Rineke Dijkstra at the SFMOMA

My husband and I spent the weekend in the city and he lovingly accompanied me to the MOMA.  One of the exhibits there touched on the exact topic I blogged about under this post. The images are by a Dutch artist by the name of Rineke Dijkstra. It was such a compelling group of images. Many of them were taken over a span of years; showing the evolution of the person from what might have been 5 to 25. There was also a group of images taken of adolescents at the beach. I loved these especially. So touching and tender.  This image is from that series.

Songs, memories, and a place.

You know how a song has the power to take you to a specific place/feeling/time in your life? Like Neil Young singing Helpless; Crestline, Ca. Or like Elton John, Tiny Dancer; driving by Hansen Dam. Van Morrison; the top of Laurel Canyon and a party with Micky Dolenz and Lynn.
Pink Floyd, especially Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon. That album is in my cells it has a smell and feel. I was with my best friend when I first listened to that. It was Foothill Blvd, Lake View Terrace, Ca.
Chris Woodworth was Pink Floyd and James Taylor. Bobby Blake; Elton John. Rhonda Hensley was Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder.
Mary Bentley and Bonnie Raitt & The Eagles and Dan Hammer and the river. Any great song and Jamie Fox. Led Zeppelin and Mark Woodworth and Sherri Moorville. And Little Stevie Winwood was Sherri Nazaroff.

Those moments and those people, formed me more than any others.  It is not possible to connect with them again, not in that way. They are parents and grandparents now. They have gone through the pains and joys of life. Some had a harder time than others. I love them still. The exquisite sweetness of that time is something I think of often. I remember how beautiful they were.

So there's a connection here to the next thought... adolescence, music, aging and finally the photographic image. 

I keep searching for a way, photographically, to mesh the two; the young version of a person and the older version of them. Because they are both. I love the dichotomy of the two images side by side. But there is something else to explore there and I haven't figured it out yet.

At the memorial for our friend Billy, there were a lot of old photos around and many of those people were there at the gathering.  One image stands out of a large photo of Billy with his friend at a concert and next to the photo sat the man in the image.  It was so heart wrenching. Here was this fresh young vibrant boy/man at the peak of his life and next to that sat an older, balding man, frail looking and quiet. It is burned in my mind.

American Landscape

It is so sad to see this interjected into your field of view. Really, is this all we have to offer?  It is a frequent sight when traveling the US highways. This was on hwy 95 in Winnemucca. Can't say I wasn't happy that Christmas we were in Nashville and could not find a place to eat. Turns out Mc Donalds in Kentucky on the main interstate, right across from the huge adult 'bookstore', is open every day. You can't find one open in Tennessee on Christmas though.
While I am here; if you are passing through Winnemucca, there is a fantastic little restaurant called The Griddle, right on Winnemucca Blvd. Get the fresh squeezed orange juice! Also, the bacon is lean - can you believe that? Bacon happens to be my weakness.

The Photo Review Competition 2011

                                                                 Ryan Zoghlin
                                                                                              Aerotone #7



Stephen Perloff has just posted the results of The Photo Review 2011 Competition. The above image is the first place winner. I am honored to have had two images chosen for this competition as well.  I'll post those below.
The judge was Robert Mann of Robert Mann Gallery in New York City.
If you venture over to the site, please do check out the '2011 submissions', there are wonderful images in there that should not be missed.

Here are my winners (they also happen to be two of my favorites!):

                                             
                                                             Chere Pafford
                                                             Her Favorite Shoes

                                                              Chere Pafford
                                                                                          Man in the Sky