morning

winter is not yet a week old and already I am tiring from the dark & cold season....an image from the warm days of late summer and things going to seed are always a relief for the mind, body & spirit.

Merry Christmas

Archer Avenue

On old maps, Archer Avenue is far different then the place I am familiar with. Other findings on the history of this locale suggest an Indian tie, with Seneca, Elk, Archer and the Seneca Nation Council House that once existed here. The crisp day and reflection of the natural shoreline and the flood control in place makes this an interesting composition.

seasons

Fall run at the first barrier, Cazenovia Creek

duck,duck,duck

the early morning light was beautiful

it made this humble subject

a majestic sight

Geese

On the shoreline just to the left of the bridge support, sits a flock of Graylag Geese, a somewhat domesticated bird that nests here year round. The rust colored brush is knotweed, an invasive species we fondly called bamboo, while playing in these fields as a kid .  Upstream there is a beaver den and the destruction of cotton wood and the other trees growing at Seneca Bluffs is evident. There are gnawed and fallen trees and a trail the critters use to drag the branches to the water's edge. A fisherman in a kayak floated past as the thrum of thruway traffic competed with the honking geese, a flock of about sixty birds that landed on the creek in a swish. A pair of cardinals skittered about as well as many other small perching birds.  This is a small report of an hour spent on an overcast Sunday morning.....small drama in a hectic world.

Seneca Bluffs

First off, know this, I am not a "birder",

It is a work in progress, this task of identyfying.

This White Crowned/Crested Sparrow is rare to the area,

mabybe!

I say maybe only because what I read in a voume I own,

 supports my personal experience. This is the first one I've ever seen. 

 

rust belt

Tifft Nature Preserve is a true sanctuary and fine symbol of our city .

 The juxtaposition of reclaimed brown fields set alongside our "Concrete Atlantis"

 is another link in the fine chain that is finally being spun on the waterfront.

flood control

sometimes, most always in spring, we experience the melt

the ever rising water carries downstream

clearing out the cold bones of winter

in an ebb flow of panic, the idea

of being washed

away

A Sense of Place

This image , like thousands before it, is a beautiful  & pastoral scene. For me, this simple shoreline represents much more. It is a place I have been exploring for the greater part of my life.  I grew up maybe a thousand yards beyond the center of the photo. I hunted for bottles here, walked on the water when it was frozen over, fished, rafted and swirled beer and more at this waters edge.  I have since learned about native plants and invasive species.  Found that there were entire streets here, Native American Council houses, draw bridges and ships that navigated this waterway , long before I was born. In this to fast paced. throw away society, where greed and selfishness seem to reign, it would be fair to say that having respect and an appreciation for the past is something that is sadly missing in the world today.  Maybe tomorow!

blue heron

Blue Heron's, or any of the "tall as a man" wading birds are steeped in legend and myth.  They represent both good and bad omens, depending on the story teller .  The waterways of my youth, places I still travel to with the purpose of photography, were devoid of any of these majestic creatures, largely due to the hostile, polluted environment at the time. So, that said, these birds are a good omen for me. To see the landscape clean enough to support their return is definitely a positive "sign". The frequency of personal sightings and the elusiveness of getting an acceptable photo, leaves me with some unsettled feelings. Especially so, given  some of the myth stories.  Herons are thought to be spirits of wise men who have passed on, and  returned to earth. There are also Christian beliefs that the bird represents the eternal struggle of good and evil.  In the image above, what I am attempting to convey, is the contemplative, almost oriental view of the scene as it unfolded before me. A few seconds after getting this, the bird flew,gone, like the fleeting memory of a dream.

inspiration

I have been photographing teasel for  awhile now, it's a real eye catcher to me.  I recently learned it's an invasive species and had a commercial  use in the cotton industry.  Who knew?

Recently I have been attempting  to incorporate some of the ideas of the Abstract Expressionists into my work. In this image, there are elements of  the color field paintings of Mark Rothko mingled with the "all over" technique   of Jackson Pollock.

sentinel

he sits upon my garden wall ,  a feeble attempt to keep out the  squirrely squirrels.

Home Range

Images are small revelations, unfolding visions, captured while exploring the gardens, preserves, parks and natural spaces found in the urban landscape. From the time I was a small boy, after being introduced to “Nature Walks”, by my since passed father, being outdoors, be it in a creek bed gully, woodland forest or field of wild grass ,has always been a transcendent experience. In the quiet hush of birdsong, rustling leaves and cascading water, it’s as if a veil lifts and an unseen world comes alive through the lens.

nature walk

My father introduced me to the joy of a nature walk when I was a young boy.  There was then, and still is  today, something transcendent about being in a creek bed gully, a field of wild grass, a woodland forest or anything in between.  I spent a fair amount of time laying some of these ideas down on canvas or paper with some success, but  somewhere along the line I traded in my brushes for a camera ,and now pass on the legacy of the nature walk through the lens, or with my children , grand children and viewers of my photographs.... whenever the opportunity presents itself.

wood duck

how much wood, could a wood duck chuck , if a wood duck could chuck wood?

day of the frog

Tifft Nature Preserve was created during the 1970's to preserve the wetlands and marshes contained on the property. The creatures that inhabit and pass through  are numerous, from the migratory birds on the  Atlantic Flyway  to the frogs , deer and turtles that live here throughout the year.  This little fellow was bold enough to smile for a candid shot.

bounty

as summer  spirals to its end, the bounty of the sun spills forth the seeds for the next year...

six string circus

rehearsal at 2nd cup cafe, Broadway, Buffalo NY

wildflowers

puple wildflowers sway

in the shadow of the monolith

elevators of the Republic

fire sunset

the sky melts into an ember of the fading day

dog days of summer

hot swelter

refreshment in a jet of water

web

 morning lights the dew sprinkled web

summertime

There's a line from a John Foggerty song that goes like this... "If I had my way, I'd shuffle off to Buffalo, I'd sit by the lake and watch the world go by."  Here's an image of a fellow who must be the inspiration for that lyric....just a beautiful day!

party hat

dinosaur hats and jump houses during the hot of summer vacation is good stuff.

Bashford Hall

Six String Circus serenaded the halls and the Hallwalls at Bashford/Babeville

Buffalo Row

  

Rowing on the River

A Great Life

Henry Nowak - 10-26-44 / 6-28-10

friend,Uncle, neighbor and Boss

Buffalo Waterfront

The Small Boat Harbor and the Port of Buffalo can be sublime and teeming with activity

soap bubble

For Joseph Cornell
dip, purse lip and exhale

zen frog

the Catawba blossoms fall

their delicate scent perfumes the air

enhancing the  tranquility

for zen frog

grain silo

a gorgeous shadow of blue, some weathered concrete, rust and wood in it's original state of being, and seen from a slightly altered view have the elements necessary for an interesting photograph

gate

As I look back at photographs, I periodically find one that strikes a chord.  On some mystical level, gates, chain link fences and concrete find their way into my view finder.  There are  a cornucopia of objects  in the images, even padlocks clicked shut and locked, show up in the oddest places. In this example, which was captured near Furnham Blvd. & Tifft St.  at the extreme edge of the preserve, the simplicity and patina of the seldom, if ever used gate looks more like an invitation then a barrier..

zombie land

 ribbons of concrete, asphalt, and paint stretch  into the city

Cazenovia

Not having been to the park in a bit, I ventured there today. The park keepers happily cleared some of the paths and laid down some cedar chips along the creek bank, extending a trail  that they opened up last year.You can now walk the creekside from the Green Bridge all the way to Cazenovia Street on the Abbott Road side of the park.

untitled

urban, neon,crazy- funky- fun

vacation

a stop at the Siesta Motel seemed like a nice diversion from the humdrum doldrums of the working man....

Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens at South Park is always a treat, inside the dome or on the grounds.  The cactus room in the dead of winter should be on your list of  "musts" to combat the winter blues

sunrise

Tifft

portrait

the road less traveled is filled with many treasured places  well off the beaten path.  Park Ridge Music is an oasis on that road, where you may enjoy exceptional coffee, fine music and the musical expertise of Frank Gerard.

science fiction

the road seems to go on forever

Buffalo through the lens

the scene glowed in the rearview mirror, not looking behind, but forward....a look into the forthcoming future of my vibrant city

by chance

if by chance I could sit and chat with Rembrandt, this would be the spot

the dance

This photo was created at the Buffalo Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts several years ago.  When opening it up on the computer I was pleasantly surprised.....the image gave me the response I feel when looking at Old Master paintings.....it just has that quality to it.  The folks at Kodak accepted the photo as a "Picture of the Day" and it was flasshed in Times Square, July 6, 2005

little green men

an intruder alert warning has been issued, lock your doors and windows, the aliens have landed and are coming to a theatre near you.

gray

I received this bowler many years ago from a friend to wear to an art opening in Poughkeepsie. It has been collecting dust for a good many of those years. I felt the hat would add some depth to the self portrait I was attempting, and the dust would add a texture uncommon to portraiture in general. The painted "Insulbrick" lends texture as well as direction, countering the tip of the hat. I deepened the shadows and subtracted some of the color which despite the gray skies was a bit more saturated then I anticipated.

stitch

The top half of the image is a straight shot of my son Aric at his metal smith shop taken through a very large magnifying glass mounted to the workbench for detail work. The bottom half is a flipped image of a cloud formation.