civilized ku # 5160 / diptych # 226 ~ been there but can't go back again

Adirondack Garage ~ Old Forge, NY - in the Adirondack Park (embiggenable) • iPhone

my homemade Irish soda bread ~ (embiggenable) • iPhone

Back from yet another road trip. Made some pictures and will post same.

I also met (in my hotel bar) and spent the better part of 3 hours with a supporting-herself working photographer (local to the area I was visiting). It was a very enjoyable encounter but it did instigate a bit of sadness which resulted from the fact that she had never seen a camera like my Oly EP-5 (with optical viewfinder).

That fact was not sadness inducing in and of itself. Rather, it was the fact that she had probably never had the experieince - being 30 years old - of visiting a stand alone sole proprietor camera store. That is, a place where a customer can see, handle and converse about (with an informed sales person with whom one might build a long term professional relationship) a wide range of camera makes and models. And, if in fact she has never had that experience, chances are slim and none that she ever will.

And, no, a visit to B&H is not the same experience as visiting a small stand alone camera store. Taking away nothing from B&H's fantastic inventory and commitment to superior friendly customer service, one could hardly describe the experieince as intimate. It's more like walking about in Times Square - lots of hustle and bustle, congestion and noise.

And here's the interesting and joy inspiring moment (certainly for me and I think likewise) that resulted from this bit of my encounter with my new picture making acquaintance ... she was so enamored(?) with the Oly that she asked to hold it and then fiddle with it and then - after a very brief explanation of how to operate it - commence to making pictures (of me and my good friend) with it.

Exactly the kind of experience she might have had in a traditional "old timey" camera store.

civilized ku # 5148 / the new snapshot # 206 / diptych # 225 ~ sightseeing

7th Street bridge~ Pittsburgh, PA (embiggenable) • iPhone

Andy and I sitting on the couch ~ Warhol Museum / Pittsburgh, PA (embiggenable) • iPhone

Campbell Beef Noodle Soup ~ Warhol Museum / Pittsburgh, PA (embiggenable) • iPhone

Spent 7 days in Pittsburgh with a good friend showing him how much the city has changed since he was there last (25 years ago). Visited museums, dined in a variety of restaurants, went to a Pittsburgh Penguin hockey game and generally just moved around the city seeing stuff.

Made a lot of pictures, mostly with the iPhone.

civilized ku # 5140 / diptych # 221 (The new snapshot) ~ bathroom art

restaurant restroom ~ (embiggenable) • µ4/3

cigar store / escape room - breakout game place restrooms ~ (embiggenable) • iPhone

I am finding somewhat interesting, in several ways, the signs to be found in public bathrooms. They run the gamut from polite, sometimes stern, admonitions to humorous and rather vulgar expressions.

While I have not intentionally sought out such signs, I am starting to think I should. Hell, at 70 years of age, I'm peeing enough to be a frequent visitor to public restrooms.

civilized ku # 5139 / diptych # 220 (the new snapshot) ~ there and back again

truck art ~ Southside / Pittsburgh, PA (embiggenable) • iPhone

kids~ Cherry Hill, NJ (embiggenable) • iPhone

Xmas and New Years has come and gone. Over that time I have gone to Pittsbugh, PA and on to Cherry Hill, NJ and back home again.

While I was away, I meant to post an entry or two but, one thing or another, I never found the time. However, I did manage to make approximately 40 pictures, most of which were made with the iPhone camera module.

On the subject of picture making, iPhone / µ4/3 or otherwise, this Xmas most of my gift giving centered around giving pictures (prints). Or, as I tend to think of it, preserving and giving memories. And, it is worth noting that one of the recipients of one of my pictures actually broke out in tears (of joy), a response which cemented by decision to make my primary gift giving (any and all occasions) centered around preserving and giving memories.

My ability to preserve and give memories is attributed to my adoption of iPhone picture making inasmuch as I am making a lot of pictures of people - something I did not do much of with my "real" cameras (for what reason I don't know). And, pictures of people - family, friends, et al - are the single most cherished pictures that most people possess.

What I have discovered about my people pictures is that I can not help but bring all of my picture making / processing / vision skills to the making of such pictures. Consequently, the pictures are perceived as something very special, above and beyond what they are accustomed to seeing in a "snapshot". Throw in my deckled snapshot border and somehow, a picture becomes even more special, which may be due to the fact that the retro border incites a rather instant "nostalgic" reaction / quality to the picture.

In any event, I have been absolutely delighted with the reactions I have received to my the new snapshot pictures.

diptych # 219 / infraredish # 18 ~ conversing with myself

photographs in conversation / conversing with myself ~ NYC, NY (embiggenable) • µ4/3

infraredish leaves ~ in the Adirondack Park (embiggenable) • iPhone

Photographs in Conversation are supposed to be "conversation" between 2 picture makers. However, in this case I'm conversing with myself.

When I look back at all of my previous diptychs, the pictures could reasonably be labeled as conversations with myself. Nothing at all wrong with that idea but I really enjoy conversing with other picture makers. And, to be perfectly blunt, I am rather disappointed that none of those who follow this blog took me up on my previous offer to converse.

The offer still stands.