Fireworks over the Arch, St. Louis, Missouri

Hats and high society, Forest Park, St. Louis.

Channeling Martin Parr at the recent 21st Annual Hiram W. Leffingwell Awards Hat Luncheon in Forest Park. Editors felt this would be the perfect assignment given my addiction to hats. However, the Canons attracted too much attention and people mistook me for the hired event photographer, grabbing me by the arm for group portraits. About half way in I ditched the DSLRs and opted for the Canon G12 point and shoot. Off-kilt expressions and a dash of tension were the hopes given the inspiration of Parr’s excellent and recent St. Moritz work.

Daughters of the American Revolution, Alton Memorial Day Parade & DQ, Alton, Illinois

Reflections in pen and ink, African Arts festival, St. Louis, Missouri

Illustrated menu, Rib America festival, downtown St. Louis

Tornado aftermath, Maryland Heights, Missouri.  Leica M6, Fuji Provia 100, 1/30 @ 2.8

A frame of slide film, held up to the light, has an effect like none other. In your hand you hold a tangible piece of reproduced reality. Like little worlds I sleeve them and store them, stash them and bind them into a catalog. When examined or scanned into the cloud of bits — now intangible like the majority of my digital photographs — a memory sprouts, seeded in the imperfect latticework grains of silver, and I vividly remember the pain a person experienced as she walked among the damaged remains of her home.  I remember the painting on the wall. It fell into a bed of insulation, one of a handful of possessions that survived the storm.

Concentric Crema Circles, Northwest Coffee, St. louis, Missouri

The annual paper toss following the closing gavel, end of legislation at the Missouri House, Jefferson City, Missouri

Steve Neukomm’s own Spirits of St. Louis Whiskey at Square One Brewery (top) and Manhattan (below). Photographs by Erik M. Lunsford

seeking solace, Kirkwood, Missouri.

I’m always on the lookout for images that take me away, at least for a minute, to another place. I see a thicket of birds amongst the prairie. It gives me comfort, peace, solace.  Think Sam Abell’s Seeing Gardens.