Got Crohn’s and a Colostomy bag? Be proud!

I’ve never seen a colostomy bag. Have you?

As a culture, we hide so much that makes us modern humans. And rather than embrace the things that make us, well, us, we do a great job of keeping that stuff under wraps.

I have a love/hate relationship with Photoshop for this very reason. While I think every image needs photoshop, sometimes I want to show people with all their bare flaws.

The issue is that most people don’t stare at another person, closeup with nearly as much detail as a person might when hit with tons of light. And while people look better in studio lighting, their blemishes are highlighted in ways that are unavoidable.

This conundrum is partly why I love this story/photo of a woman Bethany Townsend, just 23 years old, who has had Crohn’s disease since she was 3, who has decided to embrace her colostomy bag while on vacation in Mexico. Instead of hiding it directly, she put it out there … even decorated it.

It’s given legs and strength to others with the same condition to shout loud and proud.

Love it.

More here.

Via TYWKIWDBI.

 

Photographer Alexander Neumann is an asshole

Nothing chafes my cheeks more than to see someone else succeed.

Nothing.

I grow furious with rage. Some would call it Hulksteritis.

I call it Oldtestamentitis.

Honk.

Photographer Alexander Neumann spends his days shooting beautiful models in beautiful places, all day, practically every day. He then sends his photos to three minions sitting behind computers and they have to sift through and develop the images.

Added, he shoots for publications like: Vogue Mexico, GQ Mexico, Dazed and Confused Korea, and Saks Mexico…

And to add insult to injury, he doesn’t use anything but available light.

There are photographers whom I love in the industry. And the more I learn about all of them, the more they are complete assholes.

Why?

Because they’re doing what I want to be doing, doing it well, and doing it in ways that I either can’t or am unable to do.

Here’s a shot of his below. Go check out more and read an interview with him at Fstoppers.

 

This is what it looks like to lose a GoPro at the bottom of a lake

Regular-reader, rock star and photographer Bill W. recently went on a mancation and borrowed my GoPro.

He recorded everything from driving in the Appalachian Mountains (naked) and hang gliding. On the last day with all the guys, they were jumping off a bridge together, and he didn’t secure the GoPro properly.

Here’s the last shot of the trip as the group jumps into a lake and the GoPro descends to the bottom … only to be found a couple weeks later by an assassin. I mean, a scuba diver.

Skip to about 0:52 if you don’t care to watch the build up … that I personally think makes it funnier.

Must-have T-shirt

Back when Once Upon a Time in Mexico came out, I was kicking myself for not coming up with that “Are you a Mexican or a Mexican’t” line.

After seeing the movie, I tried to come up with a list of other possibilities.

The above t-shirt line was NOT one I came up with. I’m pretty sure I have to have this shirt.

Via Biodork

Photo editing

This morning, I’m pushing to get photos from the Mexico wedding over to the couple. I’ve put a lot of effort into this job, and I hope the effort pays off.

We shot more, because we agreed to supply photos from the entire visit to them.

I wanted to share these two shots of the couple’s first dance. Both speak to me, but I tend to like photos that my clients might not. I don’t have feedback from the couple yet, so I don’t know if they’ll share my excitement.

It’s just another day for you and me in paradise

Guess who’s back in cold Chicago? If you guessed yourself, stop being sarcastic funny.

Tina and I landed late(ish) last night after a full day of traveling. I’m about to go pickup Lou Dog from the boarders.

We had a blast down in sunny Mexico. I plan on writing a full review of the hotel where we stayed. I have nothing to compare my experience to in Mexico, but I have third-world experience. And in an asshole kind of way, I thought Mexico sucked.

Seriously, the country’s tourism industry needs a public relational rehaul. The hotel we stayed in is going to go the way of one of the thousands of abandoned Mexican buildings within a couple years if it doesn’t improve drastically.

But it’s Mexico as a whole that needs a spike in general world-minded etiquette.

I saw a guy beg for change in an airport bathroom just after pulling off a paper towel and handing it a guy with wet hands. He appeared out of nowhere and was not wearing an airport uniform. It was bizarre. I’ve seen a lot during my world travels, but that one made me tilt my head a little further.

Okay, off for Talulah.

I got this comic (below) from my dad this morning. I thought you might enjoy it.

Hipstamatic Playa Del Carmen

I took these hipstamatic shots the first day we were here. I thought you would want to see at least one of them, but I wasn’t sure which one, so I uploaded a handful.

Til Death (I) do us part

We’re off to Mexico — the Land of the Legal Illegals — to shoot a wedding. I saw this awesome invitation at The Daily Wh.at, and while it’s not the couple we’re shooting, I think the couple might be this cool.

I’m going to try and enjoy the trip as much as I can. I’m going to schedule some blogs to post while we’re gone (like this one). I will be working during the trip, too. I have a lot to edit and I have a huge deadline soon after I get back. But that’s working for yourself. Vacations are usually working vacations. One day I’ll take a real vacation.

About the invitation:

Redditor TheLocoYoko, who may or may not be illustrator Manuel Morgado, shows off the badass wedding invitation designed for his special Z-Day by illustrator Manuel Morgado (who may or may not be Redditor TheLocoYoko).

 

 

Moving and shaking

Thanks for your patience during these busy days. I know it’s quieter than usual around these parts.

Today is the first day of production for a big video shoot we do every year. We shoot ten interior design firms talking about rooms they’ve designed and their inspiration for it.

On Thursday we leave for sunny, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, the land of the legal illegals. I’m really excited about the wedding, and being able to shoot in a beautiful location.

Last week, we shot some interiors for another interior designer. Here’s a couple shots from that shoot.

 

Do you know how to edit video?

My head is throbbing right now.

My schedule is getting hella-busy.

Many of you know, we’re headed to NYC next week. We return and shoot here for two days. We jet to Mexico (Land of the Legal Illegals!) to shoot a wedding. We come back to edit video. We’re back in NYC in mid-April and now I’ve potentially signed up for a gig in Las Vegas.

On top of all that, we’ve been preparing for the funeral of a friend and getting our ducks in a row for  our month of chaos.

We met with a couple this afternoon who are getting married next September, and they are considering us for their wedding photographers.

I’m not a sales-y guy. Take me or leave me. My philosophy is kind of like the golden rule. Treat me like you want to be treated.

I don’t want a sales person giving me a spiel. And I don’t have a spiel to give. With the Internet around, you can find out in a few moments if my rates and product are good or not. That’s why the Internet is hurting everything from brick-and-mortar retail sales to religion. I can find out so much information and get better pricing online regarding what you’re selling me that it’s becoming harder and harder to pull wool over people’s eyes.

When I’m buying anything, I’ve usually done a shitload of research, and there’s not much you’re going to do in the way of upsales, add ons, etc. If I walk into a store, I tell you what I want. Don’t sell me on anything else. I leave with a lighter pocketbook and a heavy bag. Enough said.

I assume that if you’re looking for a photographer, you’ve encountered photographers before. You know generally how much they charge, and what you’re getting for that charge.

Photographers are like restaurants in Chicago; they are everywhere. For the most part, restaurants just sit there waiting for you to enter. If you want casual fare, you can get it. If you want something more pricey, you can get it. Oftentimes, people eenie-meanie-miney-moe their ways into which restaurant they choose.  There are photographers and restaurants for every budget.

For me, I think you either like me or you don’t. I can show you photos I’ve taken. But if I don’t woo you with my individual charm and portfolio, hire someone else. It’s not that I don’t care. It’s that I want you to feel passionate about the product you’re asking of me. Because when we both feel passionate, than things are going to go well.

Anyway, I wanted to see if you had any video editing experience, because we could use you end of March, first of April.

Thanks in advance.