That's the way it goes





























Short post. I went to SVA today for my interview, I wasn't too happy with it. But oh well. All it proved to me is that my pictures are baseless and opportunistic. I'm a total contradiction. Anyway, feeling my work is shit isnt any new feeling, so it's not affecting me too much right now. More motivation to try harder.

I'm not exactly sure how the SVA scholarship works, whether ONE person receives it, a lot of people? I have to call up and ask. AND schedule my Parsons interview. But today overall was good. Things I've learned (or reinforced)

1. If you let someone else's opinion of your work ring true it's a fault you've been ignoring - not trying hard enough basically. (I'm being a little hard on myself, I'm getting there, but not half as fast as I would like.

2. You might pay more for something if you're from out of town (duh)
2a. Or if you're an idiot/ignorant of the rules

Anyway, we'll see how this all works out come spring time.

*Picture is of a homeless man named Francisco; cool guy. Looks young for 51 huh?

Posted at at 7:34 PM on Monday, January 28, 2008 by Posted by Jack | 2 comments   | Filed under:

2 of 5:

Maybe. This is my count for my college pictures for my Parsons Challenge project. Technically it's only 3 pictures, but some are diptychs, so they'll just have to like it. My main problem with this project is I feel all of the pictures are so mediocre, they aren't packing the punch I want them to have. They may end up illustrating a point, but altogether it will seem like something a high school student threw together. I guess that's the true part.

I'm not sure if I'll ever reveal the actual project. There isn't enough of myself in it. This week I will be working on two conceptual images, which I can describe as Frailty and a sort of mechanically induced despondent state;there are better words, but I'm writing this before bed. Both of these require models, but the last image is the only one I truly consider a portrait. I'll also have to figure out how to get that last shot. It isn't necessarily hard, it's just I haven't prepared in advance for the shoot. Somehow the project ended up getting very airy and philosophical, but that's just me I guess.


I'll leave you with a reject picture from that night I am not using. This was as "dynamic" as I could make a bridge, but I decided to replace dynamics with speed and use a different, more cliche image for speed. I also used a different picture of the bridge that's still in the vaults based on the strong composition.

Posted at at 11:33 PM on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 by Posted by Jack | 2 comments   | Filed under:

Somehow




I can end up at a place like this and come back with nothing. This project is hard. I know what I want except I've realized it's difficult finding people and places that only seem to exist in your mind. One week left.

Posted at at 10:29 PM on Saturday, January 5, 2008 by Posted by Jack | 0 comments   | Filed under:

Goodbye 2007, You Heartless Bitch.

I figure if I can't be the epitome of efficiency this year, I'm lost.

This year I'm reducing the clutter in my life. I want to set things straight. I want to be consistent.
On a personal level and an artistic one, I need to be more disciplined. I'm great at planning, and thinking, but it's getting old having the "next big thing" never get off of the ground. If someone paid me to write motivational diet guides, I think I'd be rich. God forbid something happens.

So here they are, my resolutions. Even though reformations happen eh, roughly.... every month with me, I'll make The New Year feel like it's doing something.

For my personal goals (of which there are many; and yes, they are personal. There's nothing like ruining the surprise by telling you in advance. ), I'm going to try and use the chain system. I think that's what it's called. Pretty sure Jerry Seinfeld used it, so it has to work, right? Anyway, it goes like this. You have a physical calender, and for every day you're supposed to mark off
a big fat X on the date when you've completed it. After awhile, that big line of X's look so nice it'd be a damn shame to ruin it, so you just CAN'T break your good habit. Plus when you have company over you can gloat about your big wall of X's. So proud.

Here are some goals and interests I'd like to touch upon during the year. These you can know:

  • Read one or two books a month.
  • Create a source of passive income ( Some of you know what it is. Don't make fun :-P )
  • Small Business, e-commerce, marketing, entrepreneurship, learn how to do my own taxes, start building credit, get my own bank account and debit card.
  • Exercise on a very regular schedule. See results. Log my progress. The good ol' days.
  • Stop lurking on websites. Start participating.
This year will be about depth and content. It's time to start truly analyzing the what behind my pursuit of photography. Right now I believe my photography to be opportunistic and baseless.

Yes I am trying to put true meaning and heart into my work, but the plan is to actually increase my output. Drastically. Failure will be the price of ambition. If I am creating on a regular basis I think meaning, style, my methods, my skill will all creep along with each failed shoot. I'll outgrow these limitations and use them to my advantage.

On the random note. I would really enjoy hiking. I'd love to start meditating. I want to take a martial arts class and start playing an instrument of some sort. I want to write. I want to draw. I want to make music.

A year from now you can either laugh at me or pat me on the back.

Posted at at 6:55 PM on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 by Posted by Jack | 0 comments   | Filed under: