JapanFest

I'm a realist and a dreamer. This difficult dichotomy permeates how I interact with others and my photography. On the one hand, I like saying things how they are. My choice of words are blunt; the image I may make has no underlying statement. Likewise, I also want to hope for the best and create images that move others; to create images that make me proud to have created them.

With that said, visiting JapanFest was a chance for others' words, actions, and art to move ME. Part of it was the welcoming culture. As if I were a close friend, the people there gave off a positive vibe. Their body language was kind and comfortable. Their smiles were genuine. It was a completely different pace than most day to day encounters. Most people, even at work, barely notice your "Good Morning" and "How are you?", let alone even acknowledge you with a response; so I was at ease being submerged in this setting.

And the art, wow. I don't mean art in the quote-unquote drawings and images. It's... style. The way one man shot an arrow at a target. How, with care, vendors made and served food. Kids dressed in traditional clothing while their faces were painted as Japanese cartoon (anime) characters that would bring an instant smile to my face. Then there were the photos of the devastation in Japan. It was, honestly, surreal. They inspire me to document what I see. They inspire me to appreciate what I have and move past what I've lost.

I had a wonderful experience at JapanFest and hope that next year my wife and I have more time to spend there. Whether you go for the color, the culture, or the culinary delights, it's worth the trip.

Where's Waldo and 4x6's

Yesterday, after a hiatus, I had some prints made of some of my photos. Most were 4x6's, one was an 8x12. Duplicates were made of all the 4x6's for a very special reason. I plan on sharing my direct memories with family members in a physical form. My photography is shared in bulk online. I take a photo, tweak the color and exposure slightly (if digital), and then it's off into Internet land. Through normal mail, family members will be able to hold, touch (and smell!) my photographs. There's a certain spirit to ink and paper that a computer screen cannot duplicate. Maybe it's the immediacy a computer gives; a computer can load an image quickly, it can be removed from existence quickly. The press of button can delete a ten thousand photos. A physical photograph can be ripped and shredded, put into water, and still the most efficient way is through burning them. Now THAT'S  tangible.

Looking at my prints though.. it's like the first time I had prints made from my 110 "Where's Waldo" point and shoot camera I had bought with tickets at an arcade called "Fun Fun Fun". To my parents' horror, every photo had Waldo in the photo. And no, he wasn't tiny and we didn't have to squint our eyes while standing on our heads to find him. He took up a quarter of our 4x6's! And to add insult to injury, these were timeless Christmas photos. Yes, Waldo would will spend the rest of time in our Christmas photos. And that is exactly what makes them so memorable. That's what makes me smile about photos that I took almost twenty years ago. Those are the photos that let me know that we existed and had fun and made mistakes as a family. Photographs are our lives. They reflect who we are and who we aimed to be.

Photographs are memories. They are what we saw on that day, on the hour, at the minute, on that very instant. Whether our photos are recorded chemically or digitally, it's that physical aspect that I had lost touch with.

Don't let your photographs become nothing more than 1's and 0's on your hard drive. Bring them to life again and share your lasting memories with loved ones.

A Blink in Time

The mind and camera work together. The mind organizes and interprets; the camera records. Life doesn't need an audience to be appreciated, but a story untold is a waste. I'm not the mind behind a story, I'm part of the humble audience who needs to share the stories witnessed.

Purpose

As I walk around the park I see people jogging and talking. Some feed birds while others enjoy a meal at a bench. There are smiling children chasing ducks; their parents watch lovingly. Stories unfold.

That leads me to ask these questions:

Where are you right now?

Are you proud of who you are and where you're going?

If you're not proud, make a change. Put love into your next project or goal. Risk your pride, forgive yourself, get past fear. There are so many things stopping us from becoming better people. Most of those reasons come from within.

Three of my current goals:

- finally start my portrait project

- maintain a steady workout routine

- cease my self-defeating routine

Reasons:

Develop my photography and self-image.

Be a better husband.

Help others.

Live a better life.

What are three of your goals and the reasons behind them?

Photographing Myself

I'm fairly adept at figuring out others' emotions and personalities. Deciphering my own habits and quirks proves to be nearly impossible save for my family and wife. When asked how I'm feeling, I turn to my wife for affirmation. With that said, my photography serves as my unconscious effort to make sense of things. My photographs show a part of me- for better or for worse.

Happenstance

There are times when I'm surprised at the impact a photo can have. A captured moment in time can inspire action, evoke emotion, or just leave you in awe. There are timeless photos that define a generation while others define a culture or sub-culture. Regardless of the intent or result, photography can be whatever you want it to be. I enjoy documenting family events, but fine art photography has a special place in my heart. I take how I feel about a subject and the excitement of the moment to create something from within me.

My preferred style of shooting is happenstance: a photo that may not have happened had I waited a fraction of a second longer. It's easy to see something interesting, but difficult to subsequently pull the camera up (while distance focusing), compose, dial in the aperture/shutter speed, and finally take the photo. Sometimes I know that something is going to happen, and just watch. At other times, I know the exposure is close enough to capture a photo to make sure I have it. Some moments are too beautiful to pass by.