We are at the start of the sixth month of 2020 and it has been a doozy of a year. I cannot say that I am looking forward to the rest of it. I felt like we can use a little color and some love right now. These images were shot several weeks ago, but they were not fitting my current monochromatic aesthetic on my other platforms so I have just been sitting on them.

As a country we are currently fighting two diseases: COVID-19 and systemic racism coupled with police brutality. Protests around the country have started following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers. The protests have turned violent. I do not agree with rioting and looting, and there are plenty of bad actors to blame. They are making matters worse for peaceful protesters who are out trying to spread their messages of change and demands for justice.

I have been to a number of protests and rallies the last few years—anti-Trump ones, women’s marches, rallies for science, etc. Fortunately they were all non-violent. I thought about heading out Saturday morning to join in solidarity with African Americans. The photographer in me also wanted to document some of the proceedings. I did not go.

The ongoing pandemic is the reason I chose to stay home. I have been a proponent of social distancing, mask wearing in public, and staying home so I am not going to violate that. Taking care of my elderly mother I do not need to bring the virus home to her. I hope that these huge crowds of citizens and police officers alike do not contribute to a spike in cases of the virus. Protesting during a pandemic is a confluence of two terrible situations. I cannot help my mother if I get physically hurt, which is a distinct possibility given the volatile nature of why people are protesting.

At the very least please sign some petitions or donate to organizations fighting for justice if you can. As individuals we can work on our implicit biases. We must learn to love one another. And, most importantly, we should listen to the oppressed and not ignore societal problems any longer. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.

Click images to view on black.

There was a Chinese lantern festival in Chicago at the end of April-beginning of May. This was a festival based on the idea of Chinese lanterns. These exhibits were not made of paper and they were lit electrically. Different companies and organizations sponsored different lantern displays. At the time these images were taken I only had one lens for my Leica M9-P, the 35mm Summicron, so I did not shoot very many images with depth like the one above.

I timed my arrival in order to get images during blue hour, just to have a little bit of interest rather than just a black sky.

I took this shot in to the light to see the qualities of flare from the 35mm Summicron. The colors from the M9-P's CCD sensor are still blowing me away. See the little baby turtle following?

Click images to view on black.

Color and Love

Dragon Lights Festival