Sunday, May 29, 2011

Sides by Sides

For as long as I've been making photographs, I use "making" to reflect a measure of control that I attempt to apply,  I've been fascinated by the sides of things.  Mostly but not exclusively buildings.  If the subjects have been shot all squared up or can be made so all the better because the geometry of the images is part of the appeal. Reflected Sky above was an epiphany for the heavy, clouded sky in the window and the fact that the building was demolished shortly after the picture was taken but it began with a study of the geometrics of the window and the clapboards.  The shuttered store was in Bartlett, New Hampshire.


Somewhere in the barrens of southern Colorado I think.


The S in the word house in Randburg ghost town, California.


Auto repairs with emphasis on four wheeling in Penasco, New Mexico.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Pastel Spring

It has turned sunny and bright and finally resembles a northern New Mexico spring.  So when skimming through through my library for the week's blog entry this photograph of the Great Sand Dunes spoke to me and I hope to you.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Stormy Weather


The socialist republic of Vermont has been very, very good to me.  The above referenced show opens June 21 at the Photo Place Gallery in picture perfect Middlebury and runs till July 16. 

Middlebury and I go back to 1966 when my buddies and I were on work release from our minimum security kid’s camp on Schroon Lake. You can’t make this stuff up.  We took the car carrying ferry from Fort Ticonderoga across Lake Champlain, had some beers in Stowe and dinner at the duly famous Dog Team Tavern.  The restaurant was known for its relish wheel, sticky buns and prime rib.  Sadly, it burned to the ground in 2006 after 70 years in business.  Camp Cayuga on Schroon Lake is where I received my Honorable Discharge from this man's Army.

One of two images selected for the show is “Ground Fog” which is our backyard socked in by warm air and frozen earth. 

  
Seems to me that this minimalist photograph is the low key cousin of my high key Sketches of Winter images.

Sunday, May 08, 2011

Elegy

Martin's had served El Rito for decades offering everything  from groceries to hardware and tires.  But like so many family operated general mercantile stores in small towns it had to close its doors as it was outpriced and outstocked by big box stores and the internet.  The facade shown here from the back is a monument of sorts to what had been and will not be again..

Sunday, May 01, 2011

And another thing

Out of a commissioned portrait session come shots that are right down my arty black and white alley.

Money Shot

When I got the call to photograph congressional candidate Janice Arnold-Jones I was a bit surprised.  Certainly I am not known as a editorial portrait photographer so I asked Janice’s emissary why she had called me.   Suzanne Brock who made the call simply said that she knew me socially, knew I was a photographer and wondered if I did such work.  My somewhat indirect answer was that “I’d be delighted to do it.”

When I arrived at the Brock’s magnificent hacienda on the rim of the Rio Pueblo gorge I scouted for locations with soft light and open shade, no mean task at 1:30 on a spring afternoon.  The entry courtyard proved ideal though later we took some chances in gusty winds and midday sun.

I sat with the candidate for a few minutes to learn what she wanted the images to project.  She said she wanted to be engaging and friendly while maintaining a sense of command and confidence.  She wanted to appear natural and to really connect with her eyes, to jump off the paper or screen.

As we walked to the courtyard I remembered the portrait photographer’s mantra, “Get the money shot first.”  I told Janice that we’d get that one in the can then get more adventurous as we got to know each other.


Above is the third in 312 images and is a money shot in my view.  


 In shot two Janice becomes more relaxed and animated and below she’s downright playful.