I went for the jelly beans.
August 4, 2007 | Leave a Comment
So I went to this RC car meet in Carson City with my little brother last weekend. I went because my little brother wanted me to take pictures and he promised me large amounts of Jelly Belly jelly beans. The event was full of loud guys, with louder cars. They were big guys with scary tattoos and huge holes in their ears. The first time I saw this group I thought “What the hell did I get myself into?”. Here I am way out in the desert with guys who could easily squash me, dig a hole, and dispose of my body within minutes. And I was suppose to get in their faces and take pictures? What!?
Little did I know how much fun I would have. Over the days I got to know some pretty cool people. Jim, a guy who always had a quick comeback and a big smile. Ben and Matt, two brothers from Iowa that have the kind of relationship I hope to have with my own brother when we are at that stage in life. Mike, a guy with more to him than you might think. Lisa, Mike’s wife who has a sense of humor most people only dream of. Plus everyone else who was there that helped make the event worth being part of.
My only regret is the fact I didn’t realize how cool and open these people were sooner. Because of my own insecurities I missed a lot of photo opportunities. Over and over again I saw potentially great photos or had ideas that I thought would be awesome, but I didn’t act on my feelings and thoughts.
Because of this event and my love for photography I came to an epiphany. If I don’t act on my feelings and ideas, my work will suffer and I won’t be able fulfill my potential. If I’m not working at my full potential I’ll never be able to push my skills any further. I’ll be stuck with all the average photographers, taking the same pictures as them. Too afraid to go any further, too insecure to ask for what I want. I won’t ever get the shot I really want, and I’ll spend the years regretting my work. I can’t let that happen, I’d rather quit right now.
So… I went for the Jelly Beans, I stayed for the fun, and I came back with a new outlook on life.
Below are a few shots, and a link to the flickr set.
I promise next time I won’t hold back.
Progressive?
July 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment
In this self proclaimed progressive area, how progressive are we really? If you pull over to marvel at the redwoods you find nothing but McDonald’s wrappers and toilet paper. When you walk down the streets you have to dodge speeding tourists and semi trucks, all the while suffocating on the toxic exhaust. Our schools are pathetic and the majority of our youth programs are a joke. I’m still waiting for the Boys and Girls Club they promised me over ten years ago. Millions possibly billions are made and wasted every year with nothing to show but more junk. So when people talk about how progressive the town is I can’t help being a little confused. Theirs one group that has some hope though, a group that put on a truly progressive event over the weekend.
I’m talking about The Willits Shakespeare Festival. An event for kids to come and be kids and for adults to marvel at the passion and talent of The Willits Shakespeare Company’s young actors and actresses. The kids actors and actresses in the play were brilliant, funny, and more entertaining than any reality TV show or sitcom. Even when the lights failed and the tent went black they didn’t lose a step, like true professionals they went on with the show. Besides the play their was also a balloon toss with people from the event as the main targets. Any kid that wanted could pick up a balloon and throw it at the targets, putting a huge smile on everyone’s faces.
The online dictionary describes being progressive as “Promoting or favoring progress toward better conditions or new policies, ideas, or methods” and I can’t think of anything more progressive than putting on an event for kids to have fun and feel good about themselves.
Below are some shots of the event.
I setup a flickr page for the event which you can get to by clicking here. I’ve also enabled the print function, so if your a family member and their are some photos you want copies of you can have them printed through flickr’s photo printing services.
Another night shoot.
July 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Think it might be a little too dark? Still messing with it.
