Nostalgia

I was driving down State Street earlier today, and in front of the Granada I saw a vintage car, as well as a huge green screen. In front of the screen were a slew of men dressed in 1920's attire. Within minutes, I had parked and arrived on the scene with my camera in hand. It turns out, they were filming the introduction video for the SB Film Festival. So I stuck around for over an hour shooting photographs. 

It turns out that the classic automobile I had spotted while driving by was a Mercedes from 1920's. The proud owner was quick to shed some light on the significance of his car. The manufacturer of the car was Mercedes. Not Mercedes-Benz, just Mercedes. It turns out that Benz once was an entirely separate automobile company. In about 1926, a couple years after this car was made, the two manufacturers merged forces and created the luxurious cars that we all know and love. I also found interesting the fact that the symbol for Mercedes was a three-pointed star (See photograph), while the Benz logo was wreath-shaped. The emblems combined to form the current Mercedes-Benz symbol. 

Complacent Blindness

Lately I have been dissatisfied with the quality of the photographs I produce. While looking at the work of other photographers of the same age, I felt as if their abilities outweigh mine. I began questioning myself, wondering if I could really obtain a successful career as a photographer. Do I have what it takes? How will I ever be able to support myself, or a family of my own? Such questions painfully resided in my mind.

     As I mull this over in my head, I am starting to see some positive results of my current state. I am not truly disappointed with my own work, rather I long to further improve and cultivate the skills that I currently posses. I now see that I have been complacent with my photographic work, and such a state of mind will not take me very far. I am happy to say that now I am grateful for this occurrence that freed me from the blindness that spews forth from a complacent man. How will I ever get better if I am not pushing myself to try new techniques?

Conversation Catalysts

The very act of preparing and serving tea encourages conversation. 
The little spaces in time created by teatime rituals call out to be filled with conversation. Even the tea itself–warm and comforting-inspires a feeling of relaxation and trust that fosters shared confidences.

Emilie Barnes, If Teacups Could Talk