Notre Dame, Basilica

Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana

Back a few years I happened to be traveling through South Bend, Indiana and had the opportunity and access to make a few images on the campus. This is one of the images from that day.

Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan - Dis-Appearing America

Found this old abandoned park on the way to Chicago.....I am not usually prone to HDR type images but on this particular image I liked the juxtaposition of the old and the new.....

Ed's Truck

Ed and Willy's Truck

My friend Ed is a vintage car collector. One day while visiting I said why not photograph the Willy's Truck at sunset - he had just finished getting this vehicle back into prime condition. That is except the brakes - but he said yes and we met up one night at an open field near his home in Indiana. Today's image is that photograph - I post today as I am bringing a few prints (one is canvas) with me on my trip out to Indiana this week...Quite the vehicle.......

The Cure, Robert Smith

The Cure, Robert Smith, Beacon Theater, NYC

 Wow, last minute Sunday plans and went off to photograph The Cure at The Beacon Theater, New York City. I always like photographing at the Beacon - great sight-lines, and, as with most theaters, a great shot from the balcony (which I forgot to do yesterday)....

This band has been around since the late 70's, part of the post-punk and New Wave movements in the UK. They have been given credit for stating 'gothic rock'  in the early 80's....During the early 90's they were often called the most popular 'alternative' band in the world.

Robert Smith, The Cure 

Robert Smith is the lead singer, guitar player and main songwriter in The Cure. He was also in the band Siouxsie and the Banshees.

When Jesus Left Birmingham

Found this one this morning - circa 1993 - a video still from John Mellencamp's When Jesus Left Birmingham video. The video was made in 1993 in and around Bloomington, Indiana.....If memory serves me well this video was quite controversial - check it out on YouTube.....

Orignal image was made using a Pentax 6x7 and Tri-x FIlm...converted to the digital world with an Imacon/Hasselblad scanner.....

Point Reyes, California

Sunset - Point Reyes, California

Reminds me of a Picasso Story in a biography I read:

Patron: Picasso, what is this painting?
Picasso: it is a fish
Patron: It does not look like a fish
Picasso: probably because it's a painting of a fish

they move on to another painting...

Patron: Picasso, what is this painting?
Picasso: It is a sunset
Patron: I have never seen a sunset that looks like this
Picasso: WHAT A PITY.....

Enough said....had to be there...

Jimmy John's

Jimmy John's Delivery Person

Sometimes you just have to be there......I was shooting at a studio in Denver yesterday and we ordered food from Jimmy John's for lunch. My cell phone rings and this female voice tells me the food is here but she can not find the studio door. So I volunteer to go outside and guide her in, and, immediately upon seeing her my photographic bell starts ringing.....I just loved everything about her right down to the pearls and the pen hanging off her t-shirt...she agrees and the image is posted today.

Sometimes reality does inspire....

WFTDA - Roller Derby

WFTDA Impression 1001

Here are a few more images from last weekends Women's Flat Track Roller Derby Association finals....it is hard not to like the time and energy these gals put into their sport.....I am looking forward to doing some more work with Roller Derby...

WFTDA Impression 101

WFTDA Announcer Team

WFTDA Impression 102

Coupeville - Penn Cove

Penn Cove - Coupeville, Washington State

Caught this image yesterday at sunrise on Whidbey Island, Coupeville, Washington State. The best thing about shooting in the cove is the coffee shop that opens 30 minutes before sunrise - out on a pier in the cove. Does it get any better then that?....And they have freshly made cherry scones....

I am up here teaching a workshop at the Pacific Northwest Art School and will definitely be taking the class to this cove for sunrise tomorrow morning....

Image made using a the phase one p65+ medium format back, Alpa STC with a 47MM Schneider lens...

Yosemite Wrap-Up

OK, got back to Los Angeles last night - 6 hours drive from Yosemite. 

Leaving Yosemite yesterday my thoughts turned to wondering why I had never visited this iconic slice of Americana before. After all, I grew up with Ansel Adams' photographs, and, of course, had read 'The Negative' and 'The Print' from cover to cover several times - as most photo students did when learning how to make photographs. And there is that Zone System.......

Seeing Half Dome for the first time was awe inspiring as were Bridalveil Falls and Yosemite Falls. How many times have I looked at his photographs over the years, but, to finally stand at these locations, well, there are no words to describe that feeling. 

At the end of the day, yesterday, we were allowed access into Ansel's Yosemite darkroom  where he lived and worked while visiting the park - a fitting end to the week. 

Here a couple of iphone images from the past few days - more Yosemite images to follow in the coming days.