Tennis, Laura Mvula, And The Need To Go Outside

It seems the month of June has been consumed with Tennis. First came the French Open (Roland Garros for French readers) which seemed to slide right into Wimbledon. As a result, tennis, the heat, and a film competition I entered, have left little time for photography adventures.

But I am here to testify that spending time inside watching a little ball fly back and forth does have a payoff, despite the fact my heart was broken when Nadal was eliminated in the first round of the English drama. ESPN had this catchy little tune that periodically plays after commercials or before play, and after hearing it a number of times as I entered or left the room it finally got my attention.

The catchy little tune was sung by the lovely Laura Mvula, who has this  haunting voice which channels Nina Simone and made me want to know more about her music. The catchy tune I was drawn to is her single "Green Garden" and it truly highlights her musical depth.

She is a breath of fresh air in an era of manufactured singing stars who depend more on controversy or wardrobe choices to promote what should be their vocal gifts. I have been blown away by the complicated simplicity of the sound she is able to produce.

And so, as I sit here held hostage by the little ball; I thought I would give you a chance to go outside to a green garden to experience the real deal: a voice that cannot be ignored!

Mad Men And Their Cars

I recently watched seasons I, II, and III of the series Mad Men, broken down by all the buzz to finally see what friends have at times gone into great detail to describe. Watching a few episodes I instantly understood the attraction, despite the cringe factor regarding the treatment of women, a sense of a time of innocence where we didn't know everything about everything; and a feeling of boundless optimism of bigger and better days ahead. Couple that with the inner turmoil of the lead character, Don Draper, and it is compelling TV.

 

Last weekend I attended a car show with my photography group and all that I described was apparent when you looked at the cars of that era. Below are a few that illustrate that sense of "the sky is the limit" optimism. As usual, click each photo for a better view.

The Chevrolet Bel-Air was the forerunner of the era in that it was a "full size" car, chrome was everywhere, and it boasted the luxury of an automatic transmission and the option of power steering. Just riding in it gave the feel of  having arrived because there was now less work involved in driving.

We jump a few years to the Cadillac Coupe de Ville which truly embodies the Man Men mindset. It is huge and could almost be considered a land yacht. The long sharp tail fins with dual bullet tail lights telegraphed a shark like "top of the food chain" image. I could see Don Draper wanting one as part of his list of things he thought he needed to live the life he thought he wanted. He was not alone in that feeling because it represented 37% of all  Cadillacs sold in it's first series year.

And, what the Coupe de Ville said on its own the convertible seemed to scream. It was the height of excess piled upon excess to let those around you know that the "big dog" had arrived ready to play, either himself or his wife as proxy. 

Not to be outdone, Ford decided to enter the arena with their luxury model Thunderbird. While not a land yacht, it provided the luxury image only with a sleek and nimble feel. The Coupe de Ville might telegraph money, but the Thunderbird said: "Money that was cool!"

Didn't want the moneyed Thunderbird image? Along came muscle cars like the Mustang that spoke power for the common man. They were sleek with big  engines that roared when you stepped on the gas. Driving was not only for the moneyed class but also hinted at a different kind of power, the power of the streets! If you have ever watched Steve McQueen in the classic "Bullitt" car chase sequence, you  realize the person driving one of these muscle cars had no desire to sit behind a desk. The Mad Men world was gradually changing as the country finally drifted into the 70's.  

And, with the 70's came the realization that things were not limitless. The Mad men would go on, only now in a different form. Gas shortages reinforced the concept that there were excesses and order had to be restored. In restoring that order, the new car of the era was the Volkswagen. It was not flashy, but rather small and simple. Gone were the long fins and miles of chrome. The people's car of Germany was now one of the most popular in America, based on its humble simplicity and ease of operation.

The Good in Man

Russians have mastered the immediate sense of the dash cam for obvious reasons: when there is a dispute regarding who did what in traffic. A lot of time and effort goes into outwitting the "evil doers", but the following video illustrates that the dashcam can also be used to view the good in man. Thought I would share it with you.

Flowers In An Exhibition

I always love this time of year because so many of the things I like about the area occur in the Spring. One of my favorites is the St. Augustine Garden Show. This year they had several themes that seemed to really  inspire exhibitors and as a result had some breathtaking displays.

I took loads of  pictures and could not bring myself to exclude anything. And so, I did the next best thing, which was a video where I could include a sizable number of the displays and plants!

I think after viewing the video, you too will realize why I love this time of year. Prepare to be amazed...

Stumbled Upon Surprises

I'm always pleasantly surprised when I go out to take photos and discover something that really peaks my interest and turns out to be even better than the normal street scene! Jacksonville was hosting it's first ever "One Spark" inventor and creator festival. I carried my smaller camera expecting to take photos but once on site discovered there was such vibrant activity that video was a better way to capture it, and I did not have my HD camera. But, no matter, I was still able to capture the fun atmosphere of the event.

The rules of the competition were that each presenter had a number and if you liked their project then you could vote for them to win the competition in various categories. That said, I decide to let you see who I voted for and also provide a chance to relive the event through each video. As usual, click each photo or video for a better view. 

I first encountered the group Elestical Sound and thought they were great. They played everything from New Age type to music you would expect to hear on Smooth Jazz radio, all under this wonderfully funky canopy. My video of them was not that great so I decided to include a photo of them in a video along with various sights of the festival and use their music as background.

Next came the Cel Project, an environmental group that uses containers to build schools, nurseries, and housing in under developed countries. The presenter was very personable and loaded with information. Each time I watch her on the video I have to smile because she is so passionate and bubbly!

I could not resist this guy because he had the novel idea of renting and providing bike valet service.He was into the fun of the event and had all kind of bikes for anyone tired of trying to walk the different venues.

The Jacksonville Zoo was also a competitor and was seeking votes for its new Tiger Trails, which would provide ranging room for a new tiger habitat. They wanted votes and were nicely hunting down people to get them.

Another competitor I fell in love with was the very inventive number 767.  they was seeking funds to place murals around the city. I thought their bill board high above the festival was a great marketing idea. And, I have to give them props for having the chops to back up their very high profile.

Their mural speaks for itself! I love the way the frog is holding a fisherman in his hands after swallowing his line!

But the absolute hit of the festival was the group Fathom Sphere and one of it's performers AJ! This group was amazing in putting together their own promo videos and then presenting one of the most engaging performances of the festival. I watched their performance and could not resist thinking that I had had the pleasure of viewing an up and coming buzz band. Others seem to have thought the same because Fathom Sphere won first prize in the music category. Just a hint of things to come for this group! Take a listen and you will understand why...