365 Project - Day 120 - "Embrace"

April 30, 2011 - "Embrace"

A wonderful day!

Went to The Mercurial Collective Gallery for the "Out of the Woodwork" art opening(s).

Hung out with terrific friends.

Listened to terrific music performed by "String Fingers".

Had dinner and did a little window shopping at the Mall.

Went to Molten Java for some coffee and conversation.

Yep... it was a wonderful day!

And the picture?

This is a shot of Amanda Bloom - founder/creator/editor of "The Mercurial" having a chat with one of her friends in front of The Mercurial Collective Gallery.

(lifeisgood)

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365 Project - Day 119 - "Electric Fields"

April 29, 2011 - "Electric Fields"

A field overflowing with Dandelions becomes a canvas for me to play with.

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365 Project - Day 118 - "250"

April 28, 2011 - "250"

The bellows and electronic shutter cable of one of my Polaroid Professional Automatic 250 Land Cameras. (The same camera used to take yesterday's 365 Project image)

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365 Project - Day 117 - "Magnolia"

April 27, 2011 - "Magnolia"

This is the very first image taken with my "new" camera.

Well... the truth is that the camera is over 40 years old... but hey, it's "new" to me!

It's a Polaroid Automatic 250 Land Camera... which is a professional Polaroid camera made from 1967 (when it replaced the "100") to 1969 (when it was replaced by the "350"). Mine is probably from late-'68 or '69, based on the fact that it's rangefinder/viewfinder was made by Zeiss-Ikon, which was a switch made halfway through the model-run. Originally this camera sold for $160... which was a hell of a lot of money in those days!

This is the same type of camera that Robert Mapplethorpe used for all of his early photographs. It's also the same model that Patti Smith has been using for years.

This camera uses Packfilm. Originally the film was made by Polaroid... but now Fujifilm is the only major producer of professional Packfilm. You get 10 exposures to a cartridge. You take the picture... pull a white paper tab on the side of the camera, which in turn pulls out the film tab. Then you pull out the film... which slides between two rollers, starting the developing process. You wait a designated amount of time... then peel apart the photo from the negative - and voila! - you have a photo!

I'm currently shooting with Fujifilm 3000B, which is a professional 3000-speed B&W film. At some point I'll probably try color too... but for now I'm in a Black & White kind of a mood.

So... there it is! My first film photo in at least a year! The image is of the magnolia tree across the street from my house. I didn't do anything to the image... I simply scanned it in to the computer and left it exactly as it was...

... and to me, it's beautiful!

(lifeisgood)

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365 Project - Day 116 - "Broken Down"

April 26, 2011 - "Broken Down"

My friend Kristin and I are driving to Oxford to pick up duck eggs to sell at work.

It's hot.

It's bright.

I'm sipping a bottle of Pepsi Throwback.

All is well.

Then we turn the corner... and Kristin says "Oh no!".

The gear-shift is flopping around... and the car slows down. First gear is all we've got... as we pull over to the side of the road.

Phone calls are made.

And we wait...

... sitting on the side of the road...

... checking our Facebook accounts on our iPhones.

Waiting in the sun...

... I start to snap photos of the scene.

Eventually Lenny comes to pick us up... and AAA comes to pick up the car.

Life is good again.

* * *

365 Project - Day 115 - "Brain"

April 25, 2011 - "Brain"

I'm wandering around my yard at dusk... looking for a photo.

Nothing.

I'm about to give up and head back inside... when I notice a well-worn piece of brain coral sticking out of the soil in one of our flower beds.

Where it came from, I do not know. It has been here since long before we bought this house. There are several pieces, actually... which we found while clearing out a very over-grown area of pachysandra in the front yard.

Perhaps they were a souvenir from a vacation taken by the previous owner...

Perhaps a gift... not liked, and tossed outside...

Perhaps they were placed there by a grandchild... like treasure.

It doesn't matter... they're ours now.

And they've become my photo for today.

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365 Project - Day 114 - "Easter in New York"

April 24, 2011 - "Easter in New York"

A beautiful Spring day in New York City...

Life is Good!

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By-the-way: This was taken in the gardens that surround the Pulitzer Fountain in Grand Army Plaza - in front of the Plaza Hotel on 5th Avenue.

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365 Project - Day 113 - "Easter Crafting"

April 23, 2011 - "Easter Crafting"

Our dining room table is covered with silk flowers...

... and fake birds...

... and ladybugs...

... and butterflies...

... and, of course - brightly colored plastic eggs.

Why? We're making Easter Bonnets for tomorrow's Easter Parade in NYC!

(lifeisgood!)

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365 Project - Day 112 - "Roots"

April 22, 2011 - "Roots"

Roots reaching...

... spreading...

... searching...

... suckling...

... absorbing...

... feeding...

... holding...

... supporting...

... us.

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365 Project - Day 111 - "My Office"

April 21, 2011 - "My Office"

A shot of my "office" at work... on a typical day.

OK... technically it's not an "office". It's a shelf... about chest-height, on a shelving unit which I use for back-stock of teas... but it serves as my office. My place to write notes and lists... to store papers... to keep my coffee.

I have a postcard of my favorite painting - "Starry Night" by Vincent van Gogh...

I have an origami dragon and shark that my son made for me...

I have a NASCAR tie and a Whoopie Cushion that my friend and co-worker Justin gave to me...

I have my clipboard... which is labeled "BINCE"... because that's how my co-worker Patricia pronounces "Vince", and when I started working there she told me I needed to write "Bince" on my clipboard so everyone would know it's mine...

I have my freezer gloves...

... and my Canon Lens coffee mug...

... and my sunglasses...

... and my "Stupid Quotes" daily calendar...

... and various funny drawings and notes from co-workers...

... and a bag of pennies from my friend Kristin (she owed me $15.95... and asked if she could just give me $16.00 - and I said "no"... and told her she had to give me $15 in cash plus 90-pennies and a nickel. So she did just that!)...

... and a bunch of other stuff and odds-and-ends.

It's my little space.

My "office".

* * *

365 Project - Day 110 - "Marriage"

April 20, 2011 - "Marriage"

Plain and simple.

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365 Project - Day 109 - "Rainy Night"

April 19, 2011 - "Rainy Night"

Sitting in the car outside the laundromat on a rainy Tuesday night...

... the pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof of the car creates a soundtrack to the scene before me:

Washers and Dryers tumbling clothes in endless circles...

a woman shaking shirts she's folding...

a man, staring at the Spanish soap-opera on the TV...

a kid, sitting bored... waiting.

Just a typical scene of the American Night.

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365 Project - Day 108 - "Self Portrait (Behind Mask)"

April 18, 2011 - "Self Portrait (Behind Mask)"

Sometimes I feel as if I'm holding a mask before my face...

... hiding...

... denying you a view of who I really am.

I tell myself that this is for your protection...

... but it's really for my own.

It's easy to walk through life behind a mask.

It's comfortable.

It's familiar.

It's safe.

Until you try to take the mask off...

... and find out that it's stuck in place...

... grown-over the face of what has been denied...

... forcing the two to become one...

... completely unrecognizable...

... and lost.

* * *

365 Project - Day 107 - "Hand-Picked"

April 17, 2011 - "Hand-Picked"

A vase of Spring flowers my daughter picked from her garden...

... sitting in the Sunlight of our kitchen window.

(lifeisgood)

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365 Project - Day 106 - "Self Portrait with Excited Pooch"

April 16, 2011 - "Self Portrait with Excited Pooch"

Heading in to the Salvation Army to ambush my friend Lenny with a thrift-store birthday party.

On my way in I see this pooch sitting in a truck... just watching us walk by. So I break out the camera and snap a few shots... which gets him going all-sorts-of-crazy-excited.

A "technically good photo"? No. But I like it, for some reason.

(lifeisgood!)

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365 Project - Day 105 - "My Marbles (Found)"

April 15, 2011 - "My Marbles (Found)"

Yep... I finally found my marbles!

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365 Project - Day 104 - "(RED Beats)"

April 14, 2011 - "(RED Beats)"

Another simple shot...

This one of my pair of Product (RED) edition Beats by Dre Solo HD headphones.

(I love these things!)

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365 Project - Day 103 - "BASS"

April 13, 2011 - "BASS"

My Lasonic TRC-931 is booming...

Dynamix II...

Bass pounding...

Lights flashing...

Me dancing.

Life is good!

* * *

365 Project - Day 102 - "Minolta"

April 12, 2011 - "Minolta"

A quick shot of my Minolta 7s Hi-Matic 35mm Rangefinder.

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365 Project - Day 101 - "Warmth"

April 11, 2011 - "Warmth"

It's warm today.

Very warm.

Maybe Spring really is here!

(maybe)

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365 Project - Day 100 - "Treasures"

April 10, 2011 - "Treasures"

Woke up early... headed to the Elephant's Trunk Flea Market in New Milford.

Treasures everywhere.

Lots of purchases.

Bowling Ball which fit me perfectly...

Three CDs of Broadway Musicals...

Four vinyl LPs (Two "Culture Club"... Two "U2")...

Three beautiful large vintage B&W photos by Jorma Hyypia. One, a street photo of a homeless person, passed out on the stairs of a building in NYC... and two of beautiful nudes...

A Minolta 7s rangefinder camera in excellent condition...

A Polaroid 250 Professional Land Camera in good condition (the second one of these I've purchased this week... for I just bought one in near mint condition on ebay, which I plan to use on my next trip to NYC)...

A pink (yes, PINK) Ouja Board...

And an awesome pair of very old sunglasses with a "Steampunk" feel to them.

On the way out I came across an awesome vintage suitcase that was being thrown away...

... and on the way to the car I came across two old archery bows left behind. More finds to add to today's collection.

Leave the Trunk... and head to Cor's Diner in Danbury for a wonderful late-breakfast/early-lunch with Lenny & Kristin.

Omelette... Potatoes... Toast... Very crisp bacon... Coffee... Coffee... COFFEE...

Finish lunch and head over to the Heirloom Theater for their mini-flea market...

More treasures.

Purchased a B&W photo of two sailors on a city street, taken by my friend Lys Guillorn...

... and a bit of "Photographer Bling" (a really gaudy necklace with a camera pendant studded with fake diamonds).

Treasures... Treasures... and more Treasures!

Lots of goodies to play with today.

Lots of happiness.

Life is good!

* * *

P.S. - Today's photo is of strands of beads from Africa, being sold by a vendor at the Elephant's Trunk Flea Market this morning.

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365 Project - Day 99 - "Spring"

April 09, 2011 - "Spring"

The first very nice day of Spring.

My daughter is at a birthday party... leaving my son, my wife and I with no set plans, and no idea of how to spend the day.

My son declares that he wants to go to a playground... so we head to Meckauer Park in Bethel. He gets out of the car and quickly runs off to join the crowded playground. It isn't long before he joins in a mini game of free-form soccer with two other children.

Meanwhile Holly and I sit at a picnic table, soaking up the Sun... drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee... while I listen to my iPod and snap photos of the moment.

A beautiful Spring day!

(Life is good!)

* * *

365 Project - Day 98 - "Palace Theater"

April 08, 2011 - "Palace Theater"

Another amazing night.

Dinner at the Holiday Diner with my good friend Lenny.

Coffee...

Conversation...

More Coffee.

Head to the Palace Theater to see "Patti Smith: Dream of Life" at the Connecticut Film Festival.

Beautiful building...

Beautiful people...

Flashes going off...

Hors d'œuvres...

More conversation...

Movie...

Patti Smith...

Robert Mapplethorpe...

Music...

Poetry...

Art...

Rimbaud...

More Hors d'œuvres...

More music...

Head back to the Holiday Diner...

More coffee...

More conversation...

More wonderfulness.

Life IS Good!

* * *

365 Project - Day 97 - "Music"

April 07, 2011 - "Music"

I've got some serious tunes blasting at my house this afternoon...

LCD Soundsystem...

Daft Punk...

Kraftwerk...

Digitalism...

The Juan MacClean...

Ratatat...

... and, of course... Thompson Twins, since this morning I declared today to be "Thompson Twins Thursday".

Music pumping...

My mind spiraling...

My heart smiling...

Life is Good!

* * *

365 Project - Day 96 - "Self Portrait with Coolness"

April 06, 2011 - "Self Portrait with Coolness"

I couldn't find a good photograph today...

So I asked my daughter to find me something cool to photograph, but she couldn't find anything.

So I asked my son to find me something cool to photograph... but he couldn't find anything.

So I asked my wife to find me something cool to photograph... but she just gave me a dirty look, and went back to her Kindle.

So I had to take things into my own hands... and find the coolest thing in the house to photograph...

... ME!

(lifeisgood)

* * *

365 Project - Day 95 - "Supplies"

April 05, 2011 - "Supplies"

I came home from work with a bag full of old, very out-of-date ordering scanners that were going to be tossed in the trash.

Supplies for a future art project...

... just waiting for the moment of inspiration.

* * *

365 Project - Day 94 - "Dance"

April 04, 2011 - "Dance"

One of my daughter's dance costumes...catching the light as it hangs in the dining room.

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365 Project - Day 93 - "Last Train Home"

Day 93 - "Last Train Home"

It's very late...

Or - it's very early.

(I guess it depends on how you want to look at it)

It's 3:30AM... and we're on the last train home from NYC. I'm the only person awake in our train car.

Feet dangle in the aisle as bodies stretch out on seats.

Snoring comes from every angle.

Drool pours down the backs of seats... and along window glass.

It's late...

... or it's early.

And I'm tired... very, very tired!

(Life is good!)

* * *

365 Project - Day 92 - "LCD Soundsystem"

April 02, 2011 - "LCD Soundsystem"

Tonight one of my all-time favorite bands - LCD Soundsystem - performed their very last show... ever.

And I was there!

I was there... at Madison Square Garden.

I was there... in the sold-out crowd (one of the quickest concert sell-outs, ever).

I was there... in Section 34... Row D... Seat 2 - with my wife beside me, in Seat 1.

I was there... for the nearly 4-hour-long set - which started at 9PM and ended just shy of 1AM.

I was there... for what turned out to be the single-greatest concert experience I have ever had!

I was there... for the happiness... and the sadness, and tears.

I was there... to say "Thank You!" and "Goodbye".

THE SET-LIST:

Set 1

Intro - "I'm Not In Love" by 10cc

1. Dance Yrself Clean
2. Drunk Girls
3. I Can Change
4. Time To Get Away
5. Get Innocuous!
6. Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
7. Too Much Love
8. All My Friends
9. Tired (with a bit of "Heart of Sunrise" by YES)

Set 2

10. 45:33 Part One
11. 45:33 Part Two (with Reggie Watts)
12. Sound of Silver
13. 45:33 Part Four (with The Juan MacLean)
14. 45:33 Part Five (with Shit Robot)
15. 45:33 Part Six
16. Freak Out/Starry Eyes

Set 3

17. Us v Them
18. North American Scum (with Arcade Fire)
19. Bye Bye Bayou (Alan Vega cover)
20. You Wanted A Hit
21. Tribulations
22. Movement
23. Yeah (Crass Version)

Set 4

24. Someone Great
25. Losing My Edge (with a bit of "Da Funk" by Daft Punk)
26. Home

Set 5

27. All I Want
28. Jump Into the Fire (Harry Nilsson cover)
29. New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down (with "Twin Peaks Theme" by Angelo Badalamenti as an intro)

Outro - "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant

* * *

365 Project - Day 91 - "Coffee Swirls and Acid Dreams"

April 01, 2011 - "Coffee Swirls and Acid Dreams"

True Story:

When I was 16 I had a really bad trip on LSD.

My mom made me coffee... but didn't stir it completely. I looked down into the spiral pattern of white milk and brown water... and felt as if I was falling into another world. Then the spiral leapt out of the cup and tried to eat me... and I spilled the whole damn thing as I tried to jump out of the way.

That was the last time I dropped acid.

That was almost 20 years ago now... and to this day I've had a really, really hard time looking at coffee that isn't completely stirred.

And now you know!

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