The lifeguard chairs are off the beach, the wind carries the sand over the footpaths between the dunes. Sure signs that summers come to an end. The crowds were gone from the beach tonight during our photo shoot, but it was nice to feel the wind, smell the salt and watch the sun go down…
I was in Newport this week photographing Governor Carcieri’s visit to Newport Biodiesel. The company recycles and converts waste grease from restaurants and the like into a fuel that could help offset dependency on oil. The RI company collects the waste grease from business’ for free, keeping it out of our sewers and landfills. The company is seeking RI companies to increase its capacity. One employee put it very succinctly- Rhode Island is basically sitting on it’s own oil well, it just needs to be tapped to increase output. In Rhode Island it’s not drill baby, drill, it’s fry baby, fry!
The approach of spring can mean only one thing- road trip. Every year, just before May, I set out on a cross country trip by motorcycle. Last year’s run out to Texas and New Orleans was excellent, but a trip to Europe has tossed a wrench (figuratively) into the highway- escape plan. I expect to take at least a 3 day out of town at least as far south as the Carolinas, a longtime favorite. You can follow along via the blog and Twitter, or there’s still time to join us – get your leathers and license- we’re leaving soon…
One night, many years back, another photographer and I were heading home from a wedding at one of the mansions along Bellevue. It was around midnight and a little damp and foggy, much like this Thanksgiving eve, probably around this time of year. I can’t remember what the conversation was, but we eventually came around to that broad subject of life in general. I was a young father then, with kids still in diapers, and he remarked to the effect that we should be grateful that our children were healthy, where we lived and how lucky we were to be able to work as artists and image makers, choosing the “road less traveled.” I remember this story every late night returning from a job that takes me down this lamp lit drive, and regardless of what kind of week I’m having, remain thankful for how lucky I am to be here, in good health, with the friends and family I have. Happy Thanksgiving!
I took the bike over to Jamestown this week for pix with John and Meghan. This won’t be a stodgy event on the wedding day. They’re both a lot of fun, and we zipped around town for pictures in some favorite spots. Our session ended down at Beavertail near the light (a favorite spot for me with my love of lighthouse images and lore) on the rocky bluffs overlooking the ocean. Rhode Island is really a beautiful place- what’s your favorite locale in the Ocean State?
If you were expecting a medical miracle or something that might belong on the pages of People Magazine, sorry to disappoint. It’s still pretty cool though, for me anyway. The latest addition is to my family of lenses. It’s called a Lensbaby. Not a big expensive Canon L lens, but a funky specialty lens that allows for unique images by way of selective focus and depth of field. PhotoGeek Translation? Unusual, stylish images with a very distinctive look. Check it out in the New York location videos in the sidebar.
Sunday was beautiful in NY, but a bit unusual. A combination of mishaps made for a long day. First, I rushed out early, and in my haste left my wallet behind. (Camera bag was properly packed though.) My credit cards, metrocard and all my cash save twelve bucks stayed home. The shoot was very nice, and i used some free time to snap some stuff for fun. By the time I made it back to Penn i was on my last 4 bucks. That’s when the power to the railline near New Rochelle gave out and left hundreds of us wondering how we were going to get home. Finally a diesel hauled two trains a point where we could switch back to electric engines, and thankfully air-conditioned cars, and we set out home. Still a classic summer day in Central Park.
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Our time in New Orleans was short. I’ll definitely come back to this city. The French Quarter was alive with music, good food and friendly people. If you haven’t been here. It’s certainly worth a visit. Spend several days though- there’s a lot to see in this town. The music on this slideshow is compliments David “the Nac” Naccari
Natchitoches, Louisiana, is our midday stop on the way to New Orleans. It’s the oldest town in the state, and was the setting for the film Steel Magnolias. The waterfront district is exactly what you’d expect here. We munched on Alligator sausage and chicken gumbo, before making a run for Baton Rouge, getting within 30 miles before calling it quits.
Highway Art on the I-40
We enjoyed the sun after our windy morning in Oklahoma, and decided to stop to eat at a windowless one room diner 150 miles from Amarillo. Sixty miles later we crossed into Texas. I guess I should not have been thinking about riding that morning on my left side all day. At the first rest area in Texas, the wind picked up- a lot. Tumbleweeds, road debris and anything not nailed down blew by us down the road. Winds were running about 15-20 miles per hour with gusts between 30 and 40. The weather was blowing out of the North, so now we rode on the right side of the tires. Finally the wind turned into one prolonged onslaught. At some point the earplugs I wore blew away, and we each stopped to clear tumbleweeds out of the front end of the bike that we dragged for a few miles. Areas of the highway were obscured at times with blowing dust, and we stopped at the Gray County Safety Rest Area, designed to withstand tornadoes to take a break. We redressed and recharged for the last 60 miles to Amarillo. Finally, run down, we stopped at a crossroads about 20 miles outside of town. I had expected the Oklahoma countryside to be unremarkable, but it was beautiful compared to this section of the Panhandle. The motel was at the crossroads to nowhere. I asked about wireless internet service and the owner a small gracious man from India, said he said no one had it. I looked around the deserted crossroads. Two motels, with 4-5 guests and a diner that was closed. He said he had lived here 30 years. Whoa! Hope it’s nicer in summer…
