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Summer is over, some type of COVID is back, and the urban sprawl masters burned down the Last Farmhouse. It was a controlled burn. Smoldered for days. No one was hurt. The sprawl masters assured us that the smoke contained no lead, asbestos, fiberglass or other toxic chemicals, because those did not exist when the farmhouse was built 100 years ago.]]>
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Pennsylvania did produce the bulk of the USA's steel, but in the last 50 years production dwindled. Photographers love the old abandon mills. This shot of fellow photographer Mike Holmes as a steel worker was juried into the 6th Annual Chania International Photo Festival and was exhibited on the Greek island of Crete. The photo also won a first place ribbon in the 2023 Maryland State Fair.]]>
I have always liked this dying hosta photo. In 2022, I submitted it, along with several other BnW photos, to the annual Black and White Magazine single shot contest, and the magazine selected it for publication. "Hosta Twist" was published as a 2022 Contest Winner, in Black & White Magazine, issue 158, February 2023.
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We had the models and classic cars all lined up, but we were running behind schedule. It was getting dark, rain clouds were moving in, and the cars had not yet arrived. Once the cars showed up, it began to rain. I few of us stuck it out and I got this classic "Woman in the Car Shot." I decided it looked better in Black and White as a film noir pic. Those were good decisions as it was juried into a Black and White Exhibition, and hung in the Praxis Gallery in Minnesota from November 19 thru December 3, 2022, and it was one of 8 given an Honorable Mention from the Exhibition of 75 photos. Additionally, the photo was also juried into a Greyscale International Exhibit of BnW Photos at the Midwest Center for Photography, Wichita, KS, from Nov 3 - 30, 2022. I am hoping for more accolades for "Only When It Rains."
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When I dropped this one off at the gallery today, the gallery assistant asked me if this was really what Ocean City looked like on the 4th of July. I told her it was. Her response, "Interesting Perspective." Was she implying that the photo has a hidden meaning or contains subtle social commentary?The last 2 years have been abstract, surreal, and often absurd. Even with new strains of COVID for the summer of 2022, people are dying to get out, gather, travel and pretend like the world is back to normal. I have never seen the beach so packed with people. I had to add the melting ice cream, because "The Heat is On."
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]]>I am trying to move away from the COVID theme that has permeated my blog, but the damn virus just won't go away. With any luck we may have turned it from a pandemic to an endemic. Like Social Distance, I anticipate that New Normal 2021 will be a hot read in 10 years or less. If you want a copy you can order the softbound or digital version from Blurb at this link. https://www.blurb.com/b/10959033-new-normal-2021
If you have any problems getting a copy from Blurb Publishing, just email me as I should be able to get a copy to you as long as they are in print.
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People are acting like the "New Normal" is here with 60% of US adult having at least one vax shot and another 33 million having had COVID. But the new Delta variant is spreading like crazy, and foreign travel is still difficult. My Opera House picture, from our last trip overseas, was juried into a Monochrome group exhibit for July 2021 at the 311 Gallery in Raleigh, NC. An abstract photo representing the New Normal. ]]>
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To complete the circle for 2020, I had to include this photo that was awarded 3rd place in the HCPG annual contest. Obviously, a candid shot otherwise he would not be holding the crappy plastic bag. Shot in Blue Ridge during our road trip to Georgia. I was thinking we may not have any mask pics in 2021, but even with the vaccines, it looks like the masks will continue.
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I self published a collection of some of my photos from the past year and titled the collection - Social Distance 2020.
It will probably be a hot read in 10 or 15 years. In the meantime, if you want a copy you can order the softbound or digital version from Blurb at this link. https://www.blurb.com/b/10456540-social-distance-2020
If you have any problems getting hooked up with a copy, email me as I should be able to get a copy to you as long as they are in print.
My COVID theme has been Trumped by the events of January 6, 2021. After the mob scene at the US Capitol, my Danish friend messaged me that evening:
PH - I hope you are OK. Seeing some scary news from the USA! Looks like bad things are happening.
ME - We are fine. 10% of the USA population are Goons. When you need that 10% to get elected, you get Goon results. The Goons went to DC today with an orange headed Goon cheering them on. The Goons will always be part of the USA population, but the Goons are not in control - this is just ugly democracy at work.
PH - We got scared. When a mob invades your parliament it is serious business. In my opinion, it looked liked a coup. But hopefully your fine country will prevail.
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COVID is getting ugly. Virus fatigue is setting in and people are finding it hard to maintain social distance. Infections are way up following Thanksgiving and will probably spike again a few weeks after Christmas. There is hope that the new vaccines will eliminate the virus, but it took a few years to eliminate chickenpox after a vaccine was discovered, so my guess is we will be vaccinating and fighting this for a few years. The situation is as pure as the white snow obscured by the fog.]]>
The Virus rages on having returned with a vengeance in the fall. I took this clever little photo in the summer. It won an Honorable Mention for the theme of humanity in the Harford County Photography Group's first annual photo competition.]]>
late summer sunset.]]>Magazine Issue 148 - Summer 2020: In the Wild, page 28. Very cool to see this in print.
The fish, not the song by Heart. The rate of COVID virus infection is on the decline. Summer is in full swing as best it can be with physical distancing and people hesitant to get on airplanes with surfaces touched by thousands and recirculated air pumped thorough the silver cylinder. Barracudas remind me of silver cylinders cruising the ocean in search of their next victim. This will be my last fish blog for awhile. I'm moving on to new photos and new social commentary.]]>
As the COVID virus continues to spread, I have decided to continue my fish theme. I shot this while snorkeling in St. John - I think it is a green turtle and not a hawksbill turtle. When you are in their environment, they can swim much faster than you can. COVID is killing humans, so most humans are social distancing and staying in their homes thereby limiting contact with virus carrying humans. This is destroying world economies, but the animals love it. Pollution in the skies and oceans is disappearing. People are seeing more mountain lions, eagles, dolphins, and turtles. Is mother nature striking back against greed? I'm not sure. ]]>
]]>I have done a lot of scuba diving in the Caribbean, but never really took pictures I liked. I haven't been diving in a few years now, but I still love to snorkel. If the water is clear and conditions are right, I can capture some decent photos with a little Nikon CoolPix camera that is waterproof down to 16 ft. I have always enjoyed this photo - I guess it is something about the harmless little silver sides swimming in front of the spiny sea urchins that you don't want to step on as a diver or snorkeler.
