within reach: to

from marilu © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

i love this photo, #36

© Shawn Gust

I love this photo by the photographer Shawn Gust. It comes from his series, the dream of becoming King, and of the image, Shawn says, "...the iconic Cadillac emblem seemed to almost project it's luster on the garage door. It seemed the perfect analogy to illustrate the fading of a "glitter and gold" ideal."

And here's his artist statement about the project:

The Cadillac. A symbol of luxury and status in the United States for decades. The American Dream. With society, the economy, and many of the planet's natural environments in jeopardy of all but vanishing before our eyes, so too is The American Dream.

[See past 'i love this photo' entries here.]

still

© kjm

On Saturday, Marilu and I explored Calvary Cemetery, a historic St. Louis cemetery dating back to 1857. Calvary neighbors Bellefontaine Cemetery, and both are dramatic in scale, landscape and their notable inhabitants - people like William S. Burroughs, Dred Scott, Tennessee Williams and William Clark. But of particular interest (and worthy of future visits) were the beautiful portrait photographs on many of the headstones of Catholic Italian Americans.

within reach: pull

blind strings © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

as seen: upstairs, downstairs

MCA Chicago: kids art class table (basement); Ryan Gander exhibit (third floor) © kjm

brea souders on collect.give

Wasp Comb, 2007 © Brea Souders

Brea Souders is today the latest photographer to offer a limited edition print on collect.give. Twenty of her lovely 9x9" c-prints (above) will be sold to raise money for the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. Since launching in December, we've raised nearly $5,000 for eleven different and distinct causes. If you haven't stopped by, please do!

sweet hearts

© kjm

I was reminded this weekend how nice it is to laugh with Marilu.

within reach: cast plastic

plastic cup shadows © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

as seen: drive/fly

model car and butterfly decal © kjm

strength

(blue) sky for Roberta © kjm

as seen: heute morgen

apple after breakfast, Munich hotel © kjm

as seen: touch, sight

felt shop window, left; woody allen concert poster, right © kjm

within reach: unshreddable

just before shredding © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

sky above: the store

sky above where grandpa Kimura's store was © kjm

as seen: hunt

guest bedroom, holualoa town © kjm

respects

Auntie Leigh's grave © kjm

as seen: lane

Hilo gym before Auntie Lyn's tai chi class © kjm

as seen: shells

guest bathroom, honolulu © kjm

as seen: view

guest bedroom, holualoa © kjm

as seen: pink

guest bathroom © kjm

in the making

© kjm

Marilu and I attended a party a few nights ago, in a lovely old St. Louis home. There was wonderful food, lots of new (to us) interesting people, and a performance of live music. Three musicians, two of whom play with the Chicago Symphony, performed a Mozart piece to a crowd of about 50 - it was quite a treat.

While we listened and watched the musicians, it made me think about artistic creation - the act of making. The music we heard wasn't being recorded, but was joyfully being made for those of us gathered that night. As photographers, what we make will ultimately be consumed/viewed on a piece of paper or as a digital image on a screen. But what about the joy in the process? I make hundreds of pictures each week, but is there a joy in creation each time I push the button? Obviously not, but there are still frequent moments when I know all the elements are coming together, and I'm about to make a really nice picture. My heart beats a little faster.

That feeling used to happen more often - perhaps more often than not, in my earliest days of taking pictures, when I knew less about the craft. Here's to still understanding the end product of what we create, but to not overlook the pleasure of actually pushing the button.

white stuff

Christmas Eve snowball © kjm

I had a vigorous, pre-dawn shoveling session this morning. The snow was the "brownie" type: a slightly crunchy surface, with moist snow below. It was also of the "good packing" variety, which is to say, good for snowball or snowman-making. Many a grown man in Wisconsin will still reflexively bend down to pack a snowball, if the conditions are right.

within reach: sauce

spaghetti bowl © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

this existed

Dad On Bed, 1985 © Larry Sultan

"Photography does stop time. It's an exterior form of memory: This existed. That's it's greatest truth, to leave a trace of what has been." - the late Larry Sultan, in an interview on Fresh Air.

Shouldn't most of us make, or have made, our own version of this picture?

as seen: a.m.

morning light on Marilu's couch © kjm

within reach: frigid

frost on the bedroom window © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

fast graphic

© Dustin Amery Hostetler (UPSO)

Graphic artist Dustin Amery Hostetler has created his "holiday wish list" over at Jen Bekman's 20x200, and this is his lovely take on my piece, Jones Boulevard Location, #1. You can find his contribution to the site, Color Study, #4 here. If I were filling my own 20x200 stocking this year, it might include work by Dan Boardman, Mark Menjivar, Colleen Plumb, Shaun Sundholm, or William Lamson.

within reach: protection

after packing the box © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

taking on water

© Francis Ford

Frank Ford's ship isn't sinking - but if it was, he'd have lots of people to throw him a line. Frank has been making wonderful pictures in Milwaukee for a long time, and has assembled what he calls The Lifeboat Show, a collection of portraits of friends he'd want with him, should he start taking water on. It's a who's who of Milwaukee's theater, photography and art world: like Jim Dine's Name Painting meets Noah's ark. Shouldn't everyone do this?

If you're within the sound of my voice, you have a few days left to see the show. The Cedar Gallery is at 326 N. Water Street in the Third Ward (above Starbucks). Hours: 1-5 pm daily, with a closing party this Saturday.

i love this photo, #35

© Alexi Hobbs

I love this photo by the photographer Alexi Hobbs. Alexi is a full-time graphic designer and part-time photography major who lives in Montreal. Check out his blog, The Contact Sheet, where he often skillfully pairs photographs with music.

"This photo is part of Maritime Currents, a semi-diaristic series I made in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, two of Canada's Maritime provinces. It is an attempt to juxtapose the kitschy touristic experience, that we all go through when we visit the typical sites found on any tour-bus vacationist's itinerary, with my own personal explorations and more private moments. This particular photo shows the quintessential seafood platter one can purchase, and then enjoy, in most of the little take-outs that are found in practically all of the little towns."

[See past 'i love this photo' entries here.]