09-17-09 Sponge Bob and Patrick Star

By Scott Shephard

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What do math, Sponge Bob and Patrick Star have in common? Yesterday, in a rare confluence of cartoon characters and real humans, they were one and the same. You see it was "Famous Person Day" at WHS as part of our homecoming week. And I can always count on my esteemed colleagues Stephanie and Susan to do things right.

Do I dress up on days like this? Once, I came dressed as myself only to find that my "friends" in the social studies department came dressed like me. What day were we observing? It was "Nerd Day."

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi 1/60s f/5.0 ISO800 50mm

09-16-09 Four Cousins

By Scott Shephard

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This is a re-creation of a photo I took of these guys on the beech in Mexico several years ago. Of course, I don't know where that photo is right now. From right to left they are: Matt, Jon, Brian and Derek.

09-15-09 Two of My Favorite Women

By Scott Shephard

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You don't know how rare this photo of my wife and her mother is. Neither appreciates having their photo taken but I guess I was in the right place and the right time. And I had great soft light, too. Two of my other favorite women are my mom and her (click to see). But I'm happily married and don't want a new mother-in-law.

09-14-09 Benign Neglect

By Scott Shephard

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The lesson in this colorful railing is that if something is left unattended long enough, it has the potential to become photogenic. Could that be true of the amazing clutter that surrounds me on my desk as I write this?

09-13-09 Detail from La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona, Spain

By Scott Shephard

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"The Holy Family" is in the heart of Barcelona, my favorite city in Spain (though I've only spent time in a total of 5 Spanish cities). It was begun in the 19th century and in 1883 the controversial and perhaps visionary architect and artist Antonio Gaudi took over the task of completing the church. Gaudi died in 1926 and the church is still unfinished. The official "La Sagrada Familia" web site says that "the church could be finished some time in the first third of the 21st century." To me it seems to be Barcelona's equivalent of Korczak Ziolkowski's "Crazy Horse" monument in that both are being funded entirely by private donations and both are taking forever to complete.

As a side note, the Alan Parson's Project recorded a concept album called "Gaudi." Check it out on iTunes. And, as long as I'm meandering, did you know that Alan Parsons was the sound engineer for Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon," which is considered one of the best recorded albums ever made (as far as sound engineering is concerned)?" You can check that out on iTunes as well. The Alan Parson Project is perhaps best known for providing the music used by the Chicago Bulls when they introduced their players during the Michael Jordan years. Maybe they still use it. . . . The song is called "Sirius."

09-12-09 Another Colossus

By Scott Shephard

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Yesterday I posted a close-up from Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota. Today I am posting a photo I took in Nashville, TN. To see this huge statue of the Greek goddess Athena, you need to visit "the world's only replica of the Parthenon" in Centennial Park near Vanderbuilt University. It is well worth the visit.

The original gold and ivory statue of Athena in the actual Parthenon was plundered in ancient times and there is no perfect description. Thus, the artist of the version you see here was allowed to imagine what the statue might have looked like. For another view of this statue and to get an idea of scale, try going here (click.)

09-05-09 Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

By Scott Shephard

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This is not the first time I've posted a photo from this beautiful place. It also peaceful - for a while. If you ever visit, try getting there before the bus loads of tourists show up.

08-29-09 Tuscan Sunrise

Having been put in charge of finding a place to stay near Siena, Italy, I was very proud to have secured lodging in a well-kept Villa a few miles away from the city center. On the grounds of the villa we stayed in a small cottage that had once been a grainery. Just a few feet away from the cottage was a large swimming pool. There was also a main house that had been converted into 4 more apartments. But for two days we had the place to ourselves. The cost per night was $100!

None of these details have anything to do with this photo other than the fact that it was taken near our villa. (I like the sound of that.) I suspect that this view is a bit of a cliche since scenes like this are commonplace around Siena. I half expected to bump into Francis Mayes (Under the Tuscan Sun) but her villa is in Cortona.

08-27-09 Mother and Child

These two were part of a crew of "panhandling jackasses" working the crowd in Custer State Park. Donkeys are not regal animals but how can you not think that this couple isn't photogenic? I like the white hooves of the little one. In a few short years he'll be sticking his hairy muzzle through open car windows and eating Fritos out of tourists' hands. What a life!

Canon 5D 1/200s f/6.3 ISO320 130mm

08-25-09 We've Got Giant Cowboys. . .

By Scott Shephard

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. . . but in eastern European countries, such as Hungary, they had giant Communists. Marx, Engels, Lenin, happy workers - you name it, and they probably had a giant statue for it.

Many of you may remember that when Sadam fell from power, one of the first things that happened is that the giant statues and pictures of Sadam were toppled and destroyed. That also happened in eastern Europe when communism fell. But in Budapest, someone had the foresight to save the statues and many are now housed in a park on the outskirts of Budapest called "Statue Park." In all of my European travels, our visit to this park is one of the more memorable experiences.

The title of this blog entry is a reference to the fact that in our community, the most monumental art we have are two identical statues of cowboys, intended to draw attention to the convenience stores they stand next to. I was trying to imagine why anyone might topple them. A revolt against capitalism? Or overpriced necessities like bread or milk? Or maybe bad art? Who knows. . . ?

Canon 5D 1/320s f/13.0 ISO250 40mm Some rights reserved under Creative Commons Copyright

08-23-09 The Sirens of Amsterdam

By Scott Shephard

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Amsterdam is known for many things, including coffee bars that sell marijuana brownies, and young ladies that sell . . . well, I'd just as soon not mention it.

These ladies were selling lingerie and leather goods. I and my friend Billy didn't succumb to any of the temptations of Amsterdam, other than the great art museums.

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08-22-09 Slippery When Wet?

By Scott Shephard

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Is it ironic that I post of picture of words? This is supposed to be a "blog for the right brain." Ironic or not, this is a photo I took on a rainy night in Tokyo. I was struck with the civility of the warning, though in Japan civility is abundant - even in a bustling city like Tokyo. In the US we would say "Keep Off!" In Japan they say, "Since it is easy to slip, stepping on a stone should withhold." Who can disagree with that?

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