Florida Images

I have been remiss... again. I can't believe it's been over 4 months since I've posted any images here. I will try to do better. Here are some recent images from last week's journey to the heart of darkness...

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 4.1.2010

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 4.1.2010

Paradise, Hollywood Beach, Florida, 3.31.2010

Mah Jongg, Hollywood Beach, Florida, 3.31.2010

Moon over Fort Lauderdale, 3.30.2010

FLASHBACK: New York, 1968

I was going through some negatives, looking for something. I found something else. These are a few (!) shots I took, in 1968. Some are embarrassingly trite. Some are historical. Some are very personal.

Window Shopping, New York City–4.1968

Free TV, New York City–4.1968

Steinway & Sons, New York City–4.1968

I studied under two hardcore Leica street photographers, who were steeped in the tradition of Friedlander and Winograd. Even though I shot with a Canon SLR, I was clearly influenced.

Steinway & Sons, New York City–4.1968

49th St. Encounter, New York City–4.1968

5th Avenue, New York City–4.1968

3 Women, Central Park, New York City–4.1968

Brooklyn–4.1968

Masked Men, Brooklyn–4.1968

Church's Ice Cream, Brooklyn–4.1968

Looking past the Myrtle Avenue El, Brooklyn– 4.1968

Playground, Brooklyn– 4.1968

Street Demonstration, New York City– 4.1968

Easy Rider, Central Park Demonstration– 4.1968

Be-In, Central Park, New York, City– 4.1968

Street Demonstration, New York City– 4.1968

Central Park Demonstration, New York City– 4.1968

A case of simply being at the right place at the right time. 40 something years later and I still think the woman is all wrong. Too done up .

Ossie Davis, Speaking in Central Park, the day after Martin Luther King was assassinated.

April 5, 1968

Motorcycle Irene– 4.1968

Irene came in costume. She was nothing if not the embodiment of contradictions. We were friends. We also lost track, years ago.

Irene– 4.1968

Maggie's Eyes– 4.1968

Maggie with kitten– 4.1968

Joyce, reflected– 4.1968

Probably the last photograph I took of Joyce, and the last time I saw her. In this one, the moment had passed, the magic had disappeared, the subway to Manhattan beckoned.

Joyce– 4.1968

Joyce– 4.1968

Maybe my favorite shot of Joyce, and the least representative. She left me with strong memories and film negatives...

First Frost

First Frost, Silverton, Oregon–12.2.09

Hard to believe it's been about two months since I last posted any photographs. It makes me think of that often quoted line from John Ono Lennon, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." Maybe it's the global warming, or maybe it's just Oregon. Two years ago, the first frost arrived on Halloween morning. This year it came two days ago, on December 2. The photograph is a pile of leaves on one of our front stairs that I really should have swept away before this. By the way, there was no Photoshop work done on this image. The muted tones are exactly what the camera caught.

Butte Creek, Oregon-- 9.28.09

Horse Drinking at the Creek

Indian Beach, Oregon-- 9.13.09

Salem Insane

The following are from the eight images I exhibited at the last show at the Project Space II gallery/workspace that opened on August 26 and had its artist reception on Salem's First Wednesday, September 2, 2009. All but two of the pieces displayed were digital photo-montages, combining song lyrics, archival images or simply composed with more than one image.

Fairview Training Center/Mad World, lyrics by Roland Orzabal (Tears for Fears)

The Oregon State Hospital/People are Strange-lyrics by Jim Morrison (The Doors)

Fairview Training Center/Darkness, Darkness-Jesse Colin Young (The Youngbloods)

The Oregon State Hospital/Crazy, Gnarls Barkley

The Oregon State Hospital-composite

Equivalence postscript

The show officially closes on Sunday and from the opening reception, two sales and random comments, it was a success. Here are a few comments I received via e-mail. I may post some of them on the website...

You see Oregon just like I do. Many do not see it, but you definitely do- thats why I am so attracted to your photographs.

Courtney Brazil, Portland

They say a great photographer has to train and focus their mind and heart into the lens of the camera. It is clear to us that you have accomplished that so very well. Your work is cerebral, sensitive and creative. We had many favorites and could tell others visiting your exhibits were impressed as well.

Tom Lichatowitch, Silverton

I wandered by design into Lunaria last Wednesday to see your show. Wonderful! I love the opening photo of the thistle leaves. They could be almost anything, the landscape of a far-off planet even, and the frost highlights their structure, and the framing of the shot captures the beauty and mystery. Also, the shot of the wall in Salem (I believe) was marvelous. Its appearance changed while I looked at it from a surface of badly decaying paint and scuffs and smudge to a photo of flowers or abstract art. The clouds, the tempestuous sky, way cool. I do not know how you took that shot, but it seems like you were miles in the sky shooting down this tunnel from stormy skies to blue. The wall of rock with the ‘eye sockets’ changed the longer I looked at it. I truly admire your ability to see the equivalence and beauty in what appears to me to be a rock or dirty wall. The shots are wonderfully framed capturing the essence without anything extra.

Jeff Klein, Silverton