Jamie DID IT!!!
Current mood: happy

It's been a while since I've posted a blog here, and there are several reasons for that. Besides having my hands more than full, I'm getting pretty tired of the MySpace "technical errors." There are evidently some pretty serious bugs in the code, and I further suspect the increase in users has taxed their bandwidth to the max. It's taken me four tries now to get this posted.

But this one, I just had to post. Those of you who've read my blogs or know me know who Jamie is, and that I've been honored to photograph this exceptional young lady since she was 14. I'm also far more honored to call her a friend, one who is literally as close as family to me, and I consider her just that - family.

Jamie has been involved in pageants for some time, and one of my previous blogs was out takes from a portrait session for new headshots for her pageant entries. Last year she competed in several preliminaries for the Miss Arkansas pageant.

Last night, she competed in the Miss University of Central Arkansas preliminary, where Jamie is a student and a varisty cheerleader (UCA is the #2 D-1AA school in the nation in cheerleading for the past two years). After last year's disappointments and coming oh-so-close, last night... SHE DID IT! She won.

Congratulations Jamie... you'll make a wonderful Miss UCA and represent them well. Next stop - - the Miss Arkansas pageant in Hot Springs in June. Stay tuned!

A few pix from last night... shot without flash under the stage lighting which makes them a little contrasty and noisy... but they definitely capture the essence.









And of course I had to throw one in that's "truly Jamie" and shows her inimitable personality. Jamie is a wonderful and unique young woman with a spirit unlike any other. She handles the entire evening with a level of grace and poise you won't see in many young women her age...    as well as with her special sense of humor.

2:07 PM - 1 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Exsus - Part 1
Current mood: busy
Category: Music

Little Rock metal band Exsus photographed Saturday, May 13th live at Juanita's Cantina Ballroom in Little Rock. Check them out...

www.myspace.com/exsus


















More to come...

1:12 PM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Sick to my stomach Part II (WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT)
Current mood: angry

Be warned...    some of what follows is graphic in nature, and I don't mean the text!

As I was walking through the area photographing the trash and things people had discarded in this area, I happened upon some other things that were sickening. By sickening, I mean literally...      made me sick to my stomach, both from the smell of some of them as well as what I was seeing.

As a photojournalist, at times we have to photograph things that are distasteful or sickening, and often you can remove yourself from the situation. You're there as an observer and to record the events as they happen. In most situations you know the nature of what you're getting into before you get there...   an accident, a natural disaster, a crime scene. You put your "game face" on before you get there, and you try not to let it get to you.

When you're out photographing things for pleasure...   it's a little different, and things affect you differently.

If there is any justice in the world, there is a special place in hell for people who litter and throw trash in natural areas. If there is, there's an even more special place that's even more unpleasant for people who do things like this.

You have earned my contempt and disdain. You are lower than the remains of the items you've so callously discarded in an area frequented by people, often with children. As the old Italian curse goes...

"May you contract cancer of the eyes and suffer a long and painful death."




This is part of the carcass of a deer. This one looks as though it's been there for a while, so possibly it was killed during deer season - but that's no reason to discard the carcass here. This area is a popular for hunting because it's on public land.



This one appears to be more recent, which makes me suspect that people are poaching in this area. Deer season ended quite some time ago.



This one was quite recent. The other remains of the deer were in the plastic bag at the bottom of the image, but animals had gotten into it at had removed and consumed the majority of it.



This is a deer hide, and it's fresh. Not all of the blood and tissue had dried yet. It's been a long time since I took criminal / forensics courses in college, but by appearance I'd say this was less than 48 hours old. Believe me...    this is well out of deer season, confirming my suspicions of poaching.



This is the carcass of a dog, or what remains of it. There was evidence that animals had been eating at the carcass. This dog had been shot - - there were bullet holes in a couple of places that were very visible, one is evident in the photo.



Animal tracks. The smaller prints are raccoon and opossum...    but I don't know what the larger ones are. We do have bears and various cat species in this area, so it could possibly be those. If anyone has any idea...   post them!

Currently listening : Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell By Social Distortion Release date: 11 February, 1992

2:46 PM - 12 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

Some people make my stomach turn...
Current mood: pissed off

A couple of weeks ago we had one of those great early spring days...     warm, sunny and breezy. The trees and flowers haven't started blooming yet, but none the less it was a great day. I had a few free moments in between things to slip out to one of my favorite places not far from here. I went with the intent of trying to capture the spring sunset, the play of light on the trees in the river bottoms...     to enjoy nature.

I hadn't been to this spot in over a year. Sometimes the daily grind of life and trying to make a living prevents me from doing some of the things I'd like to do. On this day, I took advantage of a few free moments while I was on the way to meet with a client since I was passing through the area anyhow.

As I said, I hadn't been to this spot in a while. What I found, compared to what I anticipated finding, made my stomach turn.

I'm sorry...     I guess I just don't understand people. I can't fathom what makes people just throw their trash out in areas of natural beauty. Tickets and fines seem to have no effect. I wish I understood why people feel compelled to ruin the beauty of natural places.


The river bottoms...    right by where the road crosses the river.


Trash...      why do people insist on throwing their crap out in areas that would otherwise be beautiful?


Plastic bottles...    cheap, but not biodegradable. Neither are cigarette butts.


A water bottle.


This one is very recent...   probably within the last week or two.


More crap left by people who've been here.


The remains of a bottle.


Someone had been to Sonic. Styrofoam doesn't biodegrade either.


Someone decided this was a good place to take a home drug test. If you're doing drugs, you know you are...    so why do you need to take a home drug test, let alone in a very rural and somewhat secluded location?


I have no clue, but it was discarded here. Looks like it might be a container from microwavable food.


The reasons someone would choose to discard an old, broken wheelchair in this place are completely beyond me.

In my book, there are two basic rules for enjoying nature:
1) If you pack it in, pack it out. Whatever you take in with you, either find a proper trash receptical or take it back home with you and dispose of it properly.
2) Take only photographs, and leave only footprints. Tread lightly, stay on the trails, and don't disturb the beauty of nature.

Peace...

Currently listening : Unknown Road By Pennywise Release date: 30 August, 1993

12:20 PM - 2 Comments - 1 Kudos - Add Comment

Jamie Part III
Current mood: cheerful

Jamie was fantastic in the pageant. She was the epitomy of beauty, grace and elegance...    and in my very biased but ever-so-humble opinion should have been scored higher than she was. Regardless...   she was awarded Miss Congeniality and came in as Second Runner-Up, which added to her college scholarships. Not bad at all for a first attempt!

One other point that I'd like to make, and not trying to belittle or criticize what any other contestants do, but...      many of the girls in the pageant had been in Miss Arkansas preliminaries before, and a good number of them have professional "pageant coaches" to teach them every little nuance of pageant competition.

Jamie on the other hand, did all of this herself. She picked her own wardrobe, did her own hair and makeup, chose her own platform, and choreographed her own talent routine. I think that's truly amazing when you see the effort and amounts of money some of these girls spend on competing in these pageants.

Congratulations to Jamie...    she is truly an amazing young woman and I have every confidence she will continue to leave a positive mark on this world. If I had a daughter, I could only hope she'd be as amazing and special and this young lady.

The lighting in the hall was typical for pageants...     follow-spots, very directional, very harsh. It required pushing the ISO setting to the max, which doesn't make for great images, but here are a few.



Evening gown competition


Swimsuit & Fitness Lifestyle competition


Talent competition


Talent competition


2nd Runner-Up and Miss Congeniality.

11:38 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Jamie Part II
Current mood: cheerful

As I mentioned in the last blog, those were mostly out takes from the lighting test. I've had some people ask about how the "real" shots turned out. Decide for yourself... these are the ones she's using.

7:33 PM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

The girl of a thousand faces
Current mood: amused

I have been photographing Jamie since she was 14. She's always one of my favorite subjects and one of the most fun people to work with. During lighting tests or when the mood needs to be lightened a little, I can always count on Jamie to make a face at me. I usually get a chuckle out of it, but even more fun is when she cracks herself up in the process.

Recently we were doing some headshots for her, and these are a few of the out takes.

8:23 PM - 12 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

Shadows
Current mood: calm
Category: Art and Photography

So it's a New Year, full of hope and promise and things to discover... but some old habits die hard. My obsession with light, and more specifically shadows, continues.

The second day of the New Year was blessed with warm temperatures (at least for here, this time of year), clear skies, and hard afternoon light. While waiting to meet with someone who was running behind, I had the chance to walk around for an hour or so and play with shadows. Nothing extraordinary, just the shadows cast by normal, every day objects.




















I hope you enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed the tranquil time to make them. Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. Peace...

9:12 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Thank you for pointing out that I'm rude.
Current mood: pensive

As most of my friends know, I travel...    a lot. It goes with the territory of what I do. In a given year I spend roughly 200 nights in hotels and eating bad restaurant food (don't believe it? 50 weeks a year traveling, average 4 nights a week...    do the math). Ninety-five percent of the time I'm not that hard to please. I only expect a few things when I spend my money...     decent service, some sort of quality in return for my money, and some level of common courtesy.

In a hotel I expect the room to be what most people would consider clean, things like the heat, air conditioning, television and internet access to actually work, and the place to be reasonably quiet between the hours of midnight and 5 am. If it's multi-story, a working elevator is always a bonus. One that takes less than 4 minutes to go three floors is always a plus, but even so it beats hauling gear up the stairs.

Restaurants I'm a little more picky in, but not horribly so. I understand that restaurants are frequently busy, especially around the holidays like it is now. Holiday shoppers have to eat just like the rest of us. I have no problem waiting to be seated if the place is busy...     it's my choice to wait or leave and find another place, so if I decide to wait it's on me. Once I'm seated I expect to be waited on in a timely fashion - let's say within ten minutes. I expect to receive what I order and not something I didn't. I expect to get everything I order and not have to remind the server five times to bring my sides or something else I asked for. I generally don't ask for anything out of the ordinary.

I'm not a fan of drive-thrus, and my experience has been that in general most restaurants take more care with assuring things are right if you order inside. Most people who frequent the drive-thru won't go back if something is mildly wrong (okay Foodstamps, you're an exception...    even when you've driven 15 miles before you figure out your order is wrong). But if you're eating in, it's no big deal to walk back to the counter and point out the item wasn't made correctly. My experience has just been that the odds are in your favor if you order inside, and besides it's good to stretch your legs and get out of the truck for a few minutes. So here's a tip - - - place your order normally, and if it's to go, don't tell them until the food is on the counter. Then say something like "oh, I'm sorry...    did I not mention that was to go?" They'll bag it up, and the chances that it's right are in your favor.

Last evening I was traveling as usual. On the route I was traveling there is this awesome burger place - locally owned, one location, been there forever, and makes great burgers - to order. You tell them how you want it, and they make it to your specs. Your burger is grilled right there in front of you, and assembled in full view. The food is good, the people normally friendly, and the service great, and I don't mind waiting the few extra minutes it takes for a truly "custom made" burger.

But last night something changed. I was informed by one of the employees that I am an extremely rude person. The scenario went something like this...

I roll in. The young lady at the door greets me and asks if I know what I'd like. I tell her yes, and place my order for my burger, then stand in line with the six or eight other people waiting for their order. When you get to the cash register to pay, they take your drink order. As the couple ahead of me approaches the register, the young lady working it asks them for their drink order, and they give it. As she proceeds to fill their drinks, she begins to sneeze. And sneeze. And sneeze. And sneeze. And sneeze. Now standing behind them I don't know whether she has allergies, or a cold, or Lord knows what. She continues to fill their drinks, put the lids on them and present them to this couple. They look at each other with quizzical looks, but they take their order sheepishly and go toward the seating area.

Now it's my turn. She asks me what I'd like to drink, and as politely as I can I say "I'd like a large coke, and I'd like someone else to get it, please." The young lady says "excuse me?" I repeat that I'd like a large coke, and I'd prefer that someone esle make it for me. She asks why, and I say that I just watched her sneeze about a dozen times, and several times in the drinks of the people in front of me. I really can't afford to get sick, and I don't know whether you're sick or not, but I'd really prefer not to take that chance. Since you sneezed, I haven't seen you wash your hands, and in fact you wiped them on your apron which you sneezed on when you dropped your head when you felt some of the sneezes coming on. In fact to be perfectly proper, when you felt yourself beginning to sneeze like that, you probably should have excused yourself from your post, had the other girl who's standing there doing nothing cover for you, finished your sneezing fit, washed your hands, and then return. So I'd prefer that someone esle prepare my drink, and additionally I'd be most pleased if you didn't handle my food order at all. Is that...     a problem?

At this point, the two well-dressed women behind me mention to each other that I'm absolutely correct and are thankful that someone had the decency to mention this to the young lady at the counter.

Conversely, the young lady at the counter looks at me with this incredibly dumbfounded look on her face, ponders what I've said for a painfully long period of time, and then informs me that I am an extremely rude person. I reply that no, I'm saying this as politely as I can, but evidently somewhere in her educational process the section on "hygiene" must have been missed. Perhaps she was out sick when that was taught...      which wouldn't surprise me at all based upon what I witnessed. But I thanked her for sharing her opinion with me, and for letting me know that indeed, I am a rude person.

I always suspected I was deep down inside. Rude, demanding, and difficult. Yup...    that's me. And thanks for pointing that out.

And in case you're wondering...    the other girl made my drink and gave me my order. The manager overheard me, and pointed out to the young lady that I was correct...    and sent her home.

Peace...      and a happy Chrismahanukwanzaka to all of you...     from the rudest person you know.

5:41 AM - 9 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Late at night...
Current mood: indifferent
Category: Art and Photography

I've never done a photo blog before... so I thought I'd give it a shot. These were shot about a year ago, late at night... such is life on the road. Comments welcome... good, bad, indifferent.

"The first mistake of art is to assume that it's serious." ~Lester Bangs

7:57 AM - 14 Comments - 14 Kudos - Add Comment