Shot a magazine spread on Richmond’s old haunted spots.
Main Street Station, Richmond, Virginia
St. John's Church Graveyard, Richmond, Virginia
Poe Museum, Richmond, Virginia
Shot a couple portraits last month, for Richmond Magazine’s Theresa Pollack Awards.
Pollack Recipient for Filmmaking, Robert Griffith
Pollack Recipient for Fine Art, Pam Anderson
No cash for this clunker, it’s still too awesome.
I shot a magazine assignment last month about local farmers markets, which seem to be popping up everywhere. I think this rise in popularity is a good thing, considering the impact they have on the local economy. Nowadays we should try to carry this over to all of the products we buy. I recently read an article that really states the facts, and this was from 2007, BEFORE what began happening with the economy this year.
Here’s an excerpt from that article: A 2002 Economic Impact Analysis in Austin, Texas, was one of the first major studies to examine the impact of shopping at local businesses versus national chains. It found that for every $100 spent at a local bookstore or CD store, $45 stayed in the local economy. For every $100 spent at Borders, however, the local economic impact was only $13. A study in Maine the following year yielded similar results: Shopping local kept three times more money in the local economy than shopping at chains. The studies cite several reasons for this. Proportionally, local merchants tend to employ more local labor and buy more local goods than national competitors, which operate from remote headquarters. Local business owners keep their profits in state, and contribute more to local and state taxes. Local businesses are also more likely to promote local artists and authors.
Anyway, I thought I’d share a few images. These are all from the local farmer’s markets around Richmond. (Byrd House Market, Shockoe Bottom Market, and The Bryant Park Market)
I have been shooting so much with my iphone lately that I decided this weekend to do a new section on my main website soon that is just devoted to shots taken with the phone.
There is something about this camera that I have fallen in love with. I don’t know what it is exactly. It sort of takes me back to the days of film and polaroid, trying to exclusively use view cameras and the constant search for the right screwed up lens that made a beautiful image with all its imperfections. Those days are long gone for me, although greatly missed. Don’t get me wrong. I have pretty awesome gear now, but I spent a lot of time messing up the images I take with the great glass of today’s cameras just to try to acheive that look. Let’s be honest, I wouldn’t call these 3 megapixel images great quality, but it’s now something that excites me. The trick will be now to find a client brave enough to let me shoot a job with it.
Now, for the new gallery on the site, the rules are simple: No editing in any program other than the software that exists on the phone, that means no photoshop, no lightroom, no anything that is not on my phone. Here’s a sneak peak at a new series I have been working on. I still have lots more that I want to shoot, but here are a few selects.
New section on the main site will be up soon.
I went to a friend’s birthday party last weekend. Spent some time shooting pictures with the iphone, which I seem to do a lot these days.
What’s interesting is the fact I used other people’s cell phones as the lighting. Came out pretty spooky.
I processed this group in an app called ShakeItPhoto, an old-school polaroid app.
For those interested, I am using several iphone camera apps these days. It’s amazing what you can do with these alone, no other processing.
Camera Bag, emulates a few different things.
ToyCamera, toy camera type app.
ShakeItPhoto, polaroid app.
Photogene, mini photoshop like app.
Lot’s of cool stuff out there, so get out and shoot.
Welcome to Bodacious, a 3 day four wheel drive festival four times a year in rural Columbia, Virginia. Having heard about it for years, I finally made it this year.
This is the type of place that I believe the spectators and participants wouldn’t be offended to be called rednecks. They probably would actually be quite proud. I didn’t see any need to test the theory though. Just a bunch of good ol’ boys doing what they do best.
Here are a few images from the weekend.
Dirt Track Racing
Drag Racin'
4 wheeler racing
The racer from the previous image. This guy DOMINATED the field.
Family outing.
Washing up after the mud bog.
Dirt Track Racer, relaxing after his win in his race class.
Whats more American for the 4th of July than a little dirt track racing?
I went up to Frederick, MD for the annual Barbara Fritchie Classic Motorcycle Race with my brother inlaw and his dad. I had never been to a dirt track race before so it was an all new experience for me. I headed out from Richmond early yesterday on my motorcycle to meet up with him in Northern Virgina, then we rode together to Frederick. Aside from a bee making it’s way up my jacket and stinging my arm before I could pull over and get it out, it was a great day to be out again on the bike. We were a little late arriving at the fairgrounds, but once we were there we saw some great racing. I got lots of pictures, hopefully it will give you a feel for what it’s like being there. It seemed so 1970s, like something straight out of CHiPs.
On a side note, I really like tilt/shift lenses, and decided to experiment shooting action sports with it, something I have never really attempted before. Very tough, considering everything is manual, but I was pretty pleased with the results.
Finally getting around to publishing the last post. Sorry for the delay. Pretty busy trying to catch up on stuff when I got back to town.
Around 4 A.M. that night at the Nantahala Campground, all the good weather I was blessed with so far, went away. Thunder and lightning woke me up, and a couple times over the next few hours, I was really fearing for my life. That nice creek I camped next to was in the back of my mind and I wondered if there was gonna be a flash flood from all the rain that was battering my tent. The tent stayed pretty dry though and only a few drops made their way through, landing on my face. I solved that problem by shielding my face with my sleeping bag. The rain finally subsided, and everything seemed to be OK for a bit. I slept another hour, then got up and broke camp.
I stopped by the outdoor center on the way out to get some coffee, and met a guy that called himself Gypsy Drew. He was staying in the area looking for work, camping out for free in the National Forest. He was a guitar player, and told me he had once taken a moped from NC all the way down to the Keys and back, just traveling and playing music, working odd jobs to get by. He was trying to find work in the Nantahala area, but times were tough because of the economy. I wished him luck and took off.
Gypsy Crew at the Nantahala Outdoor Center
I got on the road around 8 A.M., with plans of heading back westward, to the famed Route 129 destination, known as Deal’s Gap. It is there that the road turns into what is called The Tail of the Dragon. Famous for its 318 curves in 11 miles, it is a destination for motorcyclists from all over. I had never been there, and wasn’t sure what to expect, but being that close to it, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ride it. I traveled back along US 19, turned onto Rt. 129 and followed the road into Robbinsville, NC. Made a fuel stop, then ran by Mcdonalds for a quick bite to eat for breakfast. I met some guys there that had ridden down from Quebec, talked to them for a few, and then set off for The Dragon. I finally arrived at Crossroads of Time, the hangout and I believe the only building on this road. It has a motel, cafe, and a souvenir shop. I wasn’t expecting all the people that were at the Crossroads of Time… to put it mildly, it was packed with motorcyclists.
Motorcycles at Deal's Gap
I stopped there for a few, talked to a couple riders, and then left to try a run. The Dragon was everything it was said to be. Complete craziness, especially compounded by the fact that you are sharing the road with hundreds of other bikers. I don’t know if it was the ideal place for me. Having some sportbike guy coming towards me in the opposite lane, pushing the limits of speed and just about crossing into my lane just isn’t my idea of fun, no matter how “skilled” they are. Lots of photographers positioned along the way that take pictures of your run. This one is one is from ZeeFoto. The rider is yours truly.
Photo by Zeefoto.com
After I made it through, I stopped at an observation point to take a rest. Met a nice fellow from Alabama, who told me that the dam we could see below was featured in the movie The Fugitive, starring Harrison Ford. Whether you want to admit or not, I am sure most of us have seen and remember that dam scene where he leaps out.
The Dam at Deal's Gap
I got some directions from the guy at the observation point on how to cut back through from the other side of the mountain. I was to take a road called the Foothills Parkway, and that would eventually take me to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, then on to Cherokee, N.C. and onto Asheville. My goal would be Asheville, N.C. that night, but bad weather was threatening.
I left shortly after to look for the Foothills Parkway. I decided to not use the GPS, and just go off directions he had given me, and watch carefully for the turn. After I traveled about 25 miles, I realized I missed it, and turned around in some gas station in the middle of nowhere. It was here I dropped my bike for the first time. I guess it was the weight of my bike, mixed with the exhaustion I was feeling after that many days of traveling. It was a dirt parking lot, and as I was leaving somehow I lost my balance, and just didn’t have the strength to stop the fall. It toppled over and no matter how hard I tried, the bike was just too heavy to pick up on my own. I asked two young guys to help me, but I guess they were too cool, they just looked at me then walked away. Nice people ha. Soon this guy pulls up and offered a hand. He seemed really concerned that my bike was scratched. I didn’t really care at that point, plus the side cases broke the fall. The cases did get scratched but the bike appeared to be fine–we’ll call them Battle Scars, not scratches.
After making sure I didn’t have any real damage (broken rear brake lever or worse) I was on my way. The bike was fine. I turned around and went back towards Deals Gap. I eventually found the turn and rode the Foothills Parkway. Sadly I didn’t stop to take any pictures, but it was a beautiful road with hardly any traffic. It started to drizzle off and on, but I wasn’t miserable. I eventually found my way into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It was truly beautiful, and I was really enjoying the ride until I heard the cracks of thunder. Then the rain started, and it would follow me off and on for the next two days. That day in the park was the worst. It truly poured, some of the hardest rains you can imagine. I knew I would be fine though because I have really good gear. What I didn’t know until a few minutes later, was as good as my gear was, it was NOT waterproof unless you have the liner inside. And I left the liner at home in Virginia. I got SOAKED, and was actually freezing. I met another rider caught in the same predicament. We both had a goal of making it over the mountain to Cherokee, N.C. So after a few minutes drying out in the Park’s Visitor Center, we decided to give it a go. I wore my rain jacket under my riding jacket, and that did the trick. We rode over the mountain together, and soon ended up in Cherokee, N.C. where we enjoyed a fancy cuisine at the local Dairy Queen before parting ways. I remember going there once as a kid with my parents, but I didn’t remember Cherokee being like this. Tourist trap is the only thing to come to mind. A giant mini golf course with nothing but junk for sale. I was pretty disappointed so I got on the road to try and make it to Asheville.
This would be the start of my trip home. I had a plan to ride the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway, all 469 miles up to Waynesboro, VA. I had been on parts of it before, but had never done the whole thing. This seemed the ideal way to travel home. I got on in Cherokee and planned to get off in Asheville, camping or staying in another motel depending on the weather. A few miles in, it started to rain heavily, and it was getting late, I made the decision to get off the parkway, and save some mileage getting to Asheville. In pouring rain, I decided that the most I could make it to would be Waynesville, and I found a Best Western there and pulled in for the night. Nice to be out of the rain, and I hoped that it would be nice the next day for my trip back. I never slept better.
I got up early and left by about 8am. Had to do a little bit of interstate into Asheville, then stopped there to gas up and got on the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you have never driven the Parkway, I highly recommend it. Stunningly beautiful, no stoplights and very little traffic the entire time. It was near Asheville that I hit the highest elevation I had been at on the Parkway, 6053 feet, at milepost 431. In less then 2 weeks, I had gone from o feet to 6053 feet. Not the highest I have ever been on trips out West, but pretty cool none the less. In my opinion, the Parkway near Asheville was among the most scenic, although the whole Parkway was great the whole way.
View from Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville
I ran into some serious fog around this area–so bad I had trouble seeing. It fogged my visor on my helmet first, then lifting it, I had clear vision with my glasses for about a minute, until finally I had to pull those off and just ride without really being able to see. I creeped along and finally made it through it, and everything got better. It was raining pretty good off and on, but in the mountains it wasn’t so bad. Strange mountain weather, but its strangeness made it not so miserable to be riding in the bad weather. In a couple spots the Parkway was closed because of rock slides, so I had to detour. I detoured through the town of Boone, then got back on.
Taking a rest later that afternoon, I stopped on an overlook. I heard a couple bikes go by, and decided it was time to ride with other people. I quickly got on my bike, and caught up. Little did I know that I would ride with these guys for the next 300 or so miles. I followed for a while, then when they pulled over in another overlook, I did too. I introduced myself. They were Gary and Steve, both from Buffalo, New York. They had done Deals Gap also, and Gary said he had had noticed my bike there, and recognized me. We rode together until dark, contemplating camping, but instead made it to a place called Tuggles Gap. We stayed in the Tuggles Gap Inn. I had seriously considered camping, since I knew it was my last night on the road, but the mention of the restaurant and a hot meal at the Motel’s restaurant was too powerful to resist. The meal was good, but the motel….. not much I can say. Gary puts it perfectly in an email he sent me later. “Remember, any future rides need to include a stay at the posh Tuggle’s Gap Motel where every amenity is provided as long as it does not include TV, air, heat, fridge, coffee maker, and clean linens!” Needless to say, I slept in my sleeping bag that night, on the bed.
Tuggle's Gap Inn
We left around 8:30am, after having breakfast in the restaurant. Riding with these guys was great. After almost two weeks solo on the road, it was nice to have someone else to ride with. I want to thank those guys for the companionship, and the fact that riding with them definitely improved my riding skills overall too. Trying to keep up with them with knobbies on my bike made me far more confident in tight turns. We finally split up in Waynesboro, and after lunch in Charlottesville, I made it home to Richmond. They made it safely home the following day.
Gary from Buffalo, NY
Steve from Buffalo, NY
It was nice to finally be home again with my wife and sleep in my own bed. This trip was great, and it’s something that I think I will make into a yearly tradition. For my first solo tour, I have to say there’s not much I would have changed about it. I think the most important thing was preparation, and having the right gear to accomplish it. It is definitely an experience I would recommend to anyone up for a little adventure.
Total trip mileage : 2111
photo by xtreme sports photography
