An early worshipper approaches the door of this cathedral, which was built in this suburban city in the 1920's. I look at both ends of life itself here. The shutter stops the fountain in full flow – to me, it seems to be a symbolic fountain of youth, frozen at its peak of vigor. I contrast that instant to the movement of the elderly woman slowly pulling herself up the stairs. My shutter finds her as she is about to enter the mysterious darkness that waits within those dark doors.

An old fire escape, a tattered flag, and a cloud-laden sky greet a new day in Petaluma, California. The color of this dawn is gold; the torn flag is red, white, and blue. The symbolic warmth of the sky can be viewed as a universal symbol of optimism. The torn flag, hanging limply from its pole, can be a metaphor for a tired, worn nation. I leave this juxtaposition of symbols open to your interpretation.

The first national military cemetery on the west coast, the Presidio cemetery dates to the Mexican War of 1849. Overlooking the Golden Gate, it contains 30,000 graves. (You can see a more descriptive image of it in my travel archive at http://www.worldisround.com/edit/new/399029/photo13.html )

In this image, however, I show much less and try to say more through symbolism. The mass of grass defines the earth that holds the bodies of those who have died – many of them in the eight wars fought by the United States since 1849. The two lines of stones on the edges create a frame for the row of stones that runs through the center of the image. A series of dark shadows emerge from this central row of gravestones, symbolically extending a sense of loss from each and every grave. All three rows roll over a ridge and then vanish, implying that wars do not end. They will always be with us.

While driving through Lake Isabella, we noticed an old US Army tank parked next to an American flag. I focused on the flag in the background, and use the softly focused barrel of the tank’s cannon as diagonal context in the foreground. It was a windy day, and the flag was flapping in many directions. I used my camera’s burst shooting mode to stop as many different flag configurations as I could. I chose this one because the flag is curling back upon itself, with only a sliver of space left between it and the cannon. There is no doubt that the flag is a national symbol, and the cannon symbolizes war. By placing them into this juxtaposition, I create still more symbols, all of them open to interpretation. The narrow space between them could express the tensions generated by war as national policy. The furled flag seems to recoil upon itself. It could represent an act of defense or defiance, or perhaps revulsion or retreat. Is this a pro-war or anti-war image? In the end, it boils down to political interpretation. Viewers will see whatever they want to see in these symbols, depending upon their own views of war and the national interest.

The Jellaba is the traditional loosely fitting, wide-sleeve hooded garment worn by both men and women in Morocco. These were on display in Rabat’s market. I noticed how the female mannequin in one of them was virtually blinded by the hood. To me, it was an apt metaphor for the traditionally subordinate role of women in Morocco.

I found this mass of painting ladders in a dark storeroom. Shooting through an open doorway, I create a symbol of value. There are many ladders here, and they have been well used. They may not be pretty to look at, but they perfectly represent the concept of utility -- the state of being useful.