A Photo Geeks ups and downs through words and images.
About an hour before lunch. I took a walk down to the nearby Metro on Dolly Madison Rd. Though the sun was at its peak hours. I was still able to find a little shade to avoid overexposure. One day, I’ll hop on the train again to find a fresh spot and new adventure. Until then, enjoy.
After enjoying one of the finest hamburgers at Clark’s in Baltimore, we took a few minutes to explore the small, yet colorful, neighborhood. It was during my block-long adventure. I came across this old cemetery and took a picture of this ironically named headstone. Pretty cool.
Living in Hell’s Kitchen was nine years of growth in countless ways. It was where I became a photographer and sharpened my writing and storytelling skills. I met and befriended a wide array of people from diverse backgrounds and I got married in the community garden directly across the street from my apartment on 48th Street. With all the rolls of film I shot. I wish I had spent more time photographing the character and character of my neighborhood. Accurately depicted in movies such as Sleepers, State of Grace, Gangs of New York, and countless others. As a kid, my Father would share his stories about his encounters with James Coonan and the Hell’s Kitchen gang, The Westies. When I look back, it’s surreal.
Busy with work and enduring some of the most merciless heat of my lifetime. I’ll share a beloved image from my days as a burgeoning photographer who had recently migrated from my Hell’s Kitchen apartment to the mile-square city of Hoboken.
Over the weekend, my wife surprised me with a trip to see the Amish Outlaws perform at a spring festival in Brunswick, Maryland. Though I had seen them three times. Once with my wife at a close friend’s wedding. It had been a good ten years since I last experienced what is surely the most fun and engaging show to ever take the stage. As we drove home I smiled and noted that it was the most fun and inclusive I’d ever seen her. To watch her sing, dance and engage with the singer was priceless. Thanks to the Amish Outlaws for bringing out the best in everyone. Below is an image of some of the crowd participation.
It always seems we’re running to, from, or for something or other. “In the race of life, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. We must never be afraid of losing. There is a chance for winning when we press-on to reach the end of the race.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita, Think Great: Be Great!
Getting my wife out of bed and out the door early on a Saturday was worth all the sausage in Baconvile. A good start before realizing my balance and coordination was shit. with the only options of stay home and call it a day and get going and see what’s happens. Naturally, I chose the latter. After a short drive to Catonsville Maryland’s Atwater’s for a hearty breakfast. We filled our day with hitting up all the worthy bakery’s and a favorite record store. Though my balance seemed lackluster most of the day. It didn’t keep me down. The picture below was taken while returning to our car in Catonsville. The highly reflective mirrors and what looked like burnt edges caught the attention of both me and my wife.It made for a cool shot.
Below is a twenty-plus-year-old image I don’t recall ever seeing from a celebration I first attended as an eight-year-old. New York’s China-Town and Chinese New Year have long captivated my imagination and left me in a state of jaw-dropping amazement. Watching and photographing the event has always fueled my respect and interest in different cultures, their noteworthy observances and celebrations. In case you were wondering. Yes. This rare, yet rewarding B&W image is designated to be printed. Any thoughts on the celebrations you enjoy partaking in?
Granted, living in areas such as Hell’s Kitchen, Hoboken, and Seattle provided endless opportunities to find inspiration just outside my doorstep. Honest characters, both safe and dangerous. Many, eager to share their life, loss, and growth over a cup of coffee or a cigarette. (P.S. I don’t smoke and never have.) But you get the picture. Despite living blocks from hotels, a shopping center, a metro station and a busy blvd. The area seems to attract minimal foot traffic and little, to no personality one might find in a big city. Regardless of the captures. I’ve decided to take my camera elsewhere. A location, I hope will be both inspiring and reciprocal to my need to create. Below are the blurred results of what looks to be my last neighborhood photo outing. Since finding the blur and bokeh features in Lightroom. I’ve gone a little crazy. But, in the end. It’s been fun. It would seem, the more I learn about the basics of editing, The more fun I’m having.
It’s become a daily commitment/obsession to go through old image folders, delete, label, and review them to see how much I’ve improved as a photographer. Just as reviewing images has reminded me of where I’ve been, as well as the places I frequented and returned to time after time. It also reveals how much composition and editing have become essential to my understanding of an important part of the process. Last night I found this image from a Chinese New Year celebration in NYC’s Chinatown. I shot it back in 2007 and, to be honest. This was the first time noticing it, and I plan to print it in the coming days.
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