Archive for October 5th, 2022
embodying that
Wednesday

– photo by Mitch Waxman
One was desirous of “getting busy” with the camera after several days of catch as catch can shooting out a car window. Luckily, my pal Max and I found ourselves on Mount Washington’s Grandview Avenue just as the burning thermonuclear eye of God itself was descending behind… I guess it’s Ohio out here? That’s the “iconic” view of the dead bang center of the Pittsburgh Metro above.
My whole world is about to get rocked. Imagine… the world beyond New Jersey. I’m going into the west, like the colonial Dutch, or one of Tolkien’s elves.

– photo by Mitch Waxman
I set up the tripod for these, and got fancy with how I was shooting them. This one looks up the Allegheny River from the prominence of Mount Washington. Can’t wait to start exploring this area in earnest and finding less common points of view, but for now – this’ll do.
The “shmear” of light in the midst of the Allegheny River is a tour boat operated by the Gateway Clipper outfit. This was a longish exposure.

– photo by Mitch Waxman
The one above looks up along the Ohio River. Pittsburgh is where the convergence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers form into the headwaters of the Ohio. So much to learn…
That entire “zone” in the field of view of the shot above is – so far – “terra incognito” for me.

– photo by Mitch Waxman
The highways in this area are wild. High speed roads with cloverleaf overpasses and ramps as far as the eye can see.
Such an interesting place this is.

– photo by Mitch Waxman
I felt the need to zoom in on those highways, and study the massing shapes that they form. My perception of the “structure of things” in this area seem to be like that of a pearl necklace – with the high speed roads being the string, and the residential and commercial/industrial developments the pearls. That’s my first impression, of course, and I’m likely just trying to categorize and put something “in a box” based on limited observation, which is something I tend to do.
Give me a couple of years to figure things out, and learn the history of why things are where they are.

– photo by Mitch Waxman
After the burning thermonuclear eye of God itself disappeared, it got “proper dark.” Cracked out one last shot of the iconic view, and my pal Max and I headed off to dinner and then the AirBNB we were staying at. These shots were collected on the 31st of August, a Wednesday.
The 1st of September plan involved my pal Max heading off on his own, and for me to do a proper photowalk with the camera on my own.
More tomorrow.
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“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.