Unnatural

Unnatural, originally uploaded by stussyjoker.

Ok, so here we go. Another shot from the Sac shoot the other day. This shot is a really interesting shot. As many of you know, we spent some time in State Capitol Park, and during the course of our sojourn, I came across this tree. If you've never been to State Capitol Park, I would highly recommend that you take an afternoon and go down there and just relax. It's sort of an overlooked gem in our area. Anyway, back to the shot. So when I came across this tree, it reminded me quite bluntly of man's imposition on nature. Here I am in the middle of this beautiful park, and I still can't get away from the ignorance of some jerk who has absolutely no appreciation for the Earth we live on. No matter how hard we try as humans to take care of our environment and try and beautify the concrete jungle we all find ourselves apart of every day, there will always be those who just dont seem to get it, just don't seem to care, or just think they are rightfully competing with the Sun for the title of "center of the universe". Come on people, we're all in this together. Let's appreciate what Earth has to offer.

Holy Cross Process

Holy Cross Process, originally uploaded by stussyjoker.

Holy... What else is there to say? A LOT, actually. Today, myself, Bart, and Bryce went downtown to shoot some pictures on this beautiful Wednesday afternoon. You can check out my other decent stuff here. Anyway, back to this shot. We headed over to State Capitol Park to do some nature stuff, portraits, etc., and we came across the statue of Father Junipero Serra. If you're not familiar with Serra you can learn a jaded tidbit about him here. At the base of the statue is a map of California that is marked with all of the missions that Father Serra helped construct up and down the coast line. However, it is my feeling that this statue shouldn't even EXIST. Last time I checked, there aren't statues dedicated to the men that ran the Japanese internment camps in the '40's. Also, I don't think there are any statues dedicated to the auctioneers who sold slaves for hundreds of years in THIS VERY COUNTRY. Ok, so you get it, you're intelligent, I don't need to be telling you that our country has an marred history rife with human injustice. Yet, right at our state capitol there is this statue of Father Junipero Serra. When the Spanish began coming into what is now present day California and began constructing missions, they forced Christianity onto the native American people. These people had their own customs and practices; they did not need Catholicism to "save" them. Which brings me to the commentary I am using in this shot. I shot this at f/1.4 so the actual statue is completely out of focus behind the cross. This is how I feel about what the Spanish did to the natives. All they could see was their cross; their religion. They were so jaded by this that they could not see the men and women that were right in front of them. All they saw were savages that needed to be saved from their own hellacious destiny. I also decided to post the cross processed version of this shot, because I feel that it has just a little more of the feel I was looking for from this image. The original version can be seen with the set I linked in the beginning of this post. So, wonderful people, tell me what you think. About all of it. I'd love to hear from you.

Relativity

DSC_0030, originally uploaded by stussyjoker.

What defines beauty? Surely such a question can garner many varying responses. Today as I was shooting some shots to document this, I noticed this drill laying on top of the scaffolding we had to set up to hang the Pterodactyl. This drill has been used many, many times. It has many gashes in its rugged plastic housing. Dirt and grime stain it's exterior. Yet, I feel that this shot is one of the most beautiful pictures I have ever taken. I personally feel that it is a wonderful commentary on what it is I love so much about photography. With some creative thinking, something as utilitarian as a drill can become a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing piece of art. Maybe I am too head over heels for photography, but I'd have to beg to differ. What does it do for you? Do you love this image as much as I do, or do you hate it's proverbial guts?

Peace

I shot this a while back with 35mm b&w, and it continues to be one of my favorite photos. Thus, I decided to post it here. It boasts a simple narrative for me personally. Often times I am most at peace when I am shooting. Rather to broaden it some, my art is my outlet. Whether its photography, painting, writing, etc., expressing my creativity is the only way I seem to stay sane. So what is it that does it for you?

A Brighter Day Indeed

DSC_0311, originally uploaded by stussyjoker.

So. Yesterday. Horrible day. Ended up losing it last night for a little while. But then today sneaks up on me and is treating me right in about every way imaginable. It was exactly what I needed after the past couple of weeks. That is why I chose this shot to blog today. I shot this on Monday, February 9, at Dillon Beach, after two days of absolute downpour. Bryce, Nick, and I woke up Monday to the beautiful day that you see here. Sometime this morning, this shot just popped into my head. I mean it is nothing groundbreaking; the analogy of the beauty after the storm. Nevertheless, it still rings true all the time. All you have to do is look around you, and it's there. Don't forget that. Ok, that's all for now.

Tactful Memories

Tactful Memories, originally uploaded by stussyjoker.

So, I'm sitting here at work, bored out of my mind, so I thought, "Hey I'll blog!" So I thought I'd post one of my favorite shots that I have ever taken. This shot is a 4x exposed frame of 120mm shot with a Holga CFN with black & white process. This shot really embodies my photography style and philosophy. Sure, portraits and landscapes are fun to shoot, but the absolute essence of photography for me is about capturing memories. As I am writing this, I have decided to pose my letter to photography, because it really says everything that I would say about this image. So, with limited commercial breaks, I give you My Letter to Photography:


Dear Photography,

As I stare at this screen, I am beginning to comprehend just what you have done to me. You are a friend, a confidant, and a contemporary. I am envious at your strength. You have delivered me through the most difficult of times without question. And yet you have helped me to remember some of the most joyful times. The combination of my imagination and vision with your precision and flexibility has literally created moments of history to be shared with all who care to see. Such moments are not merely subjected to the frozen confines of a pose or a portrait, but can write a memory of activity to a single frame. And while you are a kind, understanding mate, you are also a cold, unforgiving foe whose insatiable appetite for emotion destroys many. Your vast knowledge and infinite vision can intimidate. What is there that you have not witnessed? You have captured moments of hope, dismay, courage, revenge, justice, violence, love, and pain as painfully blunt as you want. And yet you stay unwavering in your impartiality. For these reasons, many fear you; reject you. I, however, accept you for this. Like a delusional genius, you should not be scoffed at and dismissed, but accepted into the fold for the visionary you truly are. For but are we not all somewhat of a delusion? Whether it has been merely a hapless tryst or a permanent bond, you have been there for everyone and everything. Mexico City in ’68, Kent St. in ’70, Tiananmen Square in ’89 and New York in ’01, you have captured life-altering images. For these examples alone cannot convey your prowess. These are but four moments in history out of the millions upon millions to reflect upon. These moments are not only to reflect on by an audience, but they are pieces of each one of us. Pieces, for better or for worse, recorded for the posterity of tomorrow. And because of these opportunities to partake in the record of society, I embrace you. I love you. I hate you. I use you selfishly to help me through tears. Moreover, I use you to selflessly remember the joys of others. You are a doorway of creativity yearning to be opened, hoping to be locked behind those who enter. I am proud to tell you that I have thrown away the key. Thus, it is just you and I alone in the room of time. We better get to work.

Sincerely yours,

Think X

Think X, originally uploaded by stussyjoker.

Alright, I was going to save this one for tomorrow, but I just couldn't resist. This is one of those shots that re-affirms to me why I love photography as much as I do. Some are turned off by the cross-processed look, but not me. I have a very loose photography personality. Some of my contemporaries get so caught up with the technical aspect of their cameras that they forget to be creative.
So to all you images with a soft focus, motion blur, accidental blur, light leaks, etc., I welcome you. I champion you. There will always be room for you at my table. Also, I titled this shot Think X. The original edit was Think About It. I am not exactly sure why I titled it the way I did, I just let the photographs decide most of the time. The ones that aren't ready, I just leave untitled. So, back to my original point I was trying to reach. Think X is a bit of a double entendre for me. Sure, it can be interpreted literally because of its cross processing, or x-pro, but I had much deeper motives than that. The day before this shoot, I watched Do the Right Thing again for the first time in a while, and I just love that movie. Definitely one of Spike's best in my opinion. But the reason I bring this up is because of the narrative that film gives about society. I'm not going to delve into that here, because I'd rather you watch the film and think about it yourself (and then discuss it with me!). But again, back to the point. At the beginning of the credits, there are two quotes; one by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and one by one of my personal heroes, Malcolm X. The quote is this :

"I think there are plenty of good people in America, but there are also plenty of bad people in America and the bad ones are the ones who seem to have all the power and be in these positions to block things that you and I need. Because this is the situation, you and I have to preserve the right to do what is necessary to bring an end to that situation, and it doesn't mean that I advocate violence, but at the same time I am not against using violence in self-defense. I don't even call it violence when it's self-defense, I call it intelligence."


Now, at this point you're probably wondering, "What the hell is he trying to say?" Well this is what I am trying to say. Look what we have done to the Earth. Now, before I go any further, I would like to mention that I enjoy four wheeling, as trivial as a defense as that is, but I wanted to be clear that I am not negatively commenting on such a recreation. But, in a way, yes, yes I am. Because again, look at the taxation that humankind has put on the earth. Surely we must have technological advances, but it is a shame that we have do try and preserve what we have left, instead of being able to maintain what should have always been there. Ok, so here is where the quote ties in, at least in my brain. The polar ice caps, the ozone layer, the fires, the abnormal weather patterns, it is earth practicing self defense. I know what some of you are thinking, but at least try to understand where I am coming from. It was bound to happen. I don't know why that quote made that connection in my head after I processed this shot, but it hit me like a ton of bricks. I mean it is such a heavy quote when taken in the right connotation, not to mention when nuts like me take it and pull it apart and use it for examples like that. I don't know, was that too much? Too far? You decide...

Man

Man, originally uploaded by stussyjoker.

Alright, so here is my first photo entry. I recently did a shoot with my good friend David out at Rattlesnake Bar. This image, while I don't find it to be necessarily the best stuff of the day, it is one of my favorites. At the risk of being incredibly cliche, it really speaks to me. I would very callously like to say that it is a subtle narrative, but it's not. Not to me. It screams in my face. All too often photographers treat what they do as some higher power. It's not. I'm sorry. Not every subject or subject matter has to be tear-jerkingly poignant. This sure as hell isn't. But someday it may be. I am twenty-two years old. Dave is twenty-three. Soon enough times like the one seen here will never happen again. We are so brutally in the twilight years of adolescence. And trust me, early twenties are not as grown as some would like you to believe. We are still kids. Not for very long though. I just find this piece to have such a contemplative narrative. I won't spell it out completely right here and now, but if you want to talk more about it, lets do it! Ok. There. First photo and it's not even my number one stunner of the shoot. Perhaps it will be next.