With this last day of the year I have spent some time reflecting on what the past 365 days brought me and trying to think of my favorite photos of the year. The photos I make are generally my associations for the memories of the experiences I had, so meditating on my favorite photo is akin to dwelling on what my favorite memories or experiences of the year were. As we know too well from experience, time is very linear for us and it just keeps on flowing. Before we know it the memories of the past year will be the memories of five years ago... and then 20. And a part of us often rues that - is loathe to relinquish those lived moments to the unbreachable vault of the past. But that doesn't mean you should blithely let them go either. I find it valuable, and worthwhile, to reflect on those moments and cherish them. There is such a wealth of them. At first I thought the title of this photo would just be a clever play on words, but then I did the math: 2024 divided by 365 is a mere 5.5 memories per day. I made so many more than that. I have tens of thousands of memories from this past year, if I choose to enjoy that fortune... which today I am doing.
This image is from a trip out to the Palouse I took in the spring. We stayed at a very cute and rustic farmhouse that we found on AirBNB. It was a bit more expensive but I let myself get talked into it and I am glad I did. It was a really quaint place to stay and the quiet moments we spent there even just eating, reading or resting are now among that plethora of recollections I have stored in my brain. The weather we had was quite tempestuous. We had sun then storms then sun again. I took a number of cameras, loaded with a number of films. This particular image was my Hasselblad with Rollei Infrared. We also explored some new territory. We only made one trip up to the top of Steptoe Butte, for example. Instead we drove circuits around the butte, exploring it from afar... and from below. We also made a trip out to Kamiak Butte, where I think this image was made (but don't quote me on that).
There is so much more I could share... so many more memories gleaned on this short road trip. So many more treasured moments and wonderful vignettes. But those are mine to enjoy. I just wanted to share of few of those other thoughts here as we say goodbye to 2024 and hello to 2025.
Happy New Year everyone!
Hasselblad 500C/M
Rollei Infrared
Tags: Hasselblad 500C/M Rollei Infrared Palouse Washington Pacific Northwest Infrared film B&W black & white
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Customers line up for opening time at Churreria La Fama in Zaragoza, Spain.
Any American who has visited Spain knows that the Spanish meal schedule is very different from the schedule back home. The most striking difference, of course, is that dinner is likely to be quite late — 9:00PM is not uncommon. Other timings are different, too — lunch can be late, but don’t wait until 2:00 or you may fine your favorite place is closed for a couple of hours. In this photograph many locals are lining up at 4:00 PM outside and inside this churreria and chocolateria.
For us, that gap between lunch and dinner was a challenge. But it was clear that there were ways to fill the gap (and the stomach) during those hours. Everywhere we went we saw people sitting down for some kind of late afternoon snack. Asking around, we heard that La Fama was a nearby “locals” place, and that sure seemed to be the case when we showed up at their opening hour of 4:00PM. People were lined up at the outside window and inside the place was completely packed. Speaking virtually no Spanish beyond a few key words and phrases, we stopped and observed what was going on before finding our way to the counter to order… with a bit of help from a friendly fellow-customer who had a few words of English.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.
Tags: churreria chocolateria la fama business opening hour customers line up sit table stand window shop popular zaragoza spain europe travel
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Dusk view of the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar and the Ebro River, Zaragoza, Spain.
As the new year begins we are still thinking about our travels at the end of the old year. In late 2024 we spent six weeks visiting in Germany, France, Spain, and New York City — and we’ve only been back a few days. This photograph comes from Zaragoza, Spain, one of the pleasant surprises of this trip. We spent several days there and we loved the place. Seen here is the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, a remarkable cathedral set on the banks of the Ebro River.
Something about this church feels different from many other European cathedrals. Perhaps it is the numerous domes and tall, thin spires. From some angles these structures almost remind me of mosques. The setting alongside the river is beautiful, and especially so in the evening when the place is lit up.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.
Tags: basilica our lady of the pillar nuesta senora del pilar cathedral church towers spires ebro river evening dusk reflections travel europe zaragoza spain architecture
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The peaceful crowd of Shinjuku at night, surrounded by the neon lights.
Tpkyo, Japan. Oct. 2024
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You spend a little time with someone and it’s not like you “know” them, but maybe you do get a “hit”. The feeling I got about him was that he was unusually “genuine / authentic / real” . . . . I don’t have settled beliefs about what happens after we die but I know he was a man “of faith” and if any sort of “something” like “awareness" remains once we’re “out of here” I’d like to think “he” finds himself truly, deeply at peace . . . .
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