December 7, 2014, Pack Square, Downtown Asheville.
Candle Light Vigil to remember Eric Garner and other Victims of State Sanctioned Violence. The vigil was held at Pack Square in downtown Asheville, Sunday evening, December 7th, 2014.
Each small candle
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November 16, 2014
Patton Avenue in Downtown Asheville, North Carolina.
Skeleton
The Couple, downtown Asheville
A rather apt title worthy of a B movie thriller considering the circumstances. While moving about the city streets, this (I’m presuming visiting) couple approached me and asked if I would take a picture of them with their smartphone. They also confessed to me that were keeping track of my movements for some 45 minutes; even coming up with some story to flesh out the background of my street prowling. Well, the lyrics of the Simon and Garfunkel song “America” came to mind:
“She said the man in the gaberdine suit was a spy
I said be careful, his bow tie is really a camera”
But my actual response was, “And the story ended with my taking your photo!”
I was more than happy to oblige. Actually, I rather liked the image I had taken on their phone—more a street portrait than street photography. I then made a request to take a photo of them for my own record of our encounter. They quickly closed in on themselves and I took this one shot.
They never did reveal to me the plot of their contrived story, but I am considering a gaberdine suit for sometime in the future.
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November 22, 2014
No sooner did the last dancing elf vacate the streets as the 2014 Asheville Holiday Parade came to a close, Christmas shopping officially began in downtown Asheville.
Christmas shopping, 2014
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We will become well acquainted with snow and ice as we charge into 2015. In the meantime, this photo is a reminder that Spring and Summer are not too far off, replete with bottled H2O!
Summer and bottled water
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Out Of Chaos Comes Order
The title of this blog is really a paraphrasing of the Nietzsche quote, “One must have chaos within oneself to give birth to a dancing star.” Still, it is an appropriate lead in to this post.
Street photography never ceases to present new challenges and new ideas. I’ve found this image (taken in October 2014) to be a lesson in finding order out in the urban landscape.
Shot from the hip
Shot from the hip (actually, more chest height) using a 28mm lens, my focus was dead on, but my composition was less than orthodox. The obvious focus is the woman who is very aware that I am attempting to sneak a candid shot, only to be found out with a smile! Off to the right is a generous amount of negative space also beckoning for your attention. I am not adverse to using off-kilter shots and negative space, but having made several attempts to find the best crop, I realized that this is how I saw the shot unfold, and would not have bothered to capture the moment if the scene, on an unconscious level (think “Gestalt”), did not call out to me even outside the viewfinder. What salvaged the entire photo is the quick grab of the motorcyclist just breaking out of the frame, pulling the eye towards some semblance of completion. The woman conversing on the right adds some tension pulling the eye back into the direction of the woman on the left. But, the cyclist adds just enough implied weight due to motion and his momentum as he breaks out of the box, and so directs the eye back to the right. The photo therefore reads from left to right, appealing to Western sensibilities. The image manages to convey balance even though the tilt of the frame is generating a gravitational force that wants to pull everything down to the left.
Overall, a successful image where the human condition and randomness merge to create layers of wanted and unintentional detail.
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This is a reposting of a blog from 2010.
June 29, 2010.
Heading back to my car after taking shots of people hula hooping as they do every Tuesday during the Summer at Pritchard Park, I was intrigued by a jeep with a veteran’s plate and several bikes hanging from a rack fashioned to the back of the vehicle. Hesitant (call it a hunch), I eventually indulged in a quick shot for posterity. Immediately, I was approached by a rather, let’s say, inquisitive individual who wanted to know why I was taking a picture of his jeep (Djata Son, man on left).
Homeless Verterans Outreach
Explaining that I found the bikes interesting, I offered to delete the picture if it bothered him. He asked if I would email him a copy. I said, give me your email. He was slightly agitated, saying he’s been taking pictures longer than I’ve been alive. I’ve seen him carrying a Nikon D300 around town. Eventually he came around to giving me an email: a sign behind the front windshield of his jeep that read homelessveteransoutreach@yahoo.com and advised that I take a picture of the sign so that I would have his email. I complied! He insisted that I take some photos of him and his partner as he pointed out that I clearly had plenty of shots available on my digital camera.
I promised that I would email the photos (not sure if he actually believed me). His friend later approached me as I headed back to my car asking if I could donate to their fund. I did. He asked if I had a card. I gave him a copy that I had in my camera bag.
As I left them to approach my car, they asked who I worked for. I replied “I work for myself!”
I’m glad I took that photo, or I would have missed out on getting to talk to these people.
Kismet!
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October 17, 2014.
Just prior to Halloween, these two anonymous characters dressed in red were causing quite the stir as they moved about downtown Asheville on a mobile busking spree. Not to be outdone, local “superhero”, and Lazoom Tour favorite, “Beer Man” made an appearance in the background photobombing this shot.
Beer Man Photobombing
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October 22, 2014
I was recently invited by violinist/guitarist Marc Hennessey of the local Asheville band To All My Dear Friends to take some photographs of his ensemble videotaping atop the Aloft Hotel located in downtown Asheville. Below are several photos of a series I captured that afternoon.
Marc Hennessey
The video was filmed and choreographed by photographer/filmmaker Erin Derham (Busker Blues) and her team as a part of a promotional campaign for the group’s new album Bloom.
Josh Newton
It was a windy, but dry and sunny October afternoon. Simultaneously wielding two cameras outfitted with different lenses, and striving to stay out of the way, I shot just outside and around the field of view of the film crew.
Marc and Josh
The images presented here capture the cinematic essence I felt was conveyed by the group’s performance as they mimed to their music played over speakers.
More information on the new release and project is available at toallmydearfriends.com.
For more photos, visit the To All My Dear Friends Album on flickr.
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‘Before I Die’ wall in Asheville, North Carolina. The title was modified to read “Before U Die” by an unknown contributor. Passersby are encouraged to inscribe personal messages on the wall describing what they would like to accomplish before leaving this life. Pictured is disabled war veteran and resident of Asheville, “Happy”, being offered cash by passerby.
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