One Man Level of Cool!

Photo: © Stan B.

Having grown up in New York, I've always admired a sense of style. It takes something to possess one, even more to own it; and says something about the person and how they move in the world. Of course, it's ultimately superficial (never judge a book by its cover) but in a world so dominated by the visual- it can carry the day! Some may call it, "Cool-" the look, the manner, the very presence.

There are many things I admire about San Francisco, where I have lived these past 25 years. One thing it clearly does not possess however, is a distinct sense of personal style- it's never recovered completely from the Flower Power days, but its denizens absolutely jump at the chance of getting into costume for whatever generic holiday, event or celebration (they even run their foot races in costume)!

I was on the return journey home from Crissy Field in SF, a simply gorgeous day in a simply gorgeous area around the Golden Gate Bridge, enjoying it for what it was since I knew I was returning home with nothing to show for it, when I happened upon this gentleman who seemed dropped by the hand of god beside that particular signpost. A surreal off site presence, as if he had created his own French New Wave retro movie in which he was clearly starring in the leading role! And star he did!

Before exposure I only dared look at him peripherally, trying desperately not to be noticed- while positioning myself directly in front of him (with no one else beside or around me for cover)! To make things worse, there was a group of tourists directly beside him- I would have to wait, and clearly he would change his position or just wander off while I waited for them to depart and leave us. My previsualizaion was most certainly doomed. Meanwhile, I turned around, checked my exposure and distance- and... prayed. 

As the crowd finally (finally) moved, I turned and quickly took a short series of exposures with very minor alterations from left to right. In my absolute haste to get it in the can, I still didn't get the opportunity to assess the totality of the image (and subject) I was capturing. And he never did look in my direction or acknowledge me (at least not while I was looking), although he certainly had to have sensed my presence. I thought perhaps it was just another street eccentric who temporarily succeeded in  rising to the level of his own imaginings (the most any of us can usually aspire to)- but upon examining the image, it was clear the guy's no simple poseur, this guy's the real deal! Cool? The man defines it!* The suit, that pose, the whole freakin' shebang- goddang, he is a goddamn, one man movie! But is he hero, or villain?!?

*He even balances the phone parallel to the horizon line!

American Fear

7/25/2026                                      Photo: © Stan B.

It's a sad and sorry situation- but true. There's this growing trend of mistrust and fear even among peaceful protestors where some participants are now worried of being photographed, identified and made to face retribution. The result is that they now purposely position their signs in front of their faces in order to dissuade subsequent identification. I've also had some confront me openly with mistrust, even hostility and question who I am, who I'm with, who I represent... This rarely happened before and is becoming considerably more commonplace. And we are not talking "illegals," we're talking White American citizens.

It's sad, and at first made me both confused and a tad ticked off, to be honest. But it is understandable; we live at the behest of a tyrant who has openly made retribution a reality he both flaunts and relishes, and people have undoubtedly suffered due to the retaliatory actions of his fragile, childlike ego- and immense far reaching power. All the more reason to call out, confront and demonstrably defeat this fascist bully- and set precedent for any that follow...

The Parable Of The Snake...

He attempted to steal a Presidential election in front of our very eyes-
do you expect any less of him in the midterms?

And then, there's this...

When Shit Talks...

 

How The CyberTruck Was Designed!

Things I Contemplated Over The Weekend...

A Coupla Things:

Trump Assassination Victim's Widow Makes Stunning New Claim 😳 #Trump #Breaking #Politics - YouTube

ICE Officer In Maine Shooting Has History Of Violent Behavior, Family And Records Say | HuffPost Latest News

A Twofer:

Republican election fraud

They told her she could vote - YouTube

And Finally:

"We Don't Have The Biggest D*CK On The Planet!" - Nick Irving

[DEBATE] U.S. Lost The War With Iran!

Miscalculations are costly. #historyshorts #history #trump #greenland #nato  

Addendum: COMIC RELIEF!

The NYC Landscape

 Photo: © Rob Stephenson

If you're a photographer in NYC, you're a street photographer- unless you got a studio and shoot portraits. What's that... landscape? How many shots of the skyline can one possibly take? 

Obvious questions lead to obvious answers. And deciding what to shoot (and doing it well- the tricky part) is a problem that besets every photographer, especially in an era when anything and everything seems to have been done ad infinitum... But not everyone goes the usual route, assumes the usual role and makes the usual contribution. Brian Rose has presented a more diverse NYC, he has wondered the geographical limits of the five boroughs in search of a more diversified landscape shaped and influenced by its diverse population. Rob Stephenson is also a landscape photographer, defined by the mundane, repetitive and overlooked commonalities that saturate New York's outer boroughs- neighborhoods and communities that don't look anything like Manhattan.

The four boroughs adjacent to Manhattan are anything but scenic (Manhattan itself is hardly... 'beautiful'). NYC is built for expedience and practicality, it sure ain't Paris, not even London, which is at least quaint in parts. Some of it is downright ugly, most of it, just plain forgettable, from the poorest of working class neighborhoods, to its more well to do environs. 

Mr. Stephenson makes the most of these unremarkably ordinary of landscapes with a series of very memorable typologies, memorable for their remarkably diverse feature set within a uniformity of presentation. His Dead End typology features the aforementioned signposts in a variety of industrial, residential and more 'pastoral' settings. The sheer variety and uniqueness of settings is more than I could have possibly imagined. And his Split series is an absolute joy- something I would have never, ever contemplated saying about anything to do twin homes! These banal and usually (intentionally?) overlooked residences pepper the real estate landscape of NY; the very thought of photographing them seems preposterous, laughable at best... who the hell would want to photograph something so overwhelmingly boring and aesthetically dismissible!?

And yet, these home portraits of fraternal, if not identical, twins are absolutely fascinating!  I would have never in my life thought these architectural nonentities could be so endlessly intriguing, so curiously captivating. The not quite mirror images, the minute details that entrance and delight! But that's what good photography and photographers do- reveal the mystery and uniqueness of that which we overlook and undervalue... Can't wait for the book!

 Photo: © Rob Stephenson

Breaking News!

MAGA believes every single, recycled lie President Trump reiterated this evening concerning the 2020 election. 
Thank you for your attention to this matter-
we now humbly await his state of emergency declaration to steal the midterms!

The Dems Screw It Up, Again!

Imagine if there was one thing, just-one-thing that most Americans could agree on, that most Americans actually want. Imagine one magical something that most Americans could unite on; if only something like that actually existed- something like, something like... The Epstein Files!!! You'd think the Dems would have had their act together and hammered away at Todd Blanche at his DOJ confirmation meeting on the very biggest vulnerability that any and every semi-sane person can easily agree on: 

1) Why are you refusing to release the entirety of the Epstein files and in so doing breaking the very law your own boss signed into being?

2) Why do you insist there is nothing to investigate when other countries not only see plenty to investigate, but are actually investigating as we speak!?! 

3) What are we to make of the hundreds (Thousands!?) of still photos and videos of men with underage teenagers?!? Can you seriously state there's nothing to see--- after seeing those!?!

4) Why is Donnie's name mentioned thousands upon thousands of times in said files- don't ya want to clear his holy name?!?

5) Why haven't you interviewed the survivors to verify the evidence in said files?
   For god's freakin' sake---- Why - haven't - you!?!?!?! Ya had Plenty O' Time to meet with Ghislaine!!!

Sure some of them asked here and there- but imagine, just imagine if every Dem at that meeting had relentlessly asked and demanded answers to those five most blatant and obvious of questions... those five questions!!! People would at least be talking- and maybe, just maybe, demanding an honest answer or two themselves...

American Insanity

Was going to post on photography, but it's just too fucking disturbing to ignore- people wantonly being assassinated on the street by our 'Law and Order' administration, a 'Law and Order' administration led by an adjudicated rapist, con man, traitor and pedophile revered by millions who proclaim themselves (as does he) to be both Christian and patriotic...

Across The River

Photos: © Stan B.

I was walking out of my mother's nursing home when I was hit with the hottest wind I ever experienced in my life, unnaturally hot, radioactively hot, and having grown up in NY, having experienced many a NYC summer, I realized- this is most definitely not normal! 

It was 98 degrees that day and the major reason I wasn't spending extended periods of time pounding sweltering midtown city streets in the little time I had. So, I continued my Queens bound journey to Long Island City- which I once termed "the armpit of NY." For decades it was the land forgotten by time, one of the last stops before Manhattan on the 7 IRT subway line. Not many people lived there and it wasn't anything even remotely resembling a city, the area immediately surrounding said subway stop was just a stagnant, malignant area of decay- like a hoarder's long forgotten and abandoned living space. The area adjoining it was a mixture of longtime residents living in small residential communities separated by areas of light industry, spreading from the aforementioned LIC to neighboring Astoria- as sleepy and domestically banal as neighboring Manhattan was forever busy and bustling. It was an area I frequented while living in the Lower East Side for it's relative solace and tranquility, streets where one could find themself the only person afoot, where even the occasional horizon line could be spotted.

That all began to change the end of the last century, when hyper gentrification began to rear its head in the NYC real estate market directly across the river. It began quietly in the eighties with PS1, a beloved art museum alternative- when someone once proclaimed: "Artists- the shock troops of gentrification!"* Anyway, by the turn of the century there were Manhattan sized skyscrapers (both business and luxury) springing up all around- a trend that continues to this day. Still, there are pockets of quiet and stillness not found beyond the riverbank, as well as the occasional tree for shade and solace, which is where I headed to and found the included photos (as well as the best bagels I ever did eat)...

*I suppose one could now substitute "techies" with artists.

101 And Counting

Some things will always lie beyond human comprehension.                                Photos: © Stan B.

The one thing I found myself most wanting to do when I was in Washington, DC this 7/04 was to walk about, megaphone in hand, proclaiming, "Climate Change is a hoax" as we all collectively melted in the 101 degrees of sunlight and heat. But I came armed with a coupla cameras instead, which were useless after an hour and a half. Oh, they worked alright- my brain no longer did. I arrived around noon and there was many an American flag bedecked person and situation to photograph, but after that first ninety minutes of walking about in such utterly diabolical heat, thoughts of shutter speeds, light and composition went quickly out the front door, back door and every window in between- photography was no longer an option, everything focused on survival. 

Fortunately, National Guardsmen along with many a sidewalk merchant were handing out and selling (respectively) bottles of water, and the umbrella I took in case of afternoon thunderstorms became absolutely crucial to my survival in the sun- would not have survived without that goddamn umbrella; it was beyond brutal! Three hours into my six hour stay, I fortunately snuck into an air conditioned hotel that had some mighty comfortable lobby chairs where I managed to nurse myself back to humanity for an hour upon the onset of nausea. 

Meanwhile, someone (some mischievous, malcontent of an idiot) managed to shut down half the goddamn city on our nation's premier 250th anniversary celebration- The Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, the infamous Reflecting Pool and every other tourist attraction in between were all made completely inaccessible to the public on this most celebratory of occasions of our nation's history! Who even thinks of doing such a thing!?! And this was midday, well before the evening thunderstorms which did indeed come, when shade was very much at a premium, and every tree counted! Instead, some uncaring, unthinking idiot corralled hundreds of thousands of suffering visitors into its hottest of streets, while they desperately sought to find some manner of access to what they all obviously came to see and enjoy... Only to find that every entry way, no matter how far they ventured, or in what direction they veered in the searing heat was guarded, walled off and denied them. That was certainly one helluva way to fill his goddamn, crappy ass, so called 'state fair!' 

Child demonstrates how shade was at a premium- as only a child can!

Why no one complained, or downright revolted was probably due to the debilitating heat and the fact that many of said visitors, probably the vast majority, were of the uber 'patriotic' Trump class. They are not going to find fault with anything this bribe procuring, felon committing, forever lying traitor and pedophile has ever done or ever will do...That was made more than clear to me that day when a small band of demonstrators dared to raise their voice. I had begun to think that there was some small leeway being made of late into the Trumpian mindset that so fervently and fastidiously denied all chance of logic, reason and fact, but sadly- it is im-pen-e-tra-ble.

My train was scheduled to depart at six, arriving approx at 9:30PM in NYC- it was somewhat delayed, finally arriving at 2:30 AM (thank you, Amtrak)! When removing my t-shirt, I noticed it appeared as if tie-dyed, my dried sweat had left decorous, if unsightly rings of dried salt throughout; I drank around six bottles of water that day- and had yet to pee once... 

Photos: © Stan B.

Happy 4th!

Photo: © Stan B.

I can pass (in a crowd), and am no doubt considered some kinda Arab when in Europe (hell, most Americans ain't sure what a Puerto Rican is)- but this is indeed interesting! Meanwhile, this is as borderline Genius, as this is hilariously obvious. And as to further round out our nation's great history... Enjoy the day!

Blogo Interruptus...

Taking a break for a few and will be happily sweltering away this 4th at our nation's Capital in the interests of patriotism and historic documentation. Hopefully, we won't get completely rained out (as I once was many moons ago in a similar NY to DC train run- there's an over 50% chance of pm thunderstorms) on our 250th. Looking forward to seeing the 250 (350?) foot gash in the non-reflecting pool- and hope all the violent, radical, Leftist thugs that did it are behind bars by the time I get there. I'm thinking I'll also be able to catch a glimpse of the beautiful tarp hiding the removal of Trump's name at the Kennedy Center. Have no idea if the Great American State Fair will be open or closed... closed or open- kinda like the on again, off again Iran War! Two of the main attractions will definitely not be there- MAGA's own, onanistic Uncle Sam, and North Carolina's own singular contribution...  'cause nothing celebrates the United States' 250th better than flying the Star and Bars! 

Hopefully, get a few keepers while there and will drop a post on the 4th here for a few laughs, so tune in... See y'all in a coupla weeks; stay strong, vigilant and outta them goddamn Epstein files, just like our POTUS (well, 2 outta 3, 1 outta 3...)- hey, it's good to dream!

It Is No Exaggeration...

Photo: © Stan B.

None whatsoever, to state that we are dealing with an openly racist Presidential administration. The dog whistles and subtle code talk of yore are no longer needed and can no longer be disguised when confronted with the blatant in your face actions of this administration.  I have nothing against actual merit based programs and promotions- I do have everything against a system that places one race, one religion and one gender front, right and center! Particularly, that race is White, that religion is Christian, that gender is male- as has always been the case in the history of these semi-United States. After WW2, the US Armed Forces was one area where some modicum of diversity was promoted within the work force. We had progressed to the point where even the most conservative of military minds finally realized that the blood that stained any battlefield was uniformly red (and that most White youth had better things to do anyway).

Now that Popgun Pete, our Manly Weekend Warrior (whose first order of the day was to install a make up room in his office- before blabbing classified info to his wife, friends and members of the press) is fully in charge as Secretary of WAR, he's decided to backtrack on decades of progress within said military. Promotions of women and Black military officers (promotions that have gone through rigorous and strident review by many leading military personnel) have been denied outright for reasons that... well, actually- none were given! Even those tried and true dog whistles won't fly when it's this flagrant, this overtly racist and sexist! A portrait of the first Black USAF four star general has been conspicuously removed from it's display space, and last October, Black US Admiral Holsey retired when he saw the writing on the wall amid the illegalities of extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean. 

Then, of course, there's Vampire Miller and his chorus of ghouls in the Supreme Court; all happily rejoicing in their deportation of immigrants back to their "shithole countries," suppression of voter rights and suspension of DEI in favor of the aforementioned one race, one religion, one gender fealty program. Our President, however, will assure us all that he is "the least racist person in the world," and if ya don't believe him- ask any one of his All White Cabinet members...

Digital Cancer, Analog Reality

Photo: © Stan B.

Imagine waking up, walking down your block and finding Darth Vader's Headquarters right smack in the middle of what was once a picture book, beautiful, American town. Past tense. Just look at that cancerous, oversized monstrosity that metastasized at its very center practically overnight- breaking every environmental and zoning law that once existed, and every promise its creators swore not to do. More of these monstrosities will be coming to yet more towns and neighborhoods throughout the country, gobbling up people's water, land and peace of mind- government sanctioned and without restriction. This is rule by billionaires, for billionaires in a country released of all environmental and corporate regulation(s), where greed is paramount, and people... its servants.

Bloody Brilliant!

 The Most Transparent Administration Ever!

Anyone Remember "The Board Of Peace?"

We need them now so badly, Mr. President! Can somebody, please... call the guy who created it?!? How truly blessed we will all be once they spring into action to solve this Iran debacle (and when the smoke clears... maybe take a look at that nasty pool)!

Or maybe cartoon Supervillain, bribery aficionado and owner of Greenwater Services (he who Trump placed in charge of beautifying said pool), John Cafaro can come to the rescue and fix up The Strait of Hormuz- before or after the pool thingie...

The Way Of The World...

I've been waiting nine and one half years for the end of Trump, and by "the end," I mean: the complete exposure and acknowledgement of his colossal incompetence, duplicity, criminality and corruption for all to see and history to record. No, we're certainly not there by any means, but this past week the entire world bore witness to Trump's military genius by becoming the first President to ever surrender a war he voluntarily started via a $300 B-B-Billion bribe for their effort! And that from a man who repeatedly, continuously, remorselessly tried to ridicule a former POTUS for allowing that same country only $1.7 Billion of their money- with certified sanctions!

Trump realizes all the above on some low key, basic level- but his mental constitution rapidly represses it into non-existence (just as with the memories of what he did to teenage girls), all to allow the continuation of his... can do no wrong, winner attitude. Any hint of malfeasance aimed in his general direction is automatically rejected, reinterpreted as unwarranted attacks from jealous rivals, or projected unto someone else.  

He is still very much in power, openly continuing to sleep more and more at public functions (while dispensing gas) as his enablers ignore and deny it right beside him- just as they do with his non stop grift, corruption and criminality. His overall health and frontal lobe dementia will only worsen by the day- and MAGA will insist he's never looked better, never seemed stronger. An unsurpassed criminal enterprise, run by loyal incompetents, supported by the most gullible... to-our-very-end.

Trump Achieves- Unconditional Surrender!!!

After months of begging, pleading and outright groveling, Donald J Trump has finally achieved the dream of Unconditional Surrender- just not for the side he thought... and with said agreement, he also has to hand over to Iran hundreds of times more money than Obama ever allowed! And that's just the tip of the iceberg, the mile long gash gushing- L-O-S-E-R under the waterline is yet to reveal itself in full in the weeks and months to come... 

It's a very strong deal. No one knows what it is, but it's very strong.   -Donnie J!

In other words, Trump called Obama a "dumb son of a bitch" for giving back approx. $1.7 Billion of Iran's own money- now Trump has to dig up approx $300 Billion in Reparations... The Art of The Schlemiel!

Onward to Greenland!

Spot On!

This is the kind of passion, the kind of energy, the kind of clarity that is needed to address this ongoing affront to humanity!

Pure hysteria- think again!?

Happy Flag Day!

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism."  -Howard Zinn              Photo: © Stan B.

History In The UnMaking...

And "The Most Transparent Administration in History" has covered the removal with a giant
Tarp of Shame!!!

The Unrelenting Universe...

Photo: © Stan B.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Hey, kids- confused about... the sport? Then check out them cheerleaders!!!  

The guy's All Time Favorite Anthem is... YMCA, loves to talk about: Arnold Palmer's cock, the young handsome Secret Service men that come to his rescue, strong, good looking quarterbacks and MMA fighters and... has feigned giving his microphone oral sex- more than once. Now, I don't give a dang about someone's particular sexual preferences (assuming it doesn't include minors- yeah, that's another post), but when so many Republican followers repeatedly crash Grindr (incl at the Charlie Kirk memorial), ya gotta start wonderin'- particularly when these are the very same people frothing at the mouth in their vehement condemnation of the very lifestyle they celebrate and indulge in on the down low...

For Better Or...

We do it to remember.                           Photo: © Stan B.

I recently burned my greatest hits unto gold discs for posterity's sake... Yeah, I know, I know- delusions of grandeur. They probably won't survive a succession of dark, damp basements, or being melted in the Goodwill furnace. But this concerns... "the process;" no, not how to burn dvd's- that's simple enough (it really is). 

It's about preparing the files themselves- viewing them as critically as possible and making the necessary edits, a lot of basic stuff and small details that somehow previously escaped: localized contrast and exposure, color balance, etc... issues big and small that were somehow overlooked. 

This is "for the ages," so ya wanna get it right once and for all, like when submitting a file for an exhibition quality print- you want everything as perfect (or near perfect) as you can personally manage. And that's what this exercise forced me to do- and there were, admittedly, a lot more images I had to finesse than I previously imagined. I started in January, thought I'd finish by the end of the following month, and didn't finish dotting the i's and crossing the t's till mid-May (although there was a full month's detour shooting and self publishing a whole new & unexpected project in the interim).

Don't know if they'll last the hundred years advertised, but I'm glad I got it done- if only to have said images at a level of competency I can now show without hesitancy! That alone was worthwhile, and there's always that chance, however slight, that the images will actually endure into their stated longevity to be appreciated in a time they long preceded...

Sittin' & Thinkin,' Really Sittin' & Ahhh...

Now, I never heard of Freedom Williams, and certainly have no idea what his music is like, but I kinda do like the guy, in some way or another... (starts @2:56- make sure ya hear him all out).

Backroom FUN!

When was the last time you had fun at a movie, the last time one kept you engaged or guessing till the end, the last time one was filled with an imagination that satisfied yours? I still haven't gotten over a certain science fiction movie (Prometheus) of several years past that I psyched myself up for months before seeing, and half way through it, the light bulb went off over my head- oh shit, this is as good as it's gonna get... and that's not very.

Ever since, I've learned my lesson well and whenever I feel that pull, I instinctively start to shut down- which is a good thing... for instance, I expect nothing from Disclosure Day (despite having an avid interest in UFO's since the seventies); but then, I've learned to expect nothing from Steven Spielberg in general. Nevertheless, Backrooms certainly looked different- stark, disparate, intriguing... and therefore a nine out of ten chance of being a major disappointment.

It's advertised as a horror film- and today's horror fans will be horribly disappointed. Ixnay on the standard blood, gore, and jump cut scream theatrics! Most of the movie takes place in a terribly surreal, but utterly minimalist setting. It spring loads your own imagination to keep you in a state of heightened anticipation since it neither behaves in nor speaks the language of the typical horror flick. The suspense stems in great part from the minds of the two lead protagonists, but there are enough twists and turns to keep you as unbalanced as the world they find themselves in, and despite the repetitiveness of the scenery, one never knows what to expect around the next bend, or how it will all climax or conclude. In short, it's what The Shining wanted to be in so many ways (sorry, Stanley)- and it does not disappoint. 

PS- Oh, and the guy who made this alternate universe of the surreal... 20yrs. old! What were you doing at 20?!?

Donnie J- Leader, Philosopher, Deep Thinker (with "a very, very large uhhh... Brain")!

"The world is bigger than the US, hard to believe but it's true."

"Nothing bad can happen, it can only good happen."

"The kidney has a special place in the heart!"

Don't Ask!

Photo: © Stan B.

Sperm Racing! Yeah- you read that right!

My eye was first distracted by the assorted collection of Limes and other sidewalk accoutrements, only to focus on the term etched in the window above... What the!?!?

Social Media

We all need to be more civil while using.     Photo: © Stan B.

Having Fun This Morning!

People are Absolutely Losing it... over a Black woman being cast as Helen of Troy in the upcoming movie version of The Odyssey!!! 

And I can really see their point- how could anyone do such a thing?!?  And it's not just in movies either- I mean everyone knows Jesus was a Blonde, Blue eyed, Mediterranean-Viking warrior king who slaughtered his enemies by the thousands, without mercy! Whatever happened to historical accuracy?!? 

Yeah, having fun leaving comments to that effect- and I'm sure I'll get many a rational response backing me up... 
L-O-F-L!

Red Eyed

Photo: © Frank Fournier

Had the pleasure of stopping by the Leica Gallery in San Francisco this past Saturday just before closing and picking up Frank Fournier's joyous little book- Red Eye, a beautifully small 8x8in. book of visual poetry. Taken in 70's New York, they do contain a certain amount of nostalgia for this expat New Yorker growing up there at the time when the city was supposedly at its worst... Who knew? We were young. 

The book however does not just rely on nostalgia for its existence. The photos are pictorial paeans to a city so desperately alive, despite its decay. They're contemplative, but acutely representative of the details and rhythm of a city that's forever in motion, filled with the people that create it, regardless of how they feel or what it thinks of them. 

PS- The gallery is currently featuring the work of Patrick Corrigan and Hendrik Paul, and the former's print of a ladder against a tree is one of the most beautiful prints I have ever witnessed in my seventy years... can't stress enough- the jpeg depicted merely hints at the experience.

Photo: © Patrick Corrigan

Sure Hope This Self Made MESS...

Gets fixed by The Fourth for the nation's 250th celebration- cause it sure ain't gonna be a good look for the US of A! At this point it might be better to just turn it into the world's biggest go-cart rally. Eric and Don Jr. could sell and collect tickets to add to their empire of grift. It would go great with the Epstein Memorial Ballroom and the MMA Rose Garden! The Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials would also make great theme casinos...

Preach Brother!

ADDENDUM: But wait there's... MORE!😉😂😏

Punk vs. Street (Photography)

So called "street photography" is still going strong after its initial resurgence over a decade ago, in large part fueled by the concurrent analog revival. The ethos about punk music was that it was a return to rock basics and that you didn't even need to know how to play (an instrument) to do it. Technical and aesthetic expertise is not necessarily required in today's "street photography' either, just have a camera (preferably a Leica).

Forget that the genre has long been abandoned by the upper echelon of the photographic art world (do they still matter, do they still exist?)- it just seems to get more and more popular. Popular to the point where you now have various vloggers enthusiastically sharing their street photography journeys, while opining on their favorite techniques and approaches. And it's all good, except when, except when- they really don't have a clue. I learned years ago never to judge a photographer until you see their finished results, and in my latter years, I consider it wiser and more constructive not to go negative. But sometimes, when they do show their results, their 'successes-' and they're sadly anything but, technically and/or- aesthetically; well then, I think the kind thing to do is to uhhh... kinda let them know- constructively...

Recently, I encountered this one vlogger who I could tell was very earnest and enthusiastic about the medium, but honestly didn't-have-a-clue; so I decided to give a bit of advice, technical (concerning light leaks) and aesthetic, concerning the use of wide angles. Creatively, the issue was fairly obvious- they were too shy to get close enough to their subject to take advantage of what wide angles offer. Everything was in the background in so many of their shots.

It's a problem that plagues most wannabe street photographers, including myself; I'm an introvert, having grown up in NYC however, one learns early in life that you either stand up, or get swallowed up. One day I decided (when confronting a must take opportunity I was hesitating on)- was I photographer, or just someone with a camera on his shoulder; I knew what I had to do, and acted accordingly. But to this day, I still have my bouts of hesitancy- but enough about me... So I offered some basic, and (I thought) well needed advice:

Do you have a light proof changing bag to transfer the film from cannister to loader, loader to cassettes, cassette to film tank? Are your cassettes lightproof? Depending on the type, they can leak at the 'joints' where you disassemble them, or where the felt meets the film...

I love 28 and 20mm lenses; but sorry, even with the former- you're gonna have to get much closer to your subject... whatever it is! It's hard to tell because it gets lost with everything else in your photos. WA's are great to accentuate your subject, but to do that you must get closer to emphasize it, otherwise it-just-gets-lost. Right now, everything in your 'composition' is at equal distance (so Everything comes off as of equal importance)- no separation, no drama, no involvement. Your eye is not being led anywhere!?!? If you want the viewer to get involved... then you must do it first when creating your composition and show the way!

Perhaps get a friend or model, someone you're comfortable with, photograph with the 28 and get as close as you want from every conceivable angle- place them in the foreground (Close!) and see how you can separate them from the background in different environments, practice "layering" with separate things in the foreground, mid and background that all contribute to the story you're telling within the photograph. Then compare the shots you took when at ease with the model, to those you do 'on the street.' I'm betting you'll see a considerable difference- if ya don't, you're really gonna have to study the masters more to get a sense of how they do it. Check out how close Mark Cohen got to his subjects- and with a flash no less!

Also, try shooting from the hip, prefocused from right inside the crowds- study the results, you may find some clues and surprises. Right now, your shyness is preventing your success- it's keeping you at arm's length (make that mile's length) from your subject... there's another good practice shoot- don't shoot anyone unless they are within a literal arm's length!!! That pretty good advice for shooting WA on the street- period! You can do it but you're gonna have to conquer your fear, it won't happen overnight- but it won't happen at all unless you seriously resolve to do it!

I didn't get any response, so it was probably not well received. It was only then that I noticed- same said person was offering their very own "street photography" course- for a nominal fee! Yeah.

Addendum: Got a reply and a love today, didn't totally agree with my assessment(s), but agreed there was some validity to what I said... fair enough.

We Got One In The White House!

Photo: © Stan B.

Anyone Get Their Check Yet?

That finger is pointing at me as much as anyone else (look closely and
it's the wrong finger anyway...)     Photo: © Stan B.

              

No, not the usual (if that's the case) income tax refund, I'm talking the $5,000 stimulus check from the DOGE dividend- ya know, the heaps and heaps of money we saved from all those well thought out DOGE cuts.* Or, the $2,000 tariff dividend refund- anyone see one of those?!? Well, I've said it before- at least we have $2.00 gas!** And on the lucky day when I do get those checks- I'm donating them straight back to his Big, Beautiful Ballroom- ya know, the $200 Million, $400 Million, $1BILLION that's uhhh... not gonna cost us one-red-cent!!!***

*A study published in The Lancet in July 2025 projects over 14 million additional deaths globally by 2030 due to cuts in foreign aid. Specific cuts to the president's Malaria Initiative are projected to cause 107,000 deaths in a single year, while funding freezes to initiatives like PEPFAR could cause over 780,000 deaths in one year.

**Gas is currently $6.16 per gallon Regular in CA.

*** "To date, the White House has presented no evidence to suggest that the project will be largely financed by the president. Similarly, there’s no available information about why Trump sought so many private donations if he’s “putting up $400 million” toward construction."

The Lo-Fi Photo Zine King!

Hamburger Eyes- the brand, the slogan, the B&W Photozine King Y'all! If you're down San Francisco way from now till end of summer- make sure to stop by the main public library at Civic Center, make an immediate right at the main entrance, and down ya go to the Jewett Gallery on the lower level where you'll get a taste firsthand of what Mr. Ray Potes has conjured up in the last 25 years... Congrats!

 A Photographer Walks Into A Bank...

When Cooler Heads Prevailed

Photo: © Stan B.

After I got over the initial shock of the rather startling and for all practical purposes, unknown bit of history contained in the previous post, I couldn't help but think what Vasili Arkhipov must have gone through as the one dissenting officer (of a required three) who steadfastly refused to launch a nuclear torpedo at American naval forces. The one sole vote that prevented nuclear Armageddon. You just know that was one super heated, supercharged exchange as he stalwartly refused to go along with them- a formidable nuclear exchange of its own as he was undoubtedly threatened and called every name in the book including coward and traitor to the motherland with the rest of his crew in that submerged coffin more than likely thinking much the same... All that occurring simultaneously as American depth charges were exploding all around threatening to end the whole lot of them at any second!

And cooler heads, or at least- one cool dude prevailed. How many millions were reduced to radioactive cinder those fateful days thereafter in an alternate universe where the decision went the other way?

And some sixty years later- we have a buffoonish, clown, idiot contemplating dropping The Bomb on... hurricanes! Yes, back in our very own space-time continuum- this was actually put forth by the man in charge of the-world's-largest-nuclear-arsenal! A man whose deep rooted, infantile insecurity is so profoundly ingrained in his perverse psyche that he actually cannot restrain himself from resorting to such flagrantly juvenile behavior- (14:15). 

And we are all currently in the hands of a man-child who has finally been cornered into a situation completely of his own making and short sidedness that he cannot talk, bribe or bully his way out of...

My Kinda War Hero

It's nice to have more than one! We don't have a single statue, memorial or monument for Hugh Thompson; Russia doesn't have one for Vasili Arkhipov, nor does any other country in the world despite the fact that he prevented... a nuclear holocaust- probably on a worldwide scale! And no one even knows his name. I sure didn't.

1 Sick Mo-Fo!

Photo: © Stan B.

And now... DEMENTED! Woulda made a swell campaign slogan. Meanwhile- we won, we've almost won, we're winning like no one has ever seen before, in numbers no one has ever heard of, like no one would believe!

Yeah, we have seen this before- countless times before. We went in, promised to pull out fast, and didn't- now we want out, they want us to be responsible, we say not our problem, they say that's why we're making it your problem, and... here we are- AGAIN!

Lied into another fuckin' war, for no good reason whatsoever- with no way out... no way out while saving face, that is. And there's no way we can admit that: Iran wasn't two weeks from having... The Bomb (as Bibi's been claiming since- The Nineties) and that they weren't going to attack us the very next day as we slept if we didn't strike first! Lies only the dumbest of the dumb (spelled M-A-G-A) would even remotely entertain. And there's no way we coulda killed over a hundred schoolgirls on our first day, because, well, because we didn't- and the investigation we promised and we'll never have will prove us right... just-you-wait! 

And after we win (again), it's on to Cuba, and Greenland, and then finally- goddamn fuckin' Canada!

I said this guy was One Sick Fuck and to invoke the 25th when he started spouting off about having more people at his inauguration than Obama just days into his first term. One massive, indisputable Reddest of The Red Flags that this guy was... 1 SICK Mother-Fucker!!! And he's still Cryin' about it to this very week- now adding that he had even more people than MLK did in DC! And the only respite we get from this repetitive cycle of psycho war rhetoric and nostalgic personal inanities is when he regales us with tales of his personally handpicked drapes and golden Oval Office knick-knackery which eventually lulls him into his peaceful afternoon REM sleep as his Cabinet looks nervously about as daddy drools in the public eye. 

Fuck the dead Iranian school girls he killed a few weeks ago, Fuck the girls he and his Best Bud of Fifteen years had their way with years ago...