A Man of Few Words

Not What You Think
Photo by Karl

Still nothing profound or interesting needing words to express. I'll let the photos speak again. All of the photos below are from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA). My photography class took a field trip there a few months ago.

Outside the Doors
Photo by Karl

Standing Guard

Photo by Karl

Up
Photo by Karl

Her Moment With It
Photo by Karl

Mollee Resting Between Pieces
Photo by Karl

If You Can't Dazzle Them With Brilliance...

Candace 111609
Photo by Karl

... give them photos. Out of words and ideas to write about, but got lots of photos.

Dry Dock - Mare Island Naval Shipyard (Closed)
Photo by Karl

Subtle Knocker - Mare Island Naval Shipyard (Closed)
Photo by Karl

Bricks, Glass, and Shadows - Mare Island Naval Shipyard (Closed)
Photo by Karl

Benicia Bridges
Photo by Karl

PHOTOS NOTE
Mare Island Naval Shipyard is a photographer's wonderland. I've already posted many photos from this wonderful place.

I was going to start the post with the bridges photo. I then remembered that strong colors grab the viewer's attention. If that doesn't, a beautiful nude like Candace Nirvana should. I am not negating or putting down the reader's intentions or behaviors by using the "sex sells" as the only reason for them to look at this post. Honestly, I put the one I would want to see the most, first. I like seeing nude women, especially ones I photographed.

Two Tries, Same Message

Woven
Photo by Karl

Version 1
I know that you

don't want to accept, but you
obviously can't un-ring the bell
needlessly done
through my exposure

cautiously we
avoid the
reality of the
erotic nature of it all

it hurts to see things that make you
feel these are perpetuating unreal expectations

you feel excluded yet
only you can decide
ultimately whether to accept yourself

reality is that we
each think we
are much
deeper than the other

too bad though our
history makes you mistrust the
identity I try to push
through my shutter.



Version 2
I really feel that you
don't want to view, but I
care enough that it hurts you.

If all this is objectifying and perpetuating things
you despise, you may
read and see things that alienate.

This is your choice for yourself to accept or denounce, for I continue.


__________________

Thanks Arnie for the idea. You deserve more credit.
(Selfish writing day)

One of the few pieces of music that makes me cry.


,.

Dali and Nirvana

Dream Inspired By A Bee Flying Around A Pomegranate A Second Before Waking Up

Salvador Dali

I found the above Dali painting while researching nightmares and sleep trauma. In one painting, Dali captured the cacophony of sight and sound that fills my dreams.

The title lends itself to describing the off setting randomness of dreams.

Dream Inspired By A Bee Flying Around A Pomegranate A Second Before Waking Up

Look at all the little indiscriminate details in the painting. They all add up to a craziness that both defies interpretation yet defines the lost control of the dream. The elements of death, killing, danger, sexuality, distortion, flow into one another as our psyches take us through it all at the same time.

This painting inspired me to try something new when I worked with Candace Nirvana last summer. I used an LCD projector and projected words and images upon her. If you've followed my blog for awhile, you've seen examples of this technique.

I've been sitting on the images below because I did not know how to interpret them and use them. I am still not sure if I have them to where I want, but I did not want to hold out any longer.

Dali and Nirvana 1

Photo by Karl

Dali and Nirvana 2

Photo by Karl

Dali and Nirvana 3

Photo by Karl

Dali and Nirvana 4

Photo by Karl

Dali and Nirvana 5

Photo by Karl

____________
PHOTO NOTES
As mentioned many times before, Candace was a gift to work with. She would look at the image and then try out various poses. Most were her idea and I would make minor suggestions so various parts of the projected image would appear on her in a special way.

Please tell me what you think. If you have an idea of how to improve these images or take the idea further, I am very open.

In One Moment

In One Moment
Photo by Karl

In one moment we
felt the tearing apart of
all built before us.

Once again we drive
into foggy danger, too
fast to stop and care.

Ends to all this means
nothing to everyone else
but takes our souls' spark.

_________

Photo note - Another of the colorful photos of Candace Nirvana. Coming in the next few days, Candace and I experimented with Salvador and I am finishing editing them.

Veterans Day

Thanks to all vets and those who are serving or have served. I greatly appreciate your service.

I saw this cartoon over at Photo Anthems blog. I feel we need to continually ask this question. Sometimes there is a good reason, but very rarely. World War 2 comes to mind. Sadly though, most times there is not good reason.

Can't Go Back

Katie 110809 - 1
Photo by Karl

Six years ago this month I went into the woods to photograph Katie. You can read about our photo session here. That session yielded many great photos that I enjoy working with.

A few weeks ago I scanned all of the 35mm negatives from that day. A few days later, I took a drive through the Berkeley hills trying to find the location. I drove by it twice before finding it. After parking along the curvy road, I walked the thirty or forty yards to the location. My heart sank. Almost all of the trees have been cut down, the dead snarls removed, and the brush cleared out to reduce fire danger. I felt my heart sink because I wanted to sit there and reminisce on the session.

I've tried contacting Katie to see how she is doing and hope she would want to model again. Shortly after I photographed her, she transferred to UCLA and the trail disappears. I want to let that pursuit go. She has moved on with her life and I am honoring that.

Katie 110809 - 2
Photo by Karl

So, the model and the location have moved on. As I grow older, I am learning that I can't go back. Whenever I go to Montana, I am feeling it slip away as a home. I get the same feeling when I look at old photo albums from my high school and college years. So many of those people have children going to college now and we have all lived a whole life apart.

Last Tuesday, a friend that I had lost touch with in the last year died of prostate cancer at age 60. Angus entered hospice care in early October when his doctors said all treatments had lost efficacy.

I regret I spent more time trying to recapture a moment from six years ago than taking a moment to say goodbye to a friend. He was a good man with a kind heart. I am guessing that as time goes by, my memories of his infectious laugh and sparkling eyes will slip away as well.

A few years ago I heard a presentation from an eighty-something year old woman. Every year she swims a race from Alcatraz to San Francisco. The race is over a mile long in cool waters with a current pulling the swimmers out into the Pacific. She told us that during the race she flips over and backstrokes to rest and use other muscles. During that time she looks back at where she came from, Alcatraz. She has learned though if she becomes to fixated on it, the current will pull her off course, so she has to continually look around and forward again to keep her bearing. Before she ended her talk she gave me some of the best advice about living.

"It is OK to look back at the past, just don't stare."

____________________

Photo note - A few unseen ones of Katie from that day. Angus was a photographer and appreciated beauty, including women. I feel he would have liked these photos.