A few "M"s from my past.

(I apologize for my absence over several weeks, due to some medical problems which can be expected when you turn 92! Anyway, I'm still here.)

Manhattan at Midnight, 1949


Military Government, Occupied Germany, 1946


Marienkrche in Munich, Occupied Germany, 1948

Some industrial "rounds" from the past. These were PR shots for various clients.

Experimental Moon Excursion vehicle by Grumman for NASA 1968


Brewery vats in Kingston, Jamaica W.I.


Shaft and tunnel in Philadelphia drainage system, 1956

Thank you, GiGi for the kind words. Actually, all my 92 years so far were good, but some were even better!I had a lot of luck in my marriage, in my choice of a very flexible career in photography, writing, and commercial art, my children, my colleagues, and of course my health. I should not forget to thank you all for the pleasure I get from participating in the Ugly Hedgehog. I thought you might get a chuckle from the attached "Hands in use" I sneakily snapped in 1951 in a small NYC camera shop as the owner crushed his telephone (the size of that hairy hand!). I used a twin-lens reflex so I was looking down into the ground glass, not holding the camera in front of my face.

My 15-year-old Dell computer had to be shut down Friday and Saturday for a hard-drive conversion using a Parallels software system from India, so I was unable to comment on as many pix as I hoped -- but I'll try to make up during the next few days. This crazy software package will "marry" a Mac Mini's Apple system to my Dell's XP system, speeding its operation significantly while keeping the familiar conveniences I like. If I desire, the Mac Mini operation can be switched over, but for now this 92-year-old computer neophyte will stick with Bill Gates. Meanwhile, I wish it was 1963 again so this young lady could draw one for me, too!

A handy keg in a German office - 1963

We seem to be overlooking shots of our hands using cameras! Here are a few with 70-plus year-old specimens, ca. 1946 -- medium-format 6x6-cm rollfilm Voightlander twin-lens reflex cameras and a favorite on the black market, the German Leica IIIC 35mm. How about showing us the current difference in holding a modern digital camera? (That's me in the first frame, in 1946.)

P 3 The baby bottle is especially sweet, mcmomma! Thanks for sharing.

P 2 Charming captures of the girl plugging her ears with her hands, and the feeding of the parrot, but your outstanding shot of a chain of bathers holding hands while climbing through a waterfall would merit the attention of a picture editor looking for a human interest shot! Tim, I'd try submitting it to a travel magazine (but include information about the site).

P 2 "Hand of an Artist" and "Exchanging Vows" are excellent contributions, Lesley! Thanks for sharing.

P 2 Thanks a lot, Pat. I'm looking forward to the coming photos, now that I've seen the quality of the starters!

Thank you, Photogirl.

P 1 Beautifully lit and composed, Sue, and I'm glad to see B&W is still alive and well in photography!

Thank you so much, Sue. No. 1 was taken in 1951 and won a Third Honorable Mention in the Picture Story Division of LIFE magazine's Contest for Young Photographers that year. I met Margaret Bourke-White at the ceremonies and she asked which was my winner, then commented that she recalled it and had been moved by it, a comment I shall treasure forever. 25 years later my ad agency submitted it to the 1976 photography show of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, where it won Best Mood Depiction and Best Human Nature awards, to the delight of my employer.

P 1 Now that's a different approach toward asking for a handout, Soul Dr! I hope he didn't bite the hand that fed him!

P 1 That's quite a handful of sax, Don! I don't recall ever having seen that close a composition of the performer's fingers and the instrument's valves. Interesting!

P 1 Three really charming grabbers, Richard! Nicely seen and captured.