Capturing The Moment In A Photo

Another trip down memory lane here. The above photo is one taken of me at a bowling banquet awards ceremony. The place was Philadelphia and the year was June 1973, almost fifty years ago! As it is with me I remember names and places. In the picture is Arlene Steur (the blonde) and Peggy Fisher (dark hair). They were both co-workers of mine at the bank where we were employed in Philadelphia. 

I don't have too many pictures of myself smiling because most photos taken of me I have beg sometime to take the photo. Bill never has liked taking photos of me and Pat is the same way. They just don't care. Doesn't mean they're bad people, taking photos just isn't their thing. 

A blogger friend of mine, Mark Himes, likes to take photos. And he takes great photos. He captures people at spontaneous moments like was captured here. I try to take photos like that too. 

I've always been interested in photography. From my earliest memory I wanted a camera. I finally got one at Christmas 1954. Unfortunately I didn't take too many photos of people and places. Too many of my photos were of trees and water. What was I thinking? I think I can attribute my stupidity to the fact I was so shy and didn't want to draw attention to myself by taking someone's photo. Now I don't care. And I've been called out for it.

I remember one walk I had through my neighborhood. I used to pass this one lady often. One morning she stopped me and introduced herself. I introduced myself to her too. Then as is my won't I ASKED if I could take her photo, this so I could remember her name (Lorelie) and image. She paused and they said "OK." The next day when I encountered her on our morning walk she stopped and told me "Could you please delete that photo you took of me?' WTF? What is THAT all about? I of course acceded to her wishes and deleted the photo I took of her. Still, it puzzled me as to why she would make such a request. Then when I saw her husband working outside during one of my other morning walks it dawned upon me the reason why. I guess his mind was in the gutter. Figure it out for yourselves folks. People never cease to disappoint me. As a result I have to be very careful now when I foolhardily ask "can I take  your picture?"  Granted, most people don't mind. Some do. Whatever.

Looking at this old photo of me I am amazed at how much I have aged since I started caretaking for Bill. 

I have pretty good genes (from my father) for not looking like an OLD MAN with snow white hair and  Crypt Keeper visage but I'm getting there now. I still don't have snow white hair but I do have a few more gray hairs. What's really changed is my face. I hardly recognize myself when I look in the mirror in the morning. "Who is that?" I say to Self. 

I wonder what I would look like now is someone was around to take a candid shot of me. Maybe not so pretty anymore. 

Just took this picture five minutes ago. Scary!

The Jetty

All right folks, here's a real post.  I know, I know.  I've been taking a shortcut lately by posting a couple of really cool videos from You Tube.  Hey, now admit it, they were cool weren't they?  I have a few more backlogged which I will post in the future.

But for now, here is a real posting.  Yesterday I took the ten mile ride down from Casa Tipton-Kelly to Rehoboth Beach to meet up with a woman who saw a blog posting of mine in July of 2010.  She saw a picture of a jetty that I took and wanted to know where I took it.  I checked back and saw that I took it at the North Shores, Cape Henlopen.  I e-mailed that information back to her.

North Shores jetty, Cape Henlopen

She said that actually that wasn't the jetty she was looking for.  She said she's been looking this jetty for six months in Ocean City, Maryland.  Now anyone who has been to Ocean City knows that they have a LONG beach.  Forty blocks long to be exact.  Here is the e-mail that I received from her:

My original view of the jetty early in the morning with a kayaker in the distance

I just stumbled on a photo in your blog, a jetty posted July 31, 2010 (I think that’s the right date).  I’ve been looking for this jetty for about six months now – spent the last two days wandering Ocean City, MD, all 140 blocks of it.  Could you tell me where it’s located?  I’m a photographer and would love to shoot some long exposures there.

Thanks much,

MariAnne M...

So...I put on my thinking cap and racked my brain and thought of another jetty that I have seen on my wanderings.  This one is in front of the Victoria Hotel at the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, just down the boardwalk a bit from the Sands Hotel.  In the summer of 2010 I used to sit on the bench on front of the hotel and watch folks frolic around that jetty.  On good days a wave would wash in and inundate of the frolickers, thus giving me great joy in seeing them scramble to dry land.  As a fellow blogger friend of mine often says "Jolly good fun!"

Me on my bench in front of the hotel watching the action - Jetty Watching

I sent a new e-mail back to her earlier this week identifying the Mysterious Jetty.  She sent me an e-mail back an e-mail thanking me and telling me that she would be at that jetty on Friday, early in the morning, taking pictures.  She suggested that if would like to stop down and say "Hi!", she would be glad to meet me.  I thought that was a good idea.  So far I've only met one fellow blogger and that turned out to be really good.  He is Mark H. of "Two Papas and their four darlings" (or something like that, I can never get the title of his blog correct but he you all know who I'm talking about).  Mark takes wonderful photos and is very generous with sharing his talent on his blog for all of us out her in Bloggerland to view.

MariAnn (her name) said I could identify her on the beach because she would have the tripod.  So, sure enough as I was striding along the boardwalk I saw someone on the beach by the jetty with a tripod set up. There was also another photographer standing on the wet sand with her.

MariAnn - the photographer who contacted me by my blog posting

I left the boardwalk and ambled onto the footprint ladened sand toward the two photographers who were standing near the jetty, their cameras at the ready, and the sound of the waves washing over the jetty providing background ambiance.  As I got closer she looked at me and said "You must be Ron."  I fessed up that "Yes" I was Ron.  She told me that she originally thought the man standing next to her was me at first (he didn't look anything me plus he was short).  She took a closer look at my face and said "Yes, I can see that it is YOU now.  I looked at your pictures on your blog and I can see the resemblance. "  Phew!  Thank goodness she didn't say "You don't look anything at all like your pictures in your blog."  

We conversed a bit, I asked to take her picture for my blog and then I excused myself to visit a friend who was in town for the weekend.  

Yesterday MariAnn sent me this picture she took of the jetty.  Pretty cool huh?

MariAnne's photo of the Rehoboth jetty

Now this little experience is a perfect example of why I blog.  I have had friends ask me "Why do you blog?"  Here you go guys!  It is interesting.  I get to talk about myself and meet new people and who knows, I might even make a few new friends!  And we all know, one can never have enough friends!

Thanks MariAnne for contacting me.  It was a very enjoyable experience and your photo is fabulous!

My Week in Photos

Not much time for a well thought out blog posting (and I do have a lot to talk about) so instead, just to let my faithful blog followers know that I'm still alive here are some of the photos I took with my iPhone this week.  I've stolen this idea from a fellow blogger who posts a weekly blog called "The Sunday Post."  He post photos that he took with his iPhone of his families activities, which includes photos of his wife, son, nieces and nephews.  The only children you will see in my "My Week in Photos" are children of my boss or friends.  My circle (Old Gay Guys) don't have children with the possible exception of Mark H. and he is an exception (if you know what I mean).

Here goes in no particular order or favor:

Hotel guests standing on the flight deck of the Admiral's Quarters at the hotel where I work in Lewes, DE overlooking the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal - they liked the suite!

Sam Caliogne's front yard (yes, he of the worldwide known Dogfish Brewery) on Pilottown Road in Lewes.  My friend Bob C. is thinking of having the same gals who "did" Sam's front yard do his and he wanted me to take a picture of it for him - I was only too happy to oblige because I had a few minutes before I had to go to work just a block down the street.  Bob didn't like the yard, he said it was "too much."  Just like Sam.

My Bill in a pensive moment this past week sitting in his favorite (lawn) chair in the sunroom - he won't like it that I posted his picture that he didn't even know I took until now.  I'll hear about this.  Won't be the first time.

Me taking a picture of the breakfast setup at the Inn.  Since I did dayshift this week I had to put out the breakfast.  However, I so infrequently work days I always forget the exact layout so I have to take a picture to remind me.  Sorry for the blur but I rushed to take the picture before the hotel guest crashed the room and devoured everything you see.

Another blurred picture (sorry) that I took in the kitchen while we were all eating a lunch compliments of the owner of the hotel in celebration of Dawn's birthday (she in the orange in the middle)  The gentleman in the blue shirt is our sales director and  he DOES NOT LIKE ME TAKING HIS PICTURE so that's why this is blurred.  Jesse doesn't pose.  I didn't want a punch in the nose.

This is Dee, our head housekeeper.  She is Indian (Nanticoke) and runs a tight ship at the hotel.   I like her and she likes me. With a person like Dee you want to be on her good side.  I am.

This is what the sky looked like this morning as I turned out of my development on my way to work very early this morning to open the hotel.  Yes, I go to work in the dark.  First stop,  the 24/7 Walgreens to pick up the newspaper.  See below photo.

This is the new Walgreens in Lewes, DE.  The only place I can buy a paper 6:15 am.  It's a new store but man oh man, hard to navigate getting in and out.  I think this is because they fear robbers and want to slow their getaway down.  Checkout the posts for hitching the horses front of the entrance doors.  

This is my boss (yes, he is THAT YOUNG - young enough to be my grandson) with his beautiful Russian wife Olga and their adorable daughter Alexandra.  Happy families like this make me happy.

I just had to take another picture of Olga.  Olga is one of those woman who looks beautiful even without makeup.  

This is my co-worker Robert. Yes, he too is young enough to be my grandson.  He relieved me today on shift, I relieve him tomorrow.  Robert is very cool.  He has a sardonic with that I love.  He's also gullible.  A great combination.  I tease him all the time.  One day he's going to get tired of it and tell me to buzz off.  But for now he's tolerating me.

This is Bill (my spouse) with our loverly and wonderful neighbor Barbara.  I don't know but sometimes I think there is more than "friendship" between these two.  Look at Barbara's dog, I think she's trying to tell me something in Dog Body Language. 

This is the picture I took of the Bay Leaf restaurant where Bill and I ate tonight.  Bill doesn't like to eat out but he relented when I pleaded with him to join me for dinner.  I didn't feel like cooking and I love the Bay Leaf's brushetta, homemade soups, French Fries and Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Panninis.  Man, what's not to like? Oh yes, this is one of those Old People Restaurants. We both felt right at home.

After dinner I took my daily walk in the Oyster Rocks development (behind where I live).  Look closely and you'll see yet another rainbow.  We've had so much rain and clouding skies the past several week, it was good to see this Ray of Hope.

This is my neighbor Tom C.'s house which, with this lighting, reminded me vaguely of the Bates Motel in "Pschyo." Sort of anyway.  

So there you go folks, just a little slice of my life this week while I complete my marathon run of working six days in a row.  Tomorrow is my last day.  YAAAAY!

The Essential Ron

Yes folks, this is "The Essential Ron."  Yesterday my friends Paul, Jack and I visited the Old Time Photo shop in Rehoboth (yes, I went back) and I have to tell you I am very pleased with this photo.  I think it captures my essential core just right.  I am convinced now that I was a cowpoke in one of my previous lives.  I am so comfortable in this getup.  Not for me the typical gay pride getup of femme drag, I go for Cowboy Drag anytime!

Back to the Routine

I am so glad to be back home.  While our trip south was great, both of us are very happy to be at our home in Delaware.  I think Bill has a new appreciation for the flatlands of coastal Delaware after all those twisty, winding, "wiggly" roads through the mountains of Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina.  

Our trip has provided me with a lot of new fodder for future blog postings which I am looking forward to writing.  But for now our goal is just to get back to our regular routine.  

Tomorrow I begin a regular work schedule at the hotel.  I'm filling in for the full-time front desk clerk who gave her notice a couple of weeks ago.  She stayed an extra week last week while I was on vacation.  Now I'll fill in for her until the hotel hires a new full-time front desk clerk.  So this means I probably won't have as much time to devote to my blog postings.  That may be good news to some, but I'm just putting it out there.

Also, now that the nice weather has arrived I'll be spending a lot more time outside doing yard work, which I love.  Yard work and blogging are perhaps my two favorite pastimes.  

So for now I must leave to wash my car (exciting stuff) and visit the East Coast Gardens for purchase three river birch trees.  Bill finally gave his approval to plant an island of those trees wright outside my bedroom window to cutdown on the hot, afternoon summer sun.  Also to provide me with a beautiful view outside my bedroom window.

Oh, one more thing, the bluebirds have build their nest and are carefully watching their five baby bluebird blue eggs.  This is such good news because last year the sparrows ran them out.  The two years previously we had two batches of bluebirds raised in that birdhouse.  I am glad they got their routine back on track too.  It's all good.

Five More on the Fifth

Waiting for the light to change at Rt. 1 and 16 - uh oh, what's that up there?

I know, I know...I've already posted my "Five on the Fifth" today but events demand that I post another "Five on the Fifth."  


I asked Bill to take me to the Post Office in Milton to mail a iPhone dock charger to my brother John in Greenville, South Carolina.  While in Milton I wanted to stop by my main supermarket, Food Lion, to pick up a rotisserie chicken.  I use rotisserie chickens in my broccoli cheese recipe and I was feeling some of that this afternoon.  Well, you know how the best laid planes of mice and men and something like that goes don't you?


As we arrived at the intersection of Routes 1 and Routes 16 to make the left turn to the town of Milton we see an accident that just happened.  It didn't appear that anyone was hurt but both cars were pretty well damaged.  They would probably have to be towed away.  Just think, a few minutes earlier we could have been that car making a left hand turn on Rt.  16 and get plowed into by that idiot in the 'other' car.  Could've been us!

Somebody was driving where they shouldn't be

Next stop Food Lion.  I zip into the store to pick up a $5.99 , $6.99, er...$7.88 rotisserie chicken.  Uh, that's how much the price has gone up this month.  The best rotisserie chickens are at Sam's Club in Dover.  They only cost $4.99 and they are big, juicy, tasty birds with just the right seasoning.  The Food Lion chickens are alright but not as tasty.  I could stop in Rehoboth at Super Fresh or Giant and get one of their puny $8.49 oven roasted chickens (have to pay for that union overhead).  The price of Food Lion's rotisserie chickens have gone up almost $2.00 in ONE MONTH.  No thank you.  Good old Slower Lower never disappoints.  One would think the chicken prices would be about 3 bucks a chicken down here since this is where they raise the poor fowl who are trucked daily to Auschwitz the processing plants. I put the still warm plastic container of $7.88 rotisserie chicken back in its case and zipped on out of the store.

The Milton, DE Food Lion where the price of rotisserie chicken goes up faster than the price of gas

Next stop, the Milton Post Office.  A visit to the Milton Post Office is always the highlight of my day.  Today was no exception.  A typical, slow-ass local post office.  I gave the zombie like lady postal clerk my small bubble envelope contain the aforementioned iPhone docking device and got the postage ($1.79).


Back to Bill and his antique (1991) Jeep Laredo waiting for me outside.  We left Milton by way of Atlantic Avenue because I was sure the POO - LEASE would have the accident scene blocked for at least an hour while they 'investigated' the scene of the accident.  Hey, the one lady plowed into the other lady.  What's to investigate?  They'll make big deal out of it anyway.  I always feel sorry for people in accidents (which can happen to anybody).  All the aggravation that they have to go through now with the police, insurance, etc.  As I said before, THANK GOODNESS no one was hurt.

Downtown Milton Delaware - yes, the DO roll up the streets at night

Bill and I got back home.  I decided not to take a walk this afternoon because the cold and wind are back.  Yesterday's 87 degree temperatures (even with the wind) were an anomaly.  We're back to our balmy 45 degrees.  Down to 38 degrees tonight.  


Spring, where art thou?

Back home again, Bill soaking up the latest issue of Globe magazine (Kirstie is fat!)

Five on the Fifth

I love challenges (well, most challenges anyway).  So here is my "Five on the Fifth" photos.  I was a bit challenged today because the weather is frightful outside with the wind and rain.  Undaunted, I took my "Five on the Fifth" inside my home.  Here they are!

The view from my Sun Room which doesn't have any sun flowing through those windows today

Entrance from finished basement room to Bill's basement workshop on this rainy day

My sweat soaked T-shirt drying out on the hamper - I had an 'intense' dream last night which I don't' remember the details but I did get a 'workout' - I was soaked!

My favorite porcelain mask hanging over my bed keeping me safe from all harm

Rain and wind beaten down daffodils outside our front door on this Fifth Day of April

Smile!

Ron - Yearbook picture 1959

Today at 10 I have an appointment at the Milford Walmart for my annual portrait photo.


Who is that above?  That is me, my yearbook picture, sans smile.  I remember clearly when this picture was taken.


 I was 16 years old.


I was petrified .


I was shy and backwards.


I was too tall and too thin.


I had very low self-esteem because up until this point in my life I had been constantly reminded by my father that I had a big nose.  His nickname for me was "beak." Maybe he didn't mean anything by it, but his lack of respect for me was a big part of my life at that time.


Of course the other big part of my life was that I knew I was gay.  In 1958 gay wasn't a word to describe homosexuals.  Queer was the word of choice.  I was heavily in the closet.  No one must know.


So add all that baggage on this young man's head and this is the kind of yearbook picture that is produced - a sour faced, frightened, self-conscious 16 year old.


Like so many teenagers, I hated my yearbook picture.


Fast forward to some years later, when I had some disposable income, I tried to right this wrong.  Over the years I periodically went to a professional photographer to have a portrait picture taken.  When I couldn't afford a professional photographer, I would get my picture taken in one of those cheap photo booths.  By the way, whatever happened to them?  I though they were the coolest contraptions.


Last year I had my "official" portrait picture taken at J. C. Penney's in Dover.  It was a somewhat traumatic experience because of two little screaming little girls who were doing cartwheels behind the photographer while my pictures were being taken.  The strained and annoyed look showed on my face in my photos. I didn't want to go through that experience again. 


I was racking my brain this year to decide where to get my annual photo taken.   Last month I checked a Rehoboth Beach photographer called "Images in the Sands" or something like that.  Two lesbians own the company.  I liked their photography but as is too often the case with gay owned businesses in this area, they are very expensive.  A minimum of $175 just to walk in the door. Since I'm not a retired government worker collecting a near six figure retirement pay (many of the gay retiree Rehoboth residents are retired government employees), I couldn't afford them.


I do know an excellent portrait photographer but he lives in Scotland.  His name is Kim Ayres and he is one of my favorite bloggers.  Kim is my first choice but unfortunately I can't afford to fly to Scotland or to fly Kim here to Delaware.  Meeting Kim and having my portrait photo taken by Kim is one of my Bucket List items but until then I had to find another place have my photo taken.


Yesterday Significant Other and I were shopping at the Walmart in Milford.  As I was checking out I saw the young girl who runs their portrait photo studio leaning over her desk, making phone calls, with an empty studio behind her.  I was quite aware that Walmart has a photo studio but I had ruled them out because the studio is almost always crowded with screaming kids of the lower socio-economic order.  Yesterday that was not the case.  Why?  Oh, it was after Christmas and before Valentine's Day and Easter.  Time to schedule my appointment!


In a couple of hours I will be sitting at the Walmart photography studio getting my 2011 portrait photo. Hopefully there will not be a gaggle of screaming little girls doing cartwheels in their velveteen, crinoline puffed dresses when the photographer says to me......"Smile!"

Ron smiles 2010

Buffalo Ron

"Buffalo Ron"

Ever wonder what an older, gay man with too much time on his hands does?  He blogs and has pictures taken of himself as a characters from the 19th century.


The first time I had one of the old time photos taken was in 1974 in Provincetown, Massachusetts.  I was visiting Cape Cod for the first time.  Actually it was the first time I visited any vacation destination.  

Big Bob and Ron Provincetown, Mass - 1974

I grew up with my two younger brothers in the poor white trash section of Downingtown, Pennsylvania.  Back in those days, the Fifties, our big thrill was Pop taking us to the local swimming hole after weddings eight rows of corn.  Not that I'm complaining mind you.  I loved our childhood summer activity as a "townie" in the small town of Downingtown.  The term "townie" comes from my classmate Carole Davis who lived on a farm outside of Downingtown.  Back in those days you were either a "townie" or a "farmer."  Truth be said, being called a "farmer" was worse.

Me and my brothers (I'm in the center)  and our dog Sam at the local swimming hole 1954

Pop didn't take us kids to "the shore", as the Jersey Shore was called in those days (and these days too.)  We didn't know the thrill of seeing the waves wash in on the sands of the beach in Atlantic City.  Nope.  The old Watering Hole out past Boot Road was good enough for us.  Again, not complaining.  In fact, we always had a grand old time.


Fast forward to 1974.  Now I had a good paying job in the big city of Philadelphia.  I had vacation.  I heard that Provincetown was the place to go for a young gay guy like me. It was the Gay Disneyland.  So I talked my friend Big Bob (he has a size 15 foot) into going with me.  Bob drove.  Big excitement.


The first night in P-town we're in the mass of humanity on Saturday night cruising down Commerical Street.  Yes, that is the name of Provincetown's main street.  Not very imaginative is it?  One of the first things I see is this tourist trap place that take photos that put you back in time.  I ask Big Bob if he's up for it.  He was.  We got our picture taken.  That was in 1974.  


Every year since then I've been meaning to have another picture taken.  I finally got around to it this year, 2010. Uh, only 36 years later.  Talk about procrastination.  


Now I'm trying to make up for lost time before I bit the dust.  Kick the bucket.  Buy the farm.  Pictured above is yours truly as......are you ready? 

BUFFALO RON!

Do you think I waited to long?  

Did I pull it off?

Am I butch enough?

At least I'm color coordinated.

Stay tuned.  There's more to come.  

Olde Time Pictures

Me and my friend Bob McCamley - Provincetown, Mass 1974

Anyone who has been to a seashore town in the summertime knows those Olde Time Photo shops that grab the tourist dollar.

The first time I used one was during my very fist visit to Provincetown, Massachusetts in 1974.  My good friend Bob Mc (all my friends seemed to be named "Bob") and I made the trek to Cape Cod because we heard that the gay life was wonderful.  Well, we found that to be true.

We both loved Cape Cod and Provincetown from the moment we entered it on the main street which was called Commercial Street (not a whole lot of imagination here) on a crowded, summer night.  We couldn't believe the number of people walking in the street but we soon got used to it.

The next day while were were scoping out the situation we stopped at one of those Olde Time Photo shops and got this picture done.  All we needed for props was the cowboy hats.  We already had the western shirts and leather vests.  Remember, we were making our grand debut in the Gay Disneyland of the East Coast.  That's another whole story which I will probably tell in a future blog.

The Olde Time Photo store in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Well, all these many years have passed and I never took advantage of getting another Olde Time photo until yesterday.  Last year I noticed in Rehoboth Beach there are two Olde Time photo shops.  I made a mental note to stop in sometime before the kids got in there.  I don't take good pictures when there are a lot of jumpy and screaming kids around.  That is exactly what happened this past November when I went to J.C. Penney's in Dover to get my Christmas card pictures.  While they were taking my pictures, there were two screaming (and I mean screaming) little girls in crinolines doing cartwheels in my line of vision while I was having my picture taken.  Not a good way to get your picture taken.

Lots of costumes and backdrops to choose from - that saloon girl costume really look interesting

Yesterday was different.  After my walk on the boardwalk (which was over about 8 am), I hung around (actually walked around town) for a couple more hours until the store open at 10 am.

I was their first customer.  I was in luck.  I assumed that I would do the western look again until I saw the range of costumes they had.  So I opted for the Civil War.  The very accommodating young lady asked me "Confederate or Union?"  Well, Union of course.  My great-great grandfather John Tipton was a Union soldier during the Civil War.  He lived in the hills of western North Carolina and was recruiting his fellow neighbors for the Union Cause when he was ambushed and killed by a Confederate Calvary headed by a Colonel Wichter.  I have all this information because his widow, my great-great grandmother Martha "Patty" Bailey Tipton supplied all this information for her application for widow's benefits at the end of the Civil War.  One of her nine children (they had a lot of kids back in those days to help out with the farm work)  was my great-grandfather Hiram Tipton.  One of Hiram's sons was my grandfather Fieldon Tipton.  And of course on of Fieldon's eleven sons was my father Isaac Walter Tipton, Sr.  So here I am in honor of my great-great grandfather John Tipton 1830-1863.

Me channeling my great-great grandfather John Tipton 2010

Time For a New Camera?

A more accurate question might be "Time for an additional camera?"

As anyone who knows me, knows that I like to take a lot of pictures.  A LOT.

I've been taking pictures since I received my first Kodak Brownie camera as a Christmas present in 1953.  Back then, like a lot of other people, we didn't have a lot of money.  I especially didn't have any money except what I earned on my paper route.  I delivered about eighty papers daily and twenty five on Sunday (the big ones.)  After I paid the "paper lady" for my papers, I had about $5.00 left over.  Usually when it came time to pay the paper lady I just made it because I had already spent my money on candy and comic books.  Oh yes, I was a typical pre-teen kid of the Fifties.

Well, when I got my camera I would occasionally take a roll of black and white film and drop it off at the Sam Charles newsstand in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.  The Charles newsstand was also conveniently the same location where I picked up my daily  supply of papers and bought my comic books.  The candy I bought at Zittles down the street.

Me with my cat Bobby about the time I got my first camera.  This may have been the first picture -1951 - I'm ten years old

Remember back in the black and white days when we put our film in the store?  We would have to wait at least a week until they "came back."  It was always exciting to see "what came out."  Oh how I wish I had spent less on comic books and candy and more on those glorious old black and white photos.

A picture I took of my two younger brothers John and Isaac.  I had an eye for composition even then - 1953

A picture I took of my Mom who cleaned the offices at Gindys (she was on break) - 1955

When I grew up I bought a Mamiya-Sekor SLR camera.  I had that camera for about twenty years.  Again I took many rolls of film, now color.  I also had a telephoto lens on my Mamiya-Sekor and took many wonderful focused pictures of individuals.  Unfortunately I dropped that camera one day on a concrete block which damaged the camera.

A picture I took with my Mamiya-Sekor camera of Bill and my nieces Christmas 1971

The cameras I bought to replace that camera were point and shoot camera.  No more focused head shots with the blurred background.  In recent years I have purchased several digital cameras.  I love the digital cameras because I can take thousands of pictures and see immediately what I have taken.  However, I am still missing those wonderful head shots of people that capture their personality.

Personalities captured on film -me and my co-worker Sue at FFB - 2006

Mark, a new friend who reads this blog, has sent me several pictures of his children that have that focused head shot with the blurred background.  I love those pictures.  I think Mark will the the catalyst that causes me to spring for one of those $500 SLR digital cameras.  I've just about taken all the point and shoot pictures that I want to of the scenes here in southern Delaware.  Now it is time for me to capture personalities.  Mark brought up a very good point about using a telephoto lens.  He says you can take a picture of a person without getting in their face.  Good point Mark.  As my friends here in Delaware know, I rarely  never go anywhere without my camera.  Now it looks like I'm going to be one of those photographers who intimidates everybody with a big camera hanging around my neck.

I do love taking pictures.  I love capturing "the moment in time."  I know that sometime in the future, after I'm long gone, someone will look at my pictures and appreciate this little mini legacy I have left behind.  I also want to write a book as a legacy but I can't seem to get started on that project. Pictures I can do.

So my friends when you see me now be sure to say (quoting Gloria Swanson in "Sunset Boulevard"), "Alright Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my closeup."

Norma Desmond ready for her close up - 1951 (the year I got my first camera)