Yesterday, as the National Zoo came back to life, there were signs everywhere of workers — the “non-essential” kind who hadn’t been on skeleton duty, taking care of animals — scrambling to get ready for the zoo’s big Halloween activities.
There were men hanging dragons in trees.
Too bad it wasn’t the Tea Party Congresscreatures who’d kept them from work. And prevented little girls from visiting the zoo.
When those Tea Party morons closed the U.S. Government and nearly provoked a global economic calamity, they also shut down the National Zoo. Which meant the Panda Man couldn’t greet the visitors. He sure was happy to see us again, and the feeling definitely was mutual. Leica M, Noctilux, ND filter.
Speaking of Jimmy Page… Leica M, 28mm Summicron.
Great name for an Elephant 6 band. Leica M, 28mm Summicron Asph.
In the parking lot, small town, USA. Not what we expected. Leica M, 28mm Summicron (cropped.)
All photos Leica Monochrom.
If we had to choose a single favorite urban oasis in the world, we would take Washington’s Dumbarton Oaks. We have photographed it, and written about it, many times.
There is a magic to this estate at the top of Georgetown, especially on a hot day in a city that was built on a swamp.
A walk through its large interior is a wonderful place to collect one’s thoughts, to be away from the call of the bustling city.
It has certain magical features that one wouldn’t ordinarily expect to be able to visit in a public, urban garden.
We know there are great parks in Paris and London — in all cities, surely. But measure for measure, we’ll take Dumbarton Oaks.
Which is why it was such a delightful surprise yesterday to read in the New York Times Magazine that Bill Clinton has added an essay to City Parks: Public Places, Private Thoughts,
in which he offers his thoughts on a favorite park. Yes, Dumbarton Oaks. The book is out tomorrow.
These guys could be dangerous. If they could stop texting. Leica M, 50mm APO-Summicron-Asph.
It’s Saturday. The Tchaikovsky score is ready. Where are you? Leica M, 50mm Noctilux.
Faulkner’s Light In August is a great title, because it calls out the subtle change in color temperature suffusing the hot air of a dying summer. But we’ve always loved the title to John Gardner’s late phase novel, October Light. Is there anything more gorgeous than the yellow light of October? But October is not uniformly sunny. October rain is October light’s sullen, destructive companion. This is what October too often looks like here in the U.S. This is what it looks like today. Leica M9, Noctilux.
This morning, three new images of ours were exhibited at The Stephen Bartels Gallery in London. To check out the new work, and some amazing work by photographers whom we are honored to join, go here.
Tulip Frenzy 