Back from Sin City

Me in the NYC Simulacrum

Spent a long weekend in Las Vegas celebrating our anniversary.  While there I thought of fellow blogger Terrell and his work.  I hope one day we can meet up when I get down there again.  As for this trip, every moment was hot, full and fantastic.

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas*

 The is one of the cleverest ad campaigns ever.  It was so effective that the saying is worn out, yet still holds cache both in the hearts of those visiting, and the feeling the city promotes to those of us visiting it.  Nothing happened to me while I was there that needs to be kept secret or compares to the antics of the bachelor party from one of my favorite recent movies, The Hangover.  

I took over 500 photos while bouncing about.  That is not much for me when I am traveling to take pictures.  That is a ton when traveling to celebrate an anniversary.  I intended to try and capture the simulacrum of the city, and in particular the resort we stayed in, New York New York.  Along the way though I found many other parts of the city that made me reconsider it as more than glitz, facade, avarice and vice.  I left this morning with both an appreciation and soft desire to live there. 

I am going to work on the photos over the next few weeks and write about Las Vegas - my interpretations, my growing love for it and the issues I have about it.  Without going into details now though, the people (not just those working in the casinos or entertainment world) were kind, helpful, and very interesting.  Thanks Las Vegans... Veganians, Vegasonians... or how ever you label your selves.

 
* Heard a spoof on it.  "What happens in Reno... is greatly exaggerated."

Side notes -
One major positive of Las Vegas - no asthma.  Even in the smoky casinos I had barely, if any, asthma.
One major negative of Las Vegas - the heat.  For the past month I've enjoyed an SF cool summer of highs in the upper sixties and lows in the fifties.  It didn't get below 77 in Vegas.  It was around 105 yesterday.  It is a dry heat though.  I found that if I followed the same rules that got me through Burning Man (also in a NV desert) I did well.  I grew to enjoy the heat, or at least to function in it.  II moved slowly, drank lots of water, and stayed in the shade if I had to be outside for long periods of time.  I really liked rolling down the car windows in the hot evenings and cruising around the city, bathed in the hot moving air.  On the other hand though, it was a smack down when we would leave a hyper-air conditioned casino and appear in the direct sun on broiling concrete.  It felt like a gut punch.

Work Cited

WTF?

I  had an experience in the last week that feels like the burning pain of bleach going through my veins(hyperbole practice).  Somebody took something of mine manipulated it, and grew it into something more.  Usually I am happy about that as it is part of creating for the world and the evolution of thought.  We want our creations to grow beyond what we initially planned, with one caveat - citation or credit.

In my life as a scientist/teacher/student, I've written the most boring, dry articles about important stuff.  One key point my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Romaine, taught us during book reports was writing the bibliography of my sources.  In college, Dr. Haddad drilled into our heads (appropriate for a behaviorist professor) the APA Style for citing sources.  Twenty-two years later, I still know where to place every period and comma.  It came in handy when I wrote my master's thesis.

It is crucial to cite sources and material in art and criticism as well.  If I am writing a critique on Diane Arbus and read an article on how her depression affected her subject matter, I had better cite that source.   I believe the same is true when art is appropriated for new purposes.

Some of Shepard Fairey's troubles for his famous Hope image of President Obama stem from appropriating an AP image as the basis of his this piece without citing the source of the original image.  He went on to selling the image on merchandise and making lots of money from it.

There

I am a big fan of appropriating art and growing it past the original piece.  In 2004, my friend Scott Tellington over at photosig.com took the image of Leila and Hana above and a few others and told me he wanted to play with them.  As long he didn't do anything to malign the image and gave me credit, I was happy to let him do it.   He made the combined image below.  Even though he went in a direction I would not have gone, I am happy with his work and the credit for the source image.

The Petals of the Passion Flower

In yesterday's post, I uploaded a video featuring a song I appropriated by Lucinda Williams, Just in Time.  This song has a very sensual erotic sound and lyrics that I felt matched the photos I paired with it.  At the end of the song, I cited her as the source of the music.  Since I do not plan to make money from that video I feel it is fair to use it in that way.  If Ms. Williams, or her representatives, don't like it, I will work with them to a mutually satisfactory conclusion.  That is just being respectful to another artist.

Another time I appropriated another artist's work are my photos of the projection of Salvador Dali's Dream Inspired By A Bee Flying Around A Pomegranate A Second Before Waking Up on art model, Candace Nirvana.  Whenever I display this image, I mention Dali's title or provide a link to my blog post introducing this series to give him credit for his role in my piece.  I hope Dali would approve of my appropriation of his beautiful piece.


I admit to not always citing my sources in this blog, especially for images I posted in the beginning of it.  I tried to put "source unknown" if I could not find the photographer/artist/author/creator's information.  In hindsight, I am going to review this policy to see if I should err on the side of caution and remove them until I can find the source.Dali and Nirvana 4

Now, back to why am I feeling like a victim of theft.  To the artist who appropriated something of mine, knowing it was mine, and evolved/refined it much further,  I am not upset by your appropriation and use.  It is actually a very good piece of work.  Just give me credit for the seed that bloomed for you.

Getting to know you... um... I mean me.

 41

To paraphrase the Beatles, "I heard it was my birthday."  41.  It is a quiet birthday filled with warm wishes from many friends.  Thanks to all in blog world and Facebook who sent birthday messages.  I also want to thank UL from What We Saw Today for her birthday wishes on that fine blog.

Candace - 030910

A birthday gift to me with this photo... I love it

In honor of me, (feels kind of selfish, but its my birthday so I don't feel too bad)  here are my answers to my questionnaire. 

1. What is your favorite word? Sensual
2. What is your least favorite word? Hopeless
3. What turns you on? Getting to use all five senses.
4. What turns you off? Arrogance - nobody is that good.
5. What sound or noise do you love? A romantic moan or the wind rushing through trees. They are equal. Interesting how both involve the movement of air in a special way.
6. What sound or noise do you hate? Mosquito buzzing by my ear while trying to sleep in my tent.
7. What is your favorite curse word? Ah fuck me...
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Photography teacher
9. What profession would you not like to do? Crime scene clean up.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? "Surprised?"
11. What is your idea of perfect happiness? A simple trip (anywhere in the world) with a sensual beauty who loves being on both sides of a camera.
12. What is your greatest fear? Not doing what I need to do in this life.
13. Which historical figure do you most identify with? The composer Percy Granger. Everybody thought one thing about him based on his public life, but he lived a completely separate one in private.
14. Which living person do you most admire? Virgin empire founder, Richard Branson. He has grabbed life by the balls and is living a rich life that is pretty damn responsible as well.
15. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Starting too many things and not finishing enough of them.
16. What is the trait you most deplore in others? People who only see complex issues in black and white or right and wrong.
17. What is your greatest extravagance? Cameras, a Hasselblad and a Nikon D700 and all their peripheral equipment are my latest ones, but I do use them heavily.
18. On what occasion do you lie? When it would spare someone's feelings or when the lie will not hurt anyone and is more expedient than dealing with the truth.
19. What do you dislike most about your appearance? I am not fixated on it too much, maybe a little less weight, a little more hair... actually I would like a better wardrobe.
20. When and where were you happiest? Watching the aurora borealis outside of my Billings, MT home when I was a kid. They usually appeared early on the coldest mornings. My mom would wake everyone up to go see them. The silence of them dancing in the northern sky with their green shimmers still gives me peace.
21. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? I'd be a bit more determined on the harder things.
22. If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be? Instilling the desire to go for it and to appreciate that desire in others.
23. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Haven't created it yet and don't give a damn if I do. Once you have created that, what else is there to do with life.
24. If you died and came back as a person or thing what do you think it would be? As either a woman or a tree in a park. Both would give me enlightenment on what life means.
25. What is your most treasured possession? My senses.
26. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Hopelessness induced by other humans.
27. Who are your heroes in real life? Dr. L, Z, Mrs, Joe, Beth, Terrell, my wife, and Renee.
28. What is it that you most dislike? Having to entertain large groups that I don't really have an interest in for multiple days.
29. How would you like to die? Without knowing it happened.
30. What is your motto? Heh... how about that. (As a statement, not a questions). NOTE I typed this a few weeks ago. Since that time, my new motto is, "In 100 years there will be all new people." We need to live our lives with keeping that in mind.

The Big Sky State

Evening in Lavina, MT

Alpha

I was not born there, but I grew up there not far from where this photo was taken.

I've been in correspondence with Joe from What We Saw Today.  We both shared some memories of Montana and places we both visited.  It got me to thinking of the Big Sky State.

I have just about every emotion and feeling for that state.  I love it, hate it, fear it, miss it, adore it, envy it, lust for it, and have been hurt by it.  These feelings are for both the people and the land.

I am in love with Montana . . . Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans."    Norman Maclean - A River Runs Through It

Here are a few of my photos of it. 

Top of the World

My Life
Duck Lake Road - Rocky Mountain Front - Montana

Evening at Many Glacier - Glacier National Park

 

Sunset on the Cold Yellowstone

Dusk and Seeley Swan Range

Bear Grass - Glacier National Park

Logan Pass - Glacier National Park

A Little Too Comfortable with People - Marmot

 

Glacial Grandeur

  

Evening in Lavina Fading to Black

Omega

WTF???

Lost in London - 2004
Photo by Karl

Most translate that as "What the fuck?" Lately, I've read it as "Why the fuck?"

Why the fuck would you say that?

Why the fuck would you suggest that?

Why the fuck are you thinking I would do that?

Why the fuck don't you get it that it is my photography, not yours?

Why the fuck do you care?

Why the fuck don't you shit or get off the pot?

Why the fuck don't you just do it?

Why the fuck are you still with him/her?

Why the fuck do you still work there?

Why the fuck did he/she think I would change, care, or want to hear that? (Chose any combination?

Why the fuck did you do that?

Why the fuck did I do that?

and as of earlier today -

Why the fuck did I say that?

WTF?
Photo by Karl

Hi... My Name is Karl and I Photograph Nudes

She Runs My Life
Photo by Karl

I am tired of the SB (Side B) name. I took on a nom de plume to keep my anonymity. If they want to dig far enough, they will find my work anyway. I'll keep my last name private though.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has been a part of my family for over three decades. I am very familiar with the anonymous part of stating, "Hi, my name is (insert first name here) and I am am alcoholic." Where upon every one replies, "Hi (first name)." I find it interesting that I am seeing parallels between admitting an addiction and owning this blog by saying I photograph nudes. Is creating art that scares puritanical fucks a disease? (Maybe I am overstating my work's value calling it "art", but I've seen worse.)

Maybe this admission is related to where I live. Living in the San Francisco area has to influence my perceptions of "living in truth." A person very close to me came out to her friends last year and to her ultra-conservative Catholic family last month. Her friends accepted it and most supported her. Her family reacted... like shit. By being her friend, they informed her that she, I, and all others who support her are marching in "Satan's Legion." I hope I am in the marching band, I did that back in high school and college.

So I guess I am slowly coming out of the closet to admit, "My name is Karl and I am an artist." My latent self-identification issues are boiling up. I wonder if I will share my fondness for fondue next. Why should being an artist and photographing nudes have any more stigma than my penchant for sticking food items into melted cheese.

Above and below are a few self portraits I did for my photography class. We could decide whether the intent was commercial or artistic. I went artistic. You may recognize my little ceramic lady from another photo series I put up here.

So, tomorrow I will return with a photo of a woman or two to help balance out all these male photos here today. Whenever quoting or referring to my blog, feel free to use "Karl," unless you feel you need to use "SB."

You Want Some of This?
Photo by Karl

The Real Me
The Who

I went back to the doctor
To get another shrink.
I sit and tell him about my weekend,
But he never betrays what he thinks.

Can you see the real me, doctor?

I went back to my mother
I said, "I'm crazy ma, help me."
She said, "I know how it feels son,
'Cause it runs in the family."

Can you see the real me, mother?

The cracks between the paving stones
Look like rivers of flowing veins.
Strange people who know me
Peeping from behind every window pane.
The girl I used to love
Lives in this yellow house.
Yesterday she passed me by,
She doesn't want to know me now.

Can you see the real me, can you?

I ended up with the preacher,
Full of lies and hate,
I seemed to scare him a little
So he showed me to the golden gate.

Can you see the real me preacher?
Can you see the real me doctor?
Can you see the real me mother?
Can you see the real me?