Bethel Baptist Church

Bethel churchThe new Bethel Baptist Church Park was developed while memorializing the history and significance of this land to the Fourth Ward. Fourth Ward was the site of the original Freedmen’s Town neighborhood established by freed slaves after the Civil War. Bethel Missionary Baptist, founded in the late 1800’s by the Rev. Jack Yates, has had three sanctuaries on the same site, the earliest built in the 1890’s. The most recent church building, built in 1923, was gutted by fire in 2005, but the walls are still standing. The city bought the property in 2009 to preserve the church facade and to provide park space. The Bethel Park Project restored three walls and converted the rest of the property into a park. It is a really cool place to sit and meditate.

 

Tabor Square

TaborThis is a TL120 image taken on Provia 100f film. I believe it was shot at f16 and 125th. I just had to get a shot of this fabulous statue on the top of the fountain in the square of Tabor, Czech Republic. We stopped in this historic town for some lunch, and as usual, I was delayed in ordering.

Charles Bridge, Prague

CharlesBridgeIf you go to Prague, you will inevitably find the fine stone bridge built by King Charles I. It is one of the oldest stone bridges in Europe and is a very popular attraction in the heart of the medieval town. This image was shot with my TL120 camera on Provia 100f film. Maybe on the next round I will have a similar, only  hyper shot from my Lubitel hyper rig. I still have to take the film in for processing.

Gogarty’s Pub, Dublin

Scan000086Gogarty’s Pub

This was shot with a Twin Yashica-Mat 124 rig early in the morning since I was in Ireland on business and didn’t have time for picture taking during the day.   I had good luck with the shutters on this rig when they were set to one second, so I probably shot this at one second and used spot metering to determine the aperture.    Provia 100F pushed one stop.

Inaugural Offerings

Geoffrey Waldo is our newest member in 2013. As you may be able to discern from his images, New Mexico is home.

I’ll go out on a limb and suggest these images were created with a TL120-1.

–John Thurston

Chuck and Jet

Where last year all you got to see were photos of Michele a couple months pregnant, here is a shot of Jet (sorry, out of focus) visiting with Chuck Holzner (of Folio II).   Jet had just started walking the week prior, and was eagerly careening around any and all available venues.

But not all is happiness in this picture.  Chuck is ailing from stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and the doctors doubt he will make it to 2014.  When I visited him here, in this photo, he was already three months into his diagnosis, and faring much better than anyone had expected.  I’m presently helping him get his photographic legacy in order, in particular his collection of MF3d Newfoundland views, a number of which he has entrusted me to mount.

At the time this picture was made, he was in good spirits, considering his plight.  Of his diagnosis and prospects, he said, “I haven’t had so much excitement in my life, in a long time!”  He went on a big road trip with his two sons (hunting in Wyoming), and has been travelling to see family and pay last respects.

This view got mounted a bit “far,” with infinity points too far apart, and even the very near foreground behind the stereo window. Not sure what happened there, but it was not my intent. Been rushed lately, which hasn’t helped.

Rally for Terry Sullivan at Rotunda, June 2012

In the summer of 2012 the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors attempted the ouster of the university’s president, Theresa Sullivan.  This was a bold and misguided move, which received national attention (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/magazine/teresa-sullivan-uva-ouster.html?_r=0).

Among the events that turned a “done deal” into a retreat by the Board, and a re-instatement of Sullivan, was this rally held in her support on the Lawn in front of Thomas Jefferson’s Rotunda.  Professors quit their jobs amongst a general hue and cry from the academic community, which was heard around the nation.

This image is an accidental double exposure with the Sputnik.  This is not a snapshooting camera!  Besides the many time consuming steps required prior to releasing the shutter, there is always the possibility that in the heat of the action some steps might be forgotten.  In this case, I forgot that I’d already released the shutter, when, probably five seconds later, I decided to do it again!  Fortunately, the tripod mounted camera had not moved, and the result is probably better than either image would have been alone.  For one, the exposure is good!  For another, now the scene is full of interesting stories, as some people moved their positions in that five second interval, whereas others turned their heads (resulting in several two-faced persons), and still others barely moved at all.