Is This the End?

I often wondered what this would feel like. As I am now within a week of graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology, it makes me wonder, and has others asking me "What now?" Rather than it being the end, I am choosing to view it as a new beginning. I have worked hard for the past 4 years, and found a great deal of academic success. I have made Dean's List with Highest Honors for the past four semesters, High Honors before that. The way I see it, that success will open a few doors that have remained closed for many years. Having a degree is more necessary now than ever, especially living in the Washington, DC area.

There are many opportunities that lay ahead. One of the first opportunities I have seized is beginning in January, I will be teaching a semester of Digital Photography classes at the Sitar Arts Center in Washington, DC. I have never taught before, but am looking forward to sharing my knowledge and experience over the next semester (and hopefully beyond). In addition, it is my hope that other doors may open, with other opportunities to do meaningful work within the community. Time will tell, but I believe Sitar is going to be a great beginning!

Over the next few weeks, things will get pretty hectic around here. My wife and I both in the midst of finals, we will be putting our daughter on a plane to fly to Idaho for a few weeks, and we will be preparing for one of our sons to visit from college. All that on top of taking my first trip to New Orleans! Can things get any crazier? Probably, but it is this kind of "feast or famine" of activity we seem to thrive on.

To close, I heard an interview with the late Henri Cartier-Bresson, and he said something that resonated within me. He was describing making a portrait of "an old lady" who was concerned about her wrinkles. He said he set her at ease about it, and then explained to his interviewer that he believed "After a certain age, you get the face you deserve, I think." Profound.

What Was Old Is New Again...

"Classic Film" © 2013

It is my hope that I can begin to share some of my written work here in addition to my photography. I start with the piece above titled "Classic Film". It was inspired by my work and experimentation in black and white imagery as of late, and believe this captures the essence of my fascination with the medium.

While I shoot primarily in digital these days, my main camera is a Fuji X100, rangefinder-esque camera with a fixed 23mm lens (35mm equivalent). I shoot only through the optical viewfinder, and never use the view screen to see an image. Instead, I wait until I get home and begin "developing" my shots. It is as true to the classic film shooting as I can get currently, while still enjoying the benefits and convenience of digital photography. I hope you enjoy this little sonnet, as well as the imagery I share here.

"Bills Gay 90's" © 2012

Here is an image from New York City I took of an original speakeasy called "Bill's Gay 90's". They have been closed quite some time, but it seems they may be trying to bring it back in some fashion. You can find more information at billsnyc.com if you are interested. Regardless, I think this image captures well the essence of classic black and white photography.

Thank you for visiting!

Fast and Furious

"Boston Ferry" © 2013

No, not the movie, but life as of late. In the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to travel a bit, burn through a ton of images, work extra hours, appear briefly on National television and still find time to relax and more!

A long weekend in Boston seemed like a great getaway, and I am here to tell you it was. While I had never been there, it is a place I always wanted to visit. Listed as one of America's most walkable cities, I decided to put that to the test, and found it was! For the most part people were friendly, which I did not expect. Navigating the city had its moments of difficulty as I believe whomever designed the street layout must have been drunk. Seafood in Boston was of course amazing, and the architecture found there is inspiring.

We visited Harvard (Cambridge), and found it to be far more understated than I expected. I suppose when you are Harvard, that is enough. The campus and surrounding Cambridge is beautiful, full of history and interesting places and things. We happened upon a cemetery tour nearby, and learned about the carving of headstones in the late 1700s, how to identify who made the stones, and what position (journeyman, etc) they might have held, in addition to learning about some of Boston's most famous residents.

We also spent a day in Salem, Mass. where the witch trials took place. It was very touristy, but informative and fun. Salem was also home to the Parker Brothers, of board game fame. We visited his mansion, and learned about how during the Great Depression, Parker worked with local merchants to accept "Monopoly Money" (literally) from his factory employees, with the guarantee that he would pay back all the notes with interest, which he later did. This allowed his employees to not suffer the impacts of the economy like the rest of the nation. We also found the home that the American version of the game of Clue is based upon. Nestled in old town Salem, it was actually the site of a murder, that reportedly went unsolved many years ago.

Other trips included our first trip to Richmond, VA where we of course took in Carytown, watched the Great Gatsby at the old Byrd Theater, and visited the Maymont Mansion and grounds while there. I would highly recommend visiting Maymont, as it is perhaps the best example of a "living museum" with over 95% original furnishings/items, and beautifully maintained. The grounds are wonderful as well, featuring a wildlife preserve, nature center and more. And don't forget to visit the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond either. WOW! That's about all I can say to describe its glory...

Another adventure in the past few weeks was an overnight trip to Annapolis, MD where we kayaked around Spa Creek inlet as well as across the Severn River. Beautiful, historic, and a great deal of fun.

I left out a lot of details, as there is just too much to share. If you are ever curious about where to visit, eat or stay when traveling to any of the places I write about, feel free to message or email me. I am always happy to make recommendations. Now it is time to head out for another long weekend to meet with friends at a cabin on a lake near Jim Thorpe, PA. It should be an interesting weekend to be sure!

Opportunities

"Rooftop View" © 2013

Since moving to the Washington, D.C. area nearly a year ago, I have been amazed at all the new experiences that keep making themselves available to take advantage of. I have had the opportunity to visit more museums than I ever thought possible, learned more about the history of our nation, been a part of an inauguration, made many food discoveries, seen concerts, plays, spoken-word tours and even musicals. All this, to just give an idea. The close proximity to many other cities has also allowed for a great deal of travel, and thus experiences in more new (to me) places.

A few nights ago, I had the opportunity to attend the A.A.P.D.s "Rooftop Celebration" at 101 Constitution Ave. NW in D.C. It was filled with hundreds of people from the disability community, congressmen, representatives, and maybe even a couple high profile guests. One of those guests was the new Secretary of Labor, his first day on the job. Somehow I ended up riding down in the elevator with him and his security detail (secret service?). The image above was taken from the rooftop that night, providing a unique perspective of our nation's Capitol. It is a rare opportunity to be able to get on-high in D.C., and I enjoyed every minute of it. To the left was a great view of Union Station, and to the right  is the Botanical Garden, housing the final day of the "death flower" bloom.

I am really enjoying the Washington, D.C. area and all it has to offer, and encourage everyone to seize the opportunities before you, take time to live, make the most of every day. More than anything, learn to appreciate all the world has to offer. You don't have to be rich, but you do have to be diligent and methodical in finding a way to maximize every opportunity.

Get Back on That Horse...

"Highline Sunset" © 2013

That is what I have decided it is high-time to do... figuratively speaking of course. I am guilty of lacking creative inspiration as well as not taking the time to try and nurture the creative process. My recent trip to New York City helped with this problem.

While in NYC, I had the opportunity to explore many areas of interest, as well as areas I have studied extensively while pursuing my degree in Sociology. This is when I realized my re-discovered inspiration... It is the world around me I needed to be drawing inspiration from. It really is that simple. You see, people and their environments are inspiring to me, and what better places to re-connect with that than in Greenwich Village, the Lower East Side, Chinatown, Five Points, Brooklyn, and more?

It is time I get back to chronicling the people, places and things that interest me, and I see this as being a forum for me to do that. I won't always write a lengthy blog, but I plan to share my experiences with those that care to take note. The imagery will be the focus, perhaps with an accompanying story, or maybe I will leave the story up to you, the reader. Whatever the case, I hope to, at the very least, share a bit of myself, and maybe even inspire you.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoy what is to come.