ParvProGallery > (Cont'd from previous photograph) ...
That was when his face just lit up ... albeit in a subtle manner, but sure enough there was life that raced across his face and eyes - I remember feeling puzzled as to the reason behind his sudden change in demeanor ... and that's when I noticed his overcoat. He had slowly opened it up wide ... and that's when I saw them ... 6 little kittens huddled together, all around his waist, snuggled warm and motionless ... he picked one up very carefully just as I had raised my camera once more and took the photo that you can see posted above ...
I remember thinking how awe-struck I had felt at this display of affection between a man and his orphanage of kittens ... about how I would never have at all thought that behind those seemingly cold-as-steel blue eyes hid a heart bursting with love ... and warmth ...
So much for judging a book by its cover ...
ParvProGallery > It was December in Istanbul. 
He sat huddled in the street corner, alone, head slightly bent downward, refusing to meet the quick, furtive glances of passers by ... I had stood at a distance and studied him as I warmed my hands around a cup of hot Turkish tea ... I remember feeling intrigued by what circumstance of life had brought this man to this junction of humanity and yet cast him in a deafening isolation that yelled his presence to attentive ears. I noticed his rather bulky overcoat - and wondered if the reason he hadn't so much as moved an inch was so he could conserve his body warmth in that single digit weather ... I had mustered up the courage to approach him slowly, greeting him in Turkish, hoping that it would elicit at least an acknowledgment from him ... he had glanced up and then locked eyes with mine ... neither of us flinched as I slowly brought my camera up towards him, letting him see it and understand that I found him an attractive subject even as dozens of others continued passing by him, indifferent to his existence ... I gave him a slight smile and raised my camera to take his photograph - thinking that it would be just about now that he would burst out in a tirade at me, but he didn't, in fact his eyes had engaged mine as if beckoning me to photograph him ... so I did, then lowered my camera and thanked him with a silent courtesy bow of my head towards him - a salut of sorts. It was then he took his hand out of his large overcoat and beckoned me to come closer ... I gingerly walked over to him, now about 10 feet from him ... 
(Cont'd in the next photograph ...).
ParvProGallery > Love ... it's a multi-faceted thing!
May we all be lucky to feel all kinds of it ...
From birth, growth and death ...
[I had photographed these images and created this collage for a contest - I didn't win ... am still in therapy for it ... Year 3 but it's going really well ;) ]
ParvProGallery > "Graffitti on the Beach" ... I love 'silhouettes' ... they are to a well-lit photograph, just as a 'book' is to a full-color movie ... it was almost dark, this evening at Venice Beach, in L.A., and as I walked back to my hotel ... these artists didn't even notice me perhaps thinking it was already too dark to photograph ... except that for such a silhouette - the light (or scarcity thereof) was 'perfect'.
Yes, I know, I can be verbose ... I am good like that. No, it doesn't run in the family.
ParvProGallery > A good photograph transports the viewer 'into' a photograph in a way that is almost invisible to anyone in the photograph itself ... there is this 'almost' fly-on-the-wall feeling to seeing such a photograph ... and a visceral tug that somehow manages to say - Hush, don't make any sound, lest you break the ethereal, fragile scrim that is holding this view together ... be still, quiet and watch!
[I took this pic at Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington State, and used it to design the Music CD cover - for a David Gary album - A New Day at Midnight ... it too was for a design contest ... it came in third and really pissed me off! I mean - just what is the point of coming in third? What? What did I say?] :)
ParvProGallery > I have often asked myself - Why is it that I photograph?
I now know the answer - so that I may walk awake and aware, with all my senses alert, searching, scanning and creating ... stealing compositions out of the cobwebs of visual noise ... it feeds the 'Zorro' in me, sword and horse notwithstanding!
So happens it is also the same reason that I love riding my motorcycle (trikes don't count; they are for sissies with too much money and not enough gay abandon) ... as riding puts all my senses into high gear ... a defensive aggressive mind-set that makes the seemingly bah-humbug process of getting from Point A to Point B ... a matter of life and death, so I better not screw-up, not even once ... (OK, so that may be a bit over the top, but isn't that part of the fun!)
Also, why I like walking on lava flows, glaciers and skiing like a kamikaze who's lost his harakiri sword ... I feel most alive when I am closest to not being so ... and ... it's a legal rush ... yes, even in Virginia :)
ParvProGallery > Photo-story of the Day! >  01_JAN4116_BW
ParvProGallery > Photo-story of the Day! >  01_JAN4116
ParvProGallery > Photo-story of the Day! >  01_JAN4084_BW
(Cont'd from previous photograph) ...
That was when his face just lit up ... albeit in a subtle manner, but sure enough there was life that raced across his face and eyes - I remember feeling puzzled as to the reason behind his sudden change in demeanor ... and that's when I noticed his overcoat. He had slowly opened it up wide ... and that's when I saw them ... 6 little kittens huddled together, all around his waist, snuggled warm and motionless ... he picked one up very carefully just as I had raised my camera once more and took the photo that you can see posted above ...
I remember thinking how awe-struck I had felt at this display of affection between a man and his orphanage of kittens ... about how I would never have at all thought that behind those seemingly cold-as-steel blue eyes hid a heart bursting with love ... and warmth ...
So much for judging a book by its cover ...
ParvProGallery > (Cont'd from previous photograph) ...
That was when his face just lit up ... albeit in a subtle manner, but sure enough there was life that raced across his face and eyes - I remember feeling puzzled as to the reason behind his sudden change in demeanor ... and that's when I noticed his overcoat. He had slowly opened it up wide ... and that's when I saw them ... 6 little kittens huddled together, all around his waist, snuggled warm and motionless ... he picked one up very carefully just as I had raised my camera once more and took the photo that you can see posted above ...
I remember thinking how awe-struck I had felt at this display of affection between a man and his orphanage of kittens ... about how I would never have at all thought that behind those seemingly cold-as-steel blue eyes hid a heart bursting with love ... and warmth ...
So much for judging a book by its cover ...
(Cont'd from previous photograph) ...
That was when his face just lit up ... albeit in a subtle manner, but sure enough there was life that raced across his face and eyes - I remember feeling puzzled as to the reason behind his sudden change in demeanor ... and that's when I noticed his overcoat. He had slowly opened it up wide ... and that's when I saw them ... 6 little kittens huddled together, all around his waist, snuggled warm and motionless ... he picked one up very carefully just as I had raised my camera once more and took the photo that you can see posted above ...
I remember thinking how awe-struck I had felt at this display of affection between a man and his orphanage of kittens ... about how I would never have at all thought that behind those seemingly cold-as-steel blue eyes hid a heart bursting with love ... and warmth ...
So much for judging a book by its cover ...
See photo in gallery

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