Charles Osgood and the Mystery of the Stairway to Nowhere

 

It was still dark in the pre-dawn hours of May 15, 2013, when I stepped out of the elevator into the vast lobby of the Fontainbleau Hotel on Miami Beach.

The lobby was dark, too, save for the eerie pink and blue lights of the bar and a dim incandescent light at the far end of the lobby.

I was on my way out to photograph sunrise on the beach, but I immediately sensed movement in the dark lobby, and heard muffled voices. Suddenly I was nearly blinded by a flood of light, and I saw a shadowy figure scurrying up a curved staircase.

It was the famous "Stairway to Nowhere" created in 1954 by the Fontainbleau architect Morris Lapidus specifically for grand entrances and photo ops . . .

Image courtesy of Library of Congress

. . . from Sports Illustrated swimsuit models . . .

. . . to the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel:

As I quietly moved closer, more lights came on, and I could see that this was a set-up for recording a movie or TV scene.

Over in a dimly lit corner of the lobby I saw a man in a chair attended by a makeup artist, but I didn't recognize him.

When he put on his glasses, though, I realized he was Charles Osgood.

Meanwhile, the crew was setting the lighting on the staircase, using crew members as stand-ins for Osgood.

When everything was ready, Osgood took his position on the stairs.

A few final wardrobe adjustments . . .

. . . and then: "Ready . . . Roll tape and prompter!"

Take 1:

Take 2:

 

"Cut! It's a wrap!"

I learned later that Osgood was doing a segment for "CBS Sunday Morning" about the now-classic "Miami Modernist" architecture of the 1950s and 60s. The Fontainbleau, with its Stairway to Nowhere, is a prime example.

Still, there's a mystery. Where does the Stairway to Nowhere actually go?

It goes to a small area with a few closed doors marked "Employees Only." But yesterday, for Charles Osgood, it was a Stairway to Heaven.

If you would like to see these images in a larger format, please visit my photography website, Todos Juntos Photography, by clicking here.

Mountainair Gymkhana Rodeo, Part 2

 

THIS IS PART 2 OF A TWO-PART POST

Part 1 (published Jan. 2, 2024) includes background information about the Rodeo, and contains descriptions and photos of four Rodeo events:  Lead Line, Sheep Riding, Calf Riding, and Steer/Bull Riding.

See Part 1 by scrolling down to the post below this one.

In this post I'll describe and illustrate three more Rodeo events:  Pole Bending, Steer Daubing, and Roping events.  I'll also share some additional aspects of the Rodeo.

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     Pole Bending - This event is like a slalom on horseback.  Speed, agility, and control are vital.  Riders gallop to the end of a line of poles . . .

. . . then turn around . . . 

. . . and weave their way around the poles back up the course.  

There they turn around once more and weave their way back down the course . . .

and after the last pole turn around again and race back to the start.

The younger riders take it slow and steady, usually at a walk . . . 

. . . and occasionally they need a little coaching:

Steer Daubing - Working against a clock, riders try to mark a steer using a pole with a mop head filled with chalk on the end.  Horse and rider break from a gate at the same time the steer is released from a separate chute.  Speed, balance, timing, communication and teamwork between rider and horse are required.

Roping - As with daubing, horse and rider are working against a clock.  They break from a gate when the calf or steer is released from a separate chute.  

Then the rider tries to lasso the animal, not just mark it.  

A few of the more experienced participants actually jump off the horse and tie the legs of the calf if they succeed in lassoing it.  

The roping events also include pairs.

While photographing the roping events, I tried to capture the beauty,  power, and concentration of the riders and horses.  Most of the time I would shoot with a fast shutter speed to stop the motion as the riders burst out of the gate . . .

 . . . and as they pursued the calf or steer . . .

At other times, I would use a panning technique (slow shutter speed while moving the camera) to convey a sense of motion:

As the ropers and daubers gallop in pursuit of the cattle, it's always a challenge to keep their hats on:

And out in the parking lot behind the grandstand, the next generation of ropers is already practicing for the big time:

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At the end of the rodeo season, there's an awards banquet to celebrate the participants and the event winners.  Bruce and I were honored to be invited to the banquet, held in the gymnasium of the Mountainair Elementary School.  Over 300 people attended -- kids, parents, grandparents, and friends.

Lunch consisted of a huge slab of brisket and spoonsful of baked beans and creamed corn . . .

. . . and multiple tables filled with dessert items provided by the attendees.

Awards (primarily beautiful belt buckles) were handed out by the Rodeo Queen and Princess . . .

. . . to happy winners and proud parents:

The younger kids were charmingly uncertain about the procedure . . .

The mid-age kids were mostly calm and self-assured:

. . . and the older kids ranged anywhere from joyful to exuberant:

Finally, in anticipation of the banquet, I created a 4-minute slide show with music using many of my photos from the Rodeo.  We played it during the banquet, and you can watch it here:

Beyond the photography opportunity, it was gratifying to see what a genuine family and community event the Rodeo is.  Bruce and I were obviously "not from around here" -- what with our funny non-cowboy hats and Bruce's Volvo parked amid the pickups and livestock trailers -- but we were welcomed graciously by everyone.  

If you would like to see the video and photos from this post in a larger format, please visit my photography website, Todos Juntos Photography, by clicking here.

Enjoy!