FIRST HOTEL MARIN

Colorful version of a couple on the north walkway at the Portland International Airport (Oregon). It is knowwn as PDX.

I want to tell a little story about this session of taking pictures and the kinds of little adventures I run into as a photographer. I plan to address "My Life As" a photographer and "My Story" about this afternoon that I took these pictures.

I was staying at a hotel about a mile from the Airport, and rather than drive my truck over there and have to pay parking, I inquired at the front desk, and they said they didn't think I could get a ride to the airport in their shuttle unless I actually had a plane to catch. I asked what difference it would really make? Someone went and got an OK, and I got to take the shuttle to the airport. I am ususally talkative; so I spoke with the driver of the shuttle about planning to take pictures at the airport. He was really fretting for me. He was absolutely sure "they" would not let me take pictures at the airport, especially since 911. I assured him not to worry, that I wasn't going to photograph anything that could not be seen by the public if they looked. He wanted to know when I needed a ride back. I said probably an hour or two. He adamantly said "they" would not only stop me, but confiscate my camera". I said I would certainly think about his advice, but I would take my chances, and shoot pictures until someone stopped me.

Well, I was there a couple of hours and took pictures of travelers from a distance, one lady with a dachshund, an aerial view of an extremely bright chartreuse taxi cab, the control tower from several angles, the parking levels, the gift shop area. I think I got some angles shots for another site I belonged to, some sequential numbers, some escalator stuff. Generally, I had a blast. Most of time I was completely by myself, not even close to very many people. No one ever, not once, questioned what I was doing.

The driver came back to get me, and I really think he was crestfallen that I didn't get my camera taken away from me by "them".

I had a completely free time of it, both emotionally, and dollarwise. It was relaxing and cheap.

(385coupleonnorthwalkwayportlandairportresamyellows)

This is one of the more bizarre examples of public airport art that I have seen. It's on the ceiling in the Delta baggage claim area at the Atlanta Airport. Now, I don't have a problem with big metal bugs, and I think this is pretty cool, but I can imagine that some people who have, er, issues with ants, or bugs in general could get seriously freaked out by a sculpture of giant 3-foot long ants crawling overhead! Especially if your fatigued with jet lag...(and this is only a few of them; there's a whole platoon marhcing across the entire width of one support beam in the baggage claim hall).

Maybe they should rename this the William Burroughs Memorial Baggage Claim area.

Note to self: never take hallucinogenic drugs while collecting luggage at the Delta baggage claim in Atlanta, GA.

But, I digress...

I am stuck here in Atlanta since my flight to Portland, Maine was cancelled due to thunderstorms (I started the day in California). Now it's 2AM Atlanta time and I am in an airport hotel and the earliest I can get a flight to Portland is 6:30PM tomorrow evening. Grrrrrr! (insert appropriate explitives here)