Mornings in Marcell, Mn

We have a ship of fools

2012-01-28T05:52:00.002-06:00

Erin ~ Somewhere in the Boundary Waters

Jan Brewer for President

The only sensible choice. Too bad she isn't running. Maybe next time, if there is a next time.

Side note: Erin's thighs are lobster red, hence the black and white image.

But then....you probably don't care either

2012-01-27T05:58:00.001-06:00

Erin

BP is being questioned, finally, about what happened with the gulf oil spill (and I use that term loosely). It was more of an oil gush than a spill. But spill sounds better to them.

Do you think BP is worried? Not in the least. They reported they had their best year ever. They will give up some second ranked executive and call it good.

Now the lawmakers of this country are saying it is none of the peoples business what the gas companies are putting down the holes when they are fracking. Oh really????!!!! I don't think the people who live in Ohio would agree.

Everything this Government does is for the oil and gas companies benefit and to the disadvantage to the American people. They want to take care of their own, which is the oil and gas companies, not us. They do not care about us, the people anymore, or the environment.

And they wonder why the people of this country, and many others are revolting.

I'm for revolt. I'm for a revolution. I'm for removing this Government and starting a new one. I'm for anyone who makes more than one hundred thousand dollars not being allowed to run for any office. We need to keep our leaders in tune with the people they are suppose to be representing, not just the rich and large corporations who care nothing about the rest of America.

And if you vote for a Romney or Gingrich, a Paul or Obama you are voting for someone who is making multi millions of dollars every year. Does that sound like someone who is going to be representative of you? Only in your dreams. Number one thing they will do is protect their income. Taking care of you is way down on their list.

Now I won't get any.....applications

2012-01-26T05:40:00.000-06:00

Erin ~ Exhausted

Okay, I admit it. I'm a little hard on the model's hide from time to time.

I think Erin was in more pain from the sun burn than the scrapes and bruises. At any rate, by the time this four day shoot was finished we had about wore out her skin and I think she was looking forward to civilization once again. Pizza and a cold beer. People instead of moose.

I think I am ready for another Boundary Waters photo trip with a gal. It has been awhile.

Time to start taking application.

Snow, snow, snow

2012-01-25T04:05:00.001-06:00

Abigail ~ Laying It On The Line

I finally got my snow plowing in this winter. We received somewhere in the neighborhood of a foot of snow. Not a lot, but more than the rest of the winter combined thus far.

It actually felt good to be racing through the woods on the 4 wheeler plowing out the long, long, long driveway at night with just the headlights pointing out the tree trunks i needed to avoid smacking into. But in fact I worry more about ramming into a deer of wolf plowing at night. They seem fascinated by the 4 wheeler zipping about, or maybe they are just confused and we seem to cross paths a lot. I wouldn't mind smacking a few deer, other than the fact I am likely to get injured, but I don't want to hit one of my wolf friends.

As usual my artwork got to the Dark Room Gallery in VT busted up. Despite my 80 pound crate made out of 2X6 lumber UPS managed to throw it around enough to break up the frames. The gallery managed to get the corners somewhat together and hung them up as is. The 37 inch pieces of glass made the trip intact, which was a good thing as that tends to rip the snot out of the prints when it goes.

In this remote area where I live the local, rinky dink phone company we have to deal with charges an arm and a leg for a phone call, even if you have one of the big name long distance carriers. Hence we have always held our phone calling to a minimum. I finally did the Skype thing for the computer. Now we can call using it for next to nothing. I have not signed up to get incoming calls as that appears to be a charge thing, which is perfect because I hate people calling me.

Hey Pippi, my studio is in need of a good cleaning

2012-01-24T05:12:00.000-06:00

Abigail & I

One of my attempts at creating an interesting studio scene. Abigail had her Scotty dog, Pippi with us in the studio and he found the flour I was using as a replacement for marble dust and chips a great place to roll around in. It is always fun to have Pippi in the studio when we are working if for no other reason than he cleans all the cob webs out of the corners when he wanders about exploring.

Cigar review

2012-01-23T05:34:00.001-06:00

Abiagil

Over the past two weeks I have had the pleasure of testing cigars. I have had some fantastic ones, and some pretty horrid ones. Notable as being the best of the best were, La Gloria's Artesanos de Tabaqueros and Alec Bradley's Tempus.
The La Gloria has twin wrappers that starts your smoke with a Connecticut Shade and ends with a rich Ecuadoran Sumatra and has a stout triple cap. Upon lighting it you notice a rich coffee flavor with a hint of cocoa, and as you get into the Sumatra wrapper portion it changes to a nutty flavor with a bit of spice. A very nice cigar that last well over an hour and a half. Construction is flawless and the draw is perfect.
My favorite of the last couple of weeks has been the Alec Bradley Tempus. I have been a fan of this wonderful cigar for quite some time, ever since I had my first one about two years ago. First it is wrapped in a flawless Honduras Criollo 98 leaf. It looks and feels like a Lamborghini. A very definitive wood flavor grabs you upon lighting it up. Slight nutty flavors mix in and the total sensation is one of never wanting this cigar to come to an end. Again, this one is tripple capped and the draw is perfect.
I have a goodly supply of the La Glorias on hand but only a few of the Alec Bradleys, but am very happy with my current stock and will not be lacking a good after dinner smoke for some time.

Fearless Abigail during our last shoot.

Who's who?

2012-01-22T05:21:00.000-06:00

Jesse

Sarah Jean

Shooting faceless models in landscapes often leads to mistakes. I have noted over the years several models who have grabbed an image out of one of my on-line portfolios (perfectly okay with me) thinking was them and putting it in their on-line portfolios. Honest mistakes.
I have been known to put up an image and take my best guess as to who the model was, sometimes having no idea. And I have been wrong. Usually the model who the image is of will let me know I goofed.
Last night I was revisiting MuseCube, a wonderful model/photographer site that seems quite empty since M.M. came into being and the kids flocked there to hang out. With them went the photographers and models because the numbers were now at M.M. Unfortunately M.M. is crap, whereas MuseCube is built for professional minded people. But like I said, not many people there these days. The owner of the site is revamping and hoping it will become a place to be. I hope he succeeds because M.M. has left me totally cold.
But while I was kicking around MuseCube I came across the portfolio of an old friend, Jesse Cotton. I have not spoken with her in years and do not know if she is even in the modeling world these days. I noted one of my images in her portfolio, a portfolio that she has not visited herself since 2008. The image was not of her. She had it listed as being taken on the north shore of Lake Superior. Not only was it not of her but it was not taken on the Lake Superior shore. It was taken on a little river near my home and was of Sarah Jean.
Those two models look very much alike from the back. Both have long red hair and wonderful figures for their size, and from the back I would have trouble myself telling who was who. But I do know that image and who it was of.
I won't make an attempt to track Jesse down and let her know. Sarah Jean won't care and since Jesse has not been to that model/photographer site since 2008 I don't guess she really cares either.
I actually have a large print hanging in my living room of one of these two gals swimming underwater. Off the top of my head I don't know which one it is. I could look up the photo shoot and figure it out, but I'm not that interested to know. I just like the photo.

If it looks like a duck....

2012-01-21T05:28:00.000-06:00

Thyia

Okay, it is time to spew.
I am seeing too much of what people want to be art because of the equipment they use, or the process they use.
Yes, there are good Holga photos. Yes there are good wet plate photos. Yes, there is even a few good camera phone images out there. But just because you took a photo with a type of camera, or used a process other than the norm does not make it worthy of showing it off the the rest of the world. Most of this stuff is crap. Just because you use wet plates does not make them good photos. Just because you use a camera phone does not make it a good photo. And the one in ten million good Holga images out there re lost in a sea of crapola.
We are being flooded with this stuff under the blanket excuse that it was created by a lousy piece of equipment or an outdated process therefore it must be artistic. Mother of god!
If you are going to attempt to use this stuff at least be creative enough with it so it does not look like a snap shot in which you forgot to bring your point and shoot camera along so you used your phone.
A Holga has a cheap plastic lens that is not sharp. Because you photo is out of focus and fades off at the edges does not make it good. Every image from the camera does that. It is called.....junk....not art.
My 2 cents this morning.

Middle of January

2012-01-20T04:10:00.001-06:00

Katy_T ~ "Sunflowers"

We had more snow when we worked on this image than we have had all winter this year.

The temps have finally turned almost as cold as they should be for this time of year but still no snow.

Eject, eject, eject

2012-01-19T05:44:00.001-06:00

Erin ~ "Lady Of The Lake"

Cool morning.

I was cleaning up the studio and came across many boxes of VCR tapes that once was my collection of movies we would watch. Even though many of them have been replaced with DVD versions I was excited to see that there were quite a few we had not found, or had not replaced. Old favorite that have been forgotten about until I started digging through them.

So, I plugged an old VCR machine into the TV monitor that is on a bench in the studio and began watching. The last few day have rejuvenated my sole.

Except for the pain in the ass rewinding part I am happy as a clam. The movies do not have to be crystal clear and sharp as a tack. The sound doesn't have to be quadraphonic. Most of the time I am not even looking at the monitor, just listening because I know what is on the screen anyway.

There is joy in simple things. I don't need a two thousand dollar TV and a two thousand dollar sound system to play a 1969 movie. I don't need that expensive equipment to play a 2011 movie.

DVDs are nice, I admit. But I have zero interest in spending thousands so I can watch in high definition. First off, if you didn't tell me you had a HD TV I probably would never even know when I was watching a movie on it. And I have. Maybe I just don't get excited about being able to read the printing on a postage stamp of a letter sitting on the desk in some movie. There really is no point.

But the one who dies with the most toys wins, as they say. I don't need to win so I will spend my money on important things.

But for now The Big Chill is waiting for me to rewind it (because who ever watched it last didn't) and I will have my entertainment for this evening.

Feels good to be leaving and moving back to where adults hang out

2012-01-18T05:16:00.001-06:00

Abigail

I have finally given up on Model Mayhem. Their moderators have beaten me into the dirt, as was their intention. Every few weeks they would pull my images down saying they did not conform to the rules of the site. They of course did, and they allow much more explicit work than what I produce to be shown on there. No, it was me they were after and they won.
I will now revert back to MuseCube where I use to host my work several years ago before M.M. even existed. It is not as popular but that is okay. I can do without the childish behavior of M.M. and their idiotic management.
I would like to zing them a good one before leaving, but that would put me on their level so I will refrain.
I would like to know who the person is that reviews images in Minnesota portfolios for them however. I'm willing to bet it is a friend of a so called photographer in Minneapolis. It would be his style.

Rambings

2012-01-17T04:23:00.000-06:00

Artistic Physique

I ask you....We send people out there to KILL people. End their life. Take them away from their families forever. But then we get upset over this.
So someone pissed on a dead body. They just Killed him and ended their life forever.
Which was worse?
This race of animals needs to get a grip on reality. Killing them is okay. Peeing on them when they are dead is not.
Get a grip!
If this is the way humans react, I am really embarrassed to be a part of this race of creatures. We are a sorry ass excuse for a species.

It is nice having a studio. A place where you can go to get away from reality. A place you can go to be with your artwork and create new artwork. A place that you can go to and just hang out.
My wife and I have a studio. A separate building from our home, although a short walk away where we can escape to. She has her space there and I have mine, although sometime her work invades mine when I have my back turned.
I built a 40X60 building with a 12 foot ceiling that is the home to our work and the creation thereof. Although I wish I had gone with a 22 foot high ceiling looking back now. Still, it serves use well and when I say to her after dinner that I am heading to the studio, she knows where I am going and also knows I will be over there enjoying a good cigar while I am framing and matting work or just fiddling about as I am doing now (also with a good cigar).
We have a TV with a VCR and a DVD player there so there is some background noise going on when the need be. At the moment i have a tape CR tape in of, "Strangers in Good Company" put out by the Nation Film Board of Canada.. A truly great film, although little known.
We have in-floor heat in our studio but prefer to use the barrel stove and firewood. Something nice about a wood fire and backing up to a hot barrel stove. Models like it too when they get cold.
I'm not much for creating my art in a studio. Too confining and too expected. Once you get the lighting the way you want every image becomes the same old same old, just with different poses. It lacks the adventure of being a challenge. Outdoors you need to be on top of things and constantly adjusting camera settings and position to deal with the ever changing light. Studio work is for the most part.....BORING. You see photographers with a portfolio full of work that is shot with the same studio set up for each shot. Sort of like what you see at K-Mart. Maybe nudes, but same stuff in term of the work involved and the ability to do something creative.
There are some grand studio photographers out there, but few. These people have a vast array of lighting that they work with in order to create fantastic work. The rest of the studio (or shoot in your home) people keep putting out the same stuff session after session. If they are Photoshop nuts they over Photoshop everything in order to make it look like they have created something different.
I don't knock Photoshop nuts, as there are some good ones of those out there too. But most of the Photoshop nuts just keep turning out glow worms and gals riding on Siberian Tigers. They do possess talent in that department but lack serious photography skills. And that is okay I guess. I do get a bit pissed when they call themselves photographers however. They are skilled computer animators, not photographers. But the world needs them too. Just call yourself what you are and don't invade the world of those who do other things because you want to be one of them as well.
I don't spend a day working feverishly with changing light to make a great image, then adjusting a contrast in Photoshop and call myself a Photoshop wizard. The same should hold true for a person with a camera that knows nothing about photography but is very knowledgeable about Photoshop and can create a good image from their really crappy camera work. They should not call themselves good photographers. They can be good animators. But this banter will continue for many years to come.

I have been playing with the latest Lightroom beta program (image above) and find it as good, if not better than my Photoshop CS3 program.
I'm not sure if I am willing to spend the money for it when it comes out, but I sure would buy it before I spent the outrageous amount they want for the current Photoshop program. Adobe has grown way to big for their britches with Photoshop. Time for them to go the way of the Dodo, or Enron.

Encrusted, old food

2012-01-16T03:29:00.001-06:00

Cheryl & I

My in laws do dishes the same way they did them during the great depression. As a result I cringe at the idea of eating at their home. I am amazed they all did not die off from food poisoning years ago. You can't pick up a plate, utensil or glass without finding food residue left over on it.

As a consequence my wife does dishes the same way, which is why I will not let her wash dishes.

The family does not believe in doing them right away. Nor do they believe in soaking them if you don't do them right away. They sit in a dry sink for a couple of days and get a quick rinsing under warm water in what they call, "Washing".

Not in this house.

If my wife decides to help me out and do the dishes when I am not looking I throw them all back into a sink full of hot water to soak for a day before I scrub them down.

It is no help at all.

I don't mind washing dishes. I like the idea that when I am done every plate, fork or glass is spotless and sanitized. Not some crusty cheese and macaroni encrusted thing that I am afraid to look at , much less use.

Of course, my wife doesn't get my obsession with clean dinnerware. She was brought up in a household of dried food encrusted stuff and thinks that is normal.

That may have been okay in 1925 when you had a quart of water that must last a week for a family of four. Even then i find it to be not really an excuse for clean dishes, but more that the person doing the dishes was just lazy.

I maintain clean dinnerware when I am camping in the wilderness with models and all we have is the water we packed in with us. So I don't think they can blame it on the depression era, just themselves as not caring enough about having clean plates.

Word of warning....If you have me over for dinner at your home and there is old food dried in between the tines of my fork...I probably will not accept another dinner invitation from you.

On another note I have an image in the book, "You'll Find This Offensive" coming out the end of February.

Perplexing Pepper Problem

2012-01-15T05:44:00.001-06:00

Artistic Physique

I like pepper. I like pepper a lot and usually cover most food with a nice black sprinkle of fresh ground (course) pepper.

My wife often can be heard making some remark about having some food with my pepper, and that got me to thinking this morning about my OCD habits. It is true that I often end up with more pepper on something than I originally wanted, but it is not because I love pepper. It is because I had trouble making the covering of pepper even. If there is an excessive amount on one portion of my food I need to make the rest of the food have the same consistency of pepper covering just to even it up. This can be quite labor intensive and time consuming in order to get things evened up.

This morning I made fried eggs as I was home alone and in the mood to sit in front of the window and look out at the freshly fallen snow. By the time I got the pepper evened up on top of my eggs I had a wee bit too much on them, even for me.

Say what?

2012-01-14T05:45:00.002-06:00

Cheryl & I

So I'm reading this local article where it says, "Diver recover the body of...." and I think to myself, That doesn't sound like proper English.

Then I got to thinking that maybe it is and I don't comprehend what should be. After all we would say, Divers recover (present tense) the body of... Why would a single driver change the recover to recovers? That really doesn't make any sense although it sounds correct.

I was contemplation this matter for about an hour before revisiting the article. As stupid as making "recover" plural when more than one diver participates is, the headline was incorrect English. Don't ask me why, it should be as far as I'm concerned. And recovers is not past tense, recovered is. Another idiotic version of mucking up a language. But for some reason we just have to have an "S" in there some place.

There is a 30% chance I won't cancel my subscription

2012-01-13T05:53:00.000-06:00

Erin

I see Annie Libowwhatever managed to worm her way into the January issue of the Smithsonian magazine. I wonder how much she had to pay for that. I will now cancel my subscription. They have hit a new low.

I find it amazing that people look at a weather site and note a 40% chance of snow on Wednesday and will relate to other people that it is going to snow on Wednesday. They don't grasp percentages when it comes to weather predictions. There is a 60% chance it will not snow, but they never take that into account.

How often do you hear, "It is going to snow (rain, what-ever) on such and such a day. But then you look at the weather report and it will give you a less than 50% chance of that happening.

People are amazing on how stupid they can make themselves to be. Of course they are that stupid, but there is no reason to boast about it.

Lacking a counterpart

2012-01-12T05:52:00.008-06:00

Cheryl & I

Currently without a model that is close enough of a friend to pose like this with them. Abs is gone; my Moose is gone; and Sarah Jean is gone. I have had a few models this last year that probably would have posed with me in such a way, but I did not know them well enough to do so. One does not co-mingle like this with any model. I need to know them very well and we need to be more than a model/photographer. There needs to be a bond of trust and a good friendship in order for me to participate.

Besides, I don't think my wife would care for it all that much if I had never met the model before she flopped on top of me naked, or vise versa.

Absolutely true article here about Minneapolis and its art community. Worth a read. I might add one more item to its problem: Minneapolis is full of fake people. Those who claim to be art oriented and make out like they are art lovers when in fact it is all a show. Like driving a BMW to the opera instead of the family car. In the Twin Cities it is what you arrived in, not what you are going to see. Only Minneapolis has such a high percentage of fake people. People who pretend to be wealthy, and may live in a million point four house but can barely scrape by and can't fix the broken plumbing. Lets face it, if they had as much money as they pretend they wouldn't be living in Minnesota. Minneapolis is a sham and a place for wannabe important people to hang out. Artists can't make a living in this town and the reason is not economics or the way things are set up, it is because all these fake people won't buy anything. But they will go and look, just so long as someone is there to watch them show up.

Ouch

2012-01-11T05:47:00.000-06:00

Cheryl & I

My hands are in pretty rough shape today. I was stretching canvas over a 36X36 frame yesterday and my arthritis does not care for that type of activity anymore.

Life is good until you get old. I'm not sure where these "golden year" ever come in, but I'm ready. Somehow I think they skipped me.

X-Mas Trees

2012-01-10T05:42:00.000-06:00

Cheryl & I

I wonder how many ornaments are tossed out with Christmas trees every year. I always seem to locate one or two as I am hauling it out the door and pretty sure I have missed a few over the years.

When you are decorating the tree each year and wonder whatever became of the one ornament....

If you live in the Cities where they pick up old Christmas trees I am sure the guys who do that come home with handfuls for their wives.

Boom

2012-01-09T05:30:00.000-06:00

Abigail & Erin ~ "Who Are Those Guys"

The world is based so much on computer chips that nearly everything runs on them.

We are all aware, via movies and such that EMP, or a nuclear blast above the surface of the earth will wipe out all those chips and the area will come to a screeching halt.

Don't think it will happen? Wait. It will. It will in my lifetime. I for one am excited to see how people turn into animals within days and begin killing each other. Katrina was nothing compared to what is going to happen.

We will get the power grid back up and running. And we will be able to buy a new computer from China. But what about your digital storage devices that harbor all your years of hard work?

I have begun to keep a back up copy of all my work in a lead container. Someday after the City people have killed off most of each other and the country people begin returning to a somewhat normal life I may be able to retrieve my work, or my heirs at least.

Jane

2012-01-08T05:29:00.000-06:00

Artistic Physique

While walking about in the woods of Indiana we came across this vine that proved to be a good prop for some hanging scenes. Tarzan would have been proud, I think.

I'm enjoying a good COA Italia cigar at the moment :)

Some winter

2012-01-07T05:03:00.001-06:00

Sarah Jean

Another one from THAT ROCK.

This is some winter so far. Thursday the 5th of January it was 50 degrees up here when it should have been 20 below. No snow.

There is going to be little moisture for the lakes and trees come spring if this keeps up.
Today I needed a sweatshirt to walk and get the mail. Must be in the mid twenties.

Kid in a candy store

2012-01-06T05:26:00.001-06:00

Erin

On New Year Eve I decided to treat myself so I went online with a cigar broker auction and purchased a bunch of really fine cigars. Not your typical cigars, but top of the line masterpieces.

My reasoning for this payed off. I figured that on or about the time people were celebrating the new year there would be little competition at this auction, and I was right. As a mater of fact I only noticed one other bidder and we spared over a couple of items but for the most part we were interested in different cigars and I got away with some doozies for pennies on the dollar. I'm talking twenty to thirty five dollar sticks for less than a buck.

Now all I have to do is wait for them to arrive. :)

13 hours

2012-01-05T05:17:00.000-06:00

Erin ~ Boundary Waters after a fire.

Yesterday morning I left the house at 6am and drove my father-in-law to Minneapolis airport for a flight to Denver and then onto Las Cruses, NM. I got back home at 7pm. Thirteen bloody hours to take someone to the airport. I could just about have driven him to New Mexico in that amount of time.

I hate going to the Twin Cities. A pit of distasteful people all wanting something for themselves and not caring a bit about humanity in general.

It was good to get home and chill out with a good cigar in my studio.

Hello Erin

2012-01-04T05:11:00.000-06:00

Erin

One of my first, if not my first shoot with Erin.

She is an ocean away these days but I wish in my private world that she will one day return to the north woods of Minnesota.

Voyeur's Dream House

2012-01-03T05:50:00.000-06:00

Sarah Jean ~ "My Rock"

I have photographed many models on this rock over the years. Sarah Jean was built so she was able to hang over such rocks in amazing fashion.

There is a house on top of a very high cliff off to the left of this shot and I often wondered if the owner had a telescope set up in the large windows to view what was going on on Lake Superior and this section of secluded lake shore. I would not be surprised to learn that many of the models I have photographed there were not viewed by someone other than myself.

20 years ago it was worth a fortune. Now you can't give this stuff away.

2012-01-02T06:20:00.002-06:00

Kelsey

Over the past three years I have given away most of my darkroom equipment. As I write this I am staring at the last three enlargers sitting on my studio floor. Two Omegas with color heads and one Bessler 35. A box with about 50 roll film developing tanks, and a half dozen grain magnifiers. There are a couple dozen speed easels kicking about and a dozen or so extra enlarger lenses.

Come spring it has best be gone or it goes to the dump.

I tried donating it to schools but they have all gone to digital these days. Sad.

On another note, the "Three Daves" (Dave Rudin, Dave Levingston & Dave Swanson) are all going to be in the same show, The Human Form at the Darkroom Gallery in Essex Junction, VT opening January 25th. Also my friend and wonderful photographer from western Wisconsin, Scott of C.C. Images has work in the show as well.
It should be a doozy.

Welcome to 2012

2012-01-01T05:44:00.001-06:00

Sarah Jean ~ "Tilt & Shift"

When I was a young boy I remember sitting in front of a Philco televison (this one) on new years eve watching some new years eve program. I remember thinking that it would really be something if I was still alive when the year 2000 came around, but didn't think I would make it that old.

Here we are at 2012 and I am still going. Not strong, but still going.

Jane

2011-12-31T05:25:00.000-06:00

Artistic Physique

Just a dusting of snow here. Going into January and the ground is bare. Seems odd, yet I don't mind one bit.

Tomorrow....pizza

2011-12-30T05:30:00.001-06:00

Artistic Physique ~ "Rape of the Sabine Woman"

Last night I decided to make home made turkey pot pies for dinner. I had never attempted this before but figured it would not be difficult to create some way better than those pieces of crap you get at the store.

Well let me tell you... If you have never attempted this you have no idea what is involved. After about four hours my kitchen looked like a tornado had gone through it. Every pot and pan I owned was piled on the counters and both sinks were full of used utensils and bowls.
I started by cooking a turkey and ended making a pie crust.

The results were wonderful. A masterpiece of culinary art. But my gawd, the mess.

I will spend the next two days cleaning up.

Kinsey submissions are in

2011-12-29T05:39:00.000-06:00

Thyia

After several days I have finally narrowed down my submissions to the Kinsey Show to the final three.

I selected one of Thyia, one of Artistic Physique, and one of Kelsey. It would be nice if the one of Thyia was selected as she will be at the show, but better yet would be for all three images to get in. Ha!

One might have a chance at that if you did three small prints of 6" or less, then they might go with a grouping, but my large gallery prints are not something they will want to eat up gallery space with and the chances of more than one being accepted at that size are nil.

I made the submission today. No turning back now.

I have gone a week now without reading or hearing any news, and life is grand. I don't know who are Government is killing, at war with, or who is doing what on the candidate home front for president. And I don't miss any of it. I have been much happier.

I don't care who gets elected president because there is not one person running that I would want running this country. They are all morons, even the one currently in office. Nothing will change.

On the local Marcell news: Gerts Tavern is in such a poor state at the moment I suspect the bank will own it shortly. No customers. Gert has run all the locals away. I won't miss the place.

Still no snow here in the north woods to speak of. A light dusting here and there. The lakes have been wind swept and are snow free. The snowmobilers have nothing to ride on. Life is wonderful!

Second visit

2011-12-28T05:27:00.000-06:00

Thyia ~ "Forest Delight"

It was time for me to go back through the images of my first shoot with Thyia. We had worked a small patch of woods in a Chicago suburban park where walkers were busy trampling all over the place on their lunch hour from the nearby businesses. But a little ways off the main path we found this beautiful area and I lit up.

This was one of those images that I skipped over on my first go around but found to be to my liking on this second pass through. This is normal for me. I usually pick out my favorites right away and let them sit for six months to a year before I revisit the, where I will no doubt find a new treasure trove of nice stuff.

moodybibleinstitute.xxx

2011-12-27T05:08:00.001-06:00

Photographer at work ~ by Dave L.

If you have not been following the .xxx thing let me fill you in. They decided to sell domain names with .xxx with the advertised intention that porn sites would adopt this. It was one of the most brilliant ideas ever conceived.

Of course no porn site would ever register a domain under this .xxx idea and be lumped into a category that could be tracked; blocked; or monitored.

What it did do was sell a million .xxx domains to companies; churches; school; etc that did not want their name registered as a .xxx by someone else.

Like I said, brilliant.

Several years ago I grabbed up shadowscapestudio.net on top of my shadowscapestudio.com that is my web site. I figured if I wanted to start an erotic site that would be a natural transfer. To date I have not used that .net address but have been playing on building such a site recently and may launch it this coming year. I will keep everyone posted when I get close.

Over and done with

2011-12-26T05:58:00.001-06:00

Thyia

Well this holiday is finally over. I don't look forward to Christmas like I once did. The tree with it's lights and some fresh snow on the ground are a pleasant thing. The rest that goes along with the holiday I could do without.

But I am good for another year now. 364 days of non Christmas is a good thing.

Thyia from our second outing together.

Kinsey Show Time

2011-12-25T05:29:00.002-06:00

Artistic Physique

It is time to start weeding images down to three for the Kinsey Institute Show. I threw some of my favorites in a folder from this past year and ended up with about 35 in there. Now comes the tough part.
I will be taking Thyia with me this year to the show so my urge is to pick three of her, but I don't know if that is the best route to go. There are three jurors once again and I can work with two of them in selecting images that might get in but that third one is the one who hates nude work. Why they keep allowing her to jury the show is beyond me, other than she is the director of the gallery where the show is held. Still!
This is the third year she has been involved. The first year we ended up with all abstract art. Last year at least she allowed some nude work, but nothing to daring. Could be she has loosened up her Lutheran morals, or maybe she drinks a lot before selecting images. Any rate she seems to be getting better.
But now I have my work cut out for me. This will take a few days.

Oh, and Merry Christmas to you all.

Nothing noteworthy today

2011-12-24T06:55:00.000-06:00

kelsey

From our single light studio session.

Model for room and board????

2011-12-23T03:01:00.000-06:00

Kelsey

Winter funk has set in. I am in need of a model that will spend few days hanging about the place and model for food and shelter. I need to play.

Maybe after this silly holiday stuff is over I can find another wayward waif that is willing to trade a place to stay for some studio time.

Brown Christmas

2011-12-22T05:14:00.000-06:00

Kelsey

Three weeks into December and little to no snow on the ground here in the northland. If you live here you have one wish, that it would snow six feet over your septic system for insulation but no where else. There are going to be a lot of septic systems freezing up in the next month.

On another note I walked across the lake and through the woods to get to the post office yesterday. A very pleasant walk where I didn't need snowshoes for the first time in years. There is about a foot of clear ice on the lake. If only I was younger I would don a pair of skates. You can skate for miles on smooth clear ice. A skaters dream year.

Looking toward spring

2011-12-21T05:32:00.000-06:00

Kelsey

Kelsey and I worked with a single light source in Dave L's studio. I asked her for some contorted poses and she turned out with some dandies.

Tomorrow we start gaining daylight. This may prove to be one of the shortest winters with the lack of snow so far here in the north land.

Screw with a good thing

2011-12-20T05:34:00.000-06:00

Kelsey

Blogger has thrown another monkey wrench into the works and it seems I can no longer use their old style of posting and had to go to this new format. Well, you probably can't see what I am talking about but trust me, this new format sucks compared to the old one.

Beside this, life is pretty good in the north woods.

Jungle Princess

2011-12-19T06:01:00.000-06:00

Claudine

I think the U.S. is toast in terms of any chance of returning to a civilized country and is a train wreck moments away. Therefore I will not read any news paper or listen to any news what-so-ever from this point on as it proves nothing but what I stated above. There is no hope at this point.

I will quietly and peacefully wait for it to fall apart without any more knowledge of why, or what this Government is doing to bring it to its end. When it comes it comes and no need to fill my head with further thoughts of what stupid, assholes we have running it.

If it is not happening in Marcell, Minnesota I have no interest.

You finally get to meet her

2011-12-18T04:52:00.000-06:00

While in Ohio, specifically near Cincinnati, Golden Hooves turned 350,000 miles.

I have spoken of her many times and a few of the all to small batch of readers have often asked me to post an image of her.

I stopped near Cincinnati to stretch my legs and have a cigar. On my way back to the vehicle I remembered I had a point and shoot camera in my coat pocket and snapped this shot of the old gal.

Broken turn signals lens, dents, scrapes and a missing grill that was kicked out so I could open the hood one winter when the cable was frozen. But there she sits sporting her new tires and looking like she is ready for another adventure.

I was thinking of letting her retire at the completion of this trip but somehow she got wind and let me know, with no misunderstanding that she was not about to be put out to pasture.

I would not hesitate to head off tomorrow to California with her.

Golden hooves was adopted. She was born an Isuzu Trooper but given up for adoption where Honda came along and slapped their insignia all over her. I quickly removed her from their cruel hands and made her a good home in northern Minnesota where she has lived since.

Golden Hooves has gone where most 4 wheel drive people are afraid to take their vehicles, and she had returned each time gaining knowledge about how to behave in rough terrain. I'm not saying she has not been stuck a few times. More than a few times. You might be able to see the tow hook under the front bumper is bent 90 degrees from where it should be. That comes from being pulled out sideways when buried deep in above door mud.

Her dashboard is lit up like a Christmas tree with every warning light the automobile industry has ever invented. We pay no attention to any of them.

Her gas gauge did quit working on this last trip but a stop every 250 miles assures us we won't run out.

it has been noted that her hood is scratched deeply down to the metal in many places and i often get asked what happened there. There is no exciting story, I just walk on the hood quite a bit and the gravel on my shoes scratch her up.

Probably not evident in this photo but her windshield is cracked from one side to the other midway up. I have learned to ignore the line that seems to be right at eye level.

No nude woman today, but still a hot, sexy old lady.

Let's give them some rocket launcher

2011-12-17T05:43:00.000-06:00

Kelsey

I don't think the Occupy People have a clue what they are protesting but I like that they are growing in numbers and revolting.

I'm for taking down this Government anyway possible, and if a bunch of misinformed fools do it, who cares.

I hope it grows beyond control and invades the White House and Capital Building. Make these politicians who care nothing about the people flee for their safety to other countries.

Then, and only then can we begin to rebuild this Nation so that the people have some vested interest in how it is run.

Go Occupiers!

Time to re-write

2011-12-16T05:12:00.000-06:00

Kelsey

I see Blackwater private security force that was hired by the U.S. in Iraq but went overboard and killed people without justification, changed their name and contracted with the U.S. only to do it again, has now changed their name a third time.

I wonder who's brother-in-law holds large stock holdings in Blackwater that this foul Government of ours keeps hiring them back.

We have the most corrupt Government in the world yet we keep infiltrating and removing leaders of other countries with the lies that the people of those countries can't function with such corruption going on.

This Government is the one that needs to be removed. And I can't wait for it to happen.

I love our country. I hate our current form of corrupt Government. It has become a monster that needs to be severed and destroyed. The Constitution needs to be re-written so it applies to current times.

We the citizens of the United States, in order to maintain a more perfect union, maintain justice, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, establish this constitution for the United States of America.

Free speech shall have no exceptions regardless of changes in public moral thinking.

The Senate shall be made up of randomly selected advertising agents and rotated every other year.

The house shall be made up of randomly selected land owners who net worth is less than 500 thousand dollars.

The president shall be elected by citizens who own land but less than 200 acres.

The salary of any Congressperson or President shall never exceed that of the norm for middle class Americans.

Healthcare benefits for all members of the U.S. Government shall be those dictated by that Government for the people of the United States.

No member of the Government shall have a pension that in total value for their lifetime exceeds what they made while in office.

No member of Government shall own stocks or interests in any company.

The U.S. Military shall never be used beyond the borders of the United States for any reason.

Its a start.

The ball is in the Wimps court

2011-12-15T05:29:00.001-06:00

Kelsey ~ "Beer Makes Me A Good Dancer"

(Another single exposure image)

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Arizona's case about enforcing illegal immigration laws that the U.S. Government fails to enforce, which clearly shows a catastrophic breakdown of the Federal Government in terms of doing what it is suppose to be doing.

I would like to see the Supreme Court find the U.S. Government negligent, but they don't have the balls to carry out anything harsh against their own paycheck machine.

The two bald guys

2011-12-14T05:49:00.001-06:00

D.L.Wood and myself

D.L.Wood has always made his way to my art openings in Chicago. He and his lovely wife are one of the few things I can actually count on for a show there, along with my son showing up to support his father and being able to spend time with him. Both make for a great time and keep me coming back to Chi Town year after year.

This opening was rather slow and I attribute it to the time of year. A week earlier or a week later would have been more conducive to people being out and about but the second weekend in December has people holed up in their homes having already shopped for the holidays or not yet in the mood.

Still it was a good show and although sparce those who did come seemed receptive to the artwork.

Here we are standing in front of one of the images of Thyia that had been taken on my last trip to the Chicago are when we worked in one of the Cook County Forest Preserves where the mushroom hunters were out and about.

The depth of the image is phenomenal in this shot and makes for just a dandy print.

Back home and I have two weeks of house cleaning and laundry to catch up on along with dealing with some in-law issues that need addressing.

That and about 300 images to edit and get to the gals I worked with on this trip.

I should be very busy for the next few weeks.

The Pittsburgh show ended on November 19th. The host of the show told me in a letter that the artwork would be taken down and shipped out on the 21st of November.

Here it is the 14th of December and my artwork is still leaning against a wall in the backroom of that gallery.

I am pissed to say the least. I have work submitted to another show hosted by this person and I think I will pull my submissions.

A damn piss poor way to deal with peoples artwork.

Return to civilization. No people just civilization.

2011-12-13T05:51:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite movie scenes.

______________________________

I'm home! Colder than hell frozen over, here. Somehow Ohio's 30 degrees sounds nice and toasty.

Way to spend my money

2011-12-12T05:58:00.002-06:00

Kelsey

While the Pentagon sets about distributing old grenade launchers and other gear to help towns across America fight terrorism, a Homeland Security program in Michigan is approaching the war on terror in a less militarizing, more taste bud satisfying way. They are arming counties with snow cone machines.

The West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission, which manages Homeland Security operations, um, along the western Michigan shoreline, recently gave snow cone machines costing $11,700. to 13 counties under its jurisdiction.

Wooooooooohooooooo! More Government (people's) money spent well.

I hope the Occupy Wall Street movement bring this Government to it's knees. A revolution from time to time is a good thing. We are far over due.

All of me

2011-12-11T05:44:00.000-06:00

Kelsey

(click to enlarge)

One of the more intriguing images on my camera. This is not a double exposure. I don't know how to take a double exposure with this camera. There probably is a way, I just have no interest in learning it.

No, this is a single exposure, hand held, taken from a stairway in Dave L's studio while he was shooting Kelsey. I had snapped a few images of the two of them in action and decided to concentrate on Kelsey for a couple of shots, as tacky a thing that is to do to another photographer when they are working. But I don't think Dave will mind me posting this version of his shoot as seen through my lens.

Time for this one to go home

2011-12-10T06:02:00.000-06:00

Kelsey

After we were driven indoors with cold rain Kelsey and I did some studio work. She has an amazing body that lends itself to rim lighting with a wonderful touch. I was using Dave L's studio gear and found it to be very similar to my equipment which felt comfortable.

I should be on my way home when you read this. There are issues I must deal with upon my return that may prevent new posts here for awhile. We shall see. But if i appear not to be around for a couple of days, need not fret.

Rest of the world take note

2011-12-09T05:26:00.003-06:00

Kelsey ~ Dragon Slayed

Ohio has a nice feature that I wish every state would instigate. They mark the roadway well by writing on the pavement what lane goes where so even if you are unfamiliar with the area and do not know if you should move to the right lane, left lane or stay put to get off the expressway ahead they tell you right there on the pavement where that lane will go. Saves a lot of wondering what is coming up in the way of having to jockey to get in the proper lane.

A very nice feature. Thank you Ohio.

Kelsey wet, cold, covered with mud and leaves.

Tonight I will be at the gallery for opening night. Odin willing, and the river don't rise I should see my friend D.L.Wood and his wonderful wife.

I went over to visit with Thyia last night. We planned a shoot at her place. When I arrived we began talking and ended up talking the evening away. She is a wonderful person to be around. I never did break out the camera, and it was alright. We will shoot many times before I die and there was no need to spoil a good evening of visiting together by changing gears for the sake of another photo.

Close Up Photography

2011-12-08T03:27:00.000-06:00

Dave L & Kelsey ~ "This Looks Intriguing"

While my friend was working with Kelsey in his studio I managed to take a few candid shots of the action. Personally I think his interest was glued to the wrong end of the torso but that is just me.

Kelsey

2011-12-07T05:26:00.000-06:00

Kelsey & The Dragon Tree ~ Unedited, complete with dirt and leaves stuck to her.

I'm sitting in a McDonalds having coffee and have lost my computer mouse so you get what you get.

Shot with Kelsey Dylan while in Ohio with Dave L. We had to give outdoor work a shot and ventured out in the rain and mud. And for our sins we got some great shots. Then we moved into Dave's studio and continued exploring the shape of this gal. A most enjoyable time.

Dave L. and his wife were perfect hosts and they renewed my faith in humanity..........sort of. If the world were full of people like them we would be in good shape. Unfortunately it isn't.

Travel notes II

2011-12-06T05:47:00.000-06:00

Artistic Physique ~ Turkey Run Lodge

Back in Chicago. That was a nice side trip that killed time I had to spend. Tomorrow Golden Hooves goes in for her recall repair. We shall see how that goes.

Then I work with Thyia the following day. Eeeeeeeeeeeee! Don't have much of an idea what we will do but I'm sure it will be exciting.

Then the opening in Chicago at the Morpho Gallery and then I will get to go home. Home.... Sounds so good.

Travel notes

2011-12-05T05:37:00.001-06:00

Abigail ~ No Shade

The above image is of the wonderful Abigail as we worked in the Badlands one hot summer. She managed to find this tree to sit on. A petrified tree, but a tree non the less. It didn't offer her any shade however.

When you are reading this i will be at the home of my friend, Dave Levingston in Ohio and about the time this will go up I will be waking Kelsey Dylan from her futon so we can get an early start on some outdoor shooting.

Yesterday I worked with a porn star in Cincinnati and it was.... different. We traded some of what I wanted for some of what she wanted.

We managed to come to an agreement where she got what she wanted and I got what I wanted and both of us ended up with good work to show for our efforts.

After I get back home and go through our work I will no doubt share some of it with you.

Now I get to shoot Kelsey Dylan. Yes!

Backing up

2011-12-04T05:21:00.001-06:00

Local Gal ~ Phallus

Made note of a few things the last two days that I thought were, not revolutionary by any means, but noteworthy.

Went to a cell phone store with my son who needed a new one, I guess. Verizon I believe was the store.

It was a big store. When we walked in there were four people greeting us at the door and I thought how odd as Wal-Mart only has one.

When we got in I noticed they had a hand full of cell phones and accessories spread out so far apart in there you could had condensed it all down into one ten foot counter space. And nine employees standing around talking with each other and nothing to do.

Somebody is paying the bill for all this nonsense. Guess who?

Another reason I will never, ever own a cell phone. I don't want to have a 90 dollar a month phone bill because a bunch of worthless clowns are standing around talking all day with nothing to do.

My kid ends up with a phone and proceeds to go home and sit down and try and figure it out. When I asked him about what all it does he was not sure but said he only uses it to make and get calls and all the other stuff was things he will never use.

They are like cameras these days that are stuffed with a bunch of things we never use but must be made to pay for.

I think his phone was about $350. plus his 90 dollar a month phone bill.

I will stick with my 29 dollar phone bill and a 16 dollar phone that can't leave my house, thank you very much.

I have coffee with three fellows four or five times a week in the mornings. They sit there and push buttons on their phones and stare at the screen and never say a word. I wonder why they even show up.

I had dinner with my grand kids and daughter in law last night. Two of them sat in the restaurant and pushed their buttons on their phones and never spoke a word. Just pushing buttons on their cell phones.

We have bred a race of animals that no longer are able to communicate unless they have an electronic device in their hand, and the world is a much worse place because of it.

Don't try and tell me I'm an old fart that needs to join the 21st century. I see zero reason to down grade myself to that level. More inventions that make things easier does not always make for progress. In the case of cell phones it has caused us to revert to the stone age.

Recall Notice

2011-12-03T05:39:00.002-06:00

Camile

I'm sitting around in the Chicago area killing time, as it were.

As long as I am near a Honda dealer I made an appointment to take Golden Hooves in for a recall notice. I know, 350,000 miles and I get a recall notice. Something to do with the steering giving out and crashing. So the earliest I could get in was the 7th. I will have gotten back from Ohio by then.

This will no doubt be an all day thing so I will bring some good walking shoes and hike around part of Elmhurst while they repair my girl.

More likely as this is in a "CITY", they will tell me on the morning of the 7th that they do not have the parts but could have them in a few days. At that point I will shove a ball point pen up the service managers nose and head back to northern Minnesota.

The image above was taken while we were lying on the rocks attempting to dry off and warm up after a dip in Lake Superior. Damn cold but the sun was out and the warm rocks felt good.

Wonders of a flashlight

2011-12-02T05:08:00.001-06:00

Claudine ~ Midnight light painting

This image was taken in our campsite on one of the trips to the north shore of Lake Superior. Sitting around the campfire one night we decided to play. The only light source was a Mag-Lite flashlight I had to find our way about in the dark should nature call. It turned out rather well I thought considering all the factors involved that we had to deal with.

She is standing on the edge of about a hundred foot cliff face, hence the blue sky backdrop that wonderfully appeared where I expected nothing but blackness during the 45 second exposure where I was busy painting her and the trees with light.

And she held remarkably still. A rare thing for such a long exposure where I need to go over her several times with small amounts of light in order to blend the light directions together without having her look like a flash went off.

My Moose and I did some wonderful work with light painting that summer as well.

I miss my Moose.

No Canoe?!

2011-12-01T05:26:00.001-06:00

Brooke ~ My 84" print on a wall at the Art Institute in Chicago.

I never got to see this print above. It was a dandy, I guess.

I heard it was to find a home in an office building in Japan somewhere. That was before the earth quake and tsunami hit. I have no idea if it is still in existence.

Today I should be dropping off my artwork in Chicago, then a quick visit with family and onto Ohio where I will be working with a gal I have never met but seems to be someone who will give her all for the cause. Then a side jaunt over to visit my friend, Dave L. and some work with Kelsey Dylan before I head back to Chicago where I expect I will tag up with Thyia for a day.

I almost feel naked making this trip without the canoe strapped on top of Golden Hooves. I'm not sure how she is going to react to it either. But when you are reading this we will have found out, having written this post last Saturday.

Things we shouldn't do

2011-11-30T05:28:00.000-06:00

Erin

....but we do anyway.

I was just pouring myself a cup of tea, much like I do a half dozen times a day. And as the little paper fold that is attached to the string went sailing over the cup rim and into the hot water, much as it does a half dozen times a day, I grumped to myself that I would have to stick my fingers in there and fish it out once again.

Now there are three simple solutions so that wouldn't happen. Aim the water so it doesn't land on the tea bag; Hold the string with the other hand; or put the damn bag in the cup after the hot water is in. But I don't. And I particularly aim for the tea bag when I am pouring in the hot water, I guess in hopes it will make tea faster by landing directly on the tea bag, I don't know.

When I am in my car and feel like lighting up a cigar I take off the wrapped and stuff it down between the seat and the center storage compartment. It is a handy way of making non stinky trash disappear.

When I am getting ready to go on a trip, as I am now, I clean out the car and curse the cigar wrappers that are wedged way down in the track area of the seat that I need a long thin stick to get at.

Life would be so much simpler at that point in time if I had placed the cigar wrappers in my pocket, or a trash bag in the car. But no. And I still won't.

Life is filled with things we should have done but didn't.

Then we come along and do things we shouldn't have.

Go figure.

On the road again

2011-11-29T07:24:00.000-06:00

Abigail

When you are reading this I should be sailing along on Interstate 90 in Golden Hooves, smoking a good cigar and have a back end full of framed prints and a sleeping bag, camera bag, clothes bag and a handful of goodies. Wallet in the glove box and a treasure trove of fine cigars stashed away for a weeks worth of travels. Life is good.

Next stop, the Windy City to dump these prints off and empty the back out so i have a place to curl up for the night.

Abs

2011-11-28T07:26:00.000-06:00

Yummy

***Sigh***

Those that have followed my work, or at least my blog for any amount of time know that I have a special love for Abigail. She is my best friend, girlfriend, pal, camping partner, travel partner, family, and I can now fit into her jeans (finally, because she has some really cool jeans).

When I get to missing her I plug in an external hard drive (any of them) and bring up this photo.

It is not a great art photo, nor is it well posed. But I don't care. It show me the Abigail I know well from a perspective I know well. One that is about to steal all my covers.

Nude art lover/hater ???

2011-11-27T07:28:00.000-06:00

Brooke ~ Homeless

This image was taken at the Northrup King bldg. in Minneapolis. Several of us had a joint show there a couple of years ago and Brooke was on hand as some of the images where of her.

At one point she and I broke free from the show and walked up to the third flood of the building and down a corridor where we found this nice wooden bench. It made a nice setting so what the hell.

I made a 17X22 inch print of this image and put it up on the wall just over the bench to see what peoples reactions would be as they walked on by. In the mean time I went for a short walk. When I return about an hour later the print was gone from the wall. Either stolen or torn down by an irate individual, who knows. I never did get to see anyone's reaction to it.

Packing

2011-11-26T07:25:00.002-06:00

My good friend

I am beginning to gather all my belongings up for the trip to Chicago. I say Chicago like it will be the only place i am going, but I will be hitting nine states on this trip. I believe I will be fortunate enough to spend an evening with my friend, Dave Levingston while in Ohio. That will be a treat. I have not seen him for about a year and a half, back when he had a show in Chicago and I dropped in with Sarah who was traveling with me to the Kinsey Show.

I need to stick around until the crate arrives home from the Naked in Pittsburgh show to help the UPS lady unload it from her truck. It is a bit heavy, weighing in at several hundred pounds. I was told by the gallery that one of the cast aluminum handles had been broken off during shipment to them, which will make it that much more hard to handle. I'm afraid if I am not here she will simply push it out the back of her truck onto the ground. It may not hurt anything but why take the chance. I'm curious to see if the gallery puts all 38 screws back into the cover. Ha!

I'm departing here with 13 framed prints that are 28X36. That is all that I can get into Golden Hooves.

Speaking of Golden Hooves, this may be her last "Walk in the woods" as they say. She will turn 350,000 miles on this trip and she is beginning to feel her age. It may be time to retire her to the pasture and use her just for zipping about around home. I will make that decision upon my return, but I won't let her know I am thinking about it. I'm not sure she would understand.

My father turned 90 this week also. I think Golden Hooves is in better shape.

I have decided to create another blog of just erotic work and keep this blog spot for my non erotic stuff.

The new one will not have ramblings of an old fart, just an image posted from time to time.

If anyone is interested in following this new blog it can be found here:

http://tknickers.blogspot.com

Gobble gobble

2011-11-25T05:28:00.000-06:00

Abigail

Enjoy

2011-11-24T05:29:00.000-06:00

Abigail

I have two sets of friends that have arrived from other areas for Turkey Day in the northwoods.

One set travels about 1200 miles for this event, but then they do every year. Good food and good friends.

Hope all of you have an equally good day tomorrow.

Lost vision

2011-11-23T05:33:00.000-06:00

Abigail ~ The Diver

I was having a bit of a discussion with Bill Ballard about photos where the model has eye contact with the viewer the other day.

I have never liked a photo where it was suppose to be art where the model was looking at the camera (the viewer). Once she knows I am watching all intrigue in terms of art is lost for me.

I do on occasion take a photo with the model looking at the camera, but it is not for art sake, it is for my own enjoyment so I can look back on the moment and remember. My own personal snapshot of the time we were having. I may or may not share that photo with the world, but if you see one here or elsewhere where the model is looking at the camera you will know I took it for me because I wanted to remember something that was happening right there and then. It could have been something funny; it could have been something heart warming; it may have just been that I liked her smile. But what it was not was a photo that was suppose to be art.

i can go along with just about any glance right up to where she is looking at the serial number on the from of the camera body, but as soon as the eyes hit the lens it is over. Done. The moment is lost for me in terms of a good image.

When I am looking at artwork the thing I don't want to see is a model staring at me.

I have juried a couple of photo shows in my time and I can assure you your work would not get past me if the model is looking at me. That should be saved for family snap shots on a beach in Acapulco, not for an art show.

Feds need to get out of the road and let the people get by

2011-11-22T05:07:00.000-06:00

Artistic Physique ~ "Not Happy"

Alabama

Utah

Indiana

Arizona

South Carolina

Hmmm. Seems the good old boys are gaining momentum that is pissing off the Feds.

Of course if the Feds did their job there would not be an issue here. But they don't and they don't want anyone else doing their job because it would show the world they were slackers that didn't care one bit about what the laws say. Nothing new there either. The Federal Government is one big money laundering club for a handful of idiots that don't care one bit about the people they are suppose to represent. ***Off my high horse***

I would have to sell them for 85 thousand dollars if you counted my time

2011-11-21T05:29:00.002-06:00

Abigail ~ "The Wrestler"

I am wrapping up the COAs for the framed prints. All the dust jackets are on and I even remembered to sign each print beforehand. Odd.

Today I will be working on the price schedule for each. Not an easy thing for me as I attempt to make somewhat of a living at this.

If I figure in my cash outlay for the year that was spent on photographing I would have to have an income from print sales in the neighborhood of $12,700. thus far for 2011. Ha!

That of course does not include my time, which I write off as free.

Of course I have not made anywhere near $12,700. on print sales this year so I either have to sell a few of these or I will once again be in the hole. This will be the third year in a row for operating in the red.

But this is Chicago and that is were my avid collectors are located so I am hoping for an end of the year sweep that should bring me back to doe, doe, doe, dough.

My favorite print in this show is one of Thyia that I took the second shooting with her done in a forest preserve in Cook County, just outside of Chicago. It is an edition of one and I am hoping it does not sell so I can present it to her after the show. I actually would like it hanging on my living room wall but I think she would truly get as much enjoyment out of it as I.

I usually present the model with one of the gallery prints from our work together and have one in Pittsburgh that I will be getting to Artistic Physique when that show is over.

But now....on to my price list. It awaits.

I'm beginning to be a mat and frame expert.

2011-11-20T05:30:00.002-06:00

Abigail

The bar tender say, "I don't allow neutrinos in here."

Two neutrinos walk into a bar.

I have been cooped up in my studio for the last week framing and matting prints for the Chicago show. Just about done.

My trip to Chi Town will take me through Iowa to shoot with an amazing looking gal from the farm fields. It looks to be a very interesting time.

Then I drop off the work and head to Ohio for a few days to work with a gal from there. That also sounds like it will be fun. We will be doing some strange stuff and will adventure into areas I have not gone before. Then again it may turn out to be crap.

I will head back to Chi Town and see if I can talk Thyia into a days worth of fun.

Then the show opening where I suspect I will bump into DL Wood and his lovely wife once again. With some luck we will drink too much wine and I will slosh a glass full all over the place like I did last time.

Then onto Minneapolis where I will be working with, of all things, a porn star. I know. But she is an all natural porn star, and I don't care what she does for a living, she looks terrific and wants to work with me.

Then I will head on home once again after having been on the road for two weeks. Home will look good. It always does after being gone so long, naked women or no.

If Abigail is still in Michigan I may see if I can stop in for a quick visit with her on my way back from Ohio. That would be nice.

For those of you who think I may have been drinking when I wrote those first two lines...

Part of Einstein's theory of relativity is that the faster you travel the slower time is, and at the speed of light time stands still.

Neutrinos (tiny particles) have been found to travel faster than the speed of light, which seems to blow Einstein's theory right out the window.

I never understood how we can agree with Hawking that time is a man made invention that really does not exist and also agree with Einstein too. Seems like a contradiction there.

But anywho, I thought this nerd joke was a hoot.

Working vacation

2011-11-19T05:31:00.000-06:00

Abigail

Since I will be delivering my work to the gallery for the December show in Chicago, and I will hang around for a week until the opening, I decided to make this a working trip as well to kill some of the time I will have on my hands.

Currently I have four models lined up to work with during this time and I may limit my eight days to no more than five models. That will give me some time to visit with my son and to get some work done on editing that I am so far behind on.

After a shoot I edit the images so they look good and get them off to the model fairly quickly. What I don't get a chance to do is edit them for myself. That may entail cropping into a very small portion of the image to get just a fold of skin, or converting to a monochrome because I liked it better that way. Usually I find some hidden treasures amongst the work that I had not noticed when the shots were taken. Usually about two years later.

This trip looks to be about 50/50 Shadowscape Studio/Confidential Photo work. Confidential Photo being the erotic side of my personality.

What is yours?

2011-11-18T05:33:00.001-06:00

Yours truly & Cheryl ~ "Sold Soul"

Humans have to do something in excess. For some it is drinking, others smoking, some eating. religion, gambling, shopping, talking on the phone, hording, cars, sports, sex,on and on. But each of us seems to have to be able to do something in excess or we can't survive life. It is a built in pressure relief on humans. Thus, none of us are in good condition. I smoke way too many cigars. Probably in the neighborhood of eight a day. At 10 to 22 dollars a pop it can be an expensive excess. Wish I was addicted to sex so it did cost so much, but then I could see where that might run into big money too. I'll stick with my cigars.

I could easily go back to scotch as an excess but my wife is much happier with my cigar excess. I guess I remain more of a person to her liking when I smell of smoke. The personality change with scotch takes hold and things do not always fair so well. I do like it however but will keep those moments for special occasions these days.

But back to the excesses people have to have in their life. I don't know of anyone who does not over indulge in something. And if that is given up it is substituted by another. An alcoholic will go sober but then be a chain smoker, or an over eater, or something.

It would be nice if we could channel our desire to go overboard on something healthy, like exercise, but then there are some who do that and they would not stand out in a crowd if everybody did it. I guess we should let those few bask in their healthiness.

Me? I need a breakfast cigar.

If it tasted good farmers would raise them

2011-11-17T05:33:00.001-06:00

Abigail

My father-in-law is one of those old timers that think going out and shooting a deer is a manly thing one must do every year. The fact that he can't get up in his deer stand without help, see once he gets up there, and can't find his way out of the woods doesn't stop him one bit. Trouble is everybody else suffers.

I got a call opening morning because he shot his deer. At least that was out of the way. I had to skin it and clean it. He had a big gash across his nose because he holds the gun far away from his face so he can make something out in the scope and it smacked him in the nose when it went off.

I hate the smell of a deer (I will take a rotting human carcass any day), fresh or cooked, but I got it dressed out the way he wanted it. He doesn't understand how to hang a piece of meat for a couple of weeks in order to make it a little more palatable, he wan'ts it whacked up right there and then and it does no good for me to try and talk him out of it.

Guck! Why anybody would eat a deer after it has been living on cedar branches all year is beyond me.

Figure in the cost of the license and then he will have a lot of it made into sausage, it should run him about $11.00/ pound. I can get good Porterhouse for less than that and I don't get covered with bloody deer guts and tallow.

But I'm glad it is over for him so I don't have to go through this for another year. It should have been shot and left for the foxes and other critters that are not so fussy. I don't have a problem with shooting them, as a matter of fact I think we should shoot them all, I just think we have progressed to where we have grocery stores that sell cows and pigs and no longer should have this instinct to kill deer as though it were some good source of food.

I would no sooner cook venison in my house than have a beer farting party in there. Smells the place up like something died behind the wall.

Time for people to move on and quit this pretending venison taste good. Shoot the hell out them, but then leave them for the carnivores out in the woods that don't have a CUB Foods.

Creeks vs Cricks

2011-11-16T05:35:00.000-06:00

Erin

When I was growing up we had a crick near the house that we spent much or our childhood playing in, at or near. The crick was the life blood to the farm land that encompassed the area.

Farmers would dam it up or make wide spots in it to create stock ponds for their cattle. It was also the source of most of our entertainment as it was the only area where there were trees. On both side of the crick there was a fifty yard bank of willows and elm trees that created a get-away spot for farm kids to hide out and escape the flat farm lands. Tree forts and war games with sticks used for guns, and hunting safaris for wild, dangerous animals were played out.

The crick held carp and bullhead fish and was the home of muskrats and other critters such as snakes. The crick was everything a farm kid needed to pass the time.

Cricks are different than creeks. A creek is a small stream that runs through a city park. A crick is a raw watershed that runs mainly through farm land and is polluted by fertilizer and cattle excretion. A creek looks like a quiet, peaceful place to sit and listen to the water flowing. A creek on the other hand looks like a negative taken of a severe wound. Imagine a gash on your arm. Beautiful skin with an ugly, nasty bleeding gash. A creek looks like ugly, nasty land with a beautiful gash and live trees with greenery growing on its banks through flat brown farm fields.

Many hours as a child were passed swimming in the stock ponds created by farmers to water their cattle. We had no knowledge back then of pollution and cared little that the banks were places one had to dodge cow pies in order to get to the water. The only serious events associated with swimming was getting to the ponds without being trampled by the Angus cattle who guarded their watering holes as though they were stockpiles of gold. They had but one though on their mind...kill whatever it was that might steal their water. They could smell an eight year old boy from a mile away. And eight year old boys, when properly stomped into the earth made good fertilizer for growing fresh grass to eat.

My son lives in the house I grew up in. When I was visiting him this summer I took time to explore the creek. There I found remains of old tree forts; tiger pits; and bridges that we had constructed some fifty years ago. There were no signs that anyone had been there for many years. Not a single tree new tree fort had been built or tiger pit had been dug. No trails through the woods. Nothing.

I wondered what they kids do to pass the time who live in that area these days. I guess they sit and play with electronic games and text for fun. Seems like they are missing out on being a child.

You got something running down your chin

2011-11-15T05:36:00.001-06:00

Abigail

It may appear uncouth but if you don't drool when you are lighting your cigar you probably are not enjoying the moment. Unlike cigarette smokers who light up a stick without giving it a thought because it is a habit, a cigar smoker (I'm talking a real cigar smoker and not some convenient store five pack bought for deer camp) savors his cigar long before lighting it. My joy is a dark, oily maduro wrapped Nicaraguan or Honduran, handmade beauty with a 85+ rating. The salivating begins as I spy it in the humidor. Then it is carefully lifted out and studied. Usually they are in some clear wrapper that begs to be removed so the aroma can fill your nostrils. Then there is the feeling of that oily maduro wrapper in your fingers. It seems like it will impart a substance on your hands that will be slippery, but it doesn't. You smell it with your eyes closed and picture a girl of about 22 with long black hair and sweat running down her arms as she rolls the cigar to its perfect form. Years have gone into making this cigar. The leaves may be 60 years old or more. Then it is aged after it is made so the fillers blend, much like a good scotch.

Now you grab your cutter or punch and open up the end as it has been sealed for all these years by several caps of these fine tobacco leaves that make up the covering. You now place it in your lips and savor the taste of that oily maduro leaf. It is wonderful.

Lighting up a good cigar is not such a simple operation as you need to get the entire front of a 50 or so ring gauge cigar all going. You gentle draw in as it begins to burn with a little bit of a puff back through the cigar so as not to create a heat build up. This makes like a blast furnace at the tip which aids in the uniform lighting.

If you can achieve this point without drooling down the front of your chin you are either not enjoying the experience or you have a good command of your face. Cigar people would never comment on another cigar person drooling down their chin. It comes with the territory.

If wives or girlfriends wanted more attention from their cigar smoking others they would wrap themselves in a nice Connecticut Broad Leaf before heading to bed.

More City Assholes

2011-11-14T05:36:00.000-06:00

Abigail

Just chased two City deer hunters off my property. What part of Private Property they can't read I don't know. Maybe they can read and just don't give a shit, which is more likely.

I really am getting to despise people from cities. All of them. They are worthless human beings that waste good air reasonable people could be breathing.

I wonder what would happen if all the rural people descended on the Cities and ran around in their yards with guns. Just because our yard is bigger than your postage stamp size lot doesn't mean it is okay for you to tramp all around our yard shooting at anything that moves. No wonder there is a movement to take away peoples rights to have guns.

I am in agreement with, if you live in a City of more than five thousand people you should not be allowed to own or have a gun in your possession because you don't have enough brains to use one properly.

Abs from one of our single light studio sessions.

They are here

2011-11-13T05:37:00.000-06:00

Abigail

I have survived the first week of northern Minnesota deer hunters, odd as that might be considering the crazy idiots from the Cities who come up here and blast their guns blindlessly into the woods not knowing what lay fifty yards beyond where they are looking.

Two more weeks of dodging bullets flying about by drunken hunters.

God must have created deer season in Minnesota in case eternity proved to be too short.

Worst TV show in history

2011-11-12T05:38:00.000-06:00

Abigail

Here is another reason FOX News is a worthless piece of crap as a news agency.

The school does not want to state the reason. Leave it alone and quit digging up dirt for dirt sake. I know the limp wrist liberals want to know, but tough. They don't need to know and FOX News just digging into it for the sake of these limp wrist liberals makes me want to hurl.

If anything should be banned from television it is FOX News.

Sign of ???

2011-11-11T05:38:00.000-06:00

Abigail

One one, one one, one one. This date must be good for something.

Up and running

2011-11-10T05:39:00.000-06:00

Erin

I have managed to get just about everything loaded back into my laptop now. A few small bits to put back in but for the most part it is back up and running.

I plum forgot about a show I have in Chicago opening on December 9th and am busy scurrying to get that put together so I can deliver it in about three weeks.

Good news is I will get to see Thyia and hopefully we will spend some time shooting. I have had this nagging desire to work with a prop.

I know, I don't like props, but this prop is not exactly a prop per say, but more of an addition to a feeling or mood. Actually I am excited to give it a go. I'm not sure Thyia will be as excited as I am but we shall wait and see.

In the mean time I need to get my butt in gear and get matting and framing.

Go Wisconsin

2011-11-09T05:39:00.000-06:00

Abigail

Here is an idea. Let the people decide.

Life would be so much better if Government didn't run the whole show and tell us what we have to do as though we were a bunch of little children not able to make decisions for ourselves.

It is time people fought back against mandated, unnecessary bullshit this Big Brother Government is trying to enforce.

This is stuff parents need to educate children about, not schools. And certainly not forced upon our children by Big Brother.

Let's get back to teaching children how to read and write instead of how to butt fuck the kid sitting next to you at recess without getting AIDS.

We graduate kids from high school that can't read. That should be telling us that we made a wrong turn somewhere along the line and we need to back track and start over.

Of course the limp wrist liberals probably think teaching children how not to get AIDS in the school parking lot is more important than reading. But then all you have to do is look at their children and you can see why.

Naked in Pittsburgh show

2011-11-07T17:33:00.006-06:00

These images are courtesy of my good friend, Dave Levingston and the beautiful gal in the images is that of Artistic Physique who is in the photos on the wall.

Seems I had entry placement into the gallery, which is always a nice thing.

Dave L. also had four images of Artistic Physique in the same show, but I will let him show those to you.

It appears to have been a good opening with lots of people. I am sorry I could not attend.

She is beautiful, isn't she. That is not a question, but a statement.

Screw The People. Let Them Eat Cake.

2011-11-07T05:57:00.002-06:00

Artistic Physique ~ In My Heart

Now we have Obama saying this Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to Texas and across to Illinois will be good for the economy.

Yeah! Another major impact on the U.S. for the benefit of the oil companies.

Nothing Obama has done has been good for the economy. Nothing, although he sounds good when he says it will be.

So this pipeline would create short term jobs for a bunch of people who build pipelines. How does this help America? The oil company however will make billions in long term profits. The people of the U.S. will have to suffer for decades.

Just as is reported here, we throw the people's money at oil companies.

But then, Obama watched Chenney rake in mega money with his Halaburton company that profited from America suffering at the hands of government. Why shouldn't he get in on the action. After all, he is an Illinois politician.

Thank you once again to the assholes who campaigned hard to get Obama into office. You have proven your worth.

_______________________________

Midnight caller

2011-11-06T05:17:00.000-06:00

Jasmine ~ "Thinking Of Six Pack Abs"

Or so she told me.

This was from a gal that stopped at my hotel room when I was staying in Hamilton, Ohio for the night. I had gotten in late and was going to pick up Artistic Physique in the morning but was wound up from the long drive so I contacted this local gal and asked if she would like to stop by for a quick shoot.

She arrived with two duffle bags full of clothes. I guess she didn't quite get a grasp on my notion. So I explained that she should just strip off everything and flop on the bed and I would take it from there. Within a few minutes she got the hang of what I was looking for and we managed to get some reasonable images for the effort.

I asked her what she was thinking about during this set and she said, "Six pack abs."

Obviously she was not thinking of me, which was just as well.

Getting to be that time of year

2011-11-05T05:49:00.000-05:00

Abigail & I ~ "Making Sand Castles"

It is that time of year when I should warn people of the dangers of wanting to build their own fish house so they can fish all winter in comfort and quiet on the frozen lakes. TV shows make it seem like a dream come true with small villages of people enjoying a community of social activities out on the ice. Truth be told...

Fish Houses

Fish houses. Fish houses.
Let me tell you about fish houses. If you retire and move to Minnesota you will probably have thoughts of building a fish house so you can pass the time in winter in a nice warm house while catching fish. Maybe even equip it with a portable TV so you can watch the Vikings football games while you fish.
I will save you the trouble of going to all that work by explaining what a fish house means.
Come Thanksgiving you will be anxious to get your fish house out onto the ice. One more week and it will be time. You can hardly wait.
You spent most of the summer building this contraption. It has a stove, bunk beds, gas lights and a large heater. You have a table for playing cards should you have company and a place to keep your beer cold since it will be 75 degrees in your toasty warm fish house. You rigged a TV antenna on the roof so you won't miss a game and you even hung pictures on the walls of Walleye and Northern Pike.
This is going to be great!!!!
About a week after thanksgiving you decide it is time. You have been testing the thickness of the ice twice a day and you now have at least four inches.
So you enlist some help from your friends and pull it out onto the lake with a 4 wheeler, as the ice isn't safe enough for a vehicle yet.
You need to make some holes in the ice and you bore a few with the new power auger you bought. Still, it would be nice to have a big square hole to look down into and watch what is going on below so you cut a 3X5 foot hole with your chainsaw. Man does that throw the water around.
You move your house over the holes and light up the stove. Life is good.
For the next five days you sit in your house, drinking beer and watching the only channel you can get which happens to be soap operas during the day and reruns of the Price Is Right in the evenings. Doesn't matter, you are warm and life is good.
At the end of the five days you are a little concerned that you have not even seen a fish, let alone caught one. So you decide to move the house.
It slid out there so nice you figure you can do it by yourself so you get the 4 wheeler and hook it up. Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Rrrrrrrrrrrr. Wheels spin and it won't budge. She has frozen down to the lake.
So you go back home and get a pry bar. Jamming it under the house and lifting up you manage to gash up the house something fierce but it won't come loose. About four inches of the house have sunk into the ice and it is encased.
You remember Merle telling you about the time his fish house froze down and he shot the ice all the way around with his rifle to break it up and then he pulled it out. You are not quite that desperate and figure you can do OK by using your chisel. So you start chopping with the chisel all the way around. For two hours you chip and chisel. And you have gained nothing. You think that maybe you are having a heart attack and you sit down on the ice and re think.
A few minutes later you are on your way back out to the fish house with your deer hunting rifle and three boxes of shells. In about twenty minutes you have done three things: 1) You have shot up $60.00 worth of shells, 2) You blew that spider out of the barrel that you saw going in there the other day when you were eating your waffle at the breakfast table, and 3) You made sure you will have fresh shells next year for dear hunting.
The house is still stuck.
The next morning you ram the side of the house with the four wheeler in an attempt to break it free but all you manage to do it bust up the siding that you will now have to replace.
Around noon you return to the fish house with chainsaw in hand but find you can't even pull the rope because the rewind mechanism is encased in ice from cutting the hole. You head home and put the saw on the dinning room table to thaw it out. At four pm you head out again and attempt to saw the ice away from the bottom of the fish house, but after about a half hour you once again think you are having a heart attack and call it quits.
Next morning you are having trouble getting out of bed. Your body aches all over and you realize you have pulled every muscle.
Around noon you manage to get dressed and you head out to the god damn fish house with the chain saw once more. Only this time you decide to give into the ice and let it keep the lower four inches of your house. You saw the house off at the top of the ice.
Free! Free at last. You drag the reminence of your once wondrous ice palace back to your shore line and up onto land. The floor and lower four inches of your house will forever become a part of the scenery on the lake, lodging itself in some obscure place with the spring winds.
You will never again open the door to the hulk that will sit on your shore line for years to come as a reminder of your younger, foolish days.
Someday, years from now one of your great grand children will pull open the rotting door and peer inside. "Man, I bet great grandpa had some good times in this o'l baby."
He then will be bitten by the fish house bug and start construction of his own to be launched come next Thanksgiving.

No killing for food

2011-11-04T15:05:00.000-05:00

Abigail

So, now will every farmer who goes out in his barnyard and lops the head off a chicken get arrested? What is going on with this world? Can't kill animals how the heck we gonna eat.

Granted the guy sounds like a dirt bag, but that doesn't make him a criminal. If that were the case all attorneys would be in jail.

For those of you in the Pittsburgh area I hope you will attend the opening of, Naked In Pittsburgh at 2112 Sarah Street (south side) this evening. Opening is 6-9pm.

I will not be there but a portion of my work will be, along with Dave Levingston's.

Computer woes

2011-11-04T06:57:00.002-05:00

Abigail & I ~ Dance Session

(Sorry I cut the top of your head off, my dear)

I'm in a non shooting funk at the moment. A goodly session between shoots always does that to me. Winter does that to me. Lack of money to travel to warmer climate where I can shoot models outdoors does that to me.

Winter time brings studio work into my life, which I really don't get a charge out of unless the model is staying with me for several days and we get to horsing about. A few hour studio session is much like having your teeth pulled and I avoid them unless circumstances dictate I must. I also find one day studio work to be mostly boring. The models want artistic lighting that they see on my portfolios of other models. Been there, done that, and it is boring work. The image may look grand, but it become just another artistically lit shot. I refuse totally to light a model fully. What is the point there? If I can't have at least half of her in shadow I don't have any interest in taking the photo. Let the gazillion other so called photographers that don't understand artistic lighting do that.

So I will spend my winter months much as I always do, working on gallery shows. This winter I may explore the south as venues as I have not touched in that area in the past. However, naked women in trees and on rocks near water probably is of no interest to people who live in dirt with a smattering of cacti as landscape. I may have t go south east and get into at least Mississippi before I have a venue.

For those who have any interest in news about my hard drive problem...I got a new drive and installed it. Tried to boot up the recovery discs and the damn thing said it will not accept those discs with this computer.

H.P was kind enough to mail me a factory set of recovery discs that I am now waiting for via Fed Ex, which will take at least two weeks based on all other Fed Ex shipments I have dealt with to this area. So the damn thing is still a pile of useless components.

Don't forget the Naked In Pittsburgh show opening is tonight from 6-9pm if you are anywhere in the Pittsburgh area, 2112 Sarah Street (south side).

!!! Stolen Artwork !!!

2011-11-03T14:57:00.002-05:00

"Willow River"

If you happen to come across this photograph, please let me know. It is a 17" X 22" print with an edition of one (1) that was stolen. It was in an art gallery on Chicago's north side, near Wells and Huron.

Any sighting of this print would be greatly appreciated.

Dave's list of memorable movie quotes

2011-11-03T05:12:00.002-05:00

Predator's Kitchen

Not your typical list of famous movie quotes, just ones off the top of my head that should have been famous but weren't for some reason.

"They are farmers. All they talk about is fertilizer and women. I never shared their enthusiasm for fertilizer, and as or women I became indifferent when I turned ninety two."

"I was just about to make some ice tea and split the atom, but it can wait."

"The last echo will give us the direction. 186 degrees south, south west."

(Don't you just wonder why he had that contraption in his back pack?)

"Let's play something else."

"Which watch?" "Ten watch."

"There just ain't no ignorin the situation."

"Eh, what trouble?"

"Yeah, small town, it was something to do."

"Rooooooxanne."

"Then four firing switches to be used in missiles for second stage boost."

(I've heard that line more than fifty times and it still makes me laugh so hard my stomach hurts)

"Think you used enough dynamite there, Butch?"

"I love you?! What bloody good is that?" "I don't know. I wasn't going to use it myself."

Random thoughts for the day

2011-11-02T05:03:00.000-05:00

Artistic Physique

I will leave Manchester Connecticut off the list of places I will ever visit again.

Let's go back to women's bathing suits that had pants for god sake.

Put the snow plow on the 4 wheeler today. A sure sign that summer is over in these parts. Lets hope I won't have to use it for a couple of week more.

I was reminded today by a comment I received from someone just how our ideas of what is art and what is not varies between us. This person is a nude art model but made the comment that what I have been putting up on my blog lately was not something they cared to look at, and did so with an attitude that gave me a bit of a shock.

Each of us has our own idea about what is art and what is not. We each like some things and not others. I think Picasso's work was a joke on the world but do consider it art, joke or not. I think Weston couldn't take a decent photo of a nude woman, but it was still art, at least to him.

My thoughts on that subject for the time being.

As humans we are breeding a species that will wipe itself out. Evolution for millions of years has weeded out the sick and the inferior of the species, but humans, with modern medicine and healthcare breed the sick and the diseased in our species. We treat and medicate only to allow more to be breed of the same or worse. immune systems are failing due to antibiotics given to us in an almost uncontrolled fashion. We get a cold and we get an antibiotic to combat it, thus never allowing our system to build up its own immunity to the germ.

But I fear that we shall wipe each other out with violence before we wipe ourselves out from disease. But one way or the other we won't be long on this planet.

Do as I say, not as I do

2011-11-01T04:25:00.001-05:00

I have never asked a model to do something that I was not willing to do. And sometimes a demonstration is in order to get the idea across as what is I am asking them to do. I figure if an old man like me can do it, it ought to be a cake walk for the models.

Now grant it that I don't look good doing these things, and I often tell them, "Do it just like this but make it look good.", which they usually can do much better than I.

This image is from one of those times and was shot by Artistic Physique while I was attempting to explain how I wanted her to hang upside down from this vine with her arms out.

We did get some good shots of her hanging from this vine but not inverted as I was. I don't think she grew up sliding down a rope head first, with no hands from a tree fort like I did.

Ah the times she must have missed out on.

It is November and soon the City Idiots will be invading the north woods dressed up like giant pumpkins with guns. They will sit in the bars and drink themselves into a stupor and then get up at 5am and grab their rifle, still drunk and head out into the woods to blast a deer. Or at least blast at a deer. Most of them couldn't hit a barn wall if they were standing on the inside of the barn. Hunting, they call it. Deer waiting is more like it. Sit on a deer trail and wait for the deer to walk by. The hunting part has long disappeared from activity they do.

They will walk all over other people's land and shoot holes in houses, road signs and mail boxes. It never changes from year to year. Dads will take their sons hunting (use the term very loosely) and teach them to blast road signs and walk all over other people property without asking.

It is a city mentality. That is why we need a wall around every city larger than 5 thousand people. Keep them locked up where they can't infest the rest of humanity.

Three weeks worth of city idiots. God help the north woods.

Oooooooopppps

2011-10-31T05:38:00.001-05:00

Thyia ~ Contemplation

I agree with Iran's President here. You might not like the guy, and that is probably due to all the propaganda the U.S. Government has been throwing at the American people, but he makes sense. The U.S. and NATO should keep out of other countries and quit trying to force our form of government on them. The U.S. is hated around the world, and with good reason.

Ever send an email to the wrong person? Not bad if it was a normal conversation but when it said something weird it makes you realize just how fast things can get screwed up.

I sent an email to someone who had copied an email to a lover because it had a picture of herself she wanted to show me. I replied to it via a new email rather than a reply message and discovered I sent it to someone else. Fortunately I had sent it to a friend who understood and there was no problem. It basically said I see the photo from the email you sent to someone you wanted to have sex with (or similar wording) and noted that it was from 2007 as dated on the email.

Had I not caught that I had sent it to someone else and let them know it was not for them my message probably would have raised some questions as to my intentions.

As it was I thought it a bit funny. But then I have a strange sense of humor.

Arizona President ~ Jan Brewer

2011-10-30T06:40:00.000-05:00

Artistic Physique ~ To Burn n Hell

If the Republicans really wanted to win the election for presidency they would run Jan Brewer. A shoe-in. Someone who understands the flaws of the U.S. Government and is willing to fix the problems. She has got it right in her state of Arizona, if only the asshole Feds would let her do her job. But they won't. They don't want anyone doing their job because it makes them look like the slackers that they are.

But it probably is better she stays where she is.

I'm thinking it is time to do away with the Federal Government and just have State Governments. Each state Supreme Court would be the highest decision making branch there is. No President, no Congress, no U.S. Supreme Court, no U.S. Constitution. Leave everything up to each state to do as they see fit and to create their own constitution that rules over that individual state.

We could do away with Federal taxes and the U.S. Military. Have you any idea how much money we would have to spend on ourselves? God, just think of it. Because it all is wasted now. Every penny of our Federal taxes is wasted.

It is time for the Big Brother to step down. Time for the Federal Government to go the way of Gaddafi and Hussein.

Now I will probably drop dead

2011-10-29T06:19:00.000-05:00

Another version of Abs & I

It will be time soon for submissions to The Kinsey Institute juried art show. I didn't get in last year....odd, but I attended anyway. Every year I take a model with me to the show and we make a shooting event out of the trip. This year I will be accompanied by Thyia, my wonderful gal from Chicago that has worked hard with me on my erotic sets. I do not know what I am going to submit this year, and probably will make that decision after I find out who the juror is, but will no doubt include some of Thyia's work. It would be nice to have her work in the show for her to see.

Most of the time we have stopped at Starved Rock on the way back to shoot in the canyons there but I am tiring of that location and may explore more of the canyons in western and southern Indiana this trip. Not too many people out and about in May, which makes it nice for my type of work. Although it can be a bit nippy in May.

I managed to secure a show (finally) in Minneapolis at what I consider the city's finest gallery. It has been two years in the making and now looks to be a reality. Another three years out yet, but I have my slot.

Wooooooho! I will be in the company of some pretty big names in the photograph world that have had their work shown there. Most of them were dead prior to their work going on display at this place.

Maybe this isn't such a good thing....

***makes note to get a physical***

No shoes

2011-10-28T05:12:00.000-05:00

Thyia ~ Toe Grip of Death

I get fashion, I get glamour, I get bondage, I get erotic, I get classical nude work, I get most of it. I may not care for it, but I get it.

What I don't get is the mix. A nude except for high heals. I can see a nude with stockings, but if you have the high heals on you lost me. Partially clothed is one thing, but partially clothed with things that don't make sense loose me completely. High heals are not the first thing you put on when getting dressed and are not the last thing you take off. A nude with just high heals on is an anomaly that makes no sense and it looses my attention real fast for any creative thinking on the part of the photographer.

Helmut Newton did that a lot and even though he was a somewhat good photographer his construction of an image left something seriously to be desired.

I know a lot of people think he was next to sliced bread in terms of greatness. Sorry, but not me. I don't go along with the sheep train.

What did you learn from your mom?

2011-10-27T05:10:00.001-05:00

Homeless Waif ~ "Shelter For The Night"

(Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois)

It irks many and I always get people who argue with me on this, but I am a firm believer that if you can not drawn the human figure, you have no business photographing it.

An artist, be it a photographer or painter understands light and shadow, angles and curves. If you understand these four things you can draw a human figure in a reasonable fashion. I don't care if you think you can't or not. If you comprehend those four key elements you can. If you can't draw the human figure in a reasonable fashion you don't understand light and shadow, angles and curves and you have no business asking a model to remove her clothing for you to take pictures of her naked.

I learned this at a very young age. About eight or ten. I had been using a German sheet film camera that had been given to me by my grand father. It took odd sized film sheets that were close to a 4X5 cut in half. it was a size in centimeters rather than inches and I spent many hours in the darkroom chopping up 4X5 sheet film for it.

I had been using it daily for about a year and was cranking out some rather good images of headstones from some of the elaborate Chicagoland cemeteries. At least I thought I was doing fairly well and was proud of a few of my prints.

Being the person that I am I was thinking of a way to get a naked girl in front of my camera. it truly was not a sexual thing, although my head did whirl a bit sometimes thinking of how many sheets of that 4X5 film I would need to cut up in order to photograph every inch of the female form. No, it really was about the art value, and I was attempting to create a good enough collection of my quality images for a neighborhood art show, and what is an art show without some nude work.

But being eight or ten it is hard to come by a nude female model. Asking an adult to help produce a female subject was not such a good idea either. What was a kid to do.

Ask mom to model nude for me. Simple.

So I did.

Now my mother was a pretty cool person as moms go. She took me out and let me drive the family car when I was about the same age. The first time I ever had sex I came home and told her all about it. We got along about as well as a son and mom could.

My mother was also an accomplished painter. She understood art and artists. She knew me and where I was headed with my photography.

My mom would have said yes to me asking her to pose nude. Except she blurted out those dreaded words. "Can you draw me a sketch of what you have in mind?"

What?!!!! She knows I can't draw!

I grabbed a pencil and paper and tried my best to make the woman in my sketch look like a person and not a horse without a tail. I was so damn intent on drawing the outline of a girl that I failed miserably.

My mother picked up the pencil and drew a nude woman laying on a sofa in about seven seconds and she never made an outline of the figure, but she looked naked and beautiful.

I realized right there and then that it is not about getting the subject posed so the shape looks like I want but getting the subject posed so the shadows fall where I want.

I spent that evening and several more looking at a drawing book my mother gave me. It was a drawing book of the human form. I learned about drawing light and shadows, angles and curves. And I drew, and drew and drew.

Probably was a good thing she turned me down that first time I asked her to pose for me. I don't believe I would be who I am today. That may be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it. However, as an artist it was the most important thing I have learned to date.

And yes, she did pose for me later on. She was to be my first nude model. I only wish I still had the negatives. Lost in the growing up years. May have been scarfed up by my mom at a later date in her life, or by my father. May have just been on my bedroom floor when I swept up the knee high mounds of crud there was there and got tossed into the trash. Who knows.

If she were alive I think she would be excited about seeing those images up on the web.

Odd, I remember thinking she was probably way too old for my images of her to be of any interest to the rest of the world.

She would have been about 28 to 30 years of age. And now I would consider her as having just reached the age where I would consider photographing her, believing anyone under 28 is incapable of rational conversation and for the most part... total ditz.

Do not drink and print

2011-10-26T04:35:00.001-05:00

Cheryl & I ~ Studio Waltz

Got my artwork sent off to the Naked in Pittsburgh show today. A crate weighing in at 148 pounds that cost me $289.78 to ship.

They promised me a Friday delivery. We shall see.

That was the quickest show I have had to put together, and I have no interest in ever doing another one with that short a lead time.

But Artistic physique will have three image of her from my work that she can enjoy opening night. That and four of her from Dave L. She will be the star of the show. I only wish I could be there to attend also.

I got even with the gallery for making us put it together so quickly however. They will be talking to god about me when they attempt to get my images out of that crate. i think there are something in the order of twenty six screws they will have to undo after they find some heavy tool to cut through the stainless steel banding that wraps the container. Plus the fact that it will take two very strong people just to move the crate where they want to begin work on it.

Ha!

Speaking of silly things. We were, were we not?

I was changing an ink cartridge on my printer this morning and actually read the label on the side. This is an Epson cartridge.

"Do not drink"

At first I thought how silly is it to put a warning on an ink cartridge where they don't want you drinking and changing a cartridge. Like drinking and driving. Then I realized they were referring to drinking the ink out of the cartridge, which was sillier.

Has the world become so stupid that we need warning labels on ink cartridges not to drink the ink out of them? I guess.

I have little hope for the human race as a species.

This new Blogger thing is a real pain in the ass. half the time you enter a site you only get a partial of the posting and have to refresh to bring up the whole thing.

i hope they get the bugs worked out of it soon or i will be tempted to move elsewhere.

The perfect camera

2011-10-25T05:29:00.003-05:00

Egg

Happy 60th Birthday, Dave Levingston !!!!!

After yesterday's post and the response from Richard I decided to create the perfect camera at the lowest price possible. These should sell like hot cakes:

16 mega-pixel, full frame (or larger) sensor.

Manual only f/stop.

Manual only aperture.

Manual only focus.

No video.

No light meter.

No built in flash.

No in camera image correction crap.

Large LCD back that only displays a histogram , not the image because I saw the image through the view finder and can remember what it looks like.

Interval timer.

Hot shoe for studio strobe firing device.

Tripod mount.

One punch card format button.

ISO setting adjustable from 50 to 2,000.

RAW only quality.

White balance in Kelvin temperatures only.

Options:

Ice cube maker.

Flask holder for 1/2 pint scotch bottle.

Cost should be $250. for basic model up to $325. for model with all the options.

In need of a model November 15th, 16th and (give or take) the 17th.

Any Minneapolis models out there that are free on those three days?

Free transportation to and from my home. Free lodging and meals here.

I have a very good photography student who was a former Minneapolis model that will be here to work with me and we are in need of a subject. She will drive you both ways.

Canon Flop

2011-10-24T05:42:00.001-05:00

Thyia ~ Afternoon Rest

I have to admit, although it hurt for a bit, that Canon has lead the way in digital cameras for a few years now. Nikon still made super good cameras, but Canon was always a tad ahead of the game.

Now Canon has lost me completely from their market with the announcement of their new 1Dx due out in 2012.

The people at Canon have given in to the basic consumer and included video in their new professional grade camera. Video was always something left off of professional cameras because it was not something professional photographers had any interest in what-so-ever.

But Canon thinks otherwise apparently. I will now think otherwise of them and no longer consider them a front runner but a company that has given into crap for the almighty dollar. And I am not talking about the consumer dollar, because they will lose customers with this move. No, it is the company that makes the video crud they will be installing in their otherwise good camera. There must be a partnership there where money will flow like water in order for Canon to jump the fence and ruin an otherwise good market they had.

Me, I will not even think about buying another Canon camera until they get their heads out of their ass.

If Nikon goes that route I will either give up on photography or move to Olympus.

Video in a camera is for people who know nothing about still photography.

And for those who are about to tell me you love the video in your camera.....I rest my case.

Crazy bird

2011-10-23T04:13:00.000-05:00

Thyia ~ "Lucky Hunk Of Glass"

Sitting on my screen porch (Don't need the screens at the moment but they are there anyway) enjoying a beautiful fall evening. Of course I have a wonderful cigar going to add to the enjoyment.

Got a damn grouse eating berries off of the Ingleman Ivy that is growing on the railing of the deck. I think he/she is drunker than a skunk because it keeps falling over. The berries must be fermenting.

One time it was standing on the railing and stretching for a berry and fell flat onto the deck three feet below. That caused me to laugh out loud and scared the poor chap half out of its feathers. It didn't leave however. I think it knows better than to try and take flight in the condition it is in.

Good cigar.