A moment in time frozen forever.

This is what we do as photographers. This is really what makes this whole genre so fascinating, so unusual. A two dimensional image lacking that fourth dimension, time, that captures an instant in the time-space continuum. An unique instant. I was recently at the Met to see the Exhibit on Steiglitz, Strand and Steichen and was mesmerized at these photos of New York in the twenties. Some were almost contemporary. But a photo of large buildings made me stop and think about the lives that were being lived by the myriad of people inside these structures. All had come to work that day probably on the subway; all had returned home to their daily chores; all had needs, desires hopes and differing opinions. Yet that photo froze all of these people forever. It was the same with photos of a street scene with people all walking and going their separate ways. All looked important and serious in what they were doing and being New Yorkers all seemed to be in a hurry. But where did they go right after the image was taken? No matter where they went, it really doesn't matter much anymore. It makes you wonder what all our fretting is about. as the bard says it signifies nothing. It takes a photo to make one realize that nothing is really that important in the end. It's all a futile roller coaster ride to eternity and nothingness.
Not a very optimistic or positive viewpoint but an honest one. What I always say when I face something that initially irks me is: will it matter in a hundred years? Think about it and as the message on the answering machine says, have a wonderful day.

Cherry Blossom Festival / Nikon D1-X

These are from the Cherry Blossom Festival hela annually at the Brooklyn Botanic. The lens was the Nikkor 24-85 F2.8-4.

Art? Really? Perhaps only at times.

This will hopefully irate those pretentious fools who call themselves "photographers" and think of themselves as "artists." Really? An expensive camera doesn't make one a photographer nor an artist. The whole of photography as "art" is still a moot point. The jury has not come out yet.
Mow that I have taken this off my chest, and having taken a deep breath, I can go on.
What gets me totally nuts is those who call themselves "fine art photographers" and practice "fine art photography." What is this kind of photography? Just because one uses a large format camera or nowadays, a medium format digital camera with a ridiculous number of mega pixels and takes some panorama, that particular shot isn't necessarily fine art or even art. Just because one spends countless hours using photoshop creating endless layers and adjustments, the result isn't necessarily a work of art. So the sad truth to these pretentious self inflated types is that photography is at times the perfect "accidental art." It's really too easy to take great photos and if these photos are more and more so naturalistic, due to better and better sensors, this mimicking of nature is NOT art! It's imitation. Art is something else. Perhaps I am a mediocrity but in my many years learning this craft; having shot all formats from large format view cameras to the latest digital gear and having spent 33 years in the darkroom, the number of photographs I have taken and printed that approach "art" is very small. I dare say that with digital anyone can call himself an artist but he will only fool himself. This sort of discussion came up once while I was with my mentor Josef Breittenbach. We were discussing the new cameras that we had at that i.e. wide open focus and automatic lenses - way before auto focus - but had good light meters. He said "that even though it gets easier and easier to take photos, you can still count the great photographers with the fingers of one hand." I rest my case.

Spring fever redux - Nikon D-200

Early March at the green house of the botanic garden. The lens was the Nikkor 60mm F2.8 Micro.

Ma che gioconda e giocondsa / Nikon D1-X

I am stating this with great modesty. Yet there something in this photo that recalls the Mona Lisa. The fact that the subject is my beautiful and dear daughter and colleague is only coincidental. Perhaps not. Judge for yourselves. The lens was the 24-85 F2.8-4 Nikkor. The place was the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Perhaps the background should have been less in focus but I like the patterns made by the clematis flowers.

Adirondack Chairs / Canon 1D

These Adirondack chairs were sort of on display on route 25 on the North Fprk of lpng Island. The lens was the 16-35 F2.8 L.

Panorama toscano / Nikon D 200

A a Tuscan panorama with the D 200 and the F17-85 3.5-4.5 kit lens.

Red amaryllis Olympus E PL-2

This amaryllis is another plant that I keep on from year to year and it regales me with is lovely red flowers. A very pleasant distraction from all the white snow that we have seen so far. The kit lens was used and I'm very impressed with it image quality.

A simple geranium Olympus E PL-2

Just a geranium by my window that I keep bringing inside for the winter and thanks me with beautiful blossoms. The lens was the kit lens: the Zuiko Digital 14-42 F 3.5-5.6 II. This is actually a very good lens. The whole package is compact, light and unobtrusive.

Mother Theresa / Leica M-4

This shot was taken at the cathedral in Newark, New Jersey some time ago. What I always liked was the relationship of the well fed bishop who is administering the Eucharist next to the diminutive Mother Theresa. The lens was the Summicron 50mm F2 and the film was Tr--X developed in D-76 full strength.

Early spring evergreens / Canon 10D

Shot in North East Pennsylvania. Always searching for signs of early spring. The lens was the Canon 16-35 F 2.8 L.

Late winter sky - Olympus E PL-2

Shot with the Voigtlader 28mm lens in Leica M mount on the versatile micro four thirds Olymous camera.