Way back in 2014, at the suggestion of one of my blog readers, I submitted entries for the Iowa State Fair’s photography competition. All my entries were rejected. Tried again in 2015. More rejections. I skipped 2016 – I didn’t feel like risking three rejections in a row. Then, in 2017, I tried again. And…
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“Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Chevrolet!”
After a couple of weeks of tossing names into a hat – and then tossing the contents of that hat into the trash – I came up with a name for my new-to-me 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. Specifically … this guy. And trust me, naming your car is more important than naming your firstborn. The name…
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The Empire State Plaza Fireworks show for 2026
I’ve photographed the amazing pyrotechnics performance at the Empire State Plaza for nearly 15 years. I’ve shot from various angles, I’ve tried various techniques. But my problem with capturing the fireworks is always the same. Either I’ve got the camera in such an angle that the Empire State Plaza towers bend inwards, or there’s so…
Read MoreThe Saturday Blogroll Recap, July 4 2026
It is said that 250 years ago, Thomas Jefferson woke from a late sleep, and his first words were, “Oh, crap, that thing’s gotta be finalized TODAY?!?” Yep, today is the 250th birthday of the founding of this nation. A nation now run by a megalomaniac and his billionaire cronies and sycophants. You know, the…
Read MoreSelf-Portrait at 6:00 a.m.
To understand this photograph … you have to know my bedroom / office. Not “know” in the Biblical sense. Get your mind out of the gutter. My desktop computer is in my bedroom, and I have a window that greets the rising sun behind me as I type the morning’s blog post. Sometimes the early…
Read MoreDay 1 with Car 6
On Tuesday morning, I drove to the body shop and cleaned out Lightning’s Girl for the final time. Two tripods in the trunk. A couple of camera lenses. That Dunkin’ Donuts gift card that I use for morning coffee and wake-up wraps. The green E-Z Pass that I have to send back to the state…
Read MoreA Taste of Italy and its black heart
The news swirled around the Capital District. A seven-year-old boy, Harbe Nagi, went missing from a home in Menands. Immediately the community leaped into action. Amber Alerts. Neighborhood watches. Prayer chains. And they were racing against time. Harbe Naqi was a seven-year-old boy with autism, who might not respond to verbal calls or cues. But…
Read MoreLightning’s Girl 2017-2026.
I am in mourning. I am devastated. I am distraught. My beloved 2017 Chevrolet Volt Premier, the one I’ve colloquially named “Lightning’s Girl,” is dead. Unrecoverable. Destroyed. All because of a deer carcass. On June 20, I was on my way to East Greenbush for an event. To get to East Greenbush from my house,…
Read MoreHe was just reaching for a corn dog … right?
The Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. is Donald Trump’s party for America’s 250th birthday. It’s also an unmitigated disaster. If you’re talking “state fair” like the ones that appear each summer, this “fair” has about as much entertainment as if someone set up a few kiddie rides in a department store parking lot.…
Read MoreThe difference between professional and amateur
Let’s get this out of the way right now. A professional photographer is one who is paid for their work. An amateur photographer is one that takes photos and does not get paid for the results. This is an important distinction. Because I do sell my photos, and I have taken photos as part of…
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Chuck The Writer 
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