The Trio

February 2012

The serenading guitars, the uneven sticker lettering, cartoon images, and a warm breeze wafting in from the beach.  This was our first trip to a "hot" country together, and we were taking advantage of a good deal through being members of a travel investment plan.  We were in the Dominican Republic at a resort called Ocean Manor.  It is near the town of Cabarete, which is apparently known world-wide for it's wind surfing.  I had the idea of learning how to surf the wind whilst there, but relaxing and taking advantage of the all-you-can-drink resort bars strangely became a priority.  That evening, the resort was hosting a cultural night, including a buffet of local food and a variety of entertainment, including this little band.  I was pleasantly surprised that the buffet contained more than one vegetarian dish!  I do eat fish occasionally (more often when I'm on vacation where the fish is fresh, like on an island) so I did have a bit of the locally prepared fish as well.   Overall, it was a better meal than I had anticipated.  


Wherever I am, and whatever the occasion, I've never really been comfortable in the social situation of being serenaded by a band.  Especially when they expect something (like monetary returns) for their time.  I find the whole social dynamic awkward, and usually end up either staring into the distance, or behind the lens of my camera.  In this scenario, I know they weren't asking for money, but I still felt odd.  Especially since we were sitting with another person we had made friends with during our week stay, so it wasn't exactly a "romantic dinner".  Also, we were the first table next to the stage where the band had started playing.  Ummm...ya so I started taking a lot of pictures until they left for another table.  I actually took this one and a few others in B&W before remembering I had left my camera at that setting from earlier, so the fact that it even exists is a fluke, really.   The band consisted of two men and one boy about 13 years old, all with guitars playing traditional songs.  They were actually quite good, but that fact didn't dispel my awkwardness, unfortunately.  Picture the unevenness of those letter stickers bouncing around in your face as you try and finish the last of your dessert.  It was a moment...one that I'll never forget.  I'm sure you all have had those types of socially strange events happen to you.  Now when you think about them, I hope you'll think about this photo as well.

Another Spin

Like every photographer, I have entirely too many pictures: over 8 years worth of special occasions, vacations, simple gatherings, and of course, my many many artistic endeavors. The purpose for starting this blog is to challenge myself. Every day I will pick one photograph out of my vast collection,  giving myself a maximum of 15 minutes to decide on which photo to choose. Then I will put myself back into the mind that created that image. Where was I? What was I thinking? Or doing? This project will not only help me appreciate why I'm slaving away on trying to build a career out of my passion for imagery, but it will hopefully help people remember moments in their lives where they felt truly in tune with themselves, their surroundings, or their life choices.

Another Spin  - Fall 2009

 The bicycle trick. No matter where you are in the world, there is always going to be somebody on a bike, testing their limits. For fun, competition, or for money, flipping up and spinning around. “Look Ma', NO hands!!” becomes their inner mantra. Or all hands, and no feet. That's what I was thinking when sitting at the sidelines after a long walk through Harajuku Park in Tokyo, Japan. This park has a little bit of everything. There are people of every possible artistic and movement style who gather themselves together to practice, evolve and showcase what they are capable of. Walking through, you may see a classical string band playing, actors rehearsing scenes, dancers choreographing their next steps, tricksters playing for the crowds, or fashionistas simply walking round in their finery and absorbing the attention. Some are simply reading, having picnics, or observing the others. Finally there's the tourists, like ourselves, who marvel at truly being in such a different world to the one we are accustomed, and trying our best not to stare or gawk at everyone.

Sitting there, I began watching a couple of college-aged local bike “stunt-riders in the making” fly up and down the wide pedestrian path, rearing up upon their back tires, and then balancing upon the front while spinning the bike around. I really wanted to capture the movement, as well as their skill. I chose this photo from the series, as I think it truly demonstrates the scene and mood I wished to create.