Analog and Moms

Ripen Fast

The black and white image above was taken with the first Polaroid camera I ever owned, a classic folding leather covered SX-70 Sonar. I found the camera last summer at a rural roadside yard sale while on my way to visit Mom for her birthday. Our celebration for Mom's big day included homemade ice cream and live music at a small hometown waterside street festival. It was a fantastic way to celebrate her day.

Ripen Fast

The color image was taken on the same day as the SX-70 photo. It was taken using my 1963 100 series Polaroid Land Camera soon after I finished repairing the shutter release mechanism. Bringing this camera back to life was thrilling.

Analog, Moms, and homemade ice cream are just beyond fab.

The Numbing

The event photographer

I rarely find myself in front of the camera. My place is to always stand behind it.

For this photograph, I maintained my normal position while waiting for guests to arrive to the holiday party I was assigned to document. Seeing this particular setting provided a welcoming invitation with its placement, framing, and available light. It was far too perfect not to use.

Despite the joys of the holiday season, a brightly decorated Christmas tree, a punch bowl of warm apple cider, brightly colored sugar cookies in the shapes of trees and candy canes, and all of the usual party festivities, my mood at the moment when I tripped the shutter for this image was hauntingly numb.

This reflective self-portrait was captured just minutes after hearing the tragic news of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. I was heartbroken. I still am.

Seeing is Believing

Coburn and Coffee ©2013 Gary Garbett

From the time I was a little boy, album cover art has inspired me. There is something about the size, the packaging, and the square format that has always intrigued me. It still does.

Yard Sale Groovy ©2013 Gary Garbett

Santa brought me my first record player when I was 3 years old. It was a Beany + Cecil box style record player by Vanity Fair. As my adult years passed and my music collection grew, I promised myself that someday I'd have another Beany + Cecil record player.

Fifty Christmases after Santa first delivered my original player, my wish came true. Ironically, it too is a fab package in a square format and chock filled with great design.

Beany + Cecil

My Morning Stare

Coffee Date 2013 Gary Garbett

I spent the morning reading email and sipping coffee. Annie just kept staring. I deleted each of my read messages, filled my coffee cup again, and never once did she ever stop staring.

Those First Days Are the Longest

Draw the Line

As I prepare to dive deep into my second thesis in three years, I find that time is even more valuable than it ever has been. I suppose there's a possibility that all of this time stuff is nothing more than middle-aged fodder. Regardless, it still grabs my attention... especially when I glance at my watch.

Tick tock.

Signs

My morning hours were decorated with signs of all kinds.

From breakfast sandwich special offers, to signs of direction, faith, sales, political banter, and even a bumper sticker on the car in front of me announcing, “I pooped today.” America loves signs. With all of the continual flow of economic and safety headlines, the signs from the moment I captured this image were telling: Gun Show, Firewood For Sale, and Nascar.

The only sign that appeared to be missing was a welcome mat.

Redheads

Redhead ©2013 Gary Garbett

The girls kept an eye on me while I kept an eye on them.

A Father's Reflection

While testing my new old school Gossen Luna Pro light meter for the first time yesterday, I was greeted by two highlights.

First were the rich and deliciously true light readings for my camera's exposure settings. The second came with one of the test shots, unveiling a haunting resemblance of my father through my reflection.