I have seen Blue Mesa Reservoir in Gunnison, Colorado, at full capacity for years, until now. At 25%, Iola Basin was gone, only the Gunnison River in its place.
Brooklyn’s quirky outdoor photography celebration, Photoville, turns 15 as it opens May 16, 2026, under the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.
2025 through Mark D Phillips photos and words on southbrooklyn.com brings blues, rodeo, skiing, The Great China Skywalk, and a tribute to my mom, Mary Phillips.
Leonard Thomas, who passed away December 14, 2025, at 76, was one of the chief bridge tenders of the Gowanus Canal. Standing on the edge of the historic Carroll Street bridge, he told me how honored he was to be the caretaker of Brooklyn’s waterfront heritage. He also loved that it gave him the time to write his recipes. Leonard Thomas was the Chicken Man of the Gowanus.
Jay Cochrane, The Prince of the Air, stepped into history 30 years ago on October 28, 1995, with The Great China Skywalk in Qutang Gorge over the Yangtze River, setting the record for combined distance and height.
I had no idea what The Great China Skywalk by Jay Cochrane would be like after traveling 7500 miles from New York City. The day before the October 28, 1995, performance in Qutang Gorge, China, was the first time I ever saw Jay Cochrane walk on a wire. This guy was walking something narrower than a balance beam, a 3/4 inch wire, for a half mile, over a river, in a canyon. I could not fathom the skill or athleticism that Jay’s profession required.
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, was the first stop for Mark D Phillips on his journey to the Great China Skywalk, with the 30th Anniversary on October 28, 1995.
Mark D Phillips’ chronicle of what was lost in Qutang Gorge with the Three Gorges Dam on the 30th anniversary of the GREAT CHINA SKYWALK by Jay Cochrane.
The Black Mountain Blues Festival brought together the best of blues on the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene, which devastated the area. Tourism needs to return and this was a grand first step. The lineup was first class with great indoor and outdoor venues, the downtown showing no sign of the devastation that took place 365 days ago
Mark D Phillips photography from 2025 New England Masters Ski Racing, Mid-Atlantic Masters, and US Masters National Championship. Matt Dodge or Justin Lorino?