As Above, So Below

Realities that appear separate are one One of the benefits of a photographic image is that it presents us with a moment, a fraction of a second that holds us there so we can reflect and appreciate the subject matter—and possibly some significance it might have. The live scene or situation in front of the […]

Stewardship

Personally taking responsibility for the whole I always enjoy seeing how birds space themselves along a wire. How do they know when close is too close? I’ve watched them land in a space that seems wide enough to maintain a proper distance between them and their neighbors, but if it isn’t enough they’ll adjust. And […]

Liberal Arts Education

A value-added ingredient for success  however  it’s  defined In classical Western antiquity the study of the liberating arts consisted of subjects considered essential for a person to be whole, well-rounded and take an active part in civic life. Today these include history, literature, ancient and modern languages, ethics, theology, mathematics, fine art, musicology and more. […]

Confidence and Trust

The safety of system’s syntropy against the forces of entropy Obviously, guard rails are intended to keep vehicles from running off the road and to reduce the severity of injuries when they do. Not so obvious is the observation that their presence indicates a lack of trust. Appropriately so. Bad accidents, even death, may have […]

The Language of Color

In my experience, more people seem to be moved more by color photographs than black and white. That’s understandable—color is more visually stimulating and it’s how we see the world. Our brains are wired for it. In our photography classes at RIT we sometimes heard some adage: “If you can’t make it good, make it […]

Proact / React

In ordinary everyday living, as entropy increases there comes a point when a decision needs to be made regarding a system’s status—keep it going, shore it up or abandon it. Building or establishing a system—an object, relationship, business or social enterprise—is creative and exciting. The investment of time, energy and money flows easily in the […]

A Father’s Day Card

My father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived, and let me watch him do it. Clarence Budington Kelland, American writer Here’s a selection of images, reflections on automobile surfaces, for dads.  1948 Buick Roadmaster 1973 Corvette Stingray 1949 Oldsmobile 1973 Corvette 1942 Willis 1949 Oldsmobile 1948 Chevrolet 1948 Buick 1934 Ford 2003 Ford […]

Winter Solstice

A time to ponder and assess   As December 21st approaches, I reflect on the significance that the winter solstice held for indigenous people and mark it in my own life as a way to attune, as they did, to the order and rhythms of nature and the cosmos. Having studied Mesoamerican cultures, particularly the […]

Nature’s Design Principles

The seeds we water are the ones that grow Over time, a species of tree that evolved into the maple did so in part because it succeeded in finding a way to disburse numerous seeds over a greater distance. As kids we called them “pinwheels” or “helicopter seeds.” Hedging no bets in the area of […]

Tranquility

Reflecting as a floating leaf One among many leaves that float on the surface of life, I ride the waves. The calm— meaningful conversations, helping where help is needed, Linda’s cooking; Graeter’s ice cream; Skyline chili, Scott Hamilton’s tenor saxophone; Chuck Mangione jazz; Andrea Bocelli; Beebe Adair piano backroads to photograph; photographing in the studio; […]