Posts Tagged ‘ inspiration ’
that pit in your stomach. the hunch in your gut.
sometimes you just have to roll with it.
it ain’t gonna happen anywhere but doing what you do. so. go. do. it.
at some point you’ve got to drop the measuring, the books + all the extraneous elements. what makes the most of photography is photography. works that way with life too.
i hear about persistence as a key to success now more then ever. in fact, just got a newsletter talking about it again this am. + while i’m a believer in that i’ve always felt there’s more to it.
my accordion teacher back in the day used to say that the “practice makes perfect” maxim is a bunch of bullshit. it should really be “perfect practice makes perfect”. her philosophy, which i’ve so readily adapted, is that you can’t just put your head down + expect repeat motions to get you ahead. there has to be conscious fuego behind it. it’s not just a persistence that pushes work forward but that combined with a form of what i’m realizing is intensity.
look around – you see it everywhere in success.
crazed people pursuing projects with wild abandon without fear of the consequences. it’s not a loud spraying of personal attributes or greatness but rather an eternal burning, a ceaseless drive.
persistence on it’s own is fine. it does move things along. i’m just not so sure that that direction is forward.
this kid cudi tune, pursuit of happiness, from lissie does it for me lately. (check out the bassist double dutying the drums.)
it’s happening everywhere lately. just made the jump back to my hometown of portland, or + feels fantastic to be in the middle of west coast things again. if you’re wondering about the site, working on a new never before seen dandy of a layout that will be making an appearance soon.
also on the change bandwagon, apple released their latest iphone to much buzz this am + good to see the envelope being pushed even further. the display resolution looks fantastic + the camera/video features are a definite upgrade. excited to see what people will be putting together with a 5x zoom + built in LED flash. not to mention 720p video + native imovie.
in stretching for new heights you’ve got to carry your inspiration. doesn’t matter to me if you wear it on your sleeve or keep it hidden away but you need to know down deep what you’re after. if things don’t work, shake them up. in the words of frightened rabbit’s latest, “swim, ’til you can’t see land”. or without a tune via robert allen, “Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone.”
nike’s latest for the impending world cup is a great light for this. haven’t seen this much story in an ad before. “write the future” is more of a finely tuned kick ass movie then an ad but damn if it doesn’t leave an impression. leave it to w+k to lay it on thick.
ps – just for laughs + if you like the big picture, then try out ian collins’ the big caption.
the moving process is off to a slow but steady start. going through the old files for a few reasons, namely to get 4×6 prints out to the good folk who’ve come this far with me. the adventures have been far + wide over the last 12 years based here in the rockies.
as i come across the gems i’ll post a few here. here’s ex pro mtn biker + all around hard charging nice guy pete. much thanks for all the dirt, sweat + blood over the years pete.
you gotta have ‘em.
i’ve mentioned broken here before (out soon) but that’s the tip of the iceberg. you need things like this as an outlet – to purge the bad ideas + finesse the good ones. to keep yourself motivated. to experiment, to learn, to fail. ideally, if you’re taking it all in now or do so at some point down the road, there’ll be a lesson or two that can be extrapolated from the mess.
personally, i’ve never stopped personal projects + the busier i get the more ideas i have. i’m also bombarded with ideas in new environments (hence the upcoming move) + when my mind drifts while running (how come biking doesn’t work this way?).
on deck, in the coming months you’ll see more from me on pdx, pop culture + one of the biggest mysteries still out there today. the beauty these days, in terms of technology, is that your medium of expression is rarely limited. that dslr now does video, you have audio that can be included, there’s hybrid or moving stills, stop motion + so much more it’s ridiculous.
here’s more from ji lee via the 99%.
ok go’s never been a creative venture to sit idle + follow protocol. their latest is everywhere but well worth the eyeballs. boo to emi for not catching on while they had the chance.
amazing stop motion taken to a new height here in grindin’. + catch the making of when you have time.
lastly, slow mo. doesn’t sound like canon’s on it in terms of the next 5D II release but i’ll take it as soon as it’s ready ’cause i can’t wait to do this:
+ this:
one of the absolute grandest aspects, bar none, of working in independent visual media is the chance you may get a phone call at any time that could realistically change for the better your day, month or year. you just never know who’s out there watching your work, waiting for the right time to reach out. it’s truly inspiring to wake up every morning knowing that this could be it. + if it’s not that chosen day then you know you have to do everything in your power to keep ‘training’ + pushing for it to come.
+ if that’s not enough, the gold medal stories with shaun white, shani davis + lindsey vonn yesterday should really give you a bolt. luv seeing athletes going for broke + making it happen.
tying that in with imagery, platon has a great shot of shaun if i recall correctly + moreso, especially inspiring this week is his latest in the new yorker piece covering civil rights in the promise. tore a few out for the wall myself. brilliant processing on silver gelatin look he’s featuring in this piece. the skin tones make your wonder if he’s part of the film renaissance we’re seeing.
still up for more? kevin michael connolly is a photographer with a story to tell. just on the today show a few short months ago he’s got a traveling show about time on his skateboard called the rolling exhibition, a book called double take + a refreshing take on life with a camera.
i wrestled in high school. it wasn’t my life but it was a great thing for me in many ways.
one thing i vividly remember is a coach who was surprisingly experienced + shared this with us. his career had been cut short due to injury and he turned his focus to teaching the one thing he was passionate about. it came through loud + clear.
though a large guy with a ton of brute strength he wasn’t one to necessarily use it. he was as much about the head games as he was about the physicality of the sport.
in particular i remember his story about dedication + what it takes to succeed. he told us about a former opponent of his, russian i think, who later went on to train for the olympics. wanting to be an olympic champion he realized he had to think like a champion.
he would go to practice with the rest of the olympic team – twice a day for 3 hours each time. but, he reasoned, his opponents wanted to be champion’s as well so they probably put in another hour after their team practice on their own. so he did the same.
as he thought about this though, he realized that he as only one among many potential champions. if they all did an extra hour then they were all potentially equal. his solution was to practice yet another extra hour, alone on his own.
the key to success is hidden under the alarm clock – ben franklin
it’s not fancy or eye-catching. it’s not suave or the latest catch phrase, social media induced buzz shcmutz. it’s nothing fun like strategery. but strength is where it’s at for 2010. if this isn’t making sense you might want to check the previous post or catch seth godin’s challenge.
the strength i’m talking about is not about power or the guventor’s muscles. we’re not thinking along lines of sheer brute or blind energy. i’m talking about strength in line with tenacity. strength in the power of together. strength with the connotation of creative freedom, the energy + ideas to do what you know needs to be done. and do it your own way.
strength to not only correct what is skewed but better what is good, elevate what is strong. it’s not a lack of spine that necessitates what we’re talking about but rather a deep desire to change what’s in our power to change. to live up to your potential. to take risks + move beyond a status quo. in the words of william bernbach, “those who are going to be in business tomorrow are those who understand that the future, as always, belongs to the brave.”
this past year has been thrilling + heartbreaking in many ways as the world’s had ups + down that no one could have predicted 365 days ago. with the future as uncertain as it’s ever been now is not the time to pussyfoot around. it’s not the time to slink off into the background or rest on your laurels. i think that we need strength to get out + get beyond.
on a personal level i lost a friend to cancer last week + have seen several people i’m close to in the industry lose their longtime jobs. i’m already digging into that strength.
as an industry, our visual media realm has taken a beating with smaller budgets, shorter timelines + increasing pressure from micro stock, point + shoot + the 16 year old down the street. we’re going to have to get up our strength for this. and if we have even remote plans of using video + hybrid material to it’s potential we need to push so much harder.
in the macro view, the strength applications are almost limitless. dive in, choose a cause, find support + start flexing your muscles – creative or otherwise.
is that sterngth part of our makeup? is that strength within our social fabric? that i can’t honestly tell you. i’m no cheerleader for positivity. but i can feel a change is needed + i think that a quiet, relentless strength just might do the trick.
whew, talk about planning + production. in the fluctuating world of non-profit work we’ve had to make a few changes to our plan for this years’ project. we’re excited to be working with NYPAW (network of young people affected by war) + in order to make our project a success we’ve decided to postpone our collaboration until feb 2010 when we’ll be shooting stills + video with each of the founding members while they attend UN meetings in nyc.
stay tuned for more + keep in mind that the 2010 version of project HELP will be announced with the turning of the new year (see the 2009 version here). if you know a non-profit in need of a new visual media voice then have them check back soon.
and if you’re interested in the ‘lost boys’ + the plight of african children, or any children for that matter, affected by war cnn has a story today you should read. Kuol Dut was six when he was essentially turned out on his own to face the horrors of war + the worst life could offer. today’s he’s 27 + graduating from college here in the us.
to see what these children have done with theirs lives is absolutely moving. it’s inspiration in the purest form + i encourage you to get involved in your own way. as a new father of two boys i can’t explain how vital + totally innocent kids can be. i can say that i’m stoked to be putting a hand out to those who themselves are reaching.
