I am working this weekend in New York, and I figured I would bring you something a bit “different” from the Big Apple. What do you thing….hmmmmmm?
It’s a new year, time to say good bye to 2016 (thankfully) and hello to 2017. I can’t say that I enter this new year without a strong bit of trepidation. The country is more divided than at any time in my past memory. Perhaps I am deluding myself, all times are hard or joyous depending on your outlook. What strikes me worst of all, perhaps, is the seeming reality that we have forgotten our original National Motto, E pluribus unum (out of many, one).
Originally about the colonies and the formation of the Union, in more modern times it speaks too of our diversity. Out of many cultures, races, genders, sexual orientations, we are The United States of America. Our amalgamation makes us indelibly stronger. In the past few years, I have been all over the world and I have seen other peoples and cultures, how they differ from and are the same as us. I have seen beauty and horror, joy and sorrow, felt frightened and lifted up. I don’t know where we are headed in 2017, but it must be towards the causes of human dignity, toward the rights of all people, towards the preservation of inalienable right.
I heard a story recently about asking what made a true Frenchmen. It was explained, a TRUE Frenchmen is one who was born in France and who’s forebears were also Frenchmen, for generations back that lineage could be traced. I adore France! Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but in my country an American is anyone naturalized in the last second. That is a powerful difference, and one worth fighting to preserve.
There are times, when I post process my images, that I have a terrible time deciding what the image wants to convey. I feel very strongly about this notion actually, every image has a story, and my responsibility is to find that story help the image to communicate this in the best possible way. Perhaps this duality might in part be reflected in my sister’s experience nearly taking a tumble down the side of a cliff. Last week’s image is my feeling of the scene, but this more expressionistic view is perhaps how I interpret my sister might feel about the same place. Which is your favorite?
Lanikai is one of my favorite places in the world, so when I took my sister to Oahu, Hawaii we, of COURSE, had to hike Lanikai Mountain! She actually did great despite a bit to huffing and puffing up the side of the “hill” but it was somewhere around this scene on the decent that I nearly lost her down the side of the mountain! Never fear, despite an ankle injury, she is otherwise fine but it goes to show in spite of any relative ease hiking always needs to be taken seriously! Next week, a different interpretation of this same image…since I liked it so much I figured I would translate it two different ways!
It’s a funny thing, the mind. I have visited this location in Oahu more than half a dozen times. It’s a great location for interesting carvings (probably done by bored kids) and a beautiful introduction to the diversity of landscape on the islands. I had it in my head this was the filming location for From Here to Eternity. I even told my sister how she had to see it. It was only after returning from Hawaii that I realized I was actually at the wrong stop!
I miss the sea.
I find a certain solace just being near her. I often just sit and think. Ultimately this leads me to wonder about birth, life and death. I consider the island, born of the conflict of fire and water, made solid into land. The ocean though, does not forget and slowly begins reclaiming the land to its watery depths.
This was once a solid piece of land. The ocean began eating it away, leaving a spike of land that eventually collapsed. Slowly, the ocean will completely devour this too and return it to where it started. The circle is all around if only you wish to see.
I took this one early morning on my first trip by myself. I wanted to see if I could really “do it”. In retrospect, being afraid of solo travel is natural, but also a little funny at this point having been all over the world by myself. It’s really peaceful on the Capitol grounds before all the tourists and Congress men and women come to work. Really it was only me and a few cranky guards upset about my tripod! I though this really illustrated what they mean by Capitol Hill!
My parents are planning a trip to Hawaii which made me latch onto this photo of the first time Pamela and I went to Maui. One of the MUST do things is a sunrise atop Haleakala. After the light show, Pamela and I visited the visitors center. Then we set out for a hike around and into the volcano’s crater. There are periods up there when you are outside, the sun beating down on you and the clouds roll in and you realize, you are looking down on a part of the heavens.
It not an inexpensive prospect to visit The Art Institute of Chicago. One of the best options is Bank of America’s Museums on Us program (assuming you are an account holder and the museum is participating). This arch from the Chicago Stock Exchange Building is but one exquisite piece of history contained inside. If you do go plan on at LEAST a half day for a quick breeze through. If you love art and history, be prepared to spend as much time as you can!
The first time you visit New York City, I think you can’t help but feel like you are in a television show (or movie). So much of film and television history is set in The Big Apple, it’s a bit like a world that is only in the fantasy box called the television is somehow magically brought to life. Spending most of the early 90’s watching SNL, I am always excited going to Rockefeller Center. First because of the amazing Art Deco archatecture and second because its the home of NBC studios! On one trip, the street was shutdown and Tracy Jordan was outside filming a scene for 30 Rock. Again, NYC is at time EXACTLY like a television show…because it is!
