Vox Universalis

A long, hot (no a/c), and frustrating day at work, followed by the usual hour commute home. Listening to the most heavy and driving thing on my mp3 player in order to get the rage and frustrations out before I face the family so that I can be myself again and not the person I am at work. These two entities are kept apart for a reason. With the urge for mayhem sufficiently crushed, I walk towards the front door. Rained here. Very humid. Out of the corner of my eye as I ascend the stairs, I see the lilies. I think to myself, "Don't they look nice." and enter the house.

Then it hits me.

"IDIOT, WHAT are you DOING ? GRAB your CAMERA ! Did you not just SEE that ?" thunders the voice. "I'm tired and beat up and I just want to eat and sit and not think for everyone else for a while," I rationalize. "DO IT NOW !" the Marine in my head exclaims.

So I acquiesce and go back outside with the Canon.

This is what I took. As you can tell, I played with the focal points around f3.5. I also did battle with lens fog as I just went out and shot so the fogginess was a natural occurrence. Slight color adjustment and here you have it. I had so much fun I was giddy like a kid with a new toy.

Never again will I ignore The Voice. It tells us what is there when we don't see it. It shows us on a daily basis the beautiful and fascinating in our lives. A series of moments that I, as a photographer, should be aware of but as a wise man once said,"Life gets in the way of living." I could have easily ignored it and went on with my day, but I LISTENED and was rewarded.

I hope your voice rewards you as much.

Selah,

R

Deadlines

I have never seen a deadline that did not loom over me like The Sword of Damocles. Time and caffeine become my frenemies. I tend to get really moody and isolated until I am done, driving myself to the point of exhaustion and insanity. I am difficult enough to be around as it is. Add a deadline and I become a focused machine with one goal. Everything else is ignored. Pain, tiredness, discomfort, food, all become irrelevant. I am driven towards the goal.

So I get a bit irritated when deadlines become flexible. I am sure there is a good reason, but I don't really care. I guess it should not really matter as my job is done. It is the secret addition of time that gets me, time that could have been used to make my work a little bit better. The knowledge that more time was there for the taking would have been appreciated. Knowing the keys to the space time continuum would be appreciated. Maybe Andy can help me understand. Right now, I just don't get it. Maybe I am not supposed to. Whatever, my game is tight.

Looking forward to upcoming opportunities to show the current stuff. I'll try to keep you all posted as best I can. Apologies to those that I missed the last time. It won't happen again. This marketing new media style is a bit new. I have to crush the bugs out of it.

Be Well,

R

I Can't Hear You

OVER THE SOUND OF MY WIFE BEING SO AWESOME !!!!!!!!

First place at the League of Reston Artists Juried Show. Yes, that is Johnny Rotten. Yes, it is as phenomenal as you think it is. Yes, she is all that and a ham sandwich.

That's my girl and I will love her forever.

Opening

Northside Social

3211 Wilson Blvd

Arlington

6:30p-12a

I've got 4 pieces and about 10-12 other artists have their work up as well. Awesome coffee, ice cream, wine, food. A very happening place to be on a Wednesday !

Come get some.

already ?

Both are photographs.

Neither one is Photoshopped beyond adjusting levels. No masks, layers, etc.

Straight up camera work.

Tripod and 1 light.

All the stops have been pulled. How far can conventional photography be pushed with just the eye and mind ? How to capture the fleeting images that a mind travelling at terminal velocity conjures ? How can I kill the cliche in my work ? Can I keep up ?

Let's find out.

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."

HST

Selah,

R

Yeaah Boyeeee

Finally quasi-finished with the "Portrait" series. I was waiting for my son to get home and back to work on his stencilling to bring this series full circle. He really makes some intricate designs. It easy to tell that he is the product of two artists. I am a sucker for texture which explains the other two and the light is too hard to resist so that explains the cliche at the bottom. A decent undertaking that awaits a place to hang (hint, hint, hint !)

Glad to back in the swing of things overall. We are cancelling our home phone and television and THAT makes me very excited. I went for about 4 years in the 80's with the only thing I watched was the Indy 500 and MAYBE the Daytona 500. I can't wait to recoup all of the time I have wasted for all of these years and apply it to various and sundry ART projects. I am very stoked and all of y'all should be VERY afraid.

very afraid