Pondering the Imponderable

This is a candid shot taken by an American photographer of a Japanese man studying a diorama of the destruction done by the atomic bomb to Hiroshima during WWII.Did I ever feel out of place while visiting Hiroshima? No. Did I feel any enmity from the Japanese I sometimes stood next to when I was at the Hiroshima Museum that day? No.I can't say how the Japanese man pictured here felt about United States' role in the destruction portrayed. But I do know that the Hiroshima Museum stands in part as a warning and as a lesson. The Museum and the Peace Center seem to say, "Here's what one relatively small bomb did. How can we prevent it from happening again?"I was uncertain about visiting Hiroshima. But I'm glad we did. . .

Alien Life Form?

This flower is no alien but it looks a bit strange, in part due to the angle and in part because the petals were not quite ready for prime time.

Four Amigos

Here's my stream of consciousness: foot prints in frost (yesterday's post) makes me think of foot prints in the sand. Foot prints in the sand make me think of Mexico. Mexico makes me think of family trips. Family trips reminds me of photo I took of the Four Cousins in Mexico a few years ago: Matt, Brian, Jon and Derek. So where do I go from here in the stream? Check back tomorrow.

Foot Steps

Foot steps left on a sandy beach are commonplace. Go ahead: do a Google search for "footsteps in the sand" and you'll see what I mean. But footsteps in frost? Those photos are hard to come by. So I am offering this picture of my footprints (high arches and all) for the world to enjoy.

Brian & Katie In Mexico

Here are two of my favorite people in one of my favorite places. I'm a lucky guy to have the opportunities I have!

Deux Amis

We were free men in Paris, unfettered and alive, posing somewhat awkwardly in front of a structure that is anything but awkward - the Nortre Dame de Paris. I handed my camera to a passing tourist. So I guess that this isn't really my photo is it?When I give my camera to a stranger so I can pose, I try to pick someone who appears to be slower than I am so that if they decide to run with my valuable equipment, I can catch them. I wouldn't tackle them, though, since that might harm my camera. . . .

Pods

This is another shot from that trail that borders the empty stretch of beach just down from the resort zone south of Playa del Carmen Mexico.

The Weld

This photo was inspired by a few welding shots my LATI students submitted for a project last semester. I knew that somewhere in my vast collection of photos, I had one welding shot and here it is.I must say that welding is inherently photogenic due to the great light the welder creates.

Red Chaos

I've read that some scientists say there is no such thing as chaos - that Nature, in it's apparently random state, is really ordered and predictable. Smarter people than I will have to find order in today's jumble of berries and branches. And quite honestly, I don't mind a little chaos. . .

Late Start

We are used to snow in South Dakota, of course. But snow still has the potential to interrupt our routines. The last two days have seen 2-hour late starts in our schools. Thus, because I didn't have to be to work until 10 today, I found myself driving around looking for photo opportunities.Here, students are changing buses in front of the Middle School and I was struck by all the color, including the bright yellow of the school buses. Of course, it did occur to me as I was taking this photo it might seem strange that a man in a pick-up truck was taking pictures of kids getting out of school buses. But I don't think it's a crime, is it?

The Snowy Dog

People are crazy about their pets and I was certainly guilty of being crazy about our Springer Spaniel, Polly. She seemed to love life and everyone she met. Polly is long-gone now but I come across photos of her every once and a while - I had forgotten I had this one.

Flesh and Blood

My oldest son, Brian, is pictured in this blog more often than Jon is. And, because Jon sent me a flattering email about my blog photos earlier today, I thought I would reward him by posting a photo I took of him 10 years ago somewhere in Italy. He has a better sense of style than I do and he gets his looks from his mother, fortunately. He's a pretty good photographer, though. Maybe he got that from me?