• Candid Portraits,  People/Portraits,  quotes,  Thích Nhất Hạnh

    Love Her Smile

    November 3, 2017
    Love Her Smile
    Love Her Smile

     “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”

    Thích Nhất Hạnh

    I had the privilege to share a conversation with this young lady at one of the local coffeehouses this past week. At times I felt like I was talking with someone much older than she was. There was a confidence in her voice about who she is and no need to try and play some role to impress others. There was enough comfort in our short time together to ask for a portrait. How about that smile!

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  • coffee shops,  Documentary/Street,  writing/reading

    Being a Regular

    August 10, 2017

    Mocha latte at the Bean Cycle. I'm in the loft looking down on the coffeehouse.
    Mocha latte at the Bean Cycle. I’m in the loft looking down on the coffeehouse.

    I can walk into several coffeehouses and be greeted by my first name. That feels good. 🙂 I also know several of them by name. At some locations I can even have the baristas call out and say, ‘The usual, Monte?” These young people and the coffeehouse can easily become an extended family. We will almost always have some sort of conversation whether started by them or me, asking questions such as, “How was your weekend?” or “What have you planned for the day?” I find it comforting  when they let me know I’m a person and not just a customer with money in his wallet. 

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  • Black and White,  Candid Portraits,  Documentary/Street,  music,  People/Portraits,  quotes

    A Little Jazz Music

    July 31, 2017

    The music is in His Soul
    Jazz musician near Bourbon Street in New Orleans

    “More photographs of beautiful moments have been lost by looking at our cameras than will ever be lost to missed focus or poor exposure.” David duChemin

    I took this image of the musician near Bourbon Street in New Orleans back in 2008 while I was still flying (working). There were perks with that job and one was the photographic opportunities offered on the longer overnights. 

    Through those long overnights my interest in street and documentary photography was discovered. My camera equipment changed as the smaller mirror-less gear was more to my liking and much easier to travel with. The “decisive moment” began to take on more importance, knowing I could not come back and retake an image if I missed it.

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