Posts

November 29, 2016

I had to go out and run errands today. After stops at several stores I came out of the supermarket, loaded my bags into the back of the truck and was sitting in my driver’s seat eating beer nuts and looking around. Just across the lot from where I sat was a dusty old white pickup with its lights on. It wasn’t quite dusk yet and there weren’t too many cars or people way out in the lot where my red truck and that white one were. I got out of my truck, walked over to the white one to see if I could open the door and turn out the lights but it was locked. I walked around it to see if maybe there was an open window. I didn’t find one of those either. The rear bumper was covered in mud except for one patch that was wiped off a bit. Right there, where the bumper was a little bit clean, was a bumper sticker. It was pretty worn and had some little dings in it. It said, “Make America Great Again.” So I walked back to my truck and got in, had some more beer nuts. Those beer nuts sure are good...

Brighter Image Photography, Venice, CA | new link posted December 6, 2016

From 1984 until 1993 we owned and operated Brighter Image Photography, a black & white custom photolab in Venice, California (a part of Los Angeles on the Pacific Ocean). We started out doing photo restoration and alternative (old) photographic processes. Ultimately we ended up doing a lot of gelatin-silver printing and film processing. We made a great many large prints up to 30 X 40-inches. We did a number of Artists' books and portfolios, much work for the film and entertainment industry, and a great deal of general commercial work of all kinds. I had always formulated my own photochemicals from raw, individual chemicals and the ability to tweak various developers and toners greatly enhanced the capabilities of our photolab. Eventually, however, long term exposure to these photochemicals over a span of 3 decades wreaked havoc with my health and I was faced with the choice of a life cut short or walking away from it all, getting a new career, and living longer. I opted...