• Art,  quotes,  street photography

    The Meaning of Life

    November 12, 2024
    BirdsEye mural by Ren Burke

    I think “the meaning of life” is something we have to formulate for ourselves, we have to determine what has meaning for us… It clearly has to do with love — what and whom and how one can love.

    Oliver Sacks

    We had another beautiful day yesterday, beginning with an orange sunrise then blue skies and sunshine. In the afternoon I headed to Old Town to walk the streets with my camera. I found a few images then did some journaling at Starry Night, enjoying an Earl Grey Tea. I believe so deeply in what Oliver Sacks suggests that the meaning of life is about love. So today I ask myself what and whom and how I can love.

    In 2004 as a collaboration between the City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places Program and Utilities Light and Power created The Transformer Cabinet Mural Project. Serving as a graffiti abatement program, the murals help lower maintenance costs while adding bright colorful art in unexpected places. The program also helps keep the investment local by utilizing local artists and non-profit groups to paint the cabinets. Since the start of the program, 20 years now, over 400 transformer cabinets have been transformed into works of art.

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  • street photography

    Very Slowly

    May 17, 2024

    I don’t want to overwhelm anyone with all the cloud images l’ve been posting lately. So thought I’d post this rusting staircase in Old Town Fort Collins. Unlike clouds that constantly change every second, the stairs seem motionless and rust very, very slowly, making them easy to photograph. Happy Friday!

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  • Documentary/Street,  street photography

    Asking you to vote again

    November 8, 2023
    Street scene on my walk home from coffee

    So, the question is multiple choice. Were the boots left on the porch because they were.:
    a. wet.
    b. muddy
    c. rank as hell
    d. All the above.

    I was awakened about 4:00 am by the lovely sound of rain tapping on my bedroom window. Weather app says we can expect rain throughout the day and cooler temperatures. May you have a wonderful day!

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  • architecture,  doors,  quotes

    Choosing Doors

    November 14, 2022

    “In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors.”

    William Blake

    The sun has melted the morning frost. There is still a thin layer of ice on the pond. And we never got above 40 degrees today. Gray skies now dominate so it both looks and feels cold.

    In reference to Blake’s quote, I believe that each day does offer us doors to open or close. Today I both closed and opened doors. Due to exposure yesterday to Covid I changed my travel plans to spend an early Thanksgiving this week with my dad, my two sisters and brother-in-law and instead will celebrate his 94th birthday with him in January. There is no need to put my dad in any danger at his age. I feel a sadness. I want to be with my family.

    I understand we cannot totally isolate ourselves from covid or any other virus or anyone who is indifferent to another’s safety. Nor can we protect others from any danger. I’m aware people are gathering again in large groups as if things are okay or they will be okay. I’ve heard there is now a cruise ship in Australia with almost 800 cases of COVID detected. And, I have moved back into the coffee shop routine. Aware that I am taking a risk for exposure, or worse yet, exposing someone. Yes, we have doors to choose, to open or close. I’m rethinking my stance on all this and may open fewer coffee shop doors and close a few. Just thinking out loud.

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  • Transportation,  truck

    Inspiration

    April 15, 2022

    This morning as I approached the bus transit center I noticed this red Coca-Cola truck and it reminded me of an image of a red Coca-Cola truck posted on the blog of the well known photographer Joseph Smith. He claims he borrowed the idea for the photo from another photographer. But I’m claiming I borrowed the idea for this image from Joe. Interestingly a woman walked by the truck without noticing it. She turned to see what I was taking a photo of and then said, “Oh the red Coca-Cola truck.” She must have seen Joe’s image also. Thanks for the inspiration, Joe!

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  • Documentary/Street,  quotes

    The Flâneur

    March 19, 2022

    The photographer is an armed version of the solitary walker reconnoitering, stalking, cruising the urban inferno, the voyeuristic stroller who discovers the city as a landscape of voluptuous extremes. Adept of the joys of watching, connoisseur of empathy, the flâneur finds the world “picturesque”.

    Susan Sontag, 1977

    This morning I found myself writing the following in my journal, “I’m not a street photographer….” I immediately said, “Wait a minute dude, where did that come from?” I needed to ask what I meant by that, was that a true statement and what is a street photographer. I have over the years taken many images that are defined by Sontag’s definition of a photographer without the adjective of street or wedding or portrait or fashion, placed before it. The truth is I’m a photographer, period. When I have my photographer’s hat on, my camera and lens become an extension of me, and I am now the flâneur who finds the world “picturesque” whether that’s a street scene or sunrise on the prairie or a car show.

    For any who want to know: Flâneur is a French term meaning ‘stroller’ or ‘loafer’ used by nineteenth-century French poet Charles Baudelaire to identify an observer of modern urban life. The above image of the statue of the dog was taken at a street car show in Little Rock, Arkansas in 2008.

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