A Murder of Crows, and It Got Worse From There

This morning as I left my front door to begin my customary daily walk of a couple of miles to my downtown workspace, I saw what appeared to be a Mercedes BiTurbo V8 lurking in the shadows almost directly across our street. I also saw a grouping, maybe enough to constitute a murder, of crows on the sidewalk in front of me facing across the street toward the M-B. I quickly composed a photograph in my mind whereby I would shoot the scene of the Mercedes with the crows swarming toward and around it. But they scattered in the other direction as I approached, leaving me with just this unremarkable composition.

Mentally filing the experience away as a possible future Photoshop project (compositing images of crows to my capture — but only if that continues to seem like a good idea), I grabbed another view of the car, perhaps to be added to my collection of cars hidden in or emerging from shadow. (On my daily walks, I often share sightings of interesting cars with my equally-obsessively-challenged car buddies.)

Continuing on my walk, I briefly noticed about a block distant a street person who was loudly cursing and railing against someone or something unseen — not a terribly uncommon sight along this particular stretch of Second Avenue (itself a subject of an ongoing photo-documentary project). So I paid little attention and continued on my path. Suddenly, the 911T of a new acquaintance, Michael, buzzed by, so I engaged in a little fast-action spontaneous street-shooting practice, stepping to the curb to start a slow burst following his car.

But just as I had pretty much given up tracking Michael’s drive-by, the aforementioned street person appeared almost in my face; she had stepped off the sidewalk and glared at me as she swiftly strode past. So this turned out to be the final frame in the Michael 911T burst; photobombed by a rather agressive and hostile passerby.

The day’s not over yet. We shall see what further develops.

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Stephen

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The Dead Vines on East Birch Street

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The White Peacock

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Bigger Than Life: Bill & Jim

Bill sends along this photograph, made by Mr. Utter, of himself and Jim, his silversmith friend in a neighboring studio, together with a vintage movie camera under restoration.  For more on Bill, see this page.

Jim (l.), Bill (r.) – photo by Mr. Utter

And here’s another version, this time with photographer Mr. Utter himself included:

(left to right, Bill, Jim, Mr. Utter) – photo by Mr. Utter

And, while we are at it, here is a sculpture that silversmith Jim sits outside his studio:

The Greening of the Sculpture (Photographer Unknown)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE 6/25/2019: Bill advises that Mr. Utter has passed away, 
following a June 11 stroke.  R.I.P., Mr. Utter.
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Memorial Day Weekend: Mountain View Cemetery

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From the Stardust Lanes / Eagles / Second Avenue Project

20190516-D61_9007

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Message In The Clouds

While traveling to a wildlife refuge in the region in celebration of Mothers’ Day, I conduct the usual en-route “windshield photography” as the subject mother drives.  A couple of days later, I download and inspect some of the results recorded on my camera’s SD card, and discover this image:

Original Image, After B&W Conversion

Then I see a curious cloud feature, near the top and just to the left of center of that image. Here are cropped details, with varying levels of contrast adjustment, which allow closer inspection of this matter:

 

 

 

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“Homage to Van Gogh”

Springing out of “windshield photography” conducted during the return trip on Highway 12 from our Mothers’ Day outing for some birdspotting at a local wildlife refuge, this windshield grab of an oncoming Alfa Romeo Giulia, a rare bird in its own right, becomes my “Homage to Vincent Van Gogh”.

Alfa Romeo Giulia – May 12, 2019 (after Vincent Van Gogh)

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Upon Awakening

5/11/2019

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