yay area: brooklyn edition: May 2011

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

" leaning into the wind with shoes off "

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so, what to do now?

the weather in the city is warming and the tourists are out in their "travel-shorts." all eyes are skyward towards the green leaves, shiny façades of glass structures, craggy gargoyles, furnace-smoke plumes billowing black and steady into the air, and the occasional bird or plane or superman.

you're standing on the corner of a busy intersection. the yellow cabs driving past catch the afternoon light and momentarily blind you at that shocking angle of reflection. ladies' sandals scrape and swish along the pavement with exposed feet, chafed heels and painted toenails.

camera in hand, is there any excuse? peer, observe, shoot, capture, interact, experience, live.

tonight's homework:

make ten photographs of man-made things that represent nature, and ten photographs of natural things that look like man-made things. after the import and edit of these images, make ten diptychs which either compliment or contrast the objects. share, enjoy, repeat.

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mai 09

mai 10

mai 11

mai 12

mai 13

mai 14

mai 15

mai 16

mai 17

mai 18

mai 19

mai 20

mai 21

mai 22

mai 23

mai 24

mai 25

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Sunday, May 08, 2011

" coconut water for the soul "

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if ever there was a moment to shift and flex, it's now, and in the present. we're forever tilting and leaning towards the future, always trying to keep abreast of potential awesome situations, reading tweets (if you do), and finding ourselves readily absorbed into the hurtling information age. but what of the rebooting functions?

are we always on?

there are moments that you will find yourself, in public or at home, and you'll start to feel like "doing something." it is inevitable, this creeping notion which climbs all over your body and being like a swimming shiver, and you will desire for something outside of the current experience you find yourself. you will want more, and you'll have to defy the want to stay put.

when then, is the right moment to make a go of it? and the answer is always now now now now now. it might be a gentle nudging like someone's soft nose stroking the wide span of space between your shoulder blades. it might be a sucker-punch with a full force to the gut. it might be the same person that does both, and they'll have been correct in both instances of motivation.

ever so we are creatures of comfort, and must reinvent ourselves constantly, but hold steadfast to the idea that everything is in transition, and you must constantly be evolving. you can remain true to yourself even in the midst of sweeping change, heartbreak, anguish, elation, the bright light morning realizations that you are and remain to be hungover, joyful dancing moments in the street, sitting in cafe's at 4am with familiar strangers, on the subway while strange sad men are singing sam cooke songs for change, or just opening your eyes each morning.

today you made it to the world again, and it's going to be a beautiful day. let's make something beautiful happen.

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tonight's homework:

attempt to find the heartbeat of the area around you in your day, by photographing lines that flow horizontal in the image. it could be cracks on a street or wall, lines in the concrete, graffiti, signs, window art, or just transitions. line ten images up (or just 10 at a time, if you take a lot more), and try to create a connection between the lines. look at the string of this heartbeat-manifest, and think about what gets you through your day. share with others, repeat.

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