Writing, Photography, and the life lessons I learned from Street Academy
Background. Once upon a time, many many years ago, when I first put film in a camera and tried to take a picture with it … I thought my shots were good. Worthy. Definitely deserved some art-wall exposure. Then my daydreams crashed into reality. And not only were my artworks rejected in competition and in…
Read MoreI’m still trying to get my artwork shown in various national galleries. It’s part of the next evolution from my summer based “Competition Season.” And after a while, the rejection letters don’t sting as much as they normally would. It’s like Pavlog’s dog in the electrified cage. At first, when the cage electrifies, the dog…
Read MoreLast year, I used a pack of Efke 820 infrared film and a yellow filter (along with my Kodak Medalist II camera, “Kodak Red”) to capture this creepy shot of the old Toll Gate Ice Cream parlor in Slingerlands. And if you’re wondering why this print is named We Serve Wayward Strangers, it’s a sly…
Read More
These two fair photography competitions end my “Competition Season” for 2022. My eclipse photo As Seen From Screven County has already claimed three silks (including two first-place blues at Iowa and the New York State Fair), while my infrared shot We Serve Wayward Strangers has earned two second-place banners. Three other images were prepared for…
Read More
My usual routine for the New York State Fair is to get up as early as possible, drive to Syracuse to get a good parking spot, and then enter the Fairgrounds. This year, I tried something different. Instead of driving out to Syracuse, I hopped aboard a Yankee Trails chartered bus. Different experience, to say…
Read MoreIf we’re talking NASCAR parlance, I treat Competition Season as a tour through the big tracks. The New York State Fair is my Daytona 500, the Iowa State Fair is my Darlington, the Big E is the Bristol Motor Speedway, and the Durham Fair is Loudon. The Altamont Fair, however, is my Martinsville. It’s tight,…
Read More
Long-time blog readers will note that during my summer-long “Competition Season,” I will undoubtedly mention something called the “Drive of Shame.” The “Drive of Shame” happens when, after the announcement of acceptances at the New York State Fair, I must make a trek to Syracuse and claim the rejected entries prior to the Fair’s Opening…
Read More
Some time ago, I received a postcard alerting me that two of my four entries to the Iowa State Fair were accepted, with at least one of them claiming an award. Here’s the postcard for proof. Yesterday, the results were posted on the Iowa State Fair website. First of all, as much as I thought…
Read MoreLast year, I finally obliterated the “Syracurse” – a portmanteau of “curse” and “Syracuse,” a personal concept that my photos were good enough for every other competition EXCEPT for the New York State Fair. Last year, that Syracurse ended, as five of my six entries made the walls of the Harriet May Mills Art Center,…
Read MoreListen, I’ve enjoyed a very successful photography run with state fairs and local gallery shows. Now I have a new goal in mind. At some point before I die, I want one of my photographic artworks displayed in a New York City art gallery. That’s right. I want one of my photos to appear on…
Read More
Chuck The Writer 
You must be logged in to post a comment.