right across the hall

i happened across this portrait of the day across the hall from my studio... convenient. i interrupted he and my brother as they were trying to have a meeting about the design for a new house. my brother is an architect, mostly... let me know if you need one. the subject of the portrait was slightly uncomfortable being thrust into the focus of my lens, and he was concerned about the boringness of the photos. i really enjoy the simplicity and the geometry that is made by the backdrop elements. as is often said, "it's the simple things in life."

contribute: to give in order to help achieve or provide something

make a contribution. it doesn't have to be to the contributor, but give something worthwhile to something worthwhile.

two of us

this project really was (and is,) extremely fulfilling. the world is so full of beautiful moments... some of them populated with other people, some with no people at all. to be able to take snapshots of these events is a modern day luxury that is often abused and taken for granted. this project was just a blip on the radar, with hardly a handful of people seeing these posts every day, but it means so much to me (and to many of those included,) to have assembled such a collection of portraits of us. we are all the same and different; that is the magic irony. i hope that we can learn to read between the lies.

son-in-law?

this is one of my daughter's future possible husbands; he has passed all tests so far. there is a little bit of competition, but the game has just begun. anyways, these were taken on another of nashville's snow days last year (hard to believe with the 50-60 degree temps of this winter,) and there was a snow ball "game." he sort-of ran around the yard, and i sort-of tried to hit him with snow balls. yes, it sounds a little unfair, or whatever, but i promise that he was laughing the whole time. he is a solid kid, with a perfect grin. and, of course, his parents are wonderful people; i wish that we saw them all more often.

coupon with a gr

i had a client so generously offer me two of those coupons that people go crazy for online as a gift when i finished painting in his house. he was moving across the country, and he was not going to be able to use them before he departed; i happened to be at his house at the right time. the coupon's value was something like forty dollars of merchandise for twenty dollars, and i now had two of them. the hardware store is one of the few stores that i can always find things that i actually need, and here was an opportunity to go spend some free money... well, of course, it wasn't completely free. anyways, i went shopping, and i immediately asked the clerk for any guidelines/small print that i should know. well, that is where this portrait subject is involved. i was only allowed to use one of the coupons per visit, and i even asked if i could buy something, leave for five minutes and then come back to spend the other coupon... he looked at me as though he thought i was clever, but wrong. i kindly pleaded, and i unwillingly accepted defeat. well, i found an ideal piece of sheet metal to use for a magnet board that i was making for my daughter... and there was something else that i bought, but i forget. after i checked out, i strolled out to my car with a burning in my pocket... that coupon was hot. and there, as i was getting into my car, this woman stepped out of the passenger's seat of the car beside me... BOOOM! there was a two pack idea - my portrait of the day and recipient of the coupon giveaway. she was pleased, as either she or her friend had just moved into a new place and had a grocery list worth of needed items from the hardware store. it was the coupon that kept on being given.

obvious portrait

there are certain businesses that have come to nashville over the past decade or so that fertilize the "big city status" that nashville may be trying to achieve. in and of itself, nashville probably wanted to stay a small city, and it has done a great job of holding on to some of the characteristics that give it the feel of a smaller town. but, natural progress can not be stopped, and the subject here owns one of those businesses that has begun to put nashville on the map in terms of being a city to reckon with. his gallery/studio/event hall has hosted a number of parties that people will talk about for years (if they can remember them,) and they have made a niche for themselves with the artsy, eclectic, cultured, black-clad, late-night crowd. it is a scene to be seen... and heard.

house of portraits

there was one location last year that was the ultimate wellspring for portraits to include in this project. in all, i caught five people at this place, and they were all ideal subjects for this... particular wrinkles, shyness, berets, scarves, grins, spirits. that is exactly why i wanted to do this daily portrait project. we are such a beautiful lot in all of our variations... and we have hundreds of thousands of particularities. how can we continue down the road of acceptance and tolerance? yesterday, for a first grade project, i sat with my daughter and researched rosa parks. it was a more powerful experience for me than for my seven year old, i think, and it was something that i needed. we all have opportunities in life to "not give up our seat." we all have opportunities to love and accept others as "different but equal." i will work on me.