Not another rambleing post, well , yes it is

Legend has it that when I started to collect around 1990 I never spent more than a couple hundred dollars at most.In fact the first photograph I purchased was a Christmas present for myself it was by a guy name Mario Z. I had seen it on the cover of a local newspaper the spring before,The paper called the New York Native, now long defunct , helped me find the artist I went to meet him on a gray evening .He was moving into a new apartment .We had a long visit I told him why I liked his work and why he not Mapplethorpe was going to be my very first purchased,I really did stopped in my tracks when I saw his image on the newsstand.It was simple and direct.I could live within the moment he was showing me.There was mystery and there was memory.Mario Z sold me his photograph for 80. dollars I still have it , of course the Mapplethorpe came later but I will never forget the first time let us hope that evening that closeness in discussing a piece of art becoming a part of a conversation some one else had started ,A few month later I heard that Mario had died it was the best of times it was the worst of times.I am stopping for the moment to Goggle and to get myself together

This was going to be a happy up beat Christmas post , It still will be .I am asked a lot lately what am I buying and the answers is usually well made books.I love falling in love with a single image but in my mind and heart I know and feel that most artists make many images that reveal their point of view more precisely in a photo essay or a series

Where have the good photographs under a thousand dollars gone They are still here but more than likely not in a New York Gallery.I have started to purchase a new type of photograph usually 8x10,usually a small run of fifty created by a new generation of artists ,who use their skills /gift to help raise money for causes they believe in . Photographers have over the years directly supported many causes,But I began to notice this newer trend with New Orleans and Katrina and it was used by artists during the last election. I just purchased two images for Haitian relief created by the artist Wyatt Gallery .

A question is need here, Why do we make photographs ,why do we buy photographs ? Just a question

Getting to Donna Rosser whose image is featured in this post who supports not only SlowExposures but among many other causes THe Southern Conservation Trust.I am stopping at this point to let Donna speak for herself.

" These are the photos taken at Line Creek in Peachtree City Georgia. Line Creek is one of the properties managed by Southern Conservation Trust. The Trust is one of the beneficiaries of the photo show I direct -- Nature Undisturbed Everything about this show is on our website" -- www.natureundisturbed.com

Donna has been photographing Line Creek for years -- the first blog she ever wrote was about photographing at the creek. Donna has created a small limited edition portfolio which is limited to 15. The cost is $400 for the set of 6 photos Image size is 12x8 printed on 14x11 sheets of Kodak Endura paper. These sets are available at Dogwood Gallery & Framer in Tyrone, GA -- www.dogwoodgallery.net -- 770-774-3524. The gallery owner is Greg Blair.

I am thinking about getting a set and splitting it up to share with my friends that love nature photographs too.