art photographs: from my hood

From My Hood: A Portfolio of Ballard Sights

Walking, a wonderful thing. Amazing how it brings us closer to the world right around us. The world we pay the least attention to as we drive on our way to a destination 'more important' – while we think about where, how and when we will get there and hopefully pay some attention to the road ahead.

Using our feet slows us down we see more of where we live. Smell the air, feel the weather and see the light. Our minds can meander. We use our imagination and develop stories in our heads. Perhaps a visual observation in nature or daily urban life sparks a thread, a story which sometimes inspires me. Something about light connects in me, like words connect during speech, motivating me to photograph.

Anyway, I make a lot of images locally. So local the story seems mundane to most who walk past and is overlooked entirely from behind the wheel. It is very fortunate too that the Ballard neighborhood is extra special. Even the light seems special here. Atmospherics caused by so much water around gives it special qualities, making light easier to see – sometimes making mundane into magic.

These images from my hood are a few of the closest ones which have grabbed me this past year. All locations are an easy walk. Most are from the Locks and the gardens there. Other locations include Shilshole and Ballard Avenue.