As I’ve mentioned a couple of times before, in articles buried in this site’s musty archives, I know virtually nothing about the technical aspects of photography nor about the cameras, lenses and associated equipment that make serious photographers drool. Nonetheless, I get a bang from taking photographs, because I like looking at things while walking around, and often feel compelled to document what I’m looking at. Most agreeably, the cameras I’ve used over the years in this pursuit have allowed me — a lazy f*cker who can’t be bothered with complicated stuff — to snap away with a minimum of effort.
First there was the Kodak Pocket Instamatic, which served me well during the pre-digital 1970s and 80s. I took a zillion pictures with it. The Pocket Instamatic was small and worked automatically, producing a nice image nearly every time. Aim and shoot was all you had to do, a pretty perfect set-up for yours truly.
A long dry spell set in for me after that era, my wife Sandy taking over the photographic duties. However, in late 2015 I obtained my first smart phone, an iPhone, and soon fell heavily for its camera. The camera was as easy as pie to use and, no need to mention, was digital. Thus, the small hassle of getting rolls of film developed (as was the case with the Instamatic) didn’t exist. Absolutely my kind of camera!
That iPhone was traded in some time ago for an updated model, which I’ve put to use a whole lot. This year alone I’ve pressed its button several hundred times. A fair number of the several hundred resultant images have appeared on this wobbly publication’s pages, but the vast majority haven’t.
And so, in honor of the fact that we currently are hauling our asses through month number six of the year, I am decorating this article with six previously unpublished pix, all from 2022, that pleased my eye recently when I scrolled through the photos residing within my phone. I’ll limit my commentary to three of them.
Isn’t the mural gorgeous? It was created under the auspices of Mural Arts Philadelphia, a quasi-governmental organization in Philadelphia that, since 1984, has orchestrated the painting of several thousand outdoor murals throughout that fair city. This one is in Philly’s Mt. Airy section. I took the picture in March as I was walking to a nearby tavern for a rendezvous with my great pals Jeff and Mike.
And you know what? I noticed while writing this article that the name of the mural, painted on the lower right corner, is Walking The Wissahickon. Well, as fate and/or coincidence would have it, my wife and I did exactly that — we walked The Wissahickon, aka Wissahickon Valley Park — about seven weeks after I took the mural’s portrait.
Man, the park, which extends for more than five miles through northwest Philadelphia, a swath that includes Mt. Airy, is damn well more gorgeous than the mural, as it should be. Sandy and I were there on a lovely spring day, admiring the greenery and the robust creek (Wissahickon Creek) that flows through the park, and adroitly sidestepping the occasional piles of horse shit that bless the main trail. Not having had a true Nature experience in months, we dug the heck out of the hour and a half that we spent in what I consider to be the crown jewel of Philadelphia’s parklands.
I’ll bring this opus to an end by talking ever so briefly about the photo of Sandy and me posing before a mirror in the Michener Art Museum, a superb institution in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. There we are, squashed within the mirror’s confines, our faces half-obscured. Yet, despite all of that, we look pretty damn good, no? Gorgeous even, no? I think so. And those of you who don’t agree should leave the room right now!
Thanks for reading, girls and boys. Till next time!
Yeah, Another Blogger 
You have a great eye. As they say … the best camera is the one you have with you. And I might add the one that works best for you. There are many serious fine art photographers who utilize iphoneography. Great post and photos!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Hi. You know, now that you mention it, I’ve seen one or two photography shows that were entirely comprised of iPhone photographs. They were very inventive images, with all kinds of manipulations having been done to create them.
LikeLike
I’ve learned to always enlarge photos, and yours certainly rewarded that slight effort. That mural is beautiful, and I laughed at the title of the mirror: “Sisters.” It’s beautiful as well, and your way of recording your pleasant day at the museum is perfect. I enjoyed the mention of the Instamatic, too — although I recently found a photo with my first camera hanging around my neck: a Brownie.
LikeLiked by 3 people
A Brownie! I had one too. I wish I had hung on to my Brownie and Instamatic. If I had, they’d be on display on a bookshelf now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Wissahickon”… not even gonna attempt the pronunciation. The Northeast sure has some elegant, old names for rivers and cities and such. Our rivers are “Platte” and “Colorado”, by example. The older part of Colorado Springs is just that: “Old Colorado City”. Boring labels by comparison!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Evening, Dave. Philadelphia is touched by two rivers. One is easy to pronounce: Delaware River. The other isn’t easy: Schuylkill River. See ya!
LikeLike
I love, LOVE the photo of those two gorgeous photographers!
Also, I adore the mural in Mt. Airy, and the connection to your walk at Wissahickon Creek. It looks like a beautiful walk, and if I’m ever in the area, I’ll insist you and Sandy act as my tour guides.
LikeLiked by 2 people
If you ever visit Philadelphia, it will be our pleasure to show you the sights.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your photos always tell a wonderful story to accompany your words. The mural and the actual path it represents are beautiful. One should never go barefoot when there are horses around. Although my MIL always said that going barefooted as a young child in the barn area with cow pies made her feet the most gorgeous feet ever. I think the photo with you and your wife is gorgeous and playful! PS – what model iPhone do you have? I have to upgrade soon and don’t know what to get.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hi, Shelley. I have an iPhone 8. But I dropped it a month or two ago and it hasn’t worked properly since then. A guy at my local Apple store said the new SE model would be good for me. I’ll probably get the SE. I’m not knowledgeable about the different models, to tell you the truth, though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw, bummer on dropping your iPhone. I have an iPhone SE (the original)…I’ve been considering going with the new SE too. Its rapidly diminishing battery life will determine the day in which the replacement arrives in my life 🤣🤣🤣
LikeLiked by 2 people
Something I learned is that Apple stores will replace a battery for $49. Not sure if that price is for any iPhone model. Replacing your battery is an option, though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmm…I’ve watched YouTube videos on it and it looks complicated, but $50 is cheaper than $600 for a new phone…….. Thanks for the suggestion!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Definitely a gorgeous pair! I, like you, had a resurgence of sorts when I got my first iphone. I no longer had to say, gee, I wish I had my camera with me. I’ve got over 12,000 photos on my phone and climbing, Neil! And to think I used to waste hours in the dark room printing photos and now I do it with a tap!
LikeLiked by 2 people
12,000 photos? You’re an addict!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha – we’ll, it spans years, Neil, but perhaps you agree right. 😘
LikeLiked by 2 people
You and Sandy do look great! Also, I love that pic of the mural. The colours are subdued but in combination, they really pop. I’ve had my share of cameras too. Still have my Minolta film camera. It’s hard to think of the pre-digital age and remember we used to develop rolls of film! Seems so long ago and yet … not!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Technology moves quickly, that’s for sure. and maybe more quickly, these days, than ever before.
LikeLiked by 2 people
A lovely collection, and more so because each photo has a special meaning for you. The mural is stunning – if driving by, I would have pulled over to find a place to photograph it. How fun that you walked that destination. I also love the tree shadow, with the photographer, intended or not!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hi, Ruth. Philadelphia is loaded with murals, many of them beautiful. It wouldn’t surprise me if some tourists visit the city because of its murals.
LikeLiked by 2 people
You are a pro. Your camera photos look superb. Technology has wins. As for the AOC tops, we still maintain our Pentax, Hasselblad, and Canon.
LikeLiked by 3 people
You are a camera buff!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I second your opinion of the gorgeous mural. How fun you were able to walk the trail depicted on it. Maybe you will find more murals depicting trails you can first photograph, and then explore on foot.
LikeLiked by 2 people
You know, there probably are other murals of Philly trails and parklands. I’d be surprised if there aren’t. I’ll look into that!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I look forward to learning what you find out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the pictures of the mural but even more the one you have with your wife! I am in no way a photographer but I also love to document every thing that I see and like. My only issue is that I sometimes want to document too much (for instance when I’m traveling) and I end up with thousands of pictures that I then have to sort out (which I hate)…!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi. I know what you mean. My wife and I, for instance, go to Cape Cod most years. I have LOADS of pictures from there, many of them beach scenes — and most of those beach scenes look pretty much the same!
LikeLike
Hey Neil, you and Sandy look downright awe-inspiring. Do I get to stay? Despite that magnificent self-portrait, or should I say “selves-portrait” (?), my favorite pic is the Willow Grove one with you doing the very artsy shadow thing with the tree. Now that, my friend, could get you a prize in some photo competition.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You can stay!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful pictures.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks a lot.
LikeLike