by Gary Gardiner | May 19, 2013
Scrambled eggs with salt and pepper, hash browns, Jimmy Dean sausage, whole wheat toast with peanut butter and grape jelly. My Final Photo for May 19, 2013
Began the day with another in the ‘Blue Plate Special” series with my iPhone. Not sure how long this will last as there are many repeat meals during the week and I’m guessing anyone who begins to study the series will get tired of seeing another plate of scrambled eggs and toast, or hamburger with cheese, or leftover spaghetti and meatballs. I also strayed from the original plate with the checked edge. I’ll have to return to that. looking for a bowl with the same design.
While on my bike, which didn’t survive the ride, stopped in for photos after the Otterbein University graduation ceremonies for a photo that, if I were still working for a news organization, would have made a fine state feature photo. You get to see it here.
Otterbein University graduates jubilate when asked by their parents to jump for a photo.
by Gary Gardiner | Apr 28, 2013
iPhone Diptic from A Gal Named Cinda Lou – My Final Photo for April 28, 2013
Sunday was a very relaxing day with little to do but sit with family and talk with friends. Did take a few moments to lay at Cinda Lou’s in Uptown Westerville with the Hipstamatic Tintype Film Pak and the Diptic app.
by Gary Gardiner | Apr 8, 2013
Families bury six children killed in house fire. Photo copyright The AP
Earlier today one of my Facebook friends pointed me towards a New York Times story with a remarkable photo of a lone person walking through dust and debris in a canyon of buildings destroyed by the war in Syria.
I always enjoy our online conversations because each of us have strong opinions, don’t always agree, respect each other, and love photography.
Today we agreed that it’s very difficult for a photographer to express pride or contentment having to shoot photos like the one he pointed me to. It’s not an enjoyable task, shooting disasters and deaths.
I spent almost all of my photojournalism career shooting moments that weren’t necessarily very enjoyable. There’s plane crashes and auto wrecks. Funerals for police, firefighters, children, military, the famous and infamous.
The photo at right is one of those moments where journalism overcame emotion and fear in an attempt to communicate to newspaper readers the gravity of burying six children at the same time.
There were only three frames of film from this viewpoint. I’d left my other cameras with telephoto lenses in the car and walked up to the crowd of mourners carrying one camera with a wide-angle lens. I stood quietly at the edge of the crowd gathered tightly against the edge of the tent covering the families and the caskets. I stayed quiet, my camera concealed under my winter coat, until I could see through the space between the heads of several mourners that emotion had reached its zenith.
As the parents hugged and the pastors said the final prayers I reached over the crowd positioned my camera in where I hoped it would be a good angle and fired three frames. No motor drive. This was film days and cameras still had a thumb drive for moments just like this.
As soon as I shot the three frames I returned to my car and left.
I knew I had photos to help tell the anguish of a funeral for six children. Also, I didn’t want to explain my actions to anyone who was offended.
My actions were cold and calculated. I anticipated one of the reactions would be anger at me. Still, the story needed to be told. I am a photographer. I did what was needed to tell the story.
No one chased after me. No one complained. There were no nasty letters from readers.
I did receive congratulations for succeeding with a good photo in such a tough situation.
I thought of this photo when I had my Facebook conversation this morning. Especially after what had happened the night before.
Young couple pose for iPhone portrait – My Final Photo
One of my granddaughters visited last night wanting me to give her a bunch of black and white prints from my archive so she could decorate the walls of her room. Among her choices, in addition to the dogs, cats, and skunk photos, were photos of Jerry Rubin, Jane Fonda, Stokely Carmichael, a couple of presidents before Clinton, andassorted spot news photos. Sandwiched in the collection now covering her walls are old news photos showing disasters, insurrection, injury, and recovery.
All are now decoration for a teenager’s room. They are not even the poignant records of events forgotten in time except for the participants, and the photographers who were the observers.
They are decoration, wallpaper in black and white blurred to the grays of history.
At right is My Final Photo for Monday, April 8, 2013.
by Gary Gardiner | Apr 7, 2013
Fathers watching sons play lacrosse
It was a great Sunday afternoon with temperatures moving to the 70s, a bike in good condition, legs that were bared after a winter in jeans, and a smaller than normal complement of cameras. Great day for a bike ride.
I was surprised how few people were out in the parks with the exception of Huber Village Park and Hoff Park.
Of course it’s crowded when there’s a youth league lacrosse game at Huber and a series of teen basketball games on the courts of Hoff.
I’ve shot both places many times and am always challenged to find a creative image that is different than others from the same location. Such was the challenge today.
Games at Hoff Woods Park
Instead of shooting the action of each space, I decided to shoot the environment, to show the warmest day of the year and people enjoying themselves in it.
The low angle of men watching their sons play lacrosse was shot a ground level using the pull-out LCD screen on the D5000 to give me a clear background and allow for the colorful contrast of colors against the blue sky.
The second photo of kids bikes at Hoff Woods is a very small homage to William Eggleston’s famous tricycle photo.
iPhone portrait
And, as I usually try to do, an iPhone photo for the day.
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.
