Nicer.

today was one of those days I walked to the shed, in the backyard, to get the bike,  barefooted.

I love riding about Phila.  some girls loud talking out on a porch,  saw me coming outta the small alley street,
"yo, dude on a bicycle".
We all waved to each other.

a tribute mural to the Black Cowboys of Phila.

I'd like to think my cross loop, its the most historical, noteworthy ride in America.

the book I've started is.... "Treacherous Beauty"   Peggy Shippen, The woman behind Benedict Arnold's plot to betray america.

I rode past the Falls of the Schuylkill,  Ms. Shippen when she was young, lived there.  and The house up by where we use to have CX practice, along the Boxer trail,  Benedict bought it,  but never got the chance to live in it.  

I road down the short dirt alley to look at Coltrane playing in his backyard.

I don't think I'll ever be a philadelphian,  Ohio.  That land is what I considered raised on.
I was born in Indian, but no means am I a Hoosier.

Zoikes,
what a warmer day does to one.

Cheers, dlowe.

lowe Noon

I got out today,  I left a little before noon.  In my car.

driving home from work,  if I happen to be headed down Roosevelt Blvd.  I've often noticed this big open field.   I'm sure it was made up of houses sometime ago, that they've been flattened, as they were abandoned.

Arcade Fire - "We Exist"

I was never a Arcade Fire fan,  even saw them at the Mann.   I've taken them less serious,  seeing them more as charades of a band, like whatever they pretend to be/going on,  I'm buying into.
I enjoy the new record.

I'd buy this house.  It is the one left standing.

Not too many chances to buy a house like this.  You could see the world around you.  It'd be a glorious castle.   A legend.


Cheers, dlowe.

Philadelphian

Its taken me a long time to understand art.  51 years of not getting it.
today just poking about the philly art gallery I got it,  it meant something more to me.
Like racing.  Drinking.
Music.
still being in love.

 it is to cold and the roads to messy for me. to ride.

Music spouse flavors the breaks sweating bagging a light at work, its all fuel, for me.  They'r our friends, with insight.

Woods - "is it honest"

Racing this year I want to be more,  I want to hold back, wait... think

   I just looked about, new paintings are put up, another Rockwell Kent here.
other stuff,...I've read about in a hallway behind in the hall from the coat check.

"like a fire that consumes all before it"

d.lowe

Mind how you go, on.

Muscle Mike, I found in a bought used book a while back.   He has been my bookmark of choice since.
At the end of the night past Friday, after watching Kevin Morby/Cate Le Bon play, I
picked up a postcard.  Kevin Morby was selling them. 
I don't send postcards, never did, maybe once from my trip to Paris,  but that might be it.

A polite sign on the door asked for no picture taking. I took none.


The show was good, almost packed.  Morby played well if not a bit up tempo.   and Cate was more of a rock songstress,  original, and a pleasnt bit divine.

I talked just a second to Morby.  Later,  I took Cate's hand, on my way out, and thanked her.  Her hand felt small in mine. Her hand was very warm.




I think Muscle Mike might close out his place holding in this book tonight,  reading about Maynard Dixon has been a delight, and his principles on life, well stated, and good guidance.

what to read next?

Cheers, d.

blowout

 

 

Works slowed down for me this week.   When I have Mondays available,  I make it to 1/2 off growler fills get a pizza and watch a movie over at George Klimi's house in Narberth.

 

 

at work last week we had a still photo conversation, about Split Diopters.   A rarely used, physical effect, for still/motion photo.   Later I received a video with some clips form the old movie "Blow Out",  that put it into good use.   The cool thing, was seeing John Travolta recording sound off the bridge over the creek, in Wissahickon.  

 

I headed to the woods today,  found a bit of new trails, and took a bunch of pictures.  

 

 

 

Its looking good for beer, pizza, movie night at George's next week,  I hope to screen "Blow Out".

 

 

 

Cheers, d.

 

links:

 

http://nofilmschool.com/2013/10/deep-focus-use-of-split-diopters-in-film/

 

 

All 15 Split Diopter Shots in BLOW OUT from Vashi Nedomansky on Vimeo.


free all Monsters

I picked up lightroom 5,  its a post program for "developing" stills,  digital.
Starting out, I'm sure I'll be a bit heavy handed,  a bit off in color correction.
Already, in the brief time since working on the photos I took today, to adding them here, I want to tweak.

Lots of sliders to move back and forth,   detail enhancement, colors, tints.
 

The Bats - "Free All the Monsters"


Today, I wanted to walk around city hall.   Its closed to the public,  since 9/11,  keeps us safer, I guess, to me, directly, its a loss of freedom.

I took the tour offered, the guided tour is the only way for me to walk around the building.  It was a grand tour,  the building is incredible.   It ends in the observation deck,  a glass circular room just under Penn's feet.

 

You'r left to your own accord to find your way back out of the building.  I could of just wandered and took photos, bent the rules a bit.     Not left right away.   I might go back and sneak in that way later, to take photos,  but I wanted to just pedal home.   On the ride in via Parkside Ave, I took a few.

Only a small group  at a time can go up to the observation deck.  Its a wee little elevator.
I talked with the guide to pass the time,  she was in her mid 70's and was born, lived all her life in Philly.   I asked her about Woodside Park,  about riding the train around Belmont.  She told me of the cool breeze, and smiled talking about the bygone amusement park.  I wanted to tell her  about how we ride back there now, on mountain bikes.   She had drifted off into an old world,  I don't think she had though about,  in a while,... We were interrupted, and I was called to the elevator.   To see the view of the city from Penn's feet.  

cheers, dlowe.

making Luck

new Woods

much like racing,  I find photography to benefit from hard work, skill, and pre-conceptive ideas.
This year I noticed as the days were getting shorter, the cool blue colors of the ambient light in shadows, and the nice warm direct sunlight to contrast, as it fell upon its subjects.
I missed the brief window of time, when the sun is in its lowest path across the sky. I'd say I have ten days of good light.   I did not get any good photos,  but I got some good ideas.

I ride by here often, and find it hard to get a good picture of the feel of the place.   I was cold, at the end of my short ride.  I tried, the ice gave it all a different look.  its ok.

Easy ride days, are good photo days.  sometimes I come across shots, and sometimes, they are imagined,
shots, and I go back to get them.  
I've pushed my self to go shoot.   and to finish, even if its not a good day behind the camera.

and off in the woods just up the tracks, a drinking spot

a couple of upside down boxes, seats, and empties everywhere.

Most of the time in life, I am a minion.    Much of the time on the bike, and behind the still camera, I am in charge.

and a lot of the time, its nothing special.

 

Nothing special, its rare that I get a picture that I like.   I work hard to stay fit and fast on the bike.
I'll stay steady onward,  as much as I cringe at my poor photos, 
I need to make some better luck.   The best way would be, better skills.

Cheers, dlowe.