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From now on, my new work will be highlighted there, and I will be blogging on that site as well. See you over there!
Category Archives: iPhoneography
Scenes of decay
I’ve posted this image before, but it deserves another look. I love acquired texture, the patina of life. This parking lot was once a busy scene of commerce: businesses were thriving and serving customers, until a fire wiped out most of it. Now it’s a field of rubble, but amazingly, there are a few buildings still standing, and commerce is still going on, in different forms.
But unfortunately, I don’t think this area will ever thrive again, and in my head I hear an anthem for rural American, the center of industrialism that nourished communities, that are gone and will probably relocate someplace else, and maybe provide jobs for other people who probably deserve it. But, one can feel the grief of this bygone age.
Into the vortex
I attended a hot air balloon festival recently in Auburn, Maine. The best view was from this suspension bridge over the Androscoggin River. I like the shots I got of the bridge, but I can’t just leave it at that. I took a photo of a dead tree, used Photoshop’s radial blur, and blended that layer with the bridge. 
My little love
The graphic design projects have been taking up as much time as photography lately. This is a sign I designed for my tiny house. it will be printed on white metal, 12″ x 18″.If you aren’t familiar with Dave Grisman’s version of this song (Shady Grove, a standard), you should check it out. It makes my hair stand on end, it’s so beautiful.
The Bees
This is a shot of a beehive taken through glass. You can see my reflection, in a black t shirt, behind the bees. Once in a while you get a shot that you love so much, you keep looking at it. There are so many things I like about this: the detail with the bees’ bodies; the different focal points; the reflection (always a favorite shot for me); and even the colors.
My book is finally out!
So far, “iPhoneography – where reality intersects with imagination” is only available on Blurb. But far more exciting is the fact that it is DONE and published and available.
Blurb link here: http://www.blurb.com/b?ebook=673004
Amazon link to follow, which will include the print version.
Just wanted to give you all a heads up that it is on its way. This volume includes my favorite photos from TheDailyGrunge, as well as a few newer works that have never made it onto the blog. A few of the flash fictions are also included.
Saluda, Unchained
Vortex
Carousel horses
I have always loved carousel horses. They used to be hand carved by craftsmen, each individual and unique, full of life and detail and care. At some point, they started molding them out of plastic and there was no joy in them. When I was a kid, half the fun of the carousel, maybe even three-quarters of it, was that feeling that your horse was a mighty steed, you FELT something from that wooden horse as it surged around. You picked one that spoke to you, you almost felt that its flaring nostrils were breathing hot breath; its carved wind-tossed mane was snapping in the wind.
At Smiley’s Flea Market, the one thing that I thought was truly beautiful was the old carousel. It’s not well maintained, but these old-style horses were really nice. And of course, the iPhone, which was the only camera I had with me, did a superb job of capturing the horses, even though they were moving past me at speed, and it was dark behind them, but the phone STILL picked up enough light, with a fast enough shutter speed, to take these gorgeous pictures.
Just us fleas here …
I generally like flea markets, shlepping around under hot sun, meeting the vendors, trading stories with them about their treasures … recently went to the Saturday Smiley’s Flea in Fletcher, NC. I must say, I didn’t have the same experience there. It just made me deeply sad. People (trying to) sell crates of past-date personal care products that had been baking in the sun for hours … tables piled up with old shoes … moldy CDs and VCR moves. Cases and cases of moldy rotten clothes. However, I did find things worth taking pictures of. The box of dolls was a once in a lifetime shot, but the rest – just sad. OVERHEARD: “My grandpa could chew steak – without any teeth at all!” Said with great pride.
