"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." - George Burns
Fun in the water
There is something about water that kids of all ages love. This picture is another example of that love for water by children.
The Bar Scene
"I write to discover what I think. After all, the bars aren't open that early." - Daniel J. Boorstin
Just playing
A family is pictured running across a wooden bridge together, having fun, laughing and racing.
SK8
This was shot in East TN. I took this behind an abandoned building with graffiti all over it. These skaters (including the one pictured), were great.
I liked the simplicity of this picture. I took this with my simple, yet great, Fuji X-Pro1. When I shot this, I used a 35mm lens.
Don't take my picture... Ok, now you can.
This kind gentleman said to me, "Please don't take my picture." We then got to talking and he got to laughing and he said, "Okay, now you can take my picture." I think he just wanted some simple human interaction.
Night fishermen on the pier
There is so much action on a pier late at night. Have you ever walked a pier after 9PM? Fishermen and even women are at every corner.
I slowed the action down in the Gulf of Mexico by leaving the shutter open for 30-seconds in this picture. I was with my wife and I jokingly told her, "I'm going to ask the fishermen to stand extremely still while I take this photo." She looked at me and said, "You can only ask me to stand extremely still, that would be weird to ask them." So I took the picture as is.
Just $2.00
As this man approached me he showed me a hot dog and stated, "I could really use some chips with this, could I have just $2?" I said, "Friend, I am from here - I don't have even $1.00... ask a tourist." We both laughed and he said, "That's a good idea, I didn't know you were from here. Then, can I have your camera?" I said, "Of course, take it." He responded with a smile, "No, I'd get jumped if I had that camera." I then snapped a few pictures of him before he walked away.
Alcohol
As I approached this unknown man, I could smell alcohol from about 10-feet away. I said a small prayer for him as I noticed how incredibly skinny he was. My friend and I briefly checked to make sure he was properly breathing after watching him fall over from a seated position. Alcohol can be scary, regardless of what some believe.
“Alcohol ruined me financially and morally, broke my heart and the hearts of too many others. Even though it did this to me and it almost killed me and I haven't touched a drop of it in seventeen years, sometimes I wonder if I could get away with drinking some now. I totally subscribe to the notion that alcoholism is a mental illness because thinking like that is clearly insane.” ― Craig Ferguson, American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot
Take a break
When I walks the streets of a big or small city, I am always amazed at the number of smokers. I must admit though, smokers look cooler in pictures. Kids, don't repeat that.
Flowers?
Every woman that walked by was offered these flowers by this man. However, he never spoke to anyone, he simply held the flowers up as a gesture... do you want these?
I'm Moving to California
He said, "I don't have any family in Nashville, but I live here." I asked, "So, what are you going to do?" He then perked up and said, "I'm moving to California, that's where my daughter and grand-kids are."
My drum set..
This local musician placed an entire drum set on the sidewalks of downtown Nashville. As I have said before, that is the cool thing about Nashville... the music.
Where were you again?
In a big city you see everything... or sometimes very little.
Asleep in the park
It was a beautiful day. People were walking all over the park, throwing Frisbee, football and baseball. This man was fast asleep under a large Maple Tree.
It's Called Freedom of Speech
Woman: "You can't take his picture, it's called freedom of speech!"
Man getting arrested: "Don't take my picture, dude, don't take my picture!"
Police officer making the arrest: "Man, come on, would you want your picture taken if you were getting arrested out in the street?"
Me: "I take street photography and I document life and what takes place in America."
Woman: "You can't take his damn picture, it's called freedom of speech!"
Me: "Freedom of speech?"
I whisper: "It won't mean a thing in 100-years."
Walking Proud
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
Random visits to motel rooms?
How many times have you driven past a motel and asked the question, “I wonder what goes on in there day to day?” “Why are there always cars parked in front of that place all day long?”
We have heard about stories of prostitution in some motels, we have seen police reports from others in Rutherford County outlining drug arrests, rapes and robberies. One thing we haven’t done is to simply walk up to some of these motels and knock on the doors to find out what really goes on behind the dirty windows and dusty curtains. So we did just that to share with you some of the stories that we heard from behind the doors (hear and read the story here).
This story is featured with interviews on WGNSradio.com.
See our past random knocks on doors HERE.
United States Air Force
The face of a U.S. Air Force Veteran who served our country proudly.
Asleep
Birds chirping, cars passing and a temperature of 80. This woman was sitting outside under a tree wearing a wool coat, sound asleep with her head on her Bible.