BirchLane.net

October 2006 (editing on 10/31)
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Tuesday 31

On My Mind: Halloween; Bridal Expo; Valley Marketing. There is a bright plastic pumpkin outside my door and inside the pumpkin are Chupa Chups Creamy Lollipops. I bought the lollipops (Lollipops, I might add, endorsed by Mia Hamm.) Friday night for this past weekend's Bridal Expo, thinking they would make a good ice-breaker for any prospective brides visiting my booth. But prospective brides were few and far-between, and my offer of "Free Portraits" didn't seem to interest many people either--except for a charming and funny woman named Rebecca and her friend, Andrea; and one other couple who visited me late in the day on Sunday, who were very gracious that I would offer a free portrait.

It's interesting to note that Chupa Chupa’s were launched in 1958 by a Spanish businessman named Bernat Fontladosa and are now one of the best selling lollipops in the world. This famous lollipop is sold in over one hundred and seventy (170) countries and the company claims to produce over four billion lollipops yearly. The name, now familiar to almost any candy lover, comes from the Spanish verb “chupar” which translates to suck or lick. Little do people know that the famous floral logo was designed by a famous Spanish artist named Salvador Dali.

The lollipops are outside my door for my neighbors and any trick-or-treaters that might wander down the hall; there are now a number of children who live on the floor. In years past, when I lived on Birch Lane, I would often keep track of the different costumes. One year, the house was visited by (in order of appearance): a hobo, monster, Cinderella, monster, a 9-foot-tall ghost/monster, an angel, blue-haired punk (female), unidentifiable costume, kung fu person, baseball player, old lady, a gypsy, Merlin-like person, Elvis, Gold miner, another unidentifiable, a dog, a playing card (my favorite), a few princesses, 3 little girls dressed as hippies (cute), a baby devil, a baby witch, four girls together (another favorite) as 2 movie stars, director, and agent, scream, a terrorist, 2 girls in roaring 20s-like outfits, South Park mask, hillbilly (female), Ninja, 4 kids in unidentifiable costumes, 2 Draculas, 2 hobos, scream, no costume, witch.

This was the year, I believe, Daryl dressed as a girl. "Boy, am I a cute girl," he said. 

One year later, I think, he dressed as Gene Simmons of KISS.

And these were years after the year Daryl and Danielle dressed as:

It was Ana Maria, a dear and close friend, who introduced Sharon to me. I had been trying to find Ana Maria for years. We worked together at Hearst Magazines. She left Hearst. She was hit by a taxi (?) near her new job. She and her husband, Larry, moved to Florida. I googled her and googled her--without any success. And then one day last February I thought I might have found her. I sent off an e-mail. I found her. It was a WOW experience. 

A few more photos of Ana Maria here:

More thoughts on the Bridal Expo: A few photographer friends told me (after the Expo) that people who attend these kinds of events are generally bargain-hunters and not having a high-end wedding. But, who knows, live and learn. I did receive an e-mail and street address list today of all those who attended. I need to create a direct mail piece (print and e-mail) and follow up with these people ASAP. And I do have a few good photographs of the models in wedding gowns:

Valley Marketing. Tomorrow I will start working full-time at Valley Marketing. Tonight I plan to map out a sales/marketing strategy for how to build some new sales for the company--maybe while I watch a horror movie; it is Halloween.

Watch this:

Monday 30

OK. So the Bridal Expo may have been a bust but I did get some good photos of the models in wedding gowns from Bancroft. And I also got some shots of the models in their street clothes. And this was shot with one strobe, as the fuse in the other strobe died.

Chelsea (on the left) works at The Lift in Eastworks and Allison is in her third year of college studying Forensic Science.

Sunday 29

EXPO. Tired. And I learned from a friend late in the day that people who go to a bridal expo are generally price hunting. Live and learn. But this photo of Nicole is a knockout that I plan to use in my portfolio.

Saturday 28

EXPO. It rained and rained all day and no one came to the Bridal Expo. But I photographed the models and I think I got some good photos for my portfolio. Here we have Ryan and Fawn:

Friday 27

"Although the act of nurturing another's spiritual growth has the effect of nurturing one's own, a major characteristic of genuine love is that the distinction between oneself and the other is always maintained and preserved." ~M Scott Peck "The bottom line is that (a) people are never perfect, but love can be, (b) that is the one and only way that the mediocre and vile can be transformed, and (c) doing that makes it that. We waste time looking for the perfect lover, instead of creating the perfect love." ~Tom Robbins, "Still Life With Woodpecker"

Thursday 26

Bridal EXPO. Hoping for a success.

Wednesday 25

Valley Marketing. I will start working with them shortly--next week. Although commissioned- based, they are located in the building (and they are great people)  and if I want to spend a week with Sharon at Christmas, I can.

Tuesday 24

Monday 23

One Week Ago.

 

 

Sunday 22

Photo Session with Sonya.

She writes:

I did a photoshoot with an amazing photographer today and I saw a few frames that were especially successful and the beautiful girl in those photos is just a version of the awkward bouncy girl I am on a day to day basis. She comes out to play once in a while, but that is certainly not who I am all the time or the face that I am able to present to the world 24/7 (stage makeup looking ridiculous in normal lighting and all).

Saturday 21

Friday 20

Thursday 19

Lost Photos.

Wednesday 18

Tuesday 17

The Quarry.

Monday 16

Rockport.

Sunday 15

New Hampshire.

Saturday 14

The Berkshires.

Friday 13

Thursday 12

Wednesday 11

Tuesday 10

Monday 09

Sunday 08

Pasta Recipe. So I do not forget, this is what I made for Daryl 'n' Kiley tonight:

"Casey's Cacophony"

Two Tablespoons Virgin Olive Oil
Three Gloves Garlic, Thinly Sliced
One Can Diced Tomatoes
Seven Marinated Baby Artichoke Hearts, Thinly Sliced
One Large Fire-Roasted/Marinated Red Pepper, Thinly Sliced
Seven Slices Prosciutto, Thinly Sliced
One Can Garbanzo Beans
Red Hot Pepper Flakes
Pasta (I used "Fiori")

Sauté garlic in oil for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until almost all of the liquid is reduced. Add other ingredients and cook to warm. Add a dash of hot pepper flakes. Add pasta and mix thoroughly. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

 

Saturday 07

The Wedding of Bridget and Harris. What a beautiful time I had today with Bridget, Harris and their family and friends.

 

 

 

Friday 06

Thursday 05

"If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up." ~Richard Avedon

 

Wednesday 04

Fog and A Favorite Poem. When I woke this morning, and looked out my window, I saw nothing but fog; I saw not the mountain range nor the pond nor the trees below--a whiteness had been poured from a paint bucket during the night into the valley while I slept and my neighbors slept too; I splashed water on my face, put on a sweatshirt, grabbed my camera and tripod and went down to the pond and there I found:

Words from a totem animal

Distance
is where we were
but empty of us and ahead of
me lying out in the rushes thinking
even the nights cannot come back to their hill
any time
————
I would rather the wind came from outside
from mountains anywhere
from the stars from other
worlds even as
cold as it is this
ghost of mine passing
through me
————
I know your silence
and the repetition
like that of a word in the ear of death
teaching
itself
itself
that is the sound of my running
the plea
plea that it makes
which you will never hear
oh god of beginnings
immortal
————
I might have been right
not who I am
but all right
among the walls among the reasons
not even waiting
not seen
but now I am out in my feet
and they on their way
the old trees jump up again and again
strangers
there are no names for the rivers
for the days for the nights
I am who I am
oh lord cold as the thoughts of birds
and everyone can see me
————
Caught again and held again
again I am not a blessing
they bring me
names
that would fit anything
they bring them to me
they bring me hopes
all day I turn
making ropes
helping
————
My eyes are waiting for me
in the dusk
they are still closed
they have been waiting a long time
and I am feeling my way toward them
————
I am going up stream
taking to the water from time to time
my marks dry off the stones before morning
the dark surface
strokes the night
above its way
There are no stars
there is no grief
I will never arrive
I stumble when I remember how it was
with one foot
one foot still in a name
————
I can turn myself toward the other joys and their lights
but not find them
I can put my words into the mouths
of spirits
but they will not say them
I can run all night and win
and win
————
Dead leaves crushed grasses fallen limbs
the world is full of prayers
arrived at from
afterwards
a voice full of breaking
heard from afterwards
through all
the length of the night
————
I am never all of me
unto myself
and sometimes I go slowly
knowing that a sound one sound
is following me from world
to world
and that I die each time
before it reaches me
————
When I stop I am alone
at night sometimes it is almost good
as though I were almost there
sometimes then I see there is
in a bush beside me the same question
why are you
on this way
I said I will ask the stars
why are you falling and they answered
which of us
————
I dreamed I had no nails
no hair
I had lost one of the senses
not sure which
the soles peeled from my feet and
drifted away
clouds
It’s all one
feet
stay mine
hold the world lightly
————
Stars even you
have been used
but not you
silence
blessing
calling me when I am lost
————
Maybe I will come
to where I am one
and find
I have been waiting there
as a new
year find this song of the nuthatch
————
Send me out into another life
lord because this one is growing faint
I do not think it goes all the way

-W.S. Merwin

Christina, Miss Connecticut Junior Teen:

Tuesday 03

So Much Depends Upon a Red Leaf.

"There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. If you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is; nor how valuable it is; nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep directly open to and aware of the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction at any time. There is only a queer, divine satisfaction; a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than others." ~Martha Graham

Monday 02

Serendipity? This morning I woke to find the following e-mail:

Hello Bruce, You don't know me. I stumbled on your website because yesterday's sermon at the First Parish Church of Groton (Ma), Unitarian-Universalist, contained a quote from Derek Walcott's "Love after Love."  I Googled Walcott and like Alice and the rabbit hole, tumbled into a world all its own, and yet this world, too - your online journal. I was captivated,  and I am just jotting this to say, thanks for the inspirational photos and writing, at which I've barely glanced so far. Wonderful that you share this! I will spend more time soon. As an amateur photographer and father of a recent bride (who thought long and hard about her wedding photographer, and in the end selected Kristen Spencer of Providence, with whom we were quite happy) I appreciate the thought and care behind your treatment.  I expect that your photos will be composition and lighting studies for me, as I continue to pursue my post-retirement/ re-awakened avocation in photography. It seems only fair to include something of mine.  Attached is a reduced-for-email version of a poster I made as a final project in a Photoshop class in June.  I took the photos on a trip that my wife and I took in April, 2005, to help a small community near Siuna, Nicaragua. Regards and thanks for your site,

Serendipity: the e-mail seems connected to yesterday's events at the pageant in Hartford--the life-affirming and personality-affirming events.

A photo of Heather:

Sunday 01

The Connecticut Miss Teen Pageant. What a wonderful day--experience. Two rather interesting and life-affirming, personality-affirming, experiences happened to me at the pageant. First:

Brittany, Miss Teen America (a photo for a new advertising campaign):