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I dunno, post-apocalyptic Arch, maybe. Obviously a Lensbaby image. It was shot from the railroad tracks in E. St. Louis, Illinois, across the Mississippi from the monument.
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More of the delightful entertainment from First Night. The was a group of - what should we call them? - black light clowns, cowboys or jugglers. Yippie-ki-oh-i-aye! How would this pair of boots have gone down on the Chisholm Trail?
This was a tough picture to make, stretching the limits of a good camera: ISO 3200, f5, 1/13 sec., hand held. Good enough.
TOMORROW: Thursday Arch Series.
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Within the last few weeks, one of our CDP colleagues had a post that asked the question: what is the thing in your life that you most regret? At first nothing came to mind. I'm not obsessed by guilt and second guessing. You know, like the Little Sparrow singing Non, je ne regrette rien. But then I remembered something. Late one evening after dinner in Madrid, my wife and I crossed the Plaza Mayor heading for the Metro. As we left by the north gate, we passed a bar or club with doors flung open and the most intense, passionate flamenco music pouring out. Should we go in, order a drink, watch the show, soak it up? Well...I don't know if they'd want us and it's all locals and it's crowded and it's getting late and for heaven's sake they all speak Spanish and... So we didn't go in. I regret that. The place was so obviously hot - and genuine. What an idjit. What an experience I missed.I like a lot of Hispanic music forms such as tango, salsa, meringue and flamenco. They have a combination of passion and sophistication hard to match in the north. One of the First Night performances was by Los Flamencos, a local group who practice the pure form of the art. All red and black, swirls and stomps over a strong but supple guitar. It was hot. Glad we stayed.
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We interrupt the last interruption of our First Night coverage because this is too good to pass up.The St. Louis Art Museum has had a show about Japanese screens, produced with the Chicago Art Institute. We've been wanting to see it and since yesterday was closing day it was, uh, time to get over there. My wife and I entered the museum by a back door near the parking lot and walked by a little cafe run by the Wolfgang Puck outfit - and I stopped dead in my tracks.Who and what was ordering coffee (and not ocha)? I had to have a picture but what should I say, excuse me or sumimasen? Well, the ladies are members of Kimonosan of St. Louis, which provides geisha and maiko themed entertainment. A maiko is a geisha in training. Their April group show in Kyoto is renowned. These American geishas were attending the last day of the exhibition. Gee, we could have a tea ceremony right in our home, except my Western legs can't sit crossed on the floor for more than a couple of minutes.They bowed and said arigato after I took several photos. Well, domo arigato to them. And one moral of the story: never walk out the door without your camera. 
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I've never seen anything like it in my life. While I was shooting the New Year's Day water skiing in the Mississippi, a man walked onto the little floating dock with what looked like a hovercraft weed whacker. It had a seat, a single ski and a shaft that ran down from it to an airfoil cum scythe. What?The rider or skiier or whatever you call him dropped into shallow water, grabbed the tow rope from a speedboat and rose up into the air, as below. The structure you see at the upper left, above, was clearly acting like an airplane wing but in the water, elevating the rider. How could it be stable? Then the rider sent it soaring and flipping, like an aerobatics plane.The gizmo is a Sky Ski. Being someone without a drop of athletic talent, I was dumbstruck (although my right index finger stayed loose). Anybody ever ridden one? If the rider sees this post, please send me an email. I'd like to give you credit.
AFTERNOON UPDATE: I was glad to receive an email from our aqua-aerobat here. Jim Woodson writes that he and his wife "ski on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers pretty much every weekend (unless we are out of town skiing). Once you learn how to ride one of these toys...e skis, wakeboards, kneeboards, etc. get pushed to the back of the garage never to be ridden again. It's a whole lot of fun and VERY addicting." He suggests that anyone in this part of the country interested in giving it a try contact these people. Jim is going to get in touch this summer and we'll do a Sky Ski shoot out on the river. Sounds like fun. 
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We interrupt our coverage of First Night in St. Louis for the following news bulletin:New Year's Day was cold but not bitterly so. Somebody told me the water temperature in the Mississippi was about 35 F. or 2 C. As they do on this day every year, a group of hardy or foolhardy water skiiers plunge into the icy river, all for the benefit of the Missouri Disabled Water Ski Association. It looked like it could cause heart arrest, or at least be very, very uncomfortable. Yet there were a lot of participants, some wearing top to toe wet suits and others with bare arms, legs and feet. The announcer asked if any of the spectators would like a lesson. Pas moi. If you're interested, there's a really good explanation of the purpose of the event here.
TOMORROW: a skier and ski - uh - device not to be believed.
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Like a number of other American cities, St. Louis has a First Night celebration, an all ages, alcohol-free New Year's Eve party with entertainment up and down the Grand Center arts and entertainment district. Mrs. C and I went early and caught some really good acts. Got some good shots, too, which should last me awhile. Except today is the annual New Year's Day water skiing in the Mississippi event, which is a photographer's don't miss. Anyway, this group of very young local acrobats who call themselves the St. Louis Arches played in the auditorium of the old grandiose Scottish Rite Masonic temple. Pretty cool all around.And Happy New Year to all from STL. 
I dunno, post-apocalyptic Arch, maybe. Obviously a Lensbaby image. It was shot from the railroad tracks in E. St. Louis, Illinois, across the Mississippi from the monument.
More of the delightful entertainment from First Night. The was a group of - what should we call them? - black light clowns, cowboys or jugglers. Yippie-ki-oh-i-aye! How would this pair of boots have gone down on the Chisholm Trail?
Within the last few weeks, one of our CDP colleagues had a post that asked the question: what is the thing in your life that you most regret? At first nothing came to mind. I'm not obsessed by guilt and second guessing. You know, like the Little Sparrow singing Non, je ne regrette rien. But then I remembered something. Late one evening after dinner in Madrid, my wife and I crossed the Plaza Mayor heading for the Metro. As we left by the north gate, we passed a bar or club with doors flung open and the most intense, passionate flamenco music pouring out. Should we go in, order a drink, watch the show, soak it up? Well...I don't know if they'd want us and it's all locals and it's crowded and it's getting late and for heaven's sake they all speak Spanish and... So we didn't go in. I regret that. The place was so obviously hot - and genuine. What an idjit. What an experience I missed.
We interrupt the last interruption of our First Night coverage because this is too good to pass up.
I've never seen anything like it in my life. While I was shooting the New Year's Day water skiing in the Mississippi, a man walked onto the little floating dock with what looked like a hovercraft weed whacker. It had a seat, a single ski and a shaft that ran down from it to an airfoil cum scythe. What?
We interrupt our coverage of First Night in St. Louis for the following news bulletin:
Like a number of other American cities, St. Louis has a First Night celebration, an all ages, alcohol-free New Year's Eve party with entertainment up and down the Grand Center arts and entertainment district. Mrs. C and I went early and caught some really good acts. Got some good shots, too, which should last me awhile. Except today is the annual New Year's Day water skiing in the Mississippi event, which is a photographer's don't miss. Anyway, this group of very young local acrobats who call themselves the St. Louis Arches played in the auditorium of the old grandiose Scottish Rite Masonic temple. Pretty cool all around.
