Joe Blog

Roadside Plastic Sunshine

2012-02-05T11:18:00.001-05:00

Tortilla Flat, Arizona

Thinking of Buying a Camera?

2012-01-27T21:22:00.000-05:00

People often ask me what camera to buy. The answer is pretty simple right now... buy a phone. The iPhone 4s. I'm serious.

Last week I was in Arizona and because of time and mediocre light, I only made a handful of images with my DSLR. But, I frequently shot with my iPhone. It's easy, high quality and as Chase Jarvis says, "the best camera is the one that's with you". You take your phone everywhere. The iPhone isn't just a great camera, it's a great ecosystem for people interested in photography with all sorts of applications that feature different cameras with various cool effects and photo processing tools. Software you find for the iPhone costing from $.99 to $4.99 would be $100's of dollars for a computer. It's amazing really.

So, unless your going to make the leap to a $500 camera like the Canon G12 or indulge the joy of changeable lenses with a full blown DSLR or one of the nifty micro four thirds rigs like the Olympus EP's, save your dough. You need a new cell phone anyway.

iPhone 4s, Pano camera app processed with Nik Snapseed for iPhone

iPhone 4s, ProHDR camera app processed with Nik Snapseed for iPhone

iPhone 4s, ProHDR camera app processed with Nik Snapseed for iPhone

Solo Saloon II

2012-01-09T20:18:00.001-05:00

A little over a year ago, I worked with Christian Essex and Jacob Quimby to make images for Solo Saloon's first CD. You might recall a blog post I did with images from that shoot. Over the weekend, Christian and I got together to try out a couple of cover art concepts for the next Solo Saloon release. They're starting to mix their second CD now, so look for new music in the coming months. In the mean time go take a liking to their facebook page or check out their first release on iTunes. It's too early to tell what the final cover art will be, but here are a couple of images from the shoot.

2011 Retrospective

2012-01-01T19:15:00.000-05:00

2011. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. But mostly I'm thinking about the best of times. And when I do, it all somehow comes back to the camera. Certainly because photography is something I love and the images bring back good memories, but that's not the whole story. Let me share a few of my favorite images of 2011 and maybe you'll understand what I mean.

In 2011, my kids occasionally actually stopped and looked at the camera. Mostly no smiles, but that probably makes both of these images. In all seriousness, my boys are young but photography has really become a thing we share. They are always excited about the pictures and even are making a few of their own.

Evans Notch, Maine

Portsmouth, NH

Thanks to a good friend, I took pictures at my first sporting event late in 2010 and enjoyed shooting several showshoe and mountain running races last year. The photography was exciting and fun, I found paid opportunities for the images and, best of all, I met wonderful people and amazing athletes. In many ways, this work brought dreams to reality in 2011. Thank you to everyone who encouraged and supported me with these shoots.

Kevin Tilton at the Sandwich Sidehiller Snowshoe Race Sandwich, New Hampshire

US Mountain Running Championships North Conway, New Hampshire

Inov-8 Evoskin Photo Shoot

Speaking of friends, last year I met several other NH photographers and they have become great new friends. I owe some of my favorite images of the year to their companionship, guidance and tolerance for random explorations to look for locations.

Sugar Hill, NH

Sandwich Notch, NH

Jefferson, NH

Sedona, Arizona

And sometimes friends asked me to take pictures of remarkable things. I'm indebted to them for the opportunity and so much more.

The Stanley Cup at Krista's Restaurant Cornish, Maine

Old Theatre Kezar Falls, Maine

For a long time, photography has been a zen escape for me. When I pick up the camera and start to focus on framing images, everything else slips away. The noise of day to day life disappears and things fall into place. The natural order of the world is restored. This year I really needed that. As always, I met amazing people, saw beautiful, inspiring things and I every time I walked away with a new perspective.

Shelburne, New Hampshire

Berlin, New Hampshire

Leonard Knight Salvation Mountain, California

Joshua Tree, California

Duluth, Minnesota

When I reflect on the last year, photography nourished and sustained me when I needed it most. Making images also connected me to people and places in ways I never imagined. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say it's changed me and my life in many, many positive ways. I'm so grateful for the amazing people that surround me... my kids, extended family, friends and collegues. Their support, feedback and encouragement have made a huge difference in my life. I wish us all a fantastic 2012!

The Lesson of Tag and You're It!

2011-12-28T11:15:00.001-05:00

This blog typically isn't about photography advice or instruction, but today I sold an image and it was a great lesson to not be a lazy photographer. You see we all love to go to interesting locations, make beautiful pictures and play with cool gear. Some of the geekier among us even like to spend hours in the software that has become the bane of the digital photographer. After all that, it's awfully easy to forget about an important housekeeping task... tagging your images with captions and keywords.

Captioning and keywording is electronically assigning descriptive words to your image. The who, what, where of an image as well as the attribute, emotion or feeling it evokes are all keyword examples. It isn't exciting, it doesn't make you say "wow" or give you that rush you get when you've made an image you love. But, if you're putting your images on the web, tagging is one of the strongest tools you have to get your photos seen because keywords are part of the secret sauce that make the Google world go round. I've sold two images in the last couple of months thanks to keywords, captions and good old Google images. Check your website and your blog and make sure you're doing everything you can to help people can find your good work!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T08:34:00.000-05:00

These ornaments have been in my family for as long as I can remember. I hope you all enjoy special holiday traditions this season. Merry Christmas!

Projects

2011-12-18T09:58:00.005-05:00

I just created a new set of Galleries at www.joeviger.com called "Projects", including a full gallery of images from the amazing abandoned Redstone Quarry. Here's the link to the Gallery.

Home for the Holidays

2011-12-15T11:20:00.000-05:00

Last week I took a drive north of the notches to Stark, NH, a small village in Northern New Hampshire on the edge of the Nash Stream Wilderness. The Upper Ammonoosuc River flows through town and is spanned by the Stark Covered Bridge. The bridge and Stark Union Church are both part of the National Register of Historic Places. At the opposite end of the bridge, The Stark Village Inn bookends the scene. Even the most jaded among us can tune in to the Holiday spirit with the right inspiration. If you're stuck in neutral with the holidays, maybe this helps. Stark is a beautiful and peaceful place and sets the right tone for the season. Barely 20 miles from where I grew up, it felt like I was home for the holidays.

Check out the Stark Village Inn. Support local business in Northern NH and enjoy hiking the Percy Peaks, the Kilkenny Range or the Cohas Trail as well as swimming in my favorite childhood spot at Christine Lake. The Stark Village Inn doesn't have a website, but here's their Facebook page...
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stark-Village-Inn/449012015401

Arizona Revisited

2011-11-26T13:22:00.001-05:00

Jerome, Arizona

Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona

Sedona, Arizona

Arizona Rust

2011-11-15T19:57:00.001-05:00

Jerome, Arizona

The Obligatory Foliage Post

2011-10-17T20:36:00.001-04:00

Fall was a little elusive for me this year with a dull start to the foliage, unseasonably warm weather, rain and a constant time crunch. Last Saturday was an attempt to change all that and while conditions weren't perfect, here are a few images made during the day's wandering. Bring on the snow!

Lary Brook
Shelburne, NH

Lary Brook
Shelburne, NH

Lary Brook
Shelburne, NH

Lary Brook
Shelburne, NH

Forrest Brook, Madison Cascade
Madison, NH

Sandwich as Seattle

2011-10-09T20:51:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I got out with a friend to make some early fall pictures. For the non-New Englanders in the crowd, it was raining buckets. We decided to meet in Sandwich, NH... a super quaint village with easy access to several wilderness areas. Good photos were few and far between, but the day wasn't a total bust. I made one image that I like. In the constant rain, I also did a thorough test on the weather sealing of my camera gear and validated that buying the expensive stuff is well worth it. Best of all, I enjoyed fine dinner and spirits as well as equally tasty conversation at the mighty Corner House Pub. After all, choosing to meet in Sandwich wasn't all about photography.

Cow Cave
Sandwich Notch, NH

Metal Prints

2011-10-06T21:52:00.001-04:00

I've become really fond of metal prints. I have one hanging in an exhibit at the Mount Washington Art Association Visual Arts Center right now. I recommend metal prints to people all the time and they typically have never heard of them. Everyone always asks, so let me clarify. Yes... metal... real live aluminum. It's a special process where dye is infused into the metal and finished with a high gloss. The process makes colors look amazing. The prints have a 1/2 inch foam block on the back and are designed to hang on the wall as is. They float slightly off the surface of the wall, creating a really flattering shadow line. And that's one of the best parts... no expensive framing and they're ready hang right out of the box.

Here's an example. This is one of my images prepared as a corporate gift. The images are branded to the company and it's a great example of a float mounted metal print. Four of these beauties will be shipped out tomorrow.

Just about all the images on my website are available as float mounted metal prints. To learn more about float mounted metal prints, check out this link sponsored by the professional lab that I use to fulfill all orders on my website... Bay Photo.

For Deeko

2011-10-01T10:42:00.001-04:00

While I never played organized hockey, many of my earliest and best memories ofgrowing up revolve around the sport. Berlin, New Hampshire is just aSunday drive south of the Canadian border and has historically been a papermill town with a predominantly French-Canadian population. Hockey is a foundational part of theplace. For many years, the south end of Main Street was spanned with asign made up of two huge hockey sticks and an equally large hockey puck replicawith white letters that said "Berlin, NH Hockeytown USA". Friday nights was always ice skating at the Notre Dame Arena. Pick up street hockey at St. Joseph's Schooland ice hockey at the outdoor rink behind the police station was a dailyritual. Usually a freezing cold daily ritual. Frozen tennis balls hurt like hell when you take a slap shot in thethigh.

This is a picture of the Berlin High School Hockey team from around 1950. Mydad, Richard Viger, is the handsome guy with the sporty hair second from the right in the first row. Everybody called him Deeko... a take off on Dick (back when this was still an acceptable nickname). Folklore says that Deeko was a prettyexceptional hockey player with full ride scholarship letters. It's probably true. I've had people I didn't know recognize my unique last name and ask if he was my Dad, following on with a comment about how they loved to watch him play in high school.

Deeko ended upsigning a different type of acceptance form and the Navy got to enjoy hisathletic skills instead. Despite his time on an aircraft carrier, my dad retainedhis love of hockey through out his life. Memories of myDad are memories of hockey and vice versa. He was always a fan and would take me to high school gamesfor as long as I could remember. TheBerlin Maroons were a semi-pro team in my home town and we'd take in theirgames as well.

My Uncle Romeo and maTante Grace ran a small gas station/convenience store on the West bank of theAndroscoggin River where the James Cleaveland Bridge now stands. Dadand I would often visit to sit in their little office and watch the Canadienson a 13 inch black and white television that was up on top of a tall file cabinet. Romeo was a Canadiens fan and would onlywatch hockey on the French-speaking channels we could get fromMontreal. The patter of the announcers in a language I didn'tunderstand, the pale blue light from that TV, Guy Lafleur's smooth command ofthe rink and sitting at my Dad's side with a thick, curved 10 ounce glassbottle of Coke in my hand are still vivid memories to me. I don't know how old I was... maybe five.

While Uncle Romeo liked the Canadiens, at our house, it was the Bruins. Located just about midway between Montreal and Boston, the whole town had asimilar split allegiance. People were passionate about it... the kind of stuff that bar room fights are made of. The Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 1972 when I wassix. This was the era of Phil Esposito, Gerry Cheevers, TerryO'Reilly, Derek Sanderson, Ken Hodge and other iconic Bruins players. Andof course, Bobby Orr. A Bobby Orr biography was one of the first books I rememberchecking out of the library as a kid. The Sher-wood hockey stick I bought at the arena, my Bobby Orr waste paper basket andan autographed Johnny Bucyk postcard were prized possessions at the time.

My Dad and I made an unbelievable trip to the Montreal Forumfor a Stanley Cup game with the Bruins... it must have been during the 1978finals. We were only a few rows off the iceand it was amazing. That trip gaveme quite a story to tell my friends when we stopped at Gagne'sstore on the way to 7:00 pm Catholic Mass... also in French. No wonder we spent the 50 cents our Mothers had given us for thechurch's donation basket on hockey cards. Despite the strong French Canadian Catholic influence in the community, hockey was religion and Catholic charitable salvation seemed insignificant compared to thechance of getting a Rick Middleton or Jean Ratelle.

By the time I hit junior high, my interests were elsewhere. Maybe it was part of teenage rebellion for something that such a big part of my Dad. As an adult, I can I say enjoy hockey, but I don't follow it allthat closely. In fact, I'm betting Icould name more players of that early 70's line-up than of the current Bruinsroster. Last winter I took my young sons to their first high school game and it felt like closing a circle. Our garage was renamed "the Garden" because of our evening hockey games and soon they were wearing Bruins winter hats. I had a great time watching theBruins win the Cup last season. Itseemed the way hockey should be played.

A few weeks ago I was sitting with a new friend and wasinvited to take pictures at a Stanley Cup event. At first, it didn't sink sink in. But driving home I was takenoff guard by how excited I was. When Ithought about it, I knew why. TheStanley Cup is the ultimate hockey icon and, for me, hockey will alwaysrepresent home and my Dad. Spending thenight with the Stanley Cup three feet from me was like re-visiting my childhood...it was like having my dad by my side. Ihaven't heard his voice in a long time now, but when I reviewed the almost1,000 photographs I took that night, His slow, second generationFranco-American twang would sometimes pop into my head saying "Hey Joey... you got to touch the sameStanley Cup as Bobby Orr." Awesome!

On with the photography...

Joe Ricchio from Food Coma TV

The fantastic crew at Krista's. I was in their way all night long and they were so nice to act like it was their fault, usually offering to get me something to eat or drink in the process.

If you are ever in Cornish, Maine, make sure you visitKrista's Restaurant. And even if youaren't in Cornish, make a special trip. It's a really wonderful place with exceptional food and people. Special thanks to Krista Lair for asking me tomake these photos of a special night for her and the town of Cornish. Also, thanks to Jim Bednarek for hisgenerosity in bringing the most amazing sporting tradition to small town NewEngland hockey fans!

Krista Lair and Jim Benarek

RIP Dad.

RIP Gardner.

Feeling Minnesota

2011-09-23T19:17:00.001-04:00

It was gray with intermittent rain all week in Duluth. Most folks were complaining, but I was happy. The clouds were amazing.

Lake Superior

Duluth, Minnesota

Interesting Statistics and The Great HDR Debate

2011-09-12T20:04:00.004-04:00

Last week I posted this photo of Thompson Falls in Pinkham Notch, NH. I described how it was a high dynamic range image or HDR created by using software to combining the tonal values of five separate exposures. I also related that I was sort of luke warm on HDR.

Over the weekend, I offered up a single image of the same location shot at the same time. This photo is not an HDR. One long exposure from the camera with gentle software tweaks to color and contrast.

This

I posted both images to the same exact Flickr group, wrote a blog post on each image and shared those blog posts on Facebook and Google+. I hadn't planned on doing an analysis, but I realized I have some data, so here we go...

Both images have received just about identical numbers of views so far on Flickr and on Facebook.
The HDR image has generated more comments.
There have been enthusiastic comments about both images
The Thompson Falls HDR image was favorited on Flickr and the non-HDR image was not
The non-HDR image has more Facebook likes than the HDR version (4 vs. 2)

What does this mean you ask? I'm not exactly sure. It might be a little too much Freakonomics for me to figure out. HDR has become something of an evangelical crusade with people. Some folks love it and suddenly every image they make is hyper saturated and super high def. Other folks hate it. I mean they really hate it like the way Red Sox fans hate the Yankees. As for me, I don't love it. Like a lot of things, there's a time and a place. For example, I generally enjoy Cheyenne Rouse's work. A lot of her images are of old things around the Southwest and HDR seems to suit her subject. HDR helps bring out drama, strength and intensity, so athletes and soldiers generally look great composed in HDR. So when the time is right, you'll probably see HDR from me again. Above all, it's clear that some folks like it and when it suits what I'm trying to express, I'll use high dynamic range as a tool. But one thing is certain. The controversy is overblown. Especially in light of the even feedback on these two images. There are much better... and cooler... topics to start a bar room fight over. You know, stuff like Canon vs. Nikon.

Congratulations to Mountain Running World Champions Kasie Enman & Max King!

2011-09-11T07:36:00.001-04:00

Kasie Enman of Huntington, Vermont and Max King of Bend, Oregon claimed the titles of Mountain Running World Champions at their races this morning in Tirana, Albania. This is the first time the US has won double gold at the World Championships. Enman is the first US woman to ever win Gold at the World's. Max and Kasie are also the US Champions having won the title at the US Mountain Running Championships in North Conway, NH at Cranmore Mountain.

You can see great photos from the race and get more details at the USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Facebook page and the US Mountain Running website

Congratulations to both Kasie and Max as well as all the athletes and coaches on the US team! Here are a couple of Max and Kasie's photo highlights from the US National Championship race.

Sans HDR

2011-09-10T23:00:00.000-04:00

A couple of days ago I posted an HDR photograph of Thompson Falls in Pinkham Notch. While I'm not convinced high dynamic range is the way to go, the voting public generally liked it based on views and comments here on the blog, Facebook, Google+ or my Flickr photostream. I have to admit, that I like the quality of the rocks in the foreground of that image.

So I figured why not grab another photograph from that same shoot earlier this week and offer it up with no HDR and see what happens. This is a single exposure with "normal" color correction and sharpening in Lightroom 3. Once again... I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thompson Falls
Pinkham Notch, NH

HDR... ehhhhh

2011-09-08T22:15:00.000-04:00

Sooo, ahhh, this HDR thing. High Dynamic Range. For the uninitiated, and highly simplified, HDR is the combining of multiple exposures to present a dynamic range that encompasses the lightest and the darkest tones in a scene. In many ways, it brings the capability to create an image more consistent with what the human eye can see. You may have experienced this for yourself. You see a scene with detail in the shadows, but when you try to photograph it, the shadows are pure black. That's because the human eye can perceive a higher dynamic range of light than film or digital camera sensors. And that's where HDR comes in.

The thing is HDR, like any technology really, can be used for good and for evil. It can be used to make a beautiful photograph and you might not even know it's HDR. Or... HDR can create technicolor yawns that attack your eyes relentlessly like a bad science fiction movie. I don't like that style so much but people still seem fond of it. So.. I'm a bit conflicted about this HDR baloney. This evening I made a few pictures and here's my HDR debut. It was made by combining five images, each one a bit under a stop apart from the other.

Ehhh... I don't know. You be the judge. I'd love to hear from you.

Thompson Falls
Pinkham Notch, NH

Nashville Honky Tonkin'

2011-08-20T08:45:00.002-04:00

It's 6:20 pm on a Thursday night and Roberts Western World is already jumping with one of the best guitar players I've seen in a long time.

Lower Broadway nightlife

Welcome to the Ernest Tubb Record Shop.

Yup. Those are real live records. Vinyl for spinning wax on the wheels of steel and lots of 'em.

Ernest and the boys

The Ernest Tubb Record Shop

Nashville Skyline

Waiting for the Next Premier

2011-07-31T21:25:00.009-04:00

Never let it be said that bar talk is idle and unproductive. I was enjoying a killer piece of rare tuna at the completely awesome Krista's when I overheard that a young guy had bought "the theater in Porter and was going to work on re-opening it". I never even knew that the little village of Kezar Falls/Porter had a movie theater, but I was intrigued. If you follow this blog, you know I like to photograph local things, off beat things... old things. I immediately thought "I want to make photographs in that place before they clean it up". So, I got involved in the conversation and before long RJ did what all good bartenders do... he hooked me up.

I met Silas Hagerty for the first time when he drove up to meet me in front of his very own movie theater. Formerly called The Playhouse Theater, and a host of other names, the building in the village of Kezar Falls was most recently a discount store. It hasn't shown a movie in years.

Silas was leaving for the Philippines in the morning but agreed to meet me and was generous with his time, showing me around his new purchase. I've driven by this building many times and never knew that behind the asphalt shingle siding shell is a pearl of American culture.

Silas is a movie maker himself with Smooth Feather Productions and his enthusiasm for this place is inspiring and contagious. He told me about wanting to use the building as a studio and a place to teach. He talked about wanting to show movies for the community again. As Silas handed me the keys and told me how to get them back to him, I was still trying to mentally piece together everything he had shown me in this non-descript building across the street from my dentist's office. I lost all sense of time and stayed in the building making photographs for almost four hours on this warm night. This is an amazing place that can offer so much to this small town. Good luck Silas!

This wallet was found in the theater. It belonged to a 17 year old local boy who apparently still lives in town.

These projectors still work and according to Silas can run modern releases with minor modifications.

Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace... The Name Says it All

2011-07-04T13:41:00.009-04:00

It's been a while since I blogged on a favorite local joint and a post on Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace is long overdue! I get to Columbus, Ohio several times a year and inevitably, I ended up here sampling a tasty hot dog and enjoying friendly company. This time around, I was late getting in to town because of a delayed flight and still hadn't eaten dinner. Dirty Frank's seemed the perfect answer.

Located downtown where there isn't a whole lot else going on at 9:30 at night, Dirty Franks is always full of folks enjoying over 30 different hot dogs, including tofu dogs or brats for those who roll that way. I'm partial to the Whoa Nellie dog with brisket and bbq sauce as well as the Beano (think a hot dog gone loco, taco style with refried beans). Tonight Chili Dogs got the call. My favorite dog on the menu? Probably one I'll never order... The Glenn Beck... aptly described "just a plain, old wiener"

Dirty Frank's is more than a hot dog joint. It's a cultural experience with ONLY local music on the stereo and stylized artwork painted by the owner's brother on the walls. Apparently the artist's cultural references are the same as mine with paintings of athletes from the late 1970's and heavy metal stars of the 80's. Check it out... it's a great local place!

Hundreths of a Second to the World Championship

2011-07-02T08:17:00.010-04:00

I love pouring over images from the running races I photograph. Things often happen fast and you can shoot 1,000 or more images during a race. You don't always realize the stories you are capturing until you piece the information together.

At last week's US Mountain Running Championship in North Conway, NH, the top spots were won by fairly large margins. In the women's race, Kasie Enman of Huntington, Vermont took first place by almost two minutes over Longmont, Colorado's Michelle Suszek. For a photographer, that mean's capturing the finishers at a pretty leisurely pace.

A minute after Suszek crossed the line, I could see Brandy Erholtz leading Megan Lund and Amber Moran as they pounded down the final pitch of the Cranmore Mountain course and on to the flat that approached the finish. It looked like Megan had a chance to catch Brandy, but she had some confusion on the most direct line to the finish and had to course correct in the final 100 yards. Things were getting interesting fast.

Brandy dug in and left everything she had on the final flat. In three steps, she opens a lead on Lund and Moran. Body language tells the story. Megan is throwing herself forward in a final effort to catch Brandy.

Megan's effort is strong, but by now Brandy is crossing the line. Erholtz takes third place and secures a spot on the US National Mountain Running Team. You can't help but wonder how Lund's error impacted her ability to pull together the mental strength to catch Erholtz.

Megan Lund takes fourth place and the last spot on the National Mountain Running team. Amber Moran of Skyline, North Carolina crosses the line fifth and realizes she's just missed the National team. Only the top four women go to Albania in September to compete in the World Mountain Running Championship.

An amazing finish by unbelievable athletes. Looking at the results, you see how close it was with the reward of going to Worlds at stake.

3rd Place 0:35:12 Brandy Erholtz Evergreen, CO Team New Balance
4th Place 0:35:13 Megan Lund Basalt, CO Team Montrail
5th Place 0:35:14 Amber Moran Skyland, NC Team Inov8

Despite the hard finish, the athlete's mutual respect is evident after the race with hugs and smiles all around. Congratulations to all three runners for an amazing race. See all of my photos from the US Mountain Running Championship Cranmore Hillclimb at www.joeviger.com.

Franconia Ridge View Photo Critique

2011-06-14T19:32:00.004-04:00

A special thank you to Jerry Monkman for featuring my photo Franconia Ridge View in his new monthly photo critique. Take a look at the critique posted to his blog today. Jerry's kind words and constructive thoughts are most appreciated.

If you aren't familiar with the Monkman's work, you really should be. Based in Portsmouth, Jerry and Marcy Monkman are two of New England's best photographers capturing images of nature and adventure with a special focus on promoting conservation. They have penned seven great books and I'm excited to be getting a free a copy of "The Photographer's Guide to Acadia National Park" for having my photo featured.

Close to home here in Freedom, NH, Jerry and Marcy's images were used to assist in promoting the conservation of the Town's Trout Pond Property. If you are ever in Jackson or Gorham, you can admire their work in person at The White Mountain Cafe.

Sugar Hill, NH

Sugar Hill Lupines

2011-06-06T13:00:00.004-04:00

Lupines grow wild along many New Hampshire road sides and Sugar Hill is ground zero for the spring explosion of these spiky blue, purple, pink and white flowers. The area hosts a festival each year featuring the peak bloom of these beautiful wildflowers in fields framed by New England architecture and the Franconia Ridge.

Weeks ago my friend Jeff Sinon and I had planned a photography outing for this past Saturday. As is typical we were still finalizing the plan as we got in the car. Sugar Hill kept coming back into the conversation and by mid afternoon we were waist deep in Lupine fields.

Inspiration, Influences and Instinct

2011-05-24T18:28:00.004-04:00

There's a saying I hear a lot... "If you want to be a better photographer, study the work of great photographers". Turns out this is a minor obsession of mine. I spend way too much time looking at photography websites. Browsing books and magazines pondering what makes a photo great and what the photographer was thinking. But I've often wondered if it really matters. How do you incorporate all of that into what you are trying to express with the camera? How does it not become completely derivative?

This past weekend I photographed the first race of the 2011 USATF New England Mountain Running Circuit at Northfield Mountain, Massachusetts. On this course, I'd have only two chances to shoot the field... once on the way up the mountain and once on the way back down. Where you choose to shoot from is always a calculated risk, especially if you haven't taken photos on the course before. Once the race started, I quickly realized I was in the wrong place. The runners were still too close together coming out of the start making it difficult to isolate runners into clean compositions. Because of the tight pack, this round of shooting was over in literally a few minutes.

Trying to adjust to a better position, I did make the image below and while it isn't technically the best of the several hundred frames I shot that day, I liked it. To me, it showed movement and how the pack advances as one. The trees in the background were compelling and, along with the curve shape in the pack of runners, they gave the image depth.

Hand in hand with contemplating the work of other photographers, I also contemplate my own and something about this image made me particularly thoughtful. Why do I like it better than any other image I made during the first leg of the race? Why did I take it? Was it as simple as this was all I could capture in the mad scramble? I started the race shooting tighter. Why did I pull out to a wide angle and shoot the pack from the side?

Then I had a thought and went to the Internet to find an image I've admired many, many times by the legendary Paul Caponigro. Paul is the father of noted contemporary digital artist John Paul Caponigro. The elder Caponigro made this image called Running White Deer in 1967. He was in County Wicklow, Ireland on a private estate to photograph a rare herd of white deer. As they fled, he made one image and this was the result. Below Caponigro's image, I've posted a black and white version of my shot from the race.

Let me say clearly that I'm not directly comparing the fine art made by Caponigro to my race grab. But there are interesting similarities that I'm not sure are coincidental. Who would have thought fine art photography could influence sports shooting? Maybe this explains why I chose this shot when I needed a fall back plan to my poorly chosen shooting location. Maybe the pack of runners connected with some iconic component of Caponigro's image that I carry around in my head. Maybe not. But I'm going to keep my habit of tucking my kids in to bed and then passing the evening browsing websites of important photographers. It's more interesting than television and maybe something rubs off.

Salton Sea Horizon

2011-05-15T19:36:00.003-04:00

Red Hill
Salton Sea, California

Joshua Tree

2011-05-11T17:59:00.002-04:00

Wonderland of Rocks
Boy Scout Trail
Joshua Tree National Park, California

Leonard's Salvation

2011-05-10T10:39:00.005-04:00

In 1985, native Vermonter Leonard Knight found himself trying to get a hot air balloon off the ground in the desert just north of Niland, California.

The balloon was hand sewn by Leonard and embroidered on the side was his personal creed… “God is Love”. After countless repairs on the patchwork balloon, he gave up. Leonard decided instead to build a small tribute to express his faith, starting modestly with a half bag of cement. 25 years later, Leonard’s work still isn’t done. He’s used adobe, hay bales and over 100,000 gallons of paint to craft a six story monument called Salvation Mountain. In demonstrating his personal faith; he’s created one of the most amazing folk art installations in the world.

I was introduced to Salvation Mountain in the 2007 movie Into the Wild. I’m a fan of interesting art and alternative lifestyles are always interesting to me. When I visited there this week, I was surprised to meet Leonard. I didn’t know what to expect. I’m not a religious person. He was reclined under an awning off the back of a late model Jeep Cherokee that was covered with his iconic artwork. His hearing isn’t good, but when he realized I was there, he sat up and welcomed me with an invitation to sit in the shade, out of the 103 degree heat.

We talked about growing up in New England and the power of the Internet to bring pictures of his mountain “all the way to China”. Leonard is a gentle man with a peaceful smile. He didn’t preach or inquire about my beliefs. He never asked for a donation. Actually, he gave me a DVD and was generous to let me make his portrait.

A Hickory Wind Blows in The Desert

2011-05-09T00:44:00.007-04:00

Gram Parsons is not to be confused with early 80's one hit wonder Alan Parsons. But, mention his name and 8 out of 10 people will say "Oh ya, that guy with the Project... Eye in the Sky". That's too bad. Gram Parsons was one of the most influential musicians of our time. Gram's band The Flying Burrito Brothers, his brief stint in The Byrds and collaborations with the Rolling Stones and Emmylou Harris brought rock and country together in a new way. Without Gram Parsons, most people believe Exile on Main Street would sound a lot different. The Eagles certainly owe their fortune to him.

Gram died in 1973 from an overdose of morphine and alcohol while staying in Room 8 at The Joshua Tree Inn in Joshua Tree, California. People now believe they have experienced paranormal activity in this room.

In many ways, this is a typical rock and roll story, but there is much more. At the time of his death, Parsons' stepfather, Bob Parsons, arranged for his body to be flown to New Orleans for a family service. Some believe his motivations were to capitalize on a large family inheritance. But that never came to pass because through a wild turn of events friend Phil Kaufman stole Gram's body. He used a borrowed hearse to take the body from LAX and fulfill Parson's wish to have his ashes scattered over Cap Rock in Joshua Tree National Park. In the middle of the night, next to Cap Rock, five gallons of gasoline in the coffin did the trick. Kaufman never faced repercussions for stealing the body but did get a fine for burning in a national park. Check out the movie Grand Theft Parsons or the book Hickory Wind: The Life and Times of Gram Parsons by Ben Fong-Torres.

Freewheeling California Part II

2011-05-07T11:34:00.002-04:00

Anza Borrego State Park California. The largest state park in the lower 48.

Borrego Springs, California

Freewheeling California Part I

2011-05-06T13:18:00.002-04:00

I took advantage of a business trip early in the week to take a few days off in Southern California. It's just me, a rental car, a new pair of cheap sunglasses and a bag of camera gear. Here's a few shots from the first day.

Gaslamp District San Diego, California

Old Town San Diego, California

Ocean Beach Street Scene

Cuyamaca Rancho State Park California State Route 79

Joe Viger Photography at the Freedom Public Library

2011-04-29T20:56:00.005-04:00

My hometown library in Freedom, NH is a treasure with great staff, resources and community involvement. Heck, they even open for trick or treat on Halloween night!

The Library regularly hosts art showings coordinated by Trustee and Painter Peg Scully and I am excited to have been asked to be the featured artist for May and June.

Think about taking a spring drive to beautiful Freedom Village and see some Joe Viger Photography! While you're here you can check out the coolest small town library in New Hampshire, hike Green Mountain or Mount Mary, wander the Town's land at Trout Pond or take a paddle on Loon Lake. Let me know you're coming and I'll buy you a cup of coffee at the Freedom Village Store!

Redstone Quarry

2011-04-17T14:11:00.006-04:00

Mid-day on Friday I found myself with my camera on my shoulder wandering the trails of the abandoned Redstone Quarry. With the sun high in the sky, this is the worst time of day for making pictures. I've also been to the quarry several times, but more than anything I needed to walk off a tough morning. Getting outside to take pictures always makes whatever burden I'm carrying melt away. It's the zen of the shutter click.

I stopped by the abandoned bath house and made a couple of images.

Poking around in the woods nearby always yields something interesting like this bed frame.

Mountain biking in the area once, I found a huge green granite pillar, but the last time I was here I couldn't locate it. Local trails expert and friend Paul Kirsch to the rescue with some cell phone guidance.

The granite column is remarkable, polished smooth and almost three feet across at it's base. The monster sized lathe that turned this column is about a quarter of a mile away. It's amazing to think about freshly quarried granite blocks being moved around the site and then turned into architectural columns. A railroad line used to move the granite out of the quarry and Paul pointed me towards this set of ties.

Later Paul send a map that still shows the old railroad spur. I've marked it with a P signifying the approximate location of the stone pillar and the Q showing the area where the primary quarries were located.

You can find a set of my images from Conway's Redstone Quarry on Flickr and learn more at The Backside of America from a piece I contributed back in December.

Think Green

2011-04-09T12:12:00.003-04:00

It's coming.

Sandwich, NH

Barn Parts

2011-03-22T19:36:00.004-04:00

Back in February, I contributed a post to The Backside of America blog called "The Zen of Finding a Barn and a School Bus". Some photographer friends and I roamed about Northern New Hampshire a few weeks ago and I found myself back in Jefferson, NH staring at the same weathered barn board once again. It's energizing to me that you can revisit a location and create compelling work. Life doesn't often offer second chances.

Thanks for the company and inspiration of my friends and amazing photographers Jeff Sinon, Kris Smith and Melissa Greenawalt-Yelle. Check out their work!

Snowshoe Racing and Telling a Story

2011-03-14T22:01:00.008-04:00

This past weekend I took pictures at the Granite State Snowshoe Championships at Great Glen in Pinkham Notch, NH. Each time I shoot a race, I like it more and more. I started shooting these events because a good friend of mine is active in the mountain running community and directs several races a year. I haven't traditionally been a sports shooter, but it seemed like it would be interesting and I'm always up for a good day outside. Right from the start I saw amazing athletes and met great people. The love they had for the sport was inspiring and participants appreciated a photographer willing to cover the race.

Reviewing images from my last race shoot in January and now editing this batch, I'm realizing the fun in shooting these races isn't just about getting a snap of each competitor as they run by. Getting shoots of the winners and losers is just the beginning. Stories are unfolding on the course and every racer is competing against a unique competitor... a rival, their age, themselves, a team mate, their equipment, the trail conditions, the weather. And the list goes on and on. Facial expressions and body language captured at 1/500th of a second helps us see the race with-in a race.

Race Director Chris Dunn checks his watch for an on time start and ponders his own race strategy.

Men's winner Judson Cake leads a warm up in the shadow of the Northern Presidentials.

Stretching out before taking on the last half of a difficult 5k.

Equipment failure marks the end of the race for some.

I had never pondered the impact of facial expressions in photographing sports. Amazing.

I love the little girl clapping on the right in contrast to the intensity of the race.

Women's Winner Kristina Folcik crosses the line. She smiles through out the whole race and wins.

Lunging at the line as rivalry heats up.

And now a word from our sponsors.

See all of my shots from the Granite State Snowshoe Championship here

Half the Appalachian Trail in Half a Day

2011-03-11T21:47:00.007-05:00

I timed getting out of bed with the opening of the Starbucks across the street from my hotel. 5:30 a.m. I gathered my things and walked out into the dark, wet morning. After getting the proper provisions of a Venti Dark Roast, cranberry scone and a banana, I set my phone's GPS and headed east. Supposedly the Smoky Mountains were out there somewhere although I hadn't seen any sign of them in my two and a half rainy days in Knoxville.

I drove through the dark for 30 minutes on the Lamar Alexander Parkway. All the while I was haunted by his horrible presidential campaign sign slogan... Lamar! My Venti fueled sense of humor couldn't stop saying it... Lamar!

The road started to climb, eventually hitting the small town of Townsend and then the sign for Smoky Mountain National Park. Left to Gatlinburg or right to Cades Cove. I had no real plan. The Johnny Cash line from A Boy Named Sue came into my head and I sung it out loud "Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July And I just hit town and my throat was dry". Gatlinburg was where I wanted to go, but it was three times as far as Cades Cove and I had a schedule to keep. I turned right. In a mile, it started snowing in the predawn light.

The road gained more elevation and became a spectacular tunnel through white and black lines of trees covered with wet snow. It was still too dark to photograph, but beautiful none the less. Cades Cove was a dead end with the road still closed for the season. I turned around and when the light broke, I stopped to make a few pictures.

I had told myself that I needed to start heading back to Knoxville by 8:00 a.m. Once it got light, time flew by and then was gone. Just a couple of hours later, I was in the airport and trying to get home with all the other business travel schleps.. Knoxville to Detroit. Sprinting between terminals on a Friday afternoon to make a tight connection. Detroit to Boston. A lost bag and Route 1 bumper to bumper traffic. Barely 12 hours later, here I sit editing photos and writing this post from my house in New Hampshire. Its hard not to feel like sometimes it all moves a little too fast. I just traveled half the Appalachian Trail in half a day. Where did the Smoky's go? But, I know I'm lucky to pack all of this living into a day.

Which reminds me... A great colleague of mine is retiring on March 18th. He'll fulfill one of his life's dreams when he starts the Appalachian Trail on April 1st. It will take him six months. Good luck Ray!

Special on Great Books in Aisle 2

2011-03-10T08:31:00.008-05:00

Here's my shopping tip for the day: Book Warehouse. I've been in our local store a bunch of times and, frankly, I'm usually disappointed by stacks of titles like "Learn Windows2000 in Two Hours" and "Eloise's Guide to Cross Stitch". But, recently I decided to stop in and discovered that they are a great place to get photography books. I'm not talking about cheap, paperback "how-to" books, but beautiful hard cover monographs at ridiculous prices.

My favorite find is a really great book I had never heard of called Taking Aim: Unforgettable Rock 'n' Roll Photographs Selected by Graham Nash. It features iconic and lesser known, but striking, images by famous rock photographers like Lynn Goldsmith, Annie Leibovitz, Jim Marshall, Neal Preston, Henry Diltz, Bob Gruen, and Nash himself. After I had the book a week, I noticed a bonus on the inside back cover... a narrative CD. Best of all... it was a buck. That's right... $1. Graham Nash provides selective narrative along with the photos. So cheap, I bought one for a friend.

The Clash by Bob Gruen

I also found a book by Eve Arnold. Eve was a ground breaking photographer at one of the most famous photography agencies ever, Magnum. I picked up her Marilyn Monroe monograph for $10.

If you're like me and geek out on photography books, but usually don't buy them because of their cost, check out Book Warehouse for a dose of cheap inspiration.

Roadlife: Back to Cali

2011-03-06T13:05:00.003-05:00

Sunset from the 10th Story of the Leamington Hotel Building. Oakland, California

5:00 am. Fairfield, California

Vincent: Want some bacon?
Jules: No man, I don't eat pork.
Vincent: Are you Jewish?
Jules: Nah, I ain't Jewish, I just don't dig on swine, that's all.
Vincent: Why not?
Jules: Pigs are filthy animals. I don't eat filthy animals.
Vincent: Bacon tastes gooood. Pork chops taste gooood.
Jules: Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherf----r. Pigs sleep and root in shit. That's a filthy animal. I ain't eat nothin' that ain't got sense enough to disregard its own feces.
Vincent: How about a dog? Dogs eats its own feces.
Jules: I don't eat dog either.
Vincent: Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal?
Jules: I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But, a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way.
Vincent: Ah, so by that rationale, if a pig had a better personality, he would cease to be a filthy animal. Is that true?
Jules: Well we'd have to be talkin' about one charming motherf----in' pig. I mean he'd have to be ten times more charmin' than that Arnold on Green Acres, you know what I'm sayin'?

Hopefully you've all seen Pulp Fiction or you think I'm one weird dude.

Horizontal or Vertical?

2011-02-23T16:30:00.003-05:00

The images you see here on Joe Blog are hosted on the photo sharing community website called Flickr. This is a great site where you can show photos, engage in communities to meet like minded photographers and learn about photography. I post images on Flickr regularly and it's always interesting to see the number of times a photo is viewed and the comments that an image solicits.

For example, two weeks ago I posted an image called Frozen Sunset.

Two days ago, I posted another image from the same shoot. This time a photo with a vertical orientation called South Tamworth Sunset.

What is fascinating is that as of this writing, South Tamworth Sunset has over twice the number of views and more nice comments by other Flickr users including several "favorite" designations. Why is that? These two pictures are essentially the same... but different. Is is the vertical orientation of the second image? I have some thoughts, but what do you like best and why? Let me know.

Whiteface Intervale Birch Glade

2011-02-20T19:26:00.004-05:00

I've always loved birch trees. When I was a kid, there were several growing around our house. My second floor bedroom window looked right out at them. My mother's family had roots in Shelburne, NH and we made frequent pilgrimages there, always driving through the famous Shelburne Birches. Even as a kid, I knew that stand of trees was special. If you've driven Route 2 in the last few years, you too are probably sad that the birches there aren't as beautiful as they once were.

This stand is in Whiteface Intervale, NH. The hikers reading this know the area well because of the two prominent Sandwich Range trail heads on Bennett Street. The glade is young but has potential. On this snowy day, it blended with the sky and was striking in it's own unique way.

Frozen But Flowing

2011-02-11T06:58:00.002-05:00

Glen Ellis Falls
Pinkham Notch, NH

Weathered and Strong

2011-02-07T20:17:00.006-05:00

Randolph, NH

Why Did Kevin Tilton Cross the Road?

2011-01-30T11:06:00.005-05:00

To win the Sidehiller Snowshoe Race. One of my favorite shots from yesterday's race.

Sidehiller Snowshoe Race

2011-01-30T05:06:00.007-05:00

On January 29th, I had a great time shooting pictures for my friend Paul Kirsch at the Sidehiller Snowshoe Race in Sandwich, NH. Last year’s defending champions, Kevin Tilton of Conway, and Amber Ferreira of Concord, won the 6th Annual Sidehiller Snowshoe Race. This was Tilton's 5th straight Sidehiller win on what proved to be tough 4 mile course with sugar-fine snow conditions. Amber is a 2010 National Snowshoe Champion. There were 108 finishers this year marking the biggest field in the event's history. NH Chronicle captured the event for piece airing soon. The race was a qualifier for the 2011 National Championships to be held later this year in Wisconsin.

I've posted a gallery on my main website that you can view here

Check out this short video to see more of the fast, furious and wacky world of snowshoe racing

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Time Clarifies a Superstition Sunrise

2011-01-22T20:50:00.011-05:00

I blogged photos from this trip twice back in November, 2009, here and here. I was always frustrated that I hadn't made anything of a batch of images I had taken at dawn. A recent comment by a friend sent me looking through my files at images of Arizona and I came across the disappointing series. At the time, I rejected the image because of some irregularities in the sky. I had set up my gear in the dark and hadn't noticed dust on my lens. I also couldn't seem to get the color right. After a little software tweaking this week, this photo is a great reminder that time can bring a fresh new look and change everything. Here's the backstory...

I was working at a conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Golf scores and pending health care legislation were the topics of polite chats at outdoor cocktail parties where staff in starched shirts and vests passed plates of southwestern finger food. Good work if you can get it.

But no matter how nice that sounds, It was hard to be fully focused on work or the amenities of the resort. Tilting back my martini glass, I would inevitably gaze up and past the putting greens. The evening sky changed colors constantly and revealed new details on the ridge line. I was finding it hard not to abandon ship, have an adventure for myself and take some pictures. Nobody else seemed to notice.

After three days of not leaving the campus of the resort, I'm sure I was the only person to check out of the hotel at 4:00 a.m. I had about 30 hours before boarding my flight home and I was going to make the most of it. I drove for 45 minutes to escape the Phoenix sprawl. There was no traffic on the two lane road and the shape of the Superstition Mountains was starting to emerge out of the darkness. I pulled over and, after a few minutes of hunting the desert by headlamp, I found this Cholla cactus and stand of Saguaro.

Art Begets Art

2011-01-18T17:36:00.007-05:00

This week I was excited to receive an email from an Dover, NH artist named Maggie Moloney. She wanted to know if she could use a photo of mine as a guide for a painting. I obliged and can't wait to see the results.

This is the original photo:

The house is in Sandwich, NH and one of Denley Emerson's old places. See a blog post I wrote for The Backside of America for the rest of the story and another image. Maggie has a personal connection to Sandwich and found my photo in a Google search. Make sure you take a look Maggie's site as well to see some paintings that I think are really great. Then make sure you check back in a couple of months and see what Maggie created from my photograph!

When You're Five

2011-01-07T20:12:00.003-05:00

When you're five, you can be anyone you want to be.
Using a camera to look at things 1/250th of a second at a time can help too.

New Year's Day Snowshoe

2011-01-01T19:07:00.004-05:00

The first day of 2011 felt like spring. A perfect day for a first time snowshoe adventure for my youngest.

Ossipee Pine Barrens
Freedom, NH

Return to Solo Saloon

2010-12-30T21:58:00.005-05:00

Back in August, I posted images from an afternoon spent at Big Barn Studios with my friend Christian Essex from Solo Saloon. Last night I got to visit the Big Barn again and meet Christian's partner in crime, Jacob Quimby. The Barn seems to have a good vibe for making pictures, but that shouldn't surprise because Solo Saloon has a killer vibe too.

Check out Solo Saloon's new music at cdbaby or iTunes.

Big Barn Studios
Freedom, NH

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T21:01:00.002-05:00

Christmas Night
Purity Spring Resort
Madison, NH

Remembering Summer

2010-12-06T08:52:00.003-05:00

Remick Farm
Tamworth, NH

The Beats and Streets of San Francisco

2010-09-17T21:40:00.005-04:00

Life has been kind of crazy and I haven't been posting the blog as frequently as I like. So... an extra long post to make up some ground. These photos were made on a walk around San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood. North Beach is considered the birthplace of the Beat Generation and was the sometimes home to Jack Kerouac, one of my heros.

Mural on the side of the world famous beat generation bar Vesuvio.

My favorite photo of Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady seems to keep an eye on an international assortment of Kerouac first editions.
The Beat Generation Museum.

An organ formerly owned by a true Vox Humana, poet Allen Ginsberg.
The Beat Generation Museum.

The FOK stamp of approval.
The Beat Generation Museum.

North Beach street life.

Beat Generation Ground Zero

2010-08-30T20:45:00.003-04:00

Words of wisdom

City Lights Bookstore
North Beach
San Francisco, CA

Welcome Home Dad!

2010-08-19T20:37:00.002-04:00

Hanging at the Solo Saloon

2010-08-15T07:42:00.004-04:00

The first time I met Christian Essex he didn't let me leave his house without a CD of his music. He isn't a shameless self-promoter, just passionate about what he does. He owns the fantastic Big Barn Studios where he produces all sorts of great music like a mad scientist at the multi-track.

This week I spent some time with my friend Christian getting images together for his latest project called Solo Saloon. Check it out and buy his music at cdbaby or iTunes. Here are a few of my favorite shots.

Happy Birthday!

2010-08-01T19:59:00.006-04:00

Our oldest celebrates 5 years in fine style, inspiring not only images, but words to boot.

boys in swimming trunks
run laughing beneath blue sky
forging first friendships.

See more at Haiku For Mamas by Sylvie Essex.

purest of delights:
cupcakes, slip n slide, presents.
you're only five once.

Take a Dip

2010-07-16T20:16:00.003-04:00

Rattlesnake Pool Stowe, Maine

A Walk in the Woods

2010-06-18T14:59:00.007-04:00

It's been a long few weeks and it can be easy to feel like there is no end to the challenges that life brings. It's remarkable when you re-connect with what has always worked to help make sense of it all. Making this image I remembered what a walk in the woods can do to clear your head.

Diana's Bath
Bartlett, NH

Lupine Moonrise

2010-05-25T20:46:00.003-04:00

Freedom, NH

Lupine and Rain Drops Two Ways

2010-05-10T21:19:00.009-04:00

Color or Black and White? You be the judge and let me know.

“How do you see that tree? It’s green? Well then, make it green, the best green on your palette."
--Paul Gauguin

"Black and white photography is a perfect lie. We must not let colour destroy this image."
--Patrick Summerfield

Hollywood Rock Stars

2010-04-17T22:03:00.009-04:00

I was on a business trip this week in Hollywood, California at a hotel attached to the Kodak Theater. The way back to the hotel cut across a balcony that overlooked an open air shopping complex called Hollywood and Highland. It was late after noon after two long days and I was looking forward to changing out of a suit and poking around Hollywood Boulevard with my camera. I heard live music in the mall's courtyard which wasn't a surprise because they had been setting up a stage as part of a promotional event for Indy car racing. I recognized the song as the Motorhead classic "Ace of Spades" and remarked to a co-worker that this sounded exactly like the real thing and was a good cover. When I reached the balcony railing, I realized why... it was Lemmy from Motorhead singing the song. Accompanied my Dave Navarro on guitar and Matt Sorum on Drums. These were real, big time rock stars.

Turns out the band is called Camp Freddy. They are the rock and roll equivalent of a bunch of NBA players who show up at public basketball courts and play pick-up games. Camp Freddy is a super group cover band with a nucleus of members and a cast of characters that comes and goes. Today's line-up included primary members Dave Navarro (Guitar in Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers), Matt Sorum (Drums in The Cult, Guns & Roses, Velvet Revolver), Chris Chaney (Bass in Janes Addiction, Alanis Morrisette) and Donovan Leitch Jr. (Actor and Son of folk singer icon Donovan). Guests joining the band on this day were Billy Duffy (Guitar in The Cult), Chester Bennington (Vocals in Linkin Park), Lemmy (Motorhead), Mark McGrath (Vocals in Sugar Ray and Access Hollywood host), Franky Perez (Slash and Friends), Dave Kuschner (Guitar in Velvet Revolver, Suicidal Tendancies) and Courtney Love.

Needless to say, I quickly changed out of that suit and made a big batch of images.

Click here for a slide show of more images

Something Happened at The Spider House

2010-04-06T21:13:00.003-04:00

The Spider House sits on a quiet street in Grand Lake, Colorado. The intricate woodwork make The Spider House remarkable in form, although nothing hints at the notable history of the cottage.

The house was built by Warren Gregg in the 1890's and is a fine example of the mountain rustic style popular in what was then called Old Grand City.

Warren came west from Indiana in a covered wagon with his bride Mary O'Brien Gregg. The Gregg's lost their first and second sons during the trip and Mary never got over the grief. Other children were born to the Gregg family, but this did little to ease Mary's burden. Warren was frequently away from home and the isolation of the Colorado landscape and winter weather only intensified Mary's depression.

On a sunny day in 1904, when Mary decided she couldn't endure any longer. She used a gun to end her life and that of her children: 3 boys and 1 girl. The master craftsman Warren worked away in his woodshop, unaware of what was happening in The Spider House.

For more information on The Spider House and Mary Gregg, see these links:
http://www.kauffmanhouse.org/TheSpiderHouse.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahUN-ojRw6w

Colorado Fence Line

2010-04-02T21:41:00.001-04:00

Aspen shadows on waning snowcover outside of Fraser, Colorado.

Bay Area View

2010-03-04T22:46:00.003-05:00

The view from the 10th floor of the Leamington Hotel Building in Oakland, California.

A Sunday Drive Photo Expedition... On Monday

2010-02-16T22:01:00.005-05:00

A few pictures made on a President's Day Holiday drive.

Lower Sabbaday Falls
Kancamagus Highway, NH

Upper Sabbaday Falls
Kancamagus Highway, NH

Madison, NH

Snowsuited

2010-02-10T21:02:00.001-05:00

Broom Guitar Hero

2010-01-24T20:58:00.002-05:00

Did I mention there was a little dry land ski boot training going on during this photo shoot?

A Weekend in Boston

2010-01-23T22:23:00.005-05:00

Toy Camera

2010-01-14T22:33:00.004-05:00

Shots from my four year old's Fischer Price camera. He pretty much has captured the whole story.

Waiting Wall

2009-12-28T20:55:00.001-05:00

Patient in the Wal-Mart bathroom. Shot with a Motorola Droid cell phone camera.

This is not Rockefeller Center

2009-12-05T21:43:00.003-05:00

My wife loves Christmas. And love manifest is our Christmas tree. We have a perfect spot for a tall tree, but after going through three tree stands in four years and having to rig intricate wire supports to keep the tree from falling on our kids, I had to put my foot down. I had to take a stand... If you're going to insist on the biggest tree in the forest as our Christmas tree, then get a stand up to the task. Undaunted, Jenny enlisted a friend's help in building the monster stand you see here. My wife has a new career goal... welder... and I support that. She did a swell job.

Look closely at these pictures. My lovely bride is just a tad over 5 feet tall. The three double hung windows you see are maybe 8 feet across. The beam above the windows is 9 feet off the floor. This tree is 15 feet tall!

I, of course, am two inches shorter from getting the tree from field to truck to living room. But, my wife loves it and my kids love it. So... I love it too.

Happy Holidays.

Thanks to Chip for helping build the stand. Thanks to saintly Kathy for helping get the tree in the house and occupying the boys with dough. Look at this flip by Bridger!

Fall Foliage Revisited

2009-11-21T22:35:00.001-05:00

Forrest Brook
Madison Cascades
Madison, NH

Teddy Bear Cholla

2009-11-21T22:34:00.000-05:00

Apache Trail, Arizona

Tonto National Monument

2009-11-17T11:41:00.002-05:00

I engineered a day off in Arizona and took a drive along the Apache Trail. The route runs runs east of Phoenix towards Globe, Arizona through the Sonoran desert of the Tonto National Forest. The Tonto National Monument features Salado cliff dwellings from as early as the 13th century overlooking the Salt River Valley.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T21:30:00.002-04:00

Bridger throws the book at me.

Turner walks the line.

This looks like a composite but it isn't. The reflectivity of the paint makes it look like my son the lion is floating a little. No children were harmed in the making of this photo... our little village is pretty much turned over to trick or treaters on Halloween.

Schizophrenic Airport Sushi Bar

2009-10-25T21:31:00.005-04:00

... is the perfect antidote to Friday night business travel.

7:10 pm
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Detroit, Michigan

And here's the rest of the story... The 9:35 pm flight boarded on time, but didn't leave until 10:30 pm. There wasn't a gate for our plane in Boston and we parked for 30 minutes. By the time baggage arrived, I had lost my will for the 2.5 hour pre-dawn drive home. My head hit the pillow at an airport hotel a little after 2:00 am.

October in the Neighborhood

2009-10-13T21:18:00.004-04:00

You'll find images from all over the country on Joe Blog. These photographs were all made within 10 miles of my house. There isn't much more inspiring than October in New Hampshire. It's the best time of the year.

Forrest Brook, Madison Cascades
Madison, NH

Forrest Brook, Madison Cascades
Madison, NH

Eaton, NH

Vacationland

2009-10-11T22:32:00.003-04:00

Wish you were here!

Goose Rocks Beach, Maine

Goose Rocks Beach, Maine

Cape Porpoise, Maine

Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Sometimes...

2009-10-08T21:26:00.001-04:00

the damn kite just won't fly.

Fortune Rocks Beach, Maine

Encounters with Giant Corn

2009-10-01T22:10:00.005-04:00

The night before last I was lucky enough to avoid my "lonely business man eating a burger at the bar" impression when some new colleagues treated me to Mexican food and some great company. They knew I'm a bit of camera geek and asked if had taken any pictures in Columbus. I hadn't and made a comment about not finding much inspiration in suburban Ohio. After a minute, they told me I should go out to Dublin and check out the giant corn. It stuck me kinda funny that there should be giant corn, but I didnt' think much more about it.

At 5:30 am this morning I was somehow wide awake and guess what I couldn't stop thinking about? There had been a frost overnight and it was cold. I forgot a jacket on this trip and Avis forgot an ice scraper but made the trek anyway. I sort of got lost and ended up battling commuter traffic snarls. But eventually I found it. Amazingly, right in the middle of office park hell the fog revealed giant corn. Get the rest of the story here http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/9527.

FARMALL

2009-09-30T21:22:00.001-04:00

Farmall, originally uploaded by JVGR.

Cornish, Maine

Everybody Polka!

2009-09-17T22:31:00.000-04:00

Brats, Beer and Polka in German Village
Schmidt's Sausage Haus
Columbus, Ohio

Another Sunday, Another Drive

2009-09-11T21:49:00.005-04:00

Glen House Site
Pinkham Notch, NH

Ellis River
Pinkham Notch, NH
I've driven by this area on Route 16 my whole life. To say thousands of times might not be an exaggeration and I never knew this beautiful gorge and series of pools existed. I'm your friend,so I'll let you in on the secret. Heading North, past the Dana Place and Rocky Branch trail head... check out the first paved turn out on the right. You won't regret it and you can thank me by picking up a piece of trash or two from some of the less respectful visitors who should stay south of the border.

Dharma Debut

2009-09-07T22:30:00.004-04:00

This is Dharma. She's making her Joe Blog debut today.

Scenes from a Sunday Drive

2009-08-25T22:37:00.001-04:00

Wonalancet, NH

Sandwich, NH

One Flight Down. One To Go.

2009-08-21T20:08:00.002-04:00

For this week anyway

9:15am
Northwest Terminal. Detroit, MI.
TGIF

Go For A Picnic

2009-08-10T22:11:00.005-04:00

Dolly Copp Picnic Area
White Mountain National Forest
Pinkham Notch, NH

The Dolly Copp picnic shelter is classic Civilian Conservation Corps construction built in 1936 and was restored in 1996. When I was a kid, my mother's family gathered here all the time. She had eight brothers and sisters, so it was usually quite a scene. We'd take over the whole place with food, card games and a fire in the big stone fireplace. Frisbee, baseball, poking around in the woods or trying to climb the shelter's massive log posts kept us kids busy. Of course, I always wanted to get in on the game the Dads were playing, but was never allowed. Jarts AKA Lawn Darts... the game whose demise was fabled in the great Ed's Redeeming Qualities song "Pegged in the Head with a Lawn Dart" ("so they're now off the shelves at the KMart").

Recently my family visited Dolly Copp. It was one of those things you do that closes a circle in your life. While our Sunday afternoon event was smaller than the fabled Ruel family gatherings, my boys enjoyed the same things. Unfortunately, there were no Lawn Darts. As a society, we don't picnic enough. I call on all of you to take a picnic this weekend. Give us a call, we might join you.

Dessert at the Red Arrow Diner

2009-08-05T19:44:00.006-04:00

The Red Arrow Diner. Manchester, NH
If you're in New Hampshire's Queen City, check it out. I held off the urge for the first slice of this cake, but if you give it a try, let me know what you think.

The Bus of Cash

2009-08-01T21:56:00.000-04:00

Johnny Cash's Tour Bus
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Cleveland, Ohio

Barbecue of Historic Proportion

2009-07-26T22:18:00.008-04:00

Starving and driving way too fast down I-85, we poured over the map. This had been a long day that started pre-dawn and included two flights, rental car hassles (thank you Avis), several hours in said lousy rental car and two client meetings. There wasn’t time for lunch, but finally our obligations were complete and nothing mattered but my crumpled map of the North Carolina Historic Barbecue Trail. Seriously… there’s a map. I’m glad I found out because the Trail led me to righteous BBQ and a classic NC experience.

Barbecue means something different everywhere you go. In New England, it most often means hamburgers and hot dogs. When folks in North Carolina say barbecue they mean slow cooked pork, but after that the variations are many and people have strong opinions about what they like best. Despite their opinions, everyone spoke of Lexington, North Carolina as ground zero for chopped pork barbecue. Lexington Barbecue has been cooking on their pits since 1962, burning cords and cords of oak and hickory over the years.

Our waitress said her favorite thing was the “brown, lean, course chop”. At that point, we admitted to needing coaching. She didn’t hold our Yankee, barbecue bonehead status against us and explained that “western Carolina” barbecue at Lexington is sort of like carving a turkey for Thanksgiving. They only cook pork shoulder here and the meat is separated by type so you can choose what you want. Brown means an area of the shoulder that isn’t covered in fat and has had more smoke than “the white”. You can get lean or marbled meat. And the chop is just that… not pulled or sliced but cut course or fine. It all made sense now and we were believers.

The sauce isn’t what you find in the local Super Wal-Mart. Darn tasty, its vinegar based, thin and offers a kick. But, the barbecue is so unbelievably great; there isn’t much reason to put sauce on it.

The plate came with more regional staples, red slaw and hush puppies.

When we paid our bill, the owner was helping with the overflow at the front counter. If he didn’t tell us he appreciated our business six times, he didn’t tell us once. He asked us what we had for dinner and was clearly proud to be part of the institution that is barbecue in this part of North Carolina. It’s rare that you get to look someone in the eye like that these days. The food here was great, but Lexington Barbecue is much more than that. Like so many local places I check out on business travel, the food, the people, the atmosphere and the tradition creates a genuine experience that isn’t easy to find anymore. There is something deeper going on here speaking to truly traditional and original food with a sense of place and time all its own. To top it all off, when we asked about separating the bill into three credit card charges, he took a look at our check and with a great big smile said “how about $12.17 a piece?”. What a bargain.

If it would only stay this way

2009-07-24T16:14:00.003-04:00

Manchester, NH
Delta Air Lines flight 3308 to Detroit. Final destination Charlotte, NC.

Tunnel Vision

2009-07-14T21:55:00.002-04:00

Wide Treads & Cheater Slicks...

2009-05-18T21:35:00.001-04:00

get all the chicks in Asheville, NC

Lomo Escalator

2009-05-08T21:47:00.002-04:00

Lomo is short for lomography. Lomo is inspired by the unique quality of images produced by cameras made by the former state-run optics manufacturer LOMO PLC of Saint Petersburg, Russia and emphasizes casual, snapshot photography. Characteristics such as over-saturated colors, off-kilter exposure, blurring, "happy accidents”, and alternative film processing are often considered part of the Lomographic Technique. Photoshop processing can approximate the effect.

Boston, MA

How I Want To Go Through Every Day

2009-04-26T21:54:00.004-04:00

Boston, MA. Turner takes his first walk in the big city.

San Antonio Refritos

2009-04-20T21:26:00.004-04:00

Riverwalk

Mariachi in Respose

El Dia de los Muertos

Pick a Mask Nacho Libre

You Can't Make This Sort of Stuff Up

2009-04-12T20:26:00.005-04:00

Easter Sunday, 3:30 am.

Mission San Jose

2009-04-08T19:05:00.003-04:00

San Antonio, Texas