Good year? Bad year? Interesting to say the least. As I look back on 2008 I would have to say for us personally it was a good year overall. We had many positive milestones, and goals reached, and managed to put some bad things behind us.
I have mixed feelings for the coming year. I am fairly certain my oldest will get deployed again under "Stop Loss". He is due to get out after his 4 years active duty in the Fall of 2009. Now it seems unlikely that he will get out until late 2010. That is my biggest fear for 2009, and the reality is that it is unlikely to change.
The photo was taken on a photo meet up with Russ Devan and Betsy Barron back in Sept. along the Delaware Canal. It is one of the huge wooden lock doors that controlled the level of the water in the canal when it was used for barges. The Canal bed was empty while repairs were being made to the canal tow path after several years of severe floods basically destroyed it. A local resident told us that the repairs were almost complete and that section of the tow path was to re-open soon.
Coming back to AM3 after a long hiatus. I hope to be more active in the coming months.
This is really well done, Laurie - the BW works superbly. Glad your 2008 ended on the positive side, and I hope 2009 works out well for you and especially for your eldest.
30 Dec 2008 6:22am
Great image and title... a good idea very well implemented with this beautifully captured b/w photo!
30 Dec 2008 8:48am
I know people who already told me to forget 2009, they expect the crisis to get worse. Others haven't even realized that there are serious economic problems. As with every crises, I have my hopes and concerns: I'm concerned about politicians who try to ignore the sad facts and have nothing to offer but a "Keep it up! Carry on!" policy (best example: Germany) and I hope that the primacy of economics at any cost will come to an end.
Cool shot btw, excellent B/W conversion.
30 Dec 2008 9:52am
Your title along with this great find of old wood doors is very symbolic to the image.
I love images of old worn wood. Great shot.
Sorry to hear of deployment of your son.
30 Dec 2008 10:14am
Beautiful pic & metaphor. i'm personnaly happy to leave 2008 (bad end of year) and wish us all the best ahead***
30 Dec 2008 10:24am
I, for one, am very happy to leave 2008! Every year since 2000 I say that the next year has to better, but it's not. I wish the best to you and your family and especially your son! Excellent B&W, Laurie! I saw what the floods did!
30 Dec 2008 10:40am
a fine shot to seal the year shut.. i, for one, will not be too unhappy to see 2008 end...
exceptional tonal range...
30 Dec 2008 11:10am
Fantastic B&W, you did a great job in bringing out the textures.
30 Dec 2008 11:19am
Amazing that a simple door can hold back all that water. Love the textures you've captured. Wishing you all the best for the new year..and that your worst fears for your son's deployment not come true.
30 Dec 2008 1:03pm
Laurie, this is lovely!! gorgeous tones framing and dof. happy 2009 to you!!!
30 Dec 2008 2:39pm
Goes well with your title. The compositions and textures have real appeal.
30 Dec 2008 3:14pm
rich contrast of patterns and shapes. best...jerry
30 Dec 2008 3:22pm
I hope that 2009 will be better than 2008...
30 Dec 2008 3:30pm
I like the symbolic of the open door in combination with the title and I really hope for you and your family everything works out with the deployment of your son.
30 Dec 2008 4:00pm
What a gorgeous wood texture in this beautiful B&W.
30 Dec 2008 4:11pm
Beautifully composed B&W shot great textures
Glad 2008 ended on a positive not, lets hope for the best for 2009 :)
30 Dec 2008 4:30pm
Looks to be a tough year ahead, live goes on and good luck to your son's deployment, I salute to him and you. Appropriately chosen image, doorway to opportunity.
30 Dec 2008 4:44pm
Laurie, i hope 2009 will be a very good year for you and your family!!
Great picture!!
30 Dec 2008 4:49pm
Hope you have a great 2009! This photo is amazing. It can be seen in two ways IMO. One way is the door closing on 2008 and the other is the door opening a crack into 2009!
30 Dec 2008 5:04pm
great shot to close out 2008 - very symbolic.....
I love the b&w and texture of the wood in this shot....
have a great 2009....
30 Dec 2008 5:09pm
A perfect photograph, and so symbolic as doors open and close on the old and new. I think the coming year worldwide will be very tough with the economic crisis, and so many are still in denial at the present. Our clan are just hoping to hold on to what they have, weather the storm and keep our sense of humour along with the love and laughter.
I'd personally like to see our boys out of the wars we had no place to become involved with in the first place, and an end to mankind, the dumb ape's bloodlust and selfishness... well I can dream can't I.
30 Dec 2008 6:37pm
Bientôt on ouvre la porte ........ vers des espoirs ??????? je ne sais plus ......
30 Dec 2008 6:41pm
Well done and contrasted. The b/w is excellent and the idea of the door closing/opening is splendid. I wish the best for you and your family, oldest included, for 2009, without hahaving to wait the 2010.
Thanks for your unique photos.
30 Dec 2008 6:51pm
gorgeous pic with plenty of details and contrast, first class
30 Dec 2008 6:58pm
Very nice photo
and a title to make us think...
gilles d.
30 Dec 2008 7:15pm
Good photo for closing the year and looking ahead the possibilities of 2009. Ye, it is a open door :) I hope we will find good things there.
30 Dec 2008 7:45pm
wonderful door.
try here: www.fujimugs.com in open section...
30 Dec 2008 7:52pm
a little door to begin 2009 ;-) I like your composition and the feeling of mystery who cames out of this picture
30 Dec 2008 7:54pm
I agree, we have doors that close and others that open. As you say about this past year, the coming year will provide the good and the bad. How we face it is the challenge. I hope and pray the best for you and your family. I also look forward to your photography. Happy New Year!
30 Dec 2008 8:54pm
Great shot (as always).
I wish you all the best for the next year. That year 2009 will give you a lot of positive emotions. And I believe that part of this we will see in your pictures. ;-)
30 Dec 2008 9:47pm
Laurie, c'est toute une symbolique qui est attachée au thème de la porte, celle -ci est magnifique et reflète les rides du temps, j'espère vraiment pour vous une année 2009 qui vous donne le sourirre et la joie de vivre.
30 Dec 2008 10:14pm
porte ouverte sur 2009...
open door over 2009…
Happy new year
30 Dec 2008 10:18pm
Nice image for ending the year and welcoming the new one.
It must be hard to see one's child go to war. It would be a source of extreme anxiety for me. My hope is that no harm will come to him.
31 Dec 2008 1:00am
Brilliant shot, Laurie!! Very evocative for me.. ;-)
31 Dec 2008 1:02am
Whatever 2009 brings... I hope it is nothing but the best...
31 Dec 2008 1:07am
Excellent sharpness and clarity. Your bw processing is outstanding. Really like the perspective and details in this image.
31 Dec 2008 3:17am
What wonderful texture on this old wood !!
Is the door that closes the old year ... Happy New Year!
31 Dec 2008 4:32am
I really like the symbolism here. I prefer to see that door as opening to new and positive things in 2009. That was a very nice photo outing that we had and a wonderful lunch afterwards, in spite of the sunrise not cooperating that morning. But the sun eventually did come out, just like it will eventually shine on us in 2009, in spite of some clouds at the beginning.
Happy New Year, Laurie, and may God bless you and your family and may He keep everyone safe.
31 Dec 2008 6:15am
Wonderful contrast and sense of mystery!
31 Dec 2008 8:01am
Happy New year! Hope you have a great New Years Eve :)
May 2009 be filled with fun, love and laughter :)
31 Dec 2008 1:04pm
The ends with a wonderful photograph, Laurie.
Have a Happy and Safe New Year.
31 Dec 2008 4:40pm
@sorter: :) Thanks!
This shot evokes many emotions and makes the mind think quite a bit. Well done.
31 Dec 2008 9:02pm
I like this picture a lot
Happy new year
31 Dec 2008 9:12pm
IMHO, this is the prize-winner for the best end of year photo interpretation I've seen on Am3. A safe, blessed, and peaceful new year to you Laurie. This is a beautiful shot.
31 Dec 2008 9:26pm
@Viewfinder: Wow...Thanks. I am very flattered.
A very apt image for the season ands the thoughts we all carry at this time.
May 2009 be Kind to You and Yours.
31 Dec 2008 11:58pm
Love the textures in this great b&w image. The year has gone and we must go on... All the best!
1 Jan 2009 12:10pm
a fitting image for the eve of a new year.
1 Jan 2009 4:18pm
Laisser la porte entrouverte ... voilà une idée que j'aime !
4 Jan 2009 10:09am
An appropriate title to a great B&W image - love the tones and texture.
4 Jan 2009 10:44pm
You choose great subject and built a good ambiance! I like the unsharp view in the rear of the door. Bonne Année 2009 and I wish to you a lot of exceptional photos.
6 Jan 2009 2:57pm
Wonderful interpretation! Love it! Wishing you all the best in the 2009!
8 Jan 2009 1:26am