Early photoblog

by Loefing Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 10:40:58 AM EST

Because many readers are likely to be off-line in the next few days, here's an early open photo / philosophical thread.

For this unique edition of the Friday photo blog [posting rights passed to me by LEP], ET readers, including lurkers, occasional and former bloggers who, like me, may be preoccupied by survival issues, are encouraged to post anything and everything that may come to mind: poetry, reflections, reminiscences, analyses, self-promotion, videos, drawings, and ... photographs, notably :-)

To launch this week's edition of the photo blog, a few images taken by a little known American photographer, Roy DeCarava [1919-2009].

From DeCarava to you and me, and billions of us to one another, the message is one of affinity and solidarity. Why do we continue to accept the pillage and destruction of what belongs to us all?

Fine print:

Please try to keep to 600 pixels width and 100kb to 150kb max in file size and take a look at Wednesday Photography Blog No.2 for the technical bits on how to post.

Otherwise this is a blank page for the posting of photographs but, exceptionally, this week, anything that comes to mind, in any medium.

Early photoblog | 68 comments (68 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

People in the hyper-industrialized world are are shy.

by Loefing on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 12:58:25 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 2)

People in hyper-industrialized societies, really, really don't want to relinquish their sophisticated digital cameras which, now produced in mass scale, require resources which have, by definition, to be stolen.

by Loefing on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 01:12:03 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 2)

Hello?

by Loefing on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 01:24:43 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

Yes, we're here. But I'm not the sort of photographer who carries a camera around. I might be able to get some shots tomorrow

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 02:45:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

Do take your camera out, but that you should do so or not is hardly the issue.

Consumer 'tech' is a significant part of the financial bubble that's in the process of doing the worker in.

by Loefing on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 03:17:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 8)

I'm feeling guilty to post my next photo. So I'll post this one instead which I can assure you was taken by an honest to goodness 'bar mitzvah film photographer' and developed by a person in a film lab for which my parents probably paid a fortune in 1949 dollars when you could buy a well built small house for $18,000 with a 2 1/2% mortgage.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 03:34:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 3)

From Bar Mitzvah to Bar Kazbah. In 60 simple steps....

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 03:49:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

$18,000! That would have bought 10 of my parent's first house from circa 1948 and three from 1955. I could have bought a small new house for a third less than that in Colorado in 1968. Don't tell me - New York prices.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Fri Dec 25th, 2009 at 01:45:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

Yes, Long Beach, Long Island and only a 10 minute walk from an Atlantic Ocean beach; and only 50 minutes by train to Manhattan.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Dec 25th, 2009 at 02:12:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 3)

I wasn't online yesterday and I am not at hme. Will get something up later. It has reminded me why it is a good idea to hand over to a guest photoblogger every so often, it is nice to see an intro with a recognised photographer's work.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 06:08:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 3)

Many of you may be suddenly worried that the manufacture of all your cell phones, iPods, Burberies, cameras, etc, may be holding the ecosystem in hostage.

You'd be right.
.

by Loefing on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 01:51:57 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

The semiconductor industry is only the most recent human endeavor to do serious damage to the planet's ecology. Hasn't done much on the whole as it has only been around for 50 years vs. 10,000 for agriculture.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 04:49:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Christmas tree for 'hard times' (4.00 / 7)

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 02:31:50 PM EST

My life! (4.00 / 3)

You ARE Groucho.....cross-bred with Mel Brooks

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 03:13:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Christmas tree for 'hard times' (none / 1)

The irony of the two photographs is poignant...

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 03:51:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Christmas tree for 'hard times' (4.00 / 4)

What can I do? I married two shiksas; of course not at the same time.

I was daydreaming at the dinner table tonight and estHer asked me what I was thinking of. I replied: I'm thinking of all of the happy Christmases I never had when I was a kid."

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 04:04:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Christmas tree for 'hard times' (4.00 / 3)

Brilliant ;-9

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 04:11:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Christmas tree for 'hard times' (4.00 / 6)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 05:26:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 5)

No art to post this time, and this is not even my picture (though taken today)

This is the self-styled Wankonian Embassy. Home to the Sven and others. It has been so-called since our first party, that had a Tiki theme. I am always amazed that these 30+ friends have their babies, move to the dormitory towns and forget the wild times they used to have. So when you offer them a fancy dress party, they go nuts. But the sign of a good 30+ party is 5 pre-ordered taxis waiting forlornly outside the house.

Ba'al Zebûb has a devil put aside for me for me, for me...

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 03:24:02 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

I will attempt to get my ass outside tomorrow and post some Finnish extreme winter pics.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 04:20:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

FAIL

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 01:34:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

A propos Morris Gittel Insurance Broker (none / 1)

in the third photo: "I knew Morris Gittel and believe me you're no Morris Gittel."

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 03:45:19 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

Has it occurred to anyone, here, that the present discussion has nothing to do with either Judaism or Christianity?!!, for Fuck's sake!

The topic is photography.

by Loefing on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 04:39:02 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 6)

Here is a blurry picture of a young opera singer, Samantha Margulies, in Grand Central Station.

She's involved in the Music Under New York project.
http://www.mta.info/mta/aft/muny/newmusicians.html

It is related to photography because it shows what happens if you try to take a quick snapshot in a dark part of the station without a flash.

by asdf on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 05:10:31 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 4)

On the contrary - a little bit of PS work could make this picture much better:

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 05:21:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

Yes, thank you. The color cast of the lighting is quite apparent...

by asdf on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 05:35:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

Many cheap fluorescents have a green peak in the visible spectrum.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 05:38:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

How hard would it be to keep everything from the first (original?) shot and put her image from this picture?

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 06:11:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

At this low resolution it would be tricky, but not impossible. However the result would look like a Kurt Schwitters collage.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 02:23:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

You say that as if it was a bad thing.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 02:17:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

No, it would just be a different thing. Something that would tickle the 36 visual reception sites and their connections in a different way. By Schwitterizing it, you make it 'hotter' than it is already.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 04:02:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

There's a point (different for different people) where the depiction of recognizable external reality flips over to internal reality. I believe this flip happens whether people are conscious of the flip or not.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 04:05:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 3)

Fair enough but try this on for size.

The only picture we have of William Bonney, aka, "Billy the Kid" is:

wearing his pistol on his right hip meaning he was left handed. All sorts of stuff have been written about his left-handedness included a film "The Left-handed Gun."

Unfortunately, Mr. Bonney was right-handed according to people that knew him. The negative was flipped during processing.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 04:21:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

A direct contact print would be reversed if the photosensitive material was on the rear the glass (away from the lens), but printed - for sharpness - with the photosensitive layer in contact with the paper. But I cannot remember which of the historical processes that was.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 04:54:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

It was a ferrotype or tintype process.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 05:10:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

Yes, this was a metal plate with the carrier behind the image.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 05:30:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 2)

This looks like an etching based on the photo, this seems to be the photo:

http://trianglecranch.com/catalog/images/Billy_the_Kid_new_1-19.jpg

Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.

by Ted Welch (tedwelch-at-mac-dot-com) on Fri Dec 25th, 2009 at 05:31:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Billy the Kid - enhanced, Hollywood style :-) (none / 1)

Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.

by Ted Welch (tedwelch-at-mac-dot-com) on Sat Dec 26th, 2009 at 09:27:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

My heart is broken.

You Jews and Christians are insane.

by Loefing on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 05:17:17 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 2)

A recent study suggests that Americans believe in god unreservedly. Nationally, 71 percent said they "believe in God with absolute certainty." Colorado, even accounting for Colorado Springs, comes in 41st in churchgoing.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14052916

However, the wars in the Middle East have nothing to do with this. Absolutely nothing whatsoever. And they don't have anything to do with oil, either. Just in case you've forgotten...

by asdf on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 05:42:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 10)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 05:22:12 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

Nice. Where do they build houses like these?

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 12:36:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 2)

Thats a small village about a mile from my house. The village and surrounding lands were owned by the Duke of Buccleuch (The third duke was tutoured rouned Europe on his grand tour by Adam Smith) and its was used for the farm staff for his neighbouring mansion.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 12:57:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 2)

When I was a small child, I had a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs puzzle, their house looked like the above.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 01:21:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 2)

Don't know how prevalent the use of thatch is today, but in the 1970s we saw many such houses in and around the small English village where we lived.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Sat Dec 26th, 2009 at 12:14:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 5)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 05:24:26 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 11)

Not a lot of philosophy here today. Nor much poetry. Nor analyses.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 05:58:57 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 5)

That is an awesome picture.

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 06:00:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

I sort of like it, and I made it on purpose, all on the iPhone, which is satisfying.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 06:23:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 2)

I cannot express how distressed I am by this thread, the fiery, bloody non-productive discussion I managed to engender.

I'm convinced that most of you are good people, with good intentions, but some of you have got some pretty fucking bizarre notions in your heads, reeking of supremacy.

I leave you all to your various ideas and wish you the best.
.

by Loefing on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 07:45:49 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

???

er, peas in yer bowl and good swill to all sentient bees anyway!

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Wed Dec 23rd, 2009 at 09:56:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

"Only following orders" (none / 1)

Loefing:

Otherwise this is a blank page for the posting of photographs but, exceptionally, this week, anything that comes to mind, in any medium.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 01:37:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 8)

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 01:51:47 PM EST

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 5)

He was here...

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 01:53:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 5)

I don't like him...

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 01:57:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

Those reindeer are a lot smaller than I imagined.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 04:35:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 04:47:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

Is this too commercial for christmas?

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 04:48:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 0)

A bit.

Not as bad as this 7 minute infomercial.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 05:00:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 2)

The long haired blond is my old camera assistant Tazu and the narrator is my good friend Hutchings with whom I have friendly competition on the deep sin-conditioned voice gigs. I've also cast him in a few roles in the past. He's one of the few Brits in Finland I've stayed in touch with over the years - possibly because we were both married to front page models who were themselves close friends before Johnny and I came along. But more importantly because we share a peculiar sense of humour.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 05:44:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (none / 1)

This little girl breaks my heart every day because, uniquely, when I appear upstairs she runs toward me with arms up high wanting to be picked up. It's obviously some major imprinting, but quite when it happened no-one is able to say. Her calling me Papa also doesn't help the real father's confidence.

I shall milk it for all it's worth...

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Dec 24th, 2009 at 05:35:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Early photoblog (4.00 / 5)

My place settings for a sunset christmas eve dinner on my deck.
On a tripod, I took a series of pix from light till dark.
I picked one before anyone was seated & a few throughout our dinner.
This is a composite of two taken a few hours apart.