hang my head low, so low…
don’t see me only as i am,
but see me how i long to be.
how i long to be…
shining like a flowering tree.
hang my head low, so low…
every burden shall be lifted,
every stone upon your back slide into the sea.
it’s me for you and you for me.
me for you and you for me.
— the innocence mission
this past week, my great friend John got married in napa, california. it was hugely entertaining.
the weekend started early with a friendly croquet match on thursday…
then came the photo bomb contest. a photo bomb is an interesting phenomenon in which someone, totally unrelated to and not invited in a posed picture, finds a way to intrude. let the contest begin!
big Leo had some fun with Amy and Leah.
photo bomb!
John knows his wine. he frequently writes on the subject for books, magazines, and blogs. we reaped the benefits of his superior knowledge with a weekend chalked full of fantastic tastings…
Amy enjoyed the outdoor photo booth. perhaps a little too much.
even the kids had a great time, playing in the sand traps of the surrounding golf course.
John seemed truly happy.
BD and Jaclyn too.
photo bomb! that was a good one.
the two Mike’s and their girlfriends Ashley and Kate. John and i met the two Mike’s in telluride many summers ago. some of my favorite people around.
Amy and Graham played models for me. what a good looking couple!
there’s that happy guy i’ve known and loved for so long!
and what can you say… Tracie looks fantastic!
the first kiss as man and wife…
the second kiss… not long after…
Jaclyn and the B humored me with some fun shots at the reception.
great wine, great friends… it truly was a weekend to remember.
i photo bombed my own picture…
all images © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2009
i am excited to announce the creation of my first photo book, with words and photography on the subject of lebanon. here’s a preview.
lebanon will be a mixture of color and black and white photographs, paired with selected journal entries, stories, and poetry.
i hope this small taste will whet your appetite for the book. i expect to have it finished before the fall of ’09… reserve your copy now for a discounted rate!
all images © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2009
a mermaid saw a swimming lad,
and picked him up for her own.
pressed her body to his body,
laughing, and plunging down,
forgot in cruel happiness…
that even lovers drown.
this bittersweet prose lines the table that i’ve sat at for three days now.
i always enjoy my time in austin, but this time especially, i have had a truly memorable experience. lounging lazily at barton springs… swimming in her cool, natural waters. spending time with my brother, his wife, and their three little ones. enjoying time with my friends, whose lives have hurdled in different directions than my own. and i feel in love.
austin has pressed her body to mine, and laughingly pulled me under. i gladly kissed her lips and descended to the depths.
how long must i pretend that i don’t need austin? how long must i pretend that austin doesn’t need me?
well, it would seem a little while longer. but i have already drowned…
as i sit silent, i reflect on my recent experiences in lebanon. and though my thoughts remain dimmed and disoriented, in some sort of schizophrenic fervor, my senses heighten and align when yann tiersen’s la rade floats to my ears.
a rough translation of the french lyrics reveals what i already felt through the universal language of music. it’s not far off from what i felt, walking the streets of beirut, saida, sour, trablous.
la rade (listen)
the bay
by yann tiersen
i see us all sitting in front
but the shoulders fell within
with all eyes in tears before
and it cracks and it crève boredom
i see us all in limbo
and escaping the cold , we feel
as immobile in bed, sleeping
and life slowly ebbs away
i dream we all stand before
descending into the city, walking
you take, you see inside
in the heart, the anger of the people
there standing in front of the bay
once before, the wind coming from the west
you take, you see it now
in the heart, the anger of the people
standing there, and the sea front
in front and the waves coming
you’ll take it, inside you cry
in the body, the revolt of the people
standing there, and the sea front
in front and the waves coming
you’ll take it, inside you cry
in the body, the revolt of the people
andrew slaton | blog 