Well, it's the new year, and it's great to be taking photos again.  During the holidays I couldn't seem to pick up my camera.  It's good to be out shooting; I always feel better with camera in hand.

I've always been fascinated by public transportation and the microcosm of life that exists on each platform at any time of the day or night.  Each person is in the middle of their lives, and everything gets put on pause while they wait for the next train.  So many stories on one small platform.

Tom, 67.  Part of my lgbtSr. project.  Tom has always been very active, though it has taken different avenues over his life.  When he was 30, Tom was shot in the head and left to die.  He survived but was left paralyzed over most of his body.  He still has his right arm and hand mobile which helps him to manuever where he needs to go, and he can motorize around faster than I can keep up.  While we were doing the shoot, he tapped on his head and said, "See this area right here?  I still have the hole in my head.  They never covered it with a plate.  When I tap it like this, I can feel my brain."  Tom was a pure pleasure to photograph.  He has a great wit, and the time we spent together was unforgettable.

Images of Joe and me.  Everywhere you look, you see pictures of young, beautiful couples; but the relationship between two people only gets stronger, more intimate as time goes on.  After 35 years, we should be pretty close then.

Jacob from Chicago.  He needed a few bucks -- but, boy, could he play that harmonica, and there was light in his words.  I wish I could have given him as much as he gave me.

Wonderful rainy day; perfect to go out and do some shooting.  Being a Monday, everything was quiet to begin with, but with the rain not much was moving except a lone straggler or two.

Joe is the major part of a big project that I am currently putting together.  I am really enjoying this process because it makes me interact with Joe in a completely different way than I ever have.  In creating different moments with him, I get a chance to see him through the artist's eye; and I find that with each shoot I see things about him that I haven't seen before or that I just forgot to see with the passage of time.  With each image I find myself remembering why I fell for him in the beginning so many years ago.

Jerry.

Joe.  I'm working on a new series about my partner, Joe, and our life -- still a work in the early phases of development.  I'm just shooting him and things that mean something to us both, and I'm seeing where the project ends up.  I started to really enjoy working with environmental portraiture using available lighting.  And I have a built-in model -- as long as I don't forget about my honey-do list.

The dogs are our kids; they're family.  When we're home, there is always one or both hanging around close to where we are.  They are perfectly content to snooze while we're doing other things because they know that soon it's their time.  I should learn that patience.

 

Joe is an incredible cook, as is shown by my every expanding waistline.  Most of the recipes he has are from his mother.  He is the only one in his family to have all her old recipes and to be able to cook the Italian dishes that the family remembers from years ago.  One of his favorite recipes is his mom's recipe for homemade pizza.  This recipe her mother brought with her from the old country.  One time before she passed away, his mom tasted Joe's pizza and exclaimed, "The student is better than the teacher."  Joe's always cherished that moment.

Back in the 90's Joe and I attended a black-tie AIDS benefit in town.  There was a photographer there shooting the event, and we made arrangements to have our portrait done since we had the tuxedos.  It's funny that after this photo was taken, we went a very long time without taking any photographs of us at all.  It's funny looking at us as we appeared almost 20 years ago.  I still expect to see that young guy in the mirror.

Joe and I have created an interesting color palette that we have put together at the house with many diferent textures.

Keeping my eyes open for those little moments that I normally would not pay attention to.

I am spending time exploring the environment that I live in.  I am looking into all the different nooks and corners that I normally overlook.  This one little space just spoke to me when I stopped to pay attention.

The Last Leaves.   We have a beautiful Japanese maple tree outside that has the most beautiful crimson-colored leaves when it blooms in the spring.  Almost all the leaves have fallen and the tree looks so bare with just these few leaves left.  I know though that spring will come again soon enough.