Words4It

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Within months of beginning Words4It, I decided to avoid posting people on it. They didn’t seem to meld well with the wildlife and plants I usually post. I haven’t quit photographing them. As I look for nature subjects, I keep an eye out for people doing interesting things. I’ve amassed more than 400 images of people working and playing around the millpond. I’ll publish another blog devoted to them soon. When the time comes, I’ll announce it here.

This 5-image slideshow of a skateboarder in the Brighton Pavilion breaks my self-imposed rule. I didn’t want to wait any longer to publish it. The shots were taken in June. I like the airborne ballet. I admire skateboarders and the BMX riders I see around the pond. They hone their skills by repeating the same trick tirelessly until their bodies and brains embed the precise movements needed to accomplish it. Then they embark on mastering the next challenge with the same determination. That’s why they are lean and as in tune with their bodies as dancers.

I met Allen two summers ago while he and his friends, Josh and Tyler, were fishing at the millpond. I ran into him again on July 4th and learned he’s been in the military for the past 15 months. At 20 years old, he has a great outlook on life, and I’m glad we had a chance to talk about his service to our country. He deploys to Afghanistan on July 10th and expects to be in the Kandahar area. These three lunkers, each more than 10 pounds, are dedicated to Allen to remind him the millpond carp will be waiting for his safe return. Best wishes, Allen!

The second reason people love dogs is that they are so damned easy to amuse. You can present them with a stick or snowball, and they are thrilled with you. Not only that, but they are happy to give you their rapt attention at any moment and right now is always a good time. They don’t have deadlines to meet, meetings to catch, or cell phones to check. Click to see what has grabbed this Great Dane’s attention.

I met Ryan Sawallich and his 9-month old Bella on a snowy evening walk in Brighton. Click the small thumbnail (left) to see a larger version of her at full stretch. It’s worth the effort. Oh, and the first reason? Their unconditional devotion.

What is the story here? One might assume it’s a grandmother and granddaughter, but perhaps they just met at the park and don’t know each other’s names. Concentration on the game might be the only tie that binds them. This was taken in 2009 but it could be 1940 or any other year. Building backstories for moments captured by the camera is part of the lure for me. The image is grainy but it doesn’t matter. The pink glow of the setting July sun in the young girl’s red hair survives even though this shuffling of the cards is long past.

Young men on bikes in the night. A loosely knit cadre of them pedal to the millpond as night falls from spring through autumn. They seek fellow riders to expend the energy suppressed in classrooms or jobs during the day. They informally compete and perfect intricate spins and wheel stands. It’s a guy thing. Girls gather, too, but never on bikes.

“So we follow our wandering paths,
and the very darkness acts as our guide
and our doubts serve to reassure us”
– Jean-Pierre de Caussade