Archive for July, 2010

my Eleanor Callahan

July 29th, 2010

My photographic life really blossomed in Chicago. I moved here from Detroit in ’97. In the first few months I learned about Harry Callahan, who had left Chicago by then. He was from Detroit too!

A street photographer, an experimenter.

In the late 90′s I wanted to be Andres Serrano, or Jim Goldberg. But Callahan’s work was so personal and he spent much of his life making photos of his wife, Eleanor. In fact this photo could compete for my all-time fav. Along with a push from George Waldman, John H. White, and Bob Thall I decided to do document the lives of others.

With no disrespect to my wife, my cats have become my Eleanor. Working from home we spend lots of time together. It helps they tend to sleep in nice light. When I bought a new LED laser pointer they allowed me to try it out on them. You can lure them onto things with treats, too. Maybe cat photography is my schitck?

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Money Light Part II

July 26th, 2010

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Millennium Park

July 23rd, 2010

After seeing so many updates from Senior Strazz’s blog and his great photos from Millennium Park recently those photos were on my mind tonight. With some family in Chicago for the night we decided to take the kids to play in the water there.

I wanted to make some photos of the kids, but still make photos for me.

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Linger on, your pale blue eyes

July 22nd, 2010

It was good what we did yesterday.
And I’d do it once again.
The fact that you are married,
Only proves, you’re my best friend.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes. – Lou Reed

There are millions of songs about love, but very few songs about adult love. The come home and make dinner kind of love. The clean the litter box and do the laundry kind of love. Yet every time I listen to Gram Parsons do “Blue Eyes” it makes me smile and cry. The Velvet Underground’s “Pale Blue Eyes” does it too. Both songs deal with the complexity of love and relationships and a woman with those blue eyes. The kind that even when you blow the exposure still are there. Although Lou could have been singing about a guy, but we’re getting off topic.

July 22, 2000, I married my BFF. In the last ten years we’ve had a lot of great days. To have someone who is both supportive and critical is important to accomplish anything important. She keeps me honest and I keep her from going sane. This year we both made reservations for the exact same time at the same restaurant to surprise each other. Although Christine did it months ago.

If you’ve ever been to a wedding you’ve heard 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. I hear it many, many, many times every summer. We had my Aunt Joni read it at our wedding. It’s the final part that still gets me. “It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Always preserves. Maybe it rings true because so much of our life is spent trying to preserve who we are or were. I make photos to try and hold on to something that is impossible to hold on to. To help the memory linger on.

It’s the best decision I’ve ever made. Ten years in and it’s still so much fun, and always will be. Proof? Here’s some flicks from the IPPA gallery show where I exhibited some work, including a photograph of my grandparents who were married for almost 64 years.

This is where Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys come in and say it all. You still believe in me.