The Line
Maggie and I made a ‘line’ book during our first year in Europe when we started this new life of ours, now in its third year. That book made it the whole 365 days and was a daily challenge and also fun. The concentration, the materials, the unexpected lines that appeared, all proved that the very simplest gesture – a line – could sustain our interest for a whole year.
The Horse She Came In On
Maggie found this old, beautifully formed and crafted horse, and simply fell for the ‘presence’ it emanated. The life it had lived for some child, or maybe a number of children down the years. She bought it so it could continue living.
The Bridge
December 1st.
Today is a special day for Maggie Barrett. The novel Maggie was writing during the time I made all these ‘Every day in the year’ photographs, was published just today, and I want to celebrate this with all of you, if I may. Not only have I lived through the journey of watching a novel be published, but I played a small part in its publishing in that Maggie chose one of my Elements photographs for the book jacket, and, with great pleasure, I made the Author’s photograph. And you have seen many Maggies during this year.
For those of you who may have followed Maggie’s Blog, http://www.feelingourwayaround.com you know how interesting a writer she is. But if you have not, then you may be curious to see for yourself what a provocative and witty writer she is. The book; “From Dusk to Dawn” by Maggie Barrett, is now available online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble. Enjoy the trip.
The Bridge;
Two Flames and Maggie and Two Trees
Maggie Said She Saw a Spirit in the Tree.
And I Saw The Living Spirit She really Is
Fresh Light on Old Stone and the Woman I Love
Double Take
Tradition
There is nothing the Italians enjoy more than eating. And when they can gather at some long communal table and be eating outside on a summery evening, they love it! It’s a way to meet new people, or be with old friends, or simply take a chance on whatever life throws their way. It’s a custom that goes way back and small towns all over Tuscany, and I’m sure all over Italy, continue the tradition.
I always find something to shoot when I’m there, portraits of my table companions, the behavior of the young kids who are doing the serving, the musicians who stroll on through, the dancing later on, and sometimes fireworks.
Ciro
August is the time of year, it seems, when friends passing through Tuscany make their way to your door. In popped Ciro, now in our life for 20 years! That in itself is amazing! When we started our Tuscany Photography and Writing Workshops here in 1995 he was our first assistant along with his buddy, Giorgio, and we have stayed in each others lives all this time. It’s been great to see their work grow, watch them flounder around with girl friends, marriages that come and go, children being born, new work being created and new risks taken, and at the same time watch them grow older, like our own children are doing. It’s real life!
Maggie’s Birth Day
We went to a friend’s restaurant knowing we’d have great food and a good time, and it was even better and funnier than we expected. Celebrations are great moments for making pictures for all the usual reasons; the special moment, the memories, the friends who one day won’t be around but are captured in their liveliest expressions and stay that way for us. Here are four women from 16 to 66 who span the generations yet look so comfortable and beautiful together
Often the camera does things that can only show up as visible in a photograph; that’s the magic of the medium. Maggie ‘s cake came out with a sparkler blazing away, and when I made the shot the sparkler had a fraction of a moment of less sparkle before exploding again, and in that space the shutter – at 1/ 30th of a second – was open long enough to make 2 recordings of everything.
Then someone put on a Berlusconi mask and just as in his real life the women flocked to him. And here again an accidental ‘catch’ occurred, someone else’s flash went off just as I opened my shutter and it produced this ‘bronzy,’ garish color and hard light.
ONCE MORE AROUND THE SUN 