Well if you aren’t aware We split up, the D and E show is no more.. What’s next, well thats what we will figure out, navigate, and then explore on our own. I’m at a place where I feel pretty good, good enough to show back up and be out in the thick of it again. It’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans and I’m shooting photos for some cash, life could be worse. I need some tech work, but down here things are on pause until after Fat Tuesday so we do as the great mother of the Mardi Gras wills and we indulge.
It’s a wildly flirtatious and bonding time of year. People come back for this season we call it, you see family’s coming together, then the chosen family’s, The family you choose when you’re away from home. The celebration is all the same in the street, it’s do what you wanna, mix and match how you please.
Embrace the chaos and lean in a little you will be fine. Usually better than fine, great. Allow the positive vibes to enter your system.
Critical thinking can be paused for the duration of the Mardi Gras.
A friend of mine came by before a trip he looked at my bookshelf and says, hey do those cameras work? I’ve had some Minolta cameras sitting on my bookshelf for more years than I can remember at this point. I say they sure do… I took them down and forgot how to use them. Opened the back and exposed the film. Feeling stupid, I told myself you should use these. I find some of my old film and I mean old, like 90’s maybe older and put it in a Minolta x-700, its super expired old black and white film but heck its gonna go bad sitting here.
I buy a couplerolls of who knows what online. Shoot the couple I have and then find out just about nobody in New Orleans Developed film anymore.
I buy the easiest kit I can find, a Monobath chemical that develops 16 rolls. A pre-made and pre-boxed kit, just figure out how to get the film on the spool in the dark, pour the chemicals in and boom in a couple minutes you have something to look at. I can’t tell you how different and exciting it is, you just have to do it. It’s alchemy and magic. I never learned how to do this as a kid, many people did. I just shot and had it developed at the easiest place, whatever was open back in the day and there were lots of options. Today one.
I develop my couple rolls the cheapest film I could find and realize I want to shoot more. Like an addiction, but this is how I learn and if I want it, I do it.
Fast forward a couple months, and I finally have some photos id sell, I have a process I think is professional, at least something if a client asked me id say yes let’s do this. And having just bought one of the greatest digital cameras ever made, it’s just funny, I have something that can create anything instantly whatever I can dream it can do. And I go back to the hard way, at least for now that’s whats driving my fever dream.
I think it has to do with something being lost in the clinical sharpness of the digital photos we have all been inundated with on instagram, and the like. Everything is over-saturated, digitally manipulated and jumps into the you know its real but it looks too real category. As a photographer you want to “do it in camera” I started that by just shooting jpegs this year and directly publishing from them, no digital manipulation. Just to see, and now I’m shooting film. If we don’t stop ourselves from doing the things we want I think we are capable of greatness.
The cost, the cameras, the lenses, all insane, hard to get, none of it makes sense, you have to do a lot of research. No current company besides Leica even makes a good film camera today. Nothing you could call professional and rely on, my youngest camera was made in the 90’s my oldest in the 70’s. I like the idea of using something as old as me, but I like some of the modern features, like auto-winding. I try and not stop myself when I feel creative, and I hope you all do the same.
I posted on Instagram and Facebook earlier this year, right before mardi gras that this year I’m shooting for myself. I’ll shoot your events but with no demands, if you invite me you will get what I make, as a way to lower the stress in my life. That will continue, so shoot me an invite. If I can ill come no strings attached and shoot your event, party, whatever. I’m looking to grow expand, collaborate and have fun.
As a self proclaimed technologist, i think knowing and mastering the past is how we move forward. To all the people I made fun of for shooting film sorry, this shit is great. I get it now, I’m in, and I owe you a coffee.
I’ve been a bit of a drinker to massively understate it. I know what to do to survive. buuuuuuut… Sometimes you have to relearn the same things you’ve learned before. That’s insanity right?
So I come to… Saturday morning, its pitch black and I’m on the side of the highway.
I’m walking I don’t know where I am, hell right at that moment I don’t know who I am.
I see a light in the distance.
I dont have my camera, my wallet, my phone, my anything.
I have pants a shirt, shoes.
an Apple Watch!
I try and call Someone they are drunk and can’t help…
I’m pretty much screwed.. my battery runs out.
I walk towards a blue light in the distance. A car passes at what was probably 3 maybe 4 thousand, it was flying, I try and hitchhike and nobody is gonna stop, no way.
I must look… not worth it,.. this city.
A hour or so later it’s cold foggy and really long walk.
I get to a hospital, I know they will admit me if I seem to messed up so I just ask for a bathroom.
in the bathroom I boot up my brain and try and figure out what to do now.
I ask for a phone, but who knows numbers anymore.
After I remember my address, I ask the ladies at the counter for a cab.
I tell them I dont have anything.
they get me a ride.
sometimes you eat the bar and sometimes the bar it eats you — man
I wake up dawn’s home, she has my stuff. I vanished in the middle of the night, I can’t be trusted. haha.
whats the take here, the moral, be careful y’all.
And ill see ya for the next round of boozo the clown.
I leave the house around 10:30. Across Saint Claude I hit the stream of beauty. I take the stream to Franklin, the joy is amplified.
I cross Royal.
A man sits with his head in his hands the look of sadness permeates. I walk past him and make it 5 steps contemplating all of us, on the street having the best time, he sits 3 feet away sad. I look like magic, today I will be. I walk back thrust out my hand with a 20.
“Happy Mardi Gras brother” I say, he looks up and smiles
“How did you know” with a quick Triple take on that $20 the sadness lifts I see the person not the pain
“I just know” I say , “I’m magic” trying to be present but deliberate in my intention
“I’m one of the good ones” he says, longing in his voice, I tear up
“I know man”
We look at each other, he sees me glittery and gold, Today I saw him, and that’s what made the difference
He smiles, sunshine and sparkles on his face, shakes his head, today he can be whoever he wants
It’s like 7 or some such bullshit time I shouldn’t be awake at. Heading to get the AC fixed in the car. It’s steamy and we’re set to break every hot weather record again this year. Don’t believe in global warming move to the south.
Dawn and I went for a bike ride last night and since I got a new phone. I just took the iPhone the new one has a pretty awesome camera.
Even though it’s hot as hell, fun must be had at all costs.
i turn the lights off. I open the blinds as wide as possible and just look. I dont miss a ton of things about this place but this is it.
It hums, the streets pulsate. I listen to ny1 in the background, i dont know why but second only to the sound of ny itself, the sound of ny1 reminds me of here the most.
NY, I love you but you’re bringing me down. Its ice cold or as Damien says “it’s brick”. I don’t miss this part.
I’m just throwing these photos up because I didn’t see many detailed ones when I was looking. If anyone would like to see anything specific let me know. The only thing that doesn’t come with the bike in these photos is the seat post clamp. If I had a quick release I wouldn’t have a seat.
Hey you like to see photos?!! You like my photos?!
You’re in luck! I am currently showing and about to be showing in the following Galleries. Id like to thank all the galleries, WWOZ, Don Marshall, Carrie Booher, and Charles Lovell. Have a look below and go see some art!
Guardians of the Groove Photo Exhibit
Location: Jazz and Heritage Gallery – 1205 N. Rampart.
Open: Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.
Ends: Jan 31 2019 facebook
Streets of New Orleans
Location: New Orleans Art Center – 3330 St Claude Ave.
Reception: Saturday Dec 8th, 6pm – 10pm
Open: Daily 12pm – 6pm
Ends: Jan 6th facebook
Charles M. Lovell: New Orleans Second Line Legacy
Location: Second Story Gallery – 2372 St Claude Ave.
Reception: Saturday Dec 8th, 6pm – 9:30pm
Open: Daily 9am – 8pm
Ends: Jan 5th facebook
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