THANK YOU once again to Le Journal de la Photographie for posting my photo, Camp Site. Le Journal has chosen my work 5 times; with 2 portfolio showings and 3 individual photographs.
Unfortunately I was not as lucky when it came to another recent exhibition. My portfolio of 15 images from the Overhead Projections series (including Jaws, above) did not qualify for acceptance in the F-Stop Magazine Portfolio Edition Call for Entries. Over 260 artists submitted work for the final show of 12 collections. Tough competition.
S E E I N G
I grew up about a half-mile from this location and it's safe to say that I've driven past it thousands of times. It was only recently that I happened to drive by it again and actually "see" the image Half Street. While it's true that we overlook the obvious sometimes in our lives, it can also be said that an image doesn't reveal itself to you until you're ready to see it.
In this case, the visual pun of the Half Street image is that the photo is divided into halves. Up close the bottom half is a textural wall of cracks, peeling plaster and the disintegrating Half Street stencil. Above it, the rhythmic pattern of bricks is interrupted by three unevenly spaced windows, each with its contents appearing as abstract expressionist compositions.
Why I like this photo — it's the kind of image that gets created when you stumble upon it. Driving and walking around downtown St. Louis, looking for something to photograph and I see a mural of the Arch peeking out between buildings. Standing in the parking lot and panning a bit to the left enabled me to compose the image the way I saw it. The geometric layout cuts the photo in half and in half again. The blue sky echoes the blue paint of the faded rendering. The brick wall in the upper right hand corner balances with the brick wall in the lower left hand corner. The buildings in the flattened, painted cityscape across the bottom, are at the same height and proportion as the actual buildings on the left, continuing the horizontal movement of the image. Finally, the protruding security light punches a hole in the white wall and sits perfectly centered under the archway. My favorite kind of see it, shoot it, share it photograph.
Two more images from the Letterbox series. Someday these images will all come together in a collection.
V I E W S
Parking lots continue to hold my attention as potential large canvases and handball courts seem like stages to me.
H O L G A
I still find images that I think are perfect for this plastic lens, including this homemade Deals on Wheels sign.
J U S T F O R F U N
It's not often that you get to see the steam from a fire breathing serpent so close up.
(click on any image to see the slide show)
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