a few of the Black Portraits (1976 - 1978)

A series of studio portraits shot against a black paper background.


Rust Hills (fiction editor, Esquire Magazine)

Keelie (my niece)

Spencer (my father holding his glasses)

Sherrill Mills (friend)

Jim Rooney & Eric von Schmidt (writers, muscians)

Matthew (my new son on Halloween night)

Theresa & Josephine (half-sisters)

Taro Yamamoto (artist, painter, print-maker)

Eric & Lynka Kroll (Eric Kroll, photographer)

Molinari's (Lucho, Ana, Fabiola)

Mills' family (four generations of Mills' women, Williams & Francis)

making room in the darkroom

sometimes dirty

visit to the Audiologist

For several years now, my Sandy has had trouble hearing a normal pitch & clarity across her overall hearing range.  My wife has been to specialists, hearing clinics etc., and all have given a wide range of diagnoses. So today she chose another route - a visit to an Audiologist - to do specific testing, for that possible benefit in the use of corrective hearing aids.

First appointment - The office and patient reception were as if we had stepped back 50 years, back to those early doctor visits from adolescence ......


the waiting room

the single wall chart

Finally, finishing-up with the hearing examiner's completed results - and best explained to the both of us, by the use of a scribbled, personally created graph.  And of course, all test results pointing to a mutual benefit for Sandy and the Audiologist, whose recommendation for a very pricey set of the "latest tech" hearing apparatuses, left us both feeling unsure - and Sandra undecided.

trying something different

Today at our local "Skeet" range with a couple of age old friends - shootin' alongside some good ole boys who really could shoot.

Awhile back, my old buddy Mr. Pete, sold me his older, double trigger - side-by-side - 20 gauge.
Something different, something classic.

The skeet shooting range at Sarasota's Trap, Skeet & Sporting Clays.  Broken "clays" and spent shells piled off to the side.  Today, the "sport of clays" appearing more popular than ever.

current mentor

Today at 95, and next month turning 96, "Gerry" Smith, has been my inspiration, my personal instructor and trusty "bowls" coach for the past three years - and always happy, happy with that big smile.

Just last month, Gerry was awarded a long-time-coming, national Life Time Acheivement Award for her exceptional contribution to the sport of U.S. Lawn Bowling. And today at our Club, she proudly showed me her newly issued driver's license (an exam she easily passed the day before) and good for an additional 6 more years - until the age of 102.

Gerry's always smiling, joking, but when it comes to pictures, "No smiles - I just don't like to show off my teeth."  But from inside out, what a sweetheart gal .... and a very proud, very accomplished young woman.