Home Brewing

The entry I am working on will be on Religion and its tolerances and will appear here with in the next day or two. But tonight a more lighthearted announcement of my new label of my beer. Over the last few months I have fell in love with the idea of brewing my own beer. I recently found a place where I can get some assistance and brew on premisses. And hence I made a clone from a massive book of recipes of a beer I first tasted in San Francisco. The image attached is the label I designed tonight. The beer will probably be around 7% alcohol but given its a limited edition of the first Mezyk beer, who is really concerned about that. Cheers!!

Back and continuing steady from now on...

If I can link the previous entries with this one I will. For now I want to mineralize the procrastination and move forward with the blog.

Now being December, this year has really been somewhat monumental in the course of my creative work. It actually marries the personal and creative self into continual search of purpose for the both. And the transformation has been completely unexpected. For most of the year I have been collecting a lot of puzzles that were to complex to fit together into something instantly meaningful. None of that will go away. At 32 I have accepted that and begun to find comfort in it. Questions of why and their purpose are nothing more then a satisfaction that the creative part of the work will never stay stagnant. So life goes on.

There is a special alignment that occurred this year between the personal and creative self that is gaining momentum. But this finest fragment can only be attributed to something I have previously given too little thought and I honestly admit seriously overlooked. You see, the work I happen to most enjoy creating  comes out of the personal self consciousness and most guarded against social influences which I find myself at war with. The breakdown on universal truth and values has turned into consumerism which lacks any sense of individual value. Further more the only wisdom that is valued is one that can create profit. And hence what wisdom that might be popular today is what is being adopted in the consumption which is falsely believed as a path toward success. Imitation without imagination. Imitation of what was once in fashion and attempting to exploit it for profit while people are still familiar with it. Its sad really. But we're not allowed to think that while the advertisements and political correctness has its time in the everyday rhythm. To think you are individual seems remarkably wrong.

But I am not alone. I leaned that through fantastic luck and fate of this year. Some things are unexplainable. And the biggest lesson I learned this year is that you don't need to compromise to fit in. Simply believe and carry on. The risk at hand is that you will be labeled. But why accept judgment of others if you are worth more. The discovery of that value is the essence of life. Accept now that 99% of people in your life will never understand you. But know that that 1% is worth more then any superficial success attained.

(Note about the photograph: It a reflection on window of the train car. Straight shot - only contrast and black levels adjusted and maybe a slight white balance shift but not much.)

A year since last post. Everything changed there there is little point of writing it all up here. I had my love/hate approach to shooting. Could not stop shooting while not being happy what I have been getting. Well, there is less thinking of the reasons behind now and more of trusting my intuition. Not everything works but I am happy with the realization.

Photograph: Kluczborksa Street, Wroclaw, Poland, June 2010.

Typical day. I have decided to carry my camera around more often. More random posts. Its been too long.

Tonight, just an observation at Costco. Its a funny observation. Its a mad house inside. All bulk items and some are pure luxury. There is never a shortage of customers who pay at least $50 a year to buy all this stuff. Its like this every time I go there. And its not like this is the only Costco warehouse around. There is probably 3 or 4 within a 20 mile radius. Who says economy is changing shopping habits?

New Jersey has a massive industrial landscape. Most vivid examples are around the city of Newark. The northeast corridor train tracks run all along the state but just south of Newark Penn station the city of Elizabeth, Linden and Rahway are clustered around a major Seaport and oil refineries. The resulting landscape is a mixture of still used and long abandoned buildings and structures. This is an everyday set of views from a NJ transit train window.

My other work has kept me from writing here. Wedding Photography is a decent discipline to have paid Photojournalism assignments. Since I do it part time there is still learning of the industry and the time lines of getting more work.

In the recent issue of PDN magazine there are 30 coming about Photographers. There are I think 2 who are self thought. I like work of a Japanese photographer who happens o be the first one featured. Interestingly he got started when a friend who was working in Kosovo on a UN mission asked him to visit. The rest is history.


I can't afford at the moment to go to War zones or flying to third world countries on 3 month self assigned photo journalistic projects. But that does not mean I won't do it in the future. Photojournalism is one from of photography that time and time again inspires me.

I'll be going to Mexico in 2 weeks where I'm hoping to do some street photography.

Today few images from yesterday. A laid back day of the the ordinary. The church is from 18th century and judging by the front it has changed owners a few times. Sadly little attention is given to the headstones. I spotted a one from 1832 but I think some of the other ones are even older.

Happy New Year Everyone! I've been busy all day working on images from last weekend. Over 2000 images to go through and pick the best from. The weekend coming up will be busy as well. There is a lot in the queue at the moment which is good. Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed though.

Tonight is a portrait of a celebrity Hair Stylist from Boston. This shoot was from the first weekend of December. Tonight is the first chance I got to at least play with one image. The shoot itself was a bit of crazy. I had literally 10 minutes to set up 2 lights. One was a Octa 'deep throat' box from Elinchrome and the side light was from a Profoto head (giving the higlight). I'm just happy I was able to get it right so quickly. It was just one of those shoots where your subject is eager to leave before you even set up your lights.

I think they were strangers, those two sitting. The other man was lost in his music. It was the day after christmas and I was returning home on a Friday night because I didn't have a day off.

Its Christmas Day 2008 and over 2 months since I did my last entry.

I've been thinking how difficult digital images are to process. The initial file is a starting point but the final image is left as complete interpretation of the photographer attitude at the moment. Sitting at the table yesterday I took a photograph of my mom which came out in a very good warm light. Upon working on it on the computer screen I begun adjusting it to suit various tones and making the skin tone more real. The original image had a heavy yellow cast. All this has made me realize how difficult starting from a point where everything can be reinterpreted truly is. I am including the finished photograph, one caught at a moment probarly not flattering her. This of course is one image interpretation.

I'm starting off with re-posting an image from last night. Atop the Train Monitor is a sticker I found to be... well quite an effort to place.

And so that was yesterday. The second image is of commercialism. I hate trends.

From Cat Stevens:
"Miles from nowhere
Not a soul in sight
Oh yeah, but its alright

I have my freedom
I can make my own rules
Oh yeah, the ones that I choose

Lord my body has been a good friend
But I wont need it when I reach the end"

So today I walked through World Trade Center. And I wondered about what I saw. Empty Space. People walking along the site. And then a sticker at Newark Penn Station atop of the Train monitors... saying 9/11 was an inside job. I don't know but too fast has the issue disappeared bringing pain to workers at the site down to making the bad guys somewhere out there.

Colder weather and I like it. I read more when its colder. I cannot concentrate when humidity outside condenses to drops flowing down my back. I also feel lazy in the heat. I think most people do. I kept my room at somewhere around 65F to keep it bearable through most of the summer.

Well, wine is my beverage with cooler air till summer. Reading Mr. Parker's Wine Advocate and Bordeaux book. I like writers who stick to principles. Mr. Parker makes money on his work not his perks. I highly recommend his Wine Advocate guide, to whom I am a subscriber.

Tonight a photograph from last saturday. There was a park in the middle of NJ with Sheep barn. There is something so truthful about the look of this sheep. Animals speak volumes without words.

Fall is here. I feel very nostalgic lately. 

I am thinking of how is starting a life (post college) like in Eastern Europe (more specifically in Poland). I am thinking how much life might be more in my liking in Europe vs. what I have come to accept as normal in America. 

Autumn with the cooler air makes me go back into researching (and drinking) wine and reading more. 

Tonight a simple photograph of where I close my final thoughts for the day. 

This is from Urban drive through. I don't like graffiti. I tried liking it thinking its some sort of art but I find it very intrusive. Art in public place without permission is visual pollution. I want to rest my eyes in peace and if I look over I want to have a choice to look at symmetry of concrete. Simple texture of concrete is sometimes pleasing. I would not cram a photograph because its a bare white wall. Not in public at least.

So its September. Time is flying. I wish I could keep track of it. But I do want to say that life has been what I could have not have predicted better. I have been busy nonstop for the last few weeks.
Today I sat down and went through a few June images. Three months ago seem like yesterday and yet summer is over. But no nostalgia here. This has been among most productive summers I have ever had. Diving head first into commercial photography is something I only imagined and never thought I will. Its a start.

Tonight images are from a Chalkfest that occurred in Jersey City, New Jersey back in June. Its where intercity kids have a chance to bring awareness to their chances at better life. I like the cause so I photographed it.

Portraits. Taking them of someone you know is like asking yourself who you are. If you know who you are you can then interpret your relationship with someone. If you're lucky, which a lot of photography is about, is getting the image of that someone according to your relationship. That is the beauty and simplicity of a good portrait. To understand yourself is to take a relationship and visualize it. No one says it will be good first time around. It depends on the honesty one has with themselves. I love seeing how I feel. I learn from looking at myself.

Two portraits tonight are I think real. They are of feelings and interpretations of where they are today. Intellectuals. Lost in thought. No one who thinks about life is truly smiling. None of those pictures would be real. These two portraits represent among the most intelligent people I know who know life because they are not afraid to live it in a true to themselves way.

Apple iPhone has now bunch of applications and some of them for even posting blog entries remotly. But I probably pass on that.

The 600 mile service was due on the Vespa so I took it to the dealer and got it all done yesterday. While waiting I got a chance to test ride a few bikes. One of them was the MP3 scooter made by Piaggio. Then there was the walk over (netx door) the Ducati dealer to ride the Hypemotard with the upgrated exhaust. Wow! That was FUN!! That bike is whole bunch of 'I want it' while so many unpractical thoughts come to mind. Its just fun and Smooth!!

But aside from a fun Saturday, tonight a quick collection of somewhat of a typical commute. I avoided the Rush Hour by stopping for a drink at the Hyatt before heading back home. This was midweek.

The trip is via the PATH train that runs between World Trade Center and Newark, NJ. Exchange place is Jersey City, NJ. It is the last stop before the end of the line in NYC. The way back to Newark is across a Shipping yard, under the NJ Turnpike, through a service station for NJ Transit (at least some of the trains), few abandoned warehouses and finally arriving at Newark Penn Station.

It is a strange place in the middle of a strange city. Newark still has a rough reputation for crime. Few new buildings and restaurants have opened around the area. The Newark Penn Station is somewhat a gloomy place. It feels Train Station but I don't believe that its enough. The Station represents the mood of the city very well. The homeless roam the and smells dirty and its something that although does not need hallways and waiting rooms, live out of the bathroom and bring in a grunge feel to it all. Sadly, the trip from NYC to Newark via Path sets the mood quite accurately.

I'm set on a journey for true middle America. Some few weeks back I was visiting Dartmouth Campus in New Hampshire. I came across a book titled 'Blue Highways'. I was intrigued but did not buy it right there. I did save the title though. As it turns out I received the book as a gift from my friend Don. I was incredibly and pleasantly surprised Don read the book.
I have started the book and love it. Last weekend I was at Barns and Noble over a map at table in Clark, NJ looking at the map and settling for Memphis to be my starting point. These, I hope, to be weekend trips of a long term project.

Tonight, a photograph right out side of Columbia University's campus yesterday evening.

I have/ I am debating over starting a new blog. This one is about the true issues that concern me. It no longer so much about only photography. Its now about photography serving a purpose of telling a story. Let me think about it.

An image from a super humid NJ night.. as I was leaving the book store.

Jumping ahead with the order of photographs I am including one today that represents the place I'd like to walk though on daily basis. I love Palm trees but more so its the peacefulness of this street that I remember. This is a street in Beverly Hills in Los Angeles. Clean and beautiful.