THE ESOTERIC PHOTOGRAPHER

This week's pick is Goin' Nowhere.

While sitting on the side of the street shooting mailboxes, I was patiently waiting for traffic to break (we photographers need to learn a great deal of patience), glancing to the left, to the left, to the left (it was a one way street), watching as one car after another rolled over the blacktop (might have been cobblestone - was in an old part of town), and as I'm looking, there's the bike sitting there, locked onto the post of a street sign, and it dawns on me as I'm waiting for the traffic break, that the chain and petal of this bike would make a great shot.

So I turn more to the left, eye to the viewfinder, and there's a flat rear tire, which means the bike isn't going anywhere (the lock just ensured that it wouldn't be carried away).

What's all this about. There's story here. From the moment I began photography, it has always been stressed to know the story you're telling with your shot. Well, my artist's statement is very basic.

I don't know why I take the photographs that I do. Something catches my eye; something touches my soul. I shoot. It's that simple.

Therefore, I often don't tell a story. I don't always know what the story is. Maybe the story is from a past life (I take a lot of old world shots, images that come from a time before I was born...or I make them into images that come from a time before I was born). When I see these things, something shifts inside of me; I have to capture it. I don't know why, I just know I have to capture it.

But Goin' Nowhere has a story. The tire is flat, it's locked to the sign post. It's going nowhere. End of story.

Ah, such is the life of the esoteric photographer.

THESE FOUR WALLS

Been busy, busy, busy - shooting, processing and revamping the website. I'll be adding a few new galleries and lots of new photos. In the meantime, here's a preview of These Four Walls which will be up in the Pushing the Edge gallery.

This shot was taken on Cary Street in Richmond. Totally amazing what you can find in a 4-6 block area.

On a side note, though I didn't go in the store, while walking around the corner of it, I peered through the glass and this place has some truly cool, funky stuff (so I had to give the photo a truly cool, funky look - and btw, the building is white and there are no storm clouds looming overhead - just in case you want to check the place out). I'll be making a shopping visit in the near future.

THE BLUE BOX

I was down in Richmond recently photographing Cary Street and wanted a break, so I ducked into the local Starbucks, got me a small Tux (needed the sugar, I think) and sat on the steps while I drank, observing my surroundings. I saw the mail boxes across the street, that minimalist thing creeping up again, just the three of them, surrounded by nothing, with a great white backdrop to accent the blue.  I read a headline the other week that the USPS blue box is going the way of extinction. So naturally, I had to preserve this great American icon. Course, pretty soon, the Postal Service may be going the way of extinction.