Changing Seasons: Fall in New York

LL Bean buck over Colby's campus in fall 2008, a few weeks after starting A Restless Transplants and buying my first camera.

An over ambitious sip of Joe's coffee scalded my tongue. Sucking and blowing repeatedly in attempt to ventilate my mouth, my breath hung on the cool mornings air as I sat on a rock outcropping in Central Park. Rising over Midtown, the morning's light cast long shadows over the lake and through the autumn foliage.

Canvas Sneaker over Colby's Quad in January of 2009.

As June quickly slid into September, the reality that I wasn't returning to Maine for another winter slowly took shape. Each changing shade of foliage and brisk morning helped confirm my permanent acclimation to my new life in New York. Three times in the last few weeks, I packed my REI backpack with my 5D Mark II and lenses and headed towards the rock peninsula near 79th street and Central Park West with the hope of capturing the changing season with a shoe. Despite successfully avoiding joggers, tourists and leashed French bulldogs, my shots failed to turn out.

Common Projects sneaker over Cobly's Quad in March of 2009.

Last Sunday morning, I woke early and dug through my pile of shoes. Perhaps as homage to my time spent in Maine or their relevance in the frequent mud puddles familiar with fall in New York, I grabbed my eight-inch Bean boot and headed towards door.

Van's Authentic over Colby's Quad in August of 2009

Ralph Lauren Wingtip over Colby's quad in October of 2009

The morning's light bounced the buildings of the Upper West Side as I grabbed a cup of coffee at Joe's and headed towards Central Park's lake intent on waiting for the sun to rise above the buildings of midtown. Patiently, I sat facing south towards Manhattan's skyline. Periodically testing my coffee, I tuned out tourists' conversations and turned an occasional glance at a group of forty-somethings performing a lost east Asian ritual associated with Subarus and merino wool socks.

Danner Mountain Light II over Colby's quad in December of 2009.

Checking my watch, I realized that fifteen minutes had marched past and I reclaimed my camera from my drawstring backpack. I removed my left Bean boot, set the frame and tossed my shoe in the air.

British Walker Buck over Colby's Quad in April of 2010.

Taking a sip of my now tepid coffee, I picked the boot off the exposed bedrock and tossed it up in the air for another countless shot. Reflecting off the glassy water, the morning's light warmed the chain-link sole as I fired the shutter near the height of the boots arc. Looking down at the preview screen, I couldn't help but smile. I like calling a new place home.

Here are some more links,
Changing Seasons (Picasa),
Changing Seasons (ART).

Changing Seasons: My Last Spring

"I hate that sadness in your eyes,
But Angie, Angie,
Ain't it time we said goodbye?"

My headphones echoed as I sat on a wooden bench bequeathed by some wealthy couple in hopes of getting their underachieving offspring accepted to college. Focusing the lens on the edge of the tongue, I took a second look through the viewfinder and tossed my dirty white buck in the air.

The shutter of my camera thwaapped like an automatic Nerf gun as the buck hung for an instant, suspended a few feet above the recently exposed grass and then awkwardly flopped back down. What started as a means to pass time seven seasons ago, grew and evolved into a defining part of my life. At first, I waited to tell my friends and family of my new crush, deliberating until the spark caught and I knew it wasn't another one of my many short lived and often unrealistic excitements.

Something was different. Maybe I was mature enough to stay committed for more than a few weeks, or maybe I had found something that fit my intense and stubborn personality. Telling myself it was both, I dove in like an eight year old into Karate classes, hoping that one day I too could chop bricks in half and wear a black belt.

As the seasons marched on, I muscled through the slow and enjoyed the best, leaving my aspirations of business school and board meetings behind like a beleaguering ex-girlfriend. Motivated by a new passion that fueled my curiosity and confident in the success of my new experiences, I started acting on more impulses and seized opportunities with the disregard of a love-struck teenager.

Before I knew it, a few coincidental activities became routine and I was captivated by something that I never knew existed a year before. I enjoyed the security of finding strength in something created by passion and creativity, yet available to only a few.

As the situational end of my relationship with Maine and the free time necessary to work on photography and write for my blog marched forward two posts a week at a time, I slowly started to realize how fortunate I am to have had them. Like with any tasty beverage, I didn't realize how good it was until the last sip.

I waited and rationalized like the inevitable end to a serious relationship. "Tomorrow the sky will be brighter and the grass greener," I told myself a few dozen times after the last hope of winter died early in March. Finally, on Tuesday, I packed a lone British Walker White buck in size 13 into my pack along with my Canon 5d Mark II and biked to school. Sitting by myself on the wooden bench, turned on Angie by the Rolling Stones and pulled out my camera.

"Come on baby dry your eyes
But Angie, Angie,
Ain't it good to be alive?"

Here are some more links,
Changing Seasons (Picasa),
Changing Seasons (ART).

Changing Seasons: Winter

Winter comes on early Maine. Starting in early November, the imminent threat of snow lingers on the fringes of the ten day forecasts. When the snow finally arrives, Mainers show their true colors and break out plows and shovels and attack the snow with the tenacity of a teenage boy attacking a zit on his nose. The snow and freezing cold usher in a new tempo and force people to adjust to the harsh conditions. I like it. This collection of images shows the contrasting aspects of my aesthetic and the rugged seasonality of the place I currently call home.

Sitting on a bench over the quad last fall I took off my shoe on an ADHD impulse and threw it in the air.

Paul Smith Hudson Canvas Sneaker in January.

Common Projects Court Sneaker in April.

Vans Era in August

Ralph Lauren Wingtips in October.

My Danner Mountain Light II over the quad on a chilly Thursday in December.

Here are some more links,
Changing Seasons (Picasa),
Changing Seasons (ART).

Changing Seasons: Fall

Last October, I started blogging in an act of bored desperation. I had recently purchased a Canon XSI on a whim and had started taking photos of things around me and writing about things that captured my imagination. While sitting on a bench overlooking the Colby Quad, I took off my shoe and decided to toss it up in the air and take a photo. Funny how such a seemingly frivolous activity can have unforeseen positive consequences on your life.

My LL Bean Bucks overlooking the Colby Quad on chilly fall afternoon in mid October, more than a year ago. The integrated footpad disintegrated in August and I brought them by the Freeport store. Ten minutes later, I walked out with a gift card for the full retail price and immediately invested in my Butcher Mocs.

My Paul Smith Canvas Sneakers overlooking two feet of packed snow on the Colby Quad in mid January. I haven't worn these since last fall and probably won't until spring.

My Common Projects overlooking the Colby Quad in late April. Retired for the year.

My Vans Eras flying over the Colby Quad on a hot a humid day in mid August. After a summer of sockless use they smelled like the Ebola Virus and I permanently retired them a few weeks back.

My Ralph Lauren Wingtips looking glossy on October 16th after three months of blood and tears to break them sock-less. I plan on having these for years.

Since that October day last fall, I return to that bench once a season with different shoes and sit down for half an hour listening to music and throwing my shoe in the air. Confused freshmen and groups of prospective students touring the campus walk by and stare for a second or two in disbelief.

Here are some more links,
Changing Seasons (Picasa),
Changing Seasons: Summer (Picasa).