Had a conversation about conspiracy theories last night.
The conversation started off by noticing a ring on his right hand. The ring had the face of an alien imprinted on it or what we accept as what an alien face would look like. Big eye’s, small chin, slit for a mouth and a swelled cranium. This is what we culturally or commercially believe what an alien looks like. Not sure who patented this alien face but whoever they are they made a killing off the idea.
I’m interested in listening to it all. It’s truly one of my favorite thing to do; to sit back and listen to grand ideas. If there is truth in the subject, I don’t care. Passion for belief is what interests me. If your passionate I will listen. Religious folks can come knock on my front door and I will listen. Tell me why I am going to Hell, tell me why I should pick your personal savior, tell me why I should donate to your cause, tell me why I should vote for your candidate...I am interested.
Give me a conspiracy theory and I will listen.
My belief in conspiracy theories is that there really are not any conspiracies at all. We all know too much about conspiracy theories for them to be theories at all by this point. When books, movies and websites merge into current myth and folklore we get the byproduct of conspiracy.
I would argue, if we know about it, then that is enough proof for it not to be a conspiracy. If the truth is out there then it as been set free a long time ago.
The conversation went on to discuss why our government and religious organizations know the truth but keep the truth to suppress and keep control over the masses: us.
If aliens do not believe in God that would crush the purpose of the church and worse than that if aliens do not believe in taxes that would crush the economy.
The conversation was interesting, I enjoyed listening.
Truth is discovered in perspective, I like that.
(insert spooky music here)
6.19.2011
6.18.2011
Moment
Current Reading:
Born To Run By Christopher McDougall (2nd time)
Moment It Clicks by Joe McNally
Ultra marathon Man, By Dean Karnazes
Current Music:
Collapse Into Now by R.E.M.
Mood: Awesomeness
Smells: Eggs & Toast
Sounds: Little girls singing, wife cracking eggs
Temperature: High of 83 degrees
Thoughts: OK, this is not writing a page a day, but I am journaling, just not sharing.
Born To Run By Christopher McDougall (2nd time)
Moment It Clicks by Joe McNally
Ultra marathon Man, By Dean Karnazes
Current Music:
Collapse Into Now by R.E.M.
Mood: Awesomeness
Smells: Eggs & Toast
Sounds: Little girls singing, wife cracking eggs
Temperature: High of 83 degrees
Thoughts: OK, this is not writing a page a day, but I am journaling, just not sharing.
6.17.2011
Fast Company, Notice Me
I always wanted to have a photo published in Fast Company magazine. What I really want is Fast Company to do a featured article on me titled “The Future of Creativity” but I don’t see that happening any time soon. If I was a new-agie-type person I could visualize my future success by placing my intentions out into the universe, sit back and wait for the accolades.
Maybe I should do more commercial shoots. Every year we do a small handful of c-shoots. I have shot a college, purse company, fire truck (not as cool as the way Joe McNally does) and now a CEO of an airport deicing truck company.
He looks like the type of person that Fast Company would do an article on. Some guys just have that look; I’m powerful, I own the room, yeah I’m rich. They used talk like “we'll work the deal out on the golf course, then oysters at the bar.”
It was a great shot, lots of fun and the CEO was fun to work with.
After the shoot I went for a long walk, little too long of a walk (tired today). As I approached the entrance to the woods I saw my dog (who passed away earlier this year) walk out of the woods towards me. Same size, same gate in her walk, same puffiness to her fur, just different owners holding her leash.
I walked up to them bent down and start petting their dog and telling them the story of my loss. The couple was very kind and the dog was adoring. After the passing of my dog I was told that she would come to visit me. That she would make her presence known. That I would hear her barking or hear the clip-clap of her toe nails or feel her next to me as I took my walks, but none of that has happened.
Yesterday, I saw a dog that could have come out of the same litter. I missed her as I walked through the woods. She was my greatest teacher (sorry Dr. Mistro).
If Fast Company was to do an article on me maybe it could be called “The Future of Creativity as Taught by a Dog”
6.16.2011
500% and a Funny Thing
Sixteen days ago I gave myself a goal to write every day for 30 days for the sole purpose of writing. I placed no other expectations on myself whatsoever. Just write, whatever happens I will call it art, or at worst a bad memory.
I have been a long-time journaler and blogger but never have I put a plan into the volume of writing that I would do. I didn’t think it would be that hard. I was wrong. Also I didn’t think it would become the all-and-all of self-awareness. I was wrong.
Writing is therapy, writing is also the onset of schizophrenia.
To be honest my fear was that you the reader would become bored and stop viewing this blog. Second, the fear was that this blog is supposed to be a working portfolio about photography and I knew very little of what I was going to write would be on that topic. Lastly, well probably lastly, I promised myself that I would not look at the stats counter.
This 30 days of writing is for myself and I'd be damned if I was going to be swayed based on the number of viewership that I received. The reason that I turned comments off on this site was so that I would not be influenced to “Do The Work” that would be influenced from reading comments.
When your job is to create, you create. If you are doing what you are "told to do” either by readers, fans or clients then you are not creating, you are assembling. This is why many artists' first project are their best. They had a lifetime of living to create that batch of work. Then maybe that leads to another year or two, if they're lucky to create the next volume of work. Having the voices of the first success in your head is a maddening place to be. Being praised, noticed and patted on the back is great, having money in your pocket is even better, but duplicating previous works is not. Nothing in this universe is repetitive (accept maybe reincarnation, ask a jellyfish about that.)
Nothing is ever the same twice, be it light, art or doing the work.
Sixteen days, a page a day, fourteen pages to go. During this process a shift in what I was writing became apparent to me. I wanted the words to be purposeful to me and hopefully to you. I started asking questions. Then I started answering them, that only leads to more questions, thank God I have fourteen days to go on that one.
Writing is therapy, writing is the onset of schizophrenia - I know I said it twice but it's worth repeating. OK, disregard my "nothing is repetitive" line a couple of sentences back. A soon as I wrote that line I knew some science geek would be calling me out. (To the science geek reading this, hugs, I'm glad you are here).
Here is the problem. I looked at the stats counter. It's good, really good. Readership has gone up 500%, that is not a typo...500%...holy shit.
Funny things happen when you are trying not to look.
I have been a long-time journaler and blogger but never have I put a plan into the volume of writing that I would do. I didn’t think it would be that hard. I was wrong. Also I didn’t think it would become the all-and-all of self-awareness. I was wrong.
Writing is therapy, writing is also the onset of schizophrenia.
To be honest my fear was that you the reader would become bored and stop viewing this blog. Second, the fear was that this blog is supposed to be a working portfolio about photography and I knew very little of what I was going to write would be on that topic. Lastly, well probably lastly, I promised myself that I would not look at the stats counter.
This 30 days of writing is for myself and I'd be damned if I was going to be swayed based on the number of viewership that I received. The reason that I turned comments off on this site was so that I would not be influenced to “Do The Work” that would be influenced from reading comments.
When your job is to create, you create. If you are doing what you are "told to do” either by readers, fans or clients then you are not creating, you are assembling. This is why many artists' first project are their best. They had a lifetime of living to create that batch of work. Then maybe that leads to another year or two, if they're lucky to create the next volume of work. Having the voices of the first success in your head is a maddening place to be. Being praised, noticed and patted on the back is great, having money in your pocket is even better, but duplicating previous works is not. Nothing in this universe is repetitive (accept maybe reincarnation, ask a jellyfish about that.)
Nothing is ever the same twice, be it light, art or doing the work.
Sixteen days, a page a day, fourteen pages to go. During this process a shift in what I was writing became apparent to me. I wanted the words to be purposeful to me and hopefully to you. I started asking questions. Then I started answering them, that only leads to more questions, thank God I have fourteen days to go on that one.
Writing is therapy, writing is the onset of schizophrenia - I know I said it twice but it's worth repeating. OK, disregard my "nothing is repetitive" line a couple of sentences back. A soon as I wrote that line I knew some science geek would be calling me out. (To the science geek reading this, hugs, I'm glad you are here).
Here is the problem. I looked at the stats counter. It's good, really good. Readership has gone up 500%, that is not a typo...500%...holy shit.
Funny things happen when you are trying not to look.
6.15.2011
Commandments of Creativity (Part 4 of 10)
(See Commandment #1 #2 #3)
This is my Top 10 list for unleashing creativity. These 10 commandments will be my speaking points for my talk on “Faith & Creativity” and my new class “Unleashing Your Creativity”. (p.s. if you've been reading this blog lately you will see that this post is a re-hash of current writings. Think of it as the "greatest hits" if you will.)
Commandment 4. It’s OK to fail...fail often, fail forward, enjoy the failure.
Can failure make you fearless? Can fear give you experience?
Fear and failure go together, it's an easy picture to see. It's an easy picture to see in all of us , at times.
How about being fearless and experience? Can we see ourselves in that picture? Do they go together? Yes, but we hardly think about that, rarely do we think of being fearless and experience as a bi-product of fear and failure.
Being fearless can lead to courage. Experience goes to the old. Not true! Fearless goes to those who commit to the “practice” and “practice” gives you the experience to become fearless at your art.
What does this mean for the creative person? That perfection is found in the process. (Commandment #3)
Failure gives you the opportunity to improve on the smallest details that will create the biggest difference in your work.
Failure gives you the opportunity to solve the extreme problems first, letting the smaller issues to self-correct.
Failure gives you the opportunity to improve with relevance.
Failure gives you the opportunity to do the work that is important.
Failure gives you the understanding of the “why” of your starting points and that is often the overlooked. In turn it helps to provide the obvious solution to your creative problems.
I am a promoter of the idea that failure is a good thing. Be not afraid. My advice to all has been fail, fail often, enjoy the failure, and fail forward. Failure is #4 on my 10 Commandments of Creativity, it is that important to me. Place purpose and effort into the idea of failing forward, because all that is left is experience.
What happens before we fail? We have a grand adventure. We go off into the unknown as willful explorers looking for something new. I ask you how much of that feeling of adventure is left in us? As children we lived adventure, daily. Fearlessly trying things anew, scraping our knees, making cardboard box forts and lemonade stands. We played supers heroes, we played dress up, we walked off into the woods to be Robin Hood.
Adventure was a daily part of our lives. How much adventure is in you today?
Got Adventure! Get Fearless!
Go Create!
This is my Top 10 list for unleashing creativity. These 10 commandments will be my speaking points for my talk on “Faith & Creativity” and my new class “Unleashing Your Creativity”. (p.s. if you've been reading this blog lately you will see that this post is a re-hash of current writings. Think of it as the "greatest hits" if you will.)
Commandment 4. It’s OK to fail...fail often, fail forward, enjoy the failure.
Can failure make you fearless? Can fear give you experience?
Fear and failure go together, it's an easy picture to see. It's an easy picture to see in all of us , at times.
How about being fearless and experience? Can we see ourselves in that picture? Do they go together? Yes, but we hardly think about that, rarely do we think of being fearless and experience as a bi-product of fear and failure.
Being fearless can lead to courage. Experience goes to the old. Not true! Fearless goes to those who commit to the “practice” and “practice” gives you the experience to become fearless at your art.
What does this mean for the creative person? That perfection is found in the process. (Commandment #3)
Failure gives you the opportunity to improve on the smallest details that will create the biggest difference in your work.
Failure gives you the opportunity to solve the extreme problems first, letting the smaller issues to self-correct.
Failure gives you the opportunity to improve with relevance.
Failure gives you the opportunity to do the work that is important.
Failure gives you the understanding of the “why” of your starting points and that is often the overlooked. In turn it helps to provide the obvious solution to your creative problems.
I am a promoter of the idea that failure is a good thing. Be not afraid. My advice to all has been fail, fail often, enjoy the failure, and fail forward. Failure is #4 on my 10 Commandments of Creativity, it is that important to me. Place purpose and effort into the idea of failing forward, because all that is left is experience.
What happens before we fail? We have a grand adventure. We go off into the unknown as willful explorers looking for something new. I ask you how much of that feeling of adventure is left in us? As children we lived adventure, daily. Fearlessly trying things anew, scraping our knees, making cardboard box forts and lemonade stands. We played supers heroes, we played dress up, we walked off into the woods to be Robin Hood.
Adventure was a daily part of our lives. How much adventure is in you today?
Got Adventure! Get Fearless!
Go Create!
6.14.2011
Books, Updates & Stuff
“The pursuit of passion matters more than the passion” - Dean Karnazes
This is what I have been focused on the past few weeks of my life: the pursuit. It has been an adventure with new books, new people and new ideas that have found there way into my life. I have no idea where this journey is taking me and I'm not even sure that I am on the correct path, but what I do know is that every day I am doing the work and putting in the effort. That is the pursuit of passion.
The above quote is from the book “Ultra Marathon Man”. If you want to be motivated read it.
Let’s talk photography. Later this week we will be shooting a commercial job at the Pittsburgh airport. The last commercial job we did ended up as the main shot on a national advertising campaign. Next time you're in the grocery store pick a copy of “Veg News” and look at the back cover.
The photo above is from my ambient series. I has nothing to do with this post, I just wanted to share it with you.
Photo books are something I hardly ever read. Recently I finished book by Joe McNally, “The Moment It Clicks”. Good book, give it a read.
This is what I have been focused on the past few weeks of my life: the pursuit. It has been an adventure with new books, new people and new ideas that have found there way into my life. I have no idea where this journey is taking me and I'm not even sure that I am on the correct path, but what I do know is that every day I am doing the work and putting in the effort. That is the pursuit of passion.
The above quote is from the book “Ultra Marathon Man”. If you want to be motivated read it.
Let’s talk photography. Later this week we will be shooting a commercial job at the Pittsburgh airport. The last commercial job we did ended up as the main shot on a national advertising campaign. Next time you're in the grocery store pick a copy of “Veg News” and look at the back cover.
The photo above is from my ambient series. I has nothing to do with this post, I just wanted to share it with you.
Photo books are something I hardly ever read. Recently I finished book by Joe McNally, “The Moment It Clicks”. Good book, give it a read.
6.13.2011
Commandments of Creativity (Part 3 of 10)
(See Commandment #1 here & Commandment #2 here)
This is my Top 10 list for unleashing creativity. These 10 commandments will be my speaking points for my talk on “Faith & Creativity” and my new class “Unleashing Your Creativity”.
Commandment 3. Do not concern yourself with the results, concern yourself with the process.
Commandment number 3 is often the breaking point for why most people never start their creative lives.
All too often we want to get to the satisfaction without the need for the process itself.
Looking back I wish I would have titled Commandment 3 “Perfection is found in the process”. That is the essence of the creative life, the enjoyment and the experience is all that there is. The end results are not as important as you may think.
Life is a good example of this lesson, faith is an even better example of this lesson. No matter how much belief we have, if we do not put in the effort, do the work, the outcome is not in our control. Faith with works, works without faith, fight it out for yourself and in the end only those who have done the works and enjoy the process can look their “Creator” in the eye and say “I did my best, thanks for the opportunity”
In today's world the process has become all too easy to forget about. Why try when most things are done for us (see Commandment 1), we no longer “have” to try...anything.
Wash the dishes for the sake of washing the dishes. - Thich Nhat Hanh
The eastern philosophy concept - Mindfulness is the driving force for the creative person. How often are you in the “Here and Now” of the moment? We do things in a hurry just to get to the act of doing nothing, we rush through our food, our work and our thoughts to sit in front of the TV.
There is an enormous amount of depth and willingness to do something and to be fully awake of the process.
This is the gift of creativity. The creative person is awake in the moment of creating. For those of us who create things we do not call it “creating”, we call it practicing. We love it. If we only did our art for the sake of applause or to see a photo on a gallery wall or to hear the music on the radio, if we only did it for the after effect we would never get anything done. We would never be able to get past that nagging voice inside our head telling us that it is not good enough..
When we create, when we practice for the sake of enjoying the process of practice...this is enlightenment, if only for the hours that we are transfigured in the act. It's a powerful experience that my words cannot do justice. Trust me, it's grand.
What is our purpose if not to create, I ask you? The quest to understand our consciousness is the pursuit of perfection and that can only be found with practice.
The act of creating something, anything, is a door that can open you up to your purpose in this world.
Art's only purpose is to serve.
This is my Top 10 list for unleashing creativity. These 10 commandments will be my speaking points for my talk on “Faith & Creativity” and my new class “Unleashing Your Creativity”.
Commandment 3. Do not concern yourself with the results, concern yourself with the process.
Commandment number 3 is often the breaking point for why most people never start their creative lives.
All too often we want to get to the satisfaction without the need for the process itself.
Looking back I wish I would have titled Commandment 3 “Perfection is found in the process”. That is the essence of the creative life, the enjoyment and the experience is all that there is. The end results are not as important as you may think.
Life is a good example of this lesson, faith is an even better example of this lesson. No matter how much belief we have, if we do not put in the effort, do the work, the outcome is not in our control. Faith with works, works without faith, fight it out for yourself and in the end only those who have done the works and enjoy the process can look their “Creator” in the eye and say “I did my best, thanks for the opportunity”
In today's world the process has become all too easy to forget about. Why try when most things are done for us (see Commandment 1), we no longer “have” to try...anything.
Wash the dishes for the sake of washing the dishes. - Thich Nhat Hanh
The eastern philosophy concept - Mindfulness is the driving force for the creative person. How often are you in the “Here and Now” of the moment? We do things in a hurry just to get to the act of doing nothing, we rush through our food, our work and our thoughts to sit in front of the TV.
There is an enormous amount of depth and willingness to do something and to be fully awake of the process.
This is the gift of creativity. The creative person is awake in the moment of creating. For those of us who create things we do not call it “creating”, we call it practicing. We love it. If we only did our art for the sake of applause or to see a photo on a gallery wall or to hear the music on the radio, if we only did it for the after effect we would never get anything done. We would never be able to get past that nagging voice inside our head telling us that it is not good enough..
When we create, when we practice for the sake of enjoying the process of practice...this is enlightenment, if only for the hours that we are transfigured in the act. It's a powerful experience that my words cannot do justice. Trust me, it's grand.
What is our purpose if not to create, I ask you? The quest to understand our consciousness is the pursuit of perfection and that can only be found with practice.
The act of creating something, anything, is a door that can open you up to your purpose in this world.
Art's only purpose is to serve.
6.12.2011
Hugs, Kisses, Cookies and Wine
(A follow up to yesterday’s post)
The wine was Chianti made a year ago by a family friend, it was great. I was hoping that I would leave with a bottle of my own, but no luck...it was all gone.
The cookies were phenomenal. As I wrote yesterday, the Italian cookie table is paramount and this cookie table created a flash mob like no other. Truly, the unleashing of this cookie table would have made a great scene in a movie. The guests sat waiting for this table to be unveiled, and when the cloth that covered the table was removed all you could do was hold onto the grandma next to you for dear life. The crowd went crazy.
I went home with no wine but I have sitting in front of me, as I write this, three containers of cookies, one container solely holding cream stuffed pizzelles. Will I share them with a five year old? Probably not, we’re not that close when it comes to cookies....ok, there are two additional boxes, if her mother shares I am sure she will get a cookie or two. To0 bad we weren't able to come home with the wine, she could have had that.
This wedding day had more kissing and hugging than any other wedding I have attended in all my years. It was a full circle of celebrating love, life and family. This is what weddings must have been like in the old days before weddings became an industry. Hugs, kisses, cookies and wine, it’s a amore.
I saw friends that I have not seen in twenty years. I re-introduced myself to a lot of people, the older of them by saying, “Remember me? I was your paperboy”.
I grew up in a small town with extended family living all around me and with more friends than a kid could play with. We spent all of our time at a local ballpark playing sports all year round. Only two rules: if you hit the ball over the fence you go get it, and be home when the street lights come on. It was a youth guided by a fellowship of friends....we would all grow up and move to different parts of the world. But last night we were home.
A wedding brings you home if only for a weekend, if only for a day of holding a camera in my hands. Home, it is a bunch of different places for me now. Today it’s being in a house with my wife, daughter and 3 containers of homemade Italian cookies. Last night it was being in a room with lots of memories.
It’s always good to be home.
The wine was Chianti made a year ago by a family friend, it was great. I was hoping that I would leave with a bottle of my own, but no luck...it was all gone.
The cookies were phenomenal. As I wrote yesterday, the Italian cookie table is paramount and this cookie table created a flash mob like no other. Truly, the unleashing of this cookie table would have made a great scene in a movie. The guests sat waiting for this table to be unveiled, and when the cloth that covered the table was removed all you could do was hold onto the grandma next to you for dear life. The crowd went crazy.
I went home with no wine but I have sitting in front of me, as I write this, three containers of cookies, one container solely holding cream stuffed pizzelles. Will I share them with a five year old? Probably not, we’re not that close when it comes to cookies....ok, there are two additional boxes, if her mother shares I am sure she will get a cookie or two. To0 bad we weren't able to come home with the wine, she could have had that.
This wedding day had more kissing and hugging than any other wedding I have attended in all my years. It was a full circle of celebrating love, life and family. This is what weddings must have been like in the old days before weddings became an industry. Hugs, kisses, cookies and wine, it’s a amore.
I saw friends that I have not seen in twenty years. I re-introduced myself to a lot of people, the older of them by saying, “Remember me? I was your paperboy”.
I grew up in a small town with extended family living all around me and with more friends than a kid could play with. We spent all of our time at a local ballpark playing sports all year round. Only two rules: if you hit the ball over the fence you go get it, and be home when the street lights come on. It was a youth guided by a fellowship of friends....we would all grow up and move to different parts of the world. But last night we were home.
A wedding brings you home if only for a weekend, if only for a day of holding a camera in my hands. Home, it is a bunch of different places for me now. Today it’s being in a house with my wife, daughter and 3 containers of homemade Italian cookies. Last night it was being in a room with lots of memories.
It’s always good to be home.
6.11.2011
I'm Off To Photograph
Today I am photographing the wedding of a childhood friend who I went to preschool with.
My friend waited until the age of 42 to marry his love. It is going to be a big Italian wedding, lots of wine and lots of cookies. I never drink at weddings but I will be sure to have a sip of the homemade “Dago” red wine before leaving. Will definitely be going home with cookies. Cookies are a serious thing at Italian weddings. The last friend's wedding that I shot, the groom's Mother, who looks like Dr. Ruth, pulled me aside and firmly told me “I only want two things: a photo of my three boys and a photo of the cookie table” and “get it right Johnny, I know your Mother”. She let go of my arm I delivered on the pics.
Do you remember that movie “My Cousin Vinny”? I think the day will be a lot like that minus the courtroom drama. Ok, not at all like that movie. If “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” had an Italian sequel, it would be like that. Either way he has found his Mona Lisa and she has found her man.
I cherish what I do: documenting a day of love. It amazes me that I get paid to photograph people on their wedding day. The idea that my work will live long past the lives of the couple gives me a feeling of awe. The photos that I take today will live on for future generations. I love that. Every snap of the shutter is important to me.
I have photographed friends and family many times over the years but nothing as special as this is to me. It has to do with the time he waited for love. This will be his first marriage at the age of 42. There is glory and honor in waiting that long. There will be many jokes about getting this man to the alter and why it took him soooo long to get there, most of the jokes will come from me...sorry about that, but you asked me to shoot your big day.
At his age (and mine to0) most of the friends that we grew up with are on their second marriage or hoping that their wife doesn't kick them out. Some people celebrate anniversaries. Me? I have a special day that comes once a year called “She hasn't kick me out yet day”, the day comes sometime in March but I always get the date wrong.
I kept a photo of my preschool class all these years. Their are 14 kids in the photo. In the second row on the far left their I sit next to my friend. Both of us sitting next to each other smiling, so much life in front of us. The photos make everything feel like it happened days ago, life moves fast, too fast.
Just yesterday my daughter completed preschool and here I sit thinking about my friend that I made in preschool.
The small circle of life and time...
I am off to photograph. Hope you have a great day.
My friend waited until the age of 42 to marry his love. It is going to be a big Italian wedding, lots of wine and lots of cookies. I never drink at weddings but I will be sure to have a sip of the homemade “Dago” red wine before leaving. Will definitely be going home with cookies. Cookies are a serious thing at Italian weddings. The last friend's wedding that I shot, the groom's Mother, who looks like Dr. Ruth, pulled me aside and firmly told me “I only want two things: a photo of my three boys and a photo of the cookie table” and “get it right Johnny, I know your Mother”. She let go of my arm I delivered on the pics.
Do you remember that movie “My Cousin Vinny”? I think the day will be a lot like that minus the courtroom drama. Ok, not at all like that movie. If “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” had an Italian sequel, it would be like that. Either way he has found his Mona Lisa and she has found her man.
I cherish what I do: documenting a day of love. It amazes me that I get paid to photograph people on their wedding day. The idea that my work will live long past the lives of the couple gives me a feeling of awe. The photos that I take today will live on for future generations. I love that. Every snap of the shutter is important to me.
I have photographed friends and family many times over the years but nothing as special as this is to me. It has to do with the time he waited for love. This will be his first marriage at the age of 42. There is glory and honor in waiting that long. There will be many jokes about getting this man to the alter and why it took him soooo long to get there, most of the jokes will come from me...sorry about that, but you asked me to shoot your big day.
At his age (and mine to0) most of the friends that we grew up with are on their second marriage or hoping that their wife doesn't kick them out. Some people celebrate anniversaries. Me? I have a special day that comes once a year called “She hasn't kick me out yet day”, the day comes sometime in March but I always get the date wrong.
I kept a photo of my preschool class all these years. Their are 14 kids in the photo. In the second row on the far left their I sit next to my friend. Both of us sitting next to each other smiling, so much life in front of us. The photos make everything feel like it happened days ago, life moves fast, too fast.
Just yesterday my daughter completed preschool and here I sit thinking about my friend that I made in preschool.
The small circle of life and time...
I am off to photograph. Hope you have a great day.
6.10.2011
Odd Thing That Happen on my Back Porch
Maybe they are here to give me ideas about which to write. Could they be a source of divine ideas? The Greeks believe that “Genius” was a spirit or angel that sits next you as you do your work. Could birds my Genius...
As I sit on my back porch writing this, there is a Blue Jay, Cardinal, Robin and what I think is a tiny Sparrow all visiting me at the same time. One fat rabbit sits no more than ten feet from where I am seated, eating leaves off a bush. If you can believe it, a family of chipmunks scurry left and right across the patio floor at the same time. Those little buggers move fast. None of this wildlife seems to be bothered by my presence. I must not be a threat to those who live in the trees and dirt.
It’s a freakin' Disney movie. No idea why the animals feel comfortable in my backyard. No water, barely any food...small garden with only two tomato plants and a single pea plant, neither has sprouted a thing . A basil and oregano plant grows in small flower pots, but nothing has been nibbled on. I have thought about placing a bird feeder in the far back corner of the yard, but why spend the money if they already like to come around. I should at least offer them a drink, don’t you agree?
I think they come for two reasons: one, animals like back porches because they just make you feel good. There is something about having an outside space that is attached to your house that can only be used on days when the weather is just right. The animals do not often get to share in the sharing co-habitat-space with the two legged tall walkers. I think they enjoy watching us. It's sort of like a zoo, only it’s a people zoo that the animals watch us from. Ok, that is probably over thinking it a bit.
Two, they're here to consider if they would like to be reincarnated as a human. Now, I feel as if I am being judged by the feathers and the fur that frolic around me. Why would they choose to watch me? There are two other back porches to the left and right of mine and one has a bird bath. How interesting could I be? I sit here reading books and typing on this laptop. Surely I am not a good subject to base reincarnation on.
A Cardinal flies down and perches itself on the top of my laptop screen and whispers in my ear “you're not, we're here for the bugs” and flies away...
6.09.2011
Wedding Photography ~ Yeah I do That
I have been bombarding you with words as of late, so here are some wedding pics. He has a good reason to smile. Had a blast shooting this wedding. Hope you enjoy!
Phronesis
Phronesis: the Greek word for practical wisdom.
Common sense and knowledge are the two closest words in the English language to phronesis. I understand phronesis to mean doing what is right and what is worth doing. You may say that anything right is worth doing, but right is a subjective word.
The business of photography is lacking phronesis at times. Right and worthy can live on separate sides of the same street. The interdependence of ethics, economics and skill can make a photo career short lived for many. Do the work, marketing will take care of itself.
For a long time I would preach “collaborate rather than compete” to any who would listen. I still think there is much knowledge and common sense in that thinking, but not much practical wisdom.
At this point in my career I neither collaborate nor compete. I do have a small group of photographer friends who share the same foundations to building a good life and good career. We teach, help, critique, listen and share with one another. We refer jobs, offer guidance and resources to each other. We do not collaborate because we are all living the photo-life-career that is personal to each of us. We do not compete either. Why? Three simple principles listed below are the answer that question.
Be kind
Do good work
Commit to growth
Back in January, 2006 I wrote a blog post that would become my most read-hit-search posting. The post titled “Mission Statement” listed below are the four key points.
* Balance lifestyle of professional & personal
* Satisfying & delighting clients
* Increase earning a living & contributing to the wellbeing of others
* Community & environmental responsibility
I still hold these core values important to who I want to be. Without mastering the upper three principles I will never achieve the bottom four.
That is a life philosophy full of practical wisdom.
Common sense and knowledge are the two closest words in the English language to phronesis. I understand phronesis to mean doing what is right and what is worth doing. You may say that anything right is worth doing, but right is a subjective word.
The business of photography is lacking phronesis at times. Right and worthy can live on separate sides of the same street. The interdependence of ethics, economics and skill can make a photo career short lived for many. Do the work, marketing will take care of itself.
For a long time I would preach “collaborate rather than compete” to any who would listen. I still think there is much knowledge and common sense in that thinking, but not much practical wisdom.
At this point in my career I neither collaborate nor compete. I do have a small group of photographer friends who share the same foundations to building a good life and good career. We teach, help, critique, listen and share with one another. We refer jobs, offer guidance and resources to each other. We do not collaborate because we are all living the photo-life-career that is personal to each of us. We do not compete either. Why? Three simple principles listed below are the answer that question.
Be kind
Do good work
Commit to growth
Back in January, 2006 I wrote a blog post that would become my most read-hit-search posting. The post titled “Mission Statement” listed below are the four key points.
* Balance lifestyle of professional & personal
* Satisfying & delighting clients
* Increase earning a living & contributing to the wellbeing of others
* Community & environmental responsibility
I still hold these core values important to who I want to be. Without mastering the upper three principles I will never achieve the bottom four.
That is a life philosophy full of practical wisdom.
6.08.2011
What Could You Do With 10 Extra Seconds ?
Every morning I receive an email asking me to answer a question. After reading the question I drink two cups of coffee, drop my daughter off at school and go on a walk to think about the question. Some of the answers have been re-formulated into blog posts, some of the answers stay in my head and some get jotted down in my journal.The questions are phrased as “what if” questions. Asking to reflect and go deep inside your head. These are questions for those of us who are constantly searching to answer the existential question of “why”.
These questions asked help us to ponder, dream, re-work the “whatever” of our lives. By answering these questions I start to think about the next heartbeat, the next breath and reflecting on that. I am discovering that this may be more crucial than rehashing our past.
What if I put in 10 extra seconds of effort? What would that moment be like?
I could do two more pull ups
I could do five more push-ups
Be attentive
Write the perfect sentence
Compose the perfect photograph
Have a new idea
Savor my food
Offer a prayer
Ask for forgiveness
Offer forgiveness
I could chose mindfulness
Notice something
I could talk myself out of a negative thought
Have the discussion that I have been putting off
I can say “I love you”
What would you do with an extra 10 seconds?
6.07.2011
Got Adventure?
Look at this picture, really look at it. I love it. This photo speaks to me, it's screaming "I am off on an adventure!" How often do we get to have these feeling as adults?
I am a promoter of the idea that failure is a good thing. Be not afraid. My advice to all has been fail, fail often, enjoy the failure, and fail forward. Failure is #4 on my 10 Commandments of Creativity. It is that important to me. Place purpose, effort and understanding into the idea of failing forward, because all that is left is experience.
Ask yourself what happens before we fail.
We have a grand adventure. We go off into the unknown as willful explorers looking for something new. I ask you how much of that feeling of adventure is left in us?
As children we lived adventure, daily. Fearlessly trying things anew, scraping our knees on sidewalks, playing in cardboard box forts, lemonade stands curbside, we played superheroes trying to fly, we walked off into the woods to be Robin Hood. We did everything in search of adventure without a thought of failure.
Adventure was a daily part of our childhood. How much adventure is in your life today?
Got Adventure?
I am a promoter of the idea that failure is a good thing. Be not afraid. My advice to all has been fail, fail often, enjoy the failure, and fail forward. Failure is #4 on my 10 Commandments of Creativity. It is that important to me. Place purpose, effort and understanding into the idea of failing forward, because all that is left is experience.
Ask yourself what happens before we fail.
We have a grand adventure. We go off into the unknown as willful explorers looking for something new. I ask you how much of that feeling of adventure is left in us?
As children we lived adventure, daily. Fearlessly trying things anew, scraping our knees on sidewalks, playing in cardboard box forts, lemonade stands curbside, we played superheroes trying to fly, we walked off into the woods to be Robin Hood. We did everything in search of adventure without a thought of failure.
Adventure was a daily part of our childhood. How much adventure is in your life today?
Got Adventure?
6.06.2011
Heart & Strength
This is a conversation in my head that I haven’t quite figured out yet.
As of late I have been asking myself “what is my purpose for this period of my life?”
I’ve known what it is now for awhile, I have been to afraid to say it out loud, terrified to quietly say it to myself.
Couple of months back I wrote about suffering, living with suffering and what it has meant to me. Suffering is my greatest teacher. It is a gift on how to lead a purposeful life, if you accept the lessons it gives. Not a gift that I would ever ask for or wish to give to another, but a gift.
We all have diseases, dysfunction and disabilities of sorts. These are all conditions of being human. In truth I feel like a jerk for even offering the words you are about to read below. Who am I?
I never wanted to talk about my illness. Still don’t. I do not want to be a person whose life is defined by the diagnosis of a disease. I want to talk about the lesson learned from living. These are not lessons on medical advice or tips or tricks to wellness, nor are these suggestions on how to handle side effects from medicine. These are lessons about putting in the effort.
Five years into to this journey I am stronger, smarter and more creative due to the struggles and lessons of living with my disease. I still do not speak about the illness; I am only interested in talking about what I learned. People ask me for answers all the time but I only offer them a starting place to practice. This happens in photography as much as it does in health. To see the look of disappointment in their faces every time when I offer no answer and only a practice. Life is a singular journey that is never the same twice, not even for the reincarnated. No answers given only new paths to explore...it is in art as it is in health.
Why I feel the need to share this with others I am not sure. Am I qualified to share? Doubtful. Do I have secrets to life with disease? Again doubtful. Selfishly, I believe if I can help others, in turn I can help myself. Here is a problem no one is even asking me for help. Here I sit on my soap box looking to preach inside an empty church.
How can I make this happen, can I help myself by helping others? Where do I start? What is this need, this calling inside of me to motivate others to lead a healthy, creative life? If you have answers e-mail me.
My purpose is:
To help others lead a life filled with the “heart of a servant” and the “strength of a fighter”, and that takes practices.
Art is pain. Art’s only purpose is to serve. You must have the strength of a fighter to keep getting back up and the faith of an angel to serve.
As of late I have been asking myself “what is my purpose for this period of my life?”
I’ve known what it is now for awhile, I have been to afraid to say it out loud, terrified to quietly say it to myself.
Couple of months back I wrote about suffering, living with suffering and what it has meant to me. Suffering is my greatest teacher. It is a gift on how to lead a purposeful life, if you accept the lessons it gives. Not a gift that I would ever ask for or wish to give to another, but a gift.
We all have diseases, dysfunction and disabilities of sorts. These are all conditions of being human. In truth I feel like a jerk for even offering the words you are about to read below. Who am I?
I never wanted to talk about my illness. Still don’t. I do not want to be a person whose life is defined by the diagnosis of a disease. I want to talk about the lesson learned from living. These are not lessons on medical advice or tips or tricks to wellness, nor are these suggestions on how to handle side effects from medicine. These are lessons about putting in the effort.
Five years into to this journey I am stronger, smarter and more creative due to the struggles and lessons of living with my disease. I still do not speak about the illness; I am only interested in talking about what I learned. People ask me for answers all the time but I only offer them a starting place to practice. This happens in photography as much as it does in health. To see the look of disappointment in their faces every time when I offer no answer and only a practice. Life is a singular journey that is never the same twice, not even for the reincarnated. No answers given only new paths to explore...it is in art as it is in health.
Why I feel the need to share this with others I am not sure. Am I qualified to share? Doubtful. Do I have secrets to life with disease? Again doubtful. Selfishly, I believe if I can help others, in turn I can help myself. Here is a problem no one is even asking me for help. Here I sit on my soap box looking to preach inside an empty church.
How can I make this happen, can I help myself by helping others? Where do I start? What is this need, this calling inside of me to motivate others to lead a healthy, creative life? If you have answers e-mail me.
My purpose is:
To help others lead a life filled with the “heart of a servant” and the “strength of a fighter”, and that takes practices.
Art is pain. Art’s only purpose is to serve. You must have the strength of a fighter to keep getting back up and the faith of an angel to serve.
6.05.2011
Moment & Photo of the Week
Moment & Photo of the Week all in single post, this must mean something...
Current Reading:
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Hot Shoe Diaries by Joe McNally
Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Heart and The Fist by Eric Greitens
Current Music:
Volcano by Edie Brickell
Under the Milky Way by The Church
Mood: Thankful & strong
Smells: Sun Twig Tea, eggs & tofu
Sounds: Birds chirping, lots and lots of chirping birds
Temperature: 84 degrees
Thoughts:
Ok, so today's “moments” is longer than my normal post. This is a list of my last 30 days of reading, listening and observing. I often wonder what you, the reader, thinks of this list that I have been keeping.
Is it narcissistic of me to publicly let you know what I am reading and listening to?
P.S.
This my first Sunday post ever in my five plus years of keeping this blog. I am in the process of changing myself to write every day for a 30 day stretch. I am on day 7. Will I go the distance? Hopefully. The bulk of what I write will make this blog, some will be left in the journals.
Current Reading:Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Hot Shoe Diaries by Joe McNally
Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Heart and The Fist by Eric Greitens
Current Music:
Volcano by Edie Brickell
Under the Milky Way by The Church
Mood: Thankful & strong
Smells: Sun Twig Tea, eggs & tofu
Sounds: Birds chirping, lots and lots of chirping birds
Temperature: 84 degrees
Thoughts:
Ok, so today's “moments” is longer than my normal post. This is a list of my last 30 days of reading, listening and observing. I often wonder what you, the reader, thinks of this list that I have been keeping.
Is it narcissistic of me to publicly let you know what I am reading and listening to?
P.S.
This my first Sunday post ever in my five plus years of keeping this blog. I am in the process of changing myself to write every day for a 30 day stretch. I am on day 7. Will I go the distance? Hopefully. The bulk of what I write will make this blog, some will be left in the journals.
6.04.2011
Commandments of Creativity (Part 2 of 10)
(See Commandment #1 here)
This is my top 10 list for unleashing creativity. These 10 commandments will be my speaking points for my talk on “Faith & Creativity” in my new class “Unleashing Your Creativity”.
Commandment 2. Do not let the machine think for you.
I love all things digital. I am not anti-tech. I understand that my ability (or anybody’s ability) to create is not based on the machine that you use.
Three percent, that’s it...3% is all the technology that you need to “Do The Work” that you wish to do.
People create and machines warehouse our work. Remember that.
If you say to yourself that you would be better if you only had this or that piece of gear to do the work it is at that moment, at that thought, that you should stop and ask yourself why. Photography is light, music is vibration, writing is thought, sculpting is clay....creative tools are given to us at the most basic, simplest elements of life. God is the creator, Earth provides the tools and evolution guides us on our path.
97% of art comes from the heart, mind and soul, 3% comes from the machines. This may sound like an easy idea to argue about with me. Trust me, many have.
In photography having a bag full of gear is great. I have a bag full of gear, a big bag. Needing that bag-of-stuff to act as a crutch to create the work is not great, not at all.
Photography is the easiest medium to master, but the hardest in which to be noticed. New gear, new software, new stuff does not get you noticed. Again I would argue that only 3% of the photographs that we see are noticeable. No amount of equipment, technology, or Google research can make you a photographer. The only way to become a good photographer is by daily practice with purpose and effort, that and only that will help you to develop into a photographer.
A photograph is everything that happens before the snap of the shutter. I do mean everything; every book that you read, every movie that you watch, every walk that you have taken, every conversation that you have had.
It does not matter how smart our machines-computers-cameras have become. Photography is about the person holding the camera, not the machine. People create, machines warehouse our work.
The camera is not important...but you are.
This is my top 10 list for unleashing creativity. These 10 commandments will be my speaking points for my talk on “Faith & Creativity” in my new class “Unleashing Your Creativity”.
Commandment 2. Do not let the machine think for you.
I love all things digital. I am not anti-tech. I understand that my ability (or anybody’s ability) to create is not based on the machine that you use.
Three percent, that’s it...3% is all the technology that you need to “Do The Work” that you wish to do.
People create and machines warehouse our work. Remember that.
If you say to yourself that you would be better if you only had this or that piece of gear to do the work it is at that moment, at that thought, that you should stop and ask yourself why. Photography is light, music is vibration, writing is thought, sculpting is clay....creative tools are given to us at the most basic, simplest elements of life. God is the creator, Earth provides the tools and evolution guides us on our path.
97% of art comes from the heart, mind and soul, 3% comes from the machines. This may sound like an easy idea to argue about with me. Trust me, many have.
In photography having a bag full of gear is great. I have a bag full of gear, a big bag. Needing that bag-of-stuff to act as a crutch to create the work is not great, not at all.
Photography is the easiest medium to master, but the hardest in which to be noticed. New gear, new software, new stuff does not get you noticed. Again I would argue that only 3% of the photographs that we see are noticeable. No amount of equipment, technology, or Google research can make you a photographer. The only way to become a good photographer is by daily practice with purpose and effort, that and only that will help you to develop into a photographer.
A photograph is everything that happens before the snap of the shutter. I do mean everything; every book that you read, every movie that you watch, every walk that you have taken, every conversation that you have had.
It does not matter how smart our machines-computers-cameras have become. Photography is about the person holding the camera, not the machine. People create, machines warehouse our work.
The camera is not important...but you are.
6.03.2011
Do The Work - Purpose & Passion
I have been having an existential struggle as of late on discovering how I can do the work that I am passionate about while ensuring that work has purpose for me.
Setting out to find the answers for my problem got me to look over my past work. This is what is good about keeping journals and blogging, it much easier to research your thoughts if you have archived them somewhere. I had to go no further than yesterday’s post to find a thought that would inspire me. “Why does the space of a church feel holy when it is empty?” That was it. What space do I feel the presence of purpose? The library.
Libraries are filled up with the collective works of people’s passions that leads them to their purpose; their higher calling, if you will. When I sit in a library I am surrounded not only by the artifacts of the collective wisdom of our history, but also by people working, studying, learning, and sharing information all in the pursuit of a higher level of intelligence. This collective group hold the threads to “do the work”.
This past year I have spent many nights teaching photography workshops in ibraries. I have come to think of myself as the troubadour-of-photography, spreading my creative dharma lessons to anyone who chooses to listen.
As I walk through the libraries and see what they mean to community, I can see the best in us. Libraries not only warehouse our books and media, but they give us a place to go. That place, that building, is needed. Seth Godin wrote a wonderful article on “The Future of the Library” and you can read it (HERE). Godin wrote “The Library is no longer a warehouse for dead books.” He may be right about that. Even with the paper book dying and the rise of the ebook the library is needed.
When you walk into a library you hold a commitment to learn, grow and discover. Best of all the library gives it all away for free; knowledge for the taking. We are living in an age named the “information economy and/or shared economy” and this is exactly what library has forever been doing, just that. It warehouses our future, the now, and the now of what we are becoming.
As I move forward in discovering the work I am passionate about I will do this work surround by the collective wisdom of yesterday in a space with other people doing their work with passion and purpose today.
Setting out to find the answers for my problem got me to look over my past work. This is what is good about keeping journals and blogging, it much easier to research your thoughts if you have archived them somewhere. I had to go no further than yesterday’s post to find a thought that would inspire me. “Why does the space of a church feel holy when it is empty?” That was it. What space do I feel the presence of purpose? The library.
Libraries are filled up with the collective works of people’s passions that leads them to their purpose; their higher calling, if you will. When I sit in a library I am surrounded not only by the artifacts of the collective wisdom of our history, but also by people working, studying, learning, and sharing information all in the pursuit of a higher level of intelligence. This collective group hold the threads to “do the work”.
This past year I have spent many nights teaching photography workshops in ibraries. I have come to think of myself as the troubadour-of-photography, spreading my creative dharma lessons to anyone who chooses to listen.
As I walk through the libraries and see what they mean to community, I can see the best in us. Libraries not only warehouse our books and media, but they give us a place to go. That place, that building, is needed. Seth Godin wrote a wonderful article on “The Future of the Library” and you can read it (HERE). Godin wrote “The Library is no longer a warehouse for dead books.” He may be right about that. Even with the paper book dying and the rise of the ebook the library is needed.
When you walk into a library you hold a commitment to learn, grow and discover. Best of all the library gives it all away for free; knowledge for the taking. We are living in an age named the “information economy and/or shared economy” and this is exactly what library has forever been doing, just that. It warehouses our future, the now, and the now of what we are becoming.
As I move forward in discovering the work I am passionate about I will do this work surround by the collective wisdom of yesterday in a space with other people doing their work with passion and purpose today.
6.02.2011
Presence
“I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching” - Emerson
Why does the space of a church feel holy when it is empty?
I have spent many hours inside empty churches playing music. I would place a chair in front of the alter and play. Fingers on strings, strings on wood and vibrations that I could get lost in. I wonder why, as artists, we seek an audience when the quiet time of isolation brings the greatest joy? These are the moments of non-separation, in which you feel more like a vessel for the music than a player of sounds. “Go into your inner room and pray” - Jesus. Is that how Jesus is teaching us to experience the holiest of holy?
I watch as my fingers move up and down the fret board. I watch as my right hand plucks and picks the strings. I listen as the sound fills the space. This creates a feeling of surrender, utter undefinable surrender. I could not tell if the sound was coming from my fingers on the strings or if the sound was coming out of the air into my guitar.
Those moments of music are the only times that I have felt the presence. Simply the presence, no further truth needed. From that quiet-sound-of-music the presence would feel like a perception-of-truth that would create a world that only I could see.
It has been about five years since I have played music inside a church. I miss the community, the fellowship, the congregation singing back at you. Most of all I miss the perfect sweetness of the presence, and that is better than any preaching.
6.01.2011
7 Proverbs on Light & Life
As of late many of my conversations have been about light. When discussing light I have the hardest time talking about it technically. Philosophically I would have to say that people make the same mistakes in life as they do with light; not taking the time to notice what is already there.
Below I listed my seven proverbs on light and life.
1. The feel of life is equal to the feel of light: you need to slow down to understand them.
2. The smallest changes create the biggest difference, as long as you put in the effort.
3. Solve the extreme problems first. The smaller issues will self correct.
4. Understanding the “why” of your starting point is often overlooked and provides the obvious solution to any problem.
5. Place “purpose and effort” into failing forward, because all that is left is experience.
6. Improve with relevance, do the work that is important.
7. The best way to study light and life is not by studying light or life at all but by studying the purpose, effort and the why of your passion. Light and life have no definable definition due to the fact that neither is ever the same twice.
Let me end with a note of warning... Do not take advice from someone who thinks they're right on these subjects all the time; nothing is ever the same twice. Please practice with extreme caution, be forewarned that only some of the answers can be found in books, the rest is up to you to discover.
Enjoy the journey.
5.31.2011
Abner T. Townsend 1828 - 1831
Abner T. Townsend Born 1828, died 1831, age 3, cause of death unknown, buried in Townsend Cemetery, on a hilltop in Armstrong County, PA.
Last year my brother-in-law took me for a walk through the woods of the property that he owns. As we walked he would point out the names of trees, plants and fauna. Over there is a Paper Birch, that is a White Oak, this is a Black Cherry tree, good for building furniture, and over there is poison ivy, he would say. He has an understanding of the land that he walks on. A love for the soil and the space that he owns. I can’t even tell you the names of the flowers that sprout magically every spring in my own backyard. I sit on my back porch as I write this staring at purple flowers. I can’t even type a good enough description into Google to find out the flowers names.
We reach the hilltop, walk out of the woods and into an open field. The field has a large scale movie set feel to it (build it and they will come). Viewing the grand open space is a rare experience all to itself. Few times have I seen land that has not been excavated by man, earth’s landscape as seen before man, a truly breathtaking sight, as we stop to catch our breath.
To our left sits a wall about 3 feet high, stone bricks that had to weigh more than a man could pick up. The wall forms a perfect square with a small opening leading you into the plots. The first words that my brother-in-law shares with me is that these stones must have been carried up here by horse and buggy, a long day’s labor for man and animal.
Many of the tombstones in the graveyard are unreadable, time has taken the etching away, leaving only a stone with no story. Many of the stones in the graveyard were small, standing no more than a foot high and 3 inches think. The growth of trees and plants have choked out many of the stones that once felt the air, now buried by roots, fallen trees, plants and new soil birthed from the decay.
Abner’s tombstone stood tall and strong, standing at four feet in height by 3 feet in width. This stone was built to outlast nature. It has. Here we are standing in the Townsend family Cemetery looking at a gravesite that has been untouched for the past 180 years. When was that last time somebody before us stood at this grave? Fifty years, 100 years, 150 years ago? When was the last time anybody said Abner’s name?
As I set my tripod up and place my camera into position. I think about the composition that I wish to create. I want to show a strong image that holds the emotion of placing Abner into the earth at the age of 3. I wanted to create an image that holds the feeling that their young son will not be forgotten and that the tombstone stills hold his name. I want to create an image that is respectable to the land that holds Abner.
It has taken me one year to go back to the Townsend family Cemetery to take this photograph. It has been a ghost-image that has stayed with me over the months since I last visited the land.
To the Townsend family who may still live on a hilltop somewhere in Armstrong county, I offer this photos as gratitude for the love that your ancestor left behind.
5.25.2011
Why Bother ~ Rant on Copyright
Yesterday was the last straw in me being ripped off by digital culture. This bloggger (here) set up a mirror site of mine that he cut and pasted my blog into. The site is an add site. The blog owner is hoping to make money from Google Adsense.
The way I discovered this site was when I was Googling a phrase that I wrote after a lecture that I attended. To my surprise I could not find the the original speaker or my post on it but the ad-spam-blogger site came up on page one of Google in the top five listings.
Yesterday afternoon I asked for help on Facebook and Twitter and many of you came to my aid. Thank you for that! Google was quick to respond to my issue also. Due to the the way I copyright my work, having the blog removed may take some time.
Why bother. People have taken advantage of my Creative Commons license that I provide to share and distribute my work for too long.
For the record I think Creative Commons is a great way to distribute and build an audience for your work. Because of me using CC licensing my work has gone places that it never would have seen: a South Carolina community college used my blog as part of a photography class, that was cool. I have been able to share many photographs in trade for advertising as well place hyperlinks. I have been published in a couple of books due to CC licensing. You get my point, I bow down to the invention of Creative Commons.
This is not the first time that I have been ripped off by digital culture, it has happened many times. It is been becoming more and more frequent in the last couple of years. I have even walked into doctor's offices to see my night photography hung on a wall. I have even seen a pic of mine plaster on a side of a delivery truck. Various other random way people feel the need to take my work.
The sad part is that I love sharing my work. Just give me credit, truly that is all I ask. The distribution of my work has provided a very nice way of life for me and my family.
CC does have a licensing that states "look but don’t touch" that I may try. For now I am going old school and placing watermarks on my prints (which I truly hate).
If you would like to use any of my work publicly or commercially please contact me by e-mail. Good chance I will say yes.
The way I discovered this site was when I was Googling a phrase that I wrote after a lecture that I attended. To my surprise I could not find the the original speaker or my post on it but the ad-spam-blogger site came up on page one of Google in the top five listings.
Yesterday afternoon I asked for help on Facebook and Twitter and many of you came to my aid. Thank you for that! Google was quick to respond to my issue also. Due to the the way I copyright my work, having the blog removed may take some time.
Why bother. People have taken advantage of my Creative Commons license that I provide to share and distribute my work for too long.
For the record I think Creative Commons is a great way to distribute and build an audience for your work. Because of me using CC licensing my work has gone places that it never would have seen: a South Carolina community college used my blog as part of a photography class, that was cool. I have been able to share many photographs in trade for advertising as well place hyperlinks. I have been published in a couple of books due to CC licensing. You get my point, I bow down to the invention of Creative Commons.
This is not the first time that I have been ripped off by digital culture, it has happened many times. It is been becoming more and more frequent in the last couple of years. I have even walked into doctor's offices to see my night photography hung on a wall. I have even seen a pic of mine plaster on a side of a delivery truck. Various other random way people feel the need to take my work.
The sad part is that I love sharing my work. Just give me credit, truly that is all I ask. The distribution of my work has provided a very nice way of life for me and my family.
CC does have a licensing that states "look but don’t touch" that I may try. For now I am going old school and placing watermarks on my prints (which I truly hate).
If you would like to use any of my work publicly or commercially please contact me by e-mail. Good chance I will say yes.
5.24.2011
5.23.2011
Moment
Current Reading: The Lake by Banana Yoshimoto
Current Music: Virtuoso by Joe Pass
Mood: Motivated
Smells: Coffee and waffles
Sounds: Sponge Bob (he has range as an actor)
Temperature: 82 degrees, with mix of sun and rain
Thoughts: Never trust anyone who thinks there right.
Current Music: Virtuoso by Joe Pass
Mood: Motivated
Smells: Coffee and waffles
Sounds: Sponge Bob (he has range as an actor)
Temperature: 82 degrees, with mix of sun and rain
Thoughts: Never trust anyone who thinks there right.
5.19.2011
Thank You!
It amazes me that you spend your time on my blog. Thank you.
I started this blog January 18th 2006, eight days before the birth of my daughter. Five and a half years latter here I am writing and there you are reading, Thank you.
I came across a random statistic that states that there are three websites for every person on the planet. Placing the number of sites to be around 18 billion-ish. Not sure if that is true or not but it seems true. I have watched and participated in this ever-expanding multi-verse of information.
The readership of this blog is small, very small, in comparison to many of the top sites and bloggers out there. (for big readership see my wife’s blog) The quality and intent of you, the reader, is perfect.
Thank you for you sharing so much with me throughout the years. Please keep the e-mails/comments coming. I have found them to be a divine guiding voice. I have shared 1,400 posts, it is the most committed I have been to anything in my life.
Today my life has evolved into a mix of grassroots and social media communicating with you. Getting the opportunity to meet you in person and share ideas, stories and sometimes even collaborate with you is a gift.
I never could have dreamed that this blog would have turned into me holding workshops, consultations and occasional photo-walks. I am even giving my first talk on creativity and faith in a month, thanks to you.
Thank you for sharing so much with me and believing in my ideas.
Deep bows of gratitude to each one of you.
Simple, purposeful and with rhythm,
~ John
I started this blog January 18th 2006, eight days before the birth of my daughter. Five and a half years latter here I am writing and there you are reading, Thank you.
I came across a random statistic that states that there are three websites for every person on the planet. Placing the number of sites to be around 18 billion-ish. Not sure if that is true or not but it seems true. I have watched and participated in this ever-expanding multi-verse of information.
The readership of this blog is small, very small, in comparison to many of the top sites and bloggers out there. (for big readership see my wife’s blog) The quality and intent of you, the reader, is perfect.
Thank you for you sharing so much with me throughout the years. Please keep the e-mails/comments coming. I have found them to be a divine guiding voice. I have shared 1,400 posts, it is the most committed I have been to anything in my life.
Today my life has evolved into a mix of grassroots and social media communicating with you. Getting the opportunity to meet you in person and share ideas, stories and sometimes even collaborate with you is a gift.
I never could have dreamed that this blog would have turned into me holding workshops, consultations and occasional photo-walks. I am even giving my first talk on creativity and faith in a month, thanks to you.
Thank you for sharing so much with me and believing in my ideas.
Deep bows of gratitude to each one of you.
Simple, purposeful and with rhythm,
~ John
5.17.2011
Nightmares....
Nightmares, third night in a row. It is the type of nightmare that rubs off on you in your sleep. Leaving you with a heaviness to carry...that horrible feeling during your waking hours. I can’t recall what the dream is even about. I do know it is the same dream each time.
My sleep hasn’t been good in the past few days, but these last few nights are maddening. Maybe it's all the medication that I am on. Nothing excessive, nonetheless, I am currently taking four different prescription drugs. I do my best to stay away from processed foods and meats to avoid the drugs that get injected into food. Here I am sucking down all these meds chased with a shot or two of whiskey, trying to mend the body and clean the soul.
The nightmares keep waking me up just long enough to talk to myself about the dreams. I lay there asking God to keep me sane. I fall right back into the nightmares. I repeat this process for hours, till the light breaks the blackness.
Prayer. I do not pray as much as I used to. There was a time when I could be enveloped in deep prayer. For a long period of my life I felt as if I had a personal relationship with God. The embracing presence, the feeling of conversation and companionship with God is gone.
Not my faith, but my prayer is lost.
Nightmares lead me to prayers and the prayers make me remember that the connection is gone. I wake feeling as if I lived a night in Hell.
It is odd to me that we all share similar nightmares of Hellish visions, yet you never hear companion dreams of Heaven.
My sleep hasn’t been good in the past few days, but these last few nights are maddening. Maybe it's all the medication that I am on. Nothing excessive, nonetheless, I am currently taking four different prescription drugs. I do my best to stay away from processed foods and meats to avoid the drugs that get injected into food. Here I am sucking down all these meds chased with a shot or two of whiskey, trying to mend the body and clean the soul.
The nightmares keep waking me up just long enough to talk to myself about the dreams. I lay there asking God to keep me sane. I fall right back into the nightmares. I repeat this process for hours, till the light breaks the blackness.
Prayer. I do not pray as much as I used to. There was a time when I could be enveloped in deep prayer. For a long period of my life I felt as if I had a personal relationship with God. The embracing presence, the feeling of conversation and companionship with God is gone.
Not my faith, but my prayer is lost.
Nightmares lead me to prayers and the prayers make me remember that the connection is gone. I wake feeling as if I lived a night in Hell.
It is odd to me that we all share similar nightmares of Hellish visions, yet you never hear companion dreams of Heaven.
5.16.2011
Pittsburgh Wedding Photography & Style Me Pretty
(Re-Posted, original post by my wife) to see our wedding site please click (HERE)
I’m very very very very very very very very (continue to infinity) excited to announce that we received our official invitation to be a featured vendor on Style Me Pretty. If you are a bride and you have never heard of SMP then stop what you’re doing right now and go to their site. That’s right, drop EVERYTHING and go there right now. You will not regret it.
Style Me Pretty is a driving force in today’s wedding trends and always highlights the most awesome wedding photos, features, information and content, all with a fabulosity factor of about a billion. Not only is their site incredibly inspiring but one of my favorite features of the site is their DIY section. Real ideas for real people with real lives. Meaning, even the busiest of brides can figure this stuff out and it’s all so fresh and beautiful.
So when we got the invitation to join their Little Black Book of Vendors we were thrilled! You may be wondering why I’m referring to an invitation to be on their site. Well, you can request to advertise on their site and they do get hundreds of emails a day from wedding industry vendors, but they typically choose to hand select the vendors that appear in their Little Black Book. Their selection is pretty intense, which includes a team of industry professionals in charge of researching each potential candidate, following their work and inquiring about their services with other top wedding vendors. Once selected, each potential vendor must undergo an interview process and if all goes well….Boom! Fireworks! You’re on their site! And, I’m happy to report, we made it! Yay!
So we are excited to share with you all THREE of our listings (yup…THREE!). We were honored to be able to list our Wedding Photography, Indian Wedding Photography as well as my Intimates Photography.
So, if you have a little time, stop by and visit our listings. They’re so purty. 
And while you’re there be sure to take some time and peruse the SMP site in full. Lots of great info, pretty pretty images and a ton of advice from the industries top professionals.
5.13.2011
5.11.2011
5.10.2011
Equipment ~ Love or Hate
Equipment: my love hate relationship with it.
Most photographers that I know are equipment junkies. They can’t get enough of this stuff. Not me. I have a "less is more" approach to my gear. The problem is that I keep buying more and more equipment each year.
One reason is that digital gear does not last as long as analog gear. I have had more equipment failure in the last five years than I have in my twenty years of shooting. Also technology improvements in equipment seem to have me buying a new camera every couple of years. Now that ISO is reaching the range of 100000, which is pretty amazing, I will most likely be upgrading to a Nikon D3s in the next year or two.
The recent gear added to the kit is the Pocketwizard Flex TT5, a good piece of gear. For me to add artificial light to my style is a huge jump in philosophy. Natural light all the way (or as much as possible) for me. I switched to a prime lens, 35mm, before adding a flash.
My photo career is broken down in to decades, first ten years I was stuck in a studio using can lights. When I broke out of the studio I used a tripod and a reflector as my weapons of choice for adding additional lighting. Moving into my third decade of shooting I will blend in a little artificially light to the mix. (P.S. I am only 41 yrs old, all this "decade talk" is making me feel old).
Photo Tip: Every year challenge yourself to add a new element to your shooting style. This does not mean that you should go out and purchase new gear. Think of a weakness in your style or ask a fellow photographer for a critique. This year for me I added street photography and the blending of natural and artificial light.
This is what I love about photography and art in general: it's limitless.
Most photographers that I know are equipment junkies. They can’t get enough of this stuff. Not me. I have a "less is more" approach to my gear. The problem is that I keep buying more and more equipment each year.
One reason is that digital gear does not last as long as analog gear. I have had more equipment failure in the last five years than I have in my twenty years of shooting. Also technology improvements in equipment seem to have me buying a new camera every couple of years. Now that ISO is reaching the range of 100000, which is pretty amazing, I will most likely be upgrading to a Nikon D3s in the next year or two.
The recent gear added to the kit is the Pocketwizard Flex TT5, a good piece of gear. For me to add artificial light to my style is a huge jump in philosophy. Natural light all the way (or as much as possible) for me. I switched to a prime lens, 35mm, before adding a flash.
My photo career is broken down in to decades, first ten years I was stuck in a studio using can lights. When I broke out of the studio I used a tripod and a reflector as my weapons of choice for adding additional lighting. Moving into my third decade of shooting I will blend in a little artificially light to the mix. (P.S. I am only 41 yrs old, all this "decade talk" is making me feel old).
Photo Tip: Every year challenge yourself to add a new element to your shooting style. This does not mean that you should go out and purchase new gear. Think of a weakness in your style or ask a fellow photographer for a critique. This year for me I added street photography and the blending of natural and artificial light.
This is what I love about photography and art in general: it's limitless.
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