It’s no secret that we’re all having a rough time in 2020. For the most part I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve been able to keep working at my real job, though with fewer hours which has been most welcome. But sometimes the isolation gets to me, not so much because of being alone (one is never alone with furry beasts) but because it’s left my mind free to think about the personal events of the last two years. There were some wonderful accomplishments, but also probably the worst moments of my life (so far, hopefully ever). Most days I feel good and fine and all that, but some days the pain of those wounds returns and I’m forced to accept that I haven’t healed from the losses.

Today was one of those days. The two savings graces are:
1 – my faith (I need not say more for the benefit of you who don’t believe; I remember how obnoxious it can sound)
2 – a visual in the mind’s eye

Item 2 is the relevant one here; I felt like a dark hand was gripping my heart and my throat. As an artist I have a choice; I can sit and wallow, or I can make the image and in doing so push it away and hold back the despair.

I’ve talked about how I dislike doing self-portraits, partly because I can’t make them as good as when I can be behind the camera (vs the timer), but also because I find them self-indulgent and narcissistic. But I share them to encourage my fellow artists to embrace “art-therapy” and for all of you who are hurting from moments past or present so you know you’re not alone.

In that spirit I’ve made a “now” and a “future.” The future one has a heart made in the Kintsugi style from Japan. Gold is used to repair broken pottery. It makes for unique piece but also reminds us that our scars are part of us and we continue to be both beautiful and useful. I hope that those of you who are broken hearted will keep the image of the heart in picture two in your mind.

I’m starting to go through my collection to find choices, and this week I decided on The World Atlas of Street Photography. The fun part about collections is that you can get a sampler of a lot of artists and if one catches your fancy you can always Google them and/or buy a collection (if they have one).

Street photography is a form I find attractive, but I’m also wary of it. On the one hand it shares many of the traits I find attractive in my portraiture work: it has the four bare minimums (the subject, the camera, the light, and me), it’s real life, and if you catch that fleeting moment you’ve immortalized something visually or even emotionally meaningful, one of those singular tears that would be lost in the rain but for the fateful click of a shutter.

On the other hand it can violate one of the key principles to which I subscribe: I believe in MAKING photos, not TAKING them. I want to use my talent for the building up of the individual, for making them see their own strength and beauty and value in their image. I want them to give to me freely only what they are willing to share, and the hope is that over time they trust me more and share more that WE may show it to the world.

Street photography is the antithesis of this: I’m out with a camera stealing moments. I know the argument that public domain is a free-for-all; you know if you go out and make a fool of yourself the world is going to see it. It’s quite different to spill your latte on yourself on the street vs doing it in your house. Admittedly, the vast majority of good street photos are simply moments that most of the participants wouldn’t find particularly embarrassing, but I wrestle with the principle of it the few times I’ve done it.

Below I’m attaching a handful of street photos from Japan; not because they are good, but as an admission that I’ve done it.

 

Received confirmation of two more digital appearances courtesy of GuruShots. I keep playing in hopes of receiving another print appearance at some point, but it’s still a change for someone to lay eyes on it in another country : )

I don’t often do cosplay, but it’s fun when I get the chance. Sunday we did a gender-bend Joker with model Lizzie Dame with makeup by Becky Jo Gambino. Love working with these ladies. These were the ones I edited that night with maybe more to come.

Fans, see if you can spot the two that were inspired by famous Joker images.

Yesterday I received the results for the San Francisco Bay International Photo Awards for this year. They gave awards to 100 photos: 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, 46 gold medals, and 51 silver medals (if I counted right).

I received silver medal for this photo:

Of perhaps greater note, they selected THIRTY photos for a physical gallery show in September, and this same photo was one of those selected.

Sadly because of Covid-19 the physical show will be online instead, however it’s nice to have been selected.

I would say “this week’s pick” but I don’t foresee being able to pick a book a week for any great length of time. Largely I’ll add one as I go through my collection and a book seems worth mentioning.

But today’s pick is a bit different than work towards which I usually gravitate. Saudek’s work is graphic and unreal (vs. the real-life I usually prefer), and I’m not entirely sure why I’m drawn to it, but it may be the dream-like / carnival quality to some of it. When an artist creates “fantasy” images I’m left wondering why s/he made the choices s/he did and what it means, both to the artist and to me.

Two more digital appearances for this puppy, but it’s a repeat at Barcelona, so it might be time to retire this image in the game. But it’s still a popular favorite and is available as a limited edition 11×14 print on 13×19 archival paper.

Thanks to GuruShots you can see some AMAZING landscapes at the following link:

https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/features/gurushots-winning-photographs-from-the-shooting-landscapes-contest

My photo is number 94 in the gallery slideshow at the bottom. It was made in 2010 at Cashel Cathedral in Ireland, back when I was only doing travel photos.

I’d shoot it differently now, but it’s not bad for 10 years ago.

 

 

At long last I have added a few images from the 2017 Japan trip to my travel gallery. Japan (2017) I think part of the delay was trying to winnow it down since I had landscapes, street photos, photos I really liked but weren’t identifiably Japan…at any rate, here they are almost 3 years later. May add more later, like in 3 years : P

I am pleased to share that my entry into IPA’s One-Shot: Movement Contest received an honorable mention. This was a photograph made on a March afternoon two years ago and I’ve been in love with it ever since. I’m glad someone else liked it too.