A NEW APPROACH

SOME OF 2016/17  IN REVIEW

A NEW APPROACH

As of  January 23, 2018 there have been over 132,000 views of this blog site THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT THIS PRETTY LADY, MY WIFE ANDREA, AND I HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 51 YEARS AS OF JANUARY 28TH.

Now....it is high time that I break out some pictures of Culpeper and create a new blog for the first part of 2017!

It has been quite a year in many ways.  I think I pretty much regained my health after an awful time and possibly even decided what I am going to do with the rest of my life. One thing I have finally figured out is that many different people look at different parts of my photography work (Faces of Culpeper .... a Photo Blog, Faces of Culpepeper by Rich Crowley  facebook, and Rich Crowley's Snapshot of Culpeper in the Culpeper Times), but not so many see them all. I want my blog visitors to see some of the other pictures so I have decided that from now on I will reprieve newspaper and facebook shots in these "Faces" blogs that I do.  It sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?  It does to me!

So............let's get to it.  

I took this picture of Chole White in front of the town Christmas tree just before I went back to California for Christmas this year.  Chloe and her husband got married this year so this is a big one for them, plus they moved to Culpeper with 13 year old Rex.   Chloe is an accountant btw. 

It was just a couple of weeks before Christmas and I had just returned from visiting my son and grandkids in California.  I really needed some Christmas kind of pictures for my facebook page, "Faces of Culpeper by Rich Crowley."   I was walking past the Lollipop Station and glanced in the window.  There was a scene that really tickled me.  There was Old St. Nick checking out some toys.  I could not get in there quick enough to grab the picture.

I looked  inside the Legacy Barber Shop as I walked down W. Davis Street. Then  I went past two more stores before I thought that I better go back and check it out.  These guys were not so sure of who I was or what I was doing but I convinced them that it was cool and then they were all in. Nice guys buy the way.   The owner on the left is Leon and the one on the right is "Danny Boy."  Something that you don't see on my facebook is the number of people who view the various pictures, but I do!  These guys had almost 2400 in three days!!  Average for my pictures is between 500-600.  Then a month later I just stopped by to make sure that they had seen the posting.  I got a heroes welcome!  Leon knew who I was immediately.  The picture had done just what I hoped it would do....draw a lot of attention and increase business.   It is a funny thing, though....there have been several business owners who have turned me away.  The Culpeper Times is mailed to 18,000 homes and my picture each week is prominently  placed and very large.  Free Advertising!!! However, a few people act like I am trying to steal their car or something, even after I show them a sample.  Their loss big time!

Oh, I love this picture.  I almost never take a picture with such a big smile but I saw her smiling like that when I walked into Martins and I would not rest until I had gotten that smile again and had a picture.  If I could just make a poster of it for my wall..... I would smile all the time.  What a doll!

She is Jennifer Detwiler and she is studying to be a special needs teacher.  We need more people just like her. 

I found a treat the day that I wandered into Culpeper Music Store.   There I  found these two "road dogs" which is what we called traveling rockers in the old days on the West Coast. I had a ball talking with Rogers Jones (a bass player that I had a few jokes for) and David Gilmore a singer (and a good one), guitar player and songwriter.  Time flows gently for me when I am with experienced musicians.  I am comfortable with educators, photographers and musicians..... maybe musicians most.  They are a different breed of cat and a good breed.  I thought I would put them in black and white to make them stand out.

Of all the things I have done in my life, I have loved being a dad the most... it makes me smile when fathers and their kids are out doing something together.  You can tell by the poinsettias  that it is before Christmas and these two were at Lowes together.  The little guy was all dressed up for school and the dad was obviously proud.  I only have first names, but the father is Donovan and the son is Julius.

Now this is truly interesting and  quite unique.  These are two amazing people. I cannot tell you everything, but I will fill you in on enough for you to gain appreciation for their lives.  Felicia served in the Red Cross for 30 years which included tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Keith is retired military and served two tours in Iraq and also in Desert Storm.  He worked in Army intelligence and then worked for the government in McLean.  He was the Post Commander for the Veterans of Foreign Wars and has served on our City Council for 12 years.  Felicia with support from Keith, has open an amazing bee store which is as much a service as a business.  They sell bee products, but even more importantly they educate.  Upstairs is a kind of lecture hall with a glass bee hive which you can see in the picture above.  That is for observation especially for children.  Groups are welcome.  You will have to learn the rest for yourself, but it is a great place to take your kids.  It is on W. Davis St.

I spent most of December in California where I have a son and four grandkids.  When I got back it was only about a week until Christmas and I wanted to get a Christmas tree picture for my "faces" facebook page.  When I got to the tree lot I found Gariel Randolph,who I learned was an areo space engineer, standing on his tire and tying his Christmas tree on top of his SUV.  I felt lucky that he was there and was such a nice guy.  His family was waiting patiently inside the vehicle.

Brian Hubbell is the manager of the new Murray Gas Station and convenience store.  It is located in the 
parking lot of Walmart.  

When I drove passed this  woman she was literally bouncing as she walked and she had a big smile on her face.  I found a place to park and chased her down.  She told me that she "just love my job" and she said that her customers were the reason why.  She receives positive feedback from them all the time.  I will tell you that Monique Carpenter is truly a delight and it was a lot of fun talking with her, but I had to cut it short or the people would not get their mail. 

I met Rachel Patterson because of her coat.  We have had some bitterly cold days and nights this winter and I wanted a picture that demonstrated just that.  Enter Rachel with her fur lined hood and she was exactly what I wanted....thanks to her.  She is studying to be a dental hygienist plus she is a wedding photographer (I did that for 32 years).  Her business is called Briatley Images. 

These next two groups of pictures are of some of the nicest people I have met while shooting for my blog and for my facebook.  After I published the picture of this group I got a number of notes from people telling me that they were the nicest folks ever.  They certainly were great with me.  They are Lauren, Tanner, Samantha, Remington(baby) and Bandit.



John Fischer, his wife Kate and children Abby, Mara and Jack were on there way to IHOP when I caught them in the parking lot.  They had seen me and wondered if I was "the guy that took pictures for the Culpeper Times."  Well I am and they were most cooperative.

The picture says it all..... two guys crazy about each other, father and son....Mike Mardeusz and Cameron.  

There were quite a few grandparents Christmas shopping at the same time  I was out and about.   I talked with several, and this lady was particularly sweet.  We exchanged thoughts about the dilemmas that we grandfolks have trying to choose toys that are "acceptable" for today's grandchildren. Then Maude Taylor surprised me when she shared with me that she is 86 years old.  Amazing!  As they say,  "You wear it well."

Now here is a pair of look-alikes!  The most common demographic shopping in the stores for Christmas was young mothers and their children who were too young to understand what was happening. These two, Amy Compton and Tenley, are especially cute and I had to get them for one of my publications.  It turns out that I used them in two. 

Admittedly, I am jumping around with my pictures in this blog.  I was, however, particularly impressed with the number of people I met during this Christmas season who were doing volunteer work. These  three are a good example.  Their church congregation took turns covering the Salvation Army station at Walmart.  I found that to be a nice service.  These three are:  Penny Tatro, Dawn Bender and Lexie Hobson.  

This is Sam Huff and he is a groomer at Petsmart.  The women in the shop  were quick to tell me that it had been a long time since they had a man in their department.  Well, they do now. 

John and Alice Brown are some of the nicest people that I have met while taking photos around the Peper.  I found these guys in the Hallmark store a couple of weeks before Christmas.  I learned that John is a retired retail manager and that they have two sons.  

These guys look like all business here, but they were all laughs and jokes up until I took the picture.  Fun guys!  They wanted this young lady in the picture because she was at the store buying tires.  They kept referring to her as , "the happy customer."  She certainly looks like it in this picture!  We are at Town Tires where they feature used tires, but lots of them look new. On the left is Rodolfo who is a "worker" and then a manager, Antonio, the "happy customer" and manager, Carlos. 

Carmen Musso works at the new and improved Ciro's.  Previously she worked for almost three years and the original and ready for a make over, Ciros.  She is a long time, loyal employee who has personality plus.  When I posted Carmen Musso on my "Faces" facebook page... it lit up with people viewing her picture. 

LETS WRAP THIS ONE UP

I am going to end this blog today with this feel good picture. It may be the most viewed picture ever on my facebook page that  I call,  "Faces of Culpeper by Rich Crowley/ facebook"  These guys all work at Jersey Mikes and I caught them as they were getting ready to close.  A friend told me they are BFFs.  Anyway, thanks to Courtlyn Harris, Chase Jenkins and Haley Dover for the picture.

That is it for this time.  I hope you enjoyed seeing just a few of the interesting faces that live and work in Culpeper, Va.

Be sure to watch for my weekly contribution to the Culpeper Times.  It is called Rich Crowley's Snapshot of Culpeper.

AND

MY FACEBOOK PAGE...   Faces of Culpeper by Rich Crowley/facebook 

This one changes at least three times a week.  It receives 3/4,000 visits a week.