ALL my pictures are random. I may accidentally slip into a theme every now and then, but it’s not really seriously planned to happen.

I show my website to anyone who cares to look. Most of the more “informed” ones say that there is too much there….and/or they say that I’m all over the place with subjects and themes.. Actually I agree with both. but that’s the way I shoot.

Believe me, if I showed every decent shot I took, there’d be 5 times the amount. Admittedly, I do put up some pics that I know aren’t quite there, but I’m kinda hoping someone will comment on it so I can figure out exactly how I screwed it up. sometimes it’s not readily apparent to me….albiet months down the road I tend to figure it out.

Hearing now in this post that you do the same thing, but actually do have an overall theme going……..but still shoot everything you see…..gives me hope.

I always thought people expected me to go out and shoot NOTHING but one idea. That I cannot do. I can’t walk by something and not shoot it, just because I’m presumably working on something else.

So, having said all that. If I did manage to dream up a theme….go out and shoot it……but end up shooting whatever I see. Whcih may or may not be the theme. How do you reign yourself in and concentrate on the theme. Especially, when some of my better pics are of the total random ones.

Once in a workshop the instructor said a photographer must shoot every day, and I kept that in mind. So, many of my shots are random and at the moment of the capture they can mean anything, but each time I look at them they can tell a different story, and for me this is the beauty of photography.
Editing, as discussed in the previous topic can be hard, and harder depending how attached to your photos you are, but maybe this is a subject for another discussion…

Cheers

Well, David, and others, Let me answer by taking the opportunity to expand once more the invitation to anyone here (and you too), to save at least one random shot from oblivion every week, by partipating to our “photo friday” photo-journal, open to all roadtrippers, and hosted/linked by our very own David Mc Gowan:

http://humanfiles.com/pages/photofriday.htm

Ultimately, and already!, I think for all purposes, the history of photography is the history of the resonance of single shots in the public consciousness, random or off an essay.

No disqualifier, but I think essays are not photography, but rather contain it.

After, isn’t photography anything but random? (not to be confused with waking randomely, or badly prepared essay/project)

Random all the time … even if in the context of a “project” with too little clear thought I think, or don’t think enough, or maybe too much. Not sure, confused, frustrated. In the end if it all just ends up being whitebread boring … random or not … it ends up in the same file, or should. Big file, bigger all the time but saved if something coalesces later. There’s always Foto Friday to share random thoughts.

Damn I miss the Outer Banks … hushpuppies and shrimp and bluefish, always loved Beaufort down south, amazing Spanish moss cemetery there … sorry, random thoughts …

“Random” images sometimes make it into my portfolio, but mostly, I post them on my blog. Thats the great thing about blogs, its a diary, and for photographers,it can work as our visual diary. The random shooting helps expand out “visual vocabulary” if you will. When I am shooting on assignments, I always find what I am not supposed to be shooting the most interesting and always take time to explore that. Sometimes they make the cut and are published, but most of the time, they end up in my blog and occasionally in my portfolio. If it were not for the “random” takes, I think I would go mad because like you said David, its the release valve where I let myself out and just be me. If anyone wants to take a look at some of my random work feel free.

http://jhansonphoto.blogspot.com/

David and others, I stocked up on some new photo books and have been researching the hell of out my June assignment. I am going down the list tomorrow and making calls, trying to get access. I will post an update in a few days of where I stand. David, I can completely relate to the roller coster of emotions you talked about. I have moments of absolute excitement and feel as if this is what I am supposed to be doing, and others of absolute doubt. I wonder if I can accurately portray what is happening and give the people involved the respect, dignity and truth they deserve wether they are a victim or a criminal, dead or alive. I believe in the power of photography but I don’t know about the idea of truth in photography. Can photographers really create truthful images or does their interpretation and presence alter that truth? Thats what were are doing, interpreting and creating images that “speak” of the moment. Humanity is just so complicated, can it be captured in an image? A bit heavy and long winded I know, but its just a sample of what I have been thinking in regards to a project that I feel is so important and dire. I think the most important thing though, is to keep pushing through I just make it happen.

Random. Randomness is what it’s all about for me. Sometimes those random pictures fit into projects; flags, plastic bags, dogs and assorted general weirdness. I simply divvy up the takings into the various categories and see what evolves over time.

In September, however, I will begin a specific project in London that’ll keep me busy for some time, outlined briefly to you, David in an email, no doubt buried in the enormous mush that must be your inbox. More on this later when I flesh out my proposal.

David, any thoughts on my previous mentioning about a Photohumourist Collective?

Best,
Paulyman

I’m all random ever since I’ve started shooting (or rather discovered how the camera and the street work together…) I don’t know if its the effect of the form I’ve chosen to present my work, day after day, or rather the cause for it…
For first time now I am seriously engaged in any longer-term project… Suddenly it’s all different, not about the effect, but rather my own approach… planning shots, views, imagining situations I can find myself in… it’s not everyday me. But that’s alright! I am much more energized, determined, street-assertive than ever with my usual day-after-day work… I even dreamt of buses last night! I don’t consider it an effect of being non-random, but rather of a change itself… I’m just wondering when I’m gonna burn out with this project… Still lots, lots, lots to do… The shape emerges soooo slowly… (…what shape?!…) ;-)

(Hah! You reminded me myself! All those books except the ones I had to read… it was all like this… ;-) )

Good question. I have many “random shots” in my archives. Some of them end up being great shots-some just memories. In the days before digital, when we all paid a lot of money to shoot slide film, I wasn’t as liberal with random shots;I am more now. But where my “random stuff” has come to be useful is in my teaching. My students get to see that not every shot is a masterpiece. You can learn mechanically how to take very good photos, but a shot is either there, or it isn’t. This is what I do with mine.

for me, random pictures do two things (and probably more that i am unaware of):

they provide an escape from an assigned story (still waiting for one) or personal essay and, sometimes, lead to new bodies of work.

btw, if you enjoy taking and looking at these random pictures then they aren’t “going nowhere.”

best,
dave

http://www.thestorminmyhead.com

“I think this might have something to do with the type of camera that one chooses.”

I’ve chosen small 35mm because I knew I wouldn’t be happy with bigger one on a tripod… What actually determines what… Am I “random” because the camera – and the workflow/technical style attached – I’ve chosen? Or have I chosen it because I’m “random”?

I see the world in frames.. Whether I am pressing a shutter or not, taking random photos or not, I experience my world thru imagery.. For me, my random photographs are my visual diary….
xox in lux, wendy

you can definitely shoot a story in a random kind of way, were you have made conscious descisions that would give the appearance of being of the cuff or random. Ryan McKinley, Tim Barber, or Jurgen Teller, really fine examples, in my oppinion, of contemporary shooters that look spontaneous but work their asses of to achieve that look.

wrobert – I wouldn’t change my equipment for an assigment… I wouldn’t actually accept serious shooting in i.e. colour 4×5… just because I’m not familiar, accustomed, comfortable with it, I’m not sure if I would cope with unknown technical style that change of medium brings… I shoot b&w only, for a few months 1 lens involved… I don’t change my gear to be consistent with technology at least, being random with my approach…

David,

As a newspaper photographer, being able to take random pictures keep me sane. It’s the photos on the periphery, away from my actual assignment that I take for myself that fulfill my need to be creative. These photos never run in the next day’s paper. Once in a while one might run as a secondary photo but rarely and it doesn’t matter. These random photos are for me. They let me experiment with my seeing, essentially keeping my eye sharp for the next time. Sometimes these photos get posted on my personal blog and sometimes they stay in a folder on my desktop. But, I do know that these random photos help me grow.

Jared Soares

david

thanks for sharing your personal work… your randoms… it’s fun to see how you think, when you’re not thinking… it’s fun to peer into your mind, and what feels like your sketchbook for your “real” work.

thanks for that.

m

I too am very much enjoying your random shots. What impresses me on a technical lever, is the dynamic range you appear to capture. The fullness of both the shadows and the highlights. Is that the M8 at work?

Hey David, hey all! Oh and hey Paul (in the comment above me) – I am attempting to get in touch with you David, I have a similar proposition as Karen Mullarkey – although I am not nearly as cool and important as her.

I am starting a new website for documentary or photojournalist photographers. The premise is that you submit some photos to us, something you shot recently, and we might publish them on our site in a gallery format. It is paid, photographers retain all copyrights and use.

We have received several entries from photographers I often see on this forum, but we would appreciate any more.

Our website launches June 12th (at the Charlottesville Photo Festival where I met David almost one year ago).

If you would like to submit some work, send on over to me, submissions@vewd.org

And David, I would love to chat with you about this, my e-mail address is blalock.matt@gmail.com (please don’t send submissions to this one)

All the best,
Matt Blalock

DAVID:

I seldom know the difference between a “random” picture and a “planned” picture ;))))….this will not be a typical Bob Black post…’cause im running late already, so briefly….

for me, it’s always a combination of both…i often have “planned” ideas: 1) an idea for something (for example now about time and family and dima/mydad/bones or the Korean/Immigrant students or m family or Toronto/Chinatown) or 2) and idea that comes to be after reading or seeing other pictures or talking with marina or seeing something. But, just as often I will shoot someone, someplace, something that inspired me: just a pic or two or three…then i look at the negative and think: ok, that’s it…That is how the my whole “face” project begin (which is now almost 4 year long project)…

it’s never a fine calculus…im also a strange photographer. I shoot the way i write or the way i used to paint: i think alot alot alot and then one moment, or one day, or one month it explodes and I shoot like a maniac…i can shoot everyday for days or i can wait 2 months…the only problem about waiting is that the “physical breathing” of shooting tightens up, gets lost…cause if i wait too long or go too long without shooting, it seems “forced” i think about the camera, i forget to see and think more about the camera itself…but i am always always looking and always thinking…but also sound, sound can unleash an image…

let me show you a couple of “random” images that lead to a body of work…most of this is old, so bare with me:

1) 2001: the first photograph i ever made of dima. He is in the tree. his bike is in foreground.it was winter, and the first time i every photographed with Marina (before we were married): i saw the neg and i was happy and proud of the photo…i often think of it as my first “successful” photo in toronto…but was just a random thing: i saw dima in the tree and the bike and my heart broke and i put the camera up and…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73821181@N00/2526152564/

2) A photo of a russian teenager at a party in toronto. I used to go to lots of russian parties and always felt like an outsider. i saw this teenager (girlfriend of our friend) and she looked so lonely and sad (she was young) and i thought: she looks the way i feel…so i photographed her…this later became the first photograph i ever had exhibited in toronto (also went to Hong Kong) in a group show…it made me start to think about faces….and identity…2003

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73821181@N00/2526157186/

3) Right before I got married, i went to a party at my brothers house (to celebrate my pre-marriage)…there was a beautiful old woman there (my brother’s wife’s mom)..she was behind the bowl and cigarettes (my old habit) and the sun light was setting and she was in shadow and i thought: shoot it…later, it became part of the last series i worked on before i left florida: the shadows i saw there, 2002:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73821181@N00/2525343281/

4) last one…I just scanned the negative to this 2 months ago, even though it is from October of 2003…see Marcin, I dont always look at my negatives!!…i “remembered” this photo for years, without looking at the negs…we had kids over for halloween and i shot 3 rolls, but this moment struck me and i was always afraid to look at the negative ’cause i figured: bob you suck…then, i looked 2 months ago…it’s not a great photograph, but it means alot to me…i once sent it to David Alan as a gift (jpg)…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73821181@N00/2526183582/

OK…none of these photos are great, but, they were taken of the moment…and all lead me to discover something….

my contribution ;))

hugs
b

wrobertangell! :)))

“I dont like standing around with my rig, looking clueless and trying to figure shit out…”…

that’s a funny/brilliant quote :))..i think most of the time each of looks clueless: i always think photographers look stupid (especially myself) running/walking/standing around with gear, or shooting with gear ;))))…but I totally get what you mean..

this one is for you…one of my and marina’s beloved photographers: enjoy! :))

it’s a film on Alexey Titarenko! check it out :))

part 1

part 2

part3

cheers robert

bob

I really, REALLY love this photo…
Can i please buy a print from you…
Bob, email me… how much ????
remember: Im not rich.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73821181@N00/2526183582/

You know I wish I could shoot much more random stuff. Am I lazy? I just never carry a camera around (except my little film Mu which sadly never has film in it nowdays) unless I have an idea about what I am going to do.

I don’t know, maybe if I just got looser the work would be better, but I just kinda like the pressure of having to go out and find something in every situation rather than ones I cherrypick.

Which brings me to -DAVID- I have a corker of a story!

And it just fell in my lap last Friday!

What do you think about this as an assignment? The only trouble is it will go on for longer than the month, but I am starting to shoot the preliminaries today!

The Sydney Street Choir, who were all homeless and with a variety of mental/drug/alcohol/personality problems have decided that they want to travel to Uluru to apologize to the Aboriginal Elders for the treatment that they have received under white fulla ways.

The irony of this is that of course Aboriginal people have many of the same issues as this group of people have and have been totally done over by white society as well.

There is a lot more and I am definitely will be shooting the whole thing, but in the process of the lead up to the road trip I will be shooting these guys as well.

What do you think? I am excited about this one cos its a whole bunch of new people but still links in with all my other work.

I think this is how I work best, its got a beginning a middle and hopefully a cathartic end and whatever happens in between. I guess thats random!

MATT,

FYI I tried to check out your site, which is currently displaying an email list signup sheet. Attempted to add myself to it but the site says it’s “unable to locate the list”

I am interested.

Okay, I’m hooked. Bob, you’ve sucked me into your monochromatic vortex. Mesmeric photo making. Love it.

Later I’ll look to be swirled up some more.

I guess today I’ve been looking with the right eyes.

Best,
Paulyman.

No human creation is truly random. We all have a subconscious need to reverse the constant progression towards entropy, to take the scene before us and try to impose some order on it.

I think all apparently “random” photos are more akin to sketches that just don’t quite make it. But how to know what won’t work if nothing is ever ventured?

sometimes.. I see black and White …
we need to “manipulate” things..photos..

until they look the way we saw them..
in the first place.. That is “following”
the Truth..
thats what I do..
thats how I photograph..
I will give you an example in an hour or two..
This time ,… I’m really proud..
its from the shoot with ANNA B, yesterday..
give me a second.. I have 4 stories to tell ,
but I will start with something “sexy”…
stay tuned
peace

Hi, I see that you’re enjoying the obx. If you’re driving through the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area while road tripping, I’d like to contribute to the cause and offer up a lunch or dinner if possible.
No portfolio critique necessary, but any thoughts on the work found here http://cellularaobscura.blogspot.com/
would be appreciated.

best,
Shawn

if this link dont work…

http://web.mac.com/innerspacecowpanos/%22MOVIES%22/Bodybuilding_contest-_where_else-Venice.html

… then try this one , then go all the way down and click at the last link…

http://web.mac.com/innerspacecowpanos/%22MOVIES%22/PLAYING_POOL_%28_with_the_perverts_%29_IN_VENICE.html

peace

Random pictures are really part of a project I think, before starting an assignment or a personal project I always have a very precise idea of what I would like to shoot…and of course most of the time never come home with one of those planified shots…I guess that this is the way it has to be, have an idea to end up somewhere else and discover that it was better than the plan… I recognize me a little when you write about the library, don’t like plans too much… I would also say that this is maybe the artistic side of the “plan”, getting off the plan, why following the points pre-defined before facing the thing… I don’t know about you but for me random pictures often contain one of the best shots of a serie, they belong to the history of your project, they are part of the thinking/wandering process…

random….

yes definitely to some degree as i often start out a project saying to myself: THIS TIME i’m not going to shoot random, THIS TIME i’m going to plan so i can have an easy edit, THIS TIME i’m going to be focused to the bone, eagle-eyed, and efficient, THIS TIME…

…and when i get to starting out, it takes me about 3 milliseconds to switch to RANDOM MODE anyway, i just can’t help it…

i think the focusing should happen on beforehand, during the planning stage, and i suppose i just hope that the plans i make, stick inside my head somewhere sub-consciously the moment i set myself loose on an assignment

but there’s too many variables anyway, i mean if you would know what to expect, and plan all your shots, i think it would take the joy out of discovering it all, the joy out of being surprised, the joy out of taking an unexpected turn

no?

it’s a bit like buying a plane ticket for a holiday but NOT PLANNING the trip. you KNOW you will come back with YOUR VIEW on the place, but you will be shooting random (as in “not planned”) the moment you are there

wow BOB

love the feel in your images man… dima, halloween…
if this is 2003, you are amazingly consistent in your stule and message…
and i get you on the negatives: just yesterday i found several sheets from when i went into the dark nightlife in tokyo with my brother a year ago… never looked at them, didn’t even know i had them, and strangely i was not surprised to find them… like i knew they were there somehow… will be looking and hopefully… scanning one or two…

PANOS

you are on a roll man! GREAT closeness in your images… where do you get all this energy??????? damn you must have some kind of nuclear FISSION going on inside you….

gimme some please!!!

peace
anton

oh yes, and random images being “an integral part of my work” or “an escape valve”…

…. yes they should be BOTH… i love all my random images… but… i HAVE NO CLUE as to how to use them… so they never get shown… it’s like they need a lot of text to explain,

it’s like:

a ph essay needs a few words to describe the setting, a “random” (if you can call it like that) needs a whole story…

peace
anton

I meant… follow your heart. Sorry :D

CATHY…

i did miss your link the first time around …sorry…

first of all, nice house!!!

second of all, i liked frames 0140, 9757 and 9947…

BUT, since you are spending so much time with these workers anyway, why not REALLY DO IT??? look at Salgado “Workers” book and look at your subjects…there is more for you to do….

ERICA…

i made a comment to you a couple of days ago that i could not open your link….now i travel today and have no time now to go back and figure out where it is..can you pls. post again???

HELLO ALL….

great comments from all…

and i was “teasing” a bit too…

my personal RIGHT ANSWER is that nothing is really random…

whatever is in a photographer’s subconscious is going to come out in the work whether you are on your way to the grocery store, working on a journalistic essay, or have your camera on a tripod being deliberate….

actually the two pictures i showed you FIT (at least in my mind and edit) even though one is in Bangkok from last fall and the other is from Carolina a couple of weeks ago…both were made while i was NOT thinking about taking pictures at all…

Bob Black mentioned a few posts back that he saw “mystery” in my disconnected pictures from non-event situations that later became connected…astute observation …

there is rarely anything ever HAPPENING (subject matter wise) in any of my work…

i like it if a viewer sees one of my pictures and does not really understand what is literally “going on” but perhaps “enjoy” the lack of “explanation”..

all of my work is “random” vignettes of whatever is sparking out of my subconscious at the time..

all of you should really think about why you take pictures in the first place…

people who are compelled to “take pictures”, to “preserve” or to “enlighten” or just because they “have to” all have their special place….

i fall into the “have to” category….

the fact that i have turned photography into a “profession” is “learned”…what i “learned” to earn a living in photography is to put myself in situations where i could then be “random”…how could i possibly have “planned” any of my pictures??

but deep deep down inside deep deep i “have to” make photographs….

the “easier” it is for you to make photographs , the “better” they will be….yes, you have to “work hard” to do this…once you see there is no contradiction between “nirvana” and “work”, you will be on your way to your finest moments….

ok, i have other thoughts on this most important topic, and i want to respond to many of your comments, but i have to pack (yuk) and head for the airport (to NYC)..

maybe a picture along the way???

cheers, david

Hi David,
sorry for hijacking your thread….. but I was wondering if
you could take a quick look at my updated BKK story ?
see:
I http://www.katharinahesse.com
NEW: อิสรภาพ ìt-sà-rá-pâap= FREEDOM

Katharina

David – “nothing is really random” – I assumed that’s what you meant… “random” as an opposition to “planned”, “organised” “thought through” “being a part of some series” rather than “accidental”… but maybe thats just my english ;-) Of course subconsiousness works, all the time! Imagine a man without it, reason-only motivated… I cannot… Most things you see in all that multitude of things are the ones you chosen to see…

David, sorry to bug you but I just got an email from Michael who wants my images asap…could you maybe give me your edit idea so I can upload those photos to the ftp for the slideshow?

GIRLS
GIRLS
GIRLS
GIRLS
—————

Ok, Panos, which one is Anna? ;-)

BOB:
i always feel sorry for photographers who use digital: no feeling of “discovery” or waiting….
———————-
Finally some negativity from you Bob, how refreshing! :-)))))))

Yet, I hope it’s all figure of speech and ladida… Gee, it’s like saying “I am sorry for people who have to buy the food they cook: no hunting and gathering, no sharpening the silex, and waiting to see if the smoke will become fire or not…” Now I know why I imagined you with a big white beard, you are an old druid in Alain Delon’s body, you alchemist!!! :-)))))

Film is great, but it’s also quite Ok to be getting something from a very different process. The same feelings you talk about are those of any photographer, dig or film. Just a little timing difference in the waiting or processing. IMO.

DAVID..

it’s at

http://www.ericamcdonaldphoto.com

New York..then 40 Days, thanks!

Respectfully call it Art, and don’t destroy it with comment.

That’s enough.

HERVE, ALL…

ANNA AT WORK… MORE SARDINES IN A CAGE…
ALSO DROOLING PHOTOGRAPHERS AT WORK…

EATING SARDINES for breakfast

Anna at Work… ..
BUTTS… etc…

Herve, can you now guess who ANNA B. IS ?????

http://web.mac.com/innerspacecowpanos/%22MOVIES%22/PHOTOGS_IN_VENICE.html

Damn Herve..
there is no way I can trick YOU!!!
I tried but…oh well..
next time..

Panos…

Remarkable! The photography as well as the…er, um…bodies.

Those beautifully bizarre broads of bodybuilding!

Michael thank you..
its not a coincidence that my favorite movies
are BUTTMAN 1, BUTTMAN 2 and 3…
never liked Superman or Spiderman though..
go figure..
anyways Buttman forever..
laughing..
driving
driving
driving
iPhoning

Peace

Hey Bob,
watched the Titarenko vids. He’s got finesse, and I like his work.
but just multiply the bulk and weight x5 and I would empathize.
He’s like a photo-ninja.

RAFAL…

oh, i thought i told you to send everything….then i can edit, then i will run that edit by you to see how you like it…make sense??? i think you have a total of about 20 pictures…is that correct??

JUKKAONNELA….

yes, i agree with you….and i would add one of my personal favorite “random” photographers, Sweden’s Anders Peterson….

thanks for your comment…we all hope to hear more from you…

cheers, david

I keep visiting portfolios… imagetic overdose and wonderful experience. Only three days participating in the forum!

Marcin,
Really striking, the mood and message from your photos! Where in Polland are you from?

Lance,
Amazing series! The Rodeo Bull Riders and Street athletes are my favorites. B/W gives a deeper feeling to them.

Katharina,
Going thru your portfolio was delightful. I’d like to buy a print from your portfolio. Is that possible? No.3 in the sequence (North Korean refugee)

FOR ALL OF YOU: I will be back in Brazil next week and something came in my mind today, an exhibition with prints from participants of this forum. Nothing too big (I don’t know yet how it can be done, logistically) but an amazing exchange of experiences, cultural diversity and maybe something to be reproduced in other countries represented here. Those who embrace the idea please post your comments.

DAVID,
What do you think about it?

All the best,
Ari

ahhhh ok Ill send it all today..I misunderstood….

KATHARINA,

It is great to see your work evolving from the BKK workshop. I think some of your new images are really strong.

DAVID,

I am still thinking about a new project or a new way to continue my work with the environmental activists that I showed you in BKK. What I have found interesting / frustrating is that my project with the activists has had a modicum of success here, which I think is often the case with self directed work. As a result though I have been getting some good commissions. This is good for paying the rent but not for producing work that I’m truly happy with.
So when you asked me – a few weeks ago now, What have I been working on?. I guess the answer is a lot, but nothing.
Does this make any sense ?

RAFAL….

ok, i have made an edit of your work that i think really shows the feeling you have for your wife and son and is also texturally rich and dynamic…

i only picked 9….we could go with 10, but i think you look totally tight and clear with 9…take a look at my choices….then, let me know what you think…

mike will email you the edit i made….not the sequence…that comes later…

cheers, david

Im gonna go with your choices David…100%.

here’s some more booty action…
from VENICE BEACH, a woman’s perspective…

http://annaboyiazis.blogspot.com/

It has been a difficult weekend. A random picture brought me back from the brink of something negative. Not sure what that would have been. Some mix of aggression and depression.

I was looking after my two kids while my wife was away in Krakow, Poland at a conference. My aunt in Queens passes away and I can’t get out there. I have power of attorney and I’m her executor. She has a son, a little older than me who was recently released from prison (prime suspect in a murder) and I have no way of contacting him to inform him of her passing. The cops have her place in lock down and now I need to go to court to get access to her house and her documents. Blah blah blah.

Anyway, on top of all this I’m supposed to get our apartment ready for a private viewing as we are selling it while two energetic boys are ready to tear each other to pieces. The scrubbing and the endless phone calls are making me nuts. Claire’s flight gets grounded in Dublin and delays her many hours and my parents are about to arrive.

Then an email arrives informing me that the viewing is postponed. Yippee. I immediately open a cold, cold beer and abandon the cleaning. I cook up some fast pasta, grab the boys and head out to the park across the street where, it seems, the entire community is sitting on rugs eating and drinking.

I’m entirely too knackered to make any pictures until I see a blue ball and two youngsters chasing it (one of which is my son). The light is gorgeous but they are too far away and I cannot run for exhaustion and my lens is too wide. I stood up and made one frame. Only one all evening. It was random.

It’s not brilliant by any means but it brought me back my humour.

http://paultreacy.com/images/blueball.jpg

EITHER BUILD THE HOUSE YOURSELF..
or let the illegals do it..
I hate when people BRAG..
I’m building a house..
you ain’t building shit white idiots.
THE ILLEGALS DID IT..
bit you want the CREDIT for yourself ..
AGAIN..
enough with the white modern slavery..

I don’t believe life is a random walk. On way too many seemingly random occasions I end up meeting someone important, who I never would have met had I not been going with the flow. And when I shoot, it depends if I’m shooting for myself or shooting with a specific purpose in mind. But even then, after I shoot with purpose, sometimes life just starts speaking to me through my pictures and if I’m lucky, if I’m aware enough to see and understand, I get those magic shots that I never could have planned for, where the light was just perfect or the action just hit right in that split second. This self portrait in Bangkok was a recent random moment. http://lindatheworldpeacephotographer.blogspot.com/

DAVID

Did you see my link?

For 32 hours last weekend I was at Movement ’08, Detroit’s eighth annual Electronic Music Festival. I may be old but I adore EM of all kinds–Techno, House, Ghetto/Rap, Trance, Funk, Jazz/Improv, Ambient, and all those unclassifiable mixes being put out today. Detroit is the EM Mecca for young people from around the world so Memorial Day weekend at Detroit’s riverfront Hart Plaza is like a mini-UN meeting of minds, hearts and bodies. Especially bodies, if you get my drift. Last year they dubbed me “Grandma Techno,” and the name stuck. So for me this weekend was not only about the music but about the kids. BTW at 66 I call everyone under the age of 40 a kid. No offense meant and none taken, I hope.

As I worked with my hundreds of photos today I kept hearing David’s voice in my head saying, “generally speaking, most show too many pictures.” So I whittled my 400+ down to 7. I sure would love to hear feedback from David and the community. The URL is

http://www.pbase.com/windchimewalker/for_review

ANNA B,

Great to see the same event from your perspective.
Good job!

Eric,

I was curious to see your final edit and just took a peek.
Looks amazing. Love it!

PATRICIA…

my oh my girl, you really have been paying attention!! nice….

very cool cool departure for you….well, actually, as per your own words , THIS IS THE REAL YOU!!!

that was fun!! thanks….

hugs, david

MARCIN…

very very strong strong day of work!! as i always say, i would cut it down to 4 or 5 of the strongest…but, i do not think we should edit you yet…it might strangle you…you need to stay loose…do not worry about “final product”…if i tell which ones are my favorite now, it will ruin everything…let’s wait for a few more shooting days to get an overall feel for where are going…the tough part for you will be to GROW inside a subject where you have already shot a lot…a lot of good work too…so this is your challenge…to go higher than before…much higher…a real push…total immersion…you should not even be here now..forget us for awhile and just go to work…sound fine for you???

cheers, david

Thanks, David. You’re right, that IS the real me, where my passion lies. I could have shown the festival & all the marvelous characters who show up, but I thought hard and realized I wanted to get INSIDE this music I love so much. I’d been dancing my bootie off before I took out my camera so the shots were made in a semi-tranced-out state. I hope that shows.

Don’t want to be pushy but is there any chance they could be considered for the Look3 slideshow?

Patricia

HELLO ALL…

i just had a good laugh….but it may not strike you the same way it hit me…but, anyway here goes:

i was scrolling up a bit here and saw a comment from Marcin asking me “have you seen my new link yet?”

now it was only a few hours before that when Marcin had posted his first link from his new assignment…it was like “David where in hell have you been?”

but i laughed because it reminded me of one of my sons (at a very early age) asking me “daddy did you see me hit that ball?”

i mean, i go offline to have dinner and hangout with a few friends, and Marcin is WAITING for my response!!

now, Marcin please do not interpret any of this the wrong way…it is supposed to be either funny or poignant or both!!!

but, you can see the problem….i mean, i have somehow ended up with a lot of responsibility here…like some kind of parent of a dysfunctional family that i have to keep going…i.e.trying not to pay too much attention to one of you more than the other etc etc…well, except for Cathy!!

i mean the “drama” here sometimes seems like a sitcom show..right? or is it just me??

but, here is how i look at it…smiling

i look at this the same way i look at any relationship…

“hey, we are here..wouldn’t be here if we didn’t want to be here”

simple..

period…

’nuff said….

gotta love you guys,

david

Oh, before I forget…is there anything else you want? Michael has the soundtrack…do you want me to write something from my perspective on the project? Are people doing anything like that? As far as what the project is or what its supposed to be in the future..thoughts, feelings, etc?

so i didn’t get an assignment, and one came up that i just had to do….shitty shitty, but my house burned up and it was sort of therapeutic to go shoot it yesterday…took me about 2 weeks to go and do it…everything is just fine now so don’t nobody worry bout me…but have a looksee:

http://ryderpictures.com/housefire/index.html

DAVID

This is the only Venice Beach work I’ve posted so far. I also met (and photographed) some 20 year old squatters who live in the Venice canals, which could be an interesting project for me.

Panos and I shot all of the bodybuilding during a very intense 42 minutes. It was cool to shoot “tandem”… building upon one anothers’ access to climb further and further in. We worked the scene really well together. (It WAS fun!) We missed you though, and hope you’ll join us in California sometime soon.

What you wrote about #2 and #3 (vs. the other subject-driven pictures) is very helpful. Thank you. I struggled, feeling obligated to cover the event, while hearing your voice (and finding it more interesting intuitively) to explore the edges.

No rush on the EPF crit… just whenever you have time. Will post some squatter pictures in the next couple days…

Anna B.

David, you said you’ve got to laugh and I’m glad you can and it shows what a generous man you are. I love that you help all the people here but I have been watching the forum grow these last 6 months or so into what appears to be a job for you and am worried if you ever think you have created a monster and want to give it all up. You are a busy man with your own commitments, both personally and professionally, and yet you still do all this for us here. Please take a rest for yourself soon! And PEOPLE give David time to rest sometimes.
I learn and work on my own style and images(authorship got to get some authorship apparently) with what you show and write here, and indeed with what others show and write – especially Bob, and hope, oneday, to improve enough to be part of the way the place is developing into a real working, published group with its own identity. But until then I don’t think I could be so possessive of you on YOUR forum as others sometimes are. When I get closer I will ask your opinion, politely without taking up any more of your valuable time than I have to because if you are going to shepherd our work we must make sure we won’t embarress you by getting it wrong but surely if we watch and learn more before posting every thought process we will get it right.
Although the opposite seems to have worked for Panos whose latest work is great.
Go figure.
Just my 2 cents.
Many Thanks once again
Damon

Hello all!

Sorry rather of topic here, but wanted to make a suggestion. Is there any possibility of creating an area in the site for people to provide links to their work?

I haven’t been able to get on line for a couple of days and wanted to check out work from those who were kind enough to look at mine and offer compliments and suggestions.

Due to the huge activity on the blog (wonderful!!! of course!) if I miss out on a day or so it is sooo hard to catch up with any links provided (especially through a crappy internet connection) grrrr.

Don’t know if this is even feasible?… but thought I would throw it out there… I realize it is important to keep up and log in regularly, I would if I could, but I (and i’m sure some others) just don’t have that basic luxury all the time.

If there was one area to go to, it could save a lot of hassle. If this overall concept is too broad then maybe just a place for whoever is on a DAH assignment that month to post there links?? This would obviously change each month.

Anyways, just a suggestion…

James

David et al,

As a strictly part-time and fit-it-in-around-‘real’-work photographer, random is what I do. Street photography primarily, where in some senses the purpose (OK: *a* purpose) is to rescue something from the unceasing randomness… In this respect, then, I don’t think I regard any photographs as ‘random’…but I do (always) see good, bad and indifferent photographs. Maybe ‘a photograph that doesn’t rise above its randomness’ is one definition of ‘bad photograph’?

Whatever the case, I see nothing wrong whatsoever with random photographs!

Regards–
alun

wow david ryder

i’m so sorry to hear about the fire… that must be devastating… i hope you and your loved ones are ok?????… and i hope in some way you can replace the things you’ve lost…

David..i have been wanting to ask you this question: sometimes i have heard you mention about keeping the photographs ‘esoteric’…what do you mean by that? and is that some kind of a predominant photographic style…new one…? what?! :)
thanks anyways..

Like Paul, the heading “Random” also hit home with me – a friend of my son was just killed by an out of control car, as he sat reading a book at a bus stop, waiting for his transfer on the way to work, age 17. It just defies…everything, really. My son’s girlfriend was also there, now in the hospital with recovery expected.

This happened on saturday, and I shot at the church of my project on sunday, but it wasn’t a joyful shoot, more a dutiful one. I probably wouldn’t have gone but for it being a major day for the church, a procession in which we walked (talk about random) by the bus stop from which the kids left. By the end, though, I was glad to have been there — as something unexpected always happens, this time in a small, good way.

Paul, I loved the photo of the kids chasing the ball in the evening light. Chasing happiness, into the dusk.

Joan

Hey Bob,
thank’s so much for the feedback..just replied. My thought :for a short website edit , no need … it’s too early… although she’ll be the ” voice”. …in the end this is a long term story,.not part of David’a monthly assignments….. keep in touch,kat,

BOB..
we are not in the same page..
I was talking in the name of the
IMMIGRANTS..

and you are talking in the name of the
POOR..

BIG DIFFERENCE..
HUGE ,dangerous western style
misconception..

You see,
an immigrant ( even the abused one )
Is not necessarily “poor” ..
you know why..?
Because immigrants work harder to prove and
get accepted.. They have to..
overtime, overtime..
immigrants built this country..
SLAVES build this country..

IMMIGRANTS AND SLAVES ARE
THE ONES I PAY ATTENTION..
the ones I give voice..
THE HARDWORKERS..

Not the poor.. FUCK THE POOR..
just being poor means NOTHING to me..
so just because I own a cellphone,
an extra battery and a 50mm elmarit..
doesn’t make me rich wealthy or WHITE..

You make me feel sad today Bob
crawling away..
anyways
hopefully later I will post some
GIRLS BOXING PHOTOS..

Annaaaaa whats uppppppppp!

Wow! What a brilliant place this is. Funny that I call it a place but in a way that’s exactly what it is. When I come here I’m always surprised. Each post and its comments fluctuate all over the map of thoughts, opinions, ideas and images. It’s stimulating in the extreme. In just a few lines my emotional response can range from angry to giddy. Who could ask for more?
Sublime.

MARCIN….

i do not see any problem with your work…you should not be frustrated…yes, we need to edit, but that is a nice “problem” to have….relax

the “translation” from my post above with the story about you is: this forum is like a family…with all of the joys and ups and downs…you know i am a “family man” in every way..even online…you are part of this family…feel good, feel welcomed….

ok, keep photographing…you are doing just fine….

hugs, david

PANOS….

i think we need to take stock of where you are…i mean, you are working so so much and totally prolific and totally into it…i love this!!

but, alas, i do not know where all of the Venice work is located…you have so many links…when i go to your site, i do not see it all..or am i not looking at it right??

anyway, can you get everything on Venice in one place for me to see???

if we had a slide show of your work, which music would you have running over it??

like today, like now??? we must move fast….

many thanks, david

Panos: amigo…no, im talking ABOUT BOTH…im from a family of immigrants, my wife is an immigrant, my son…i am one too here…more later..

hugs
bob

CHARLIE….

i am not stressed out at all…if i were stressed out, i would not walk over to the keyboard….and, yes, all families are somewhat dysfunctional…i was laughing as i was writing…not complaining, just musing….

DAVID…

Just a quick question about Look3 and Charlottesville – I probably missed some info here, things have been a little crazy lately. I will be there, but what is the deal with the slideshow? Who is in and what day is it happening? I’m really excited for it!

Glad to catch you ever so briefly on your roof two week back…

DAVID RYDER…

damn!!! i just looked at your work from your house fire….compelling pictures…too bad they came from such a personal disaster…similar actually from the pictures we saw in the fall from Alex R…..we are all relieved that you are fine at least…keep us posted on your welfare please…

PATRICIA…

honestly, i do not think you have quite enough for a slide show…i do like this work very much, but if we actually started editing they would come down to probably 4 pictures or so without repeating yourself..so i see your dance pictures as a significant “starting point” for more!!!

please remember what i always emphasize..take those pictures..edit them down tight…forget them!!! at least temporarily…then, go do more!!

you are a woman with a great attitude and enthusiasm for life…let’s build on this….let’s come up with a THEME that will let you fly!!

the “bar” for Look3 has gotten very high!!

before i show work from a photographer i am mentoring i only have one thing in mind…the impression that photographer will make…and first impressions are so so important..i must do photographers a favor by making sure each one looks his/her best..let’s wait a bit….

BUT, photographers have the amazing ability to do great work in a short period of time…Katharina did all of that terrific BKK work in about 2 days…the “pressure” of a workshop does that…i cannot create quite that atmosphere on line…much much harder…but anyway, we are giving it a shot…

try another night or two of dancing…maybe you can come in right “under the wire”…if not, we will “save you” for the next time around….

cheers, david

YOUNG TOM….

hey dude, missing you…what you do??? new work??

cheers, david

DAVID R.

What happened??? An electrical fire? SO sorry! You certainly seem to have a great additude about it to be out photographing and posting here in the midst of it all.

Hope whatever you have to deal with goes smoothly and turns out well.

Paul, yes, never mind the lens, that shot of the kids chasing the ball, wonderful, and it almost can be felt live, the ball rolling as we look.

Bob, Katharina, old woman?!?!? Did I miss something, I tried to look in your “rented room” gallery, not sure what it’s all about. It’s such a loaded subject, I hope you will give it a new, unmisleading angle, Katharina (well, I don’t even know what the subject is).

I just want to make sure I don’t miss the show! I’ll be in Charlottesville and it seems like a pretty nice opportunity to meet people known only virtually.

If anyone is in DC this evening, come out for my own slideshow event: I’ll be screening some images set to music in between live musical acts at Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. Show starts at 9pm sharp! $8 at the door…

A sampling of my recent U.S./Mexico border work for everyone (more to be seen tonight): http://www.brendanhoffman.com/borderbw

Herve,
” rented room ” ? Sorry, there;s no captions yet… …… The old woman I met during the second trip… very striking face ( and life story ) ,but she doesn’t fit into a short presentation…..

DAVID,

Here’s a link that’ll connect you to Panos’ 23 ( ! ) Venice threads. Use your Safari browser.

http://web.mac.com/innerspacecowpanos/%22MOVIES%22/PHOTOGS_IN_VENICE.html

Hi Charlie,
second under ” NEW”..but it’s work in progress…not finished….

David,

I leave today for a day at a Hutterrite colony … hoping for more than a day. We’ll see. Spending a week in the broader community … smallest incorporated town in the state, pop. 50, with a gun club/bar and with the colony nearby, pop. 140. Old world meets new … all the same world.

Okkaaaayy … nix that. I’ll go to the colony next week. Weird … Mag called while writing this, wants a “more artistic” take on a cycling event happening in two days. Maybe cover. Huh … just lost work from a newspaper for being “too artistic.” Now I’m nervous. Perhaps you really don’t have to pander after all ;-)

What kind of energy are you channeling there David? I’ll take more with two sugars, hold the cream.

tom

Romain, I dont think you have to apologize for bringing up topics that arent wholly germane to the thread. I have done this myself on more than one occasion; witness, for example, my screed on the utility of using parrots for inexpensive root canal work; and I’ve been thinking of following through on this theme with another dealing with the recent spate of violent xenophobic parrots attacking young vampires. Nothing about these two related themes has anything to do with DAH’s theme of randomness in photography and yet I dont think anyone will complain about my wandering off the subject of the thread to explore the philosophical possibilities presented by these themes. So bring up the mosquitoes in Iquitos as much as you want.

ROMAIN…

your photos do not open on Flickr for me….

yes, this blog goes too fast for me too!!!!

cheers, david

David,

As I told I am very bad with the tech stuffs … aie, aie aie, … I’ll try to figure out how flickr works and come back here asap.

Cheers
Romain

Akaky,

xenophobia = rascism … and … vampires = us sometimes i think here on this blog … and parrots, well we all know that that portends … so to that extent you are just pandering to the off topic topic and reemergence of the classic Panos rant and the “look at me” sidebar of David, you are ultimately proving the point that there is nothing random. Again, all on topic my pernunctious friend. You cannot fool me :))

PANOS

DO NOT STOP….
NO BRAKES…
BE OBSSESSED…
STILL SHOOTING….
NOW I’M YOUR FAN…
DOWNSHIT

Panos brother! You have 23 links/galleries/stories…I’ll bet David would prefer 23 images.

Can you dig deep and pull out 20 of your best from all those links, and place those 20 best images in one gallery?

PANOS…

ok, sure…i love Riders in the Storm and it goes with your work…but, can’t we get all your new Venice work in one place???? i do not mind editing from many, but somehow i have to see it..some way better than me going back thru your 23 links!!!!

but, of course do not stop shooting now…but let me please get at least some idea of where you are overall….

WROBERTANGELL

no hurry…we could have you set for the next round of assignments..take your time and think about it…

ROMAIN…

ok, i could open your work this time….

i looked at the second set which seemed to be almost the same as the first set…???????????????

anyway, too too too many pictures!!! but, in there are some very good ones…but, you must be careful not to try to imitate Alex Webb…we already have Alex!!! being influenced by him is one thing…literally copying him is another…i understand this and it is normal, but you must move away in your own way…

saludos, david

ok, DAVID..
I’ll do this tonight..
I will post all in one link..
with NUMBER SEQUENCE ..
no fancy explanations.

I’ll make it easy..
and I will “PRE EDIT”..
even if I skip something ..
I’ll take the risk..
I’ll do the job..
maybe like MICHAEL K SAID..
one photo from each link..

Ok, tonite
driving
downshifting
hit the gas
gone..

TOM HYDE..

Laughing.. Like a maniac..

That’s my boy Tom..
I thought I could keep up..
this is like a sitcom or
comedy radio show..

I’m fucking proud to be here..
thank you ALL..

PANOS…

ok yes right!!!

do not edit too too much….and here is what we should do i think…send me the link as you described…i will make a rough edit…then run it by you to see what you think…

i am not promising you piece of the Look3 show, but that is why i want to see your work right now…i know you are not finished….you are on a roll and you should stay on a roll..if we cannot get you edited in time for Look3, there are still venues coming up for us to show more…

anyway, if you understand my thinking on this and do not be disappointed if i cannot get you in the show or if i think you will be better served by waiting for the next venue, then all is cool…ok by you????

i am sure you know that my intent is to have you blast us all off the map with your Venice work!!!

but, let’s make sure we do it right…fair enough???

peace, hugs, david

David, I totally understand about the Look3 slideshow. After all, I’m very much a newbie here, but more than that I think I’m just finding my voice. Enthusiasm & high energy are two personality traits I’ve always had, yet they’re only just beginning to show up consistently in my work. I can now see where I’ve been too cerebral. Well, enough of that shit! It’s time to fly!!!

I’m still editing my Detroit Electronic Music Festival photos and have just posted another small gallery (6 pix). The URL is

http://www.pbase.com/windchimewalker/for_review2

Password: movement08

Thanks, David, for taking the time to look at my stuff and give me such encouraging feedback.

Regarding where I go from here I’ve gotten the OK to begin taking photos of the seniors at a downtown Detroit Senior Learning Center. I’m very much looking forward to taking portraits of folks in their 70s, 80s & 90s dancing the hustle, gardening, bowling & making art. A bit different from the crowd at the Electronic Music Festival but equally full of life!

Patricia

KYUNGHEE LEE…

where are you??

two things:

i want to give you an assignment, but i do not know where your interest is at the moment…so tell me please what would be your choice…

i will include you in the Look3 show, but i want to know if you have anything else you want me to see from your original project….you have enough already, but just wanted to check to make sure you are pleased with the final result…

all best wishes, david

Thanks David. Here’s an oldie from 2004 which started something new. Still trying to figure out what that something is.

RANDOM…
http://paultreacy.com/images/ephemera/fallingleaf.jpg

ROMAIN,
I reinforce the previous comments about a website for your work man! Adding one suggestion I also took to myself (still learning…): It’s hard some times but it’s editing. Cut without mercy to the best!
BTW, I’ve opened the galleries without problems.

DAVID,
Sorry about my poor english…
First it was really an introduction to my portfolio but I do have a proposal, actually two: Catadores (Recycling garbage collectors, Scavangers. Migrants to the big cities without work perspective, collecting recycling materials to survive. Much more involving their daily routine – drugs, slavery, etc.)
Offshore workers (oilfield exploration) – I’m among them, registering the diversity of languages and cultures “living” onboard an oil rig. All started in Angola and is continued now in Nigeria.
Well, I’m still looking for new angles on these stories…
And just a question: Already have a schedule for the NY workshop in October?

ANNA B.,
Thanks for your contact. Again, would suggest more B/W`s , I also liked the no. 2

PANOS,
For you too: I loved the B/W’s!

JAMES,
I left a post in you site. Waiting for the multimedia files!

KATHARINA,
Will send you an email.

All the best!

Charlie
CHARLIE
http://www.charliemahoney.net
——————-

Charlie…!?!?….but that’s the link that shows already in:

Posted by: Charlie Mahoney | May 28, 2008 at 03:53 PM …

for stuff:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78634514@N00/

Be warned: it’s merely vacation stuff…;-)

RAFAL…

would you consider changing the music for your show?? i was just listening to your choice of the Beatles piece “Ob La Di, Ob La Da” and looking at your photographs..just does not seem to fit in my opinion….

why not something a little more mysterious, sensual, and intriguing??? something Korean too obvious?? another thing to think about…this will run by fairly quickly, so it is either better to have instrumental only or a song where the key words kick in immediately…

let me know what you think…

ROMAIN!!!!

A look at your shots, and like David intimates, once you find your voice (a WS with him would send you off to the moon! Is what I thought) you should be rocking, BUT:

How could you leave the pix called #29 out of the final edit?!?!? COOOME ON!!!!! ;-)

I know it’s Okay, Charlie ;-), just a distant, unaudible quip to Panos’s old smirk that travel is vacation….. Unless someone writes a foreword for your, ohlala! travel photography book, I guess…:-)))

Fuck you, Panos! :-)))))

I really don’t like LS, frankly (I have a very short gallery there, forgot to nix it). I hate all this “press pass” “pro here!” whatever, pretense that comes out of browzing the site. And where there’s no humour, there’s no me. Maybe a perception…

Nothing for now from me. I intend to learn from all of your guys mistakes first! :-)))

Most photographers random pictures are garbage as they are self indulgent and without intention. They also then tend to think that the images are better than they actually are…

Self discipline also falls apart in the form of an inability to guage what is “good” and what is “bad” in their own work. The editing then fails as they show too much and cannot get rid of the rest…

I think that intention is needed and even then, fierce editing to pull out the best of what is left after the fierce editing…

Random images should be kept largely to one self unless one builds up the self discipline and skill to know what is truely of value…

ERIC:

James Chance’s is:http://www.jameschance.com/

And Katharina’s is:http://www.katharinahesse.com

Both sites are flash so sometimes you have to be a bit patient while they load.

buenas noches,
Charlie

PANOS, whoever else is interested…

An aspect of the immigration/construction story here in New Mexico you may not be aware of is that MOST ALL of the subcontractors in town are not illegal or even necessarily Mexican. They are HISPANIC LOCALS…NEW MEXICANS whose families have lived in this area for many generations. Most are related… The painter is a cousin of the plumbers (a father and his two sons.) The electrician went to school with the bricklayer, etc. A close knit group of locals..many whose ancestors came here from Spain.

The Native Americans were here first. The Spanish came in the 1500’s and later, in 1821 New Mexico became a province of Mexico. So it’s an eclectic group here…one of the many reasons I love it so much.

KATHARINA: :))…Kat, sent an email :)))) (you dont look too stressed ;)) )…wrote u long :))…sent u m’s email too…if you want, i can later write here what I wrote in email: it would make for an interesting discussion: ’cause i think lots would benefit/be interested in what the whole “old woman” is about…:))…but, it’s brilliant work and especially since i know it’s larger, more important than just the hotel room stuff :))…hugs

DAH: David, just in case Kyung-hee is off/away, she mentioned something to me about doing about a ceremony: was it children’s day, parents day, Buddha’s day or some religious celebration…I cant remember..but, i think that was her plan :)) (ok, do i get paid for being dah blog assistant??) ;)))…

HERVE: :)))..damn, King, you take better “vacation shots” then me, for sure :))…u are so right about LS…but it wasnt always that way, believe me…what i dig about here (and u) is that it is filled with thoughtfulness, humour, foul language, argument, respect, ass kissing (well, i dont dig that, but i guess that’s part of life ;) ), intelligence, good shit (photography) bad shit (photography), debate all that :)))..and im with you: travel aint vacation….travel is life:…u gotta read (Panos too) BRUCE CHATWIN’S SONGLINES

SISTER LISA, CHIME IN! :))

ok, i gotta go…

I cant keep up with y’all…got work to do, and more importantly, gota wife and limited time on computer (im now 1 hr dude/ per day)…

hugs

running
b

ps. DR: i left you a love note last time you surface here (2 months ago?)…im glad u’re hear…re-watched lynch’s inland empire (2nd time for me) saturday: u gotta thrive that flick DR :)))…glad u r here!!

DAH: “the garage sale concept is going to be difficult, but i think eventually very interesting…”

Difficult indeed (at least harder than I thought) but as the serendipity that you speak of has taken it’s course, I think I’ve settled on things more specific.

DAH: “i think your whole idea is to show consumerism run amok…too many people with too many “things””

I had that thought, but it’s not so much a story about materialism, but more about struggling people (as a result of our economy) who decide there are items they can part with to make ends meet. Or those who have to sell luxury items because they can’t put fuel in them anymore. Plus just stopping by yard sales is hit or miss in terms of this purpose, so I’m having more success finding people selling specific things for specific reasons. A majority of the garage sales are still just for spring cleaning.

DAH: “you are going for this in black & white, which is fine, but maybe you would get a feeling of the eclectic nature of garages full of unwanted items by combining color and b&w”

May just stick with B&W. High sun and haze leaves colors pretty flat (in the land of vinyl siding) so colors tend to be unflattering before 5pm when most of the sales close.

DAH: “you have picked one of those subjects where it is easier to describe in words than pictures…a common problem for many…”

That’s true. I think many felt that way about (Sean’s?) desertification. Or at least that was highly dependent on the story.

Anyway, here’s the latest:

http://www.humanfiles.com/garagesale/gs03.htm

And some new stuff has been added to these:

http://www.humanfiles.com/garagesale/gs01.htm

http://www.humanfiles.com/garagesale/gs02.htm

Party on,

David M

DOUGLAS RICKARD….

i have never seen your work before, but i was quite impressed with much of it…your site was a little hard to use, but the pictures were compelling enough to make me keep going…

you certainly have INTENT , which is where so many go wrong…

anyway, i will go for your work…period… what you wrote is true even if not so diplomatically phrased in the opinion of our Young Tom…thanks for stopping by…..come again…

cheers, david

Im thinking about another song for my soundtrack…the other idea which might also fot the theme of me being a sort of watcher in my house would be The Spy, by the Doors. Im sure panos loves this song… LOL

I’m a spy in the house of love
I know the dream, that you’re dreamin’ of
I know the word that you long to hear
I know your deepest, secret fear
I’m a spy in the house of love
I know the dream, that you’re dreamin’ of
I know the word that you long to hear
I know your deepest, secret fear
I know everything
Everything you do
Everywhere you go
Everyone you know

I’m a spy in the house of love
I know the dream, that you’re dreamin’ of
I know the word that you long to hear
I know your deepest, secret fear
I know your deepest, secret fear
I know your deepest, secret fear
I’m a spy, I can see
What you do
And I know

ok

DAVID , ALL..

ROUGH EDIT ..

1) COLOR… link

http://web.mac.com/innerspacecowpanos/%22MOVIES%22/COLOR_-VENICE_ROUGH_EDIT….html

2) B&W…. link

http://web.mac.com/innerspacecowpanos/%22MOVIES%22/B%26W_VENICE_-ROUGH_EDIT.html

headache… already… i give up…
judge me please….
Im exhausted…

LISA …
thank you…
dont you prefer this one ??? OVER the “Riders on the storm”

Jim Morrison – The Doors – Whiskey Bar / Alabama Song

Hey Rafal… again … GREAT WORK..!!!

HEY PANOS!!!!!!!

tell you what- if you cut down your rough by half and then by half again- so you say had about maybe 20-30 shots all up- then I reckon I could help you cut it down by half again and then I could tell you what Doors song works best. I reckon I know just about every Doors song by heart, and at the moment the edit is looking definitely like Homer Simpson’s interpretation of the life of the Lizard King!

You have got so many possibilities in there, some really great shots (girls in the cage/dickchin) I reckon there is some real crap thats just not worthy (same old shit) and you should be able to pluck them out before anyone else has to look-otherwise as much as it is ‘PANOTOPIA” it is also “PANDEMONIUM”. I like the concept but execution is everything!

Hope you don’t mind my two cents, I know you have the soul of an artist so its just searching out the things that really make me think ah, yeah only Panos could take that shot. Sorry if you think I am jumping in but if I might be able to help.

cool, cool, cool, LOVES IT… as Paris would say..
Thank you LISA… I like YOU…You are so much fun…
i mean fresh… cool… e.t.c… smiling
peace

thanks guys for sending those positive vibes as I recover from my house fire…how can you help? keep sending your thoughts!

dont know how it started…electrical probly…

it has been a trip and really has got me thinking…like the burning man festival, i feel almost renewed and this is a time of big ‘rebirth’ for me as i move states in 2 weeks for a new job at a paper in utah…

i lost a lot of shit, like everything, including digital archives and negatives…so sad…that’s the only ‘stuff’ i care about…all the other things are just things…and covered by insurance anyway…so back up your stuff people! my backup hard drives were in the same room as my laptop…don’t make the same mistake as i did! keep your backups at work or a friend’s place

but hey…i still have my eye and my creativity…thank god i am safe and sound…able to make pictures and read DAH’s blog

Panos your venice shit is the shit. no shit.

dope!!!
————-
Panos, rock lyrics are always co-opted for whatever use people wish to.
(I tried to call U today. Can’t believe your phone was off!!!)

BTW, PDN annual 2008 is out:

http://gallery.pdnevents.com/annual2008/main.php

Thank you David Ryder…! thank you…

Oh, my good friend Herve…
I really can’t wait to see the pics from France you are
bringing…!

yes, I’m selfish … I’m unkind… PLACEBO

pixies – where is my mind

Lisa, good song…
The problem with me is that I cant think of any songs now
I definitely think I need a differemt song than oladi oblada …

Im sure there MUST be a good Leobard Cohen song to fit my shots….

THANK YOU DAVID…

…!!?

I,… hmm.. er..

ANNA ,
thank you for revealing that I’m tall… I’m 6’3″…
I can’t run and i can’t hide…
but i can drink…

THIS ONE FOR ALL

random pictures….
I more or less agree with dr (btw, very nice pictures but, yes, not an easy website to navigate).
I’m still working with film, so shooting like a maniac would be something i can’t afford financially, but it’s not my way of working either. Photography has to be a relaxing activity for me and i mostly shoot landscapes, so i usually take my time, walk or drive around, stop when i see something i think i could get a nice picture from, but then i dont necessarily end up shooting. And generally i dont shoot more than 3-4 pictures of the same subject (i also learnt to accept i can walk home without having shot a single picture if i feel i was not in the mood). But obviously with a landscape it’s easier, you dont have to catch the moment, well, the light may change but a landscape or a building are not walking away…
I agree with you david when you say editing starts when one is shooting and no pictures are really random.
However, as i read of people here shooting 400 pictures in few hours i was wondering: has digital photography changed the way of working, i mean, are those who have switched to the digital shooting much more than they used to now that there’s no film cost any longer? do they shoot more randomly and consequently have a much bigger editing work to do?
David,
i feel i’d like to show something, doesnt make much sense to stay here writing on my attitude towards photography and never show anything, does it? and of course i’d like to exploit you a bit and have some straight comments.
However…i dont know when i’ll be able to work on a website but i did start scanning some slides. It’s a work of many years ago when i was working in a home for the aging and took some pictures of those old people, portraits as well as moments of their daily life at the home.
I could make a PDF, one single document with around 15 pictures, very easy to vision, and send it to you by email.
I’m only sorry I cant share it and have comments from the community this way…but i’ll have them later when the website is online (maybe i should set a deadline…)
please let me know.

and lastly: strangely enough yesterday morning i was thinking “hey there should be a place where i can track all the bloggers’ websites whenever i want to see somebody work again.
Then i go to roadtrips and someone is posting about the same question!
What about delicio.us or one of those social bookmarkings services where one can group his favorite websites. I dont know how they exactly work, maybe some of you here does?

cheers

Bon Dia a tots!

GUIDO:

HERVE pointed this out to me yesterday as I didn’t realize it either, but presently you can see a poster’s site by simply clicking on their name below the posting. If the name is underlined it has a link.

Of course it depends on how the person originally registered, and in your case there is no link. The next time you post however, if you add something in the space for URL: that will be your link.

I hope this helps.

RAFAL

We used to call Leonard Cohen ‘Mr Suicide Music’ No, no I love your little boy, you can’t do that to him!

ALL

If any of you are interested I just posted ‘Beautiful Music’ on my site which is the preliminary stuff I have just shot for this long term doco I am doing (or will do if I can get funding) Let me know what you think!

Beautiful Music

http//www.lisahogben.com

LISA

“the homeless,mentally ill, disadvantaged and drug and alchohol affected”

Sometimes don’t ya just feel one step away from at least two of those?
What a great start. I love the faces. Can you get closers ?

hey LISA

yes yes i saw your dogs too!!! really weird to see the same thing in 2 different visual perspectives :)))))

though i must confess that i have no clue what is going on with the dogs, if it is a cruel punishment or not… i only visited the track and didn’t have a chance to really “follow” a dog home to get a different perspective….

talked to a few owners of racing dogs so mostprobably i only heard half of the story… i have no opinion either way as i don’t feel i have a full story…

they just all seemed to love their animals kissing and hugging them all the time…

of course this was only a tiny track, just a couple of hundred spectators, no professional racing i think…

maybe i should return and dig deeper… you’ve got me curious!

peace
anton

Charlie,

where are you writing from at 5 am? not from the US i guess (so it’s probably not 5 am for you as it is not for me…)
anyway….besides the link below the posting, I was thinking to something different. A place where whenever i want to see your or panos’ or erica’s or whoever’s work i don’t have to look into hundreds of posts, expecially when i want to track the work by somebody who does not post very often.
But probably a place just for our links wouldnt work either, it would grow too much over the time as probably everyone would link to his or her website.

LISA,

Beautiful music is a compelling story with the sequence very well conducted by you and Gone to the dogs is also amazing.
Talking about colors I would pick some beautiful images from The coloured digger…

Cheers,
Ari B.

PANOS: I am also so so proud of you and the mad-fullthrottle beach fuck discodance brillcreamcumcame madness that you’ve put urself through..:)))….man, when you kick the door down here, or rather, ran over everyone with your frickin’ Highway 10 SUV guzzler iphonepoppin foul mouth, i thought: this guy gonna either electrify a friendship or act like all those other loudmouth posers, but somehow, i sense it wasnt an act, but the real deal…if “proud” sounds too patronizing, let me just see I am happy happy (relieved? ;) ) too for u…and i love the name Panopolis! :)))…’nuff said here :)))

LISA: will look at the new work this weekend: i’ve tired myself to a internet leash: no more, from now own, than 1 hr to web, including emails, dah, ls, nytimes, research etc etc…so, im going like now all hermit-ty, gotta, to make my own writing and photography sing, and most importantly to make sure computer is a small time part of my waking life, compared with the real time with the only folk that matter: marina and dima…so, i’ll look and drop you a rhyme this weekend…

DAVID: brother, no :))..you are the only captain here! Just like Herve and Marcin and panos and lisa and all the Mikes (too m any to list :)) )and all the rest, im just a worker shoveling the coal to keep the fire alive on this beautiful trail…’cos it’s like TGV now, so in that case I believe King Herve would be the helmsman ;))..

LINDA O: :))) My pleasure: someday, i’ll share some stories about my uncle’s life of touring and playing with Big Jack Johnson, and all those delta bluesmen )))…it’s in the blood!

KATHARINA: :))) GREAT..:)0…ok, David won’t get bored, because we are not talking with him; WE ARE TALKING WITH ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BLOG :)))..this is an important discussion about photography and essays, sequencing, and I am so so happy u put up the pic with old woman….ok, i’ll start the chat..BESIDES, it IS about RANDOMNESS
——————————————–

ALL: NEW POINT OF DISCUSSION: RANDOMNESS-REDUX

Ok, so some have been wondering what Katharina and I have been talking about (behind closed doors in emails) and some have wondered about this reference to “OLD WOMAN.” You can now see the photo of the old woman on Kat’s website at the end of the BKK Prostitute story. I won’t describe who this woman is or the reason why she is there (that will be Kat’s job, since its her essay), but I first saw Kat’s essay when she was at David’s BKK Workshop last year. David post several of the pics and I LOVED IT. I wrote a comment and kat and I started a long and wonderful conversation about the work and others reaction to it. anyway, I told Kat, maybe a problem was that people were hung up on the “sensational” aspect of the sex pics. That’s their problem, not Kat’s but I always felt the story was not about the sex, but about these woman and their life before and after. Later, Kat returned to deepen and develop the essay and in her shooting met an old woman who used to be a prostitute.

For me, she is the ghost the star point of the story. Most BKK Sex Trade stories i see look almost all the same. I never really saw a story about the girls away from the bars/hotels or about women who were once part of the trade. For me, this old woman was the story, for all these magnificent young girls will, most likely, end up like her, when all the men (and all the western men) return to their families. Kat’s portraits are magnificent! and while i also like the hotel shots, i really love the portraits: those are the heart…and this old woman, a guiding angel really, is the pulpy ghost for me that makes this essay so important…So, i told kat INCLUDE THE OLD WOMAN, even if it is 1 picture…

my thinking was this: in a short essay (10 pics, for example for DAH), she still is at the heart. It doesnt matter even if the viewers “understand” who she is or it doesnt matter that there be “context” to flesh out her presence. In fact, I like the seemingly “random” nature of her being there because she raises questions: editorally and metaphorically! who is she, how did the young girl suddently become old, why did the photogrpher include her, is she prostitute or mother or mama-san or ghost…this is important. Also, i personally perfer always including pictures that appear out-of-sync or random, not only for thier “shock” value (although, shock is not the right work, maybe provocation) because every story and every photographer MUST PHOTOGRAPH/EDIT as their internal and poetic logic dictates. For example, for my look3 projection series, i end with a photograph that seems to be totally random: two hands holding in a church. it looks different than all the faces you can see her at DAH DPF webpage. But, there is a reason I inlcude this picture, even though it might not make any sense to viewers, or david. it makes metaphoric sense to me (the journey, the sadness, the comfort, the famly, the ending, the funeral, the beginning) but also it IS EDITORIALLY IMPORTANT: many many koreans go to church, this was a big surprise, the % of the students who were christian and who went to church alot and often, seemed odd for an asian country or more interestingly for young people who the night before were up late drinking: i realized that it was more than just christianity: it was about community and acceptance and fear, fear of being alone…so i put the picture there…i know David might think it’s random and i am sure the audience at Look3 will think: weird bob black…

BUT…

in an essay, no matter how short, a photographer must be honest with her vision, with the idea behind…sometimes context is important and sometimes the logic of the poetry behind the story need not include the viewer, or rather need not Tell the viewer, rather provoke them to dig and reflect and wonder….

Often time a Random image, which appears different in a series acts as a catalyst or a defining moment….this to me is important…i always do this: maybe it comes from being a poet, but i think the intuitive abstraction, the collision that the “odd” image makes speaks often more loudly than the “easily” understood sequenced…

look at Davi’d Divided soul…or Moriyama’s good bye photography…

a great sequence doesnt always have to make sense in oder to make sense profoundly!!

hugs
bob

Dear DAH and all,

Since leaving home on May 15 I have not checked in on the site so it was fun to check in and see where everyone is.

Road trip excellent. It started with the intent to document the climate of America in relation to economics/politics/ agriculture; however, the pulse the photos are taking seem to be of a more personal nature–past lives.

I feel like a familiar movie script–woman goes home after 3 decades to see the lives of loved ones left behind. What I found were bachelors that were loves of my life way back when.

Anyway, way fun and great photos of these guys and their lives and community. One lives right in the middle of a community where a good portion of my ancestors lived and loves to sit on his porch and watch birds and the other is toting guns in a locked tool box in his Dodge truck–took me out shooting at the rock quarry.

Random photos–I have a few from the beginning of the trip before I got to my old stomping grounds. Love them but not sure what to do with them.

I’m in Tennessee now to begin the 10 day vacation with my two girls and their kids. It’s true about what they say–you can’t go back but going back facilitates the healing of old pains and in one case rekindled an old flame.

Lee

ROMAIN – some great pictures there, but I second David’s opininon! Too many pictures and bit too much Alex there ;-)

DAVID – would it be OK for you considering the LOOK3, if I upload 20-30 pictures on June 10th for you to edit down, together with background music? Or rather earlier? The work is still in progress… I feel tired a bit, sometimes enthusiastic, sometimes a bit down… wake up, shoot, office work, shoot, develop, scan, sleep… ;-)

oh, instrumental only songs would be preferred actually over lyrics…………

Katharina/ Bob,

Thanks for sharing the insights about your essay and story. Loved the first pictures you did at the time David had shared your initial essay and this is shaping over time into an even more powerful one. Interestingly, I smiled this morning when reading Bob’s perspective as I looked at your site last night after Charlie shared the link and I hardly paifd attention to the last shot and I had actually not looked at your text yet. I went back his morning after reading Bob, did look at your text and then everything seemed so clear and actually that end shot of the old lady is indeed crucial to the story…very moving to see what this old lady has become and of of a sudden all the previous pictures also become stronger as a result…I am just pissed off at me that I did not see this by myseof the first time….. In any case, great powerful work katharina. Would love to continue to see where you are heading with this story….Eric

LEE….

guns in pickup trucks…shooting at the rock quarry…can’t go home again….rekindled old flame…hmmmmm, well this will lead to something for you….your personal life has been a rocky road lately, but i think you are coming out of the worst part….and you can use your work to facilitate….it seems to me like you could take the return to your “old stomping grounds” and the rekindling of an “old flame” to lead you to a few visual vignettes…slices of time….not photojournalism, but your photorealism…i know you tried this in New York with your first concept for the workshop, but you might want to try it again ….shooting “in the mirror”….i really think, and i have always thought, that this is where you could take your work….mull this over for awhile…shake yourself up….there are no “requirements”….make it easy and natural….maybe bring your daughters into it…by the way, where are you going to live??

RAFAL…

i will listen to a few, but we need to make this decision soon…..remember your work will be up on the screen for about a minute, so think sound track accordingly….it cannot be something that “kicks in” late….

ANTON…

good idea on the “before and after”…..

CHARLIE….

i think you may notice that most photographers have a “commercial side” to their websites…for example, those of us at Magnum who may want to do advertising have a separate place for commercial clients to visit….but honestly, all of my good ad work has come from an art director seeing my personal work…my books….the ad shoot may be of subject matter quite different from the personal work, but they become interested in me as a photographer through the personal photographs..

also honestly, i lose good ad jobs that i could do quite easily because i do not have something very specific in my portfolio…i.e. i lost a really good job on the Mexico coast that i knew well…had it wired….they needed pictures of people playing golf and on jet skis…i have no pictures in my portfolio of people on jet skis or playing golf…i lost the job to a photographer who had pictures of people doing these activities …so some clients are just very very literal when they choose a photographer…

on the other hand i got one of my very best ad jobs for Lavazza coffee where they wanted “sensuality” with coffee…i went to the Costa Brava with a beautiful model and “did my thing” in black & white…now i normally do not shoot models nor am i known for black & white…but this particular art director went for my ability to get a kind of sensuality and he figured i could handle the rest….so go figure!!!

i think it is always to your advantage in the long run to just show what you do best and let the “chips fall where they may”…you cannot psyche the commercial world out anyway….you will lose your mind trying to figure this out….my basic rule of thumb is: get your expenses down low, do your own thing, hope for the best!!!

cheers, david

KAT….

i will do a edit and then run it by you soonest as i have done with everyone….

Ok! I’ll upload what I have now tonight, 9-10pm GMT.

SEAN…

i have heard many times that my site is blocked in China…are all western photoblogs blocked??? what do you think is the reasoning???

MATHEW NEWTON…

nice to have you around amigo…..we have so many from our BKK crew here….maybe i can get Jim to come online and chat a bit..i know he is in New York now and we are supposed to meet in the next couple of days…what have you been up to??? new work??

cheers, david

BTW, my bus project, in the shape I’m thinking about (I don’t know yet… long essay… 100 pictures… a book… ), will not be ready yet anyway… so there is no “premature” option… ;) – I can send you whatever I have or not, I will continue it anyway, probably without the pace I have now, but still…

HERVE, GUIDO….

yes, i think we could take the “workshops/student work” part of this website and use it as a place to have links…this is, after all, one big online workshop…i will make a spot soonest..

i too take random pics, but seems like most/all of them end up being part of the larger story/ bigger picture…about the feeling and atmosphere of the place that i am visiting. i am not going to talk any more about this, as the topic has been very well delved into and explored…and i would only repeat what has already been said…

but anyway…in the project i have been working on, there has now been photographed 3 men, and i am in contact through a friend of mine, with a girl/woman. had an escort lady write to me, but she wanted money (chi ching!!), something i can’t offer…and also thought that being photographed in my apartment is not good enough, rather a studio! tried to explain…but no reply :(
but once i have photographed some women, i will post some pics for you to see.

off to see the World Press Photo exhibition soon…which i am looking forward too…

will be great to have everyone add their names and links to their web page, to get an overall picture of who’s here, and also what they photograph…can it be done some thing similar to what you have in your “Road Trip Links” David?? or is it meant more of a place where we post links…and maybe get comments…

cheers,
jarle

Stuff I’d make available for Look3, though I think a lot of what’s going on with that went over my head. No rush to publish, but thought I’d post these anyway:

http://www.humanfiles.com/slideshows/skelletones/publish_to_web/skelletones_ss.htm

http://www.humanfiles.com/journal_galleries/dukecreek.htm

http://www.humanfiles.com/journal_galleries/luckylight.htm

DAVID:

Thanks. That certainly fits your motto of being true to yourself.

I’d like to leave the two categories up for now, “projects” and “travel” and as I get more material I’ll shuffle that other stuff out.

I hope that’s a reasonable course of action for now.

Charlie, a rented room hotel is not a brothel.

Katharina,

Looking forward to see your next work on the “old lady”. Most “prostitution” essays sin by showing us the context, the job, the action, very rarely one person. When people argue about prostitution, it is very rare they zero in on one person and name her. So they do the same thing as passer by, see exactly what they want and (think they) know.

But in thailand, the country where so much of the surface appearances are only one peel/skin of an onion, “you cannot judge a monk by its garb”, as the expression goes (literally sometimes!).

RAFAL. Why do you need music, everyone agrees your photos are strong, limpid, even pure in many ways. If everyone else has music, and you don’t, they will pay even more attention. I am sure you never shot with audio in mind. Why do it after the fact? David’ s use of the word intent is a great pointer:

What is your intent? Then stick to it. Do not dilute with niceties.

IMO.

hi david,

i’ve just been reading through all the talk of look3 and other possible venues. did you see my email about vision?

thanks jason.

ANNA B.

now THERE is a good idea!!

HELLO ALL….

i am a bit behind in the comments (who wouldn’t be?)…i have not read the most recent 15 or so….and i have no time now either…i mean gorgeous day in New York…afternoon light streaming through my old loft window that i thought i would never look out again…so it is too too nice outside to be looking at a computer screen…

i am on my way over to Jim Nachtwey’s apartment for a glass of wine and dinner with some other friends…on the phone just now i asked him if he would do an online chat here with you….so if you want to ask James a few questions, in the way that you did with Allard, you had better stay tuned…i doubt it will happen tonight, but who knows..probably sometime in the next couple of days…

anyway, i will stop in here later or first thing in the morning…

oh yes, by the way, sometimes good comes out of bad…not only did i get back into our beloved “kibbutz” building, but i negotiated to move up two floors now giving me an unobstructed view of the Manhattan skyline…so so cool…so you must come up and have a cold beer with me at some point..many of you have been already…but, the new place is really fine (in a bohemian sort of way)…

cheers, david

Well, if I didnt have anything intelligent to ask Mr Allard, I have even less to ask Mr Nachtwey. The closest I’ve ever been to conflict on the scale he’s used to is when my ex-sister in law somehow got her hands on the remote and changed the channel in the middle of the Super Bowl so she could watch An Officer and a Gentleman instead. The fireworks began almost immediately.

Anderson,
just had a look at your link, I like the work, and thought it read well, but I feel as though its missing something. some sparks or mystery. I think you need to reach inward, towards yourself. ask yourself what you really want to express and I think believe in your instincts and gut feeling.
look at more work thats out there and ask yourself why do you like a certain thing. take that and put it in your own way.

RAFAL,

Since you were thinking of Leonard Cohen…

Why not Hallelujah?
It’s gorgeous. It’s about love…although in a Leonard-downer way but give it a listen…

It took a while to load.

There’s a lot of great covers of this song…
from Jeff Buckley (the greatest) to Jason Castro of American Idol who had a #1 hit with it recently.

HERVE…

i am either losing my mind or someone other than you made the suggestion to do exactly what i have done…did i mis-read your suggestion??

David, no mis-reading on your part.

I thought we (and not really you) were talking about new work. But mea culpa, I forgot all the roadtrippers who are not really posting or not too much, and still want to have their link available to others (1). It’s all going to work out, Just I wish to reiterate that new work should be given some kind of underlining, caption. Maybe I am too optimistic, I think the entry will soon have 2 or 3 pages and dozens of posts/links

I went direct to a name I did not remember. i saw these pictures before, maybe not here?, but everyone, see Christian Kaiser, superb work with BKK slum kids, and more on his site:

http://www.ckphoto.eu/Bangkok%20Dreams%20SS/

(that’s the slide show with music)

damn..
a lot of things happened or
happening right now..

DAVID AND JAMES N..?!
DRINKING WINE??

DAVID..
if you are tired or overwhelmed
Can you please ask

JAMES N.
to EDIT MY VENICE WORK..?

No nails left to bite..!!

2 ICONIC PHOTOGS..editing..???
it will probably take you 22 seconds..

Am I really asking TOO MUCH??

Laughing..
peace.. I need some wine..
but I’m ok the 15 south
going San Diego..

KA – BOOOOMM!!!!!

I’m witnessing a BLOG EXPLOSION from sleepy San Miguel… tequila on the dresser, beautiful LIGHT on the red stucco outside this arched window.. i’m late for dinner… but it’s MEXICO afterall.. is there anything that runs on time here?

okay now i really gotta run..

abrazos all!!!

David,

yes I changed it.

I went with a Korean song and sent the mp3 to Michael. Its a beautiful song.

Pluses of it being in Korean are:

1. Nobody will focus on the words so that wont detract from the images.

2. The singing is very soft.

3. The title is “I Believe” which is the only English in the song and I think it also fits the feeling of the photos.

Have a listen. I should have thought of this before as its a song with a lot of sentimental value to me and my wife. Anyway, Michael should hav the mp3 file now. Just sent.

Ill put up a link to a website with it so everyone can listen to it.

http://cafe.naver.com/kvpa.cafe?iframe_url=/ArticleRead.nhn%3Farticleid=55

this is the link to a site where you can hear the song

PANOS, PANOS!!!!!!

You are an ‘agent provocateur’ aren’t you!!!!!!!!!

Naughty….

quick, quick….writing/scanning break…

ALEKSANDER NOWAK! :)))

LOVE LVOE THE BUS RIDE, REALLY! :)))…so happy u popped up after being shown with dah and now…really dig…made me weepy, than again, im writing, spent 2 1/2 hours on our porch drinking wine and talking about family stories with mrs. black…and now this…good on you young lad ;))…happy…

DAVID/JIM:…no questions…why does everyone quiver in front of them…dont fucking get it at all…this is what i remember from jim: that man speaks with a hum and wears vests (um, me too) and has an agility of gentleness that belies the death and pain he has swallowed…and christ, it’s only photographs…i might not be around for the show, just as i missed the allard (weekends are for my family not the rest of the world), but…im happy jim will jump in…

as for the rating of photo studes (initiated above), well david’s got some swift moves, that i hear he learned from Lance on the dance flooor ;))…

im gone for a few days….my question for jim would be a simple one:

the days and ways of things, to remain undetered…

ok, gone to write…

addidas-adios amigo(s)…

hugs
b

Bob,

isnt it so weird me and you have such a strong Korean connection in our photography?

Panos– I just booked LOOK3 and got something on Expedia.com

Linda..
so,… explain… please…
can’t i just walk in that little town…
and find a room…???

All of this of course has the potential to go the way of “Natgeo boring” as Panos likes to say ..

C’MON “MAJOR TOM”…
when did i say those words…

this one goes to “MAJOR TOM”…

Panos– Don’t know, don’t know, but I like to book in advance if I can. I didn’t used to care, but once, awhile back in the south of France I ended up sleeping on the beach because everything was booked. The birds xxxx all over me and my backpack, it really sucked!

This link has the HOW TO info for LOOK3
http://www.festivalofthephotograph.org/2008/how_to.html

ok….so, i just finished the past 2 1/2 hrs writing…shit, just sent shit to magazine, will see if they want to publish…Marina is sleeping, so ,i am about to go join her…no words, just spent them writing…

so, will leave music….music, for all you…wont be around for a bit…

david, panos, veba (velibor), lance, glenn, asher, lisa, katharina, linda o, kyung-hee, herve, marcin, mike (all of those beautiful mother fuckers), chris, young tom, anton, wrobertangell, dr, jukka, michal, erica, kelly, mike berube, sean G, andrew, erica, patricia, and, well, im too tired, but u know the rest of u….

music…im off to bed, spent spent spent, will let u know if magazine things the writing is worth shit too…

a song…a concert, marina and i saw, and this goes out to Brooklyn!!!

running

hugs
b

CATHY..
no, i was really going S.D…
this one for you:

MOVIE STAR… CRUSH…JAMES…10…
thank you for playing..

LINDA,
thank you… obviously , no
INSIDERS for me in C/Ville..

BOB,DAVID…

I FOUND THE PERFECT SONG…

THE PERFECT SONG
THE PERFECT SONG
I FOUND THE SONG…

SNOOP DOGG FT THE DOORS – RIDERS ON THE STORM…!

Panos, Rafal, Bob, for you. David, a perfect night you had maybe, but for you too:

David,

ask Mr.N why he doesnt carry a camera around with him….also ask him if he ever thought of shooting something totally opposite of war…

ANYONE:

Anyone know if there is a way to get to the end of the comments faster than clicking through every single page of comments? I figure since I didn’t realize that everyone’s web site is just a click away, there’s something else I’m missing.

BOB:
How is it that you are running all the time? Especially when you are sleepy?

With no visual image of you, I’m imagining a heavily caffeinated mix of Roger Creeley and Bill Rodgers. I love reading you here.

all the best,
Charlie

Charlie,
It’s a little hodge-podge, but after you get past the first page, you can put the page number in the address line above, after dividing the number of comments by 50. See how it says page/7? That’s because there are over 300 comments but less than 351. I’m a genius.

DAVE McGOWAN:
Thanks! That’ll do for now.

SUGGESTION BOX IDEA:
I started subscribing to this blog using RSS feeds right after I missed out on the deadline for the Emerging Photographer’s Fund. The RSS feeds however, only bring to your box blog postings, not comments. Since David’s Rocky Mountain Gold nuggets are often in the comments, I wonder if there is a way to add DAH’s comments to the RSS feeder.

DAVID MCGOWAN

Your Lucky Light series is sumptuous plus plus. Let me know if you’ll be selling any prints from the series.

ALL…

nobody seems to know what happened to my coffee maker…everything in boxes….late night last …..going to deli for coffee take out…and back here sometime soon…i did stay out too late, but i was actually working…i have a short commission to “interpret New York”…any way i want (except no violence or overt sex)…now i know what you will say…”wait a minute, isn’t dah supposed to be shooting families?”..yes, i am..but i also have to pay for that personal project and this short commission seems like a really nice way to do it…and it segues right into Look3 anyway….and i have so many contact sheets to see from my last few weeks of shooting…i am afraid to look…anyway, coffee now, back soonest….

cheers, david

Paul,
Let me know what you’re interested in—I can hook you up. (Deep discounts for photo friends!)

david@humanfiles.com

DAVID

interpreting ny sounds fantastic..enjoy and looking forward to seeing the images

again

ladies and gents,,,
the “PANOPOLIS”…. OR “PANOTOPIA”

national anthem below…

DAVID ..
forget the coffee…

START WITH A BEER… put some Jim Morrison… on

and send please send me a nice edit feedback…
I know Jim wont help me coz i called him “ugly”
last night… but he shouldnt care coz Cathy’s movie star
friend gave him a 10…!!!?
What the hell do i know???

Anyways…
nice day for editing “Panotopia or Panopolis”..
what do you think…???

http://web.mac.com/innerspacecowpanos/%22MOVIES%22/_ROUGH_EDIT__ALL_PHOTOS__color_%26_B%26W.html

ok..
going to drive…
David remember no coffee… get yourself a cold beer…

Panos… I can’t see a single picutre on your website, both home and at workplace… iexplore and firefox…tried for last few days… white letters and black background…

PANOS…

i am all for what works for you , but a cold beer in the morning would not work for me…not without a hammock that is…wait a minute, what am i talking about…i already had a cold beer this morning…at 3am!!!

anyway, one more cup of coffee, and i will go into your link for an edit…

David, I have an entire book on interpreting New York. I will not self publish it, however, as I want this done right with the best people designing it, etc.. This is my dream book and I’ve been shooting it since 1994. You got my dream assignment right there. Looking forward very much to seeing what you choose to show.

Interpreting New York from 1999…
http://paultreacy.com/images/street/Crutches399.jpg

Dear All,

In preparation for the possible guest visit of James Nachtwey, thought people may like to visit/revisit a slice of his movie, War Photographer, that appeared the other day on the Frontline Club’s (of London) blog (another very good blog by the way) ….

http://www.fromthefrontline.co.uk/blogs/index.php?blog=5

Also, I stumbled upon this hour-long interview with Henri Cartier Bresson today that I thought people may find interesting. Quite surprising to find such a long interview, as he was apparently rather averse to giving interviews. Can you confirm this David? Any thoughts on him you can share with us?

Best to All,
Sean