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SPH_0634_WebThere’s always something great about seeing something frozen when you’re not meant to see it stand still.  A human frozen in mid air catching a ball, a roaring flame or firework as still as ice, or flowing water hanging midair in streams and droplets.  The motion is still implied, we know what’s happening but we’re able to see what’s going on at 1/8000 of a second.

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SPH_0611_WebI have that Taylor Swift song stuck in my head.  I’m trying to shoot it out with a glass of Jameson.  I will say this: those three guys really know how to write a song that are more similar to a brain parasite than a piece of music.  If I were still fourteen to twenty three years old I would be angry about it, and angry at anyone who enjoyed it.  Now I’m pretty ambivalent.  I’d prefer listen to something that a couple of dudes(or dudettes) wrote in their basement with shitty production values that has some heart, but I can’t waste my time being angry at the masses choice in music.

In short I’m trying not to be the old man shouting at kids to “Turn down that damn rock music.”

 

 

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John_WebI shot all day today.  And I almost thought I didn’t have anything for here.  The photos I took were fine(I actually liked quite a few of them), they just didn’t really fit here.  Which is weird because I didn’t know that “here” had a prerogative.  Who knew?

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Feeling overwhelmed?

Are there people who don’t?  Are they children?  Do they not multitask?

A lot of us feel buried by bills. Thankfully I’m able to keep ahead of mine. A big reason for this is because I don’t buy stuff if I don’t have the money to pay for it.

Its a difficult prospect for some people, and don’t get me wrong, it is tempting. I could easily drop twenty to fifty grand on gear and toys, but I don’t because I have know way of actually paying for it.

We see these credit card limits as a challenge, not thinking of the ridiculous interest rates, and how easy it could be to dig a whole that we can’t get out of.

I’m blessed to not crave a new or fancy car. I’ve never owned one that cost more than 5,000. I don’t spend a lot on clothes, but I am addicted to online delivery. I’m also cursed to be a photographer in the digital age. Pay is short and gear is expensive. And new cameras come out every 3 years.

It would be so easy to max out credit cards and just get what we want. It’s the epitome of instant gratification with know regard for the outcome, I feel like we’re urged to do that. We all have a hole we’re trying to fill, and a lot of us are being convinced that we can buy shit to fill it.

We can’t.  Fill it with love, exercise, and a hobby or two.  Make art, music, or write.  Do sodoku or crossword puzzels.  Whatever it takes.

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SPH_9998_WebIt should be noted even though I’m playing catch up I still took at least something every day.

 

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SPH_9970_BeforeAfterI take a lot of event photos, and during these events its inevitable that a group will ask me to take a look at the photo.  I try to discourage this as much as possible because without fail at least one of them will not like the way they look.  It’s a basic impossibility to take a photo of more than 6 people and not have one of them hate the way they look.  Everyone wants to look perfect, and we’re constantly being hammered with pictures that aren’t even remotely real.  They’ve been airbrushed and body sculpted.  Never mind the fact that there are MUA and Hair stylists, an art director, a crew of lighting guys and a professional photographer who will take hundreds of photos to get a single image.

Be happy with yourself.  You look good.  Genuine.  We’ve all got a little extra to love, zits, body hair, and eye crud.