A Photo Geeks ups and downs through words and images.
As I took this image, I promised to return on a cloudy day and both include and better illuminate one of the random kids riding their bike to and fro. Though I may have to wait until the weather warms up and the barbecuers return. I’ve promised to fulfill my vision. While I fully displaying a sense of solitude in my images. Adding that human element often enhances the image and message .
As the days pass, I’ve become more and more obsessed with learning new skills regarding both shooting and editing while taking the pictures listed on my so called bucket list. As someone who grew up and spent most of his life living in the city. I’ve always marveled at the wonderment of trains and subways. With a metro stop just blocks from my condo, I hope to spend more time photographing the many different elements that make the subject so interesting to me. Below are a couple of results from the previous weekends.
Mclean Metro Station Fairfax, VA.
As I sit here in the library across the street from Shirlington, Virginia’s Busboys & Poets. I can’t help but think of all of the amazing history the restaurant/bookstore provides for it’s community. I took this image with my cell phone as my wife and me awaited our French toast and eggs Benedict. While I dream of spending hours and hours photographing the people, art, and atmosphere of the place with my Canon. I feel lucky for the chance to capture this little moment with my cell.
Perhaps due to the weather and the fact that I haven’t been shooting the most inspiring images since coming back east. I’ve been pretty down on myself. the sub-freezing temperatures and the snow have kept me from going that far and despite some very recent inspiration. (Inspiration that might have to wait for warmer temperatures.) During the four plus years in Seattle, the rain was pretty constant, but it never got too cold. (Perhaps the reason I no longer own a pair of winter boots.) The picture below was taken of a friend visiting from Germany. It was my last Jersey City shoot before moving to Seattle.
Earlier this afternoon we closed the doors to our apartment at Angeline by dropping off the keys. Angeline was, without a doubt, the best rental experience I can remember. Everything from our apartment, the staff, our neighbors, and our neighborhood was fantastic. We enjoyed having a library next door to us during the almost three years we were there, a city park behind us, a historic movie theatre across the street, and a healthy grocery store just under us. After our dropoff, we picked up some fresh cookies at Colombia City Bakery, did some food shopping at QFC, and even got to say goodbye to the panhandler who stands at the end of the grocery store parking lot. As good as our time there was. We had to decide to either go back East or stay and buy a home in Seattle. Choosing the latter took a lot of thought, but in the end, I think we’ve been happy here.
Los Angeles, California’s Sense Field were one of a cluster of bands that brought emotive harmony and melody to 90’s hardcore. I captured this image during a Revelation Records showcase at CBGB’s at the time of their first full length “Killed For Less” which was released by Revelation Records. Sadly, Jon Bunch (pictured here) passed away at the age of forty-five.
Almost twenty five years, I still find myself enjoying 1994’s “Killed for Less” and the 1996 followup “Building”. if you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking them out Revelation Records to find out more about the band and see what release are available.
I’ve quickly found myself becoming an angry old man. You know, the kid of one who shakes his fist at the clouds and yells at kids to get off his lawn. Considering I was an angry kid and an angry adult, this should come as no surprise to me or anyone who’s been lucky enough to know me for a while. Still, maybe for the first time in my life, I find myself attempting to relearn how to think and go about my life without judging others and perhaps be a tad less harder on myself.
Forgiveness and closure are powerful tools that have brought me more peace than I could have ever wished for. While I’m still learning and trying new ways to balance life. Having overall lower exceptions when it comes to myself and others has been a game changer. I still struggle to find that balance and overall acceptance that, no matter how much I wish it, we do not live in a perfect world.
I’ve started to gather pictures for a book I hope to publish before the earth or yours truly goes “Kaboom!” 
It’s one of two projects I’ve had in mind for some time. The working title is “Bystander” which will focus on my years photographing and interacting with bands, musicians and artists within punk, hardcore and indie rock over the years. It will hopefully include anecdotes about the artists , as well as various quotes from the many interviews I’ve done over the years. I’ve already got someone to write the foreword and ideas as to which photos for the front, back cover and inlet will be. I’ve been posting about four pictures a day in one of my facebook folders. Allowing you to see new material on an almost daily basis. I’m posting a link below and welcome you to both visit and comment whenever you see fit.
Earlier today, after leaving Rochester and the Mayo Clinic, we made a pit stop at Al’s Breakfast in Minneapolis for our days worth of nourishment. Though we were warned of the lines and the wait to get in, we could have never expected the time we spent waiting for people to exit the diner in order to let the next ones in. Imagine our surprise when we got in the door to find out that there were no tables. Just more people lined up against the wall like a police lineup, waiting for a spot at the counter to open up.
As one who’s always loved diners and preferred sitting at the counter than be being seated at a table. Just watching the crew slide by one another taking orders, cooking and bringing food or fresh coffee to patrons can help build your energy and the appetite needed to complete the overloaded plate that will soon arrive. While enjoying our breakfast we met some locals and learned that Al’s was once an alley that cut through the block and had been serving breakfast since 1950. In the end, we had a great experience, service, food and conversation. We’re heading back to the area in late September and will definitely make Al’s a priority. If you’re ever in Minneapolis, you should too.
A few years back during a visit to my gastroenterologist, he told me that he was just sharing with his secretary how inspired he was by me and my ability to bounce back from each medical setback, emerging stronger and a bit more wiser. Being that I had been seeing him for an entirely different set of challenges for close tot fifteen years, he had seen me move from one health setback to another. While I was taken aside and visibly humbled by his words, all I could come up with was some gibberish about how, after all these years of fighting, I was tired and I wasn’t to sure I wanted to fight anymore. Note that this was a few years prior to my latest discovery of another brain tumor and being diagnosed with a neurological disorder that has no cure or known treatment.
Still, to this day, I find myself fighting and adjusting to meet new challenges. Truth is, we’re all a lot stronger than we’ll ever give don’t give ourselves credit for. No matter what a person, or doctor tells you. It can’t override your desire, strength or determination to make the most out of what you have.To be happy with what you do have or can do and not to be preoccupied with the things you don’t.
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