Writing, Photography, and the life lessons I learned from Street Academy
When I get an idea locked in my brain … it’s like a bear’s paw caught in a trap. I can’t let go. Background. Last July, thanks to the benevolent folks at the Office of General Services at the Empire State Plaza, I snagged some of the best fireworks shots my cameras have ever claimed.…
Read MoreI’ve had some great times in photographing the horse races at both the Saratoga thoroughbred track and the Saratoga harness track. Last week, I was at the harness track – it was an “unwind for Chuck” day, and I spent most of the time watching the races and losing money on them. But I happened…
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I’m used to many things during Competition Season. I’m used to a postcard of notice from the Iowa State Fair. I’m used to arriving at the Altamont Fair on the opening night, and then slowly making my way to the Fine Arts Barn to see the results. And I also enjoy doing the “double dip”…
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Last year, due to COVID-19, the New York State Fair’s 2020 season was cancelled. That meant that the photography competition – which I had entered for the past 11 years – was shuttered for the season. I had six entries, but none could be shown. Nuts. And for the longest while, I was worried that…
Read MoreBackground. Last July, I took some spectacular photographs of the fireworks at the Empire State Plaza. But here’s a little secret. I did not limit myself to using only one camera. Let me explain. Yes, I shot the lion’s share of the incredible fireworks show at the Empire State Plaza with my trusty Nikon Df…
Read MoreI need to take a deep breath. This is different than any of my other Competition Season entries. See, in the past, I’ve tried entering a big prestige art show. And during that time, I tried to hone my craft. I tried getting my photos in these shows. And each time, they’ve been bounced. Then,…
Read MoreYesterday, I posted this film shot that I took from I-787 of the decrepit, crumbling, give-gallon-Visine-with-a-Murine-chaser eyesore known as Central Warehouse. At the time of the photo, the building’s owner decided to drape the facade with a big American flag. Of course, if you’re riding by and you saw the flag on the side of…
Read MoreCentral Warehouse in downtown Albany was originally constructed as a cold storage facility for the chain of A&P grocery stores. Eventually, it changed hands and became known as “Central Warehouse,” a big, imposing monolith that was visible throughout Albany’s Warehouse District. But its usefulness faded over time, and it became more of an eyesore on…
Read MoreWhile COVID-19 clobbered all my usual photo competition events, the Big E held a series of online photo competitions, each one with a specific theme. My photo of the Jericho Drive-In – which at that time, was being used to host a high school graduation – claimed a best in category and, technically, its own…
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Although I haven’t used my Kodak Medalist II camera (“Kodak Red”) in a long while, I felt it was in need of a maintenance and upgrade. Somewhere along the years, Kodak Red’s internal rangefinder prism broke, and one of the focusing rings on the lens locked up. And yeah, it was just a BEAST to…
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Chuck The Writer 
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