Post 9-11 Fervor

This photo was taken shortly after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. I was driving down Route 93 South heading to an appointment in Boston when I saw this American flag tied to the rocks at Sheepfold in Stoneham, MA. I had been so upset after watching the events of 9-11 unfold over the prior three days that I had to take the photo. Now, six years later, I'm more upset at the questions that the facts of 9-11 have raised about our own government's potential complicity.

Early Morning in Portland, Maine

Here's a photo I took of a beautiful boat sitting at the dock in Portland, Maine. This was before I had children and could simply wake up in the morning, pack up my photography equipment, and head out to points unknown for a day of shooting. This has always been one of my favorites because of the eerie feeling the fog creates in this photo.

A Bit Unnerving

This is the standard version of the colorized photo I've included in the right-hand column of this blog. It's a rather unnerving sight when you're taking a nice, relaxing, scenic drive to Plum Island, MA. The sign refers to the Seabrook (New Hampshire) Nuclear Power Plant and the fact that it would be impossible to run if there was actually an accident at that facility.

I took this photo on a cloudy day in the middle of the week during the month of June. I woke up a couple of days later only to find an article on-line and in the local paper talking about the fact that the Seabrook warning alarm had gone off in the middle of the night and frightened the residents of Amesbury. We didn't even hear it. Our windows were closed and our air conditioning was on. As it turns out, it was an alarm malfunction...or so they say. Who really knows?

One of My Favorites

In keeping with the "signs" theme for this evening, here's a promotional movie poster on the side of a city bus publicizing the release of The Italian Job. We were riding around the Back Bay when I had the opportunity to shoot this. This is one of my favorite photos (and one of my favorite movies).

A Boston Landmark

For years this sign held it's ground on an overpass on Storrow Drive in Boston, MA. What once read "Reverse Curve," was changed into a plea by Boston Red Sox fans to reverse the "Curse of the Bambino." In 2004, the Red Sox responded by winning the World Series after an 86-year drought, effectively reversing the curse. The sign has since been removed.

Welcome to Jumpin' Jay's, Portsmouth, NH

This is one of my favorite downtown Portsmouth signs. It's for Jumpin' Jay's Fish Cafe. This guy hangs above the door.

The Guy Who REALLY Won and the Woman Who Should Have Been the Governor of Massachusetts

Back a few years, now, but it seems like a century ago. Shannon O'Brien ran against Mitt Romney for Governor of Massachusetts and, unfortunately, she lost. I did get a great gig shooting this event, however, when Al Gore came to Boston to support her efforts.

Falling on Deaf Ears

I took this photo in Park Square just before our imperial president invaded Iraq. These people were really good natured, standing out there for hours in the freezing cold. Several of them are still protesting at the same spot to this day.

I'm In Control Here

I used to ride my motorcycle along the back roads from Winchester to Concord. Every once in a while I'd come upon grazing sheep with their loyal watchdog, a beautiful white Great Pyrenees. This was the sweetest dog just hanging around doing his job, keeping a watchful eye on his fellow animals and keeping them in line.

Another Rather Extraordinary Item

Here's another favorite. My partner and I have, for the most part, always lived near the ocean. We used to love to drive the coastal route to Gloucester, MA and one of our favorite diversions was Manchester-by-the-Sea.

We rounded a corner one day and looked over the side to the beach below and saw this sitting there. It's aptly named Kill Your Television.

We drove by several days later and it was still sitting there, albeit in much worse condition than this photo indicates. It took almost two weeks for this item to be cleaned off the beach.

Welcome!

Welcome to my photo blog. This is a way for me to personalize some of my work, so I thought we'd start with this photo. I call this Crossed Lines.

This photo looked like a rather ordinary shot of above-the-ground telephone lines when I was looking through the lens. I remember thinking I'd never try to use it anywhere. I took it when I lived in Beverly, MA.

However, once I took it off the camera and got it onto my hard drive, it was eerily religious in some sort of funky way. It's really rather hard to describe the pull it has on me, but it is one of my favorites. I have photographed several rather ordinary items like this that did not turn out to be ordinary photographs.