Yesterday, in the process of sifting through the photo collection of my aunt Gladys, we came across this photo and it made my wife laugh. There aren't many photos of me that aren't posed. But this one appears to show me as I really was. Waiting in the Roadmaster with tousled hair, I look a little like an eager puppy ready for another ride.I don't know who took this picture, but it is a great candid photo from a wonderful angle.
people
An Angel Dances the Charleston
Gladys, born in 1912, passed away yesterday at the age of 97. She was my father's sister and when I was growing up, we would make the trek out to Olympia, Washington, every other year to visit her. Like my aunt Betty in California, Gladys moved to the west coast from South Dakota looking for opportunity.Throughout her entire life, she was an amazing woman. She was organized, decisive, caring and deeply involved in her church. She was a driving force that even time and sickness couldn't slow down. Diagnosed with cancer in her 70s, Gladys scheduled her treatments early in the morning so they wouldn't conflict with her home visits to shut-ins and "real" sick people, as she liked to refer to them.In 2004, Deb and I visited her and we watched in amazement as she stood behind her walker in the day room of her assisted living center and, at the age of 91, danced the Charleston. We laughed and applauded.If any angel has a special place in Heaven, Gladys does. And she is no doubt entertaining all the other angels by dancing the Charleston.
03-25-10 Betty
Betty is my 89 year old aunt. At age 18 she left South Dakota for California and has lived there ever since. At age 18 she showed a willingness to explore and she recently showed the same willingness when we carted her all over the Los Angeles area.
In this photo she is sitting complacently in the lobby of the Norton Simon Art Museum in Pasadena. I thought a full day of visiting places like Hollywood, the Santa Monica pier and an art gallery would do her in. But she never slowed us down!
03-22-10 The Art Lesson
in people
Oddly, I was reminded of the famous Rembrandt painting, "The Anatomy Lesson," when I was processing this photo. It was taken at the Norton Simon Museum of Art in Pasadena, California and it shows an art class pondering a work by Picasso.
03-18-10 Still Life
in Architecture, Blog, people
Here's another art gallery interior that is relaxing for me to look at. This photo is calm, quiet and suggests introspection. And yet there is a naked figure "looking'" my way. And are these "real" people sitting on the bench? Or are they reproductions of people sitting on a bench?
incidentally, the three paintings on the wall facing the camera are by Gaugin, Van Gogh and Cezanne. Paul Gaugin lived my current fantasy: he packed up his paints and moved to Tahiti to paint the native women. But I can't paint and I'm quite happy married to my native (Dutch/German/South Dakotan) woman.
Finally, if you've never been to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, where this photo was taken, you need to go.
03-17-10 Fanaticism
in people
"Fan" is derived from "fanatic" and maybe these guys serve as a good illustration. what else would make you paint yourselves like this?
This is another photo from the 2008 WHS homecoming ritual. The interesting thing about these guys is that when they got to the football stadium, they were barred from the event because a new South Dakota High School Activities Association rule requires all spectators to wear shirts at state-sponsored events. To circumvent the rule, they put on white t-shirts that were cut in such a way that allowed the letters to show through - a true loophole. Check out the shirts here (click).
03-16-10 We're Seniors!
in people, South Dakota
These girls are members of the class of 2009, which I'm sure was a great class. Every senior class is, isn't it? This photo was taken at the Powderpuff Football Game, which is part of our homecoming ritual. The seniors won. But they always do, since cheating and bribing of the referees is allowed.
On a technical note, this photo is an example of a technique I've used here before. It's a combination of "dragging the shutter" and zooming the lens at the same time. To drag the shutter, set the camera to "shutter priority," use a slow shutter speed (1/20 sec), and make sure the flash fires. To get the best result, you also have to make sure that either the subject moves or that the camera moves (or zooms). The result is occasionally an interesting ghosting effect.
Canon 5D 1/20s f/7.1 ISO500 24mm
03-15-10 Unity
They say that there is no "I" in team, though when gymnasts perform, all of the events are solo events. It's the team total that matters, of course, and our gymnastics team has been on a roll the last few years.
This photo was taken before a home meet a little over a year ago. I didn't get many good photos because the great telephoto lens I normally use broke that day. I didn't get many action shots but I did get a few of the team.
03-06-10 In A Field of Grass
in people
This is another portrait from a session several years ago. We had started in the studio and then, late in the afternoon, headed north to the old farm I like so much. At the time I took this, the sun was about to go down and it was one of those perfect August evenings, when the temperature starts to moderate and the wind dies down to a mere hint. And the silence and the subject remind me of why I like this kind of portrait photography.
Canon 1DII 1/125s f/4.0 ISO160 115mm
03-05-10 Ready for Prom
in people, Uncategorized
I was skeptical when this subject told me she wanted to pose for one of her senior pictures in a prom dress she had bought on eBay. But when she came out of the dressing room, I could see that this had potential. We took several poses but we liked this one best. Sitting and looking very relaxed and natural, she is surround by the ample pink folds of the gown.
I am always a little nervous when my subjects say they have a prop, though props (like this hot pink prom dress) often add something important. In addition, it helps reflect that subject's personality.
Canon 1DII 1/125s f/7.1 ISO100 40mm
02-28-10 Pike Street Performer - Seattle
in people
This photo was taken just across from the famous Pike Street Market and just down from the famous "Original Starbucks Store." The sound of the guitar caught my ear but the three young listeners caught my eye. I was on the move so I didn't have much time but I did take three or four photos of this group. But this ended up being the best, even though you can't see the faces of the children. But that's probably OK since showing candid photos of children can get a photographer into trouble sometimes.
02-24-10 Puzzled
My mother-in-law is one of the most amazing women I know. When we travel, she can outpace the best of us. She is smart, witty and curious. I'm saying all of this not because she sees this blog (I doubt she'd like this photo), but because it is true.
Here she is pondering puzzle pieces. She, my wife, my son and his wife Katie worked off and on all weekend assembling it. I would say that it is about 75% complete. I have not helped because puzzles seem kind of pointless to me.