by Gary Gardiner | Apr 5, 2013
Java Central in Uptown Westerville without cars blocking the view
Business First has a nice set of articles about Uptown Westerville in its Friday edition. You can read about it on the Shop Uptown Westerville blog or stop by A Gal Named Cinda Lou in Uptown to read its copy. I had not yet seen the article as I stood across the street from Java Central with a rather unusual view.
It was a little after 3 p.m. and a brief lull in traffic and shopping cleared just two parking spots in front of the coffee shop. These two spots are usually filled with coffee fanatics or people running to Schneider’s Donuts for a sugar fix. Adding to my pleasure were two customer in an animated discussions sitting at one of the sidewalk tables.
I knew it wouldn’t be long before one of the open spaces would be filled and the unusual view would be obstructed. I’m always looking for better photos of Uptown, especially when newspapers and magazines are writing stories about Westerville. This was a good chance to have photos that were different. Different because they were shot with a telephoto lens from across the street.
In a perfect world I would have had more time. I would have wished for more people along the brick walk to the right. I would have added fill lights along the walkway. The trees would have leaves.
If this were a formal advertising shot all of those things would have been planned. But it would have taken more than the five minutes I got before a car pulled into one of the parking spots.
Still, I was pleased.
The Business First article’s lead photo is of Debbie Bennati, owner of A gal named Cinda Lou. It was taken by the paper’s staff photographer Janet Adams who I’m sorry to say I missed both her trips to Uptown to shoot the story.
Here are some links for Janet. Twitter Linkedin Google+
by Gary Gardiner | Apr 4, 2013
Sailboat on Hoover Reservoir
When this sailor began the task of preparing his sailboat for its first water journey of the year the sun was bright in the cool sky and there was just enough wind to justify a late afternoon sail around the lower waters of Hoover Reservoir.
Working alone, this springtime sailor steadily assembled mast and lines and rudder and sail with great intent for only just a brief turn around the small lake formed by the man-made dam. Working against time and weather he fought the tangled lines and taut cables of a freshman voyage despite the sun disappearing behind the blanket of clouds casting a cold shadow across his endeavors.
As the temperature and wind dropped he completed the assembly and launched into a less than speedy trip across the lake, his first of the season.
Sailor with his sailboat on Hoover Reservoir
Of course, there’s a Hipstamatic Tintype Photo.
See more photos in The Gardiner Collection.
by Gary Gardiner | Apr 3, 2013
Funeral at St. Paul Church
My wife sings in the funeral choir of our church where all too often she learns about other people’s lives and family too late to enjoy the living.
The eulogies are always gracious with friends and family speaking about the transitional moments in relationships, how their lives were changed by the relationship, and how sorrow becomes the catalyst that brings them all together to remember another’s life.
That was the situation several years ago when my mother-in-law died after battling heart problems. Her family gathered in the crisp cold of a North Dakota winter.
“Family had gathered to celebrate the gentleness of a woman whose tumultuous life never betrayed her love for her children. We stood together, in tears, not afraid to speak of the good things, the moments of congratulations and celebration bequeathed to her children. A gift to pass along to the following generations without condition or regret.
“Early winter’s fresh snow near the rock changed the landscape ever so briefly reminding me of that moment, when brothers and sisters, aunt, uncles, nieces and nephews gathered in a place to celebrate a life. We were in that moment of cold between death and resurrection when only memories brighten the day and tears wash away the sadness. It’s a shame it sometimes takes the bitterness of death for us to celebrate the good in people’s lives.” – From The Rock At Inniswood.
Family gathers at matriarch’s funeral
Several weeks ago one of the daughters mentioned on Facebook that it was the anniversary of her death and how much she was missed. Minutes later I’d uploaded a photo of the family gathered at the church after her funeral. Everyone stood close together, joined in grief and joy.
Several years ago the New York Times wrote about the elevation of obituary writers to lofty news writing icons. The task once detailed to the lowest of copy writers is now a much sought after job where style is measured beyond the ability to lace a linear timeline into a cohesive description of life passed.
My mother never trusted obituary writers, even the ones who wrote the succinct one-column catalogs only published in her local paper accompanied with a photo of an undetermined date to best illustrate the best day in their life.
She didn’t want her life’s catalog to omit anyone, any important event, and any family connection no matter the status. To make sure, she wrote her own obituary.
It’s difficult to say but she was fortunate that she knew death was coming. She’d survived an earlier fight against cancer but knew her second battle aggravated by a heart problem would not be one she’d win. She wasn’t eager to die but believed she’d soon be with my dad and that was all that mattered at the end.
Her obituary was perfect, completing a life of honor and dedication to family and friends.
During the discussion about obituaries with my wife she asked if, like my mother, I would write my own to make sure it was accurate and inclusive of all that mattered to me.
“My photography is my obituary,” was my answer.
The collection of all the 1/125th of a second frames, of all the spot news, sports, features, portraits, landscapes, and snapshots, would speak for me at my death. I’ve no idea how many photographs I’ve taken. Nor how many times I’ve pressed the shutter, watched as the screen went dark and then returned to brightness revealing the moment after the photo I didn’t see.
I’ll never know how many people have seen my photography. After more than 40 years shooting for newspapers and The AP there would be no way to know.
I do know about the lady behind my wife at the grocery store in Ft. Lauderdale who talked with another customer about my photos that were in the previous day’s newspaper.
I do know about the father who greeted me with his phone showing off the photos I’d taken of his son and hearing about how he will never delete them.
There are more stories than I can ever remember of people telling me about a photo I’d shot of them or a photo they saw published that they affected them.
Got that response from mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, police officer and firefighters, a president, several governors and many politicians, kids, criminals, and death row inmates.
The common thread for all of them was my photography. It spoke to them and was now registered in their memory. At the lower corner was the credit line “Photo by Gary Gardiner.”
One of the plans for my funeral is to continue My Final Photo until the cold earth is lowered over the casket.
I’ve arranged with friends to set up a camera in my casket as if I’d just pulled it from my eye so they can see my final pose. As each passes the casket the camera will shoot a frame and deliver it to the My Final Photo Web site. My obituary, at least my obituary of photos, will continue after my traditional obituary is printed in the local paper.
Today’s My Final Photo – A skate shop customer
Every day, as I prepare myself for the task of creating another photo for the My Final Photo project, I want to be sure, if it is indeed my last photo, that it is memorable. That it is storytelling and evocative. That it contributes to the story of my life in some way that others might be interested in vying to be the writer and photo editor for the New York Times who will tell my story.
My son-in-law says my tombstone should read:
Her Lies Gary Gardiner – Photographer
“Pretend I’m Not Here”
That may be the perfect obituary for a photographer.
by Gary Gardiner | Apr 2, 2013
Car, truck, truck car accident at State and Main
It’s not often I labor over selecting the best photo for My Final Photo. I usually know which one I will use when I take it.
Today was a little different. Not because of having too many great photos to choose from. Not from having too few good photos to choose from. Nor was it from not being able to decide.
The choice was fairly simple. Use the one that best describes the story.
That’s why you have a wide-angle view of State and Main in Uptown Westerville with a police officer standing in the middle of the intersection, orange cones blocking the turn lane, a crumpled car, a dented truck, another dented truck and a second dented car.
First, I was standing on the sidewalk near the curb between the traffic signal pole and its control unit having just turned off my camera after determining that I wanted a more oblique position to shoot the stores across the street while the sun was breaking between clouds. As I turned to cross Main Street, I saw that the light had changed. Traffic on northbound State was slowing down for the signal and I could hear the sound of a car on Main begin to slowly accelerate into the intersection.
As I continued my turn toward Main I also heard the sound of tires traveling at a consistent high speed, not a decelerating speed as it approached the now red traffic signal on State.
At the sound of the crash I watched as a truck, turning in an attempt to avoid the car now partially in the intersection, slammed into the car making a 270-degree turn in the middle of State Street crossing into the opposing lanes and ending up crashing into a parked truck that slid into the parked car in front of it.
I didn’t have time to turn on the camera and shoot any photos as it happened. It was too quick, and my only concern was where the car and truck were going to end up at the end of their travels. I wanted to be able to move in the proper direction to avoid becoming the pedestrian struck by flying vehicles and making an earlier photo My Final Photo.
It all ended well with the exception of the truck driver who had to crawl out of the driver’s side window because he was jammed into the parked truck. His first act after getting out of the truck was to apologize to the car’s driver for having run the light and causing the accident.
The car’s driver was shocked by the impact but quickly recovered when someone she knew began to talk to her and calmed her nerves.
Traffic was interrupted for about 45 minutes. The guys sitting in the window seats at Old Bag of Nails had a great view of the investigation and cleanup. One store owner complained that traffic was blocked too long wondering why the police didn’t just push the cars onto side streets while writing everything onto the investigation forms. Others tried to figure out who ran which light, who was at fault, and were there any pedestrians in the street. The wrecker hauled the car onto the flatbed, grabbed the front tires of the truck, and hauled both off together. The car’s drive retrieved the car seat from the back seat.
Car, truck, truck car accident at State and Main
Not sure what, if any, citations were issued. Even though neither driver said they were injured and needed a medic I urged the car’s driver to have herself checked by a physician just in case. Her husband who had just arrived from home agreed that she would be examined.
After all, he’s a personal injury lawyer.
Oh yes, I was fine. I have a Hipstamatic Tintype to add to the collection.
by Gary Gardiner | Apr 1, 2013
Pair of kayakers enjoy early spring trip at Hoover
Taking an afternoon trip across Hoover Reservoir wasn’t a fool’s chore for this pair of young kayakers who braved chill winds and choppy waters for their first outdoor adventure of the spring.
Despite temperatures barely above freezing and a brisk wind from the west, the pair completed one crossing with a round-about return near the bridge where they encountered headwinds that buffeted their single person kayaks just enough to make the return difficult.
Despite the hazards and cold breezes they discussed their next trip to the lake although both hoped it would be a little warmer next time.
Pair of kayakers enjoy early spring trip on Hoover Reservoir
And, the day wouldn’t be complete without an iPhone Hiopstamatic Tintype of the duo.
