Current Reading: Do The Work by Steve Pressfield
Current Music: Live at the Quick by Bela Fleck
Mood: Not dead yet!
Smells: Coffee
Sounds: Muffled echoes
Temperature: High of 71 degrees
Thoughts: Eros > Life Force > Creative Drive
5.09.2011
5.06.2011
Cash is The New Vinyl
On a plane ride from FLA to PGH I ordered a drink, handed the flight attended a five dollar bill and he apologetically said, "Sorry sir, we only accept credit or debit cards." No problem, I handed him my debit card and he quickly returned with my drink.
That got me thinking about how little need there is to carry cash. In most cases I never have cash on me. I just happened to have a five on me which prompted me to purchase the drink in the first place.
The main problem I see since cash has gone the way of the vinyl record is in giving to charity.
Many times I have walked out of a store and passed a good cause by due to having no cash on hand. What is to become of the homeless who have come to depend on the charity of the passersby? I like giving to the homeless on the street, it just makes me feel good. Friends question me on what that person may do with it, but, I simply don't care. I like to give when I can.
To the Girl Scouts, Red Cross, Salvation Army, other random charities standing on sidewalks, I am sorry.
Cash has gone the way of vinyl record....
That got me thinking about how little need there is to carry cash. In most cases I never have cash on me. I just happened to have a five on me which prompted me to purchase the drink in the first place.
The main problem I see since cash has gone the way of the vinyl record is in giving to charity.
Many times I have walked out of a store and passed a good cause by due to having no cash on hand. What is to become of the homeless who have come to depend on the charity of the passersby? I like giving to the homeless on the street, it just makes me feel good. Friends question me on what that person may do with it, but, I simply don't care. I like to give when I can.
To the Girl Scouts, Red Cross, Salvation Army, other random charities standing on sidewalks, I am sorry.
Cash has gone the way of vinyl record....
5.05.2011
A Gift Of....
This photograph is licensed under a creative commons licensing: Please feel free to use and distribute the photograph in accordance with the licensing.
You can download all sizes (HERE)
4.28.2011
4.27.2011
4.26.2011
4.25.2011
Moment
Current Reading: Confession of a Buddhist Atheist by Stephen Batchelor
Current Music: Draw the Line by David Gray
Mood: Excited, on vacation in 48 hrs
Smells: Coffee
Sounds: Daughter singing and typing out the alphabet
Temperature: 55 degrees
Thoughts: Off to a castle to find a mouse....
Current Music: Draw the Line by David Gray
Mood: Excited, on vacation in 48 hrs
Smells: Coffee
Sounds: Daughter singing and typing out the alphabet
Temperature: 55 degrees
Thoughts: Off to a castle to find a mouse....
4.22.2011
WYEP Photography Workshop
(I was told that this class is filling up quick, if your are interested be sure to reserve your spot...)
How to Take Great Photographs
Photography Workshop
May 10, 2011—May 17, 2011
6-8pm
The WYEP Community Broadcast Center
How to Take Great Photographs Workshop
Taught by John Craig this is a two part class: Tuesdays, May 10 and May 17. It is a basic class which is open to all, but is best suited for those who have a DSLR.
What you will learn:
-Understanding exposure
-What ISO, F/stops, Shutter Speed mean
-How to use your camera in Manual mode
-How to take a photo “correctly” in camera
-Natural light techniques
-Understanding your lens
-Understanding White Balance
Bring your DSLR with you if you have one. It is not mandatory for the class.
4.20.2011
Commandments of Creativity (Part 1 of 10)
Commandment 1. Do Not Give Up On Being (Part 1 of 10)
See complete 10 commandments list (Here)
She taught me one final lesson before she passed: Do not give up on being human.
The second injection went in, her heart stopped. My companion for the past 18yrs passed. I fell to my knees, cried, prayed and gave thanks for the life we spent together. Till we meet again, in the forest of heaven, hiking along the path, you will be missed.
My dog has come to the end of her nature. She lead a great life, a dog-life. She enjoyed everything about being a dog. Walking, running, playing, eating, sleeping, snuggling, protecting. She loved it all, a purist at being pure to her dog-ness.
Final lesson: live your nature. How many of us can say we do this? Do we live our nature, our “human-ness”? What is human-ness anyway? What does it mean to be human?
My answer is found in the the teachings of Ken Wilber’s Integral Philosophy: living a balanced life of body, mind and spirt in self, culture and nature. Simply put, a life of purpose, effort and happiness. That has been my pondering question as of late. Do I live this way and do we as a culture live like this?
This new way of thinking and questioning arose from teaching people about photography, which lead to conversations about creativity. Teaching creativity to others is hard (if not impossible) but giving advice on the creative process is far easier. Follow your heart, listen to your mind, trial and error, failure is a good thing, enjoy the task, perfection is found in the process not the outcome, and finally, enjoy your results.
This is where I feel we as a society have fallen short. We no longer ache to be human. We want (if not need) results with no concern or interest in the how, what and where of the process. Is that being human?
Much of being human is already being done for us. No need to think, Google does that for us. Why be curious? Have a question? Type it in the box and we accept the answer. Why exercise? The need to exercise has been handed over to big pharma. Why work the body when a pill can do it all for you? What need is left for the body? When is the last time that you felt soil, walked on the earth barefoot in the grass? If we can sit and stare at a screen it seems our bodies are doing all that’s left in it’s job...the bare minimum of living. Is our spirit dead? Not faith or belief, but the spirit that guides us internally throughout our life. We are people of congregation, we listen, sit and repeat, but we have no practice.
Ok, I know this is moving in a morose direction, I have not given up on humanity. What I am questioning is: what is left for us humans to do?
My answer is to create...anything. That is our purpose: to create. Why? God gave us empty space and everything is provided for us to fill it up. I love the story of creation vs evolution. My favorite part is that we, humanity, were placed here last. After all the fruit was placed on the trees and the vegetables have grown out the ground, after the clean water ran down hill from the mountain tops, Earth-Gaia-God gave us life. Creativity is the greatest gift to humanity. I suggest that we can only do three things in the images of God: love, forgive and create.
Before my dog passed she taught me this by the way she lived her life. A dog’s life of purpose is to love, have effort to explore and enjoy the happiness of a belly rub.
1993 - 2011 Kiani.
Magnificent and loving friend
See complete 10 commandments list (Here)
She taught me one final lesson before she passed: Do not give up on being human.
The second injection went in, her heart stopped. My companion for the past 18yrs passed. I fell to my knees, cried, prayed and gave thanks for the life we spent together. Till we meet again, in the forest of heaven, hiking along the path, you will be missed.
My dog has come to the end of her nature. She lead a great life, a dog-life. She enjoyed everything about being a dog. Walking, running, playing, eating, sleeping, snuggling, protecting. She loved it all, a purist at being pure to her dog-ness.
Final lesson: live your nature. How many of us can say we do this? Do we live our nature, our “human-ness”? What is human-ness anyway? What does it mean to be human?
My answer is found in the the teachings of Ken Wilber’s Integral Philosophy: living a balanced life of body, mind and spirt in self, culture and nature. Simply put, a life of purpose, effort and happiness. That has been my pondering question as of late. Do I live this way and do we as a culture live like this?
This new way of thinking and questioning arose from teaching people about photography, which lead to conversations about creativity. Teaching creativity to others is hard (if not impossible) but giving advice on the creative process is far easier. Follow your heart, listen to your mind, trial and error, failure is a good thing, enjoy the task, perfection is found in the process not the outcome, and finally, enjoy your results.
This is where I feel we as a society have fallen short. We no longer ache to be human. We want (if not need) results with no concern or interest in the how, what and where of the process. Is that being human?
Much of being human is already being done for us. No need to think, Google does that for us. Why be curious? Have a question? Type it in the box and we accept the answer. Why exercise? The need to exercise has been handed over to big pharma. Why work the body when a pill can do it all for you? What need is left for the body? When is the last time that you felt soil, walked on the earth barefoot in the grass? If we can sit and stare at a screen it seems our bodies are doing all that’s left in it’s job...the bare minimum of living. Is our spirit dead? Not faith or belief, but the spirit that guides us internally throughout our life. We are people of congregation, we listen, sit and repeat, but we have no practice.
Ok, I know this is moving in a morose direction, I have not given up on humanity. What I am questioning is: what is left for us humans to do?
My answer is to create...anything. That is our purpose: to create. Why? God gave us empty space and everything is provided for us to fill it up. I love the story of creation vs evolution. My favorite part is that we, humanity, were placed here last. After all the fruit was placed on the trees and the vegetables have grown out the ground, after the clean water ran down hill from the mountain tops, Earth-Gaia-God gave us life. Creativity is the greatest gift to humanity. I suggest that we can only do three things in the images of God: love, forgive and create.
Before my dog passed she taught me this by the way she lived her life. A dog’s life of purpose is to love, have effort to explore and enjoy the happiness of a belly rub.
1993 - 2011 Kiani.Magnificent and loving friend
4.19.2011
4.18.2011
On Light
I love light. Light is a mystery that needs to be experienced.
Often I think I should of become a painter instead of a photographer. I go to the painter for inspiration more often than not. Even when I speak about light in photography I use words that are more akin to the brush than the camera. I sprinkle, dust, blend my photographs with light. Talk of key, fill, and back light simply feel too antiseptic for my taste.
My philosophy for creating photos is: Photograph the light first, compose the subject second. Consult nature first, for the light is never the same twice. I love that last line, carve it on my tombstone.
The grandeur and splendor of natural light is God to me. Always there if only you take the time to notice. Light is omnipresent even in the darkness, mystical bugger.
Next year I will be taking a trip to Utah to photograph the nighttime sky. I want to see the stars move from left to right. This is something you can't do in Pittsburgh due to light pollution of the city and the general low gray skies.
Photo tip: Just learned this (thank you Google for making me smarter), a digital camera can only handle an exposure of 20 to 30 minutes before your sensor overheats. To create longer exposures you have to shoot film. I researched renting a medium format camera for my trip, maybe an 8 x10 camera? It will be a lesson in self-discipline having to wait to see if my exposures come out correctly.
Often I think I should of become a painter instead of a photographer. I go to the painter for inspiration more often than not. Even when I speak about light in photography I use words that are more akin to the brush than the camera. I sprinkle, dust, blend my photographs with light. Talk of key, fill, and back light simply feel too antiseptic for my taste.
My philosophy for creating photos is: Photograph the light first, compose the subject second. Consult nature first, for the light is never the same twice. I love that last line, carve it on my tombstone.
The grandeur and splendor of natural light is God to me. Always there if only you take the time to notice. Light is omnipresent even in the darkness, mystical bugger.
Next year I will be taking a trip to Utah to photograph the nighttime sky. I want to see the stars move from left to right. This is something you can't do in Pittsburgh due to light pollution of the city and the general low gray skies.
Photo tip: Just learned this (thank you Google for making me smarter), a digital camera can only handle an exposure of 20 to 30 minutes before your sensor overheats. To create longer exposures you have to shoot film. I researched renting a medium format camera for my trip, maybe an 8 x10 camera? It will be a lesson in self-discipline having to wait to see if my exposures come out correctly.
4.15.2011
4.13.2011
4.12.2011
4.11.2011
Monk
It is Sunday afternoon as I write this. It is the first truly warm day of the year: birds are chirping, bees are a buzzing and neighbors work in their yards. I sit on my back porch listening to Bach as I finish reading the biography of Saint Frances.
There were two parts of his life that amazed me. The first one being the early stage of his calling to God. Frances needed to leave the city and go to a land that was untouched by man to pray. The year was 1202. How often in today's world do we need to get away from it all? Even in Saint Frances' time he suffered from the noise of the city.
On September 14, 1224 Saint Frances prayed to God to experience the suffering of Christ’s Passion and to feel the very love that caused Christ to undergo such a sacrifice for mankind. Brother Leo, who was with Frances, at the time wrote these words:
”Suddenly he saw a vision of a seraph, a six-winged angel on a cross. This angel gave him the gift of the five wounds of Christ.”
This is the only case of a recorded stigmata ever. In faith much of what we learn is based on a mythic belief structure. We believe it because we want to believe it. That's OK as long as we do not push these beliefs on others. Did a flood happen? I don’t know, but I get the lesson.
I have always been attracted to the monks' way of life. Being that I am a father and husband I would make out to be a bad monk. Also getting up at dawn does not cut it for me either, nonetheless I am continually inspired by the ascetic life.
Years ago I read “A Monk in the World: Cultivating a Spiritual Life” by Brother Wayne Teasdale, great book for all faiths. His writing has stayed with me.
If I was to ever to walk off to the monastery I would need to find an order that has a Christian-Buddhist blend. Let me not conform to the conformist's life but let me experience the divine on my own terms. See I would be a bad Monk.
Next book on deck: Confessions of a Buddhist Atheist by Stephen Batchelor.
There were two parts of his life that amazed me. The first one being the early stage of his calling to God. Frances needed to leave the city and go to a land that was untouched by man to pray. The year was 1202. How often in today's world do we need to get away from it all? Even in Saint Frances' time he suffered from the noise of the city.
On September 14, 1224 Saint Frances prayed to God to experience the suffering of Christ’s Passion and to feel the very love that caused Christ to undergo such a sacrifice for mankind. Brother Leo, who was with Frances, at the time wrote these words:
”Suddenly he saw a vision of a seraph, a six-winged angel on a cross. This angel gave him the gift of the five wounds of Christ.”
This is the only case of a recorded stigmata ever. In faith much of what we learn is based on a mythic belief structure. We believe it because we want to believe it. That's OK as long as we do not push these beliefs on others. Did a flood happen? I don’t know, but I get the lesson.
I have always been attracted to the monks' way of life. Being that I am a father and husband I would make out to be a bad monk. Also getting up at dawn does not cut it for me either, nonetheless I am continually inspired by the ascetic life.
Years ago I read “A Monk in the World: Cultivating a Spiritual Life” by Brother Wayne Teasdale, great book for all faiths. His writing has stayed with me.
If I was to ever to walk off to the monastery I would need to find an order that has a Christian-Buddhist blend. Let me not conform to the conformist's life but let me experience the divine on my own terms. See I would be a bad Monk.
Next book on deck: Confessions of a Buddhist Atheist by Stephen Batchelor.
4.07.2011
Sorry to the Creatives
Is the internet disappointing to you? It is to me. I used to be able to get lost in blogs, websites, social media and general reading and researching stuff. Now it's evolving into more and more of a corporate-big-box-web-store than the worldwide web. The web does not seem so wide or worldly anymore. What's left is a web of corporate conglomerates pushing out the independent person.
You, as a reader of this blog, may be thinking the same thing of me...am I boring? Nah, you have too good of taste to waste your time on a blog that's not up to snuff. (love you, hugs).
I have just come off my longest digital hiatus since I became addicted to the web in the late 1990’s. Over these last months my time on the computer has been limited to answering a few e-mails and scanning my favorite sites. What I have realized is the web is boring...sorry to the creatives out there working to build a new way of sharing and e-commerce. But we as the creatives (uploaders) of the internet are losing.
My complaints are not new. When information and technology level off, when it's no longer a new thing it becomes boring. There is only so much time we can spend with the screen in front of our face. I used to argue that we are all fighting for screen time. Fighting to get you, the reader, to spend your time reading, well...me or your favorite artist.
Today I change my argument to:
Do not give up on being human. Our only purpose is to create something new, daily.
Going for a walk, thanks for reading.
You, as a reader of this blog, may be thinking the same thing of me...am I boring? Nah, you have too good of taste to waste your time on a blog that's not up to snuff. (love you, hugs).
I have just come off my longest digital hiatus since I became addicted to the web in the late 1990’s. Over these last months my time on the computer has been limited to answering a few e-mails and scanning my favorite sites. What I have realized is the web is boring...sorry to the creatives out there working to build a new way of sharing and e-commerce. But we as the creatives (uploaders) of the internet are losing.
My complaints are not new. When information and technology level off, when it's no longer a new thing it becomes boring. There is only so much time we can spend with the screen in front of our face. I used to argue that we are all fighting for screen time. Fighting to get you, the reader, to spend your time reading, well...me or your favorite artist.
Today I change my argument to:
Do not give up on being human. Our only purpose is to create something new, daily.
Going for a walk, thanks for reading.
4.06.2011
4.05.2011
10 Commandments of Creativity
Forgive me Moses....This is my top 10 list for unleashing creativity. These 10 commandments will be my speaking points for my talk on "Faith & Creativity” later this summer. Also during part two of my workshop, which focuses on composition, I will be discussing these points at the end of the class to sum up the whole of creating a photograph.
1. Do not give up on being human.
2. Do not let the machine think for you.
3. Do not concern yourself with results, concern yourself with the process.
4. It’s ok to fail...fail often, fail forward, enjoy the failure.
5. Living your purpose is living your calling.
6. Do as little harm as possible. Be aware of the harm that you do.
7. True-Metaphor; arts only purpose is to serve.
8. Create something new daily, anything...
9. Share it!
There is no #10...it's up to you. Go.
Over the next couple of weeks I will be writing blog posts on each commandment to fill in the details. Stay with me on the journey...it should be interesting.
1. Do not give up on being human.
2. Do not let the machine think for you.
3. Do not concern yourself with results, concern yourself with the process.
4. It’s ok to fail...fail often, fail forward, enjoy the failure.
5. Living your purpose is living your calling.
6. Do as little harm as possible. Be aware of the harm that you do.
7. True-Metaphor; arts only purpose is to serve.
8. Create something new daily, anything...
9. Share it!
There is no #10...it's up to you. Go.
Over the next couple of weeks I will be writing blog posts on each commandment to fill in the details. Stay with me on the journey...it should be interesting.
4.04.2011
Moment
Current Reading: Biography of Saint Francis
Current Music: Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit
Mood: Not to shabby
Smells: Waffles
Sounds: Wind, water and knocking at the door
Temperature: 61 degrees
Thoughts: A functioning addict of wellness: All time favorite phrase...
p.s. All canceled workshops have been reschedule, check out the workshop page for new dates.
Current Music: Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit
Mood: Not to shabby
Smells: Waffles
Sounds: Wind, water and knocking at the door
Temperature: 61 degrees
Thoughts: A functioning addict of wellness: All time favorite phrase...
p.s. All canceled workshops have been reschedule, check out the workshop page for new dates.
3.31.2011
3.30.2011
Updates & Stuff
~ I will be attending TEDxCMU this Sunday ! Watch it live on April 3 at http://bit.ly/c9IXPS #tedxcmu. If you want to meet up for lunch please e-mail me.
~ A new workshop in May will be held at WYEP Community Broadcast Center. Register info coming soon.
~ In July I will giving a talk at Upper St Clair Health fair on “Faith & Creativity.
~ Be sure to check out my “Workshop” page for class that had to be reschedule.
~ Jimmy Fallon is funny!
~ A new workshop in May will be held at WYEP Community Broadcast Center. Register info coming soon.
~ In July I will giving a talk at Upper St Clair Health fair on “Faith & Creativity.
~ Be sure to check out my “Workshop” page for class that had to be reschedule.
~ Jimmy Fallon is funny!
3.29.2011
3.27.2011
Lessons from Suffering
My life was forever changed at the time of the birth of my daughter. I became a Father and I became a man who would keep a secret.
The reason I started this blog was for my daughter, who was born 5 yrs ago. I wanted to leave her a body of archival (searchable) work that she could look back upon if she wished. I wanted this body of work to represent to her who her Father is and to understand the “how” and the “why” of me.
I was diagnosed with a disease and handed a newborn baby within days of each other.
Confession: I am a healthy person who suffers with long bouts of illness. In between periods of health where I am clear minded, clean bodied and full of energy, I suffer for months, in truth a season, of illness. Seasons that start off at Thanksgiving and does not end until Easter. This is not about holiday depression, it just happens to be the season of my illness. I have an autoimmune disease. It starts off with fatigue, then a cold, then flu, next an infection leading to long periods of being in bed resigned to repeat this process over and over.
This blog is a love letter to my daughter that I titled “Working Portfolio”. In keeping this journal I have kept my illness a secret. I did not want to share with her that Dad is not Superman. I wanted to share with her the significance of showing up daily to life. A life I lead with purpose, effort, love and humor.
This illness is suffering (at times) in which it affects my entire household, not just me. It affects my extended family. It affects my community of friends. It affects the entire whole of my being.
I want to share some of the things that I have learned living with an autoimmune disease. Future writings will most likely not be about life with an illness. But at this time I wanted to be truthful to who I am and to my daughter and I wanted to write down my life lessons learned.
Lessons I learned from suffering:
Suffering is just that, suffering, nothing more.
Suffering is mindfulness; it gives you the ability to experience a singular moment.
Suffering is a journey through your interiors, it show you the tiniest details of yourself.
Suffering is perspective, it gives you the vision of foresight to see the next fifty years of your life.
Suffering is a balancing act of every moment of wakefulness.
Suffering is not art, it is not fuel for creativity, it is not divine, and it is pain.
Suffering is awareness
Suffering awakens you to your place in this world…and that is good information to know.
I am not a preacher, just a photographer who suffers at times with bouts of illness. For the bulk of this illness I am a functioning addict of wellness. I get up, shower, drink coffee, do yoga, sit on a meditation mat and go about life creating lots of photos.
Not allowing the shadow of this illness be any more than that; a second shadow that I carry with me. At times the darkness of that second shadow overcomes me, becoming strong and overtaking me. Then I suffer.
Then I get up, again, as I promise to you that I will always do.
The reason I started this blog was for my daughter, who was born 5 yrs ago. I wanted to leave her a body of archival (searchable) work that she could look back upon if she wished. I wanted this body of work to represent to her who her Father is and to understand the “how” and the “why” of me.
I was diagnosed with a disease and handed a newborn baby within days of each other.
Confession: I am a healthy person who suffers with long bouts of illness. In between periods of health where I am clear minded, clean bodied and full of energy, I suffer for months, in truth a season, of illness. Seasons that start off at Thanksgiving and does not end until Easter. This is not about holiday depression, it just happens to be the season of my illness. I have an autoimmune disease. It starts off with fatigue, then a cold, then flu, next an infection leading to long periods of being in bed resigned to repeat this process over and over.
This blog is a love letter to my daughter that I titled “Working Portfolio”. In keeping this journal I have kept my illness a secret. I did not want to share with her that Dad is not Superman. I wanted to share with her the significance of showing up daily to life. A life I lead with purpose, effort, love and humor.
This illness is suffering (at times) in which it affects my entire household, not just me. It affects my extended family. It affects my community of friends. It affects the entire whole of my being.
I want to share some of the things that I have learned living with an autoimmune disease. Future writings will most likely not be about life with an illness. But at this time I wanted to be truthful to who I am and to my daughter and I wanted to write down my life lessons learned.
Lessons I learned from suffering:
Suffering is just that, suffering, nothing more.
Suffering is mindfulness; it gives you the ability to experience a singular moment.
Suffering is a journey through your interiors, it show you the tiniest details of yourself.
Suffering is perspective, it gives you the vision of foresight to see the next fifty years of your life.
Suffering is a balancing act of every moment of wakefulness.
Suffering is not art, it is not fuel for creativity, it is not divine, and it is pain.
Suffering is awareness
Suffering awakens you to your place in this world…and that is good information to know.
I am not a preacher, just a photographer who suffers at times with bouts of illness. For the bulk of this illness I am a functioning addict of wellness. I get up, shower, drink coffee, do yoga, sit on a meditation mat and go about life creating lots of photos.
Not allowing the shadow of this illness be any more than that; a second shadow that I carry with me. At times the darkness of that second shadow overcomes me, becoming strong and overtaking me. Then I suffer.
Then I get up, again, as I promise to you that I will always do.
3.25.2011
3.23.2011
Be Not Afraid
It’s been awhile since I last wrote something on this blog. I should have something profound to say at this point, but I do not. Been fighting a handful of infections, toss in a virus or two and I become a very boring dinner companion.
Time off was going to be a time of long walks (I did get of few in), studying yoga with a teacher and writing about “Faith & Creativity” while sitting in random coffeehouses around Pittsburgh.
The good news is that I was asked to speak at a Health Fair this July on the topic of “ Faith & Creativity”. How ironic that the offer came at my most un-healthiest? Must be a message in there somewhere. Did I use ironic correctly? While on grammar I use the words “ have been” too much in my writing. I need a better phrase of words. If you have suggestions e-mail me.
The one thing that I do wish to leave you with is the quote: “Be not afraid”. Pope John Paul II wrote a book on this topic: “Crossing the Threshold of Hope” where throughout the book his one running theme is “Be not afraid”. It was one of the those books that spoke to me. It gave me ideas and dreams that I still carry. The book is written in a universal-Catholic (as meant by the Greek phrase to mean “whole”), simply meaning if you are not Catholic this book is still for you.
The reason I bring this book up is because fear is too often a main theme in conversations with people. My workshops are coming to a close this month but they will restart in the Fall. I have had the opportunity to speak to well over 1,000 people on the topic of creating a photograph. The one constant word is “fear”... fear of not being good enough.
My advice to all has been fail, fail often, enjoy the failure, and fail forward. Failure is the creative process.
Be not afraid. Life has purpose.
Maybe I did have something profound to say? You decide.
Time off was going to be a time of long walks (I did get of few in), studying yoga with a teacher and writing about “Faith & Creativity” while sitting in random coffeehouses around Pittsburgh.
The good news is that I was asked to speak at a Health Fair this July on the topic of “ Faith & Creativity”. How ironic that the offer came at my most un-healthiest? Must be a message in there somewhere. Did I use ironic correctly? While on grammar I use the words “ have been” too much in my writing. I need a better phrase of words. If you have suggestions e-mail me.
The one thing that I do wish to leave you with is the quote: “Be not afraid”. Pope John Paul II wrote a book on this topic: “Crossing the Threshold of Hope” where throughout the book his one running theme is “Be not afraid”. It was one of the those books that spoke to me. It gave me ideas and dreams that I still carry. The book is written in a universal-Catholic (as meant by the Greek phrase to mean “whole”), simply meaning if you are not Catholic this book is still for you.
The reason I bring this book up is because fear is too often a main theme in conversations with people. My workshops are coming to a close this month but they will restart in the Fall. I have had the opportunity to speak to well over 1,000 people on the topic of creating a photograph. The one constant word is “fear”... fear of not being good enough.
My advice to all has been fail, fail often, enjoy the failure, and fail forward. Failure is the creative process.
Be not afraid. Life has purpose.
Maybe I did have something profound to say? You decide.
3.22.2011
Annie O'Neill: Work in Progress Photography Exhibition
Very excited to pass on a recommendation. Our good friend, Annie O'Neill, will be having a photography exhibition at the Filmmakers Galleries in Oakland. The showing will runs from March 21 thru April 17, but an opening reception will be held on Friday, March 26 from 6 - 8 pm. Very interesting, very talented work. Definitely worth the night out.
See you there.
3.21.2011
Indian Weddings by Craig Photography Website Launch
Elizabeth & I would like to announce our official launch of our Indian Weddings by Craig Photography website. We'll be focusing more of our attention on this niche of wedding photography as both of us enjoy the pace...which is FAST.
So if you get the chance be sure and drop by and take a peek.
3.16.2011
3.13.2011
Moment ~ Expanded Edition
Current Reading: Rework by 37 Signals (2nd time), Poke the Box by Seth Godin, 12th Insight by James Redfield, The Next Decade by George Friedman, World Wide Mind by Michael Chorost
Current Music: Unforgettable by Joe Pass, “Friday Night in San Francisco” by McLaughlin, Di Meola, De Lucia, “Passion, Grace & Fire” by Al Di Meola, De Lucia, McLaughlin.
Current Watching: U2 360 at the Rose Bowl (DVD)
Mood: Awaken to the light
Smells: Grapes
Sounds: Little girl talking & the sounds of water.
Temperature: 34 degrees
Thoughts: Digital hiatus is over: Japan disaster is the first thing I read about in the media. Going back to bed or should I go to church?
Current Music: Unforgettable by Joe Pass, “Friday Night in San Francisco” by McLaughlin, Di Meola, De Lucia, “Passion, Grace & Fire” by Al Di Meola, De Lucia, McLaughlin.
Current Watching: U2 360 at the Rose Bowl (DVD)
Mood: Awaken to the light
Smells: Grapes
Sounds: Little girl talking & the sounds of water.
Temperature: 34 degrees
Thoughts: Digital hiatus is over: Japan disaster is the first thing I read about in the media. Going back to bed or should I go to church?
3.10.2011
Life ~ Again
My self-imposed digital hiatus is slowly coming to an end. What did I do? I thought about my future, my health and my general place in this world. I traveled, read books, took a few photos and sampled moonshine. I took long walks, wished the weather was better so I could have taken a few more. I said my prayers, ate my vegetables and wrote in my journal. Life is slow, good and with purpose.
I will return to regular digital life soon, in a few days or so.
I will return to regular digital life soon, in a few days or so.
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