Blog Archives
necklace man
A tiny room off the nave and sanctuary had beautiful marble sculptures that held great meaning. Some people found great religious significance in them; I found photographic solace there.
Capella del Crocifisso – Duomo di Monreale
Monreale, Sicily
photographed 1.30.2025
the way the light hits
One year ago, I was in Sicily on a photography trip. I was with my friends and we had the best time enjoying the culture, the education, the food, the photography, and our time together. I still think about it almost every day. (Because I am comfortable living a year in the past, I guess?)
The late afternoon light at the cloisters beside the cathedral in Monreale was beautiful, bringing out the reds and oranges in the old stone. Look at the tops of those columns: every one is different.
Also, speaking of reds and oranges, I am at least 100% certain that when we returned to Palermo later that night, we had a few Aperol spritzes – each one served with a slice of an in-season Sicilian orange.
Chiostro dei Benedettini
Monreale, Sicily
photographed 1.30.2025
the string band got a cold gig
To save time, I’ve shortened the name of my new favorite book* to WNoCwaaaaaatrihutthAASpZBCMaMAtaesfwkitAVAMK. No need to thank me.
This is a lovely piece of public art, made by BC Gilbert, called the Friendly Cowboy Western String Band (or, if you want, TFCWSB.) The guy on the left is definitely Colour 76, Dutch Orange, which as you probably already know is “the orange yellow of Werner…gamboge yellow, with carmine.” It resembles, of course, the Seedpod of the Spindle-tree.
the snow day series
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 1.24.2026
*More commonly known as simply Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours, but it’s got one hell of a subtitle.
road ends
I have a book called Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours*. It was published in 1821, and written by Patrick Syme, who’s described as a flower-painter, which sounds like a pretty good job. If you like flowers. And can paint. And don’t need, you know, money or anything.
It snowed the other day so I went out to get some photos. The thing I noticed mostly was how much orange will stand out in a mostly-monochromatic field of colors; almost all of the photos have a spot of orange in them.
And this is where the book and the photos intersect: just for fun, I’m going to match the various oranges that I photographed with descriptions from the book.
This one seems to be most similar to Colour 77 – Buff Orange. The book says buff orange is sienna yellow, with a little Dutch Orange, and adds that is it similar to the “Streak from the Eye of the King Fisher.”
the snow day series
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 1.24.2026
*The full title is Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours, with additions, arranged so as to render it highly useful to the ARTS AND SCIENCES, particularly Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Mineralogy, and Morbid Anatomy, annexed to which are examples selected from well-known objects in the ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, AND MINERAL KINGDOMS. Title just rolls right off your tongue. Eventually.
the peace-bringers
I appreciate an unlocked church. I like the silence and the way everything is still, as if waiting for something important to happen. I like seeing the simple things, like the stack of church newsletters on a table in the foyer or the place where the collection baskets are stored when they’re not needed. I like the statues and the saints, and the statues of saints. I like the lighting and the shadows. I like knowing that the place represents local traditions and beliefs, even when I don’t quite know what those may be.
And I mostly appreciate the trust of someone who decided to leave the church open, in case someone needed to be in it that day.
Presidio Chapel of San Elizario
San Elizario, Texas
photographed 12.15.2025
One Day | One Image 