March 25, 2005

Robby Müller...

black and white is kind of a poem, you leave out words you don't need anyway... color gives you very much a superflous information which you don't need at all to tell the story...

March 21, 2005

Reuniting with the Hard Light

I remember my first foray with studio lights. I bought myself a 3 light Smith Victor kit with stands that came in a card board box. Trying to emulate all the photographs I'd seen in books and magazines, I failed miserably. I had no idea what I was doing. I couldn't believe manufacturers of lights would sell such crap! Really though, I would imagine if those companies sold these lights with the instructions to use them with an umbrella or softbox would reap them with many satisfied customers.

That said, it did take me many years to understand what light could do with the various tools available to photographers and film makers. I still get lost in how some scenes in movies are lit. The true masters of lighting can make a effect that is so blatent, but just the same so natural and undefinable.

I went back to my roots and shot this photo with one light, one light with no tool to shape or reshape its natural characteristic. A 500 watt bulb, generating lots of heat, slamming itself against the shiny cone reflector only to be redirected in a hard arrow like direction towards whatever I pointed it at, leaving only razor sharp lines of shadow and light.

March 18, 2005

to be 25 again...

All the world is ahead of you. You don't know that exploration of the now is one of the most exciting times of your life... I can't tell you how many times I thought to myself with my conversation with her that things will be good, time will move along with you and things will be all right. She is seeking and exploring in a world that seems closed off. I wanted to tell her from experience that what is happening now is inconsequential. But I did not want to come off as the wise one. But in a way, I was the Sensei. She sought me out and wanted guidence. From another generation's point of view, all I saw was opportunity.

I had my run, but did not take advantage of it when I was there. Living in the now too much and not thinking of the future. I am in my midlife, trying to start life like I too was 25. Now from behind, I am starting again.

March 16, 2005

Hey, we all look alike...

Memoirs of a Geisha

Hollywood misses the point again...

March 13, 2005

Our Deepest Fear...

Sent to me by JS...

Our deepest fear -

Is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are
Powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be-
Brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn’t serve the World.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people wont feel insecure around you.
We were born to manifest the glory
Of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us,
It’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people
Permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically
Liberates others.

- Nelson Mandela

March 05, 2005

to Blog or not...

A noticed a friend who started out blogging on a regular basis has stopped, or was in the midst of not posting something new for quite a few days. She said that she started to lose interest as she knew not many people were reading her blogs, mostly by the number of responses she got. I set up a tracking software on mine, and know if I get outside readers and how long they stay to read, if anything. I can see most people that come to my blog just hit that button to move on and don't stay to read anything. Often I see that they don't stay for even a few seconds, unless that is a glitch in the software I am using... But I think I am writing, and often many days go by where I don't post either, not so much for others to read, but maybe for myself to re-read what I have written about in say a year or 2, to get a perspective on things. I tried writing paper and ink, but I just find it easier to click on this page and start writing. I know what I write here may be often censored, but this is working for me right now. I've gone back all ready to early posts and know that I've moved from a point where I was stuck from and this helps my psyche. A reference point if you will... I've moved on to v.2.0 and it is documented.

March 03, 2005

The Bridge

I think there was no mistake fotoboy and myself ended up at a Bridge to start our search to photograph Inspiration. Our initial plan was to go to a Cemetary fotoboy had driven past a few times, but when we walked the grounds, it spoke to neither of us. I had remembered a bridge on the way to the north end of I 5 via a back road from where I live. We decided to check it out. Without much thought, out of the car we left and walked towards a relatively small and ancient, but working bridge. I like the idea that our first foray ended up being a bridge. Just like Sonny Rollins, back in 1959 when he took a number of self imposed exiles to study Eastern Philosophies and practice his art at the Williamsburg Bridge in NYC, he again found his voice. The bridge spanning 2 lands enabling one to cross to the other side has much symbolic meaning...



Robbie

March 02, 2005

Austin

Getting back to photography...

Moving along...

In the desire to have a better life, both fotoboy and myself have networked with each other with resources that will enable us to fulfill our dreams. We both have followed parallel paths in many forms and some quite uncanny. I think that is what initially drew us together. This relationship has not gone without great battles, so I am comfortable in saying we have been thru some hells and survived. In contention also brings strength and security (Not so with the ex... haha). In our quest to move forward, we have arduously opened the door to others knowing that we have to broaden our basis. We can only do so much as 2. Today we brought in another, not tested but sincere and I have confidence the addition of our new "member" will bring us one step closer to achieving our goals.

I entitled this post "Moving Along", because I haven't been apart of a group, wanting to learn and grow in the same direction that I have felt a part of. I always have run solo and without much reward. These ever growing months when I decided to move in this direction has taken on a new life. I have planned and succeded in many petite goals, but with every one passing, I feel momentum.
 
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