Beyond Books

    Libraries have improved since I was a boy. They’re not just about books anymore.
    For example, I photographed a librarian posing with an art collection. Patrons can borrow a painting, hang it on a wall at home, then return the painting.
    But not all libraries loan paintings. And not all libraries are top notch.
    I have visited libraries in many towns in the United States. All of those visits led me to a conclusion: The quality of a library often indicates the quality of life, or lack of, in a community.

Creative Delusion

In Massachusetts, high school basketball players compete.

    When photographers begin careers, they often believe their work is exceptional.
    For example, I once took a photo of two basketball players vying for a rebound (seen at top). Good expressions. Peak action. I was proud of that photo.
    Not any more. I later discovered that ‘armpit’ photos of basketballs players are commonplace. That photo is nothing more than a cliche.
    I once managed a photo department at a newspaper. A staff photographer job opened up. Applicants stopped by with their portfolios. One man’s photos featured artsy and eclectic subjects. One image was hard to identify. It looked like a birds-eye view of a bush. I asked him about the photo. He said, “It’s a close up of my girlfriend’s vagina.”
    I was puzzled over why he’d shown that picture, and other artsy images, for a news photographer job. I think he was delusional. He believed his work was so good that I’d be duly impressed. But I wasn’t. He didn’t get the job.
    Delusion affects writers too. My dream is to become a full time novelist. I thought my first novel was excellent. I sent the manuscript to publishers. They all rejected it. Years later, I realized the writing wasn't up to snuff.  
    Exceptional works follow inferior works. Young artists often can't tell the difference.

Steel Appeal

    While photographing a political rally in Pennsylvania, I noticed a girl with a steel worker union shirt. Behind her stood a woman. This event happened inside a union hall.
    When that woman was growing up, jobs were plentiful in the steel industry. Maybe her father worked in a mill. Chances are, union wages still support the family of this woman and girl. They are fortunate.
    Not all steel workers—or former steel workers—are fortunate. I’ve driven through several communities in Pennsylvania where steel jobs have declined. Many of those places appear rundown. They’ve had trouble bouncing back.
    Other former steel communities, like Pittsburgh, have fared better. They diversified their economies.
    It’s all about adapting to change. Some places—and people—handle  change better than others.
    Robert Kennedy once said, “Progress is a nice word. But change is its motivator. And change has its enemies.”

Second Blooming

    Summer took a toll on my hanging flowers. They began shriveling in mid July. By September, the petals were pretty much gone. I disposed off their roots and dirt among the trees behind my house. Those flowers were destined to be forgotten.
    Or so I thought.
    Several days later, I noticed a splash of color in the woods. A smile creased my face. Some of those petals were again blossoming. A floral comeback!
    I'll leave the flowers at their second home. But they won't be neglected. Every few days, I'll give them a drink of water.
    When simple pleasures come out of the blue, they boost our spirits.

Signature Works

Children play at the Make Way For the Ducklings sculpture in Boston.

    Many artists create a signature work, regarded as their best achievement.
    Sculpture Nancy Schon created Make Way for the Ducklings (seen in photo). It occupies a spot in the Public Gardens of Boston. Children throng to the statues.
    Musicians create signature songs. Led Zeppelin recorded a masterpiece called Stairway to Heaven.
    Architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed Fallingwater, described as a tour de force.
    Author Henry David Thoreau wrote Walden, his classic.
    Signature works shouldn't only apply to literature, objects of art, and their creators. Nor must these works be famous. Signature works should cite accomplishments-of-a-lifetime made by everyday people.
    In our lives, have we each done something that made world a better place? Those actions might someday represent our signature works. Or have we merely gone through the motions of life, without making an impact?

Faster and Faster We Go

Photo taken in August on Long Island Sound. The shoreline in background is Connecticut.

    A ferry, churning a froth of water, passed by a wind driven schooner. Diesel engines powered the ferry. It moved at forty miles per hour. Customers like quickness. The ferry’s business probably booms during summer.
    The schooner moved like a slowpoke. But two centuries ago, schooners were the speediest vessels. Fisherman used them to rush their catches to shore.
    As time marches on, modes of transportation quicken. The same applies to the performance of tasks. Technology speeds things up. Faster actions result in convenience. And convenience leads to more leisure time.
    Or just the opposite for some people. Speediness leaves them more time for productivity. Their workloads increase. Their brains process more stimuli. Fatigue takes hold. Over time, burnout looms.
    Going faster and faster may inadvertently slow down a person.