I hope everyone has a wonderfully relaxing Labor Day Weekend, a respite and reprieve from the hectic heat of summer. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten off of my school schedule. Labor Day, or September 1st, is always the start of the year for me.
The official start of the year is of course January 1. But that is a date that alway fills me with terror. As a freelance photographer, it means looking ahead to another nail-biting twelve months attended to by the uncertainty of this art, craft and business. Once again, on Jan. 1, I take a step forward on the tightrope. By contrast, September 1 is always hopeful, along the lines of first day of school. New pencils, new books, and, for me, just announced, a new camera. Looking at fall with hope. Sweatshirts, fall color, and the return of basketball season. Yes, even though I am a Knicks fan, I revere the return of basketball and my fond memories of Clyde Frazier percolating on the baseline. They fill my heart once again with hope. And the Yankees are still in it, and just might be playing baseball in the Bronx in October. Who knows? Fall is a time of hope. Always has been for me.
Hence I love the Labor Day observance. As a photographer, camera in hand, I have always celebrated the wonder and power of sheer hard work. So I pulled a few favorite images over the years that I feel show the beauty, honor, dignity and value of labor.
Coal Miner, Kentucky
Open Heart Surgery, NY
Antenna work, NYC
Navy Seal Training, Coronado, Ca.
Hands of a Power Lifter, Texas
Sailors on deck, US Navy
Studying music, Vietnam
Sweat of a ballerina, China
Hands with copper mallet, Pa.
Recruits, Parris Island
Olympic athletes, Brazil
Spin Class, LA
USCG Rescue Swimmers, New Jersey
Best to all! Have a great weekend! More tk….
Picture-perfect, Joe …
Any BTS photos of you working Mr. Joe
…we appreciate your labour Joe !
Wonderful shots! Wonderful memories of Labor Days and ends of summer. Not wonderful that you are a Yankee fan. As a retired and former New Yorker, I still root for the Mets.
Mr. Joe, I also appreciate people that go to work every day and just get it done. I am Electrician by trade and have my camera ready during the day. I have a section called “Working for a Living” on my website. All the photos were taken with a Pentax 6×7 and the film scanned. A lifelong project of mine that keeps me out of trouble.http://www.vanillagorillaphotography.com/photography/
Wonderful Images Joe & a wonderful tribute to labor!
Great photography!
That antenna shot, just fantastic! Thanks for sharing the collection
Wow
great photography
Hi, Joe! Sorry, I´m (very) late on blog posts. As your biggest fan and wannabe photog, I wonder if you ever had your portrait, a favorite of yours, taken by another photographer. Selfies on Empire State antenna doesn´t count 😉
Yes, on a couple of occasions, fellow photogs have come up with a pic of Annie and I that is a favorite. Absolutely.