Flag And Door From Earlier Today ::

We have a local drop-off point for recycled materials and every couple of weeks I drop off my plastic and newspapers. This scene is just across the street from the containers and the high winds that we have had the past few days were not good to the flag!

Flag And Door ::

A Decade In News Photographs ::

From The Boston Globe.

An Unusual Grave ::

A Photograph That Hits Close To Home! ::

I found an interesting link to a photograph on the page of a photographer in Michigan named Don Kennedy. I'm not going to download one of his photos, but go to this link and check the photograph at the bottom left.

Rail Car Wheels ::

The track is seldom used!

Pot, Stump And Artificial Flowers ::

Mt. Zion Cemetery in New Hope, Alabama.

Curious Cows ::

I came across this scene a couple of years ago and I've yet to discover just what sort of facility it is. I have a feeling that it's some sort of pumping station from the Flint River, but I wasn't about to tamper with it!



I guess that the easy thing to do would be to ask someone. At least the calves were friendly!

Snack Bar Art ::

Flag ::

Some Of My Favorite Elements ::

This is a rural church just a couple of miles down the road from me. I started this project a couple of years ago photographing churches just to see if I could find some that were interesting. I've discovered that some churches which should be at least moderately photogenic really aren't, but this church on the hill surrounded by the cemetery has long been a favorite of mine.



One thing I have found photographing churches is that there are often small details which are more visually interesting than an overall photograph.

Decorations On The Mountain ::

The Huntsville Times reported a few days ago that decorations on Cecil Ashburn Drive will be allowed this year in certain areas and with certain restrictions. I'm glad to hear this as I always got a kick out of driving over the mountain while admiring some of the truly creative decorating.



Over the past couple of years I have taken a few photographs, but I never stopped at the blue bottle tree. Hopefully someone saved the bottles and will recreate that particular decoration!

Happy Thanksgiving! ::

I don't have any Thanksgiving themed photographs so I thought I would but up another BBQ image. We had a nice Thanksgiving dinner, just the two of us, but the turkey came from the deli this year. It was still good.

I Need One Of These ::

in my front yard! I was up in South Carolina last weekend and ran across this just outside Bethune and couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a snapshot.



I wonder just how difficult it is to move one of these things when someone purchases one?

Marty Forscher-RIP ::

For more than 40 years, Mr. Forscher ran Professional Camera Repair Service in Midtown Manhattan. Founded in 1946, the shop was a Mecca for generations of camera owners, from the world’s most celebrated fashion, advertising and news photographers to wedding portraitists, threadbare students, bejeweled celebrities and anxious tourists.

[snip]

For more than 40 years, Mr. Forscher ran Professional Camera Repair Service in Midtown Manhattan. Founded in 1946, the shop was a Mecca for generations of camera owners, from the world’s most celebrated fashion, advertising and news photographers to wedding portraitists, threadbare students, bejeweled celebrities and anxious tourists.

Years ago I had a Nikon F with the old F36 motor which had been modified by Forscher to run at almost twice the speed of a stock motor. I never had a problem at all with that camera or motor. I've never been at all interested in the inner workings of a camera, but I doubt that the modern digital cameras are as conducive to modifications!

Been Away ::

I've been out of state for the past few days so I'm playing catch-up (as opposed to that red stuff made from tomatoes containing 29% sugar that we put on french fries), but I have a couple of new images to put up as soon as I can find the time to process them!

A Yellow Chair ::

Have you ever noticed just how prevalent the color yellow is in our surroundings?

Another Garbo Photograph ::

Here's the second of the Garbo photographs. For some reason I'm having trouble finding the third. Gotta search my negatives.



This one was found between 10th Street and 11th Street in Atlanta, just off Peachtree. All of the old buildings are long gone now!

Halloween 2009 ::

Taken earlier this afternoon in a local cemetery.

A Fisheye Lomo Photograph ::

I haven't done anything with the Lomo lately, but here is a photograph from a year ago:

Tony Triolo In New Mexico ::

Tony spent a few days this past summer in New Mexico with another mutual friend and he has produced a very nice book showcasing some of the photographs he took during the trip. The link to preview and purchase is here. Your viewing time will be well spent!

Free Advice! ::

Columbia, S.C.
March, 2006

Spam! ::

No, not that kind. This is one of those few images which I was able to come back to. The driver parked his rig near where I live for several hours, but the light was terrible when I first saw it so I came back later in the afternoon and everything was much nicer.

A Sign Of The Season ::

I heard a report on NPR that spending on halloween decorations is expected to be down this year, but I have to say that just the opposite seems to be the case around here just based on my travels. If the rain doesn't stop soon the entire fall season may be a wash-out!

One Lonely Shoe ::

I wonder how it came to be by itself in the middle of the road!

Interesting Photographs ::

From Bonnie Schupp. Go check them out (PDF).

That Time Of The Year ::

Lots of pumpkins around this year although this photograph is probably 3 years old. There's a nice nip in the air at night and it's time to think about carving a pumpkin. I usually make a run up to Tennessee to choose mine and I may do that tomorrow and couple the trip with a lottery ticket purchase!

Dr. Pepper In The Fog ::

I got up early one morning several months ago and drove down the dead-end road I live on and came upon this building in a heavy fog. The Dr. Pepper machine is gone now.

New Orleans Mausoleum ::

I was down in New Orleans just before the levees broke and spent some time in one of the cemeteries taking some photographs. I haven't been back since, but I'm thinking of taking a trip down there this fall or early winter.

Used Tire Store ::

Garbo On Peeling Paint ::

Years ago I worked on 11th street in midtown Atlanta in a commercial photo lab and often wandered the local neighborhood with my view camera. I came across a few of these little Garbo drawings in really interesting places and wound up collecting 4 images that I thought were worthy. There were a couple of others I found in the Virgina-Highlands neighborhood, but they were not nearly as interesting as the midtown images.



I'll post the others at some later time.

As for technical notes, the Garbo images were shot long before digital. At this time I was using a Calumet 8x10 view camera with a 4x5 reducing back. The film was filtered 4x5 VPL in relatively flat natural light.

Needless to say this building no longer exists.

The Redneck Storm Shelter ::

This is an oldie, having been photographed several years ago before I got the DSLR. As a tribute to the true American entrepreneurial spirit someone decided to put a door and a vent pipe on a hopefully unused septic tank and market it as a "storm shelter".

In Honor Of Football ::

In the state of Alabama. I've never quite figured out why people take this sport so seriously, but I guess the love of football is pretty universal. Too bad we don't expend as much energy in intellectual pursuits!

Church On The Hill ::

Been scarce the past few days because of illness, but gradually getting over it. This is a scene I pass often and I have photographed it several times. I like this one best so far.



The tree completes the visual image.

Drive-Thru BBQ Stand For Rent ::

Must not have been very good BBQ not to make it in Alabama, but I love the sign!

Atop Green Mountain ::

Geese On The Lake ::

An overlooked image taken on January 2, 2007, but, for the life of me, I can't remember why the flag was at half-staff.



I'll have to try and remember to research this later today.

Another Flag Photo ::

I have been fascinated by American flags in different scenes over the years. I was down in Boaz, Alabama several months ago and came across this. It was near the wrestling school!

A Serious Fan ::

I took this photograph several years ago amazed by a couple of things. The first is the loyalty shown to one's choice of universities and the lengths to which many people go to show that loyalty. The other was that no one had stolen these decorations!



I find cemeteries to be fascinating places and I rarely visit one without finding some scene worthy of a photograph. I am not sure when this fascination began, but perhaps it started when I became a fan of the work of Clarence John Laughlin in the cemeteries of New Orleans. I had the good fortune to meet Laughlin at The Atlanta College of Art not long before he passed away.

A Towering Monument ::

Cemeteries are, to me, fascinating places and I seldom visit one without finding something to photograph such as this this handmade little monument to a family's loved one.



I especially like to visit cemeteries which are associated with small country churches. This particular cemetery is in Lacey's Spring, Alabama. I just happened to remember the following photographs taken in the same littel cemetery:






Obviously the Eudy family had much to mourn!

Appetizing? ::

A Flag In The Window ::

A Portrait ::

Not my strong suit, but I did this one of Savannah a couple of months ago and I really like it!

A Lomo Image ::

Love Fest 2009 ::

A local benefit to collect school supplies and money for school supplies.



The event was a rousing success with entertainment for the kids along with reggae music by Kush joined by horn player Ken Watters.

Where I go ::

When I need lawnmower parts!

Another Panorama

I attended an event at The Davidson Center at the U.S. Space And Rocket Center a couple of weeks ago and shot this panorama at around 8pm.



Inside the window you can see an actual Saturn rocket. The Saturn to the left is a mock-up, but it's still impressive when you stand next to it!

Taking The Photograph When The Time Is Right? ::

For the longest time I would see a scene I wanted to photograph and decide that the light was not right vowing to return when conditions were move favorable. More often than not I simply forgot to return or, when I did return, the scene was irrevocably changed. These days I try to photograph something interesting even if the conditions are not ideal. I took this photograph last year.



I drove by a couple of weeks ago and noticed that the old appliance repair and sales building was being torn down and this is what it looked like as of last week:



The big hole to the left is where the old appliances were behind the window. I actually got 3 of what I consider to be nice images before losing the building.

I'm glad I didn't wait on this one!

Old Firestation Across The Tracks ::

I've tried several times over the years to get a decent photograph of this old fire station with no success. I shot this one last week and it's marginally better than what I've gotten before.



I guess I'll keep trying, but the sky was nice on this afternoon!

Happy 4th Of July ::

The day we take great pleasure in buying miniature explosive devices!



I don't watch much TV, but I hope that "Yankee Doodle Dandy" is on at some point today! I haven't seen it in a long time!

Tivo says that TCM will have it on at 4:45pm. I'll set the recorder!