Daily Photos

< April 2011 >

April 1, 2011
Dare to be different. Multidirectional. Coming soon. Lines and colors, lines and colors, it`s all about lines and colors. Taking pictures from the red carpet.

April 2, 2011
As the player in red scores, the one in black looks bad, but it`s really the ones in white who allowed it to happen. Fearless. Is that rain falling? No, it`s hail. `Here, let me help you with that.`

April 3, 2011
The sport was a mystery to me, but the gear looked cool. The team in black traveled from Illinois to Dayton only to get trampled 13-0 (and that was just the halftime score). Love the superhero masks. Did you see the movie `Gladiator`? I eventually figured out that the players weren`t allowed to pick up the ball with their hands.

April 4, 2011
It was just a rehearsal, so I could`ve stayed home tonight. I`m very glad I didn`t. Capturing this conductor`s expression was my own work, but the little lights trailing off in the background were a gift. Drummers are actors too. Who, me? This was NOT a dress rehearsal.

April 5, 2011
The sound of a gamelan is hard to describe in words. Music is for sharing. `No one cares for you-a-smidge when you`re in an or-phan-age. It`s a hard-knock life!` They look better in their uniforms than they did last night. If I was in charge of this event, everybody would be lit with normal white light so they don`t look pink or blue or yellow.

April 6, 2011
Artist Patrick Dougherty (right) bends Nature to his will. I don`t care what the calendar says, Spring began today. The cold morning was followed by a warm and sunny day. My high school colors. When I looked at this picture hours later, I momentarily thought there was something wrong with my camera.

April 7, 2011
An estimated 40,000 people will participate in the color guard and percussion world championships in Dayton. Hundreds of teams and thousands of athletes have all practiced for months just to present a five-minute show. Some of the teams have traveled from Europe or Asia to compete, while others come from just down the street. Color guard competitions are a showcase for positive energy, creativity, grace, agility, strength and beauty. The winning teams do not receive money: they get a nice trophy, along with an unforgettable sense of exhilaration.

April 8, 2011
I am very fortunate that I`m allowed to sit as close as physically possible to the edge of the performance floor. In fact, people who paid a great deal of money for tickets have to sit BEHIND me, and I don`t need to pay anything. My proximity to the floor is something of a mixed blessing. During the very first performance, I was nearly hit by a flag. The pictures that I take will appear in printed publications or on the Web site of WGI, the sponsoring organization. I hope that the performers see the photos I took of them, and that it brings back good memories of the experience.

April 9, 2011
The whole thing seems kind of silly when you think about it: spinning flags, rifles and swords inside of a gymnasium. But these kids are the best in the world at it, and they do breathtaking things with this odd arsenal of implements. I occasionally see other people`s pictures of the same color guard events and -- well -- I think mine are better. It may also seem like a silly talent to have, but I am pretty confident in my ability to take good pictures of color guard. Though I rarely meet any of these competitors personally, our brief connection results in great pictures we both like.

April 10, 2011
Catching up with old friends during the off season. `Say my number. SAY IT! Two is your worst nightmare.` OUCH! Why I always hated playing volleyball. Preservice. `GET IT, RACHEL!!`

April 11, 2011
With nothing better to take pictures of, I bring my camera along with me on a twilight trip to the post office. I could have ridden to the post office, but decided to walk. It was a calm and quiet night. Don`t miss the little face in the upper right. There are so many people in the world . . . so many . . . who I know I wouldn`t like. This is evidence of one of them.

April 12, 2011
Pothole relief! I never graduated from Bellbrook, nor did I play football. Blossoming trees: blink and you`ll miss them. Goldilocks. Patrick Dougherty discusses his tree branch sculptures.

April 13, 2011
Mesmerized by art. We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, yellow submarine. We`re chopping up a big piece of wood, a big piece of wood, big piece of wood. Here`s looking at you. Not all of the art studios are busy tonight.

April 14, 2011
Someone just realized it`s spring. Green Street is green, red, yellow and white. Hess Street is pink and blue. Cardinals are easily spooked, so when taking pictures it`s usually one and done. This is the kind of picture I`d take in the dead of winter. However, I just couldn`t pass it up on this spring day.

April 15, 2011
A last-minute pep talk from the coach. Costume adjustment backstage. Keeping an eye on the competition. For a quick energy boost after the show. Despite an injured hand, the performer in yellow went onto the floor and spun a rifle just like everybody else.

April 16, 2011
Avon High School. Ayala High School. Milton High School. Rhythm X. Palmetto Percussion.

April 17, 2011
We must begin to seek the wisdom of the children, and the graceful way of flowers in the wind. JOHN DENVER I scored this picture using my ears rather than my eyes. It`s still best not to touch it (see February 2, 2011). When does a choir director not need music? When the choir SIGNS instead of SINGS.

April 18, 2011
Someone planned this color combination months ago. Patrick Dougherty`s stickwork sculpture is nearly done (see April 6 and 12 above). The amazing thing is that Patrick Dougherty`s stickwork sculptures start out with tree branches that are STRAIGHT. Why a duck? GROUCHO MARX I spend a of time crouching down to flower level.

April 19, 2011
If I didn`t have things to mail in the evening, what would I take pictures of (see April 11 above)? Springtime litter on the stainless steel top of the mailbox. Who is Arthur? Where is Arthur? Springtime in the city. .tcirtsiD nogerO

April 20, 2011
The dangers of being a war photographer extend beyond the obvious risk of getting killed taking pictures of combat. At the front lines of conflict, they are forced to observe up close what we can easily ignore in our peaceful homes. Decisions made in executive offices are brutally carried out in distant villages where death recognizes no uniforms. War photographers show us that killing people who are different from us simply sows the seeds for the next war. For Chris Hondros and Tim Hetherington.

April 21, 2011
On a day like this, what can go wrong? I tell people in my photography workshops not to take pictures of single flowers. Hopefully they don`t listen. Look up, look down, I can`t decide. On you, those colors look good. No, really. In the park today, I had to avoid TWO photographers taking pictures of little girls (and their annoying mothers).

April 22, 2011
Rainy day pictures. The last incandescent light bulbs I possess. One of them works, one of them doesn`t. This is actually the bulb that doesn`t work. Light the light.

April 23, 2011
Back alley wilderness. Feel like a cup of rainwater? If there HAD been more, I would`ve shot them too. Rain-soaked robin. My flower photos look different this year, and I`m glad.

April 24, 2011
What I can do when I feel like carrying my big, heavy lens around the neighborhood. Feel the pulse! I carried an umbrella just in case. Did you see that movie `Grand Canyon`? This is the time of year when breathtaking visions can be found ten feet away from a busy street.

April 25, 2011
I thought I`d send you a wave. By pushing a few buttons on my camera, I can make it look sunny. I would say they were sunning themselves, but there was no sun. Nowhere to land. One of my favorite colors. Not that I actually wear it myself.

April 26, 2011
I`m not allergic to this kind. What`s the point? Beneath the blossoms. Home tweet home. Briefly, it stopped raining.

April 27, 2011
Life is a cabaret, my friend. There`s only one Mozart opera that involves a tape measure. In this interpretation of `Sixteen Going on Seventeen,` Rolf is the shy one and Liesl is a very forward girl. `Glitter and Be Gay` is a challenging aria, and she will always remember the night she performed it. What a cute duet: `A Small Umbrella in the Rain.`

April 28, 2011
I had a plan for photos today, and it did not involve taking a picture of a streetlight through my rainy windshield. I was going to photograph a dance ensemble preparing for their next show. The rehearsal was open to the public. However, the public didn`t come. I was the only person in the theatre. The dancers and director treated me nicely. The dance group was made up of about 15 young women, most of them not quite dressed for picture-taking. I do have SOME scruples, so I sat through the rehearsal and never touched my camera. NOW what do I shoot?

April 29, 2011
A great day to buy artwork. I used to work in this building! Sun Mask by Leesa Haapapuro (with two admirers). AuctionTV. It`s difficult for a musician to get through airport security. Somebody bought my photograph, but I`m not sure who. Maybe I will sell this one at next year`s auction.

April 30, 2011
I`ve fallen and I can get up! It`s often difficult to keep library crowds under control. Run, girl, run! Nice try. It`s not as easy as it looks on TV. `What do you mean there`s something wrong with my mascara?`

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