Wonder

Wonder

It has been a very busy year. So busy in fact, that I have needed to learn how to recharge my creative battery while on the fly. Fashion, Video projects, TV projects, motion pictures, my penchant for documenting beautiful things, travel, new tech, literary projects, commercial imaging, social projects, community, and hopefully some of me for my wonderful girlfriend and family. All of these things have beat a tempo never experienced in the realm of my career as an image maker.

It comes at a time when the economy is without a doubt at one if its worst places in recent history. Things have never been so hard for so many in the scant 50 years that I can recall on this blue ball. It is so distressing with friends and Country being dragged so horribly through the gutter, that it would be a more natural reaction to recoil in horror. But I don’t.

Seth Godin dropped this fantastic blog into my e mail this Sunday morning that had me go: “AHA” and sit down to write and ply the pixel seas for this.

I am supposed to be preparing for a fashion shoot for the next couple days. In fact I am supposed to be doing quite a few things like that.   Four AM today I awoke with the Music Video for Elliot Minor that Tyler Swain and I have been whacking away on in edit for the past two days, alive in my head.  I have watched a lot of their videos recently. High budget deals. Ours is not. Tyler was simply inspired enough by them to pen a concept and call  his friends, who in turn were equally inspired at the band’s ability and desire to deviate from a Pop culture, success formula laden career path, that we threw down our various skills to make something special at a unique fork in their creative path. So we endeavor to create something that will convey passion. The song is dark. We are all about light. It is a creative challenge. Plus there is only talent, no budget. But talent and passion trump dollars every time. All my close friends and colleagues live this credo. So doing fantastic work without a lot of money is just normal to us.

I was struck by what Seth said as he pinpointed exactly why I am busy: I have been focused on fabulous, but more succinctly: on wonder. The money sure isn’t there. But then I have never had that as a motivation for what I do anyway. Much to some of my commercial colleague’s concern over my well being. But it seems to work.

The Dictionary defines wonder here as a noun. Simple word, but since it converts easily to a verb, it is a very intrigueing thing to ponder:

wonder |ˈwəndər|
noun
a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable : he had stood in front of it, observing the intricacy of the ironwork with the wonder of a child.
• the quality of a person or thing that causes such a feeling : Athens was a place of wonder and beauty.
• a strange or remarkable person, thing, or event : the electric trolley car was looked upon as the wonder of the age.
• [as adj. ] having remarkable properties or abilities : a wonder drug.
• [in sing. ] a surprising event or situation : it is a wonder that losses are not much greater.

The worse things have become for the country, the more I have said yes to endeavors that point out the fabulous, the blessing, the awe inspiring. Why? Because we need them.  I want my family, friends and country to thrive. Inspiration is the fuel of innovation and we need that right now.  Possibly like never before. So I am going to continue with tail feathers on fire and hope the sparks ignite something in enough people that I feel it is safe to rest a bit.

I wonder. Here is some. It is all that I have to offer you. But it may be enough, if you treat it as seed. We need to plant seeds right now. No future harvest exists without them.

Liam: Wonder
Liam: Wonder
Looking for Rainbows
Looking for Rainbows
Hans Rathje
Hans Rathje
Zuma
Zuma
Hans: Zuma
Hans: Zuma

puu-5005

puu-4975puu-0320

Minor Monitor Burn
Minor Monitor Burn
Contrast
Contrast
Bliss
Bliss
Indian Summer Sunset
Indian Summer Sunset
My son Jon, me: Family
My son Jon, me: Family

puu26531

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Stan Bodner

Talent aside, you are an inspiration. A true muse.

Mary

You do inspire David. Sometimes I need to life line to see the “light”. And other times, I can be that light or lifeline for another. These are troubled times and baby, it ain’t gonna get better real soon so buckle up and hunker down. Your imagines are a gift. Thank you.

Rob D

Eddie Murphy said it best:……..”Gooney,Goo Goo”……….Ha! A force of wonder you are my friend!

Eric

David – you are Fire Stoker supreme.

Thanks!

Eric

Love the photo of the Indian Summer Pier. I think it is the best photo I have seen of the pier, with the exception of the photo’s of it being taken out by a huge wave but that is a different category and not serene like this one.

Taya

Yes, truly wonder-ful and awe-inspiring works. Thanks for the uplifting words…it is true: be the change you want to see in the world! So happy to be your friend!

gayle

Loved seeing the picture of you and John!

Korina Kempf

the audacity of hope….makes me wonder. I always think about this statement. What does it mean to me? What does it mean to others? I like living in the gray area of this statement. Sometimes to hope for something good to come out on top against the odds, may seem naive to others….but whatever it may be. We have to persevere, and this is where the true strength comes from. Where the magic happens. So rest my friend. We need you for the long haul.

This may be slightly off tangent, but I love color…and for some reason this comes to mind. I love hearing stories about how black and white colors came to be. One of my favorites is like the yin and yang. the balance that exists. “Out of the blackness of the universe came white. Black gave birth to the whiteness, which is the light. Which gave birth to life”. Without one, there isn’t the other which explains why the yin/yang symbol is drawn the way it is. One ends and one begins.

Without hope and wonder…we have the darkness, the black. And like yin and yang, there will always be a constant change to this balance. because like the Balinese say “one cannot exist without the other”. It is not good. It is not bad. It just is.

You give birth to the light everyday. Capturing the beauty of this life. Thanks, I’ll get my shovel and starting digging. Getting ready to plant some seeds.
K

Hilda

Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos! You are truly amazing!

Ed Brenegar

Ahhhh! You never cease to amaze me.
thanks very much.

Feargus

Great thoughts David, wonder is something we need to do more of but wandering this great world is a kind of wondering too. Where does it all fit together we’re not sure but the ocean seems to help so many of us even if we don’t really understand why. Love Hans Rathje.

Anne

I went to Catholic school for many years (I’m a recovering Catholic you might say) got many good and a few bad things out of the experience but the best came from a priest who was assigned to my high school. He was one of those truly happy people who walked with a spring in his step and a ready and genuine smile for all. I remember during mass he’s always be sure to throw in a thank you for “the beautiful things and people around us” vs. what I was more accustom to hearing – asking for this or that. I feel so fortunate that from the age of 13/14 I learned to look at the world around me and see the wonder, the beauty, to know that I am blessed. Life me be a struggle at times but I know my life is a good one. It would be a good thing for this earth if we could all find the wonder, the beauty that surrounds us every day.

Sean Davey

Bravo David. I love what you said about being really busy even though there’s not much money happening right now. That’s me in a nutshell too bro’. I’m so busy at the moment doing all kinds of stuff and like you, much of it is just for me. Yeah I’m greedy like that. Sometimes, you have to just go and shoot for yourself. Shoot what makes you happy, if nothing else just to appease your own creative being. I can tell that you’re fired up creatively at the moment, such a nice broad spectrum of eye candy showing up on your blog Dave. very cool bro’.
Aloha

Sean

Steve Fitzpatrick

I must confer with everything that everyone here has said.

All I can add is…

Who needs religion or a priest when you have David Pu’u as a friend and colleague?

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