About a week ago, I received an email regarding the yearly automatic renewal and payment for hosting this blog. Started in early 2009. I posted my photographs, thoughts, and stories weekly without missing a beat. Now, in September 2025. I’ve decided to call it a day. I still have a strong desire to create emotive images and share them with others. However, this form of blogging no longer appeals to me. In the meantime, you can look for me on Facebook “James Damion” or check out my website https://damionphoto.format.com/gallery On another note, I’ve been writing non- fiction for some time now and finally having it professionally edited. I’m looking into various hosts and publishing outlets to share them in the near future. Leave your email at damionphoto@gmail.com or follow me on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/james.damion.3
Choosing my favorite photos from my first experience taking the local transit from Fairfax, Virginia to Washington DC. While, by all means, my objective in bringing my camera along with me, lay ahead on the streets of DC. It was the transfer and the few minutes I waited for the connecting train to arrive that created the images that gave me a rush. Though many of the best shots taken focused on similar ideas and techniques. There were some that stood out more than others. The photo below is one of those photos. Having taken my first train ride at the age of seven and acknowledging it as my introduction and long time vehicle for freedom and exploration. I’ll forever credit it for it’s lasting contributions to my life. Growing up in New York City. The stories and dangers related to a ride on the subway were epic. Becoming an adult and experiencing transit in different cities, countries and continents continue to impact my life.
Pancakes, a cold-cut fit for a king, and a homemade lasagna served with a rarely enjoyed craft soda. These are just a few of the bright moments of my Christmas. I hope you are enjoying the holidays with all the fixings while counting down the days to a new year. Happy Holidays and a bright New Year.
Starting our day at Waffle House has always been a good choice. Choosing to sit at the counter? Even better. Today, however, we were given an unexpected bonus when the entire staff spontaneously broke into an impressive song and dance routine while song from the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and TLC resonated over the speakers. It was the perfect example of living in the moment. An experience my wife and I will cherish for a long time. As both of us instantly became an adoring audience. Singing along and dancing in our seats. I can’t think of a better way to start my weekend. Well, a satisfying breakfast with a bottomless cup of coffee come to mind. But experiencing both at the same time can only be described as a once in a lifetime event.
Last week, I received an email notifying me that my account with WordPress needed to be renewed. Easy Peazy, right? Just pay the man and continue doing your thing. Only this time, I honestly wasn’t sure I wanted to do so. What started as an attempt to share images and stories with friends and family. Turned into a numbers game and an admittance that I really suck at navigating social media platforms. However, with new business cards ordered just weeks ago with photogeek22 earmarked as the place to find my work. I decided to renew for one more year. Giving myself time to finish that website I’ve been working on for so long. In the year ahead, expect more images and less chit chat. Enjoy.
After ten-plus years, a small following, and virtually no feedback, the thought of bringing Photogeek to a merciful end has crossed my mind more than a dozen times. Though I still love sharing pictures with others. I get more feedback from friends and family there than I ever will here. Still, this blog was started and began with just that in mind. I want to share my images and stories with friends, family, and whoever might want to join. A few things bring me peace and calm, like photography and capturing a moment. Throughout my life, I’ve always been an explorer who enjoys documenting the moment. All things said. A recent inquiry from a follower interested in contributing an essay to the blog ballooned into the possible contributions from a poet, an expat, and a fellow photographer, which inspired me to keep this train running. So, who knows, perhaps these outside contributors will spark more creativity. It’s worth a shot. Hopefully, it won’t be long before these contributions get the love they deserve. Only time will tell. Any interested parties looking to contribute. Step forward.
I just wanted to take a moment to wish you all a happy holiday and a healthy, prosperous New Year. I’m going to take some much needed time to work on a number of things that include art, my health and some traveling that I’m sure will nourish the soul and bring joy to this cranky so and so. In the meantime, help spread the word about a cool blog you’ve stumbled on. Again, I wish you all the very best.
It’s been a few months, time spent writing, traveling and taking a lot of pictures. Time wondering if moving forward with this blog was worth the time. In reality, the people who visit and subscribe to the blog are the ones who are going to help me decide on whether or not it’s time to call it a decade. So here I am asking ever so humbly for reach out and comment. Your thoughts and reactions are essential to the continuation of this blog. Until I have my website up and running, this is how I’ll be sharing my work. So please, like, share, and above all, comment.
I’ve taken on the impossible task of listening to all, or to be more realistic, most of the albums and singles that call our second bedroom home. With well over fifteen hundred LP’s thirteen boxes of EP’s and singles, the project has already begun to fall apart. That said, the idea is a good one. While I most likely won’t be able to listen to everything in this lifetime. I will most likely come to terms with the fact that I’ve got far too many records and I need to continue purging. That said, after selling off six crates before moving back east. It hardly made a dent.
Looking back, I’d say my journey as a photographer began during my early days in Hell’s Kitchen. Though I had been fascinated with taking pictures since my teens. It wasn’t until I was occupying a one-bedroom in the heart of the west midtown area of Manhattan that my then boss gave me his old Nikon EM SLR along with some film and a couple of photo books that my hobby turned into an obsession. I quickly began documenting my surroundings while graduating from one-hour photo chains to professional printing services such as Duggal and B&H. Within a short time, the towels and sheets that fit neatly in my apartment linen closet were displaced by boxes of photos and trays of slides. My trips to places like Duggal and B&H quickly quadrupled. From my eight years in Hell’s Kitchen to my married life in New Jersey and Washington state. My passion and obsession for photography never waned. My need for living space grew, and the number of photo boxes, enlargements, and ane studio gear morphed. Quickly realizing less is more, I used the premise of moving to digitize all those negatives, slides, photo boxes, and albums before tossing them in the garbage.
As I begin to get the digitized photos back, I can see the vast progress I’ve made over the years. Kicking myself, in a sense, for holding on to the past for so long. Undoubtedly, many photos accurately documented the time and people. Most of it, unfortunately, was junk. Luckily though, there were a few that jogged some serious memories. Photo’s that still show a measure of intent and purpose.
Taken on 48th street and 10th avenue shortly after a snow storm. You can hopefully see the emphasis on the reflections the puddles give. You should also get a rare view of a traffic-free New York City street. Not bad for a photo I took more than twenty-five years ago.
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