9/11

today there was a silent vigil held in memory of 9/11...a couple guys brought out this flag they bought online - it lists the names of all the civilians who died that day in the attacks...i was trying to do something graphic with that flag and the larger one hanging above the square from a ladder truck behind it, and then this guy came up and started reading the names....i don't know if this really works or if it's one of those cases where i just really WANT it to work...to me, it captured the mood of the day...i remember the event they held here on the first year anniversary - it was such a huge event, music, speakers, etc, etc....today, it just felt very somber, almost more sad than the first one, because there wasn't any of the overt patriotic response - to me, it almost felt more real, like i truly felt the sense of loss and tragedy that that day was in its many layers....

construction daze

yesterday, after being chief for the morning, i went out to an assignment about construction being done on an alleyway downtown...okay, it's construction, whatever, try to make it interesting....then today, reporter walks by, tosses a couple assignment sheets into the tray, and look, it's 2 MORE construction assignments. My co-worker (the REAL chief!) asked which I wanted, and I just said I'll do 'em both. Ya know, 3 construction/roadwork assignments in 2 days, it's kinda like the photo gods are throwing down the gauntlet, and I'm sayin "Oh yeah, almighty ones? Well, bring it!" I decided to make it a challenge, try to look at them as cool landscapes - Ansel Adams had his mountains, and I've got, umm, concrete - rocks is rocks, eh?...and honestly, there is a big part of me that finds things in the process of demolition or being "undone" pretty aesthetically pleasing - what girl doesn't love big piles of twisted metal? So, here is my little homage to the world of construction for the week!

it all started yesterday with the alley
......

this morning, it was off to the demolition site of what will be a "Super Walmart"

i liked the swirls and lines from the tractor tires

i don't know why, but for some reason, i keep thinking of "dueling banjos" when i look at this...these things also make me think of T-Rex...if i have dreams later tonight that i am being chased by a large flesh-eating dinosaur, i will know from whence that came!
......

after Walmart, it was off to the Seventh St. extension, which we have photographed many times before and not that long ago, but now, they finally plowed through to the final intersection, and we haven't shot it from THAT side...so, here ya go - couldn't ask for a better day to bust out the wide angle - big, puffy clouds filling the sky - and the 17mm being a true 17 on the D3!

so, if another one of these comes in tomorrow, let me just say in advance - "not it!"

there's just something about buses, and kids framed in the windows....shot this as the high school band was boarding to move on to another elementary school...they had their annual tour day, where they visit all 10 local public elementaries and do a brief concert, mostly to get the soon-to-be middle schoolers interested in taking up an instrument and eventually being able to join up in high school...which is pretty cool...it's at least heartening to see schools still investing in these programs, which are usually among the first "non-essentials" to be cut from curriculums....something about that girl at the bottom looking back cathces me....think I'm turning it into a still life...feel free to weigh in which quote works best here; personally I dig the second one, but I'm not sure if it's just too elusive...

"If you want to be happy, be."
--Leo Tolstoy

or

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."
-- Maria Robinson

before the band thing, I was doing a portrait of the new road commissioner, and I had about a half hour to kill, so I stopped at the big outdoor flea market that runs every Thursday (and happened to be right on the way between the 2 assignments)....poked around and found this couple and their welsh terrier Maddie, on whom she kept a close hold as a shopper perused their wares with pup in tow. The couple have been coming to the flea market for a decade, and the wife and I had a great conversation about shoes!

funky flora playtime

sometimes boredom can yield interesting results....
the other week, with a few days off and nowhere to go, nothin to do, i got to looking at my flowers - which are not in the best of shape anymore given the lack of rain (watering just hasn't done the trick for them, unfortunately) - and in the mood to play, i got out the macro and a toy clear kaleidoscope and started experimenting....some of them came out kind of cool i thought. Just imagine the kaleidoscope AND the lensbaby! the end results could be practically illegal!
ha ha
enjoy (i hope)

Larry and Cheryl's Special Day

Last Friday I spent the afternoon into the night with a very special couple and their family. Larry and Cheryl met just 5 months ago when she arrived at a nursing home in Monroe. She'd barely been in town 12 hours to spend xmas with family when she suffered a massive stroke that left her paralyzed on her left side. She's 54. Larry had been at the home nearly 2 years when she arrived. Having been stricken with the rare viral ailment Guillans Barre Syndrome, which starts with a paralysis in the feet that slowly spreads up the body and eventually, with therapy and time works its way back down, he was ready to give up. Deeply depressed, his nurses and he himself say that he simply didn't care anymore....until he met Cheryl. They fell in love and were married last Friday, and it was such a great story, and the family were all incredibly nice and welcoming and let me shoot whatever I wanted. I had a really great time. And I feel especially lucky, because I found out about this totally as a fluke. I had stopped at a gas station to get a pop a couple weeks ago and overhead 2 women talking about a couple at a nursing home that were getting married.....they didn't know their names, but they knew which home, so I called up, and the rest is, as they say, history. Guess it pays to be nosy! Here are a few of my favorites from the day - and I wrote the story (which is running today), which is always fun....so I'm anxiously awaiting the paper today!

Hours before the ceremony, Cheryl and her family began the process of getting ready in her room at the nursing home. Her sisters did her hair and make-up, nurse's aides came in to help, as well. Inbetween taking care of other residents, they would come to help with eye liner or mascara or eye shadow - whatever they were best at doing It was the first-ever wedding at the home, so everyone was very excited and happy for the couple.

Larry 's goal was to meet his bride by walking down the courtyard aisle. You could just see the determination on his face, and watching him make that trek, slowly but surely, was very moving.

With the help of family and aides, Larry and Cheryl were able to get into the back seat of his convertible, which he'd gotten just before his illness and has never even driven. Cheryl having been away from Monroe for 30 years, hadn't seen the town since returning. So, Larry and she were driven through the city, the car decorated with balloons, the traditional "Just Married" sign on the bumper. Passing cars and walkers waved, honked and cheered as they made their way through town.

quiet amid the storm

i tracked down the kids at a Salvation Army summer day camp yesterday - after finally figuring out where they were at...it was pretty chaotic in the community center - kids running everywhere, balls flying criss-cross through the gym - several of them managing to peg me in the head, no less - and it was kind of tough trying to shoot moments before a flock of kids would jump in the frame to mug...craziness, but i managed to make a couple frames that i like for our weekly photo page - not sure which one i like better, though...whatcha say?

it's the FAIRbaby!!

oh lensBABY i love ya

fair week is wrapping up...really not so bad at all this year - good weather, not so hectic - it almost seemed TOO easy! our photo page theme went along with the fair's - "Dreams Take Shape in 2008" so, i busted out the lens baby and here are a few of my favorites...

the guy working one of the food booths is from Turkey - he's spending the summer working fairs and festivals in the midwest with the family owners - can't think of a better way to get a glimpse of Americana

i love goats!

the Star Family Circus - this is my favorite from the project (well, my part of it, that is)...this was the first time they were at the fair - it was small, but actually really pretty cool...everyday their shows got more and more packed - they do a crazy motorcycle stunt along with other acrobatics - all without a net!

and then, back to normal

i spotted these little girls last night behind the action having a snack
love the hats!