Walburga (Cold River Series), Charlemont, Massachusetts, 2007

One of my photo shoots with Walburga was at (in!) the Cold River. Charlemont is on the famed Mohawk Trail, which is an extension of Route 2, from Boston to North Adams (home of Mass MoCA). There is also a terrific classical music festival at a little church in Charlemont, as New Yorkers invade the Berkshires for the summer. (I reviewed a concert by Arnold Steinhardt, of the Guarneri Quartet, at the church.) Just before the road heads steeply up into the hills, there is a turnout, and a path down to the river. It is an incredibly beautiful spot. (The photos of ice in a previous post were taken there.) The river roars over boulders, down through the mountainous woods. Walburga was not fazed by the coldness of the river. It was wonderful to photograph her in the water, being in the river with her, watching how she connected with her surroundings. She moves gracefully and thoughtfully, so it was always enjoyable to photograph her, whether on the rocks, in the river, or up a tree. 

Sarah & Walburga, 2008.

Walburga in 1997 Mustang Convertible, 2004.

Seems like a longer than necessary title, but it's a kind of homage to my dearly departed convertible. The day after a horrible fight with a girlfriend, I slid on a slushy road on Cape Cod and wrapped my beloved Mustang around a telephone pole. After the woman unceremoniously dumped me a few weeks later, it was a huge relief, like waking from a truly bad dream. I don't miss her in the least, but I tear up every time I see a Mustang convertible. Now that I'm in California, it's especially painful, because I could go topless all year long. Sarah says if I had been driving my MCO (mid-life crisis object) when I met her, she probably would have ignored me. Sarah insists that our first California car not be a convertible. But, baby, I'm a rag top man!

I had more fun in that car than in - well, I had a lot of fun. Walburga and I used to drive around listening to the Beach Boys at top volume. 

Walburga with Lotus Halo, Amherst, Massachusetts, 2004.

Walburga is master of facial expressions, and a natural comic. I can't remember if it was her idea of mine to frame her face with a lotus leaf.

Walburga With Sheer Fabric, Amherst, Massachusetts, 2004.

I shot a series of photos of Walburga in motion, near where she was staying while studying Body-Mind Centering. Behind her is a small pond filled with lotus plants. Late in the summer, the flowers blossom spectacularly, and linger for a few weeks. I visited the pond once during a light rain; the tiny raindrops, upon hitting the broad, waxy leaves, would shatter into a thousand tiny droplets, dance frenetically around the broad, upturned leaves, and settle into the center, where they would form a little pool. When the pool got large and heavy enough, the leaves would gracefully bend over and pour their contents into the pool, making a delightful sound. As the leaf emptied, it would slowly straighten up, creating an upward glissando, until it was back to its upright position, and the process would begin again. Watching the tiny droplets ricocheting around the leaves, the water pouring into the pond at various points and the sight of the gorgeous pink blossoms was magical. The delicate sounds of the rain, the pourings and the drippings amounted to some of the most soul-stirring music imaginable. I never got around to filming the lotus leaf symphony, but the sound lingers in my mind. 

Walburga, Stickney Brook (Lower Falls), Vermont, 2004.

Walburga (Feet Series), Stickney Brook, Vermont, 2004.

Walburga, Stickney Brook, Vermont, 2004.

Walburga, Stickney Brook, Vermont, 2004.

Walburga, my dear friend from Berlin, is a dancer and Body-Mind Centering teacher in Europe. I have taken hundreds of photos of her in various natural settings, including my favorite stream.