gleaming vividly

- photo by Mitch Waxman

An unusually personal posting today-

A continuing fascination with the complexities of maritime photography has taken up quite a bit of my summer in 2011. Tugboats, in particular, demand attention whenever I’m on or near the water. It probably has to do with having recently sold a couple of tug shots to the NY Times, illustrating an article in the weekender section profiling the Working Harbor Committee.

When you get paid for something you enjoy doing, life attains symmetry and seems to have a purpose, especially when the people writing the check are “the paper of record”.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

As has been my habit since childhood, late summer is when I assess “how it’s going”, figure out what isn’t working in my life and try to formulate a plan to get “back on track”. It’s been a great few months: working with Forgotten-NY and Greater Astoria Historical Society on their ambitious “2nd Saturday” series of tours, assisting the Working Harbor Committee with their multitudinous tours and events, helping design and produce an event for the New York City Centennial Bridge Commission, and conducting my own boat tours of Newtown Creek for Working Harbor and Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance’s City of Water Day. I’ve also presented the Magic Lantern show three times this summer- at Greater Astoria Historical Society, City of Water Day, and at a DEP event.

Additionally, Newtown Creek Alliance’s various events, presentations and public meetings have kept me quite busy. However, in the midst of working with all these wonderful people, my own operation and schedule has been damaged by inattention.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

One thing which is foremost in my mind, and which will be rectified in the coming weeks and months as we slouch toward fall and winter, has been the irregular schedule of postings here. Apologies are offered, contradicting my normal credo of “never complain, never explain”, but this blog is essentially a one man operation (although special kudos go out to Our Lady of the Pentacle and Far Eastern Correspondent Armstrong for unbelievable effort and support). Massive effort is underway to resume a normal and regular schedule of postings.

There will be one more HUGE announcement coming about a Newtown Creek event I’ll be offering in October, but I’m contractually obligated to not be more specific about it than that.

In short… Back in session.