Life on Earth

My email is: garylhowe@gmail.com.

 Playing Xiangqi on the streets of Nanjing, December 2005.

I will be doing this via email to help limit the amount of time spent in internet cafes and to utilize Gmail’s new photo embed utility.

So, if you send me an email with the subject heading, I’ll include you in the email.

Cheers,

Gary L Howe

In February, I escaped the cold for to observe and help in the beginning stages of a community water project in Chiapas, Mexico. I helped by digging a small part of a 3KM long trench that the Mayan community of Yaxgemel organized and requested financial assistance with from the Chiapas Water Project. The Chiapas Water Project is a Northern Michigan group that I’m connected to by serving on the board, as well as my friends at Higher Grounds.

Our first trip to the community was to conduct a survey of the possible terrain. The community of homes in need of water sit on top of a hill with no available water, except for the water at the very bottom of a large hill, really, more like a Mountain if your from Midwest. Prior to our arrival the community had located a clean spring 3KM away and most likely at a higher elevation than the community, making it a perfect for a gravity fed system that our water engineers at CATAS specialize.  The survey was conducted through open pasture, up and down hills and valleys, through coffee parcels and forests. We were all full of anticipation to know if we could proceed.

Our water engineer, Bruno, gave the system a thumbs up and the following week the community began the grueling initial stage–digging the 3KM long trench. Not everyone in the community was able to participate everyday, but each day that i was there a committed group of individuals worked hard with the basic tools of a shovel, pick-axe and the all important machete, which was used to slash and hack at roots that at times were more like tree trunks.

This opportunity to work closely with the community of Yaxgemel was an opportunity for me to work with some of the farmers that I had met on previous trips to this part of the Chiapas Highlands. The community is made up of mostly coffee farmers that belong to the producer cooperative Maya Vinic–a cooperative that I’ve visited on two previous trips. Below, Lorenzo Guzman Luiz sat resting during the first day. Lorenzo is one farmer that I’ve met on all of my previous trips and it was an honor to work with him on this project that will directly impact his life.

I had to leave before the project was completed, but when it is completed over 16 homes will have water directly to their homes that they will use not only for the day to day uses, but also to improve the irrigation of their coffee trees–a crucial step to ensure high quality, and thus higher wages for their labor.

Edible Traditions: You’ve Got Milk

It’s an early Friday morning and Forest Mullins, aka the Milk Maiden, has just pulled into the Oryana Natural Foods Market parking lot in Traverse City. Her minivan is adorned with decals of cow spots on the hood and signs announcing her alias on the doors. She has arrived for her weekly rendezvous with the delivery truck from Shelter Family Dairy of Kalkaska. On this day she meets with Rod Fuller for a quick exchange of fresh glass-bottled milk and the empty bottles from the week before. And then she’s off on her rounds.

Mullins has over a dozen homes scheduled for delivery on this day. In addition to Shetler milk, she delivers brick-oven bread from Pleasanton bakery and locally roasted coffee from Great Northern Coffee, both of Traverse City, and, free-range eggs from Halpin Farm of Kaleva. Each week, her goal is to hit all the homes before most have left for work. Although no one is depending on an early delivery, she likes to keep up a quick pace. “I love to deliver things,” she expresses mid-stride at one stop. “You get great exercise, and everyone loves to receive things.” She’ll often run into clients on their porch when their hair is still wrapped in a towel or their kids are still getting ready for school.

Mullins dreamed up the delivery job after working a seasonal stint with UPS and researching the tradition online. “I love nostalgia,” she admits. “My generation just doesn’t have anything like this.”

A half-century or so ago, many homes had their milk and other perishables brought right to their doorstep. Mullins trusts that there are others who share her enthusiasm for the past, and who also recognize the value and convenience of fresh, local products being delivered to their homes. Since November of 2007, when she started delivering to a group of friends, Mullins

has depended on word of mouth to attract new customers, but her commitment to the “character” of the Milk Maiden has also helped her business grow. Many of the current customers were initially drawn to her services after seeing her as a walking billboard dressed in her authentic delivery uniform.

When people ask her about her unique career choice, a huge smile spreads across her face. “There is nothing else I’d rather be doing,’ she answers.

To sign up for deliveries and view current products, visit the Milk Maiden at: www.milkmaiden.net

Edible Traditions: You’ve Got Milk

It’s an early Friday morning and Forest Mullins, aka the Milk Maiden, has just pulled into the Oryana Natural Foods Market parking lot in Traverse City. Her minivan is adorned with decals of cow spots on the hood and signs announcing her alias on the doors. She has arrived for her weekly rendezvous with the delivery truck from Shelter Family Dairy of Kalkaska. On this day she meets with Rod Fuller for a quick exchange of fresh glass-bottled milk and the empty bottles from the week before. And then she’s off on her rounds.

Mullins has over a dozen homes scheduled for delivery on this day. In addition to Shetler milk, she delivers brick-oven bread from Pleasanton bakery and locally roasted coffee from Great Northern Coffee, both of Traverse City, and, free-range eggs from Halpin Farm of Kaleva. Each week, her goal is to hit all the homes before most have left for work. Although no one is depending on an early delivery, she likes to keep up a quick pace. “I love to deliver things,” she expresses mid-stride at one stop. “You get great exercise, and everyone loves to receive things.” She’ll often run into clients on their porch when their hair is still wrapped in a towel or their kids are still getting ready for school.

Mullins dreamed up the delivery job after working a seasonal stint with UPS and researching the tradition online. “I love nostalgia,” she admits. “My generation just doesn’t have anything like this.”

A half-century or so ago, many homes had their milk and other perishables brought right to their doorstep. Mullins trusts that there are others who share her enthusiasm for the past, and who also recognize the value and convenience of fresh, local products being delivered to their homes. Since November of 2007, when she started delivering to a group of friends, Mullins

has depended on word of mouth to attract new customers, but her commitment to the “character” of the Milk Maiden has also helped her business grow. Many of the current customers were initially drawn to her services after seeing her as a walking billboard dressed in her authentic delivery uniform.

When people ask her about her unique career choice, a huge smile spreads across her face. “There is nothing else I’d rather be doing,’ she answers.

To sign up for deliveries and view current products, visit the Milk Maiden at: www.milkmaiden.net

Awhile back artist Kathryn Sorrentino contacted me to see if I would participate in her show and it looks like it is coming together. On October 22 through November 19 a few of my images will accompany art from other artists inspired by Rwanda. The goal of the Project is to “raise awareness of universal issues concerning genocide that continue in our world as experienced in the life of victims like Daniel Ndamwizeye, a young man who’s parents were murdered in Rwanda, Africa.”Download information: A Tribute to Rwanda
If you’re in the area, stop in and let me know how it looks. Not sure if I can make it yet.

Sally Neal (top) and Jacquelyn Freeman joined small group of protesters along 8th St. in front of the Democratic Party’s office in Traverse City, Michigan on September 29, 2008–conveniently just around the corner from my home. The House’s first vote on the $700 bailout wall street package failed to get the simple majority needed to pass and house leaders have vowed to bring it up for a second attempt quickly.

My view? Not this bill. Too much risk to bailout those who aren’t being asked to sacrifice. I prefer the more guarded approach proposed by many. Thom Hartmann’s article seems to be wise: How Wall Street Can Bail Itself Out Without Destroying The Dollar

Ultimately, we need a trickle UP approach that helps to shield “main street” against the risks of “wall street”.

I have to admit, I’ve been watching a lot of the Olympics this month. But, since I can’t stand commercials I also have the laptop fired up and have been finding some really interesting, and inspirational sites for a photographer.

Over at TED, a web site dedicated to featuring lectures/presentations from “by the world’s greatest thinkers and doers”, I found this video by the director of photography for National Geographic, David Griffin titled “Photography connects us with the world.” What a job. Knowing that you’re going to be seeing the best photography each and every day.

I’ve also been following the photographer BLOGs from photogs in Beijing. The Wall Street Journals “Photo Journal” has some intimate sport images, and I’m really liking Newsweek’s Picture of the Day . The imagery is what you’d expect, but also daring and guided by photographers’ eyes. The commentary by the photographers Vincent Laforet, Donald Miralle, Mike Powell has also been interesting.

I’m falling way behind– with everything. Isn’t summer nice?

Wedding receptions can be a blast, and other times they are more subdued–either way, I appreciate when they are sincere and heartfelt. It always shows through in the images. So far, so good for the 2008 season. Great people every weekend.

Here, the bride kicks off her shoes on the dance floor. Next, a maid of honor tears up during her toast. And, further below we see the friendships shining through between buddies on the dance floor. Then, Amber takes charge with her newly wedded husband. And, Treva and Brian steal a quiet moment during the July 4th fireworks in Petoskey.

And, finally, one of those strange shots that I like to put out there to see who shares my taste for odd images.

Images by Gary L Howe

The 5th Traverse City Film Festival will be held next year July 28th-August 2nd for all of you whom I’ve told that you should attend. Good movies, good people, good food to be found. You could even volunteer, just like these people!

See you at the movies!

The 2008 Traverse City Film Festival is wrapped up and packed away until next year. It was a full week: In addition to watching films, I volunteer for the festival as a photographer, and take the inconsistent freelance job– this year I covered the panel discussions for our local newspaper. I also took charge to be sure that the images from the 15 other photographers who volunteer got their images online to be viewed–what else do we take the images for? You can see those images at www.traversecityfilmfestival.org or at the Flickr site: TC Film Festival images The photogs all worked hard and submitted images daily.

Here are some of my favorite images from what I covered this week–mainly opening night, the panels and Madonna’s visit to introduce her film, “I am Because We Are.”

Images  by Gary L Howe

The Traverse City Film Festival just kicked off its 4th year and once again I’m helping out the festival with photography. I took on an additional role this year by monitoring the stream of images from the 16 festival photographers. Each day, those who went out to shoot, will send in a selection to be posted on the Traverse City Film Festival Flickr site. 

Organist Ann Peterson plays on the new organ for a full house for the opening film, Vicky Christina Barcelona, at the State Theatre on Tuesday July 30, 2008. (Image by Gary L Howe)

From the top, the flower girl quickly took a nap shortly after walking down the aisle on July 4, at the same wedding you could see the pride in the best man as he watched the groom finally get married and a family member is given a gift just before the bride made her entrance. Further down, Lauren was glowing on the steps of the church after being presented with James as a married couple in Suttons Bay, Michigan in June. Although Mareesa and Jason were making lots of jokes during their wedding day, her father still was moved to tears during the ceremony.

 FYI: Lauren’s bouquet made by Christine Sleeman at Fischer Design. She’s my girlfriend.

Next post: Portrait Opportunities.

Images  Gary L Howe

It has been a busy season with many freelance assignments ranging from the New York Times to Massey Ferguson Today (they make tractors, and publish a magazine, go figure). I’ve shot a few weddings as well. Last year, I posted images from each wedding, but this year I will post from several weddings at once under themes of the wedding day. Today’s theme–getting ready. Some funny, some emotional and some classic beauty.

(Above) From the most recent wedding, the bride, Amber, took time to complete a friend’s makeup before unveiling her own gorgeous hair style .  Below, Jason anticipates his wedding with Mareesa on June 14th.

And below, an elegant image of Treva just before her July 4th wedding and her bridesmaids and flower girl making their way to the ceremony.

I’ll have more images up soon, but it is hard to be on the computer when the weather is so nice!

Images © Gary L Howe

After all of these years living in Traverse City I finally made it out to the Stone Circle spoken word gathering north of Elk Rapids. Freelance writer Tom Carr, a frequent visitor to the weekly event, wrote an article celebrating the gatherings 25 th summer. You can read it online at: Stone Circle.

Three images I included here include the main image used for the article, 90 year old Bob Bennet performing like he has for many years and poet Terry Wooten, founder of the Stone Circle. Each Saturday night during the summer people are invited to sit around the campfire and simply listen or participate–the only rule for performing is that your work must be recited from memory.

This little guy, Owen, wise beyond his years, turned one recently and I couldn’t help admiring his cake eating method at his birthday party. Brilliant–I think we all should eat cake like this on our birthdays!

In late May I visited Farmer Todd’s 3 generation cherry farm as the Honey Bees were busy pollinating the orchards. Honey bees are rented out by cherry farmers in the spring to insure pollination. The bees are delivered for a 1 to 2 week period when the bees cover up to a mile in radius visiting blooming cherry trees.

I caught them at the end of the pollination period, but was nonetheless was easily mesmerized by the bees work, structure and soothing sounds.

Images by Gary L Howe. For more Honey Bee Images: Honey Bees

Chicken Slaughtering for the Whole Family

I participated in ISLAND’s 2nd annual Skill swap at the Wagbo Peace Center in East Jordan earlier in the spring. I went to learn about garden irrigation, seed transplanting, fire starting with friction and, gulp, chicken processing. The Radio Anyway piece I produced is at the link above (archive May 24th show). ISLAND also has a ncie online resource for skill swapping. Images below Seed Transplanting and Chicken processing.

Check out this resource: TheCityChicken.com. It’s a web site to encourage city folks to take the plunge into poultry! Missed the swap, check out How to Butcher a Chicken.

If you’re really interested in the state of chicken processing, there have been several recent articles written in the national press.

• There Will Be Chicken Blood: THE GRITTY TRUTH ABOUT URBAN FARMING. By L.E. Leone
• A Chicken on Every Plot, a Coop in Every Backyard by CATHERINE PRICE
• The Poultry Boom IT’S NEVER A GOOD TIME TO BE A CHICKEN, BUT…. By Daniel Gross
• McGlobalization HOW THE CHICKEN SANDWICH CAME TO KYRGYZSTAN. By Kim Iskyan

I don’t shoot many sporting events, but yesterday I shot the Tour de Leelanau, a bike race in Leelanau county that is in its 4th year. The Record Eagle was interested mainly in images of the winners at the finish line, and as far as these types of shots go, I succeeded.

I particularly like the image above of the women’s winner (Anne Samplonius of Montreal Canada) out of focus as she approaches the shadow of the finish line through puffs of pollen. I might be the only one who likes it though. Taylor Tolleson celebrated heroically after winning the final sprint to the finish and the race overall (below).

The rest of these images are of groups of riders. If you’re interested in seeing more images, go to my digital archive at this link: Tour de Leelanau Images

I happened to be in Minneapolis over the weekend and was able to experience the annual Mayday parade, ceremony and festival. It was fantastic– Complete with bureaucratic puppet heads (above) and blood donations to save those addicted to oil (below).

This year’s theme, A New Bridge: Infrastructure for Future Beings, was an obvious call out to the spending of funds to re-build other countries rather than on the infrastructure needs in the U.S. Still fresh on the minds in Minneapolis was the I-35 bridge that collapsed last year. Still, we are too busy chasing the carrots that our promised in front of us.

I also took audio, and will let you know when I get something put together for a quick slide show.

Take this test. It is short. It has everything to do with seeing. Used here to promote driver awareness of bicyclists. www.dothetest.co.uk

It is also reflective of photography as a practice of seeing the complete picture. Seeing the unexpected. Seeing the subtle. Seeing, and capturing, what otherwise would be missed. It is a practice.

Just like driving.

Last month I spent a day witnessing the making of cheese. The story ran in yesterday’s Detroit Free Press. Basically, the process I saw was a few hundred gallons of milk slowly being stirred into a curd, poured into forms and then pressed into wheels that will become what was voted last year as the “best of show” at the American Cheese Society’s annual competition. Basically, making it the best cheese in the country. Not bad for a company with three employees.

The Leelanau Cheese Company is located in Suttons Bay, Michigan. The owners, John and Anne Hoyt make their artisan raclette in large batches that are aged around 8 months. The Free Press’s Sylvia Rector did a nice job describing the process, but also captured the uniqueness of the Hoyt’s mission–fine cheese, made right, from the cow to the plate.

See more pictures, and read her article online at: It’s the best cheese in America

Below, John Hoyt squeezes excess whey and water out of a fresh wheel of cheese. The cheese will sit with weights on top of it for another 12 hours before being placed in a cellar for 8-10 months.

I can see the light! Yesterday the winter tires came off and spring is here! Right? …..

Although i haven’t been posting to the BLOG of late, I have been shooting more than usual for this time of year. Some of the jobs I’ve are below.

The New York Times covered a Home Repo Tour that I covered, the Detroit Free Press ran a snowmobile article on the front page and a new magazine, Edible Grande Traverse, launched and can be picked up around the region. My first of hopefully many assignments with them was a profile of Grand Traverse Resort Chef, Ted Cizma. In addition, there is a stock image in the March issue of Traverse Magazine (try to find it) and Dome Magazine ran a cover portrait of a Traverse City mover-and-shaker.

Now, it’s time to get out there and shoot. Do you have any ideas?

Q&A with Chris & Jody Treter of Higher Grounds Trading Co.

I’m still trying to post some work from my January trip to Colombia with coffee roasters Jody & Chris Treter. I’m working on a slide show to post soon. For now, if you want to learn a little more about what we were doing in Colombia, listen to this radio interview that will air on Radio Anyway on February 16, or you can listen to a clip of it here: Q&A with Chris & Jody Treter

(Above) Chris and Jody introduce themselves, and their mission of high quality, Fair Trade coffee, to a community of coffee farmers in the community of El Maco. The group is a part of the producer cooperative, Fondo Paez.

�?�喜發財, KungHeiFatChoi, is a Cantonese New Year greeting for “Congratulations and be prosperous”. We can only hope!

This is the year of the Rat, and it stands to be a year of change for us rats, culminating in a gloomy and pessimistic December. Yikes! The cure, according to one reading of the Chinese zodiac– Rats should travel abroad and learn something new. In particular, if you were born in the fall, head south. That’s convenient, as my recent trip to Colombia left me wanting more (images soon).

To celebrate here are some New Year inspired images from my 2005 trip to China.

It is always a good time to eat Chinese sausages, shown here hanging on a telephone line on a sunny day in December in the then frigid city of Nanchang.

The Chinese New Year time is also called the Spring Festival and it is the time of the year when almost everyone takes a vacation and heads home for a week or two. The parks are full and the restaurants are packed

This year is particular special for China as Beijing hosts the 2008 Olympics from August 8 to August 24. This Olympic logo was hung on a construction site in the southern city of Nanjing. The promotional blitz for the Olympics has countrywide and extensive ever since the announcement in 2001.

In the end, it is all about family. Here, an elder couple walk home from a Nanjing market.

El perroito, Guardia, inspects the arrival of a group of strange visitors to the Cafinorte coffee warehouse in the Colombian city of Santander on January 16, 2008.

The warehouse is a collection point for the indigenous coffee producer cooperative, Fondo Paez. I spent over a week touring coffee growing regions in Colombia with Jody and Chris Treter of Higher Grounds Trading Co . I’m just getting back into the swing of things, the frigid weather hasn’t helped, but I’ll have more images, as well as audio soon.

* Note: If you’re a bicycle promoter, you must check out when they are doing in Bogotá. Watch this video and tell me you don’t want something like this in your town: Ciclovia: Bogotá

I’m honored to be on another adventure exploring the world of coffee and indigenous rights. Over the next two weeks, I’ll be traveling with my pals, Jody and Chris Treter from Higher Grounds Trading Co., in Colombia.

Out first visit will take us to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to meet with a group of Arhuaco farmers. The Arhuaco are in a struggle to preserve their land and their culture. It is a privilege to be able to meet with them. If you’re interested in learning more, check back. There is also an excellent multimedia piece about, and produced by, them on the National Geographic website: Keepers of the World

After that, we will head to the mountains near Cali in the south to meet farmers from the Treter’s current partner, Fondo Paez. Caught between the on-going war between the government and guerrilla fighters, the farmers of Fondo Paez are committed to building a community of peace and permaculture.

Check back next week as I’ll try to write a few passages while on the road, and when i return I’ll share some of the images.

The last wedding assignment of the 2007 season was in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Ben & Sherry took a chance that it wouldn’t snow in mid-October and threw a great party. Here are a few images focusing on the details, the humor and friendships.

For each wedding, I choose a selection to proof as black & white. B & W allows the viewer to focus on the subject of the images. The colors were amazing in October, but so were the relationships.

Images by Gary L Howe

View the multi-media slide show State Theatre Grand Opening

Click through to view a multimedia piece created by myself and audio reporter, Linnaea Melcarek, covering the grand opening of the Traverse City State Theatre on November 17, 2007. Hundreds of people were downtown to celebrate the re-opening of the 91 year old, and newly, renovated theater.

Jason & Erika were married back in late September in St. Joseph, Michigan, with the reception at the Blue Dress Barn. They are a beautiful couple, both with lots of character. It was difficult to choose what images to display here, so I focused on showing their personalities when together.

I have a few more weddings from 2007 to BLOG (soon), but previous entries can be viewed here: 2007 Weddings

Images by Gary L Howe

Michael Moore waves to the Saturday night crowd as he enters the State Theatre in Traverse City during the grand opening on Saturday, November 17, 2007. Moore is one of the founders of the Traverse City Film Festival that now owns the theater and is responsible for the $850 thousand dollar renovations.

The bright lights and big stars were out in Traverse City on opening night. Special guests to the event arrived to the renovated State Theatre by limousine

Director Terry George has a little fun with fans waiting along the red carpet as special guests enter the State Theatre along a red carpet.

The interior of the State Theatre, complete with celestial ceiling. As well, the 500 plus theater seats are completely Michigan made from a company out of Grand Rapids.

For more images of the State Theatre, visit my archive: Gary L Howe