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Heart Surgery

“Where your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” The above is a Bible verse. Typically when one quotes these it is obligatory among theologians to cite the chapter and verse (location) so that people can look the lines up and read them in the larger context of the text. I am not doing that here. I will leave it to those who read this, to sort out the reason for that. I typically have reasons for most of what I do in my work and life. Most of us probably do. This is where the location of our

Samsung NX1: Modus Augmentation

Long time friend, and sage photo editor Jeff Divine, once put this question to me after pouring over a seasonal submission of imagery. Pages of 35 MM slides encased in Vis a File plastic sleeves, were stacked on his light table. “Don’t you ever shoot anything besides golden hour?” “Not if I can help it, Jeff.” (He looked at me quizicaly) The edit session gave me a reason and motivation to examine my method of operation in creation of my work. (Good editors are like that) Eventually this led to a higher (and narrower) degree of focus. That modus, which

Samsung NX1: Throttling Up

The past week has been a blur of field trials and digital lab examination of an array of image files produced in a wide range of subjects on the Samsung NX1. Doing this, switching out from my amazingly detailed and efficient Canon system, to neophyte professional imaging contender Samsung, with it’s NX1, is a lot of work (and fun). In the middle of it all, my last shoot on Canon was published, along with a cute little videolog I produced, to illustrate better the texture of our day at the beach here. The feature is titled “Ventura Highway: Three Blondes”

Samsung NX1: We Have Lift Off

The above image and copy is a post I did to my Instagram and Facebook pages this week. This Post is the first in a series of pieces I will do on my transition from the Canon System to that of Samsung. My perception is that this one system could serve as a foundation for professional level content creation in photography, cinematography and audio production. In my career in imaging, these shifts are more like massive leaps, and occur very infrequently, but always for the same collection of reasons. Those reasons can be summed up in this statement. “I want

Ethics Slice

There is much to be said regarding the power held in the art of a creative. The reason for this lies in the modus of all of the Arts: to effect the climate of the human heart and soul. Once again, a Facebook post by a friend illustrated the outrage that runs close to the surface in American Culture, at a Govt which seems to have run amok. They had been discussing the Clinton family criminal record and apparent lack of prosecutorial action to rein in what many see as an ongoing insult to the Nation. Below is what I

Of Men and Wisteria

A few of us were to get together at Art maven Joe Cardella’s home this weekend. Many have been through the mill as it were, in recent months, so Joe invited the lot of a group of artists and critical thinkers over for a pleasant Sunday afternoon, under the great awning of Wisteria which are in bloom here right now, in Ventura California. I would be away shooting on location, so scooted by to get a photo of the flowers and dose of time with an inspiring friend. Today started in unique fashion. My friend and former editor Drew Kampion

The Byproduct of War

I have been watching and studying the History Channel production titled “Vietnam in HD” recently. It is both informative and excellent work which documents via high resolution film scans and authentic narrative, the massive conflict, as a nexus for American warfare and culture. You can watch it on Netflix. The seeds for the Vietnam War were sown here. (It is a very good read) My Father was sent over to Indo-China as a member of an Army US Intelligence team, on the heels of the Korean War. He was charged with doing photography and map making, and his camera kit

Not My Tribe

I am appalled once more, at what I heard, when we returned to our shores. A rancor, clamor and discordance, like captive farm animals, rather than free men. Yet in the middle of it ring our voices, the ones that make a heart rise and my tribe is recognized, even as a voice in turn rings out: “Not my tribe” to those others, and I turn away in response. The stark sound of it wakened me, and I recognized it as being the voice of my own heart. We become what we connect to. Let mine be with the sea,

Echo Terminus: Bali

This place is odd, in that as we begin get ready to leave for the US, the island of Bali ramps up it’s serenade and little glimpses of hidden treasure sparkle from behind shadow realities. Just what it does. When that happens, this is what it means. Bali has you. You don’t have it. Gusti made it by today and we got caught up on all the “guy things” he and I typically discuss. Then he told me about his Mother’s passing, in intimate detail, and we both teared up. Some of the scenes from the burial ceremony day are

Of Mice and WOmen: Bali

To be clear, I am here on Bali at the invitation of my wife Donna, and working under the auspices of her Company, Betty Belts-Betty B doing art and project development. One of the more well traveled people I know, where in the course of her life, she has been to so many far flung parts of the world, that one would never suspect she could learn more than she had prior to our meeting. But in fact, she has, and continues to do so. This charms me completely. On the heels of a divorce over a decade ago from

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