Skies of Wine

Living Among the Dead

1/200sec @ f/8, ISO 100. Minor Exposure Adjustments, & clarity increased in LR4.

Technology Promotes Individualism

      I have been noticing that ever since the advent of technology, there are many circumstances where technology catalyzes individualism.

     Apple has really been one of the more prominent leaders in this technologic-individualist movement, with products like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. By producing the world's first personal computer in the 1980s, Apple Inc. was trying to make a statement. In the first ever Apple commercial (Played during the Superbowl XVIII), called 1984, a heroine (Which represents Macintosh) destroys a televised dictator (Representation for Big Brother). While this commercial is somewhat light-hearted, I believe that Apple was subtly trying to tell the public that if they want to be more of an individual, they need a Mac.

     Another example of technology promoting individualism is manifested within the inception of the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), created in 1983. Basically, this is the means by which artists produce electronic music. Also in the 1980's was when Yamaha began selling affordable synthesizers. There are many overlaps between these two entities; they emerged at somewhat the same time, and the fusion of these two instruments offer(ed) people a whole new medium through which they can create music, in which the imagination is the only limitation. This, along with other technological advancements, has helped to spur on the individualism which our country has been striving for since the dawn of America.

     Yet this same device has also been a significant contributor to the loneliness which engulfs so much of modern society. Very few families, it seems, actually dine together at the same table, but instead are separated by walls of media.

     So, which does technology create more of? Loneliness/isolationism, or individualism?

Sculpting Light

Light reveals all;

Darkness engulfs everything.

Light is my tool as a photographer.

I am a sculptor of light.

The absence of light is just as important 

in making a photograph as is the 

presence of light.

Senses

We were given:

2 feet, with which we leisurely travel the world.
2 legs, with which we hastily escape from danger.
2 arms, with which we work.
2 nostrils, through which we breathe in the myriad of aromas which life brings.
2 eyes-the gateways of understanding- through which do most of our learning.
1 tongue, with which we tear down our loved ones or talk about meaningless things; 1 tongue: a river, whose spring is the heart.
A single mouth, which does the most good when it is closed tightly.

And yet, we were given:
2 ears, the single part which is incapable of output, only of receiving decibels. Eyes are like the barrel of a rifle, through which the gaze is fired; nostrils exhale what was once inhaled. But the ears cannot exude anything. Quite interesting, if you really think about it.

Notice that most of the parts listed above are in pairs, but not the mouth. To me, this means that we need to see, listen, and breathe before we speak.

Beauty

True beauty comes with age. Over and over again I see this idea come up. Some examples include a roll of film, which become more awe-inspiring as its vintage look is cultivated. Houses are yet another entity which have this strange, yet wonderful characteristic. Another example is that of acoustic guitars; as these instruments age, and time takes its toll, they acquire a new sound which resonates of its many years spent filling the air with pleasing melodies.

                                                                                                                            

People are another entity which often become more beautiful as they become older... More refined, further through the crucible known as life, which burns off our imperfections and brings out the better qualities. 

Living in the Present

I stumbled across this article earlier today when I was doing a bit of research on the positive effects of breathing. I often find myself looking at that which is ahead of me, and instead of being overwhelmed, I simply take a series of deep breaths, thus exhaling my worries into the atmosphere.  

http://www.helpguide.org/harvard/mindfulness.htm

Sustained by Illusions

Be vigilant of what, or who, you are sustained by. Our minds are quick to create facades, altering reality into a more perfect, Utopian, and surrealistic domain. Sometimes we may derive confidence from presumptions.

I would rather know the unpleasant truth than to indulge in sugar-coated lies. When the mirage through which you are motivated evaporates, what will keep you going? That which is unseen tends to be authentic, while material things are evanescent and often deceptive.

Mine Home

Not a mansion. Not a shack.

A simple house on the shores.

The omnipresent, yet relaxing sound of waves in motion.

My acoustic guitar leaning on the wall next to the window.

Paradise breeze. 70 degrees. The sun gently radiates upon my coarse skin through fluffy clouds.

I look out and see the wet canvas which lays atop the Earth, bearing hues of blue and highlights of white.



As palm trees sway,

Leading my worries astray,

A Storm is on its way...

Wedding Photographers

Wanna see some truly amazing wedding photography? Here's a link to a plethora of awe-inspiring images created by some of the best in the field. While wedding photography definitely isn't for everyone, there are people who absolutely love working in the field. One name that comes to mind is this awesome photographer who goes to my church, Jessica Conrad. She absolutely loves what she does, and that is very evident in her work.
http://www.jessicafairchild.com/
http://www.bestofweddingphotography.com/
And one of my all time favorite photographers, whose fresh images are so inspirational and I admire his undying creativity and think-outside-the-box mentality.  http://www.jeffnewsom.com/