So much of what we “see” is preordained. We see what we want to see, what we expect to see, what we are ready to see, what we are looking for. But what Witches’ Brew of emotion, intellect, training, bias, and physiology conspires to cause perception? The character of the lighting here makes for a dramatic image, but does knowing it’s in Bodega Bay make it ominous?
For more of Bill’s photographs, go to https://www.billdurrence.com/index
Well, the decorations are down, and we are not expecting snow (more of a 10-12 year cycle for that), but it’s going to be very cold this week, for Savannah. I know, I know, most of the rest of the country will be much colder, with varying forms of precipitation. The rest of winter for us will be dreary more than cold; just gray days and penetrating, chill winds. I’m old and have intentionally thinned blood. I feel it in my bones, sometimes.
But that never lasts for more than a few days at a time, and then the sun is out, and the air is crisp, brisk, refreshing. The lower angle of the sun puts an extra edge on the built environment; the open shadows of the urban forest shimmer; and my city sparkles in this aphelion time zone. And then, very soon, it will be Saint Patrick’s Day.
For more of Bill’s photographs, go to https://www.billdurrence.com/index
Every day, the first light to strike the United States opens onto the coast of Maine. Each dawn, like a new year’s beginning, offers the tantalizing tease of fresh starts, a chance to renegotiate with the universe.
This week’s post is a celebration for me, the two year anniversary of starting this (mostly) weekly sharing of photographs and thoughts. I wasn’t sure at the start if I could, or would, sustain the effort to post regularly, but I did, except for a few random times when I was traveling. And I have in mind a number of images I want to share going forward, so I hope you are enjoying seeing this as much as I am doing it.
For more of Bill’s photographs, go to https://www.billdurrence.com/index
The room is a large oval, all soft white and gray, with a simple bench in the center, and four Monet Water Lilies murals circling the space. It felt appropriate to whisper; the place seems hallowed.
The day after the Armistice in November 1918, Monet offered the French government 8 of his Water Lilies murals as a symbol for peace. They were installed at the Musee de l’Orangerie in 1927 not long after his death.
For more of Bill’s photographs, go to https://www.billdurrence.com/index
Rio de Janeiro, 2019
“And crawling on the planet’s face, some insects called the human race. Lost in time. And lost in space… and meaning.” The last lines from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
It is so easy to fall into egocentric thinking, or, more accurately, non-thinking. For years I’ve sent out this holiday Solstice greeting with some attempt to offer a positivity in the lengthening of the day, the coming of more light. But if you are anywhere near this photograph’s location on the Winter’s Solstice, you are saying goodbye to your longest day, and moving into summer. My bad. I have mentioned how we begin another trip around the sun, but the notion of a starting and ending point/date is pretty arbitrary; maybe it should be the Equinox? Which one?
One of the nice things about getting older has been appreciating the liberation that can come from letting go of certitude.
Whether you are gaining or losing light, I hope you are having a good holiday season, whatever your beliefs, and I wish for you, in the New Year, at least one sometimes irritating but irrevocable, unshakeable friend whose perspective reminds you regularly that there is more than one legitimate point of view.
For more of Bill’s photographs, go to https://www.billdurrence.com/index
We were down one of the little Parisian side streets, in a women’s clothing shop that Barbara has such a knack for finding, places with small inventories and unique offerings. If you find something you like, and it’s your size, you know no one else will ever show up at a party with the same outfit.
This young woman was one of the staff helping Barb, and she had a great look herself. I asked her to step closer to the front window for a minute and took a couple of quick frames, because…
…I had to.
For more of Bill’s photographs, go to https://www.billdurrence.com/index
In 1733 General James Oglethorpe founded the 13th colony, Georgia, with the establishment of Savannah on a bluff above the Savannah River. The current Landmark Historic District (downtown) mirrors the original Oglethorpe Plan, a grid of streets and egalitarian lot sizes with a series of small parks or “squares.” The properties that extend two blocks north and south of a square, and one block east and west of the square make a “ward.” (For a much more detailed explanation of The Oglethorpe Plan, read Thomas Wilson’s excellent The Oglethorpe Plan.)
Some time before my involvement, the City of Savannah partnered with the Downtown Neighborhood Association (representing the interests of downtown residents) to name a Ward Captain in each ward and that person’s one responsibility would be to round up enough neighbors to put up some ribbon, bows, and garland, decorating their square around the first of December, and taking it down January 1st, with the materials furnished by the City, and (I think) the Chamber of Commerce.
In the early 2000’s I wound up being the Washington Ward Captain. We had a few neighbors, and a fair amount of vacant properties, but it was enough people to get the job done easily and quickly, and be proud of how our square looked each year. As we acquired more residents, and more people showed up to help, someone started bringing snacks. Then beverages. In 2012 I started photographing the group after we finished, and have only missed two years of photos so far. Above is this year’s, from last Saturday. Barbara, black dress 4th from right, with the Christmas lights necklace (of course) and I have lived in this neighborhood the longest of any now, over 30 years.
An adjacent ward, Warren, has a lot of commercial property, so there are fewer residents to do the decorating, and somewhere along the way we just combined our populations and did the two squares together. Of course the party part grew, and now there were refreshment tables set up. A couple of years ago we added a third, Greene Ward, and now it’s a moveable party, with each square providing food and drink as the few fearless climb ladders, make short work of the project, and move on to the next square, while many more watch. The neighborhood has grown and we have a lot more people than needed, but that’s OK, because some of these people should not be on a ladder, me included.
I heard mention of some conversation about the City taking over doing the decoration starting next year. I don’t know how accurate that information is, but if it is true, I think that would be a mistake. It’s likely that a City plan would be minimal budget and effort, standardized as much as possible, and outwardly focused, toward visitors. It would be the next step in the ‘theme-park-ification’ of downtown Savannah. When we, the residents, do it, we do it for us, and to show off our neighborhoods. I believe we get a better product. And, more importantly…
There’s a lot more going on here than just hanging ribbon, bows, and garland.
“Decorating the Square” is a new gallery with eight group photos from the last ten years, including Pandemic Christmas, when we also had an ugly sweater contest. To see that gallery, go to https://www.billdurrence.com/index/G0000WbSqyQ_uGRc
I love an assortment of geometric shapes and forms, diagonal and curved lines, color and texture. I’ve shot tens of thousands of “compositions” experimenting with the balancing of those elements, not aware for a long time that I was simply doing exercises, like a painter making preliminary sketches.
And then one day, maybe walking through an old village, you see a pattern, like an old friend, but this time it’s different. Something breaks the pattern.
For more of Bill’s photographs, go to https://www.billdurrence.com/index
We knew which table was ours in the large outdoor restaurant space. It was the one with the wine bottle with my name painted on it. We’ve only been in Ljubljana a few hours and they already know us.
We had checked into our hotel that afternoon in the old part of Ljubljana, and asked for a restaurant recommendation. Our hostess said she would make us a reservation, and then directed us to the place, only a couple of blocks away. The personalized “reservation” sign was a nice touch, and the food and service were good.
“Slovenia, 2023” (https://www.billdurrence.com/index/G00000dEPhI8fPbs) is the final gallery from our recent bicycling and driving trip.
When Barbara and I started planning our most recent trip we had two things we wanted to do: something physical, outside–that was a bike ride from Passau to Vienna, (“The Bike Path” at https://www.billdurrence.com/index/G0000sHhi4SN4JMw); and to spend a few days traveling like we first did almost 40 years ago, with no reservations or timelines to follow, just see where the road led us.
So after the bike ride we rented a car and drove out of Vienna, telling the GPS to take us across Austria in the direction of Ljubljana, Slovenia, but no highways. Weaving narrow roads in and out, up and down, we just randomly stopped in Gaming. Asked at the Hotel Berghof if a room was available and it was. The next morning, after an included breakfast, with enough food for at least four people, we realized we had not asked, “How much?” at any point. When we did, it was very reasonable, and the hostess had been so nice, but then they did not take plastic, and we did not have enough cash.
Not a problem. “There’s an ATM in the grocery store at the bottom of the hill.” So the nice little old lady held Barbara hostage while I went and easily acquired her ransom. Couldn’t do that 40 years ago.
I’ve created a new gallery of landscapes from our ride and drive across Austria. To see that, go to https://www.billdurrence.com/index/G0000ZgeyOWZvdcc.
