"Brothers Under the Bridge," Pittsburgh, September 2011

Between the bridge towers, originally uploaded by DC Products.

I didn't post much on the blog in 2011, but I still wanted to choose a best shot from the year. With two trips to Pittsburgh, and this concert capping a wonderful sixth anniversary day, I decided to go with it.

My gracious, giving and loving wife allowed me to spend part of my anniversary at the Notre Dame-Pittsburgh football game with three college friends. Afterward, we reconvened downtown (my three friends and one of their wives joining us) for appetizers and drinks before crossing back over the river for a Reds-Pirates game. The night ended with a postgame Steve Miller Band concert, which led to this shot.

Another great year.

"The less talk, the better," Arizona, March 2010

The less talk, the better, originally uploaded by DC Products.

"There is a deeper thing to express — the return of humanity to some sort of balanced awareness of the natural things — some rocks and sky. We need a little earth to stand on and feel run through our fingers. Perhaps Photography can do this — I am going to try anyhow. -- Ansel Adams

Today is Ansel Adams' birthday; he would have been 109 if he were superhuman. I was drawn in from the moment I first saw one of his black-and-white prints taken at Yosemite, so I thought I'd take a moment to tip my hat to the man today. The combination of his photographs and the crisp, exciting action shots I saw in Sports Illustrated are what drew me to the hobby.

The header on this blog, of course, also recognizes Adams, and for this day, I went back to find a photo taken out West, one that might have been taken by Adams (though in black and white) had he stood where I stood. However, I stood in a parking lot -- making sure to step forward enough so that the pavement did not encroach upon the view, leaving the contrast between blue sky and white clouds against the red rock and green desert foliage to speak for itself.

And, once more, I'll let Adams speak for himself:

"I hesitate to define just what the qualities of a true wilderness experience are. Like music and art, wilderness can be defined only on its own terms. The less talk, the better."

"Offseason in Truro," Cape Cod, January 2011

Left behind, originally uploaded by DC Products.

As a vacation destination, Cape Cod gets its share of visitors from Memorial Day through Labor Day. But it's a different scene in the middle of winter. Cottages are boarded up, stores are closed for the season, roads are empty and the restaurants that are open are more than happy to see you.

Sometimes you just have to get away, and with a friend housesitting in the woods on the outer Cape this month, my wife and I were more than happy to visit her on a cold January weekend. The signs in front of these North Truro cottages said "See you in May!" and the beach was empty, the waves lapping at the steps that lead down to the water and the wind leaving the sand flat and undisturbed.

"Edie's, Little Silver," New Jersey, October 2010

Edie's, Little Silver, originally uploaded by DC Products.

I love this little luncheonette in my hometown. It's a nice little slice of suburbia. I wrote more about it here.

"In the Utah sky," Arches National Park, March 2010

Worth the walk

The beauty of Delicate Arch explains nothing, for each thing in its way, when true to its own character, is equally beautiful. ... If Delicate Arch has any significance it lies, I will venture, in the power of the odd and unexpected to startle the senses and surprise the mind out of their ruts of habit, to compel us into a reawakened awareness of the wonderful — that which is full of wonder.

-- Edward Abbey, "Cliffrose and Bayonets," Desert Solitaire

The walk to Delicate Arch takes you up into the higher elevations of Arches National Park and when you reach the formation, the adjacent canyon gives you the feeling of being high in the sky.

"Josh on guitar," Maine, July 2009

Josh on guitar

Good summer fun: Rafting the Penobscot by day, sitting around the campfire that night.

"Empire o'lantern," New York, October 2009

Empire o'lantern

Every block seems to contain a symbol of New York, especially those that include a view of the Empire State Building.

"Alone at Bass Harbor," Maine, May 2009

Alone at Bass Harbor

So many great places along the Maine coast, it's hard to decide which one -- or which locale -- to use. But Bass Harbor lighthouse is a gorgeous, remote, quiet spot I look forward to visiting whenever I'm on Mount Desert Island.

"Sunning in Secaucus," August 2009

Sunning in Secaucus

Waiting for his train home, this guy took a moment to absorb the sunshine.

"Rusted in Jerome," Arizona, March 2010

Not much left but the wheel

The wheel on the truck hasn't gone 'round in quite a long time.

"Clouds fill the Canyon," Grand Canyon, March 2010

Clouds fill the Canyon

Is it overcast when you're above the clouds? Or does this fall more into the undercast category? Or maybe we were just in a cloud sandwich at the Canyon, a thick mist filling the void below us, an unbroken cover above us, occasionally dusting us with flakes so that we felt we were living in a snowglobe. So to remember the visit, we bought a Grand Canyon snowglobe at the gift shop on our way out the next day.

"The ghost of Ed Abbey," Arches National Park, March 2010

The ghost of Ed Abbey

After Casey and I passed through Turret Arch at the start of our day at Arches, I turned and saw this older gentleman had followed us up the path and I took a photo to use him for perspective on the size of the arch. Then I took this one, but after seeing it along with the previous one, I decided to try this in black and white and that's when this title hit me.

Having read Abbey's The Journey Home and Desert Solitaire before, during and after the visit, I felt more immersed in the words than I have for just about anything else I've ever read. And because of that, this photo not only takes me back to that morning two weeks ago today, but also to Abbey's country, to his time in the Utah desert.

2011 update: In the end, I felt that this was my favorite photo of 2010. It may not have been my best, but it wasn't far off.

"Middle of the night," New Jersey, January 2010

In which I am the pillow

It happens with regularity most nights: Lenny will come into the bedroom before I fall asleep and settle in on my legs. Inevitably, I'll have to shift, which wakes him up and he takes that opportunity to resettle himself on my neck and shoulder, leaning up against my head. With Casey away on this particular night, I took the opportunity for a self portrait.

"To go into solitude," Colorado, May 2006

To go into solitude

To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Nature"

"Cloud Room at the Warhol," Pittsburgh, September 2005

Among the clouds

The incredible lightness of Warhol. The Cloud Room at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh features air-filled mylar pillows and fans to keep them afloat (though visitors tend to help a bit). Catching a distorted reflection of yourself in their silver surfaces is always a treat.

A quick search resulted in several videos of the "cloud" in motion:

"On the surface of Cloud Gate," Chicago, August 2007

The Bean's eye

The artist calls it Cloud Gate, but the public calls it The Bean. No matter the nomenclature, it draws people to its reflective surface to look at themselves and the city in reverse. I've only seen it once, in summer, on a sticky, steamy day, but I'm sure it's as enjoyable on a windy winter day.

"To the horizon," Wyoming, May 2006

To the horizon

"If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame," Counting Crows, "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby"

"Katrina damage," New Orleans, January 2007

Smushed

In order to depict something damaged, my mind kept going back to New Orleans. The images from that city after Hurricane Katrina aren't just of abandoned ruins crumbling because of neglect, they were thriving, inhabited neighborhoods filled with life and everyday activity one morning, then a desolate, deserted aftermath of a storm path and an ill-equipped government.

"How many licks?" Pennsylvania, July 2009

How many licks?

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop? Depends on if you go slowly or risk cracking a tooth after two.

"Bed time down under," San Diego Zoo April 2006

This guy will sleep anywhere

When you're a koala, bed time can come anywhere, anytime.