Roadside Photo-Art

Get-Together

2011-12-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

It can be difficult to obtain a candid shot using a large Mamiya C300 6x6 medium format film camera - but as we see here and with the previous entry, it is still doable. People mostly live in their own little bubbles and aren't paying attention to what the rest of us are doing.

Two Cups, One Woman

2011-11-21T15:58:00.001-08:00

Talk about hiding in plain sight - this was taken with a Mamiya medium format film camera in a Wendy's restaurant. I found the juxtaposition of objects interesting, is all.

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Mamiya C330Kodak T-Max 100 film

Wendy's Suspicion

2011-05-24T22:52:00.000-07:00

While traveling back from Christa's birthday get-together, stopped by a Wendy's in McMinnville, Oregon. I think the woman two tables away is suspicious of anyone with a camera.

Quiet Day

2011-05-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

Winter has been dragging on through late spring. I'm sure that there is global warming somewhere, but in this little village it seems to get colder and wetter every year. The lingering cold had brought the whole town to a grinding halt. Nobody wants to go out.

One soul braves the cold and the wet of this non-spring day. The streets are glad to see him.

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Canon A2
BW400CN black and white film
Manual exposure

Firepower

2011-03-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

Guns are everywhere in America, and their sale has long been a ubiquitous fixture in rural areas. Guns on display everywhere; urban areas are starting to see this too. In rural America you just can't have too much firepower.

Jeans

2011-03-04T09:03:00.000-08:00

I liked the converging lines in this pocket camera photo. And it is very candid, too. Other than that there is nothing special about it.

The larger sizes are generally on the bottom shelves, by the way. Pro-tip.

Art Fair

2011-03-02T18:51:00.000-08:00

Art fair people, a place where you'll see people together who would probably never voluntarily associate with each other - except in circumstances like these.

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Canon rangefinder camera
Kodak Ektar 100 film

Meeting At Wendy's

2011-02-24T17:58:00.000-08:00

You know when you have a Wendy's in your town you are not really rural anymore. You can meet up and chat just like big city folk.

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Canon QL-17 GIII
Kodak Ektar 100

99

2011-02-22T18:43:00.000-08:00

99 cent street photography.

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Canon A2 35mm
Kodak BW400CN film.

Rush For The Restroom

2011-02-19T15:33:00.000-08:00

We're all really grateful for public restrooms. Even though this is a rural area you can't just piss on the road. Well, you shouldn't anyway. A restroom just became available and this gentleman seems to be in a hurry.

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Canon A2
Kodak BW400CN film

Waiting For A Bus

2011-02-18T19:25:00.000-08:00

Bored and waiting for a bus, we all stand around in Corvallis, Oregon.

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Canon QL-17 GIII, Kodak Ektar 100

Reading Light

2011-02-06T12:12:00.000-08:00

Reading light ...natural candid photograph using Mamiya c330, Ilford 3200 ISO film, f/4, 1/30 - available light.

Check-Out

2011-02-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Bored check-out clerk meets furtive shopper; strangers to each and to me. Part of my guerrilla street photography project.

Rush-By Shooting

2011-01-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

Photography, that is.. a woman rushes through with a basket of plants at Bi-Mart, which is a store chain in this part of the world. Out in this rural nothing-land, Bi-Mart is about the closest thing you'll get to a real department store. Bi-Mart is employee-owned, which is good. It's just that it's kind of small and sometimes crappy. Beyond that, there's the whole thing about the name... I have to say that, just between you and me, I believe it's really only Bi-curious but who knows? They haven't approached me with any special offers...

You never know what you are going to get with guerrilla photos like this; shooting from the hip and with that stupid shutter delay for which crap cams are notorious. I wouldn't mind shooting with one of my good cameras but I'm trying to do candid photography not portraiture.

I shot the original in color and then worked it into B&W in photoshop. I was torn on this one. A lot of my street photography work was shot in black and white in the first place and only a few are Photoshopped that way. It's something I feel kind of weird about. For the "Bi-Curious" here is the color original:

Goodwill

2011-01-29T11:58:00.000-08:00

There's so much to think about when you shop at Goodwill.

That 70's Show

2010-06-29T19:26:00.000-07:00

Bob Pagani in uniform, making an appearance with Alan Abel in this clipping. Alan is "Omar The Beggar" for the purposes of this media event.

Woman and Dog

2010-06-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

Candid, guerrilla rural street photography. She didn't know she was being photographed. She still doesn't know. Well... perhaps now...

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Kodak Ektar 100, Canon A2, 28mm

Pelican Pub Table Queue

2010-05-15T14:28:00.000-07:00

Rush

2010-04-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

Quickly snapped as we passed, this gentleman seems to be in a big hurry. Does he need something right now or is he just trying to avoid me? Lincoln City, Oregon.

American Bob Gothic

2010-02-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

Rural life in America as it really is. It's not Green Acres.... more like The Grapes of Wrath.

Bob was born and raised in The Bronx, NY. A city boy, Bob had the benefit of a good education at the best private Catholic schools. He began an entertainment career at Fordham University and WFUV, then moved on to the Lehigh Valley, PA and San Diego, CA. But the radio business isn't what it used to be. Today's corporatized version of radio prefers cutthroat business vultures to pure entertainers.

Bob's last radio gig was at The Coast 105 in Tillamook, Oregon. He now lives in an RV and edits books, freelance. You never know where life will take you.

Mamiya C330, 135mm lens, Fuji Pro 400H, F:8, 1/250

Goodwill Decisions

2010-01-01T10:19:00.000-08:00

Shopping for stuff at Goodwill takes patience, to say the least. It's one of the world's greatest crap fests!

For Me

2009-12-20T13:19:00.000-08:00

A woman clutches an object to her chest as if she MUST posses it... NOW.

Deep Thought

2009-12-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

Thinking, pondering... this woman is trying to find a gift, I think. So engrossed, she doesn't even know I exist. And that's fine. Come to think of, hardly anyone knows I exist nor cares one way or another. That's the way of the world.

And besides, I'm half a retard anyway so why are you even reading this?

Fast Food, Not Fast People

2009-12-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

Regulars at Wendy's

Regulars at Wendys, as you can tell, waited a long time for food because there was a sudden influx of young people on some sort of tour or game or something involving a bus - who got to go to Wendy's as a treat.

The long line came from a bus - which as it turns out was from some Christian School, although it looked like it could be a Young Aryans convention as well. Hermann Goering can be seen at the far right edge of the photo, arms defiantly folded.

Restaurant Meeting

2009-12-15T18:57:00.000-08:00

Restaurant, Window, College Kids, College Town

Engrossed in some discussion or another, these college types will never see me. Not that it matters. Be sure to check the main street photography pages for more.

Cart Girl

2009-12-14T11:40:00.000-08:00

Interesting for its juxtapositions, converging lines and color patterns, this photo depicts the life of CART GIRL (my name) who is always collecting carts at Fred Meyer and seems to have time for no other life.

Tillamook, Oregon 2009

Rural Street Photograpy: Smoking While Pregnant

2009-12-12T19:32:00.000-08:00

Department store trip... snapped this from the car. It's a sore point with me, as I shall explain.

When I was born, who could have predicted the messed up parts of my life that would come from my mother being a heavy smoker? I don't think they even knew the basics back then. But what is the excuse today?

Besides the long-known risks of miscarriage and such, recent evidence also suggests that maternal smoking is strongly correlated with conduct disorder and anger management issues (link).

I think this why my sister and I have such short tempers and sometimes flip-out at the drop of a hat. I've had to avoid a lot of social situations all my life because of this: I'm not a mean person and I don't want to hurt others, but I know I will if provoked. So I have to avoid socializing much.

This woman, living in inexcusable ignorance perhaps, is just guaranteeing that her child will have extra problems its whole life. She's like a breeding ground for the criminal class, in my opinion. She probably thinks she's a good person, though. But she's wrong.

1996

2009-12-01T09:49:00.000-08:00

My sister found this old photo while clearing out a back room. Somewhere in the Washington DC area... Bob, Christa .and me.

Haystack Rock Cape Kiwanda Oregon

2009-11-27T09:58:00.000-08:00

What more can I say?

Canon EOS 20d

Cape Meares Rural Street Photography

2009-11-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

Man poses for picture on driftwood

A visit to a sometimes forgotten corner. Cape Meares, Oregon. I lived there briefly as a child. Of course I lived many many places as a child, some of them in actual houses! Not much there....
One man posed for a sullen picture on top of some gnarly driftwood while wife/gf snaps the shot. Meanwhile, another man runs for his life...

He made it. That was about it for people on this gray November day.

Oceanside Visit - Rural Street Photography

2009-11-05T10:41:00.000-08:00

Couple w/child @ Oceanside, Looking for Rocks

I visited Oceanside the other day - one of the last chances before the weather gets too bad. There were a few others with the same idea. I collected some agates and interesting rocks, too....

Then climbing through the cave to the other side of Maxwell Point,

I found a more secluded and more rock-strewn beach ...a great place for couples, I guess.

Street Photography - Milling

2009-10-31T14:04:00.000-07:00

Traveling

2009-10-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

Traveling... Gas, food, etc needed. A couple looking for funds. It is the side of America to which we prefer to pay no attention.

They got what I had handy.... two dollars. Maybe some of you think that this is wrong but I grew up in an often-homeless family so I have a different perspective.

Feral Cats

2009-10-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

A tour of the feral cats with the old twin lens reflex camera loaded with black and white Kodak T-Max 100 film. The starkness of this image conveys more about the lives of feral cats than I can do with mere words.

Yashica Mat EM, 6x6, Kodak 100 T-Max, F/8, 1/125

My work with feral cats is covered in greater detail at The Feral Cat Rescue Project photo blog.

Beach Walkers

2009-10-23T19:05:00.000-07:00

As I have often stated, street photography is not about streets but about candid observational capturing. This couple is exploring the beach. An interesting juxtaposition appears when you notice that another couple is heading the opposite direction just over their heads.

There were a few others there on this gray day...

All at this area in this weather:

Shopping Cart

2009-10-22T18:35:00.000-07:00

Former Windmill

2009-10-21T20:18:00.000-07:00

Yashica Mat EM, Kodak TMax film

Street Photography - Reading the Morning Paper

2009-10-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

Reading the paper and sipping coffee; it's a very popular thing to do at this McDonald's at 7:28 AM.

Swapping out for color, here is another older couple sitting and sharing a newspaper. 7:30 AM.

Street Photography - Reading Talking

2009-10-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

Street Photography - Shopping Trip.

2009-10-16T12:27:00.000-07:00

It's about observing without affecting, recording without disturbing ... the natural world of humanity all around us...

Each photo has a story to tell...

I have my own ideas about that story...

But they must be allowed to exist as they are - what is, is.

Its meaning belongs to itself.

It is the world in its mundane reality; it is how we live. It is our brief existence.

We pause, we wait, we move on. It has no more meaning than that.

Mostly unaware of the world around us, we are just passing through.

The Working Photographer

2009-10-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

Selling prints in a tent at the Corvallis Art Fair ...it's all part of the job. It just isn't the fun part.

I do not know the name of the photographer shown here or I would commend him for his fine black and white work.

Vivian Maier Street Photography

2009-10-14T18:51:00.000-07:00

This was a wonderful discovery: A new blog showing previously unknown photographs by Vivian Maier.

As you may or may not know, I have a real "thing" for well-crafted street photography work. Even though my photo documentary projects keep me more than busy, I'm still working myself into this world.

When you have a free moment, please visit the blog, Vivian Maier - Her Discovered Work - and appreciate the beauty.

Tourists taking pictures and talking

2009-10-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

Street photography and a bit recursive as some take pictures.

Canon Canonette QL17 GIII

Cape Meares View

2009-10-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

I acquired the Canon QL17 for a street photography project. However, practice is important.

Rough guess on the exposure since I don't have a battery for the camera yet and I wasn't about to pull out the spotmeter: This whole exercise is intended to improve guerrilla photo techniques.

I can discuss the whys an wherefores of camera selections for street photography if you like. Otherwise, just enjoy the view.

Canon QL17 GIII

Tourists

2009-10-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

A little quick snap with the Canonette I'm experimenting with - it will be used (I think) for a street photography project. Great lens, tough to guess the framing of the picture from waist-level. But I'm working on it.

Canon QL17 GIII

Bug Me

2009-10-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is, I only know that it looked interesting and I happened to have a camera in my hand at the time.

A Roadside Memoria

2009-10-10T12:08:00.000-07:00

It only takes a moment... A young mother was driving home in her SUV. Her child, in the back seat, dropped a toy and screamed for it. Mom reached over the back seat to get it.

A slight distraction and now the mother is gone. Her child is alone. All the family has left now is a memory, and this little memorial they built at the milepost where she died. Life is like that.

Fuji digital

At The Riverhouse Restaurant

2009-10-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

Having won a gift certificate to the Riverhouse restaurant (among other things) for my "Best in Class" work, I thought that this was a good opportunity to take advantage of a free meal. Of course, that also means that I have an overwhelming desire to take pictures - hopefully unseen, unnoticed. So I did.

BTW, some of my work may be seen at The Riverhouse, in case you are interested.

Stealth digital

Little Trailer

2009-10-08T11:39:00.000-07:00

Cruising around, I spotted this tiny camp trailer for sale. It was built in 1978, according to the sign, but "doesn't leak."

Fuji digital

Always Looking Away

2009-10-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

El Bob, always looking for... something.

Stealth digital camera

Out The Back Of The Tent

2009-10-04T18:36:00.000-07:00

An art fair is going around on the other side. Who knows what goes on behind closed tents? For me, it was more interesting anyway.... slice of life.

My stealth digital camera

Pacific Sunset

2009-10-03T11:25:00.000-07:00

The sun sets behind Haystack Rock at Cape Kiwanda/Pacific City Oregon. Re-scanned from the 35mm original.

Roadside Photo - Scare (Crow) Chair

2009-09-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

Scare Chair

From the highway, it looked like a man sitting on a chair far out in a field. Except it didn't move. An innovative scarecrow using a dummy wearing a hat, pants an boots, sitting in a plastic chair ... I think.

Canon EOS 20d ISO-equiv 800, f11 1/160

Emo Trilogy

2009-09-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

Emo Trilogy, Corvallis OR

Visiting the Corvallis Art Festival (the one to which I was dis-invited) I found many interesting pieces of art but I was even more interested in the people. These three, sharing a cigarette and looking like they belonged in the NYC scene, were perhaps the most interesting site to be found there.

Stealth digital camera

Bicycle Heavy Laden

2009-09-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

Bicycle, Heavy Laden, Pacific City

Found at Pacific City gas station, this bicycle seems to be loaded with all worldly goods. This trekker stopped to fill his water bottles and take a bathroom break. His bike is ready for anything...

Fuji digital

Rock Water - An Impression of Barview

2009-09-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

Walking along the railroad tracks from Barview Oregon, there are many lovely sites to see. From the much over-photographed "Three Graces" to the fishing boats plying the area. I chose the interplay of rocks and water at the edge of the tracks; the sounds lull one while the shimmering entices.

Canon EOS Elan IIe Fuji ISO 800 80mm f 11 /250

Feral Cat Mother and Kittens

2009-09-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

I didn't feel that this photo had sufficient quality for my book but it was too exciting to discard... Before I could set-up for a clearer shot, they scattered. Still, it was interesting enough that I thought you should see it.

Here we have a queen feral cat with three half-grown kittens. She's probably trying to teach them to hunt at this point, although they are still interested mostly in milk.

Canon EOS 20-D ISO 800 5.6/250 @300mm

What's On Picasa

2009-09-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

Just to add a little entertainment - and to make up for my dearth of posting - here is a little slideshow of some stuff from one of my Picasa albums.

New Old Camera ...well, sort of old.

2009-09-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

To supplement the usual suspects... the Yashica TLRs, the Canon film cameras and the Fuji digital, I just acquired a well-used Canon 20D. The best feature here is that I can use all my Canon lenses to continue my working documentary projects. I grabbed a 2 gb CF card off of Amazon and now I'm ready to go!

The Roadside Artist

2009-05-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

It's been so long, I've forgotten where I got the name. I think it was a freelance writer who published an article about my art, for sale by the side of the road, and dubbed me the Roadside Artist.

In any case, my first-even site for my art was named roadsideartist.com for this reason. Over time, though, I branched into many other things as a self-taught, full time professional artist and semi-self-taught photographer. So more recently, I've divided up my work into things like Oregon impressionist paintings, abstract expressionist paintings, cartoon people and caricatures and cat cartoons.

This still left a vacancy, though, some homeless art; photographs and other works meant for commercial use, use in books or calendars, and commissioned work of similar types. Thus we have the Roadside Artist blog: A place where I can post and talk about my other work.

And thank you for visiting.