(2014)
Late lunch, Lyon, France
Mère et fille Patriotic porch, Marcus Hook, Pa.
“I think he’s looking up the part about his refusing to assent to laws.” I started framing the shot without saying anything, which was all it took for the guy on the left to look up from his phone. I explained that the flags and bunting made for an all-American image — wouldn’t that be a good shot? (Photographer’s tip: Play to your subjects’ sentiments.) OK, he said, just don’t put me in the photo. No problem, I said. (2019)
Kids in spring, Philadelphia
Hold on tight. There’s a great photo by Robert Doisneau of little children about this age, Les Tabliers de la rue de Rivoli (1978), that came up the other day and reminded me of this one, taken six years later. His subjects were a different demographic. These little faces above are probably around 40 years old now. At least I hope they are. These days you never know. (1984)
Hay barn, Saint-Aubin-de-Terregate, Normandy, France
(2017)
Mother and daughter, Media, Pa.
(1991)
Side-door moment, New York
(1999)
Circumspect, Philadelphia
(1991)
Nauset Beach, Cape Cod, Mass.
When I have seen by Time’s fell hand defac’d
The rich proud cost of outworn buried age;
When sometime lofty towers I see down-ras’d
And brass eternal slave to mortal rage;
When I have seen the hungry ocean gain
Advantage on the kingdom of the shore,
And the firm soil win of the wat’ry main,
Increasing store with loss and loss with store;
When I have seen such interchange of state,
Or state itself confounded to decay;
Ruin hath taught me thus to ruminate,
That Time will come and take my love away.
This thought is as a death, which cannot choose
But weep to have that which it fears to lose.
— Shakespeare, sonnet 64(2003)Deep into the night, Erie, Pa.
(2019)
Posh corner, Philadelphia
The plight of the homeless is low-hanging fruit for a camera, and perhaps many or most of us in the early moments of the hobby succumb to the story. I did. Should the picture be avoided because it’s bordering on cliché? Or is it deemed cliché because we’re tired of seeing it? This is the corner of 18th & Walnut Sts., one of the city’s toniest. Only one person in this frame is really hungry. (1989)
