Blog Archives

let the bad air out

The very first time I went to Shafter, the church was unlocked. That meant that I was able to wander around and take all the photos I could. It was amazing.

The very first time I went to Shafter, I met a hermit monk – Brother Pascal – who happened to be walking by. I’d just purchased one of his religious icon paintings the day before and we had a lovely chat. It was magical.

I’ve been back two or three times since then, and the magic’s gone. The church is always locked and there’s no sign of Brother Pascal.

But anyway. Here’s a photo of a slightly-open window, a couple of statues, and a big-ass insect of some sort.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Shafter, Texas
photographed 11.4.2017

lanterns

It was very cold that night, and most people with sense stayed inside. The light show was interesting but I have to say these lanterns are really kind of boring to photograph, compared to what they’d look like with oil lamps or real candles in them. But still…I had to take the shot.

LIGHTSCAPE
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Fort Worth, Texas
photographed 12.23.2022

star vault

This was my favorite of the various light installations at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden’s LIGHTSCAPE tour – it’s a vaulted arch that visitors walked underneath. I particularly like the way the varied spacing of the light strings gives sort of a quilted look to the scene.

LIGHTSCAPE
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Fort Worth, Texas
photographed 12.23.2022

 

meda

There’d been a fire and the building’s roof was gone. Debris covered the floor, and graffiti covered the walls. If it is possible for many layers of spray paint to hold up a damaged structure, that is very like what is happening here.

Niland, California
photographed 2.13.2022

appliances

A cotton gin and a clothes dryer, both abandoned. (But to be honest, if they hadn’t been abandoned, they would have held much less photographic interest.)

near Calipatria, California
photographed 2.12.2022