Portrait

Cherry pickers, Washington state
I took this photo in 1999 of cherry pickers who were living in the woods near Wenatchee.

Given that the fate of migrant children from Central America arriving at the United States’ southern border is now an international news story, I decided to dig up and publish some of my picture series taken in 1999, on cherry pickers and migrant workers in Washington state. The agricultural industry in Washington is staffed almost entirely by foreign-born labor to pick, harvest, and sort the many crops from cherries to apples to hops that make your local beer tasty. Some are workers who travel seasonally. Some are brought here under temporary permits, the H-2A visas. Make no mistake, the state’s economy would grind to a halt without these workers, and their work contributes to the wealth of this huge economic sector, which at last count in 2012 generated nearly $10 billion in the state.

When I took this photo, there was a housing crisis, and workers were camping on public lands, and efforts were launched to find affordable housing. These problems remain. Meanwhile, the debate over immigration and the fate of millions of undocumented workers continues. Here in Washington state, some of the workers will be authorized (they are being brought in from Jamaica, even). Others will be here without authorization. And nearly all of us who eat fruits and vegetables will be continue buying the low-cost produce picked by people why do hard work many U.S. citizens do not wish to do.

For more portrait photographs, please visit my portrait gallery on my web site. (Click on the photograph to see a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

Dark and light I found photographing tales from World War II
Taken in 2000, in Aarhus, Denmark.
Taken in 2000.

In 2000, I completed a photodocumentary project highlighting human rights abuses by the Nazis throughout Europe. For part of that project, I met some Danes who were involved in that country’s famous boat lift of its Jewish citizens to Sweden to escape being deported and murdered by the Nazis at death camps. It is one of the few positive stories from this incredibly sad, psychologically dark, and awful episode of human history. One of the couples I met, David and Lilian Birnbaum of Aarhus, Denmark, met in Sweden after they were successfully carried to temporary safety. Some recent exchanges I had from someone who knows them made me think about their incredible story again and how wonderful it was to have stumbled on such a bright tale from such an awful time. The other photo I am including is a sample from hundreds of photos I took at more than 20 death and concentration camps scattered across Europe. This one, Stutthof, is located about 35 kilometers east of Gdansk. It was a terrible place to those sent there. (Click on each photo to see a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

Emotions captured in black and white, in Denmark

 

I took this shot on the island of Zealand in Denmark in 2003, with my friends L&T posing, I think with little effort.

I miss the chemical darkroom. For years I used Tri-X, ASA 400 film, and had figured out everything I wanted with that film, and how I liked to shoot it. Most of all, I loved and still love what you create with the silver-halide crystals that leave a type of graininess I have not duplicated precisely with the digital lab.

Here is a shot I took using Tri-X, ASA 400 film of some friends in Denmark, L & T. They agreed to be my subjects for a few shots during a quick trip I took to my favorite country in Europe back in the spring of 2004. This was taken on the island of Zealand, where we took a road trip to see some very old Danish things (cathedrals, pre-Gothic burial mounds, Viking museum exhibits), and to visit a beach house. I like the Danes, and I very much like my Danish friends. We have a lot to learn from them back over here. (Click on the photo to see a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

Everyone has a story, even if some are pure malarkey

 

Taken in Sisters, Ore., in June 2014.

I used to work as a newspaper reporter. But even before that I learned that everyone has a story. Everyone. I did not have time to get this guy’s tale, unfortunately. He was remodeling his patio in front of quirky old house in Sisters, Ore., and I had miles to drive still that evening. He was a really nice guy, but, well, busy fixing things up.

On the other hand, sometimes we may not want to know folks’ stories. But it is usually worth the effort to listen, even if what you are hearing can be full-on malarkey. For the record, I love malarkey too, ’cause the best stories tend to be tall and stretch the truth on the edges, and even the middle–just listen to people run for office and you find good examples. Or just talk to a the proverbial fishermen, or perhaps barfly.

(Click on the photo to open a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

The best neighbor one could ask for, seen through my new camera and old lens
I tested my new Fujifilm X-Pro 1 today, using a manual focus 24mm Leica lens. Maybe a little soft on the face, as he was not fully cooperating.

Today I gave my new Fujifilm X-Pro 1 camera a workout. More later on the results. I bought this camera to be able to utilize my Leica M-series lenses that have gone into hibernation since I mostly stopped using my beloved Leica M-6. I’m not convinced yet how the two compare. Still need to examine the results. Here’s a test shot of my best bud, my neighbor, and my occasional confidante, Balloo. He’s the best golden I know. (Click on the photo to see a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

The importance of celebrating milestones
Whenever you accomplish a goal, after investing a lot of work, remember to thank yourself for all that you did. Setting and achieving hard goals is the most satisfying of things to pursue in life.

Normally, I do not like to promote vanity, nor my own mug on my web sites. However, I was thinking about a great time nearly two years ago to the day when I finished my last graduate course at the University of Washington School of Public Health. The value of the MPH can be discussed at another time. And we can have a spirited discussion. I just happened to like how the light broke ever so perfectly. Yes, you are so vain, and this picture really is all about you! (Click on the photo to see a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

MaryAnne, better known to me as Mom
This was taken at the Seattle Wooden Boat Show in 2004.
I particularly like this moment. We had a great time at the Seattle Wooden Boat Show (2004).

I took these pictures of my, yes, mom 10 years ago. As I was going through my catalogue of prints and converting them to digital images to make into a photo book for her, I decided I liked these a lot. Because these are digital images taken of analog prints, they are not 100 percent crisp. I still like the moment with mom.

Community gardening in Seattle
In 2002 I met this mother and daughter at the old community garden in High Point, before it was remodeled, as part of my Community Support Agriculture documentary project that I completed shortly after. This is one of my favorite portraits of a mother and daughter I have.
For my documentary project on Community Supported Agriculture in public housing projects in Seattle, I collaborated with Bunly, who did wonders working with many immigrant families building and sustaining community gardens. Dentists love this picture, by the way, and so do I.

In 2003 I worked on a documentary photography project on Community Supported Agriculture in Seattle. This work culminated in a show I exhibited in Portland, Ore., which highlighted gardens and gardening at two different mixed-income communities. These gardeners were all public housing residents, including immigrant families. I also showed these two photos in a show I did in Anchorage in 2006 at the Snow City Cafe called Being Themselves.