Pitchertakin'

GOOD EATS!

2012-02-05T09:31:00.004-06:00

At Bread & Pizza, Worcester, MA 2/4/12

Every so often we gather a group of our friends and go to eat at Bread & Pizza where John -- owner and cook/bread maker extraordinaire -- feeds us twice what we can eat. Last evening, it was mussels and pasta. Mussels were steamed in butter, Marsala, shrimp stock, balsamic, and herbs. Pasta was perciatelle with garlic, EVO, and plenty of fresh grated parmesan and parsley. Salad was large bowls of antipasto. And, of course, plenty of good red wine. John is a master in the kitchen and loves to see people enjoy his cooking. A generous host, for sure. Great night of eating.

LOOKING BACK

2012-01-31T09:29:00.003-06:00

Austin, Texas about 1972....or so

I was telling my class of photo beginners about shooting from the hip (otherwise known as not looking through the camera's viewfinder when making an image) in order to get a different viewpoint, or as a way to get a image when you don't want the subject to know they're being photographed. This is one of the examples I used as example. I shot this with a Canonet GIII 17 (http://www.cameraquest.com/canql17.htm).

????????????????

2012-01-28T10:28:00.003-06:00

Leominster, MA August 2011

I have been looking at this intersection for the past two years -- ever since they opened the new WalMart and Lowes just north of us. I have no other comments other than it seems crazy.

DIFFERENT....at least for me.

2012-01-24T22:51:00.004-06:00

HALLELUJAH

While sitting around our "talking table' at school, one of our senior students remarked that she had gotten a new tattoo this past weekend. She hitched up her T-shirt and gave us a view. Immediately I saw a picture opportunity.

END OF 2011

2012-01-09T22:36:00.003-06:00

Worcester, MA August 2011

Just looking back through what I shot in 2011, but never got around to processing. Something I do every year, but this year was different. We did extensive remodeling this summer on the house in preparation for our daughter's wedding in October, and that left little time for photography. So while in the lab getting the computers and printers ready for the coming new semester, I proof a few of these "forgotten" images.

AROUND WORCESTER

2011-12-26T21:51:00.002-06:00

On the way to buy some Christmas presents between classes, I went a different route through old Worcester.

MORE OLD COLOR

2011-12-23T17:56:00.002-06:00

Terlingua Creek Mud, Big Bend National Park, Texas January 1987

Merry and Happy to all my blog readers and friends.

OLD COLOR

2011-12-20T18:50:00.002-06:00

Rio Grande River, Big Bend National Park, Texas January 1989

FOG

2011-12-03T19:40:00.000-06:00

Wachusetts Dam, Clinton, MA 27 November 2011

FOG

2011-11-29T08:42:00.002-06:00

Wachusetts Reservoir, Clinton, MA 27 November 2011

This past Sunday morning I woke to find it foggy outside my bedroom window. I grabbed the camera and tripod and took a drive around the reservoir. Granted it's a pretty picture, but then again, I sometimes like pretty pictures. I find peace in a quiet landscape. The whole time I was making this image, there was a loon diving and feeding on the bottom to my left. I could follow his underwater travels by the small bubble trails on the surface of the water. For a few short minutes, all was right with the world.

"TIS TIME

2011-11-18T23:06:00.001-06:00

My backyard, WeBo, MA 15 November 2011

BEAUTY IN PASSING

2011-11-05T00:36:00.001-05:00

Worcester, MA April 2011

CORRECTION

2011-10-21T10:20:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I make mistakes when ID'ing the location of an image I've made. Notes get lost, or I forget to mark something down on the map I'm driving with. Yeah, it'd be nice if my camera had a GPS tagging device, but that seems a bit overkill to me. So if there if there is doubt in my mind, I will Google the place where I thought I was, and in this instance, my memory was flawed. I have in my records as the image being made at some place called "Ninety Nine, North Carolina." Not even the correct state. Then I remembered that we spent the night in Greenwood, SC, and when I searched Google for Greenwood, SC, I noted the "Ninety Six" highway. There is a Cheeseburger House in Ninety Six, SC, which is a small town a few miles southeast of Greenwood. However, there is also, I found, a Cheeseburger House in Greenwood. Low and behold, Street View in Google reveals that my bright yellow cafe image is indeed located in Greenwood as you see in the image above. I have corrected my previous entry's title and the info in my files.

LAST ONE for LIB (for now)

2011-10-20T10:38:00.001-05:00

Taunton, MA June 2009

PIX FOR LIB

2011-10-11T12:30:00.004-05:00

Ninety Six Cheeseburger House, Greenwood,
South Carolina March 2010

PIX FOR LIB

2011-10-10T11:02:00.003-05:00

Havana, Cuba March 2003

Even though Libbie's wedding was a week ago, I still have a few images that were hung in the house just for her. However, I must admit I hung this image for me. It is one of the few images from the trip Ellen and I made to Cuba eight years ago that still resonates with me about the people we saw and met. At first seeing the entourage walking down the street, I thought maybe a wedding, but later found out it was probably a confirmation. Traditions still run strong in Cuba, and this girl, in the heat of the day, stopping every half-block or so to gently blot the perspiration from her face as to not spoil her make-up, had to walk at least 10 blocks to church. Someone suggest that the confirmation had already taken place and she was merely headed to a place to have images made. But I'll never know the real story, and that's the best part about the genre of "street photography" -- the narrative is left to the viewer. For the photographer, it's the moment that counts.

LIB PIX

2011-09-29T19:38:00.003-05:00

Vineyard Haven, MA July 2003

Another one that Libbie wanted on the wall. We use to spend more time on the Vineyard, and early one foggy morning, I was out and about. The fog had lifted on the land but remained over the ocean. Me and the tripod balanced on a one-foot wide wall, it was all just too perfect.

PIX FOR LIB

2011-09-27T09:08:00.004-05:00

Thorndale, Texas -- Jan 1987

PIX FOR LIB

2011-09-23T16:13:00.003-05:00

Thrall, Texas 1990

I had ask my daughter if there were any particular images she'd like for me to put up in our "new" living room. (The room is not new, but the paint job on the walls and the refinished floor are.) She's getting married next weekend. Basically they will only hang during the dinner/reception which is here at the house, but since the walls are currently bare, I thought I'd ask her what she'd like to see in that space. I'm always a bit amazed at which image people remember. As I print each image, I'll post them.

This gaudy building was a modern "honky-tonk" is the very small town of Thrall. It's maybe 30 miles or so northeast of Austin. Evidently it wasn't too popular because it had already close when I photographed in February of 1990. I drove through Thrall two years ago, and the building is no longer standing.

LOOKING BACK

2011-09-15T11:42:00.003-05:00

West Boylston, MA 21 May 2011

This seems only yesterday, but it was four months ago. But as I said in my last post, it's been a "no photo summer" for me. Seeing that I have begun the new semester at school, and seeing that I have assigned blogging to my Intro to Digital Photography class, I thought, I too should post something, anything, I choose this spring image because it's a nice image of Sadie, and I like the colors. For the past three months, the porch has been covered with "ram board" to protect it from the construction people. In this view, I had finally power washed the winter off. Everything is looking spiffy. Not so much now, but I have "people" coming to give the outside of the house a scrubbing.

Summer has come and gone so fast, the remodeling is almost complete -- I wish I could say the same for the wedding plans for my daughter. Things are getting a bit frantic.....just two more weeks and life can get back to normal. New rugs came today and they are spreed out in the living room (formerly the big storage room) "relaxing" their curl. Off to paint the new cabinet doors my brother made for the corner cabinet in the dining room. I made the cabinet ten years ago, and Ellen wants doors. The list is now down to about 60 "to-do" items unless Ellen or Libbie have added to it. Onward.

NO PHOTO SUMMER

2011-07-29T18:31:00.003-05:00

Worcester, MA July 2011

I can account for my absence and lack of posting -- contractors rampaging through the house for the past month. The noise is such that it's hard to concentrate on creating finished images. And there are things that I have agreed to "fix" instead of having "those people" take care of it -- like replacing old two slot receptacles in the area where some serious repair work is being done. And I have spent a few days at school updating computers, getting new one installed, etc. The above image was shot after attending a summer opening at Arts Worcester. I was walking back to the truck when I noticed the face down sunflower. With only a Canon G12 in my pocket, I did the best I could -- well there was some help in Photoshop. All the fuss with the house is the anticipation of my daughter's wedding October 1. She wants to have the wedding reception here at the house and that means getting things ready. Stay tuned, I might even take an image or two between now and when class start up again only one month from today.

DRAWINGS

2011-06-27T16:33:00.002-05:00

Three Rivers National Monument, New Mexico October 2002

DOWN EAST STUFF

2011-06-19T10:27:00.002-05:00

York, Maine 18 June 2011

MORE STUFF

2011-06-18T09:50:00.002-05:00

In front of the Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA 25 May 2011

MORE DOWN EAST

2011-06-13T11:24:00.003-05:00

Revere, Massachusetts 12 June 2011

Was out and about Cape Ann yesterday touring some friends from Texas. It was one of those windy, misty, gray days with a northeast wind coming in off the ocean. But that's the kind of light I like for photographing. Startled the folks in the truck when I stomped the brakes and made a U-turn. Just could pass the above image by. It's a monotone conversion from my 5D2.

TRAVELING AGAIN 58

2011-06-09T09:49:00.004-05:00

Megargel, Texas
Cimmaron Canyon, New Mexico
Vega, Texas
Channing, Texas
Red Rock State Park, New Mexico

-- all March 2011 --

TRAVELING AGAIN 57

2011-06-04T17:19:00.003-05:00

All images: Lesley, Texas March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 56

2011-06-02T10:57:00.003-05:00

Jacksboro, Texas
Hamlin, Texas
Bromartin, Texas
Bromartin, Texas
Authon, Texas

Another group of five images all shot on film and made during my March trip through West Texas. I used my Pentax 67, and to my surprise, only two lenses: the 45mm and the 75mm perspective control lens. And most images were made using a red filter in combination with either Ilford FP4-Plus or HP5-Plus. Development was in D-76 at a 1:1 dilution, processed in my JOBO. Scans of the negatives were made with the Epson V700 using the Epson Scan Pro software. Finish processing is with Photoshop CS5 on my HP i7 powered desktop. I proof all my images using Ilford's Gold Fiber Silk, 8.5x11", printing with the Epson 3800. While I can print 17x22" here at the house, I can print 24x36" at school with our Epson 7900. For big finished prints, I use either Epson Exhibtion Fiber or Canson's Infinity Photographique Baryta Gloss. Those two paper respond extremely well to the 7900's HDR inks.

TRAVELING AGAIN 55

2011-05-29T13:04:00.002-05:00

Dunn, Texas
Post, Texas
Markley, Texas
Megargel, Texas
Authon, Texas

For the past couple of months, I have posted color images made while on a trip through West Texas in March of this year. Those were all digital images, but I have a long history using black and white film. Just about every time I found something of interest, I would shoot a few frames with my 5D2, and a few frames with my Pentax 67. I love the fact that I have the choice. A lot of people I've talked with about shooting both mediums tell me they cannot think in both color and B&W at the same time, but I find little problem with leaning both ways on the same subject.

TRAVELING AGAIN 54

2011-05-28T16:08:00.003-05:00

Weinert, Texas 13 March 2011

One Nation Under "GOO" ???

TRAVELING AGAIN 53

2011-05-27T07:54:00.003-05:00

Peacock, Texas 13 March 2011

I love it that when I first posted this image back in the early spring someone commented: "Nothing says proud like an old rusted out, red Ford truck." How true. (Yes, I know I've been re-posting a few images, but these latest postings are the final edited version -- previous version were quick, on-the-road edits.) Listed as having 125 residents in 2000 census, I doubt there are more than 25 proudly living there currently.

TRAVELING AGAIN 52

2011-05-26T15:00:00.003-05:00

Paducah, Texas 13 March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 51

2011-05-23T12:01:00.002-05:00

Cottle County, Texas 13 March 2011

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2011-05-21T11:19:00.002-05:00

Matador, Texas 12 March 2011

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2011-05-20T08:04:00.002-05:00

Flomot, Texas 12 March 2011

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2011-05-19T10:34:00.002-05:00

Flomot, Texas 12 March 2011

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2011-05-18T20:31:00.002-05:00

Briscoe Country, Texas 12 March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 46

2011-05-17T09:52:00.002-05:00

Turkey, Texas 12 March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 45

2011-05-16T11:29:00.001-05:00

Lesley, Texas 12 March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 44

2011-05-16T01:29:00.001-05:00

Lesley, Texas 12 March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 43

2011-05-13T12:45:00.001-05:00

Lesley, Texas 12 March 2011

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2011-05-09T10:08:00.001-05:00

Lakeview, Texas 12 March 2011

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2011-05-07T09:50:00.004-05:00

Vega, Texas 12 March 2011

(Note: I know I've published this before, but I'm running through all the images I shot on this trip again as I edit them into printable form, and you'll probably see a couple of more you've seen before. Live with it. Besides, I really, really like this image.)

TRAVELING AGAIN 40

2011-05-06T09:38:00.002-05:00

Channing, Texas 12 March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 39

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

Clayton, New Mexico 11 March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 38

2011-05-03T07:40:00.003-05:00

Cimarron Canyon, New Mexico 11 March 2007

TRAVELING AGAIN 37

2011-04-30T10:09:00.001-05:00

Truches Cemetery, Truches, New Mexico 10 March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 36

2011-04-29T12:52:00.002-05:00

Tent Rocks State Park, New Mexico 9 March 2011

The "reason" for TRAVELING AGAIN this past March was to visit my brother in Santa Fe. At least that's what I told everyone. Yes, I did spend two days and three nights with Doug and his wife Loretta. Got to eat some of Loretta's most excellent green chili stew, spent a nice afternoon visiting with Doug's daughter, Su Anne, and her husband, Ted. And got to eat at Maria's where they have the most excellent margaritas, at least the most excellent margaritas I've ever been served in a restaurant. The food at Maria's is pretty damned good, too.

Doug believing I've seen most of the sights in the Santa Fe area (probably true) asked if I had ever been to Tent Rocks State Park, and to his surprise, I had not. He told me of a tree near the beginning of a slot canyon that had been growing there for so long that the the soil and rock beneath it had completely eroded away leaving it standing on its root legs. Above is Doug and the tree.

TRAVELING AGAIN 35

2011-04-26T19:04:00.003-05:00

Vaughn, New Mexico 7 March 2011

Many of you may not know this, but the "Smiley Face" was the product of an illustrator who worked for an insurance company in Worcester, MA. I don't remember the year, but one day trying to raise the moral of the office, he drew a circle with three dots and a curved line on an office memo. Story here. The rest is history. His name was Harvey Ball, and he never received a single cent of compensation for his "happy face."

TRAVELING AGAIN 34

2011-04-24T21:22:00.003-05:00

Wilson, Texas 7 March 2011

That's one tired, old silo. However I think most the land is now in cotton. The gin, er, uh, de-linter out of the picture to the right was running full blast. I needed ear protection a block away. I wish to thank the 18-wheeler driver who waited patiently for me to finish making this image -- I had my Pentax 67 with B&W film on a tripod. I was about to pick up everything so I could pull the car out of the way for him to turn off the highway, be he hollered for me to go ahead and finish. Normally they'd just blow their air horn scaring the the beeJesus out of me. Then again the whole time I was there, it was just me and him occupying the side road and the highway.

TRAVELING AGAIN 33

2011-04-23T21:05:00.001-05:00

Tahoka, Texas 7 March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 32

2011-04-22T08:54:00.002-05:00

Snyder, Texas 7 March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 31

2011-04-21T11:50:00.004-05:00

Snyder, Texas 7 March 2011

I rolled into Snyder on Sunday evening just as it was getting dark. It had been a pretty good day, picture-wise (take a look back through the archive). Snyder was the closest town with decent motels, but was rather shocked at the local prices for a room. Normally in these smaller cities, places like the Hampton Inn (and the like) are about $90 a night, but this one, was well over $100. What does that say about Snyder? It gets worse.

I had come in on the main north/south highway, Texas 350, which is sort of the main drag, and the motel was east on US 84 Business. I note all sorts of brightly glowing fast-food places. At the motel, I asked the clerk for restaurant recommendation, and she gave me a couple of places check out. Of course, I was looking for Tex-Mex, and she give me directions to three places, one being the biggest and fanciest place in town (she told me it was expensive). Funny thing, none of them were open on Sundays. Driving about town on Sunday night, I finally found one restaurant of any kind, other than the likes of Micky D's, etc., Taqueria Guadalajara. Food was OK, and they did serve Dos Equis, so all was not lost.

Remind me to not stay in Snyder again especially on Sunday evenings.

TRAVELING AGAIN 30

2011-04-20T06:49:00.001-05:00

Hamlin, Texas 6 March 2011

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2011-04-17T08:40:00.003-05:00

Noodle, Texas 6 March 2011

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2011-04-16T08:33:00.002-05:00

Trent, Texas 6 March 2011

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2011-04-14T20:47:00.004-05:00

Nolan, Texas 6 March 2011

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2011-04-13T15:24:00.001-05:00

Merkel, Texas 6 March 2011

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2011-04-12T07:33:00.002-05:00

Loving, Texas 5 March 2011

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2011-04-11T06:59:00.002-05:00

Megargel, Texas 5 March 2011

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2011-04-10T08:56:00.003-05:00

Megargel, Texas 5 March 2011

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2011-04-06T07:14:00.001-05:00

Graham, Texas 5 March 2011

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2011-04-05T07:27:00.003-05:00

Anson, Texas 5 March 2011

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2011-04-04T06:55:00.002-05:00

Bromarton, Texas 5 March 2011

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2011-04-03T14:04:00.003-05:00

Megargel, Texas 5 March 2011

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2011-04-02T11:15:00.002-05:00

Megargel, Texas 5 March 2011

I turned a corner and my breath was taken away, I thought at first I was seeing a Chagall stained glass window. Had I been a painter, instead of a photographer, I always thought I'd paint like Chagall. Yeah, but that didn't happen, did it? Hahahaha.....

TRAVELING AGAIN 16

2011-04-01T09:34:00.002-05:00

Megargel, Texas 5 March 2011

Some may think the coloration of this image a bit strange, but folks who know the flat plains of west Texas are no stranger to this color. It is the color of the land, and on some days the ceaseless winds blow so hard they whip-up clouds of red that lays a coating of rusty dust on everything. I have thought at times even the people take on this color.

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2011-03-31T08:32:00.002-05:00

Aledo, Texas 4 March 2011

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2011-03-30T20:00:00.003-05:00

Jacksboro, Texas 4 March 2011

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2011-03-28T07:24:00.003-05:00

Authon, Texas 4 March 2011

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2011-03-25T10:06:00.003-05:00

Matador, Texas 12 March 2011

Thank God for the "The Glittered Pig".....

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2011-03-23T21:49:00.004-05:00

Lesley, Texas 12 March 2011

Another view of the old store.

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2011-03-22T08:41:00.003-05:00

The Leslie Gin, Lesley, Texas 12 March 2011

This is "the gin" across the road that I spoke of in my last post. I never know sometimes until after I see the images the exact reasons I photograph a particular scene or thing. At times, it's not a single thing, but rather a combination of objects and how they associate, or disassociate across the frame. I think the deciding factor in the above image of the gin was the old tractor tire. For me, without that one single object, this would not have been an image.

TRAVELING AGAIN 9

2011-03-21T11:25:00.004-05:00

Lesley, Texas 12 March 2011

This is the sort of subject matter that I search for as I travel through the all but forgotten parts of West Texas. The speed limit in Lesley is the same as it is outside of town -- 70 mph. There may have been all of eight buildings in the town, and only three occupied. However, this old store is such a wonderful find. So void of color except the one pump -- so representative of the town itself, void of people except for a couple of occupied houses. Nature is reclaiming the place just as nature always will. While photographing the exterior of the old cotton gin across the street a van pulls up driven by a be-jeweled, heavily made-up (complete with blue eye liner and sparkles, and hair fresh from the hair dresser. She was at least 80, I swear. She sticks her head out of the window and says in a deep west Texas accent: "What's your name?" I tell her I'm nobody, but introduce myself anyway. When she finds out I'm a college teacher, she immediately opened up and told me her history and her relationship to the town. She was born there, and currently back visiting her sister. Her sister still lived in "the blue house right over there where she was born." Told me she was a retired first grade teacher from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Being polite I talked with her about the town and her sister and....etc. Finally told her I had a plane to catch and wanted to photograph the gin before I left. But she had one more story to tell: "See that place where there us to be a sign, my sister painted it, but some bad people stole it, and now she needs to do a new one. Use to say, Lesley Gin.

TRAVELING AGAIN 8

2011-03-20T20:11:00.002-05:00

Flomot, Texas 12 March 2011

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2011-03-19T08:32:00.003-05:00

Turkey, Texas 12 March 2011

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2011-03-18T09:05:00.002-05:00

Goodnight Cemetery, Armstrong County, Texas 12 March 2011

Most people outside of Texas, and many of those current residents of parts other than the Panhandle have never heard of the Goodnights. However, fans of Larry McMurtry's books, (Lonesome Dove, Streets of Larado, etc.) will recognize the name. He was a real person and is legend in that country. McMurtry was very familiar with the area and legends being a native son of Archer City, Texas. People today still pay their respects to the Goodnights by tying bandannas to fence surrounding the Goodnight plot.

TRAVELING AGAIN 5

2011-03-16T23:12:00.003-05:00

Baptist Church, Aledo, Texas 4 March 2011

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2011-03-15T14:58:00.002-05:00

Vega, Texas 12 March 2011

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2011-03-08T12:30:00.004-06:00

Breakfast at Harry's Road House, Santa Fe, New Mexico 8 March 2011

TRAVELING AGAIN 2

2011-03-07T08:07:00.002-06:00

Dunn, Texas 6 March 2011

The whole time I was making this image, way in the back of head I could hear Tanya Tucker singing: "When I die, I may not go to heaven, I don't know if they let cowboys in.......Texas is as close as I been." Yeah, I shot it in b&w, too.

TRAVELING AGAIN

2011-03-05T08:01:00.001-06:00

Cool, Texas March 4, 2011

A LITTLE TRIP TO TEXAS 8

2011-03-02T07:03:00.002-06:00

Elk, Texas 8 January 2011

I don't know that it gets any better than this: perfect place, perfect light, and a perfect sky. And a camera that lets me express all of this with such ease. I really don't think that Kodachrome would have added anything to this image. Canon sensors love red, and my 5D2 produces such rich images.

A LITTLE TRIP TO TEXAS 7

2011-02-26T19:30:00.003-06:00

Axtell, Texas 8 January 2011

And "Frosty" told us how hot it was....I don't know that I've seen a Frosty Root Beer since I was a teenager. They could still exist, I just haven't seen one. In my adult life, I've move away from soft drinks toward something harder.....like Shiner Bock. I remember root beer floats at the A&W Drive-In's. I don't know if they exist any more, either. When I was just out of the Navy and back living in Longview, out on High Street was a place called "The Malt Shop." It was one of the old type places where young women would come out to your car much like the Sonic Drive-In's today. I can remember even further back when my grandmother operated a place that had drive-in service where you could order a BB-Q sandwich along with a beer, or you could just get a beer on hot day in East Texas. That place was called the Green Lantern and was out on West Main Street in Henderson, Texas. (That's "Hen'erson" for you E-Tex folk.)

A LITTLE TRIP TO TEXAS 6

2011-02-25T09:58:00.001-06:00

Axtell, Texas 8 January 2011

A LITTLE TRIP TO TEXAS 5

2011-02-23T21:23:00.002-06:00

Axtell, Texas 8 January 2011

A LITTLE TRIP TO TEXAS 5

2011-02-21T19:46:00.002-06:00

Axtell, Texas 8 January 2011

In the larger towns and cities, Texas pride is usually shown by large Texas flags flying side-by-side with the Stars-n-Stripes. Not lower than, but side-by-side because Texas was a republic before it became a state. But in the little towns the "Livin' Life as a Texan" turns a bit more personal. I love these expressions of Texas pride.

A LITTLE TRIP TO TEXAS 4

2011-02-20T12:32:00.003-06:00

Bellmead, Texas 8 January 2011

One of the assignments I always give my photo intro class is self-portraits. I think it's good for them to feel what it's like being both behind and in front of the camera at the same time. Some hate it, others continue doing it for the rest of the college photo career. One of the great things about it being both photographer and subject is you're always available when the opportunity presents itself. I loved the patterns presented in the door glass, but I loved it even more with me in it.

A LITTLE TRIP TO TEXAS 3

2011-02-19T06:24:00.001-06:00

Bellmead, Texas 8 January 2011

A LITTLE TRIP TO TEXAS 2

2011-02-17T10:01:00.002-06:00

Bellmead, Texas 8 January 2011

The day before my sister-in-law's wedding, I decided I needed to get out and about, wrap my fingers around my camera for a few hours. For my excuse to get away, I choose a desire to see just where exactly was the site of the Branch Davidian compound that was burned to the ground a number of years ago by federal authorities. So, with my nephew in tow, off we went. I got as far a Bellmead, a suburb of Waco, before the images came rushing at me. I must have stopped at least six times before finally heading out in an easterly direction.

On my past trips to Texas and other places, I have been struck by the number of closed up and decaying gas/service stations. See here, here, here, here, here, and here as a few examples. Above, yet, another.

A LITTLE TRIP TO TEXAS

2011-02-15T16:24:00.004-06:00

Austin, Texas 7 January 2011

New Years was done, and classes didn't start for another two weeks, so off to Texas we went for Ellen's sister's wedding. Driving into Austin from the airport, I spotted this on the side of a boarded up "gentlemen's club." I know I have been absent for some days (months?) now, but it has been an extremely busy period. Barely enough time to eat, sleep, and get on with it. More on the cause of this business later....good busniness, btw.

BEEN AWAY

2010-12-16T12:35:00.002-06:00

Intro to Digital Class

Every year at the end of each semester, I fall behind on blog post. Just too much to do, and very little time to sit and reflect on me, my life, my photographs, and the world in general (not necessarily in that order). But since my last post, the semester has ended, my sister passed, and I have been taken on by the Panopticon Gallery in Boston. Had my first "salon" showing just last evening. So today I start trying to play catch-up. First on the list, post on the blog, and then start reading term papers....OH Joy! Onward.

ANOTHER NEVER PRINTED....

2010-11-14T00:23:00.003-06:00

Fort Worden, Washington August 2002

"Crooked House"

2010-11-06T23:46:00.003-05:00

Fitz William, New Hampshire September 2002

There was a crooked man,
And he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence
Upon a crooked stile;
He bought a crooked cat,
Which caught a crooked mouse,
And they all lived together
In a crooked little house.

Obviously this is his crooked little house.

ALMOST FORGOTTEN

2010-11-02T13:05:00.004-05:00

Placitas, New Mexico April 2002

Last and First....

2010-10-22T09:15:00.003-05:00

Wachusett Reservoir, West Boylston, MA December 2001
Brazos River Bridge, Brazos County, Texas March 2002

Upper Image: the last of the 2001 6x7cm negative that I've been working on for the past few months. Yes, months. If scanning was all I was doing, I could have probably finished 2001 in about 3-4 weeks. When we first moved to West Boylston in 1994, I have taken to mind to have a visual relationship with the area around and of this historic body of water.

Lower Image: this is the first of the 2002 6x7cm negatives, many more to come. Out in the countryside, especially in the more southern and southwestern areas of the country, you'll find a pull-off along beside the highway just before you get to the bridge where you can do down under bridge structures to do a little fishin' or tubin' or put a boat in. And I'm pretty sure there are other activities that take place there in the dark of the moon that wouldn't be proper to talk about here.

Another Older Image

2010-10-16T22:20:00.002-05:00

Terlingua Cemetery, Terlingua, Texas February, 2001

Sometimes I'm moved to make a photograph of the simple and humble things I find that gives us insight to who a people are. In the desert, you don't know how long ago something happen because the dryness slows the process of rust and ruin. In some ways, it's like a photograph in that it allows us the luxury of examining the details of a moment for a longer period of time.

AN OLDER IMAGE

2010-10-05T13:37:00.001-05:00

West Border Area Hoodoos, Big Bend National Park, Texas 2/2001

AND SO IT ENDS....until next year.

2010-10-04T06:25:00.003-05:00

Big Papi powers a dribbler back to the mound. Oh, yay! So ends another failed Red Sox season. Ellen and I went to this "nothing at stake" game (for either the Red Sox nor the Yankees) because someone made some good tickets available to us. Kinda' an early birthday present for me -- turn 75 next Sunday -- and I had never been to a ball game in Fenway Park. Now if the Pat's can just get past Miami tonight. Onward.

DINING.....local

2010-10-01T11:17:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday, Ellen and I ate a late breakfast at Jake's in West Boylston, MA. Normally I would have photographed my plate of food, but choose instead this small wall in the middle of the diner with the it's welcome sign. Kinda' homey, don't you think?