On Saturday, the 27th, the driving rain finally came to an end, the sun appeared, and the late afternoon became quite beautiful. I went to Goose Pond Mountain Wetland, put on waders, and slogged into the pond you see below. The sun was strong, and the light was golden in a way that black and white cannot, of course, convey. But, the 'values' were very pronounced and I enjoyed making these photographs. (I used the C220 with the 80mm lens.)

On Saturday, October 20th, our family enjoyed a ride to the top of Bear Mountain, and then an extended excursion below to the Iona island marshes which are very beautiful if you like marshes. These two photographs were made there and then, but I'll be back many more times for further explorations of the light and textures of this place.

Our family excursion continued north to Beacon where I visited the Fishkill Creek falls and made this image. Every time I visit this place, the water level is different, the currents are different, and, of course the light is different. It's also a place to which I will return many times.

Yesterday morning (Saturday, October 7th) was muggy and warm with pervasive fog and mist. I was again hoping for something terrific on the Hudson at the Bear Mountain Bridge, but it was so foggy there was nothing to see. Returning by Bear Mountain State Park, I was able to see that Hessian Lake looked interesting, so I parked and schlepped the Shen-Hao (a 4x5 field camera) and attendant gear there and found the images below. It has been a while since I've used this camera because it can be very cumbersome to carry, but I really enjoyed using it this time. I only have two lenses mounted for it at the moment which are a Schneider 150mm G Claron, and a 250 mm Fujinon. These were made with the 150mm. As usual, everyone who walks by stares at the thing and will typically ask if it's "one of those really old fashioned cameras", to which I reply that it is. They are a bit perplexed that anyone would use such a device. At least I don't tell them it's a Hassleblad.

Early this morning (Sunday, 9/23) I took myself to the Bear Mountain Bridge area hoping for the wonderful mist and cloud that had typified the river view for the last 5 or 6 days that I witnessed on my way to work. But, the air was too dry for that. What's here is what there was, which still ain't too shabby.

While I was at mid span, a group of 10 or 12 runners approached me on the narrow pedestrian way. They were all West Point cadets (mostly men, but also two women). I said "Good Morning" as they jogged past me, and each of them replied with: "Good Morning, SIR!". What a classy group of kids they are. It's nice to see one's tax dollars spent so wisely for a change. They are every inch Gentlemen and Ladies, as well as, no doubt, excellent soldiers.

Here are two more photographs from Goose Pond Mountain State Park. I've photographed the trees several times before, but the foreground goldenrod was new, and I thought it worthy of an new and independent image. The other photograph includes a small portion of the often pictured pond below, but, again, the goldenrod added a new dimension I wanted to record.

This is from the wonderful Orange County Arboretum. Susan and I spent Sunday morning there...she painting, and I photographing. We both favored this little pond that has nothing to do with the marvelous formal gardens there, but seemed just right for the moment and our sensibilities.

Back in May of this year I visited Round Lake on a foggy morning and posted two photographs from that session with the camera. Here's another that I've just gotten around to scanning.

This past Sunday (September 9th '07) was hot, humid and utterly unwelcoming for outdoor adventures. Nonetheless, I took the C220 for a walk at Goose Pond Mountain SP and found these photographs. The wildflowers were so intense and amazing I actually wished I were shooting color film, but I'm happy with what I have nonetheless. I met some nice people there as well, one of whom had actually been born in the house that the park ranger now resides in. It was fascinating to hear his account of the history of this place. He regrets with some bitterness the way New York State took over the land by imposing eminent domain, but glad developers didn't turn it into one more hideous mall had the landowners sold it off privately. I was happy that I could walk the many acres of parkland and not be trespassing on anyone's private property.

These two photographs were made the same early morning within a few yards of each other. It was a beautiful day with crisp air and warm sun. There was frost on the grass, and nascent flowers on the trees. They were taken at the 'Goose Pond' which is a shallow body of water bordered by a jog/walk/bike path of about a mile and a half in circumference in the village of Monroe near where I live.

Yesterday, September 2nd, I accompanied my wife to a new location where she wanted to paint. The place is an historic 1769 farm called Hill-Hold in Orange County (NY). I wandered around the out-buildings and found these three images as well as others I've not yet scanned. They were all taken with the Mamiya C220 and 135mm lens. Despite being sorely tempted to sell the cat to get a Hasselblad so I can really indulge my current square format obsession, on balance the cat is nice enough to keep, isn't worth that much ;-), and the TLR is really doing the job!

This past Sunday, August 19th I went to Phillies Bridge Farm and made these images which I like. It's a nice place to roam around in (it's a cooperative farm), and there are numerous picture possibilities.

On a foggy early morning at the end of July I returned to Round Lake hoping to make a worthwhile photograph. The air was still, and the fog was dense over the water. There was a distant boat (barely visible in the second 'graph in the upper left hand corner) cradling a couple of no doubt sleepy fishermen, but nothing else stirred even slightly. Making these two images was one of those pleasures that fisherman and photographers find the most gratifying. After patiently waiting, there's a 'bite' on the line.... and on the imagination.

This photograph is from the same roll as those immediately below, but it's set apart because it is has a distinct resonance for me. It represents an aspect of summer I cannot begin to define...something from my youth during which I distinctly remember experiencing certain moods when stimulated by certain visual environments. This one triggers those feelings. It's a very special place.

The three images below are of the Fishkill River in Beacon, New York. As rivers go this one is just too small for the word 'river' to make much sense, so I choose to call it a stream which may just be what 'kill' means in Dutch. They were made with my Mamiya C220 with a 135mm lens. That camera was the first medium format machine I acquired way back in the 1980's when they were still being made. I've not used it much since getting my Pentax 67 kit, and more recently a couple of 4x5 large format kits, but I really like the square format of the Mamiya and the the whole array is very light and compact...even with the prism finder which is a terrific improvement over the waist level finder. If I win the lottery, I'll get a Hassie, but that's as likely as my getting 20 years younger!

I see that I haven't posted here since March 13th. I think the reason is that I haven't been motivated to print the photographs I've been making and scan them, because I've been too ambivalent about their worthiness. Does this happen to most photographers or other folks making utterly impractical 'art' from time to time? I suspect it does, because I've discovered, to my great disappointment, that in the broadest of terms, I'm not unique.....;) So, in the manner of soooo many website owners, I'll just state that more wonderfulness is 'coming soon' and try to get a good night's sleep. (winking furiously.....ow!)

Here are a few photographs of a local area I really enjoy visiting. I've made many images at this wetland, but I've been selective about the ones I think are 'keepers'. Though others have often used the phrase, I think of these as embodying "a sense of place". They were all made with a Shen-Hao 4x5 camera and 150mm Schneider G-Claron lens.

I've had mixed feelings about this as an 11x14 print thinking it might be better smaller (too strongly graphic perhaps), but I've now decided that I like it that large. It was made from a 4x5 negative in a Shen-Hao camera. I think the lens was a 250mm Fujinon, but I'm not certain.