from professionals.

In the meantime, I am working hard to keep my day job :)

Some of John's work is linked below:

http://www.johnmcgrail.com/index.shtml

http://www.amazon.com/Pennsylvania-Impressions-John-McGrail/dp/1560373423

http://www.amazon.com/Philadelphia-World-Class-Marion-Laffey/dp/1885352603/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296918598&sr=1-2

Philadelphia

2011-02-04T06:56:00.000-05:00

Philadelphia

2011-02-04T06:55:00.000-05:00

Philadelphia

2011-02-04T06:54:00.000-05:00

Heinz Hational Wildlife Refuge - Philadelphia

2011-02-04T06:52:00.000-05:00

St. Peterserbug, FL

2011-01-29T08:41:00.001-05:00

St. Petersburg FL

2011-01-29T08:41:00.000-05:00

Florida

2011-01-25T17:27:00.000-05:00

Texas

2011-01-25T16:48:00.000-05:00

Texas

2011-01-24T21:29:00.000-05:00

Donna TX

2011-01-24T21:27:00.000-05:00

Weslaco TX

2011-01-24T21:12:00.000-05:00

Taken thousands of basketball photos but haven't captured quite this pose - I like it

From Texas

2011-01-24T21:03:00.000-05:00

Brownsville TX

2011-01-24T21:02:00.001-05:00

Brownsville TX

2011-01-24T21:02:00.000-05:00

Sabal Palms Audubon Sanctuary - Brownsville TX

2011-01-24T20:58:00.000-05:00

Brownsville TX

2011-01-24T20:57:00.000-05:00

'Bubba' Estes

2011-01-17T22:08:00.000-05:00

Former Hollywood stuntman and band road manager