Blog Archives
goats and a dog and Vincenzo
After we played with baby goats and looked at grown-up goats and tasted cheese, we got to watch the Vincenzo and his dogs lead the goats down a mountain and up the other side to the place where they’d spend the day grazing.
As an aside – my mom grew up in the part of Texas where ranchers raise a lot of goats. She had very fond memories of how cute baby goats are and had quite a few stories about their antics. After this morning with goats, I could definitely better understand her point.
near San Biagio Platini
photographed 9.6.2022
grooming essentials
I posted a portrait of a goat a few days ago. I mean, it wasn’t just any goat – it’s the breed (Capre Girgentane) that’s indigenous to the Agrigento provide of Sicily. We went to see the goats and to taste a variety of cheeses made from their milk. Naturally, while we were in the cheese room, I took the opportunity to look at what else was there. I have an interest in seeing what’s just past the obvious, in seeing the mundane things that have to happen in order for the main thing to work, in noticing easily-overlook details.
And that’s how I found this humble – and also beautiful, to me – scene. (I’d be lying if I said I noticed that footprint on the wall when I took the picture. As much as I think I’m a good observer of details, I am not THAT good…)
near San Biagio Platini
photographed 9.6.2022
tambourine man
If you were here yesterday, you saw the photo of the Sicilian folk dancer that was part of the group we photographed in Palermo.
And this guy was one of the musicians, playing his tambourine (or, in Sicily, his tamburello).
The musicians treated us (and random passersby) to a nice selection of music while we got in their way and (sometimes) in each other’s as we attempted to capture the magic that was a concert + dancer along the harbor.
Palermo, Sicily
photographed 9.3.2022
the dancer (in repose)
This is Frederica; she’s a dancer and we met her in Palermo.
Part of our photography adventure in Sicily was photographing a trio of folk musicians and a dancer along the harbor. It was a photo assignment I’d never encountered before and my results were…mixed. At best. Until all of us took a break from the heat and the unrelenting sun. That’s when I saw Frederica in an entirely different pose. And that’s when I got this photo of her.
Palermo, Sicily
photographed 9.3.2022
the cartmaker’s apprentice
I used to say I would “never” take pictures of people. I said that a lot. I believed it, too. In fact, I would actively avoid shooting scenes with people in them. There were a lot of reasons, but mostly (probably) I was just too nervous to try.
And then…well, then I met up with Don Toothaker and he spent a good bit of time over the past couple of years telling me that I needed to get over my damn self and take pictures of people already. (That’s paraphrasing. Possible.) Anyway, then he led a photography tour of Sicily and I started photographing people. You’ve seen some of those images here, maybe. I was pretty happy with myself for overcoming a barrier that I’d set for myself (which, honestly, is the way most of my barriers are: set by me, without any real reason for their establishment).
But then, pressing the point, Don pretty much told me to make a portrait of this man. Don had already made his photos, and all I had to do was stand where he did and press the shutter release.
And here we are. Sometimes, I barely recognize the photographer that I am becoming.
Ragusa Ibla, Sicily
photographed 9.7.2022
One Day | One Image 