Rail and Bridges or A Bicycle Rode Through It

Enthusiasm for my newest work, made last week, has directed my attention away from Project Pond Scum... for the moment. This exposure was made along the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg on my way to the Onward '08 show at Project Basho. I had spent the night in a hotel a couple of miles away and woke up to rain and overcast skies. I made the best of the morning by visiting the local art museum, grabbing coffee and an apple scone at Starbucks, and photographing in a large 150 year old church downtown. I was lucky enough to be there while the organist was rehearsing, making two 9 minute exposures most enjoyable.

After observing the sun beginning to stream through the lovely and numerous stained glass windows I resolved to venture out. I made my way to the car and loaded my equipment with plans to drive to City Island. I decided I may as well take a look around the nearby riverfront area while I was there and walked about 50feet before noticing this incredibly still pool of water submerging the observation platform across the street. My view was from a far less interesting angle but I was already taken. I hurried back to grab my gear and returned to explore with the camera as quickly as I could, the sun was peeking through the clouds and rapidly burning moisture from the hazy afternoon air.

While I worked in the busy downtown area several people walked by, all avoiding the puddle. I couldn't help but wonder if they recognized what I did, or at least what I was trying to photograph, and took care not to disturb it... or whether they simply didn't want to get their feet wet. I was able to make two exposures long enough to smooth the glistening river before the sun permanently altered the scene. Still invigorated by this magical moment I hesitated to take down the camera. Moments later a bicyclist rode directly though the middle of the puddle, answering my question and motivating me to pack up. The resulting print fulfills all my expectations and further reflects my feelings for the ephemeral beauty we encounter everyday.

Starbucks Tour '08

I'm back from several days on the PA highway system, traveling primarily to attend the opening reception of the Project Basho: Onward '08 show in Philadelphia. The place was packed and the space looked great. I was impressed with the diversity of work selected by the juror, Andrea Modica; the hard work of Tsuyoshi Ito and company for putting everything together; and most of all the gorgeous weather!

My print was well placed and allowed the viewer to get his or her nose right on it as I intend. The work is scheduled to hang through February so if you're in the area I highly recommend stopping by for a look (and grabbing a few pints of Sly Dog Dry Stout at the Standard Tap a couple of blocks away).

For two days before the show I was able to spend time photographing in the riverfront area of downtown Harrisburg and will be posting some of the results in the near future. Rain forced me inside for a morning which I put to full advantage working in the 150 year old Presbyterian Church on Pine Street. Later that afternoon I was given the gift of sunlight which immediately began burning off the haze and I made several exposures along the river and City Island.

I was lucky to return with more than exposed film. I picked up a wonderful hand made print box from my buddy Joe Freeman when we met at the event in Philly. I gave him his choice of the prints I had brought with me and felt like I was stealing! It sure beats the hell out of carrying them haphazardly in the back of my car and offers considerably more protection.

I also picked up my copy of the new Brett Weston Portfolio series being published by Lodima Press from my friend Richard Boutwell. He was kind enough to show me around his area of Bucks County and we were able to photograph for a few hours in some wonderful light before I started the drive back and my race to beat Sunday night's snowstorm through the Poconos. I didn't but the roads were quite passable, at least until I made it home.

Friends and family had loaded me up with Starbucks' gift cards over the holidays so I fueled myself with coffee practically nonstop. The chain seems ubiquitous in Harrisburg and isn't far behind on the toll road to Philly. I needed the extra caffeine as I decided to bring only my 8x10 camera after a summer spent working primarily with the 4x5. I'd forgotten how freeing it is to compose a photograph on the large ground glass as well as how heavy my big ass tripod is! No complaining though, I've already developed two of the large negatives and can't wait to get printing...

New Special Edition Print: Hanging Tree

This exposure was made back in May of 2006 and for whatever reason I had not gotten around to printing it. The negative proved to be a good candidate for split grade printing and I was able to pull the tones I was looking for. The tree seems to share them with the stone... blending into one another in a second, purely visual way. I remember making the negative one morning in McConnells Mill State Park and being impressed with the display of graceful tenacity.

The contact print is approximately 4x5 inches; mounted and over mated with white, 4ply, 8x10 inch Alpharag Artcare museum board; signed and numbered on the front; stamped, dated and titled on the verso. The silver gelatin print is toned lightly in selenium and available for a limited time at the reduced price of $50. See my website for more info.

50 years ago today...

Photography lost one of it's brightest lights, Edward Weston. His photographs and Daybooks have been an inspiration to myself and countless others.

"It is classic, completely satisfying -- a pepper -- but more than a pepper: abstract, in that it is completely outside subject matter. it has no psychological attributes, no human emotions are aroused, this new pepper takes one beyond the world we know in the conscious mind. To be sure much of my work has this quality, many of my last year's peppers, but this one, and in fact all the new ones, take one into an inner reality -- the absolute --with clear understanding, a mystic revealment. This is the "significant presentation" that I mean, the presentation through one's intuitive self, seeing 'through one's eyes, not with them;' the visionary." EW 1930

"I never try to limit myself by theories. I do not question right or wrong approach when I am interested or amazed -- compelled to work. I do not fear logic, I dare to be irrational, or really never consider whether I am or not. This keeps me fluid, open to fresh impulse, free from formulae -- the public who know my work is often surprised, the critics, who all, or most of them, have their pet formula are disturbed, and my friends distressed." EW 1932

"I am the adventurer on a voyage of discovery, ready to receive fresh impressions, eager for fresh horizons, not in the spirit of a militant conquerer to impose myself or my ideas, but to identify myself in, and unify with, whatever I am able to recognize as significantly part of me: the 'me' of universal rhythms." EW 1932