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Hot weather, few assignments so the task was to go find something.

Back in the late 90's I was photographing a story on where and what makes the borders of the South, where the South begins and ends. We explored the gnat line, the magnolia line, grits and many more physical, botanical and emotional borders. On such border was where tobacco grew. We found what...

A couple old shots from my files. I noted that today is the birthday of both Johnny Cash and Fats Domino. The Fats photo is from 1982. Shot on an Olympus OM-1 I bought in 1974 and the Zuico 135mm 2.8. That is one sweet lens. Johnny Cash is from the first Farm Aid Concert in Champaign Illinois in...

As a young photographer and budding photojournalist I was often intimidated by other people. None more so than those that wanted to intimidate me. This shot was in 1974, early in my junior year of college. I was shooting a photo essay on the town's local farmers market on the square. 50 years...

Working towards a degree in Journalism in the early 70's the J-school at my college only had one photo course. I was one of the few J-students that wanted to be a photographer instead of a working reporter or PR/adverstising maven or whatever. My junior year I discovered a photo course offered...

He may have been the last true Hillbilly in the Ozarks. Surely one of the last. It's a long story but I was 17 and just starting out as a photographer. I had just graduated from high school and was going to study Journalism with a goal of being a news photographer. It was 1972. At the time I...

I have several architects and commercial designers I work with documenting their projects. Often they schedule a shoot at the worst time for exterior photographs. The schedule is usually around the needs of the people inhabiting the facility. So I'm often going back pre-dawn or dusk for the...

I thought I'd post another old shoot from my concert days, days when I had hair and could stay up late. This was in December 1984 in Memphis Tennessee on Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band's Born in the USA tour. I was the only accredited photographer there that night. Back in those days...

I've been pulling out old cameras from my collection to see which are still working units. The latest I pulled out was a Kodak Tourist II. This was Kodak's last folding camera and used 620 film to shoot a 6X9 frame on a 105mm 6.3 Anaston lens. Mine appears in good shape but the tiny viewfinder...

l Recent work for an architecture firm. Very interesting to photograph a brand-spanking new jail. Not your usual architecture shoot. Municipal architecture requires very specific talent and knowledge. This super-secure facility houses 323 inmates and has control stations for staff to manage...

A little history. I have always been aware of Leica. Throughout my career I almost never saw one. But their reputation for being the ultimate mechanical camera, for endurance and precision always stuck with me. I know people who collect watches and I always thought a Leica would be like a fine...

Here's a few unseen photos from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's December 1984 tour stop in Memphis Tennessee. I was the only photographer at the show and shot the usual 'first three songs'. I never shot more film faster at a show. Bruce was maniacal and all over the stage and film just...

Frenchman St is the place in New Orleans for live music rather than the more known Bourbon St. On any given night you can catch a lot of the local greats. During the day it can be a great place for people watching too.

This shot is from Tina's 1985 "Private Dancer" tour. I thought I'd post this since she died this week. I shot a lot of concerts back in the 70's and 80's. I always went with two Nikon FM2 bodies and usually a 24mm and a 180mm and Tri-X for B&W and Ektachrome 400 for color when needed. The rule...

A few years ago I was assigned to photograph a story on the Fort Worth Texas Stockyards. This historic area just outside downtown are where cattle drives in the late 1800's would stop to provision before heading up the Chisholm Trail. When it became a rail hub the stockyards business boomed and...

I hope and expect many here know of the famed 'Red Tails', the Tuskegee airmen. If you don't know of them then research their story. It's inspiring to say the least. As the official photographer for the US Civil Rights Trail I was assigned to shoot the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site at...

After some 50 years as a pro I had never used a Leica. All my available cash, when there was some, went to gear for the job. But all these years left me wondering about the 'mystique' of a Leica. I am such a fan of the great Jim Marshall who often had 5 around his neck. At this point I don't...

On the day the US Government ended the Pandemic Emergency Covid finally caught me. I've been vaccinated and has so far avoided getting sick. I'm not feeling too bad but bored sitting still. So this morning I thought I'd play in the basement with light. I recently gave a 17X22" print to a friend...