The Sphinx

When we were at the coast a couple weeks ago, my friend Darlene pointed out that this rock looks like the sphinx. I was amazed at how much. Look at the tiny people at the base of the rock to see how large this is.

This is somewhere near Seaside, Oregon

STEPHEN SILLER Tunnel to Tower Run

On Sept. 12, 2001, I knew I had to be there. At 5:30 am, I sneaked in undercover with the Police/Fireman/ Emergency personnel. (which worked until I took out my cameras) I was escorted and removed from Ground Zero 3 times, forcible & threatened with the destruction of my equipment the last time by officers caught up in the moment & without a clear understanding of the importance of photography.

On Sept. 11, many others answered the call with much nobler reasons, Stephen Siller had just finished his shift at Squad 1, Brooklyn and was heading home when he heard the attack on his scanner. He turned his truck around. The tunnel was already closed, so he strapped his gear onto his back and began to run through the tunnel to the towers where he helped save lives but ultimately lost his own!

If you would like to make a tax deductible donation please mail to : Stephen Siller, FDNY "Let Us Do Good" Children's Foundation 2361 Hylan Boulevard Staten Island, NY 10306

A Persistent Tree

These beautiful rocks are somewhere on Highway 101 on the Oregon Coast but I don't remember which town they are near. If you look at the tiny gull on the top right you can see how large these rocks are.



I had this post up for a bit Saturday before I remembered it was Camera Critter day, so you may have seen it briefly.

George

This is George. He was born in Africa. This encounter was one of the reasons I first fell in love with the animals at Wildlife Safari. It was an emotional few minutes, at least from my perspective. I had stopped to look at him and was struck by the fact that he was not only looking at me too, but looking straight into my eyes. I can't explain the feeling. I got the impression of a wise, but sad, old man who had something to tell me.. who needed me to understand.

I get goosebumps again just writing about it.

I was so touched by this encounter that I went home and attempted to write down what I felt.

George…

Look at me
he whispered silently
not with words
but with his eyes

see me…
please…
he drew me in
I couldn’t pass him by

What might he have to say?

he looked at me with eyes
that could see into my soul
listen to me, he pleaded
let me show you what I know

he held me captive with wizened eyes
chains as strong as the iron bars between us

he spoke to me of freedom
he showed me carefree days
spent on dusty plains…
watering holes…torrid rain

I felt the elation
of running with the herd

as he spoke to me of yearning
I began to understand
that he was home…
yet his spirit longed
for things that might have been

hear me, he spoke silently
please…. just know who I am.

Be sure to check out other Camera Critters here

Alice Austen House

Alice Austen was introduced to photography when she was 10 years old by her Uncle Oswald, who brought home an early-model dry plate camera from one of his many trips abroad. Alice showed immediate and natural ability. Through experimentation she taught herself how to operate the complex camera mechanism, judge exposure, develop the heavy glass plates, and make prints. By the time she was 18 in 1884, she was not only technically skilled but artistically accomplished as well.
Alice was active, social, and well traveled. Everywhere she went, she took her camera equipment, which sometimes weighed as much as fifty pounds and often filled a steamer trunk. As a result of her desire to photograph so much of her life and the world around her, her range of subjects was extensive. In her lifetime, she created images on approximately 8,000 glass plates, of which more than 3,000 survive.
Alice remained an amateur photographer at heart, though she sold some of her work. She took pictures for the love of it-and so she had more freedom to express herself than professional Victorian women photographers. Her straightforward style anticipated documentary photography. At the same time, she used composition, pose, costuming, and satire to convey her point of view.

The Alice Austen House was built in 1690. Clear Comfort's most famous resident, Alice Austen (1866-1952) would become one of America's earliest and most accomplished women photographers. ) After she died the house fell into disrepair until a group of concerned citizens saved it from demolition in the 1960's.
Restoration was begun in January 1984 and completed in April 1985. Because of its historic significance, the Alice Austen House was included in the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, was designated a New York City Landmark in 1971, and a National Historic Landmark in 1993.
Today, the Alice Austen House serves as a museum of Alice Austen's life and times. Located at the entrance to New York Harbor, the Alice Austen House is a reminder of the picturesque suburban "cottages" that dotted the shore and hills of 19th century Staten Island. The house and grounds recall the home as Alice knew it and a way of life that has passed into history.

I am proud to work for the Museum and pleased that I teach photography to the next generation of shutterbugs!

www.AliceAusten.org

I'm Featured!

Got an email from KATU News in Portland, Oregon asking if they could feature my Wildlife Safari blog on their website. Of course I said yes :) Check it out quick, it might be gone tomorrow.

Check it out here

This is the photo they used for the link



Thanks Shannon

Broken Beauty

I fell in love with this broken tree limb. This is near Seaside, Oregon.

A Funny Cow Story

I just got my new computer set up and haven't even got all the photos I took on my trip downloaded yet. I didn't want to miss out on Camera Critters so I'm doing a repeat from a post from a year or so ago.

Its a fun post and I think its worth repeating though.

Sunday I was driving near Camas Valley, Oregon and stopped to take a shot

of an old falling down house and barn.

As I was clicking away, a cow at the other end of the field looked up to see what I was doing

and came to stare at me from the other side of the fence.

Soon other cows came to see what the first cow and I were doing

and they stared at me too... and started mooing.

By this time I was laughing and clicking..

The more cows came.. the more cows stared.. the more cows mooed...the more I laughed

When I finally drove away there was a whole herd of cows standing by the fence

staring at me and mooing.

And I'm sure people in Camas Valley are still wondering who that strange lady was standing by the road laughing like a mad woman and taking photos of ordinary cows.

Be sure to check out other Camera Critters here

LEST WE FORGET!

We will never forget, it's not in our nature. Yes you can say the world has changed, truth is that we are now more aware of what has been happening around the world all along!

Updated Update

I still don't have my computer. They said I should receive it between the 10th and 12th so I expect it will come tomorrow..... BUT... starting tomorrow I will be gone for almost a week.

Tomorrow I'm driving up to Portland to spend a couple days with my dear friend Darlene
from Dar's Foto Faze She has found some great places for us to take photos while I'm there like ancient cemeteries and areas with old barns. I'm excited!

Monday and Tuesday I am at a conference in Seaside on the Oregon coast. Can you imagine having to hang out in this beautiful ocean town for two whole days? But I am getting paid for it so I'll just try to make the most of it... sigh.

Then I'm taking another day or two to drive back down the coast stopping at every wide spot in the road to take more photos.

I should come back relaxed and refreshed with all my cards full of photos. Then when I get my new computer set up I can check out what you have all been up to.

See you Thursday or Friday next week.

STILL HAVING FUN!!

Today's model didn't show up, kinda disappointing since I spend much time setting up the two backdrops to form a V so no light would shine thur. But things aren't dull around here- a fellow musician walked in the door and I recruited him! We did a few shots and then he went out to get something from his car and came back with this girl! For me it's the beginnings of things again, the last time I did LIGHT PAINTING was at least 5 years ago and I was still working with film, now it's the digital age so if I get the right motivation, I sure things will be happening!!

The Grand Rabbis Celebrate

"Rare Meeting of the Grand Rabbies of the Satmar and Bobov Sects" Rabbi Teitelbaum celebrating with Rabbi Halberstam the marriage of his grand daughter. Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York in a "No Camera Zone". What first attacted me to photography was the ability to witness and capture images of different cultures. Here, by following the crowd, I was able to come upon a scene which was very alien and yet so interesting to me.

THE LOOK OF LOVE...

It is so touching to see the love that people have for each other, the wedding day truly is about ROMANCE and COMMITMENT! I am aware that the memories I capture will keep alive these feelings forever and I feel honored to be allowed to share this special and private occasion!

A WALK IN THE PARK...

A walk in the park all right, except that the walk was DOWN THE AISLE! They got married in CENTRAL PARK and had the ceremony on the BOW BRIDGE!