“If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it’s as though I’ve neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.” — Richard Avedon
some places and people
wish to be seen
(click on images for larger view)
“If a documentary photograph is to have any life in it, it’s very important that it exhibit certain characteristics. The photograph should, first of all, be about people. Nothing is more fascinating than the human face and the human condition.” — Bill Owens
(click image for larger view)
Last Saturday evening Pere Marquette Park, an intimate little park on the Milwaukee River in downtown Milwaukee, became a nucleus for Peace. The program for Lanterns for Peace, a ceremony (sponsored by Peace Education Project of Peace Action Wisconsin) in rememberence of the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagaski on August 9, 1945, states, “We remind ourselves that this kind of human suffering must not happen again and that we must unite with all the people of the world to abolish nuclear weapons and put an end to war.” (Additional photographs of the setting can be viewed here) 10% of print sales will be donated to Peace Action Wisconsin.
(click images for larger view)
The evening light, cool summer breeze, musicians, speakers, and people, believing peace as possible, transformed the park into a magical space and time. (Additional photographs of people enjoying the event can be viewed here) 10% of print sales will be donated to Peace Action Wisconsin.
Children of all ages crafted their very personal lanterns. (Additional photographs of people creating lanterns can be viewed here) 10% of print sales will be donated to Peace Action Wisconsin.
Music filled the park; from heartfelt folk songs provided by Dangerous Folk’s Cap Lee and Julie Thompson to the joyful Afro rhythms of the Lucky Diop and Kassumai African Band. Holly Haebig breathed life through her classical flute as individuals read heart wrenching Survivors’ Stories from Hiroshima/Nagasaki; and again through her native American flute as the lanterns floated onto the river. (Additional photographs of the Musicians can be viewed here) 10% of print sales will be donated to Peace Action Wisconsin.
As the sun set the lanterns were lit; with some difficulty due to the wind. (Additional photographs of the lantern lighting can be viewed here) 10% of print sales will be donated to Peace Action Wisconsin.
The creators silently walked their lanterns to the canoes waiting in the river. The canoes took the lanterns into the river as the Native American flute remembered, and called to, all those killed and maimed by the violent ones. (Additional photographs of the lantern float can be viewed here) 10% of print sales will be donated to Peace Action Wisconsin.
Last Friday Ann and I packed a few things in the car and drove west by northwest on Hwy 60. We stopped in North Leeds for a bite to eat. The restaurant had what seemed like a romantic little room for two; it also had very little and very red light and quickly began to feel claustrophobic with too much funky decor.
(click images for larger view)
At Sauk City the highway does it’s best to follow the Wisconsin River. I love to drive the blue highways that follow the rivers; the paths of the animals and birds. At Gotham we headed north by northwest on Hwy 14 towards Viroqua to visit Ann’s niece, Jessica, and her husband Matt. They provided us with wonderful hospitality; including a bed for the night. Saturday morning’s coffee and conversation on their new deck — built by Matt — simply delightful.
Back on the road at 9:30 am — Hwy 14/61 to St. Paul, MN — now following the mighty, muddy Mississippi. Spectacular views with no time to stop; except for fuel, juice and muffins.
Arriving just a tad late due to one wrong turn.
Seeing as a guest and not “the wedding photographer” freed me to photograph “whatever” and take note of things I’d have done differently than the fellow and his crew. Slide show of additional wedding observations here. And a few from the “film” camera here.
Sunday morning, at the Best Western, provided pool time for Sophia and social time for family and friends of the iHusband and iWife (Sean is slowly Macifying Ellie):
Strolling, shopping, photographing with a late Mexican lunch in St. Paul before heading south along the mighty Miss.
A chocolate malt while driving through the night. Then south on Hwy 35 (hugging the river on the Wisconsin side); crossing back over to McGregor, IA at Prairie Du Chien. The Holiday Shores Motel provided us with a terrace seat and cooling summer breeze which made it difficult to “go to sleep.” We watched a huge row of barges navigate the water-way in the dark. Monday morning provided a gorgeous view of Wisconsin’s river shore.
Monday passed too quickly — simply enjoying the river, the light, the barge traffic and McGregor (at one time allegedly larger than Chicago because of it’s ferry crossing). Slide show of additional river and McGregor photographs.
“Some of us cynics say that ‘the quickest way to make a million dollars in photography, is to start with two million dollars.'” — Anonymous
Saturday afternoon we found ourselves at Al Simon’s 70th birthday celebration at Beth El Ner Tamid Synagogue. I managed to see and document two moments of fine light before being told that I cannot do this “work” in the temple during Shabbat. I did not understand this rebuke. Pushing a tiny button in response to beautiful light is “work?” I think not. After-the-fact research and dialogue brought understanding. A kind, Jewish acquaintance offered, “One should not try to view any of this from a rational perspective. It is a discipline.” A web site added this insight, “Working on Shabbos… means doing creative acts that manipulate nature… When G-d rested on the seventh day… He rested in the sense that He ceased creating. We must do the same.” Aha! Not a silly “rule;” rather, a discipline to help one connect with the divine. I get it. Respect and honor discipline (including the discipline to continuously learn from and about others).
(click images for larger view)
Later: While walking with Sophia on her Radio Flyer.
And still later: Popcorn and video.
“The whole search is for the unknown.” — Jerry Valente
Today I finished assembly of the milled ring to the recessed Cambo lens board to allow the mounting of Hasselblad lenses to the Cambo Ultima. After mounting the 40mm Distagon and the R8/DMR to the Ultima I walked the rig out to the porch, where a fern had grown up between the floor boards, and composed the first test.
(click image for larger view)
I made just one exposure and removed the SD card from the DMR. Having just worked with the view camera movements this felt like removing a tiny, miniature sheet film holder. I fondly recalled the days of pulling out 12×20 dark slides and holders (as well as 11×14, 8×10, 5×7, 4×5 and 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 and now this) after making an exposure I felt good about. Walking the itty-bitty image holder to the computer, then dropping the file into LightRoom, compressed an hour and a half of darkroom film processing and proofing into about 5 minutes; then, almost immediately, sharing the results with the world.
I love this return to view camera controls. A whole different experience in photography occurs when every conceivable movement of camera image plane and lens becomes available during the acts of framing and focusing. Contemplation. Meditation. Dare I call it a spiritual experience?
“In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.” — Alfred Steiglitz
Last Saturday Sophia, family and friends celebrated her third birthday. Slide show of additional images.
(click images for larger vew) 
And on Monday we remembered Mom and Dad, together. Slide show of additional images.
Huge thank you Doug. You’ve twice given me and my family precious memories.
“[I crop] for the benefit of the pictures. The world does not fit conveniently into the format of a 35mm camera [frame].”
“What use is having great depth of field, if there is not adequate depth of feeling?” — W. Eugene Smith
they appeared where once
I photographed a family
of feathered friends
(click images for larger view)
“Saturate yourself with your subject and the camera will all but take you by the hand.” — Margaret Bourke-White
Last evening the storms roared through (again).
(click images for larger view)
The rain poured down most of the night – leaving our little town’s main street underwater (and the upstream water has yet to crest). Click here for slide show of Thiensville Flood.
A visit with Sophia and Tanya this morning.
On the way home.
“I didn’t want to tell the tree or weed what it was. I wanted it to tell me something and through me express its meaning in nature.” — Wynn Bullock
Last weekend severe storms swept through our area. Many families lost things, including some losing their homes. Our own Main Street was several feet under water. Today I stopped by Firemen’s Park in Thiensville. The Milwaukee River remains dangerously high. And new storms currently rain down upon us. The damn is totally under rushing water.
