Sunday, November 30, 2008

Sunday Morning 5AM



We took Brian to the train this morning; he’s on his way back to Potsdam. I’m feeling melancholy.
I had color corrected the amber tone of the vapor sodium lights which made the interior lighting more blue. It was too eerie for me, too blue. So I left it the way it was. The colors are complementary and match the way I feeling.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

A walk through the village.


Shopping Self-Portrait
The whole family went for a walk through Southampton Village. Thankfully, no one was trampled or crushed to death as shoppers tried to buy clothing off the 60% rack outside Harmont & Blaine. Really, we were just window-shopping. Sixty percent off of seven hundred dollars was just a little out of reach for a mid-length light spring jacket.
The boys and I did purchase CD’s at Long Island Sound. After the article in the Press about him closing his other store, we were all feeling like we should buy something. This might be the last year for a freestanding independent music retailer in our town. Adam purchased a George Carlin CD, I picked up Mindy Smith’s Long Island
Shores. Sorry Mindy, it was in the used rack. And Brian picked up something for his girlfriend.
After looking at $125.00 neckties and $200.00 belts, I saw this mirror in a shop window and made this image. I lowered the camera so the viewer could see both my eyes. It’s not the ultimate self-portrait, but it’s ok for now.

Friday, November 28, 2008

A little rust around the edges.

The Day After
After a day with family and good food, it’s nice to have a rest. I’m not one to run out at four in the morning to try and get some limited quantity loss-leader item. We did that once for some hand-held video games for the boys. The three games have been sitting on my workbench for two or three years. The boys don’t play them anymore.
We live in this disposable world and society plays on us to keep up with the Jones.’
This photograph was made in October. I was on a job, early as usually, so I want for a walk. This was one of the images that I made from this walk.
In my high school photography class, years ago, I made a similar image of a front grill of a Mack truck. It reminded me of my dad. He has this flat face that has a Mack style to it. This is really a complement. He’s a manly, man.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Magic Farm

Here’s another trespassing photo. It couldn’t have been too magic it was abandoned. They’ll probably tear it down and put up condos or something. I’m not going to dwell on the negative today. My oldest son, Brian is coming home for Thanksgiving break. He’s one of the many things I am very thankfully for.
I wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

For Love or Money

Love is stimulated by illusions more that anything.
Joni Mitchell
I made this image last night at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at an outdoor shopping mall. The management hired a quartet and they had their own photographer. I was there for the elected folk. The temperature wasn’t too bad considering how cold it had been the past few days. I guess the musicians were cold. They were just sitting there playing. The guy in my photo is wearing gloves. He wasn’t the only one. The quartet was good.
The Joni Mitchell line comes from the song Sharon, and even though she’s used it to describe a relationship, I was thinking a little differently. I would have never pictured myself at a mall tree lighting ceremony taking pictures of elected people thirty years ago. I sure these musicians felt the same way. They were sitting there playing in the dark while people stopped shopping long enough to see the tree light then rush off with the kids to Santa or to another store. I wonder how many even heard them? It’s a shame; the quartet was good.



Monday, November 24, 2008

Seven


SEVEN
Took a day off yesterday. This is an image made at the end of September. I was trespassing as usual.
There’s this farm property in Calverton for sale. It’s a vacant overgrown farm. The main barn has Welcome to the Magic Farm painted above the door. I’m sure there’s a story there. I stopped there September 24th to explore and find photographic fodder.
One of the odd things about the place was each building on the property was numbered. This image comes from building seven. The tape above the window trim and the seven captivated me, and the fact that the painter didn’t care it was there. I arranged the window and the seven and made my own art from theirs.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Another Cold Day


Leaves in a Puddle
It’s funny how I always return to the same places whenever I’m looking for something new to photograph. Even when I do go someplace new I come back with familiar subject matter.
In the early years of my marriage I used to ask my wife what she thought of certain images. Her response was usually “ oh, another picture of leaves, nice.” There’s a certain solace in what it familiar.
I used to read to my children when they were young. They would always get to pick a book before bed and we would snuggle up in bed and read. Adam, my middle son, would always pick the same book, Barbar the Elephant. He loved that book. I found it boring, there was no action, no suspense, and it put me to sleep every time without fail. Adam found comfort in knowing there were no surprises. He knew how it ended. I guess that Dr. Susess’ Are you my Mother? might have given his little mind too much to think about. What happens if dad falls asleep and the little bird never finds her mother?
I find comfort in familiar subject. Even when I venture off into the dark unknown I come back with something I know.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Paying the Bills

CHAINS
I am sitting at the counter paying bills. No economic bailout check came in yesterday’s mail. A client check did come for which I am grateful. That’s the reason I’m sitting here with the checkbook.
This image was shot Wednesday at the train underpass. I changed it into a grayscale image. It fit my mood better this way.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Blue

BLUE
It was just the way I was feeling yesterday. I’ve driven passed this underpass in Deer Park many times, yesterday I needed to get out of the pick-up and make an image. I thought the shade of blue they used to paint it along with the sky would make for a good study in blue. The weeds and gate chain offered a contrasting color.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Trout Pond Reflection

Trout Pond Reflection
Noyack is a sleepy little hamlet on the north shore of the south fork of Long Island. I spent an hour or so there on Election Day morning. I rotated the image so the orientation is correct. Being a reflection, the trees and upside down in the original.
For the past two days, it’s been cold and very windy outside. Not too inviting for a photo outing. I had a grueling day on the job, the pick-up needed a replacement alternator and sunlight depravation syndrome all had the best of me yesterday. Maybe today will be better.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Tuesday November 18


Tuesday, November 18. It reminds me of Greg Brown’s “Brand New ’64 Dodge” from The Poet Game. Every time I say or hear someone say November, I think of that song.
This is the last image from the cattail plant series. I think the focus could have been better on this image. I should have moved the focus closer to the front of the subject. Maybe I moved or maybe the slight breeze moved it out of focus. Does it matter? I blew the shot.

Monday, November 17, 2008

A DAY LATE

Here’s the image I promised for yesterday. A day late. There’s one more I like that I post sometime in the future. Our internet was slower than molasses. I spent the good part of the day putting the finishing touches on a six light window that I converted to a picture frame. I cut the six individual mattes and put them in place. I need to pick up heavier picture frame wire before I hang it.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

AFTER THE RAIN


AFTER THE RAIN
My neighbor calls these Cat Tail Grass, I’m not sure what they are. They caught my eye yesterday and that’s all that matters. I made a few straight images, of which this is one. No HDR, no photoshop. Mostly just photographing the droplets against different backgrounds and changing focus. I’ll post a different view in the future.
I missed a post yesterday. I knew this would happen, but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. I was happy I got a chance to go out and make a few images. It always helps clear my head.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

STEEL RAILS

STEEL RAILS
This is also from the loading yard in Medford. This is the first HDR image that I was truly happy with. Good detail in the shadows.
Today, it was a rainy, overcast day for the most part. I went out looking to make an image or two but I couldn't find my muse.


Wednesday, November 12, 2008


Boxcar Latch
I made this image on October 11th at a loading platform in Medford, New York. I love rust, the color the texture, even the idea of rust. How weather oxidizes metals and changes the way they look and feel. Not unlike the weathered snow fence. This was shot as a HDR composite but I still lost detail inside the boxcar. I like the emptiness to the right,the negative space.
I went to the Parrish Art Museum Sunday and saw the Modern Photographs: The Machine, the Body and the City. Great show, but I wasn't happy with the way the Parrish labeled the art. The first room had the information posted at the beginning of the grouping. Every time someone wanted to see who made the photograph or the name of the photograph they needed to walk back in front of someone else viewing the show. The second room had each separate photograph labeled. It was inspirational to see some of the work.
Photo blogging is not easy. I made a self portrait today, but wasn't pleased with what I saved. Back to the drawing board.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Snow fence
Veterans' Day, I wanted to post another image from last month's visit to the beach. This is also a HDR processed image. It's a simple photo but I like the form of the fence and the tones in the weathered wood slats.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Carnival Beach

CARNIVAL BEACH
Well, I have to start somewhere. This is my first blog. I am a professional photographer, which means that I earn most or all of my income from the taking and selling of photographs. I started making images in 1975, my last year of high school and except for a short period of time in the eighties haven't stopped.
This photo was made last month, October 26th along Gin Lane in Southampton, New York. I had some time to kill between dropping my middle son, Adam off at work and a portrait job. I was trying to find images that would work as HDR images. I don't think I was successful, but I liked the image anyway. I especially liked it when two guys walked into it and one was framed by the colorful bike rack.