" patterns patterns "

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dreaming dreaming, sleepful slumber.

lulling tides, with dark waves washing o'er.

a jolt awake, the sun blazes through the blinds.

the disbelief of reality, followed by an exhale and a relief.


aching body, and climbing down.

into the world again, as

checklists fill my mind,

and the dream'd dreams have drowned.


tonight's homework:

make five (5) images of a single object of any size, and try to show the object's personality. it can be different angles, or light sources, or time of day or location. be sure to try a lot of ideas, then edit down to the five (5) most successful ones. you may just have a portrait or the beginnings of a story.

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fevrier 16

fevrier 17

fevrier 18

fevrier 19

fevrier 20

fevrier 21

fevrier 22

fevrier 23

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" love what you do "

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you have to have a love for what you do. there is nothing more soul-consuming than feeling like you're putting all of your creative energies into something that doesn't forward your expression.

you have to sink you mind's fingers into the brainstorming sack of beans. feel all of the possibilities slipping through your fingers, and how easy it would be to just leave your hand there, without bringing something to the surface upon removal.

it's not enough to care or have a passing interest. you need to have a love. you need to have a passion. you need to have enough doubt in yourself, in the process, in the outcomes, in order to improve upon your work.

the next time someone asks you what you do, take a brief moment and really think about that question. what is it that you actually do? is it your money-making work? is it your hobby? is it your gardening?

i think that people use that inquiry to break the proverbial ice, expecting a bland one-sentence answer of your current job. but challenge yourself in that moment, and let that challenge extend to all facets in your creative life.

love what you do, and what you do, will take care of you. inside and out.

tonight's homework:

ask a friend to sit for you for a five (5) image portrait session. it can be headshots or include their whole bodyspace. make five images which describe five distinct emotions that they felt in the past day. examples could be as base as anger or elation, or as complex as you like. make these images, and send them to me or a fellow artist, and see if they can describe those emotional states.

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janvier 10

janvier 11

janvier 12

janvier 13

janvier 14

janvier 15

janvier 16

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janvier 19

janvier 20

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janvier 22

janvier 23

janvier 24

janvier 25

janvier 26

janvier 27

janvier 28

janvier 29

janvier30

janvier31

fevrier 01

fevrier 02

fevrier 02

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fevrier 08

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fevrier 10

fevrier 11

fevrier 12

fevrier 13

fevrier 14

fevrier 15

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" koo koo ka-choo "

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and with that, the first week of the new year just flew on by. i turned 31 on friday, a day in which large soft snowflakes aloft on a quiet calm breeze, fell gently with a lovely weight. amidst the gently flurry, i remembered why i love the snowfall.

everything seems like it's turning over. great books are getting read, technology is catching up to itself, the weeks are filled with things to do, and those moments away from work are filled with tiny checklists intermittently being ticked.

thin layers of ice coat the streets making it impossible to get a footing. thousands of work-appropriate footwear skidding and slipping along glistening avenues, bobbing and toppling their way towards a known destination.

so i'm a year on from the last time i was a year on, and i am feeling pretty self-assured. one issue tackled, and many others in the aisles. there never is a better time to take your life by the collar than right now.

all of my indications point to the fact that this year will serve as a touchstone for good things. so this year do your part by helping others with their projects, collaborate with someone on one of your own, make a book, start a 365 project and stick to it, challenge yourself in your photography by trying something new for once!!

teach someone something useful, be aware of your surroundings and photog it accordingly. be safe, be smart, be curious, courteous, willful,  brash, adventurous, amazing. aim to be better, and troubles will tremble in your mighty wake.

tonight's homework:

whatever the weather, make it a point to go out into the world, and take 5 photographs of 5 people. they could be street strangers or doormen. police officers or vendors. be brave and be honest. state your intention and when they ask you what you're doing, have an answer. if you get good results, share them with me or others.

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janvier 01

janvier 02

janvier 03

janvier 04

janvier 05

janvier 06

janvier 07

janvier 08

janvier 09

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