StephCarson » …my life as a photographer…

Ten years ago today started out like any other.  I was eating my little breakfast in my awesome apartment in downtown Cincinnati when I received a phone call that unsettled me.  I dressed and found my car and left for the country.  In the country was where I found a creature that would change the course of my life.  A dog who would teach me so much about living life and commitment and what it really means to keep a promise and most of all about loyalty and unconditional love.  His presence would give me the courage to do things that I would have never done such as traveling across the US with just the two of us.  He taught me to enjoy sunsets and to run wild in the woods and that it was perfectly ok to eat food that had fallen on the ground.  He taught me the simple pleasures such as sleeping in the cool dirt on a hot summer day and digging in the sand with all that you have.  This old guy has been there through the highest highs and the lowest lows.  His fur has felt many tears; his ears have heard much laughter; his nose has smelled many campfires and his eyes have seen many beautiful places.

On this day ten years ago today, I guided this beautiful black creature to my car and told him to hop in.  Skittish and unsure he did as he was told with a little help.  We drove two hours with him in the front seat, the back seat full of fire wood, windows down and radio blasting Red Hot Chili Peppers.  When we finally reached our destination, we hopped out of the car and I led him to the lakes edge.  We sat down and it was then what I did hit me.  I “stole” this dog.  I had no clue how he was going to behave.  I lived in a tiny apartment in downtown Cincinnati.  My past attempts to have pets have failed because I couldn’t commit.  I could barely feed myself let alone a huge dog.  With all of these thoughts going through my mind I looked over at this creature and knew it would all work out.  And it did.  I made a promise to Lucky on that day to protect him, to make sure he was never without a meal again and to provide him with a warm, dry bed.   I promised him that in a few months his wounds would all be cleared up and he would be healthy once again.  And with a deep breath I uttered something and really meant it… I made the commitment to never let him go.

This old guy will be 16 years old in two months.  He sleeps a little sounder lately and his eye sight isn’t what it used to be.  His hearing has all but gone and his heart is practically the size of a cantaloupe.  But he still gets out of bed every morning, stretches as much as his old legs can and follows me my yoga mat for our morning routine….and then he follows me for the rest of the day…and I smile…my little shadow.  Thanks Lucky Duck for giving me so much love.

Today we will celebrate with “pupcakes” and a hike in the woods followed by a photo session by the awesome photographer Mike Bresnen who has graciously offered to come down from Cincinnati for this special occasion.

My time in Cairo was one that meant so much to me on many levels.  It gave me a better understanding of my Muslim friends and it taught me that things aren’t always what the media puts out there.

We arrived in Cairo around mid-day via plane.  By the time we made it to our hotel it was 4 hours later.  The entire time we did not see a single stop light.  Thousands of cars turning and braking and zipping all around us.  Regardless of the lack of traffic lights, traffic seemed to be running smoothly.  Amiss the cars in bumper to bumper traffic would be horses with carts full of the days produce or poultry.  I was dying to pull my camera out and snap some photos but didn’t exactly trust the cab driver.  Who knows where he would have taken us had he known we were each packing a few thousand dollars worth of equipment?  Needless to day, our over concern for our safety was, while valid on a small scale, an overreaction.  Once we were settled into this vastly different culture of our own, I felt safer in Cairo than in Paris.

As usual, I have way more photos than I should really post on the blog.  So, to justify, I’ll simply split it up into a few post!

I want to start with the photos I took last.  It was out last night in Cairo and our friend Mohamed took us to some areas rarely visited by Westerners.  We came upon this store front loaded with mannequins.  Strange little kid mannequins of all sorts.  It was like a mismatched haven where all the leftovers went when they had no other place to go.  Sorta creepy.  I was delighted!  .  The only thing I did not understand was the clothing as well as the mannequins were Americanized.  I did not see Egyptian Children walking around in this clothing.  Actually, I haven’t seen American Children in this clothing since the early nineties.  I was like we were in a time warp.  As soon as I took these images, I put my camera away.  A good way to complete the trip.