Comments on: Imprinting on nature

By: Dave Bonta

Dave Bonta — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 00:39:40 +0000

In reply to Rattzz Matanzano. I don't see how. They're just photos from the family album which have never been digitized before, as far as I know.

By: Rattzz Matanzano

Rattzz Matanzano — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 19:56:47 +0000

Aren’t some of these images exhibited in a short-film? I can’t recall the title of it…”Super-8 Mom”, I found it. If not, check that out, it has a similar premise coincidentally.

By: Voice « annemichael

Voice « annemichael — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 19:17:38 +0000

[…] Dave Bonta’s Via Negativa post here for a mini-photo-essay that illustrates what I […]

By: Dave Bonta

Dave Bonta — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 16:30:28 +0000

In reply to Peter. Glad you liked the post. It's true, I was a chronic daydreamer. My parents, by contrast, both grew up in NJ regularly visiting their relatives in eastern Pennsylvania, and met at Bucknell University in Lewisburg where they spent a lot of time exploring central PA by motor scooter, so Mom has written that when we moved here it felt very much like coming home.

By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 08:54:02 +0000

“I was never particularly observant . . .” – what? Maybe in comparison to Steve?

I love this post. It made me wistful, though perhaps for the outdoor portion of my own upbringing. I didn’t know that you spent your first five years in Maine.

By: Dave Bonta

Dave Bonta — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 05:05:59 +0000

In retrospect, it was pretty damn idyllic.

I definitely inherited my Dad’s fashion sense, as well as some of his features.

By: Natalie

Natalie — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 02:08:03 +0000

I love these photos, Dave, and all that they call forth. Not in the least self-indulgent!
It looks like an ideal childhood but maybe you didn’t experience it entirely like that.
Your Dad in the plaid jacket looks just like you now…or rather you look like him.

By: Dave Bonta

Dave Bonta — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 21:16:09 +0000

Thanks for the comments. I’m glad that what seemed to me like an excessively self-indulgent post still resonated with people.

By: Ann E. Michael

Ann E. Michael — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 15:10:33 +0000

Wonderful memoir-with-photos. I recall those canvas tents vividly, and with some dismay (ours always seemed to be leaking). I love the photo of you and your brother captivated with the insect or whatever it was.

I have been thinking about “key images” from childhood in relation to “poetic voice” (re: Stanley Kunitz) and your post resonates with that idea somehow.

Hey, btw–you look alright without a beard. ;)

By: James Brush

James Brush — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 03:33:13 +0000

Such a delightful read, and wonderful pictures too.