notan

2008-10-08T21:58:08Z

Notes: Apple iPhone 3G Kebler Pass, elevation 10,070 feet, 7:05 a.m., 27 September 2008

2008-10-07T13:14:26Z

Notes: Apple iPhone 3G Angle of view is everything. My trip looks different when viewed through the lens of daily routine and circumstance. What seemed like a meaningless snapshot a few weeks ago now seems meteorically metaphoric. So, yeah, that’s me looking up the trail at the Flatirons above Boulder, but it’s also me on the ramp of life. I’m a little breathless and unsure, but my legs are still beneath me. And I’m still climbing. The only difference is that I can’t see my destination.

2008-10-07T10:34:31Z

Notes: Apple iPhone 3G My travels, like most things in my life, are burdened with too many expectations. My bags are packed with good intentions, but I slowly wither under the weight and return more exhausted than when I left, which defeats the purpose of traveling in the first place. Journeys, for me anyway, should be about escape, not simply new venues to sift worries and woes. These are lessons I seem to learn (again and again) only upon my return. My recent trip to Colorado didn’t leave me nearly as depleted as my Oregon drive two years ago, so I suppose I did learn a few things. As I leaf through the images I captured, I am energized by a sense of accomplishment. I did scale those high mountain passes, I did notice the fox crossing the road as the sun drifted behind the aspens, I did listen to the silence, I did count the stars outside my window, I did feel the wind across my face as I drove the high plains, I did lay my hand on the boulders beneath the Flatirons, I did absorb the warm sun on my arms, I did fill my belly with good food, I did enjoy the great company of others. I did, in fact, travel. And I was transported. And sometimes you only realize that when you complete the circle. P.S. I'm not sure if this completes a circle or not, but this is my 500th post. And THAT is an accomplishment I never thought I would reach.

2008-08-10T13:49:05Z

Notes: Fuji F31fd

2008-08-03T23:36:49Z

Notes: Rollei 35 // 3.4/40 Tessar // Kodachrome I've done more reconnecting with old friends than shooting these past months. I haven't spoken with some of these people in more than 20 years and was thrilled to find that our friendships have stood the test of time. One friend asked me if I had a presence online. Although Notan isn't as regularly updated as I would like, I did send her the link. When she saw that it was full of photography, she sent me to her dad's blog, a site where he had meticulously cataloged their family's entire history. There must be close to 10,000 images. Devotion to family and craft, coupled with the blessing of retirement, can produce amazing things. One image particularly struck me. The caption began with this line: 'This is an example of why one should always carry a camera, and use it.' The photo was a of a breakfast table discussion about a lead on a job that eventually changed the course of their lives. How many seemingly benign moments in my life have I never thought to photograph and later wish that I had? The power of photography astounds. With that thought in mind, I've begun looking through my Dad's work again with fresh eyes. Even accidental exposures like this one have enormous nostalgic power. I'm guessing this image was made about 1975 or 1976. I'm straddling my beloved yellow Schwinn Stingray and am next to my Aunt Roberta moments before we head out on a ride through my neighborhood. Double exposed on the slide is a shot of me and my brother Paul around a birthday cake—a chocolate bundt, in true 1970s fashion. The warm summer light means it's either his birthday or mine. I've looked at this image a lot and continue to find things about myself and my sense of that part of my life. It's amazing how seeing yourself in another time soothes the complexities of adulthood and restores balance, even if it's temporary. I've been watching the first season of Mad Men on DVD thanks to Netflix, and was floored by this scene. It completely captures everything I've been thinking—and feeling—about photography lately. Take a look. It's potent. Note: If the YouTube link to the Mad Men scene gives you fits, just keep reloading the page. Their servers have been sketchy lately.

2008-07-08T21:20:47Z

Notes: Nikon F5 // Nikkor 50/1.4 // Fuji Superia X-TRA400

Ahoy

2008-05-31T17:15:10Z

Notes: Mamiya 6 // Mamiya 50/4 // Kodak Tri-X

2008-05-31T09:12:05Z

Notes: Mamiya 6 // Mamiya 50/4 // Kodak Tri-X

2008-05-30T21:30:28Z

Notes: Mamiya 6 // Mamiya 50/4 // Kodak Tri-X One of the more endearing qualities about my alma mater is the survival of furniture within its buildings. I wonder if this couch and bench date to the opening of Blake Hall in 1964? I wouldn't doubt it. It comforts me to know that the couch likely is in the same place it was 20 years ago when I was on my way to my political science classes. The difference is that I notice—and appreciate—it now.

2008-05-28T21:56:59Z

Notes: Nikon FM2n // Mamiya 645MF 45/2.8C via Zoerk adapter // Kodak BW400CN