July 30, 2010
Blur I
By Jim Sizemore
The “Hip Shots” series of Doodlemeister.com photographs will feature images that were grabbed “on the fly” with little or no regard for framing and focus. The object of the exercise being to create dynamic pictures, not perfect ones. With this shoot-from-the-hip method, the more frames exposed, the better the chances are that you’ll come up with something interesting—a related series which can be arranged as a three-image post. If you’d like additional tips for using the technique, or to submit your own pictures, leave a question or note in the “Leave a Comment” section, below. Meanwhile, click on these images for a larger view. And tune in next Friday for another “Hip Shots” post.
Copyright © 2010 Jim Sizemore.
Leave a Comment » | 
food, photography | Tagged: photography, Baltimore, technique, Maryland, focus, images, pictures, Cross Street Market, photographs, framing, DoodleMeister.com, hip shots, shoot-from-the-hip | 
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Posted by Jim
June 16, 2010
Where Every Day Is Flag Day
Copyright © 2010 Jim Sizemore
Leave a Comment » | holidays, photography, travel, vacation | Tagged: Baltimore, clouds, Flag Day, Fort McHenry, historic site, history, kids, Maryland, national monument, National Park Service, photography, summer, tourists, travel, U. S. Department of the Interior, vacation, visitors, War of 1812 | Permalink
Posted by Jim
June 9, 2010
Trees IV
Copyright © 2010 Jim Sizemore.
Leave a Comment » | love, photography, relationships, travel, vacation | Tagged: Baltimore, Fort McHenry, graffitti, hearts, historic site, history, love, Maryland, national monument, National Park Service, photography, relationships, summer, sycamores, travel, trees, U. S. Department of the Interior, valentine, War of 1812 | Permalink
Posted by Jim
June 2, 2010
Yesterday, I had another interesting encounter during my morning walk at Fort McHenry. It occurred on my second lap around the seawall trail, when I spotted an older guy I’ll call “Willie” up ahead. He is strolling with a young man whom I also recognize. As I pass them this brief exchange—reported more or less verbatim—takes place.
Willie: Good morning, Jim.
Me (Turning, walking backwards as I reply): Good morning, Willie.
Willie: Jim, this is my friend, Hud (Name changed).
Me (Still walking backwards.): Yeah, I’ve met Hud. (To Hud.) Mr. Hud KENT, right?
Hud: You can call me Mr. Superman. (We all laugh.)
Willie: They used to call me Superman, too, until I lost my power.
Me: And what might that have been?
Willie: The power to get an erection. (Laughs all around.)
Me: I don’t believe that for a second.
At this point, Willie turns off the trail and heads for the visitor’s center. I turn around and walk on ahead, several yards in front of Hud. When I reach the end of the seawall trail I reverse direction as I’m watching two swallows “courting” on the wing. They dart to and fro together, fast and low, skimming the grass.
Me (To Hud as we pass face-to-face.): Swallows are flat out CRAZY—they mate in midair!
Hud (Surprised.): They DO?!
Me (Laughing.): As far as I can tell.
Copyright © 2010 Jim Sizemore.
Leave a Comment » | doodles, humor, non-fiction, relationships, writing | Tagged: animals, Baltimore, birds, Clark Kent, couples, courting, Dialogue Doodle, erection, family, flying, Fort McHenry, historic site, history, Hud, humor, humorous dialoge, love, marriage, mating, morining walk, national monument, National Park Service, power, seawall trail, summer, Superman, swallows, travel, U. S. Department of the Interior, War of 1812, writing | Permalink
Posted by Jim
May 26, 2010
One recent morning during my walk around the seawall trail at Fort McHenry, I noticed a young woman up ahead having a cellphone conversation. I never saw her face, but from the rear she appeared toned and trim, a pigtail of healthy brown hair falling to mid-back. She was wearing a stylish sleeveless white top, black spandex pants, and expensive cross-training shoes. I overheard this bit of her phone dialogue as I passed by.
“Since he left, I’ve been trying to build my identity back up all over again. I haven’t had any self-esteem for over a year.”
Copyright © 2010 Jim Sizemore.
Leave a Comment » | love, marriage, relationships | Tagged: Baltimore, couples, dating, dialogue, domestic conflict, exercise, Fort McHenry, historic site, history, identity, love, marriage, national monument, National Park Service, relationships, self-esteem, summer, travel, U. S. Department of the Interior, vacation, walk | Permalink
Posted by Jim
May 5, 2010
Trees III
Copyright © 2010 Jim Sizemore.
2 Comments | art, photography, travel, vacation | Tagged: photography, vacation, Baltimore, travel, Fort McHenry, art, history, Maryland, spring, National Park Service, U. S. Department of the Interior, national monument, historic site, statue, War of 1812, Orpheus, trees | Permalink
Posted by Jim
April 28, 2010
Wall Street Marches On
Recently, I was in downtown Baltimore at lunch hour and overheard the following exchange between two young business men, one carrying an attaché case and the other smoking a cigar.
Attaché Guy: You were at the annual meeting, you saw the problem. Absolute transparency is the only ethical solution to that pervasive lack of shareholder trust.
Cigar Guy: Well, give it a try, but don’t tell Corporate what you’re up to. You know it’s easier to be forgiven than it is to ask those guys for permission to do the right thing.
Copyright © 2010 Jim Sizemore.
Leave a Comment » | business, doodles, non-fiction | Tagged: annual meeting, Baltimore, business, business as usual, business ethics, business men, conflict, corporate, corporate culture, dialogue, doodle, downtown, employment, ethical, ethical solution, ethics, greed, money, shareholder, shareholder trust, Wall Street | Permalink
Posted by Jim
April 22, 2010
Earth Day 40th Anniversary
Copyright © 2010 Jim Sizemore.
Leave a Comment » | photography, travel, vacation | Tagged: 1970, April 22, Baltimore, Earth Day, environmentalist movement, Fort McHenry, garbage, harbor, historic site, history, Maryland, national monument, National Park Service, relationships, seawall, trash, U. S. Department of the Interior, vacation, War of 1812, waste | Permalink
Posted by Jim
April 7, 2010
February 2010
Copyright © 2010 Jim Sizemore.
Leave a Comment » | photography | Tagged: Baltimore, blizzard, business, business as usual, Maryland, neon, night, photography, snowplow, Southside Saloon, VFW post | Permalink
Posted by Jim
