1,000 th Posting!
In honor of reaching this goal of one thousand blog posting, I pondered what I should re-cap or to stress.
For the last several years I have been selected as an Extra or BG (Background actor) in 5 or 6 tv shows filming here in Charleston and three movies down in Savannah.
This scene was from the Adam Sandler Netflix 2017 movie called
THE DO-OVER.
We were told to walk straight toward the camera and an injured man stumbled past us. My "wife" was listed in the credits as "
Hospital Screamer." I got a pat on the back and a well-done by Adam.
I have talked about growing up on the peninsula in Ansonborough when the area had bottomed out during the 1940-1950s. Few owned and most rented. on Society Street.
Remembering my 4-room schoolhouse on Anson Street at St. Joseph's K-6, then the walk down to Cathedral Grammar school for 7th & 8th grades before braving the steady - and constant - wind when you turned the corner and started up Calhoun Street to Bishop England high school.
At graduation in 1957, I had no interest in college and no financial means to do so.
The Marines gave me a military education during a rare - and, for me - excellent peacetime with nobody shooting at us.
That was very important to a Combat Still Photographer.
That led to a visit to MCRD San Diego when I traveled with the Camp Lejeune "varsity" football team for a game on the West Coast.
While there I was offered a photo scholarship to the very young University of San Diego when I finished my USMC tour of duty.
This I accepted!
While living in Southern California I met my wife, we had two children and I even photographed Senator John F. Kennedy when he was campaigning for President against Richard Nixon.
I continued posting stories and pictures when I later re-married and had a red-headed daughter who showed up in my blogs too.
Photography has been an important part of my life, as a Staff photographer for the San Diego Union-Tribune newspapers and most recently, founding a local photography group here in my hometown 10 years ago.
Right now we are migrating the members, meetings, photos and all talks from an old site to our newly- named
Charleston SC 21st Century Photography Group, on our new Facebook site.
We have several hundred members, ranging from professionals to wannabes and everything in between.
Wander back through my 12 years of posting my thoughts and photos.
I truly can say the beard I grew about 2 years ago has landed me quite a few roles.
My first was the movie
LIZZIE about the young lady with an ax who gave her father 40 whacks.
Her trial was set in 1893 Ohio and wardrobe furnished me period-clothing.
I played the assistant prosecutor but had no lines or credit.
It comes out to theaters this year and I hope to see if I had a lot of "face time."
We shot all day at the historic Effingham courthouse in Springfield, near Savannah. Wardrobe would change our ties to show it was the next day of the trial. My last "day" I wore a bow tie.
I seem to play a lot of hospital patients. Especially on Season 1 and 2 of the just-wrapped
MR. MERCEDES series, by Stephen King.
First time I was in a hospital gown was in a CBS pilot called
"IDENTITY" that was shot at the old Naval Hospital in North Charleston.
It was not picked up by the network so I never saw myself on screen.
My latest pilot is
SALVAGE, a tv show/series that stars Jim Belushi in a small Florida town (filmed here on Sullivan's Island.)
I was put in a choir gown and became a "prop" at the front of the church. We 12 did not sing but avoided being mixed in with 130 other extras who were the congregation.
Sometimes the director uses you in several different places as they shoot many different angles or an extreme close-up of the star.
Then you are merely one of the blurred, out-of-focus people walking around in the background.
So, this is my posting to mark a special milestone in my blogging.
I am glad I started to blog and I even found a company called
Blog2Print which did as expected and produced five (so far) bound hard-cover volumes of my writings and photos. These I will pass along to my children to remember me.
(Click on the photos and links for more information.)
A
"thousand thanks" for stopping by. Here are some more random shots from my blogs:
Labels: 000th posting, 1, Blogging milestone, Conrad & Michelle. The Inspectors on CBS, movies and tv series, Mr. Mercedes, The Do Over, Vice Principals, We Love You
Hangin' with JT....
Things get a little confusing when you are seated in the FIRST row at the North Charleston Coliseum for a
James Taylor concert.
Yep, about 8 seats to the right of center.
The good news is the microphone is not right in front of his face as it is when you're seated in the center, quite a few rows back.
The bad news is Bonnie Raitt had to cancel her appearance with James due to a medical condition.
He announced at the start of the show that her surgery was successful, she's doing fine and will join the tour very shortly.
The confusing part is you are too close to appreciate all the images changing behind James and his band.
Country roads, mountains, forests, etc. move around, drift across the projected sky, and slowly fade from one scene to another.
Even the Jumbotrons are at odd angles so you can't see what the rest of the audience is being shown.
I'm such a complainer! Sheesh.
Had a young excited couple sitting next to me who said it was their first time seeing Taylor in concert.
She too was using her phone cam and I complimented her on her composition.
I added that we had seen him here in 2014 and in Columbia in 2011.
Just as she asked me if he ever gets up off the stool and moves around, he jumped up and did just that!
He was moving toward our side of the stage.
She was laughing and tried to swing her phone camera to keep his image.
Then, he turned and went back to the stool and sat down again.
I said
"well, it's a live concert. We just need to enjoy the show."
She didn't ask me any more questions about what he might do next.
I concentrated on his interaction with band members, most of whom I remembered from when I had seen him previously.
Without Bonnie Raitt to share the stage, I guessed he would do a shorter show.
Well, he actually ran a bit longer than we expected so I'm glad I had not mentioned that to the young couple.
It had been announced there would be a short intermission so it was fun when the crowd started suggesting songs he should play next.
James had a ready answer,
"We are going to take a break pretty soon and I hear you calling out your favorites."
"Here's the list of what we are going to play in the second half."
"Take a look and see if the ones you want are listed. I'm really looking forward to the next half.
"It has a lot of my favorites too and I'm glad we all are going to hear them."
He played one more of his hits and announced the break and said be sure to come back in about 20 minutes.
As the band left the stage, the young couple got up to go check the merchandising table for t-shirts and CDs.
At about the same time, James walked over to our side, sat down in front of me on the front edge of the stage.
He started signing his name to anything presented to him.
I saw tickets to his show being signed and handed back.
Others had come prepared and had copies of vinyl albums to be autographed.
It was a calm but excited crowd that filled the space all around me, holding out items and taking selfies with their cellphones.
He was relaxed and good-natured, keeping track of who presented what and handing it back in their direction.
My plans to slip out for another beer were stymied as the crowd grew, blocking any easy exit.
Well, what the heck.
I handed my phone cam to somebody and asked them to take a shot of me. And they framed it pretty good.
I have found my arms are too short to do a good selfie so this was fine.
I even fished my ticket from my shirt pocket and he signed it.
I tucked it back in my pocket so I could show the usher I belonged here in the front row when the show resumed and the crowd had dispersed.
Glancing at it, I saw the
"James" was readable but the
"Taylor" was more of a scrawl.
I knew what it said and when and where it had happened.
In past concerts, I have been handed a guitar pick from Buddy Guy, one from c.d.lang and another from the late B.B. King so I appreciate when performer rapport happened.
Oh, the young couple came back for the second part of the show. They didn't ask so I didn't mention the signings they had missed.
Nor the brief conversation I had had with James Taylor.
I said, "we enjoyed your show in Columbia with your son Ben." He said thanks and added he was going to play there again later this year.
As you probably know the big hits come toward the end of the show and really flourish during the encore.
The young couple ducked past us before the encore and mumbled something about "beating the crowd."
Rookies.
(Click on the photos and the links for more details.)
Enjoyed the concert but regretted NOT bringing my small camera along.
The phone cam has its place with really nice HDR results but a real zoom lens was sorely missed.
*Uh, this is posting number 999.
Labels: James Taylor, JT, merch table, signer of tickets and anything handed to him, signing t-shirts and a 1960 vinyl album, what a band
Dress to suit the job..get it? "Suit."
As I've mentioned before, I receive a daily newsletter from San Diego.
It's written for and by former editorial employees of the
Union-Tribune newspapers, where I worked for most of the 1960s.
The topics bounce all over the place as writers are wont to do.
The focus the last few days has been on the "dress code" of the paper, back in the time frame I worked there as a staff photographer.
Not only was I sporting an impressive LARGE format
4x5 Speed Graphic camera, we drove around in distinctive red and white camera cars.
We were highly visible and dressed the part.
We eventually switched to a smaller (21/4 x 21/4 format) square image camera and that lightened the load. but we kept the "uniform" we were required to wear.
I have not sent this mid-sixties coat and tie outfit I basically wore every day -yet - but I do plan to respond to the current newsletter topic.
I still have some of these very thin ties in my closet, even after all these years. I found a few skinny knit ties that have been ignored by moths.
Retired, I seldom dress up (Uh, my suits shrank while hanging in the closet) but I do recall feeling pretty sharp looking as I sauntered along on my way to take some society photos.
Yes, that is a cigarette in my hand.
In those days, actors dressed as doctors endorsed smoking in ads as "good for you." Cough, Cough.
Hmmm, now and then you didn't spot an ashtray in sight. An empty 35mm film canister often was used to knock off an ash or even to snub out a cigarette when needed.
Actually, the dress code was a good plan.
You could always slip off your coat, loosen your tie and roll up your sleeves if need be. Easy to "dress down."
I mean, each day you had no idea who you might meet and greet and take their photograph.
It might be San Diego shakers-and-movers or sometimes it was a well-known out-of-towner on the campaign trail.
One day I was sent to what sounded like a massive car crash.
When I got there, I doffed my coat and start focusing on at least 6 or 7 badly crushed cars!
The police and I finally realized a truck carrying junked crashed vehicles had flipped on an overpass, dropping cars in every direction.
Good pictures for the paper and, best of all, zero casualties.
But, nowadays, as a retired guy, I tend to dress less formal.
I still carry a camera with me (a small pocket-sized digital Canon about the size of a deck of cards) and have been known to be in shorts, wearing a t-shirt.
Did not buy this one though.
It seemed too complicated and I would have to be explaining it too often.
I
did buy one that featured a Speed Graphic mage on the front.
Just a simple image of a type of heavy camera I carried in high school, for almost four years in the Marines and for my first several years at the San Diego newspapers.
Mainly for the memories, I added it to my "dress code" here in sultry South Carolina.
(Click on the photo and links for more details.)
For anyone keeping score, this is my
998th posting on my 12-year old blog.
Inching closer to that 1,000 entries mark.
Thanks for stopping by. Come by often. Thanks.
*Her's a few more U-T Photographer's photos from the 1960s.
We were a well-dressed bunch of guys.
We did FINALLY begin using 35mm film cameras!
Here are three fellows I worked with "back then."
Labels: #5 and #11 flashbulbs, 2-sided 4x5 cut film holder, 4x5 Speed Graphic, ISO vs ASA, Presidental presence, wating for a President, well-dressed photogs.
"and I shouted 'OLE!'"
"Hey, they just announced "No flash photography," and there you go...
sitting there smug in your fancy 2nd-row seat."
The lady next to me touched my arm and said "Tsk. Tsk."
My buddy just rolled his eyes. Again.
Well, if she didn't say that she sure wanted me to know that popping a flash in the first 10 seconds of a show is rude.
Fortunately, I knew
HOW to turn off the automatic flash.
I just forgot to do that. Oh, crap!
I didn't see the drummer Dafnis Prieto squinting at his sheet music so I didn't really interrupt the start of the Spoleto concert by the
Chucho Valdes Jazz Bata at the Gaillard Music Center.
I did sort of slouch down lower in my comfortable seat as I pressed hard on the OFF button for my flash.
Multiple Grammy-winner Leader Chucho Valdes did not pause and glare or even look at me. He sat at his piano and started playing and the music and fun began.
What a tight Afro-Cuban quartet.
It was nice to revisit my jazz roots: roving solos followed by appreciative applause and on to the next player in a delightful "round robin" of fast-paced music, thumping with percussion, drums, piano and upright bass.
My ear picks up a quick familiar riff from "Take The A Train," or some Dave Brubeck classics. Nice.
Yeah, this is international Afro-Cuban jazz.
I could imagine a broad smile on the face of the late
Jack McCray, tapping his foot.
He was a leader in recognizing the jazz history and talent here in Charleston. He helped make a night like this possible when he founded the JAC and it continues to bear fruit.
But, my intent right now is trying to catch a face photo of percussionist Yaroldy Abreu Robles. It isn't easy
Not just his blurred hands as he pounds from one of his congas to another rapidly or picks up a variety of small devices that tings or he shakes and rattles.
I want to catch his intensity, seen with his tight smile and bulging eyes. But mainly I am capturing shots of twin mics framing his face. BUT...no flash thank goodness.
The other downside of sitting very close to the stage is not having a wide enough lens to capture the whole scene of the four musicians.
This came close and I am glad to see the active bassist Yelsy Heredia is featured.
He was a whirling dervish (what would that be in Cuban?) in almost constant motion that only slowed during brief delicate use of his bow.
The group got to pose and take their "bow" twice.
First when they finished and, again after they came back onstage to satisfy the pleased applauding, standing ovation by the rapt capacity audience.
Even though the show was technically over, I kept the flash turned off.
Didn't want to be an ass more than once.
(Click on the photos and links for more details and information.)
I try to include
some samples of the music I hear and at shows like this, it's always announced "No audio recording of any kind."
Labels: A tight Afro-Cuban quartet, bassist Yelsy Hredia, Chucho Valdes Jazz Bata, Dafnis Prieto, Dave Brubeck, Jack McCray, Uno mas, Yaroldy Abreu Robles on percussion
counting up..and down........
The count is now up to five printed, hardbound volumes of my blog!
VOL. 5 was just delivered as
Chuckography 2015 - 2018.
Found a company called
Blog2Print and that is exactly the service/product that they offer.
Click on its link because they even gave me a nice plug a few years ago when printing an earlier compilation of my written efforts.
Now I have saved all of the blogs I've written in the 12-years since I started blogging,
Years ago I realized how disappointed I would be if my blog crashed or disappeared suddenly!
Surely, there must be a way to save all this effort if the worst happened.
And, of course, there was an answer that makes me very relaxed now with that concern taken away.
Blogging has allowed me to have a venue, a platform for my writing about my varied and checkered past and - naturally - my photos.
I've mentioned before that a photo lets you "time travel" back to exciting and profound days and events.
You can immediately relive those bits and pieces of your life.
Over and over as you look back.
I can recall taking a photo of planes waiting in line for takeoff at
JFK airport in New York.
And, many years earlier, my photo of the real
JFK, President John F. Kennedy speaking at the San Diego State commencement just 5 months before he traveled to Dallas.
Memory-floggers.
Some sad, some almost historic and others just plain fun to revisit.
Like watching your children again back when they were small. And, watching them change as they grow older.
I also have photos of
Senator Kennedy when he came to San Diego to campaign for President against Nixon.
I was the new "official" photographer for the University of San Diego (on a photo scholarship) and worked my way through the excited throng downtown.
I gained a spot on the raised platform and snapped away as
JFK spoke to the crowd.
My blog since March 2006 has been a platform where I could, for example, recall past experiences I had in the Marines
Such as a night spent at GITMO in Cuba when "hitchhiking" back to the continental U.S from Vieques where I was attached to a tank battalion for 4 months as a photographer.
Because I was not actually a "tanker," while they spent weekends cleaning their tanks, I asked the Colonel in charge if he had any photo needs Saturday and Sunday.
Usually, I was free to get over to mainland Puerto Rico and enjoy "civilian" time in San Juan.
Didn't save much money during that four months but one day I arrived on a Monday at the permanent camp and saw all the ships were gone from the harbor! There went my ride.
Castro had threatened to cut off the water to Guantanamo Bay and it was felt a tank battalion cruising off his coast would nudge him to a different decision.
My blog covered ALL of my time with the Union-Tribune, starting at 919 Second Avenue when I had split days off while I continued school working in the wirephoto room and, later, after I became a staff photographer out on the street.
(Here is the NEW location for the paper, back downtown in a true highrise. My big surprise was the lack of a photo lab. Well, no film to develop, nowadays it is all digital.)
The blogging
countdown continues.
This is posting
996, moving me closer to the 1,000 mark of entries in my blog. It's been a fun endeavor so far!
So, click on the photos and links for more details. I have many more memories to share as I glide past the one thousand mark. Be sure to stop by again. Thanks.
Oh, here's the view now from the new home of the Union-Tribune.
Nice mural of the future. Look at that circulation!!
Much better than the view we used to have at 919 Second Avenue, standing on the metal fire escape, heading over to the Copley News offices.
Labels: 000 postings, GITMO overnight, nearing 1, new U-T location, Two views of JFK, USMC memories, Volume 5 of the Print2Book series.
Wander back through my 12 years of posting my thoughts and photos.
I was put in a choir gown and became a "prop" at the front of the church. We 12 did not sing but avoided being mixed in with 130 other extras who were the congregation.
