Category Archives: Travel

iPhone Archive… Hobo Chronicles.

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Some time back, I began a project entitled The Hobo Chronicles. I was trying to create a visual work of fiction about a man traveling the country by rail. Like many projects this one eventually ran its course and I moved on to something new. Checking the archives recently I’ve sort of rediscovered the flame for this one. I’m thinking I may have to create another chapter or two. In the meantime, in the coming weeks, I’m going to share some of what already exists.

Where will this go? Who knows? Where ever the rails take it, I suppose!

In Silverton, Colorado, my friend Jeremy plays a part.

Photojournalist Jeremy Wade Shockley in Silverton, Colorado.

Photojournalist Jeremy Wade Shockley in Silverton, Colorado.

MAPS at Jug Bay

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Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) is a nationwide program that studies and tracks songbird populations.  I visited the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Maryland in the Spring of 2012 to document its staff and volunteers as they went about collecting and recording data of various avian residents. (Do visit them if you find yourself in the area. Beautiful place and good people!)

It's an early start at Jug Bay. Mike Quinlan is first to arrive at 6 AM. He opens all 14 nets situated around the sanctuary then helps lead the all volunteer crew as they capture, measure, weigh and band various song birds for the MAPS program.

It’s an early start at Jug Bay. Mike Quinlan is first to arrive at 6 AM. He opens all 14 nets situated around the sanctuary, he then
helps lead the all volunteer crew as they capture, measure, weigh and band various song birds for the MAPS program.

Portrait of an adult red-eyed vireo.

Portrait of an adult red-eyed vireo.

Tufted titmouse at Jug Bay, Maryland

Tufted titmouse. Awaiting extraction from one of the mist nets.

Measuring the wing of a tufted titmouse. Jug Bay, Maryland

Measuring the wing of a tufted titmouse.

Northern cardinal at Jug Bay, Maryland.

Male northern cardinal registering a complaint.

Jug Bay, Maryland. Bird banding crew.

Volunteers are urged to bring sturdy, comfortable footwear. It is a one mile round trip to
visit all 14 net locations in the sanctuary, and there are 6 rounds each outing.

Sandy teliak photographs a prothonotary warbler for his records. Jug Bay, Maryland.

Sandy Teliak, one of the volunteer leads, photographs a prothonotary warbler for his records.

adult male scarlet tanager.

There’s no mistaking an adult male scarlet tanager.

jug bay MAPS study.

Mike Quinlan and Sandy Teliak take measurements as Karen Caruso (center) records the data.

A male prothonotary warbler ready to take flight after banding.

Male prothonotary warbler ready to take flight after banding.

View of Jug Bay from the visitor center's overlook deck.

View of Jug Bay from the visitor center’s overlook deck.

Antietam Battlefield, Dunker Church

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Civil War Re-enactor just awakened, in his night cap.

Behind him is the Dunker Church. Antietam Battlefield. Site of the bloodiest day in American history. Some 23,000 men were killed wounded or missing after just twelve hours of fighting. General McClellan’s troops outlasted General Lee’s. As they rested for what could have been the final crushing blow, Lee took his army back over the Potomac in retreat. And so the Great Civil War lasted another two and a half years. McClellan was soon relieved of his command by Lincoln.

This kindly fellow is a secessionist re-enactor. Eager to chat, he regaled me with facts and figures of the battle, peppered with much praise for anything and anyone of the South and much derision of anything and anyone of the North. Funny, that.

Civil War Re-enactor.

Early morning sun. Re-enactor, Dunker Church behind him.

 

“Falling Into Place”

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Many moons ago, I met Patricia Lay-Dorsey. We actually met online. (No, not a dating service.) We met at David Alan Harvey’s original web-place called Road Trips. It was a tight, groovy little community. We chatted and shared imagery and critiques and David dispensed serious photographic wisdom.

One day Patricia shared 12 photos. Twelve deeply personal and moving images. Portraits of the day-to-day life of a woman with MS. Self portraits.

It was clear there was something happening here. A deeply personal story. An evolving story that would one day end up in a book. It had to.

Fast forward a few years…. This past weekend I took a trip to Beacon, NY with my wife to meet Patricia — finally in person!–  as she launched her book, Falling Into Place. It is a well constructed and nicely laid out work of art. The images are compelling, intense, passionate and simply beautiful. Like the woman who made them.

The event was quite a hit. The hosts, Fovea Exhibitions, really know how to put on a launch party! DJ Illich Mujica kept the place pumping and jumping. The wife and I danced as if we were 20 years younger than reality says we are… and the next morning I felt it. It was as if I’d run a marathon, quads aburnin’. Felt great.

Patricia signed books and danced and gave a great presentation and signed more books and danced some more and made sure everyone there knew she knew they were there. Hugs and kisses, well wishes. Much laughter, congrats, well dones. Met some new friends and made a few photographs.

Congratulations, Patricia. It is well deserved.

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Falling Into Place. Self Portraits by Patricia Lay-Dorsey.

 

Patricia Lay-Dorsey. Falling Into Place.

Patricia Lay-Dorsey. Falling Into Place. DJ Illich Mujica.

Patricia Lay-Dorsey. Falling Into Place.

Patricia Lay-Dorsey. Falling Into Place.

Patricia Lay-Dorsey. Falling Into Place.

Patricia Lay-Dorsey. Falling Into Place.

Patricia Lay-Dorsey. Falling Into Place.

Patricia Lay-Dorsey. Falling Into Place. Kate Hofmann.

Patricia Lay-Dorsey. Falling Into Place.

Riding into DC

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On a hot and muggy September 11th, the 2 Million Bikers to DC Rally kept one of its promises. Bikers came to DC. Two-million? Not so much. This happens of course with any protest/rally/march. (they really should stop putting numbers on it) The Million Muslim March for instance ( later changed to Million Americans Against Fear March) barely reached two dozen!

The Bikers I saw lined Constitution Avenue from the Washington Monument to The Lincoln Memorial. A rough, non-scientific guesstimate from yours truly puts the number closer to a few hundred. Not unimpressive, but staggeringly short of the promised two-million. The leather-clad Hog riders revved their engines, waved to confused tourists, and generally hung out in the cooling shade of trees. I did not see speeches from a dais, no memorial service or moment of silence for the victims of that horrible day in 2001. But then, I didn’t stick around the entire day.

Anyway, below is a shot of a man and a woman riding down 17th Street about to turn onto Constitution. She photographing me as I photograph her. I thought that was pretty cool.

Man and woman on a Harley at 2 Million Bikers Rally.

Man and woman on a Harley.