Desperate for You

Continues the theme below. This photo, too, is untouched. Scroll down to see the place from a few yards back.

(Not a reflection but seen through a sheet of water.)

The Crying Divine

Every great once in a while, I know why I've taken up photography as a hobby. I took this photo a few months ago (in late May) and have wanted to post it ever since but couldn't do so because I also wanted to keep it my own.

My wife once asked whether Tchaikovsky was saddened by connecting his "Pas de Deux" with the Nutcracker Suite. Her point, which I used to tease her about, was something like this: he can present it only once to the world, and once written it stands as a standard by which his other works are compared. To borrow my father-in-law's vernacular, I think Juli wondered whether old Petey T. feared he had "peaked too early."

I don't want to take this too far (too late), but I do quite like this photo. I knew as soon as I took it (before I took it, actually) that it somehow fit me. Fundamentally. It captures some of what I strive to capture in my photography--and that is to express how I view the world. I didn't dare alter it--so it's presented here in its original form, imperfections and all.

My buddy Stephen took the photo below of me below on his iPhone when I was taking the photo above. He did so to show me how silly I look taking photos of weird stuff. I quite like this photo, too. Ironically, it nicely reveals how "seeing" is a kind of skill. Because there's not an obvious translation from the little face in the photo below--as seen from Stephen's perspective--to the face above. And it's kind of nice being that translator. I'm very happy doing that translation. It's where I'm most lost in the best sense of the word.



And here is another photo of the scene, much closer. Untouched photo.

branches

Stephen reflected twice--with two iconic gestures.

Once in a statue, once in water.

Mother with Child

Presumably. Could be Aunt with niece. Or MUCH older sister with baby sister. Or adult stranger with infant snatched from a local nursery. I don't know. But it's a happy photo. And that's what I'm all about: happy happy. Happy happy photos.

Yeah, that's right.

Taken (natch) at full-paced walk. That's how I do.

Bee!!

That felt good. We were overdue.

Un-Moored

Here's what came to mind when I thought of this title and smirked, quite pleased at myownself for such cleverness:

"Why I Am So Clever" --- Chapter Title from Nietzsche's Ecce Homo

Other chapter titles from the same book include:

"Why I Am So Wise"

and

"Why I Write Such Good Books"

and

"Why I Am A Destiny"

Sadly, you will not find this title in the book:

"Why I Write Ironic Chapter Titles For Good Ol' Fashioned Joshing Fun"

That you don't find.

Caption please

From Timekeeper: "Hey, is that the most recent 'Flies Illustrated'?"

From Andy:

"Don't think of me as a creepy guy reading over your shoulder... Think of me as the wind... in the willows..."

"Son, please get off that frog's lap and come back here to read with me."

"Excuse me Mr. Frog - didn't I see you and your 'little friend' there on a funny billboard in NYC recently??"

From Technoprairie:

"I can't believe he's reading Lord of the Flies to someone that young!"

From Justcurious:

"Psst! Hey, pal! I'm just trying to decide what to order here and, well, maybe you want to cover the little guy's ears, but is it true what they say? You know, the whole 'tastes like chicken' thing?

drink and hands

Stalk and leaves

It's pretty good. Admit it.

down and out

vine and brick

The jumper

This would make a fun painting in the vein of Norman Rockwell. (Hint hint, you painters out there.) Decrease the number of trees, clear the clutter, and bring forward the dude in the lower right closer to the viewer. But the essential dynamic is here: I like how the eye tracks his stare to find the other dude.

And below is a wimpier diver. Tsk Tsk. Far less impressive.

Stamen

Freudian floriculturists among you: Go to town. You know who you are.

pretty. simple.

Sometimes your subject matter does all the work for you. I kept going back to this photo to see if I could tweak it a little to improve it. But in the end it just sort of worked the way it was originally. (Let me know if I've already posted this before. I sometimes forget what I've posted, what I've just played with, and what I have mentally queued up to post next.)

Steve Taylor

Doin' his thang.

Under the table

Apropos of nothing, I'm listening now to Thea Gilmore's version of "Bad Moon Rising." It does seem fitting somehow for this photo (and thereby belies the "apropos of nothing" comment). I've always liked that song (a lot), but now I have even greater reason to. Before I liked it just because it was foreboding and mysterious. But her version is foreboding and mysterious and completely believable. The original is frantic and therefore urgent. This version is contemplative and therefore even more urgent.

When she says, "hope you've got your things together/hope you are quite prepared to die" it made me think, dude, am I prepared to die?

And the answer? Well, that's for me to know and you to not know.

High Museum of Art

So which one is better? Top or bottom?

rain on glass

Looking up.

Oh dear reader, I have a number of photos yet before my supply is depleted, but the supply is definitely finite. I don't see a photo op in my near future. I fear therefore that soon--unless something unexpected comes--you'll be seeing a few more self-portraits and eyeballs posted on the blog.

Stare into the eyeball at your own peril

I could not stand to see that other eyeball for another second. It was drving to me madness. So gross. This is lovely by comparison.