Of opportunity
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The shots in today’s post are fairly random, and can best be described as being ‘snapshots’ more than they are ‘photographs.’
The difference between the two descriptors is ‘intentionality,’ which is a high fallooting way of saying ‘I meant to do that.’ Wanker talk.
These images are ones where something caught my eye, and specifically – while I was driving around Pittsburgh while doing other things.
The ‘move’ I make in this sort of circumstance has been described before, wherein I clumsily thrust the camera up through the moon roof of the car, and work the image off of the screen on the back of the device rather than looking through the camera’s diopter. These lovely and colorful houses can be found on Pittsburgh’s North Side, incidentally.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Also on the North Side, and I’m fascinated by that YMCA neon sign for some reason. Have to get back here at night sometime when it’s lit up.
I almost always have the camera sitting on the passenger seat while I’m motoring around. The device doesn’t get used all that much since I’m… Y’know… driving a car, but it’s ready to rock.
Often, something interesting will pop out which I’ll grab a quick one of, and then I’ll find my way back to that spot on one of the days when I’m taking a walk instead of driving.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This one was captured in the Borough of Dormont, where Newtown Pentacle HQ nests. This is the more or less ‘shallow’ side of that hill which HQ can be found at the bottom of.
As mentioned in prior postings, my ‘lead time’ with these postings has finally increased – something I’ve spent the last few months trying to achieve. This post in particular is being written during the last week of August. The summer weather has just broken here in the Pittsburgh region, and it’s been positively cold at night.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This one was captured while waiting at a traffic light to turn onto the Birmingham Bridge, an interval of time artificially extended by the flaggers attached to that construction crew pictured above. All summer long, it seemed that every road in Pittsburgh had some form of construction activity underway.
It’s also been roughly one year since the ankle drama began, incidentally.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This has, accordingly, been one heck of a year for me. Lots of pain and discomfort, the spell during which I was living in a wheelchair, and then the long road back to being ambulatory again, and the reconditioning of my atrophied roadway interface. It’s been a deal, yo.
I’ll survive this year, if it kills me.
This shot depicts a former brewery on Pittsburgh’s south side.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This one is looking downtown, from the ‘Uptown’ or ‘Bluff’ section. More construction. It’s everywhere.
Back tomorrow with something different – at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“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.
The Newtown Pentacle 
”Snapshot” carries derogatory baggage. Each of these photos was composed subconsciously, and shows intent and composition.
Alternate terms include:
• grabshot
• “drive-by shot”, especially from the Mobile Oppression Platform
• instinctive shot
• not thinking too much
• (prior technology) film burning
• spray and pray
Hermeticus Hungaricus
September 11, 2025 at 12:24 am