Paxil Back

This song was created while I was in LA with People Food. Watch it, link it, pass it on... we are going viral, baby.

I'm back from the eddie adams workshop... no, my body is back - my mind is still somewhere upstate. It was one of the more intense weekends I have ever had. I am having a great deal of difficulty explaining it - it is sort of like the Sundance of photography - a learning and teaching and shooting weekend that has brought every major photographer to the barn in the last 19 years.

I mean, seriously. every famous photo that has moved you - that photographer was at the workshop at some time, probably multiple times.

It wasn't only about photojournalism, it was about the industry as a whole.

needless to say, I haven't even really gone through my photos, this is just one that I liked right now, it was taken at the monticello track. I was on the "sports" team with Bill Frakes as my leader. if you don't know who he is, google him, he is the top sports photographer in the world.

I have averaged about 3 hours of sleep a night for the past five days.

LA stuff

How was LA?

fine.

I really don't like going into it more than that... it just isn't a place for me, I knew that most of all riding in my taxi back to my apartment and saw the skyline of manhattan.

I was gone a long time - and I needed to be away from new york, but I learned LA wasn't it either. I will go back because there are some great people and great opportunities.

Everyone drives in LA. Now, I grew up like that... I guess, but it is different in LA, it is part of the culture, it's dumb.

The "scene" is a big deal. Who, where, and what you are matters, it is the way that things get done.

It is one of two major cities that are built around one thing. LA is only about the "biz" the entertainment industry. everyone works either in it, or for someone who is in it. Lawyers are entertainment lawyers, accountants are film/tv accountants, dentists whiten and straighten actors teeth, car salesmen are screenwriters, and so on. The other place is Las Vegas.

Girls are different. Beautiful, hot, tanned and toned... but, different. They are all, obviously, in the biz - but it is something else too. compared to NY girls they are very... smooth, like something you touch and caress while new york girls have more ... substance? something you can grab on to, something with attitude. I don't mean to be mean, it is just what I experienced most of the time - there are always exceptions to the rule. oh, and they wear high heels all of the time, because they can.

People get J-walking tickets. Seriously. Plural.

It is warm and sunny. I know this may be obvious, but I really like the seasons - it is jacket time here, I love it, the smells, so good.

that's it for now. I missed driving my vespa, skateboarding, cabs, good food - OH, food, seriously, FOOD... it is bad out there - unless you are only eating mexican or hamburgers. Why is that? Why wouldn't there be good restaurants everywhere? so weird. I missed sleeping on a bed, the familiar noises - there are new york noises and minnesota noises - I didn't get used to LA noises.

I'm sorry for this odd posting, I'm just trying to purge all of this stuff so that I can categorize it and move on and come back to LA in January with a clear, good head.

I'm back

yup.

I need a vacation. maybe that is what today will be, a one day vacation. then I get to start planning for the eddie adams workshop... this means creating a portfolio, which is sort of a big deal, and packing. Now, this may not sound like a lot, but I am categorizing a lot of things into "packing and portfolio". like clearing off two hard drives, with hundreds of thousands of photos, organizing those photos and choosing, printing and binding them into a kick ass presentation. I also need to buy boots. I am very excited by this - all of it - but the boots part is very exciting.

I don't shop. I hate it... I think it is just the part that I am spending money on things that I will someday have to replace. So, the things I DO enjoy buying are things that will last a long time, or I will use a great deal. Things like my computer, or camera, or vespa, or bike, or bed.

Growing up, I went canoeing for a month or so every year - I would need to shop for the things that would need to keep me alive, literally. My paddle, leatherman/gerber, boots, and rain jacket were the most important. I spent hours on each of these things. My mother loves to shop - she hates to shop for these sort of thing, it was funny how that worked out.

I still have my boots and jacket from 10 years ago. They are still awesome. I have lost or broken a paddle and knife or two, but they were good purchases. My new boots need to fill another purpose - they need to be flexible, comfortable, and waterproof. These are new categories, so I need new boots.

anyway, weird post, maybe I'll write another.

EAW Homework Assignment

My first assignment for the Eddie Adams Workshop is this:
One photograph of you. One paragraph about where you are. Another about where you are going. A third about how you got here. Three of your favorite photographs.



Where am I? Literally - LA, which is a change for me. Usually I am in NYC, but now I am working pre-production on a play. This leads me to the figurative part. I am in change, in flux, open to trying anything that looks exciting. I do really well with tangible goals and a loose set of rules. I make money by taking actors' headshots, photos for theaters, and other random events. I love making things through observing and documenting - I have found a perfect fit with photojournalism by combining my skills and ambitions.

I want to get paid to document things, hopefully important, life changing and challenging things - but day to day, exciting, and beautiful things is just as much fun... so, I guess I'm going to do that... I just don't know how.

I think my path here is a little different than everyone else's. I grew up in Minnesota and learned to love the theater, performing, and the outdoors. I went to school at Connecticut College and graduated with a degree in theater and a minor in everything and nothing. I loved to travel and move and build and discuss and read and anything else I could think of. I worked at a theater school, I worked as a producer on a music documentary in PA, I temped (secretary, receptionist, data entry, whatever), I moved to NYC and directed some shows, was a carpenter, and then I worked on Film and TV for a couple years... then I started playing with a camera. I saw my friends pay over a grand for mediocre photos and realized I could do that better. I bought an DSLR and taught myself how to use it and used flickr as my classroom. I saw an art exhibit on Pulitzer winning photos, made some friends with AP photographers and they pointed me in the direction of the workshop.

My favorite photographs change with my mood. Being in LA this shot taken at the standard pool in hollywood after a long evening explains the lifestyle.



click here to see it bigger.

This shot was the first time I captured mood and movement with a camera and will probably always be a favorite for that reason -



This last shot was a BBQ in Asuncion, Paraguay. There were wood coals he was burning with the exhaust of a vacuum. The father is an air traffic controller and that is why he is wearing the uniform. The other man was someone they hired to cook the meat so that the father could be with the family.




I'm looking forward to learning a great deal from everyone at the workshop - you can ask anyone I know, I've been talking about this for months. My professional site isn't as well kept up or as professional as it should be, but I do post random things fairly frequently to my flickr account. And if you are feeling extra internet-y you can find me on myspace and facebook and friendster.

See you soon,

chad

awesome new toy.

these are photos from the party.

the blogging age is nearing its end.

true, it won't be dead for many years - but the rush is wearing off. many of my friends have stopped blogging, and more have slowed their blogging - sure there are always new ones popping up... but how long will they last?

I've realized the long living blogs have a clear purpose or through line - I shall do that with this.

I am going to give chad updates about once a week, where I am, what I'm doing, and links to pictures. I think I am going to start a photoblog where I actually comment on the stories of my pictures, which will be different than flickr, we'll see.

As for now? whew. LA is a scene. sunny scene.

I arrived, watched a 300 dollar haircut, went to a band rehearsal then to work on the gallery space and party. Friday was all preping for the release party, and then having said party. Saturday was about spending time in a pool. Sunday was social - tea, and traveling around to venice. Where I spent my monday surfing and skateboarding and then back to west hollywood for drinking.

Now I start organizing my photos, and producing a play.

whoop.

la la lah,

connect the iamgoingtoLAforawhile.

yup. going to play with some plays with my pal daniel.

we'll see how the other coast treats me for a bit.

all over.

I am no longer a creep.

Office Pirates have been abandonded at sea. Time Inc. gave up on their little experiement.

I'll miss it, not only the cash - but they were funny too.

workin' hard...

or hardly workin'?

the former. photos photos photos.

the wedding was absolutely wonderful. some photos are here. more are here. (I am having trouble uploading them all)

then I shot some theater, girls, improv everywhere, girls, going away parties (two), girls, and the most well documented bbq ever... I have only posted photos from when I have gotten paid.

I got more sleep as an amateur.

hey chad, what's goin' on?

whew... umm... I hurt everywhere.

On friday afternoon I traveled to connecticut for the "spear dance party". It is a house in the middle of the woods with a dance floor and tent. I danced until 3 in the morning. We then had a large slumber party where little more than 2 hours sleep was had on the floor. In the morning there was clean up, which turned into afternoon of playing with water and food. I hitched a ride with Jonah down to the hudson river and got on a train back to the city and napped a half hour. The responsible thing would have been to get some sleep. I went bike shopping. The first store I went to was closed, so I had to find another. I test rode a bike and purchased it. I went home and napped for an hour - It was now 9:30 pm (3.5 hours sleep). I went to midnight madness.

at 10 pm on Saturday I arrived at 11th ave between 14 and 15 in that little park. I was exhausted. The game started. (the game is a combination scavenger hunt and problem solving puzzle for a team) I became in charge of the scavenger hunt part of the game. now... I thought I wanted to go into details of the game, but I am too tired and need to do other things, so I will sum up what I did by location. I stayed in the park for an hour or two, went to 20th btw 10th and 11th for a few hours, went to starlight diner on 34th and 9th for an hour went to the pennies (I have no idea where that was... wow.) I worked on this problem for about 4 hours all around the place - got held up on 18th btw 9th and 10th. went to 23rd and 11th for an hour, then back to game control on 20th for the rest of the game. There I became friends with "game control" the creators of the game and worked hard to get our team as much information as possible. we were in the lead for the last half of the game and got stuck on the last clue. we came in second at approximately 2:00 in the afternoon.

I then watched "my super ex-girlfriend" after a shower in a hotel work out spa. I tried to watch "pirates" but I was falling asleep. I biked back to my house and passed out at 9:30 pm.

that's a 57 hour period with 3 and a half hours of sleep.

Now I have 4 photo shoots, a wedding, and rehearsal dinner this week.

AND poison ivy on my feet, I just want to go back to bed for a while.

---

I want to be able to fly a plane, jump out of it over the water, scuba dive toward the shore, surf the waves, and skateboard home.

I'm working on the skateboarding right now. The lesson I learned last night was to be careful when skating home at night while drunk. I am very good at falling - I think it was all of the prat-falls I did in highschool and tumbling in russia.

---

tomorrow I am going to connecticut for the annual "spear dance party". any one want to come?

Saturday is Midnight Madness, the best urban problem solving scavenger hunt game competition thing ever. We won last year - now the pressure is on.

next week I get ready for a wedding - I am the best man and my mom is officiating the ceremony.

I've been taking a lot of pictures - mostly of girls... I'll give you lessons learned soon.

September I'll be going to LA for my friend's book release party.

it's hot.

It's been 7 hours and 15 days

since I took my love away... but nothing compares 2 U dear reader.

I have been scolded, I'm sorry. now on to what is important. me.

the job has been going well. I am getting very good at taking stealth pictures of beautiful women.

I went to a wedding.

There was a bachelor party 2.0.

I have played a lot in a pool... it has been empty. I took some headshots, went to birthday parties, plays.

as for the other stuff - I still need a roommate and I decided to start running.

Now, I hate running. But as I was dancing the other day, I realized that it was raining - indoors. I was sweating more than any human being should ever sweat. I have felt more dry paddling through canada during a 3 day rainstorm. So, I did something silly... I weighed myself. It wasn't good. I blame it on my vespa riding - I haven't walked in months.

On impulse, passing a nike store, I went in and bought all of the toys needed for Nike+. Now my ipod will tell me how fast I am running, how far I've gone, and how long it is taking me - all while giving me motivational music.

Now, if you think this is cool or even if you don't... I want ask you to do some things for me.

1. Make sure I keep running.
2. Give money to my friends who are running for a reason.

Kate is running for her mom, who was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and she is running the Maine Half-Marathon to raise money and awareness for Pancreatic Cancer.

Christian is running a marathon for his aunt and the Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital.

When my mom got cancer I couldn't think of anything to do, it was a very helpless position. I knew that she would loose her hair - so, the only thing I could think of was to grow mine out and donate it... I probably should have ran... it was not a good look for me, but she got better anyway.

Really, give the cost of a beer, of a dinner, of anything you can.

poop.

I say, "poop" when bad things surprise me. This happens the most in tennis... while playing my dad - he says it too.

I lost my driver's license.

I need a NY license - it needs to be a motorcycle license - I need to pay a bunch of tickets.

I slammed my right trigger finger in the door, it may be broken - probably not, but it hurts.

Our "keeper" of a roommate is dropping out of NYU and moving out. We need a roommate.



more here.

whew

I had a very nice 4th of July Party. Thank you to everyone that made it out, and those that brought treats and ran the grill.

I've become a bad blogger. I am going to look for new alternatives. I have become a bad flickrite as well. I would like to find something that combines both - big single photos with words. I want something simple, pretty, and free. (even a better code for blogger that would allow for larger photos would be nice)

thoughts?

until then I may be a bit lazy these next few weeks as I try to focus more on my career as a photographer. My new projects could be really cool.

Now I just need the motivation to stay on track.

Merde.

The tour de france is in a bit of trouble. It's really upsetting me. If this were any other sport I could find people to talk about it with.... argh.

anyway, today I was going to give you my predictions for the race it was going to be

1)Basso
2)Ullrich
3)Hincapie
4)Liephiemer
5)Mancebo
6)Rasmussen
7)Landis
8)Popovych
9)Valverde
10)Evans or *Vinokourov - if he was going to race

Now, Basso, Ullrich and Mancebo won't start because of doping allegations and Vinokourov doesn't have a team.

My new Predictions, I decided to go very patriotic:
1)Hincapie (USA, Discovery)
2)Liephiemer (USA, Gerolsteiner)
3)Landis (USA, Phonak)
4)Kloden (Germany, T-Mobile)
5)Evans (Australia, Davitamon-Lotto)
6)Rasmussen (Denmark, Rabobank)
7)Popovych (Ukraine, Discovery)
8)Valverde (Spain, Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears)
9)? Azevedo (Portugal, Discovery)
10)? Savoldelli (Italy, Discovery)

I didn't think Team Discovery Channel was going to do super well this year, but now they are going to do really well. I put 9 and 10 up there, because I don't know who will get those spots, and I don't know who will be Discovery's #1 rider... they aren't going to choose who they will fight for until they hit the mountains - I just hope it will be Hindcapie, because he has paid his dues. Popovych is good, but he is young.

I think Kloden will slip into Jan Ullrich's spot on T-Mobile with great ease, I may have put him top three, but I wanted to stay in the US.

eureka!

sleepless, at 3:00 am, this morning, I figured out the most wonderful and, seemingly, obvious photo project I could do.

I may have been awake because I got another ticket on my bike, because I have been staying up too late, because of a girl, because of sounds of mice, because of neighbors, because of general work angst, because of poor eating habits... whatever the reason - I now have a reason. I have a museum exhibit and a book.

a really good book. a smart, touching, funny, scary, beautiful photography book.

I spent the last 20 minutes googleing it, to make sure no one has done it before... there is only one thing that comes close - but my project is from one point of view.

I don't really know if I want to tell everyone just yet, but you will know soon... I need volunteers. Just let me phrase it correctly.

this is exciting, though I will be tired tomorrow. Ah well.

if god meant for us to walk he wouldn't have invented rollerskates

I just learned that from my studio to home it is nearly all downhill. I could have guessed that, but being on a skateboard definitely reinforces that fact.

It was a good weekend. Rock concerts, cocktail parties, dancing with a beautiful stranger, gay pride, lots of photos... what else could a man want?

no links

it's not worth having links...

my roommate made me watch "so you think you can dance" and one of the dancers had a final dance thing to the song, "Breathe Me" which is the last song on the last episode of "six feet under".

Now, that was a great show. great show. but the last episode, and the last moments to which that song is the soundtrack is possibly the best moment of television ever.

ever.

and I have watched a lot a television.

anyway, I'm just saying that not every song can tear me up because of a memory - and a fictional memory at that.

Start from season one, episode one. Netflix it. do it.

do it.

They like me, they really like me!

So, that workshop that I applied to (the reason I needed help editing my photos), accepted me. I feel so accepted. You can see my page at the workshop here. This was the beginning of the email they sent me -



I know it is only 4 days... but it is a bit of validation.

maybe even enough to buy a second camera...

Improv Everywhere: MP3 Experiment III

I was in central park today shooting with Improv Everywhere.

It was a great afternoon.

You can see my photo story here.

Reverend Billy

REQUIEM

The crucified planet Earth
should it find a voice
and a sense of irony,
might now well say
of our abuse of it,
'Forgive them, Father.
They know not what they do.'

The irony would be
that we know what
we are doing.

When the last living thing
has died on account of us,
how poetical it would be
if Earth could say,
in a voice floating up
perhaps
from the floor of the Grand Canyon,
'It is done.'
People did not like it here.

Kurt Vonnegut

- this is what Kurt was supposed to say but he wasn't feeling well and had to leave early from the Reverend Billy service. I introduced myself and told him I was a big fan of his work and shook his hand, he thanked me.

The Service was... highly entertaining, and made me hate walmart because of the catchy anti-walmart songs. I'll get some video up soon.

He Graduated, I have a mustache.

oh. dear. lord.

" Anna Nicole Smith: 'Yes, I am pregnant'"

at least the kid will be... rich?

oh.

""Let me stop all the rumors. Yes, I am pregnant. I'm happy, I'm very very happy about it. Everything's goin' really, really good and I'll be checking in and out periodically on the Web and I'll let you see me as I'm growing," the 38-year-old former reality TV star and Playboy playmate says.

Smith, who is floating on an inflatable raft in a swimming pool as a small white dog barks in the background, did not provide any details."

tomorrow I get rid of the pile of garbage bags that is my living room. hopefully the ex-roommate will pick them up as we throw them out. It's not her fault that she is crazy.

I took pictures of liv today.



going to minnesota tomorrow night for the likely graduation of my brother. I'll be back later, tah.