Slack-Lining Culture: Ripples

I view myself as a visual anthropologist. With that in mind, my job is to visually document and record the progression of humanity. If ripples are forming in the wave of a sub-culture, then the Visual Anthropologist must prepare for the wave to break and document its coming and going. I believe that the ripples of the slack-lining culture are forming in SoCal.

Slack-Lining at Its Finest.

Shot at 18mm, ISO 200, 1/1000sec. @ f/6.3

Carpinteria State Beach. We spent many summer mornings balancing on these slack-lines. One must reach a mental state somewhat similar to nirvana to become skillful at this activity. A distraction-free climate like the beach -with waves gently caressing the seashore - cultivates the concentration one needs in order to master the art of slack-lining.

'Nous'

One of my favorite poets is Scott Cairns, and this is one of my favorite poems of his: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177144

Aura of Composition

     The environment in which an artist composes his work is essential to the final product. This means that whatever the composer may be hearing, feeling, tasting, smelling, or seeing at the moment he is creating art will affect the outcome of his efforts.

     Now apply this concept to the act of editing photographs (Whether that may take place in the darkroom or on the computer is not important right now). Does the music a photo-editor listens to while doing his job affect the outcome of the photo? Absolutely. Although the musical intonations may not be directly translated into the mood of the photograph, I firmly believe that whatever is inputted into an artist amidst the process of creating art (Or in the artist's past) will affect what he is outputting.

     Consider this rather blunt example. A boy who lost a number of loved ones at a young age eventually becomes an artist. What are the chances that he will adopt a more melancholy style of art? Quite high. In this scenario, the history of an artist (The input) impacted the art he created (The output).

Jack and Jill

In the book, Love's Labour's Lost, Shakespeare concludes that "Jack hath not Jill." (5.2.390) Interestingly, Shakespeare also says in A Midsummer Night's Dream, "Jack shall have Jill." (3.2.461). Perhaps Shakespeare was addressing the multi-faceted nature of true love through his writing.

The Rough Course of Love

Shakespeare poetically summarized a quite simple fact that is oft forgotten: "The course of true love never did run smooth." What does this mean? It means that true love isn't really as perfect as Hollywood makes it seem. People often picture themselves as one of the lovers in a romantic movie, and when that person steps back into the real world and experiences true love, they are shocked that it isn't as smooth as the movies make it out to be.

So why is it so hard for two people of the opposite sex to connect and fall in love, and why does it so often end up in an unideal way? Same reason people argue and dispute. As humans go through their day to day lives, they are welding together the infrastructure of their very beings. Each person has a unique and dramatically different view on life and on relationships than the next. Thus, for two people to understand where the other is coming from, to see each other in the light of authenticity, and to get out there and radiate their essence takes a lot of time and communication. If you're the type of person who has a 'To-Do' list, the task of spending time with your special someone should be cemented into your list.

Sweet Disillusionment

“If anyone is going to start finding his way in the world, he has to admit that he doesn’t know where the hell he is.” -Stellan Skarsgard, playing Dr. Erik Selvig in the film Thor.

     When a person looks at life through the lens of complacency, with the self-appointed crown of penultimate understanding and knowledge, he is blindfolding himself. If one desires to begin scraping at the surface of the permafrost called life, he cannot successfully break through ice without first opening his eyes. If man is to learn, he must realize his place in the whole scheme of history and of eternity. If humans are to grow, they must start asking the right questions. Humans are pupils, apprentices of Time. As Einstein once said, “Time is the greatest teacher, but unfortunately it kills all of its students.” Cultivate a garden of apprenticeship in your mind; learn to be a life-long learner.

Smile, Your'e on Camera

     There is a lot of psychology behind the fact that when someone is being observed or when there is a camera nearby, their behavior changes. The majority of stores are well aware of this fact, so they put up a sign that says "Smile, You're on Camera". Whether there is actually a video camera in the store or not, the possibility is presented, thus lessening the likelihood that customers will steal.

     In times of yore, when a film photographer would take pictures of a person, he implemented the same psychological concept as mentioned above. At the beginning of the photo-shoot, he would start taking pictures of the person with no film in the camera. The subject was totally unaware. After about five minutes, the hope was that the person's unnatural and fake facial expressions would vanish as they became more comfortable in front of the camera. Once this veil of artificiality melted, the photographer would load film into his camera and start taking pictures that would actually reflect the subject's personality. Although this unique method of portraiture was not too common, it speaks volumes against the common belief that a 'Say Cheese' snapshot is acceptable.

Video: On the Streets

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=m3i-XVobhpQ

My friend Austin Harris and I made this video over the summer. In Santa Barbara, there is a large homeless population, and we got face to face with a nice homeless man named George, who shared with us a little about his life. Please enjoy the video!

The Shadow Proves the Sunshine

"The shadow proves the sunshine." -Jon Foreman of Switchfoot.

     When I found this vantage point, I knew that I was about to take some good photos. If I had taken these pictures at almost any other time in the day, your eye wouldn't have been drawn to the elongated shadows cast by the anonymous citizens. In photography, viewing the subject in a different light can lead to wonderful images. Similarly, in life, viewing a person or situation in a fresh, exquisite light can help change your attitude towards that person or situation. Attitude spawns from the choice of an individual, and is not directly derived from the situations which that individual has been subjected to.

Light vs. Dark

How does light differ from dark?

Light exposes, darkness envelopes.
Light reveals, darkness conceals.
Light wakes us up, darkness puts us to sleep.
Light causes ones guard to go down, darkness makes one aware.
Light inspires, darkness terrifies.
Light is the enemy of imagination, darkness encourages it.
In light we are prideful, in darkness we are humbled.

Starry Night

To create this shot, I opened the moon-roof of my Lexus, and placed my tripod-mounted Canon 7D on the roof. Then I fired off an exposure of 1209 seconds. By-passing cars provided the fill-light for the foliage in the photo.

Starlight

PFNP

    I believe that everyone who has discovered their passion should intentionally use their gift to benefit society.  Whether "society" means to this person a surrounding neighborhood or a chess club that they are involved in,    it is his responsibility to get out there and bring his gift into the light.

     The talent that God has bestowed upon me is the craft of photography. I love the whole experience. I am blessed to have this gift, which is why I started a non-profit business, called Photographers for Non-Profits.

http://pfnp.org/

Embellished Essence

Turkish goods are often embellished with extravagant designs, whether on plates or on rugs. When I saw this scene, I felt that it captured the essence of Turkish markets. 

Outside the Box

When we think of the definition of a camera, most people would picture their point-and-shoot that they bring on their vacations to Hawaii.

Simply put, a camera is a device that records a moment of time. With that in mind, a number of alternative devices fit this definition. A roll of film in a box with a pinhole is a camera. A scanner, therefore, is also a camera. This idea, inspired by David Hockney, is a skill that I have adopted into my own repertoire.

Taken with a HP psc 2400 Series scanner.

The Shoe Polisher

The light was exquisite. His glare, assertive. When I asked if I could take his photo, a subtle nod was his reply. His emotions were as cold as the cobblestone beneath his feet.

Hidden Gems

Beauty can be found in the most unusual places.

Soccer Storyboard

Inspired by Francesca Woodman, master of the art of self-portraiture. 

The Anchor of Time

     Just as a sailor must bear the mighty power of the seas amidst a treacherous storm, at times we also must buckle down and endure the storms that life brings. Time is like the raging seas on a dark, dreary night; a sailor trapped in the eye of the storm fights with all his strength to stay above the encroaching waters. At some point or another, we are that sailor, surrounded by a world which is being enveloped by busyness. Sailors have anchors with which they can provide their boat a pillar of security.

     Anyone but photographers never comes into contact with an often overlooked tool which acts as an anchor of time. This apparatus is called a tripod. The tripod acts as an anchor of time because when a camera is mounted atop it, time continues to flow on (Just as waves never cease splashing on an anchored sailboat) around the camera, while time becomes glaciated into an image captured by the tripod-mounted camera. Theoretically speaking, there is no limit to how long the shutter in the camera can be open. I often cope with the busy storms of life by indulging into photography. For me, photography is a meditative activity, calming, yet at times thrilling.


   

Synchronous Skeletons

Luminaria

As manager of PFNP, I photographed an event called Luminaria, hosted by American Cancer Society. To be honest, I have never photo-graphed an event like this. After the sun went down, glow sticks were cracked and placed inside white bags, which formed a border around which the walkers would circumnavigate. Each person held a glow stick, which added to the ghastly feel of the event. It was an emotional time for many people there, as some were a midst a battle with cancer, while others were affected by their loved ones' disease. Above are two images which I feel portray the essence of that dark, luminescent night.



   

   

PFNP

Now that I finally have some time this summer, I have been able to focus my efforts on creating a business called Photographers for Non-Profits (PFNP). Visit the site @  http://pfnp.org/

Pointillism

3 plastic pears sit on a table in front of a
white backdrop.

While most photographers seem to always be avoiding grain at all costs, I feel that it can be utilized to make a beautiful image everyone now and then. Note that there is a difference between noise and grain. Noise is the unattractive look that reminds you of your television when there's no signal. Grain is an antique, desirable look that originated from high ASA films, but the look can be reproduced with modern programs like Adobe Lightroom.

Through The Eyes of a Welder...

     One of my absolute favorite subjects to capture is the craft of welding. There is something about it that separates it from all other forms of machine-oriented labor; there is an innate facet of welding that makes it almost surreal. Perhaps this quality is manifested in the sheer power of the blue spark, the heart of the light, whose energy is so dangerous to the human eye that welders must wear masks in order to protect themselves.

     Despite the magnanimous surge of radiance-saturated power, the art of welding is a process of creation. To harness such power with the intent of creating something is rare, as human nature often yearns to wield power only with the desire of using it to benefit himself alone.

Balance

As I was walking from the living room to my bedroom one day, this quaint scene caught my eye. The fusion of window-lit objects, the color of the assortment of fruits, and the geometric shapes all encouraged me to grab my camera and capture this delicate and transient composite.

My best friend, Austin Harris.

What a guy.

Slacklining

My Photo Book

     I just finished creating my 3rd photo book! It looks even better in real life. Feedback is always appreciated.

Click here to view this photo book larger

The Way I See

 The reason I love photography is it is the means by which I show people the world through my eyes.

Adding on to this idea, the reason I shoot color photography 95% of the time is that I don't see the world in black and white, I see it in color. Therefore, I want them to see my depiction of the world in color.

While there is something to be said for black and white photography, I am not the one to advocate for it as much as others may be. Black and white photography works for some photographers, but not for everyone.

Crippled at the Cross

Rustic Beauty

     There was something about this scene that seemed to be verging on irony, or perhaps just rustic beauty. The fact that people - like the teenage girl in this photo - can create such grandiose pieces of art, using a mere piece of chalk, blows my mind. While drawing on pavement with chalk is often thought of as a past-time for four-year-old children, the I Madonnari chalk festival absolutely incinerates that stereotype.

     There was something about the girl in this photo that I found interesting and admirable. She was solely engaged and enraptured in her masterpiece that would soon be washed away with time. To put so much passion and heart into a temporary piece of art takes a lot of endurance. I think that is the main reasons why chalk festivals like this one are so unique from all other forms of visual art. Michelangelo immortalized David into a piece of marble. Van Gogh painted The Starry Night on a canvas which can still be seen today. And the chalk artist wakes up to find his creation has vanished with time.

     Another vignette I would like to talk about is the way she blinded herself from the dozens and dozens of speculators who swarmed around her on all sides. It seemed that she was not concerned about people's opinions of her or her artwork, and she also seemed to be unaware of any time that may have escaped her since she started this iconic image of Mary. Do I think she is apathetic? No, she was entranced in her passion; this mental state of being is a place where all artists must become familiar with prior to - and amidst - the fabrication of a tasteful piece of art.

The Manual

     Lately I have been trying to get my photography business off of the ground. I have also been really busy with finishing up my Junior year of high school.

     Now that I am totally done with my 3rd year of high school, I am looking at the Summer and the potential in it. As I want to resort to my The Photographers Guide to Marketing and Self-Promotion (Which I highly recommend), I realize that I need to get my priorities right before I am in any condition to get my business up and running. So I turn to the Bible, my guide for life, and make sure that I have committed my ways to God before I open my other manual and commence the pursuit of my passion.

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/