Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The Only Sure Thing is Change

Or is it death? Taxes? That seems right, after the hefty estimated taxes I just paid the IRS.

Poor blog. It's really taken a hit this year. The thing is, I mostly use the blog as a venue for posting new photography, but in the past several months I've been so busy in my role as studio manager that I do my own work much less frequently.

Before I get into that, though... here's some recent(ish) Holga shots, taken downtown a month or two ago.





And some long-overdue ones from the Southie St. Patty's Day Parade ages ago.... I'm still working out a system for scanning my film edges, so I gave up after a couple and used the film holder.






Left to right: John and Judy (our lovely hosts, outside Judy West's studio), photographer Clark Quinn


John and Mark Hunt


Me and Clark


So, the big news... which I've pretty widely broadcast at this point... is that I'm picking up and leaving Boston sometime in late July. Matthew has chosen UNC for grad school (not taking lightly the full scholarship and living stipend offered to him) and tomorrow, unbelievably, I fly to North Carolina to scope out the housing situation in Durham. As in: we may buy a house. Maybe. Considering the prices and the recent revitalization in east Durham, it seems crazy not to. I'm excited and overwhelmed. Not to mention that I've got to pick up this crazy lucky work situation I've got going here and somehow transplant it in NC. I hope it takes to new soil.

In other news.... one of Matt's brothers, Josh, came to visit last weekend. More pictures from his visit can be seen here. He was fantastic, fun to be around, willing to try new and "different" things like curry, gnocchi, and Passover seders with liberals, feminists, and lesbians. He's an awesome guy and we totally loved having him.

Here's Josh, looking skeptically at the seder plate.


And out to dinner in the North End, at the fanciest meal he'd ever had.


It also got me out into the city again.


Check this out... on Saturday we were passing the South End photo lab, right around the corner from my old apartment, and I noticed a familiar looking photo in the window. I said, "hey guys.... I think I took that shot." Only after scrutiny did I notice my name in the window!


The shot was taken at a park cleanup I photographed last October, I think, in Ringgold Park in the South End. Who knew one of the shots won a contest! They even got my name right.

I leave you with the mostly-completed kitchen project. The doors are chalkboard now. I'm still looking for some kind of white border or flair to adorn them.


Okay, one more. 'Cause I can't seem to get enough pictures of Matt.


'Til next time! More updates on NC as plans unfold.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Images from Buffalo

This is Matt's littlest brother, Noah, who's 7.


Matt testing out his brother Josh's bb gun...


Grandma Lesinski's lace curtains...


Niagara Falls at night...


Aunt Noreen watching TV with Quincy, the cat...


Ungodly good poppyseed cake that Matt's Grandma Lesinski makes... this time just for me.


Lunch at Grandma Dudek's house...


Matt accepts a sweater from Grandma Dudek...


Grandma Dudek probably saying something inappropriate to Grandpa Dudek (I love her)...



Noreen set up a slideshow of old family pictures... Joy and Noah playing in the light...


Joy at the stable on our last day in Buffalo...



Throughout the weekend, I let Noah use my camera. As I went back through the images later, I realized what a keen and natural eye this kid has. Here are a few of my favorites...

(Photographs by Noah Dudek, age 7)




More photos here and here.

Here's a shot of all the Dudek kids (minus Dan, who couldn't make it) in Cambridge last summer. What a good-looking bunch.