Dining With Birds

The Seattle Portrait Project: Portrait #2

2012-02-09T21:30:00.001-08:00

I call this one: Musical Bodies. My victim this round is my fried Emily, a weird-o film school grad who is too cool for her own good. We love her anyways. And she knows how to rock a red dress...literally.

The Seattle Portrait Project

A homecoming...of sorts

2012-01-18T22:11:00.000-08:00

One of many wall of records at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN.

I was back in Nashville for Christmas this past year and it's always a strange experience. My family essentially all relocated there when I was in college. Since I don't really consider it "home," I thought I could at least make an effort to get to know it a little better.

So I begrudgingly learned all I ever care to know about Elvis, Dolly, Johnny, and other southern white people at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

It was a... pleasant experience.

Below is THE famous Steinway piano used by above mentioned artists in THE famous Studio B recording room.

Announcing: Shit my grandma texts

2011-12-23T17:12:00.000-08:00

I've launched a new site...may the gods have mercy on my soul.

http://shitmygrandmatexts.tumblr.com/

A Milk Shake Pit Stop

2011-12-22T21:09:00.000-08:00

A quick stop over at this 59er Diner was well worth the wait for some tasty frozen treats.

A Peanut Butter Chocolate shake with good ole fashioned sprinkles.

New B-Cards!

2011-11-29T10:30:00.001-08:00

The Reel Grrls staff just got a business card makeover by yours truly. Grrl Power!!!

The Seattle Portrait Project: Portrait #1

2011-11-17T23:29:00.001-08:00

I was inspired by this photo book from Seattle commercial photographer Chase Jarvis to get back into the swing of portraiture. I have moved away from it over the last few years and forgot the joy of capturing a glimpse of someone's personality through a well done portrait.

Victim No. 1 of this ongoing series is none other than my good friend and roommate Danny M (and with a very important t-shirt message!) Other Seattlites beware, you're next!

The Seattle Portrait Project

To Michael Moore, Love Flint

2011-09-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

It’s not very often that we meet the idols of our childhood.Last week, Michael Moore spoke at the Neptune Theater in Seattle to promote hisnew book, “Here Comes Trouble.” (Currently reading and so far it’s delightful!)During the book signing afterwards, I mentioned I was also from Flint and chattedfor more than the allotted three seconds with the man who, for me, inspired it all.

If I could teleport you back to my childhood room at 1406Risedorph St. in the late ‘90s, you wouldn’t find any 'NSYNC posters, Easy Bakeovens, or Mall Madness board games (other than the ones belonging to mysister). What you would find was an assortment of John Grisham novels, a copyof Les Miserables, and a VHS of “Roger & Me” by Michael Moore. I was a weirdkid sure enough.

But when you grow up in post-GM-armageddon Flint, you needsomething or someone to show you the light at the end of the tunnel. MichaelMoore was a sign that things get better, that I wouldn’t spend the rest of mylife slicing roast beef at Arby’s (three years in high school) with a 3-fingered co-worker. Herewas an average, dorky Flintoid with above average ambition. A man with enough cojonesto walk up to the door of big business and it kick it in with a camera. Someone who time and time again says the words we all want to say to those who abuse power, "Enough is enough."

After reading early copies of the Flint Voice, I signed upfor my high school newspaper, the Kearsley Eclipse. Three years later I waseditor-in-chief, successfully fighting the school board over student pressrights while working part-time for The Flint Journal. Four years later I wasgraduating from the Missouri School of Journalism to find that newspaper jobswere vanishing faster than Beanie Babies. I moved to Seattle and began workingfor Reel Grrls, a nonprofit training young women behind and in front of thecamera. Now I’m on my way to creating my own spicy blend of social documentaries.

While Moore’s ideas are controversial to say the least, hiswork has more poignancy than most pieces of meek journalism pushed through themedia pipeline today. As a media-maker, I aspire to deliver the same level ofcourage in my own work.

I wish I could have fully explained all of this and morewhen I finally met the man. Unfortunately, I’m sure one of his burly, ex-SWATbodyguards was about one second from dragging me out the door as it was.

So if you’re reading, Mr. Moore, thanks a million! I hope tobuy you a drink one day and talk about Flint; now and then.

(You have my business card ;)

Guest Blog Post for Reel Grrls

2011-09-22T12:05:00.001-07:00

So as many of you know, I just started an AmeriCorps position with Reel Grrls in Seattle. I'm planning on doing a full blown post soon about all the work I'm doing. In the meantime, I wrote this guest blog post to promote the upcoming LUNAFEST (you know, those delicious energy bars!) in which Reel Grrls is a beneficiary. Check it out!

Tabu Asks: Is Rape a Taboo Subject?

2011-09-13T09:58:00.001-07:00

At this year's Slut Walk in Seattle, we asked marchers if rape, both as a subject and a word, is taboo? Hundreds had gathered at Cal Anderson Park for a nation-wide event to protest a police officer in Toronto who claimed a rape survivor had been to blame because she dressed "slutty." The answers of the interviewees give an insight into how our culture treats rape survivors and our own fear of talking about the subject. Please take 3 minutes out of your day to watch this short film! There is nothing ground breaking about the statements in this film. What is important is that people are talking about rape. We have kept silent for too long as sisters, mothers, daughters, and friends have coped with surviving rape by themselves in a culture that blames the victim, not the crime. When's the last time you talked about rape?

2011-09-09T22:30:00.000-07:00

I'm not gonna lie, it was a grey summer for us Seattlites. But we've been enjoying this weird burst of heat and sun this past week. Here couples gather at Volunteer Park to watch a red sunset.

Clever stop motion short

2011-09-09T00:24:00.001-07:00

Try not to get too nauseous as you watch this impressive stop motion within a stop motion.

From my first mountain

2011-09-04T20:15:00.001-07:00

The view from Mt. Granite (elevation 5,600 ft) in the Cascades mountain range.

This Week in Food: Pie and Coffee

2011-08-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

Fresh from my home oven, got a bit of the baking bug this week.

An itty-bitty cup of joe from the Swedish Cultural Center in Westlake during a pancake breakfast.

Photo of the Week: Beer Battered Bacon!

2011-07-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

...or as I like to call it, triple heart attack. From the Jolly Roger in Ballard, these slices of heaven were worth every year off my life they took from me.

From the Archives: Roatan, Honduras

2011-07-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of my scuba instructor, I recently received the rest of the underwater photos I had taken during my diving certification trip to Roatan, Honduras. During a snorkeling break on a small island, I chased this school of fish (above) for about 20 minutes before I snapped this shot.

This is another fish near that same island. It was a clear sunny day and there was great light breaking through the surface and bouncing back off the white sand. Otherwise this translucent fish would have been near impossible to photograph.

Here a squirrel fish nestles in among the coral reef I spotted during a dive. The coral reef in Honduras is really amazing and largely undamaged by tourist divers. This spot especially was off the beaten path.

A little night time shooting

2011-07-10T22:35:00.003-07:00

There was a great view of the moon tonight from my front porch.

Photos of the Week: Golden Gardens Seafood Cookout

2011-07-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Obtain key ingredients. BBQ, giant cooler of clams, oysters, and a crab, firewood, and beer. All you need for a fantastic night at Golden Gardens.

Step 2: Cook. These oysters we later shot right out of the shell with a little bit of hot sauce.

Step 3: Finish the night off with a gorgeous sunset. Voila. Perfect night.

New cards are in!

2011-07-01T11:20:00.000-07:00

I screen printed these cards last night to match the new brand and website here. I wanted a hand-made feel to them with rough edges, so I printed a small run and will try them out. Let me know what you think!

Signs of Life at Hurricane Ridge

2011-06-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

During a camping trip to Hoh Rianforest, we made a detour at Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic Mountains. The deer there were quite friendly.

Photo of the Week: The Salumi Salami

2011-06-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

The Salumi Salami, from Salumi in Pioneer Square. This beauty was de-LISH. The wait in line (out the door and around the corner) was well worth the payoff. The salami was delicately sliced and perfectly flavored. My favorite part was actually the olive oil bread, a fluffy bread with a nice crispy crust.

Inside Salumi, the lunch crowd fills the very cozy Batali Family deli specializing in pork sandwiches.

From the archives: Mitten and Stones

2011-06-21T00:05:00.000-07:00

This is one of those photos I overlooked on the first edit that I came back to recently when going back through some travel photography. It is really just a detail among other portraits of friends I shot on the beach at Lake Huron. This time it struck me as little more playful and interesting than when I first edited those photos.

Crazies on Parade and other oddities from the Solstice Parade

2011-06-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

This morning, the Fremont Solstice Parade met the rain head on and with outright audacity. This was my first year at the parade and I have to say it was the most entertaining parade I have ever been to. Home to the nude cycle run, this event was everything weird and wacky and just plain fun. Here are some shots. See more images here.

An officer of the nudes during the nude cycle run.

My personal favorite, the nude mormons! Between the hit broadway show, The Book of Mormon, and Errol Morris' new film, Tabloid, I would swear the Mormons are becoming unwilling pop culture icons.

Photos of the Week: Sunset at Gasworks Park

2011-06-17T22:09:00.000-07:00

Some friends and I gathered at Gasworks in time for catch some beautiful light at sunset.

The Garage, Cap Hill

2011-05-25T14:46:00.000-07:00

For this Seattle Photo of the Week, I bring you a pool table arrangement from the Garage in Capitol Hill.

Food Photography Workshop w/Penny De Los Santos

2011-05-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

A food stylist sets the table for a dinner shoot in Chase Jarvis' studio. This was part of a CreativeLIVE food photography workshop with Penny De Los Santos.

One of the many subjects of the workshop.

Penny De Los Santos unwinds after the grueling three-day workshop on food photography. Although I've never really seriously studied food photography, Penny's workshop offered inspiring new ways for me to explore photography. Her background as a photojournalist also offered a great perspective into how food and culture intersect and how she aims to shoot "beyond the plate." It was an amazing experience to be involved with this workshop.

From around Seattle

2011-05-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

Meet the Bubble Man, of Phinney Ridge legend. He drives a purple van with bubble decals. He hangs out at local parks putting on free bubble shows. A little creepy? Yes. A little awesome? Most definitely.

Behind the scenes at CreativeLIVE's Zack Arias workshop last week. Chase Jarvis talks to students and crew. I've been volunteering as a chat host and I would definitely recommend tuning in or buying the courses here.

A work day at Safeco Field with guys from the office. Detroit Tigers win 3-2! Best work day ever!

The Refugee Photo Workshop Launches Today

2011-05-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

We will be introducing the full workshop today to the students! Beginning with photography and camera basics, the first session will prepare students for their first photo assignment next week. Discussions will center around what they want to photograph and what kind of social change they want to see in their communities. A photo update will be posted later tonight of this first session.

Check out the website here.
Or our Facebook Fan Page here.

Black Joe Lewis @ The Crocodile

2011-04-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

Easily one of the top 5 best live concerts I've been to.

The Refugee Photo Workshop has launched!

2011-04-05T00:34:00.000-07:00

With the help of instructors from the Refugee Women's Alliance, I began this workshop to mentor young Nepali refugees who have recently immigrated to South Seattle. Over four weeks, we will provide point-and-shoot cameras, guided photography lessons, and photographic challenges for the students. The students will document their friends, family, community and culture with their own unique vision.

Check out our website here.

Like us on our facebook page here.

Nepali refugees + photography = awesome photography workshop

2011-03-28T21:04:00.001-07:00

Nepali photographs by Nepalis.

The six Nepali students I worked with today were absolutely wonderful! They all showed genuine interest in photography and were excited about learning more about this world. I set my Nikon D300 to automatic with a speedlight and let them have a go with it. The above are example photographs the students took of other students.
They all wanted a turn behind the camera and it was truly exciting to see them get a feel for a camera and work some magic.

The best part of it all is that a multi-week photo workshop with these same students is now in the works. More info to come soon on that program.

Foster the People fosters some sweet rock in Seattle

2011-03-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

Foster The People in Seattle at the High Dive.

Look no further...

2011-03-20T23:35:00.000-07:00

The world's best burger has been found and it's at Red Mill Burgers in Phinney Ridge. This burger is disastrously tasty, in that it will destroy any memory of any other burger you once thought was delicious.

The Bacon Deluxe. This is the real deal folks, flame-broiled beef patties, Tillamook Cheddar cheese, a wonderful house sauce and bacon from a golden pig.

This place has ruined the opportunity to enjoy lesser burgers anywhere else, hot damn.

Downtown ramblings and a trip to ComiCon

2011-03-06T19:37:00.000-08:00

The Fremont Troll.

A glimpse from the Aurora bridge.

A day at the Emerald City ComiCon.

Walk for Choice Rally

2011-02-26T17:02:00.000-08:00

Among the sweeping cuts to federal programs proposed by a recent house-approved spending bill, Planned Parenthood's budget would be cut by a third. (More info here.) This money does not go to fund abortions, but provide valuable community services like cancer screenings, education, health care subsidies, and contraceptives. Everyone on both sides of the aisle should be outraged. Below are some pictures I took of the rally today.

TabuTalk.org is Launched!

2011-02-22T11:55:00.000-08:00

TabuTalk.org

History has been made today! The non-profit, Tabu, has officially launched. Started by four of my amazing friends from University of Missouri, Tabu aims to empower young artists to address difficult social issues.

I shot this short video for their website:

Here is a call for entries poster I designed, as well as a donate graphic for their website.

New Designs and Posters!

2011-01-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

18x24 screenprint. Silver metallic and red acrylic on black.

A Christmas present to my brother and his independent feature film, "The Nothing," set to release later this year! Check out their website and trailer here: http://thenothingmovie.wordpress.com/

15x8.5 screenprint. Red and Black acrylic on white.

For the Nashville-based Spook Hand, a zombie-horror-rock-punk band.

Not a screen print, but a design for Tabu, a non-profit launching this February to empower young artists to address social issues through their medium. More info on them at: facebook.com/tabutalk.

From the Desk of Sara Stogner

2011-01-29T14:39:00.001-08:00

Below are some of my photos and designs that reflect the past few months as an AmeriCorps VISTA at Children of the Nations.

A large, year-end meal packaging event.

Helping out at the event.

The cover design of an 8-page booklet I designed for our Ready Relief school program.

The opening spread of the booklet.

Seattle Center w/Danny + JJ

2010-12-05T14:04:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, Danny, JJ and I (the AmeriCorps Vista trifecta) swung by the Seattle Center for the Indie Arts Fair. A lot of cool art, posters, t-shirts and random cool stuff, but costs way more than I could afford. Below are some shots from around the area.

Space Needle via glass.

Ice rink @ Seattle Center.

Huge multi-train exhibit thingy at the Center House.

Huge fountain thingy that shoots off water synced with music.

The New Studio

2010-12-03T21:44:00.000-08:00

So the Seattle-based Stogtastic Print Studios are up and running! I put the final touches on all my equipment and did the first exposure step test with my light table. Everything is pretty low-budget here, but works great! I'm using Lawson SBQ 510 emulsion with a 500 wt work light.

I started out with my transparency. The numbers along the bottom correlate to increasing 5 minute increments in which the screen will be exposed. (I used black poster to block out parts of the transparency at each step.)

This is my light table, made of mostly found items from my basement. In the basement, you think of something you need and it will eventually appear for you.
So in this setup, I have the light on the floor, a pane of glass, the black strip of paper, the transparency, and then the screen. On top of the screen, I have another black poster cut to fit the inside, a piece of cardboard and a jug of water for weight.

Here's the finished exposure. I was expecting the left half of the screen not to wash out at all. However, most of the stencil turned out perfectly. You can really tell the difference with the smaller numbers. Since the best detail was between #4 and #5, that means that a good exposure for me will be between 5 to 10 minutes.

And since the screen turned out so well, I made a few prints for fun, thus christening the Stogtastic Print Studio space.

The Family Scan Project

2010-12-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

This is the beginnings of a massive project I've undertaken: to digitize, edit and restore every single photo taken of my family. On trips to parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts houses, I will sift through the family photo vaults of shoe boxes and dusty photo albums to bring familiar faces back into light, to create a sort of photographic family tree. If I'm successful, I hope this will culminate into a photo book eventually.

My father at age 2.

My brother.

My sister and me.

Afternoon on the Lake

2010-11-28T16:39:00.000-08:00

Seattle weekend

2010-10-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

After two months living in Seattle, I finally made it downtown for a weekend of touristy goodness.

Scenes from Seattle Aquarium

Scene from Science Fiction Museum

Scene from Post Ally

Discovery Park

2010-10-03T19:52:00.000-07:00

Enjoying some of the last sunny weekends left of the summer in Seattle, I made it over to Discovery Park for some good hiking trails and a great view at the finish.

From the Road

2010-09-09T21:48:00.001-07:00

Three days, two hotels, one compact car, five boxes of granola bars and all my belongings on a trip from Nashville, TN to Seattle, WA. Here's some of the results from the stops along the way, including Yellowstone.

Underwater in Roatan

2010-09-09T21:29:00.000-07:00

Here's more from my scuba diving trip to Roatan, Honduras. This edition features the very first of my venture in underwater photography.

Essence: A Lifestyle...Commercial

2010-06-16T06:58:00.000-07:00

Essence-A Lifestyle Ad from Sara Stogner, starring her ridiculous brother, Derek Stogner in this Calvin Klein spoof.

He is bold. He is courageous. He is American. He is...Essence.

Snapshots from Roatan

2010-06-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

My latest portfolio

2010-04-28T09:28:00.001-07:00

SARA STOGNER | BOOK INFO

The Screenprinter

2010-04-16T09:50:00.001-07:00

This is a short video job profile I created for my photojournalism capstone course.

Job Profile: The Screenprinter from Sara Stogner on Vimeo.

POYi-Underwater

2010-03-01T09:07:00.000-08:00

I'm now two months into a SCUBA diving class and I've taken on a whole new level of appreciation of underwater photography. Before, that type of photography represented something other-worldly and unreachable in some ways (especially for someone who, three months ago, was still afraid of open water). Since learning how to SCUBA dive, I've also began researching underwater photography techniques and how shooting is sometimes completely different beneath the surface.

Because of this I took a lot of interest in the Bonaire Reef story in the Science/Natural History Picture Story. The story did not come in first place, but it is an interesting study of underwater lighting techniques. The most difficult aspect of underwater photography is that color drops off very quickly, with reds, yellow, and oranges being the first to go between 10-20 feet. Flash is what restore that's color at depth. However, as it is on ground, it is tricky to control. What I like about the Bonaire Reef story is that is uses a variety of lighting angles, camera setups and exposures. In some photos, the photographer balanced a light pop of flash with ambient light breaking the surface in the background. In the photo of the spotted cleaner fish, the photographer used a double strobe mount, angled on both sides of the subject to create interesting lines and shadows. Another photo features a fish against a black background (a seemingly easy, but very difficult effect to create underwater.) And what I like most about the collection of photos as a whole is the interesting play of textures, colors, angles and distances of the subjects. It is a well-rounded body of work and surprising it all comes from one location.

the latest from Film Club designs

2010-02-22T10:03:00.000-08:00

Soon to be turned into a screenprint

Capstone Assignment: Five Points of View

2010-02-21T08:34:00.001-08:00

I followed Jesse crew member Ryan Stevenson around for a day during a crew call. The goal of the assignment was to get five different points of view. I decided to emphasis the texture of the building (the ropes, seats, brick and architecture) while also focusing on the senior crew member.

Ryan Stevenson climbs the three-story ladder to the catwalks in Jesse Auditorium. Ryan is a senior crew member at Jesse and considered the do-it-all, fix-it man on staff.

Ryan works from the sound position, pre-setting a mix for an incoming concert.

A detail of Ryan mixing sound in the auditorium.

On the ropes, Ryan works the rail, raising and lowering hundreds of pounds of lights and soft goods.

Ryan takes a break in the auditorium after a five hour crew call.

Outtakes

The Jesse crew hangs a light plot for an incoming concert.

Ryan, an electrical engineering graduate, has worked at Jesse for five years. In that time, has become the chief sound technician on staff.

Capstone Reading: On Character, Plot and Dialogue

2010-02-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

As a photographer, one of the most worrying sentences to read from Lamott's chapter on plot was "I say don't worry about plot." We often train ourselves to develop photo ideas around plot. What's the story? What's the action? What's going to happen that we can see and photograph? These are inherent questions that come with the nature of photography. If we don't clearly see the plot before we set out on a photo story, we are likely to give up on it. Forget even trying to pitch a photo story to a newspaper without a clear plot. But Lamott encourages the writer to develop the characters, understand them and then allow the plot to unfold over time. And although this method is not always practical for a photographer, there is still something there to adapt from it. I think the key is to not expect a specific series of events to unfold from the beginning of the project and to take time to understand the nuances of a person rather than worrying about plot progression. By doing so, we can leave room for a new, better story to develop and surprise us.

Capstone Reading 1.29.10: The idea book

2010-01-29T09:15:00.000-08:00

A year ago I began keeping a journal of disjointed stories, character profiles, and memories all based on either personal experience, observation or second-hand accounts. The stories vary from my sister's experiences working in the freezer department at Wal-Mart to my neighbor's Vietnam war stories. Everything in it is inspired by real people and places that are in some way bizarre and intriguing. I flipped through it recently and it reads like a collection Diane Arbus photographs. This notebook came to mind when reading the introduction to Lamott's book, "Bird by Bird". In it she passes along her father's advice to have a heightened sense of awareness about the people around you. Initially, I began taking notes as a means for generating story ideas for photography and film. However, I realized that it has served a much greater purpose. By paying attention to details of a person's character, in events, how people relate or even tell their stories, it allows for a subtle, underlying understanding of human relationship and behavior. The podcast by Lenswork touches on this issue in their argument that experience is often the greatest asset to a photographer. It takes time to develop a style and a way of seeing the world. And I think that it is helpful as a photographer, to sometimes step away from the camera and just look at what's going on.

Back in the studio

2010-01-26T09:11:00.001-08:00

It's been a year since my last photo confessional. I shifted focus toward video last year for a change of pace and now I'm making my way back into the photograph.

Here's a frame from a studio session with local theater/film actor Michael Wilson. Just something to get myself started again.

From the last week in Europe

2009-01-18T06:04:00.000-08:00

Newgrange. A neolithic passage burial tomb outside of Dublin...it's also the oldest structure/building ever found. Take that Stonehenge.

Teeth. Replica of bones found in Newgrange.

At the tower. My mawd and I took a short trip over to Paris for two days.

The walls of our hotel room screamed at us all night long.

A new addition to the square outside the Louvre.

A big photo test

2009-01-08T21:29:00.001-08:00

Appears to be working just fine.

An odd old find

2009-01-07T20:21:00.001-08:00

I was in the midst of digital photo organizing when I came across this photo I took in the Ellis Island hospital wing. It's quite possibly the eeriest photo I've ever taken, partially due to the green tint caused from the odd light source hitting my tungsten balanced film. And the fact that it is in a hospital makes it feel like a still from a Stephen King film...creeeeepy.

Holiday Hoop-la

2009-01-01T07:42:00.000-08:00

Midnight Kiss. The scene down by Christ Church on New Year's Eve where they ring the bells at midnight.

March on Dame. After the bells rang, the mob pushed their way down Dame Street and into Temple Bar.

Christmas Feast. Frozen pepperoni and bacon pizza, salad, ham rollups, trifle and hot chocolate with Baileys.

Print Draw. I got nothin.

Manning the Desk. Darragh at work.

A Scroogy Christmas

2008-12-21T06:11:00.000-08:00

Eye wasn't feelin this city's love at all yesterday. I found out a good way to self-inflict pain on oneself is to visit Henry Street, the epicenter for shopping in Dublin, the last weekend before Christmas. That's where I found myself yesterday amidst throngs of pushy Dubliners buying up last minute gifts. It was absolutely nauseating. I mean, I literally got a migraine from it all.

The experience actually made me feel ok about not really having the Christmas experience this year. I in Dublin, my mom in Flint, my sister in Detroit, my grandmama in Florida and my brother in Tennesee, it's the first year in my life that there isn't going to be a Stogner Family christmas. It sounds very sad and all, but being among the mass chaos yesterday made me feel liberated from all the obligatory consumeristic give and take of the holidays. Instead of hoping relatives I don't even like appreciate my gifts, on Christmas day, I'll be calling just the ones I do like and appreciating them for just being them.

As I overheard a woman say yesterday in Temple Bar, "People just don't remember the real meaning of christmas." She ofcourse was holding 5 large shopping bags in each hand, but the point is still valid.

The Dance of The Little Green Man

2008-12-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

Watch Ben have a little too much fun on the grounds of Trim Castle.

In My Absence

2008-12-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

Here are the highlights from the past four chaotic weeks of life in Dublin...

Firstly, I began as an intern last September at the Gallery of Photography. Since then I have been working to put on a massive 30 years of Contemporary Photography exhibit which finally opened at the end of November.

Gallery.

The Staff. The lovely crew of the Gallery and others on opening night.

Rooftop Debriefing. The last of the post-opening, rooftop gathering of staff before the building begins on the roof extension.

Darragh.

Ben at Trim Castle.

Trim Castle on River Boyne. This was the castle just an hour outside of Dublin where they shot much of Braveheart.

Hot Chocolate is for Lovers.

There was something special in the hot chocolate at Trim.

It took no prisoners.

Man on River Boyne.

Kim really wanted to pet the sheep, but they were just too quick.

Ben on Raindrops.

Sara and Ben in Globe.

The Bus Ride Home.

A Swell Night with the Swell Season. We saw them, we met them, we held their Oscar.

Save the Children. Ben and I stumbled upon a massive march in the city center that we joined briefly because it was heading toward the store we were going to.

Thanksgiving week: Ben, Pat and Tracy made the jump over the pond to Ireland for their Thanksgiving Break. The following is just a sample of all the things we did that week.

Malahide Castle.

Ben and sun.

Beware of the risen people that have harried and held, Ye that have bullied and bribed. Scratched into the walls of Kilmainham Gaol by the prisoners.

Freedom's Home. The prison is most famous for its political prisoners it held: Eamon DeValera, the Pearse brothers, and most others who were part of the Irish independence movement.

Cell Window.

The prize at the end of the Jameson tour.

The trail to Howth.

Howth at Sunset.

Bird on Harbour Road.

Ancient burial ground on road to Cliffs of Moher.

Cliffs of Moher. Also the location of the Cliff of Insanity in The Princess Bride.

On the Edge.

Big Boy came along for a pint in Galway.

Blarney at Sunset.

Anybody Home?

2008-11-20T15:25:00.000-08:00

An observation from Clanbrassil Street.

Dublin Looks On

2008-11-16T11:31:00.001-08:00

So on election night in Dublin, I went to the Button Factory to watch the coverage of the presidential elections and listen to 3 panels of Irish, Americans, and Irish-Americans (some qualified, others less so) discuss the election. The man on the big screen, Harry Browne, is one of my lecturers at DIT and the reason the rest of the class and I got in free. For the most part, it was actually a very interesting debate to watch, although some of the questions and statements thrown out by the audience were less informed. But around 2:30 am, they kicked us out and I stayed up til 6 a.m. to watch Obama's historic acceptance speech. And yes, there were a few tears shed as I sat on the floor of my kitchen in Dublin, watching from a laptop.

Oh and if you're wondering how the Irish accepted the news of Obama, well, watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EADUQWKoVek

Rome at Last

2008-11-15T06:36:00.000-08:00

And here are the second missing half of my pictures from Paris and Rome...

Yes, another panorama (click to enlarge)

Colosseum. One of the must-go-see's in Rome. It was actually pretty neato. Rome is one of those few, well-preserved places in the world, where I could stand in the middle of the colosseum and feel like I was ancient Rome. It made me wish I payed more attention in world history class.

The underbelly. The original floor of the colosseum had pretty much deteoriated, exposing the underlying tunnels and networks where they usherd in gladiators, large animals, and ofcourse slaves, to fight for the masses.

Roman Forum. The ruins where senators and Caesar once did their business.

Tree on Ruins.

Where Caesar burned. This is the spot they cremated Caesar, although it is unknown where they buried his ashes (I tailed a tour group around the ruins without paying, heehee)

Big Boy at Colosseum.

Italian Oddities. The chair and knife holder I want for my future home.

Art Market. Near the Piazza Navona.

Man in funny suit. A guard to the Vatican Musuems, which were closed the weekend I was in Rome, so I missed out on the Sistine Chapel and all the artwork the catholics horded behind their walls.

City on a Hill. I wanted to get away from the congestion of rome for a while, so I took a day trip to Tivoli, a town built on the top of a hill in ancient rome. It served as a retreat spot for emperors and popes.

The Villa of Founatains. At the Villa D'Este in Tivoli, there are like 500 billion fountains. That is a guess, but everywhere you turned there was a fancy fountain. There were even fountains in the bathrooms.

Tree of Tivoli.

View from the Villa.

At the cheaper, quieter, and prettier villa, Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli, you can get this type of view. The park was huge and I didn't see anyone else there, it was very nice.

From the depths of the Villa. One of the oldest structures in Tivoli, dates further back than the ruins in Rome.

Through the peephole. The next day, back in Rome, I wandered around in search of the sunday market, and found this peephole to a garden.

At the market. Every Sunday at the Porta Portese, in the Southwest corner of the city, there is a gigantic flea market. I roamed around for over an hour and only saw about half of it. They sold everything from antiques, shoes, picture frames, and caged birds.

The Sweet Gold of Italy: Gelati. This one was my favorite, strawberry and dark chocolate. My mouth is watering just thinking about how tasty it was. Gelaterias are everywhere in Rome, but my favorite place was Blue Ice near the S. Maria in Trastevere. You can spot good gelati by the kind served from metal tubs (not plastic) and if the banana flavor is somewhat grey (which means they use real fruit instead of a mix).

Out to dry.

Compacts. These cars were everywhere in Rome. I really want one, because you can park it either straight or sideways in any type of spot, like above. I love it!

One last note on Rome. There are two things that rule the streets of Rome, mopeds and pocket-size dogs.

Paris, C'est vrai, Je t'aime

2008-11-05T11:04:00.000-08:00

If you've been craving a dose of my travel photography recently, than this should quell your appetite. Last week, I decided to do some globe trotting and spent 5 days in Paris and then 5 days in Rome. Here are half my findings from the city of love, Paris.

(Click to enlarge) Back by popular demand, I give you a panoramic of Paris, taken from the dome of the Pantheon.

Dogwalk.

Between the leaves. In the Place des Vosges, a very popular park for Parisians to picnic or canoodle.

Mass at the Notre Dame.

Open-air market near the Bastille.

Fresh fish.

Crematorium. At the Cemetiere Du Pere Lachaise, where many distinguished guests reside including Oscar Wilde, Marcel Proust, and the most popular being Jimi Hendrix.

Lipstick kisses. The grave marker of Oscar Wilde.

View from on high. Looking out from Sacre Coeur, the highest point in Paris.

Moulin Rouge. It's still going strong but mostly frequented by tourists. The real shock is the sticker price for a dinner and show, topping well over 100 euro.

Sexy Sex. The area around the Moulin Rouge.

Pyramid Persausions. Inside the pyramid of the Louve.

Gotcha Journalism.

The lady. Once the mobs made it through security, everyone pretty much sprinted to the Mona Lisa. I took my time winding my way up. She was impressive, but not my favorite thing at the Louve.

Jardin du Luxembourg.

Bird Lady.

All the colors of Autumn.

Bridge to the Seine.

Paris Fashion. I came across a fashion shoot just outside of the Louve. The whole spectacle was somewhat amusing to watch.

A Sunday Boating. Kids would push the toy boats out with a stick and they would curve back toward the edge, by magic or something.

On the Seine.

Glimpse of Tower. The line for the Eiffel Tower was atrocious the day I went. So instead I opted for a cheaper view of Paris from the Pantheon, featured in the panoramic.

Pendulum. This pendulum inside the Pantheon somehow proves the rotation of the earth, but I couldn't quite figure out how it works.

This ones for Mawd. The crypt of Victor Hugo.

Latin Quarter in Rain.

In the bosom of the metro we wait.

The Chataeu. I took a daytrip to the Palace of Versailles. It was well worth the 2 hour line and 13 euro admission.

The Great Hall.

When the rain comes. But then it started to rain as I wandered the grounds outside the Palace.

When the sun comes. And then 5 minutes later, it was beautiful again.

King of the Castle. Yup, I brought him along too. And mawd was worried about me traveling by myself.

Tunnels to the Catacombs. Back when Paris wasn't its clean, beautiful self it is today, the graveyards were overflowing with bodies. So they dug 'em up, and put 'em down in these underground tunnels, and often in interesting shapes and patterns.

Wall of bone. There were miles of tunnel lined with skulls and bones stacked to the ceiling. Strangely enough, many people have tried to steal some of the bones as souviners. I thought that was kinda gross, although I did touch one of the skulls.

Musee D'Orsay.

A bit o' Irish. Through my internship at the Gallery of Photography in Dublin, I was invited to a photo gallery opening in Paris of an Irish photographer that just happened to coincide with my trip...weird, huh? I met quite a few quirky, artsy fartsy Parisans there as we shared pints of Guinness.

History in the making

2008-10-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Finally! My absentee ballot came in the mail today. I decided to document my ballot not only because it is my first presidential race I am eligble to vote for, but also for it's obvious historical significance. I can tell my fictional grandkids one day that I voted for the first black presidential candidate on a US ballot and I didn't vote for that hack of VP candidate Sarah Palin who got her name on the ticket by sheer dumb luck.

So here's to all my European friends who wish they could vote in this election. I hope I have restored some of your faith in the American people.

And to John McCain and Sarah Palin, SUCK IT!

The Art of Craic: Aran Island Style

2008-10-21T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from a weekend at the Aran Islands on the west coast of Ireland. In short, it was majikal... and that's the special kind of magic. To explain the island simply, its an expanse of green, speckled with short stone walls under the bluest of skies. It is one of the few places in Ireland where the old world is almost entirely intact.

My first look at Inis Mor island from the ferry.

Sweater Market. This is one of the main sellers of the famous aran sweaters on the island. I was thinking about buying one until I saw the price tag: 99 euros (roughly 130 dollars), and that was on sale.

Horse.

Plane.

Catholic ruins. One of the many churches Cromwell burnt down during his invasion of Ireland. The Irish spit after saying his name, he's like their Hitler or Voldemort.

Mini House. On the trail up to Fort Aeungus, this little toy house was sitting in the middle of the path, which was in the middle of nowhere, very strange and a little creepy.

Cliff of Aeungus. This was the view from the fort. I couldn't get a wide enough angle to show the fort, but it sits right on the cliff edge. As you can tell by the person trying to look over the cliff, it's quite high up. The strong winds were enough to keep me from the edge.

Green on Rocks. I think Ireland has the best shades of green.

Tree tumor. I imageine that the other half of this tree was growing inside of the house.

Celtic land. The grave yard of the seven churches, where there are actually only two churches now. Cromwell also burnt those down.

By the sea. Our bus tour of the island, which I highly recommend, took us to the most western point in Ireland.

Hostel. The Kilronan Hostel, next door to Ti Joe Mac bar, was a hoot and a half. I recommend it to anyone staying on the islands. The staff was awesome and...

they made dinner Sunday night for me and a few other hostelers, in celebration of the hostel's anniversary. They also gave us free beer and wine, and there was plenty of music, dance, and "craic" (irish for fun).

two to tango. co-owner Marco showed us his dancin skills. He was actually quite good at the tango.

His attempt at the riverdance was not so successful.

Then the whole kitchen turned into a dance party.

Marco tries the turban look...he's a wacky dude.

After dinner we went next door to the pub, where the other owner David (left, another crazy fun guy) bought us a round of drinks. We sang some more songs (they even talked me into singing one) and laughed our asses off at David and Marco.

It was one of those great nights with the right music, the right place, the right laughs, and the right group of people. It's cheezy, but unforgettable nonetheless.

The next morning I set out for one last walk around the island with Amanda, my roommate at the hostel.

We set out to find the Black Fort, but got a little lost and found this great view of the Atlantic ocean instead.

The "typical" driveway. I wish my driveway has that kind of view some day.

The biggest park in Europe

2008-10-15T02:04:00.001-07:00

I thought it would be a good idea to wander around Phoenix Park on Sunday. It turns out that, the largest park in Europe, is not the easily navigated by foot. I spent about three hours there and saw about 1/10 of the park...maybe. I recommend renting a bike.

dogs on blue and green.

the pope's podium. this is what the Irish built for the pope when he visited in 1979 to give mass in front of a million people...I thought it was a little over the top personally.

the pope's view from the top.

the president lives here.

Wellington Run. The wellington monument.

run detail. Apparently the Wellington Monument also is a good playground for kids running on steep edges of slippery stone in the rain.

OKTOBERFEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-10-14T14:06:00.000-07:00

Ben and I kinda stumbled on Dublin's Oktoberfest two nights ago. We didn't stay long, so we will probably go back again later this week. Ironically enough, according to my German roommate, Linda, the real Oktoberfest is very overrated and commercialized. You have to buy a ticket for a giant tent and stay in that one tent the whole day without leaving.

Cooking the wiener schnitzel...actually this is just brautwurst.

Oh...and I decided to take Big Boy out on the town. I had been neglecting him recently on my shelf. Here he is on the River Liffey.

A Series of Markets

2008-10-11T05:03:00.001-07:00

This post comes from a totally unplanned series of markets I have been to in the past week. It just kind of happened that I went to these. But in comparison, it is interesting to compare the markets in context and how much they show a different side of Ireland.

Smithfield Horse Market

The first Sunday of every month, horse owners gather in the city centre to buy and sell horses. It was kind of a strange thing to see, especially when one of the horses broke free and ran down a major street with a mob chasing close behind.

horse power.

Some good ole Irish boys.

boys and horse. There have actually been some issues come up with this market and how the boys who tend the horses are actually mistreating them.

Blackrock Market

There was nothing spectacular about this market, which is about a 10 minute dart ride out of the city. There were a couple of good antique finds, but for the most part, all the cramped shops seemed overpriced for their somewhat common commodities.

But Ben got a nice photo shoot out of the deal.

Liberty Market

This market is mainly food and knock-off clothing that happens every weekend in the Southwest quarter of Dublin. I found out the market has been suffering from all the price wars caused by Lidl and Aldi, with a lot of Irish-owned stores closing. I met a couple of owners who were really nice and one gave me free apples.

meat prices.

flower lady.

Stogfest

2008-10-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

For those wanting to finally see some pictures of yours truly on my whirlwind adventure...your prayers have been answered. I hope you enjoy this stunning series.

"I wonder what that young couple could be up to over there...?"

Super Sneaky

Pondering deep thoughts.

Standing on a very dangerous cliff edge.

In the bosom of the Guinness Storehouse, I taste the black gold.

"Hey...what you lookin at kid?"

Classic walking away closing shot.

The Pride of Dublin

2008-10-04T16:49:00.000-07:00

It twas one month ago that I stepped on the shores of Dublin. But today, I finally stepped on the grounds of the Guinness Storehouse. Although it is the biggest tourist spot in Dublin, it is definitely something you would not want to miss. It's seven circling floors of Guinness advertising, bottles, machinery, and paraphernalia. But your hard work is rewarded at the top with a pint of Guinness in the 360 degree Gravity bar, offering the best view of the city.

Essence. You truly could not escape it.

99 bottles of beer on the wall.

Untitled. This was one of two walls where they projected the fizzy goodness of guinness. I liked that Ben and I were both taking the picture, which happens often.

water fall. As part of showing the brewing process, of which water is chiefly involved, the museum incorporated this fancy waterfall.

ben falls. Here Ben discover what water feels like.

king of the city. A model of Dublin and the Guinness factory grounds from the 80s.

session. Note the right hand grab.

notes from Flint. The center is the drawing I left on the wall for visitors.

ben. Ben tries out a new look.

gravity. The bartender was busy lining up pints of Guinness. The proper way to poor a Guinness is to fill it about 2/3 full and wait for it to settle and the foam to rise. This takes about a minute or two.

alive inside. My Guinness settles.

the perfect pint. Black body, thick white head you can take a bite out of...mmmmm

reward.

view from gravity bar.

Ben and I also went out the night previous to document a little of Dublin at night.

splash. The river Liffey running through the heart of Dublin.

25 euro bet. In temple bar, the man in the hat had set up a bet to see if anyone could ride about 50 feet on this bike and win 25 euros. I couldn't figure out what they did to the man before hand, but he could barely ride two feet without falling over. My guess is he either had to spin around a few times or take a shot of absinthe.

ben on Liffey.

ha'penny bridge.

Sweets and Treats

2008-09-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

Friday was my roommate's, Linda, birthday! She is also an exchange student from Germany, so I didn't think she was expecting any sort of celebration being away from home. But my other flatmate Kim surprised her by filling the apartment with balloons before she woke up and bought a scrumptious chocolate cake. I supplied the ice cream.

Later we went out for some drinks and had to force Linda to accept the drinks we bought for her. Apparently in Germany, the tradition is to buy everyone else drinks on your birthday. (I think the Germans may have something there.) But after some coercing we got her to accept a drink or two.
This has nothing to do with Linda's birthday. But I thought you might enjoy Ben in some traditional Irish garb. These are all the rage in Dublin right now...

Beware the Handshake

2008-09-23T16:24:00.000-07:00

So I've finally made it into some of the pub scenes in Dublin and once you find the right place, it is really great. Tonight we went to O'Donohue's on Merrion Row, where they played some decent trad music. It's exactly the kind of place you think of when you think of Dublin pubs, oak walls decorated with photos of great Irish musicians, worn wooden stools, and pints of Guinness abound.
If I can give one word to the wise, it is for girls to be weary of the gabby old man that reaches to grab your hand. Sure the old timer may look cute and all, but once he's got your hand, its hard to let go. The spectacle I witnessed tonight involved one Irish fart trying out a new classy pick-up line after a woman said she was thirsty. "What are you a horse? Are yee eh? A Horse!?" He then proceeded to get down on all fours and imitate said animal...sexy.

The mystical effects of the Guinness are truly fun to watch.

Click To Enlarge

2008-09-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I mentioned how it was difficult to really show how good of a view we had at the top of the cliff. Well here's a panorama that I stitched together to give you an idea. Its pretty pixely because of all the compression I had to do it. But it should get the point across.

**Disclaimer: view does not come with model

A Taste of Sea

2008-09-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

After two weeks of Dublin city life, I was itching to see some nature and water. I am on a island after all. Ben and I took a daytrip to Howth, a suburb of Dublin that juts out on a Peninsula. It was pretty touristy considering it was somewhat of a yuppie town, that was a quick get-a-way from the city. But overall, it was worth it considering the 2 euro train ticket, the scrumptious fish and chip lunch, and ofcourse, the view.

Walking break. Half way up the hiking trail leading up a cliff, we took a short break here. You can't tell from this picture, but my feet are screaming from all the walking I've been doing in the past two weeks.

Cliff. Now there are those scary cliffs you know and love from Ireland.

Pastel. We meandered into town a little too and found this cute couple. I hope I can coordinate my cardigans that well some day.

Fresh. I normally don't enjoy seafood, but for some reason, whenever I'm in a port town, I crave it. I didn't eat here, but this town had some fine fish and chips. I think I'm beginning to prefer vinegar over ketchup for my chips too.

A fine product.

House of Light.

Two.

Ben & Cones. We picked up some ice cream from Maud's. I recommed it if you ever go to Howth, and get the Pooh Bear Delight...it is indeed delightful.

Feeding. At noon and at 3 p.m. in Howth, the seals gather at the docks to catch fish that a local fish shop throws out to them. This guy showed up an hour early for some grub.

Cliff of Men.

The Cheap Seat...sometimes is the best view. This was the reward for hiking up rocky trails, getting poked by thorny bushes, and immersing your shoes into sticky mud (it looked like solid ground to me) This photo is really just a sliver of what you can see from the cliff, it really was worth it.

Ben Victorious. We were very proud of our endurance.

C-C-C-C-C-Culture Vulture

2008-09-19T17:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight was Culture Night in Dublin, where the city's culture committee decided to pack as many awesome events into one night than is humanly possible to see in one week. They held workshops for dance and acting, museums and churches opened their usually pricey doors for free, and buskers were in full form. It was a very cool night and here are some of the highlights.

Swarm. The main drag in Temple Bar was more than difficult to maneuver through as people clustered to watch the buskers at the best.

Alter. This is the main hall of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Many of the exhibits and artifacts I think I might have appreciated more had I been Catholic, or even Christian for that matter. But it was still a very impressive historic building to be admired in its own right.

Meditation. A man sits in the pews of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Those were some nice, coozy straitbacks.

Prayer Table. St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Kim & Ben. Kim ready, Ben not so much.

Hip-Hop & Rock...and the roll. Hands down, the worst band I have ever seen. They screamed, they jumped around, they put bad lyrics to even worse music. And they did it all in stupid costumes.

Once Again. To wind up the Culture Night, there was an outdoor showing of Once, projected onto the front of the Gallery of Photography (where I am also interning this semester). This movie is quickly becoming the theme movie of my trip (we watched it at my going away party, it showed tonight, and I am going to see the Swell Season in Dublin in the winter!)

I hope you enjoyed a taste of Dublin Culture. Tomorrow, I head to the coast and the small suburb of Howth (apparently rhymes with "both").

Dear Old Dirty Dublin

2008-09-18T03:26:00.000-07:00

I have arrived. After a year of scheming and chasing illusive dreams, I am finally in the heart of Ireland. I have been here just over a week now and felt it was finally time to start taking some photos. So Ben and I set out for the city center yesterday for a hunt.

The River. The Liffey acts as a dividing line between north and south Dublin. I live on the south side, which is now considered the more cultural and developed half of the city.

Canoodle. This is a pretty common sight in Stephen's Green park, which I think will make a nice place to go between classes in the future.

Boy Meets Girl. The catholic school girl is alive and well in Dublin.

Ben. He takes his work seriously, hence the glasses.

House of Ivy. Ben made an astute observation that this was a house made of Ivy with some bricks growing on it.

Running Girl. This is the better half of St. Patrick's Cathedral since the usually magnificient tower of the catherdral is under construction.

More photos to come, hopefully at least one a day. Tomorow, there is a city-wide Culture Night, which is sure to make for good photo hunting grounds. And on Saturday I'll be taking a daytrip to the coast, so there should be some good visual products from that as well. Class also starts Monday and then I'll finally be into a normal schedule again...somewhat.

Women on Parade

2008-09-04T05:09:00.000-07:00

Thank god for Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. For a hot second, I was worried that this election was going to be just another sausage fest. Now all us women, especially former Clinton supporters like myself, can look forward to the future with hope: there may be a vagina in the White House after all!

The only thing more absurd than that statement is John McCain thinking he can actually swing voters with the same mentality. According to McCain's logic, I liked Clinton, I must like Palin...both women, it makes sense. That is if you disregard the fact that the two women are as similar in political persausions as MSNBC is to FOX News.

Looking at Palin's position on social issues like welfare, health care, and abortion (a topic which is really overrated in presidential elections), she is as conservative as they come, a model politician stamped out by the conservative right. Also the fact that she is evangelical christian with a downsyndrome baby didn't hurt her case at all for winning over the base who were weary about McCain. As for her position on the war in Iraq and international relations, well I can't say I would find them very credible even if they were known by the public. A woman who has served less than 2 years as govenor of a loosely populated state and mayor of a small town before that can hardly argue she has international experience. But then again, according to FOX news and Cindy McCain, Alaska is our closest state to Russia... (I honestly don't know if the republicans have ever made a dumber argument.)

But it hasn't been without effort by the McCain campaign to paint Palin as "reformer," making her more appealing to independents and Clinton liberals. She said in her first national address as the VP pick, that she made a name for herself by standing up to earmark spending and corruption in the Alaskan republican party, specifically opposing the Bridge to Nowhere. Ironic that the same woman as mayor lobbyed Congress for earmark funds for her town and intially supported the bridge before using it as a tool for election. And people thought John Kerry was a "flip-flopper."

Before this all happened, before I woke up one day and thought I was in an alternate universe, I really had respect for John McCain. The Maverick of the republican party, who now prefers the less offensive "reformer" title, has really dropped the ball. Once pushing that he had something different to offer at the end of the Bush era, he now gladly accepts the strings tied to his legs and arms by the same old players of the conservative right. If he were really the maverick he pumped himself up to be in primaries, he would have gone with his first VP choice, Joe Lieberman. That would have been ballsy and atleast shown some class. Now the rest of the party and it's media analysts are working full time to spin Palin as a qualified candidate to be on-deck for a man who had 4 bouts of cancer and is two heart beats from the grave.

So thank you John McCain. You were my last hope for decency in the Republican Party. Thank you for squandering it so ungracefully.

And as for Mrs. Palin and her attempt to liken herself to Mrs. Clinton, well she is no Hilary Clinton and she certianly doesn't deserve to break through that cracked glass ceiling. Her sudden sprint up the political ladder is by no doing of her own, but rather by pure dumb luck amidst shallow pandering by the republican party.

Nice try McCain, but Obama's getting my vote.

Big Boy goes to Nashville

2008-09-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

I've always kinda wanted to find one of those small gnomes to take cliche pictures of it during my traveling. But I was at a Big Boy's in the upper peninsula of Michigan, and they were selling these little guys, which I find much more hilarious to use instead. This weekend I am in Nashville, TN visiting my brother. I thought the first traveling Big Boy picture should be in front of the Parthenon replication as a nice setup for my trip to Europe. Next week I'll be heading to Ireland to begin my semester-long visit. So check in from time-to-time to see where this icon of American gluttony heads next in big EU.

I will also be stealing Colleen's blog idea of an Ireland photo of the day sorta thing and I will try to post at least one daily photo of my trip. Hope you enjoy what is sure to be oddest travel photo blog in town.

--Also, I'm looking for names other than Big Boy for my new travel buddy. Any suggestions?

Lunch break

2008-08-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

I saw the Subway Subman on a corner today. I had strange urge to yell, "Very nice, 'ow much?"

Pump Number 3

2008-05-22T22:44:00.000-07:00

"Pump Number 3, that is a pre-pay only, please swipe your card or pay inside. Thank you number 3." The voice, carrying a slight southern draw, boomed from the tops of the 1980's style gas shelter. The gas pump burned my fingers, scorched from the midday heat, as I retrieved it from my tank.
Inside the cramped, square station, I found the source of the god-like voice, the queen of the pumps. At first all I saw was a frizzy ponytail, held atop a head with a pink scrunchy. It bobbed across the counter of Snickers and Double Bubble gum, its wire of bleached hair at home amongst the array of pick-me-up treats. With the door bell announcing my presence, a finger popped up from behind the cash register. I moved closer to see the person attached to the ponytail and finger. She finished counting out the twenties before looking up at me. One gray eye stared at me through oversized bifocals as the other wandered off to the back aisle.
"I'll take 20 on pump 3 please." I reached in my pockets and pulled out a 10 and two 5's. I remembered the empty carton of milk and moldy bread in my fridge. "Actually make that 10, sorry."
"Sure thang, number 3," the pump queen said, her snaggle tooth jutting out from her top lip.
I returned to the my car, mindlessly twisting off the gas cap, picking up the pump, flipping up the lever, pressing "unleaded" and watching the dollars fly away faster than the gallons of gas were flowing in.
A minute later, the pump came to an abrupt halt. I shook it to get the loose drops and returned it to its home. "Thank you pump 3, have a good day," the voice reigning again from the loud speaker.
I drove off with a peculiar sense of identity as Pump Number 3 and the odd feeling that George Orwell was more right than ever.

The full line of Stogner crafts

2008-05-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

So here some of the other random things I've made for myself and gifts for other people. Most have been made with a very Holly Hobby-esque method that predates my schooling in screen printing, usually involving freezer paper and an iron. Now that I've learned the magical ways of the screen there is no going back because all of the t-shirts could be made with higher quality. It was still a fun way to start out.

This was the first concert poster I ever made. It was for another Tipper Gore's show about a year. This one I didn't screen print, I just designed using Illustrator and then had printed off on 81/2 x 11.
This was my first ever screen print. I decided to do something simple to keep it easy and clean. What's fun abut screen printing is that you can make a screen using anything. All you need is something solid black to block the light. So this I drew out by hand on a transparency. I think for my next screen I might try something abstract and use random objects like scissors or the Chinese take-out bags.
And then I played around with the color combos. I've obviously come a ways since then in comparison to my latest project.

The T-shirt Line

The first attempt at this shirt said "Tipper Whore" made on a bet by David. But since it was my first shirt I ever made, it didn't turn out so hot.

This is probably one of my favorites.

Yes, I am aware of the spelling mistake thank you.

Made this tote from scratch and then screen printed the design. Screen printing is great if you really want to get small details sharp.
This was not screen printed obviously. I kinda always wanted to make one of those cliche duct tape wallets, but with a twist. So I cut up my favorite book from childhood and used laminate paper to adhere it to the duct tape. It's hard to pull out money for anything without someone commenting on it.

So yeah, this is what I do when I should be spending my time...I don't know...investing in the stock market or something. However, my friend Dalena once asked her psychic, who she sees regularly, about me. He said that I should keep pursuing these random side "interests" because it is what will make me successful. So who knows? At least I have the support of Psychic Steve in these endeavors.

How To: change the skin color of your hands...a screen print in pictures

2008-05-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

For those interested in how I screen print all my cool stuff (posters, t-shirts, and of course underwear), here are some step by step visuals of my latest project. The Tipper Gores, one of my fav local bands headed by rock master David Korasick, has an upcoming show (May 16 @ Blue Fugue...check it out) and so here is a show poster for them from the sweet conception to bloody birth.

First I started with some sketches of what the band might like. David made a few special requests: flying car, giant squid, birds on telephone wires, abominable snowman, and hidden phallic symbols. I tried to meet some of those demands.

And the winner is...
Bird on Telephone Wire...with Pipe

Next step is to take that design and recreate it as an illustrator file. This is kind of the main template I'm working with, but you don't actually ever use this file directly. It's more of a guide.

What you do use it for is to make separate stencils out of each color you use. When you screen print you only do one color at a time. I'll explain why these are black later.

For the blue background

For blackFor brown (actually used yellow) and red

Ok so next, you print off those stencils onto transparencies. After that, you are ready to go to make some screens! sexy!
The first step in making a screen is coating the screen in photo-sensitive emulsion (below). Usually you need to let these dry overnight, but with a fan on them, you can do it in about 20-30 minutes. Also, it's best to keep these in the dark while drying because they are light sensitive.

Now comes the magic part. Using a light table, I put the stencil face up with the screen on top of it. Then you pile on a bunch of posters to block light and jugs and stuff to add weight and flatten the screen. It depends on the light table, but with this one you keep the lights on for 1 min, 10 seconds. What happens is that the light hardens the emulsion, but where the stencil blocks the light, the emulsion can later be washed away.

So I jumped ahead a little bit...This is the screen for the yellow part of the bird (which is taped over) and it's red jacket. I put them on the same screen to save time/space/emulsion. You have to tape off all the edges so that paint won't leak through to the paper.

Now it's sexy time! Pick the color you want and pour a line of paint at one end of the screen. Before doing any prints, you flood the screen with the squeegee, which means you run the paint a couple times over the screen. It's also a good idea to do a couple test prints on scrap paper. The first two or three will be poopy.
The technique to screen printing is pretty simple. You're just using the squeegee to push paint through the design in the screen onto whatever you want to print on. Always pull the paint toward you, lift up and then flood the screen back again.

This is the completed phase one of four colors.

Next I added the red and yellow details (one at at time of course)I kind of took over the craft studio with this endeavor.

Then I added the black details last, since this color overlapped on top of every thing else.

And this is my baby. The product of about two weeks of work.

I think in total I made around 20, so be looking for them up around campus and downtown.

With many of these, as you maybe can tell, they have their own unique flaws, not one is perfectly how I wanted. That is mainly due to the fact that there are many small details and a four color poster is ambitious for even the expert printer. I've been wanting to do this for a long time and I'm glad I finally got the chance before the craft studio closes for the summer. I can now successfully add screen printer on my ever growing, eclectic resume. It'll sit nicely next to extreme kayaker and duct tape wallet constructionist.

Pulling a gold nugget from a litter box

2008-05-06T17:18:00.000-07:00

So I stopped into this vintage store downtown..It's not the one you are thinking of. It's the one you've passed every time you walked to The Blue Note and hadn't realized it was there. I honestly don't remember the name of it. There is simply a door, makred by a cardboard sign, and gold, sparkly stairs leading up into what looks like your doom. But it's worth it to suck it up, and climb up the squeakiest steps you have ever heard. Today I did, and not only was I greeted with the faintest smell of cat piss, but also an array of really cool vintage clothing and antiques. Although many of the items are unpriced, simply ask the crazy, bearded owner how much, he's pretty straight forward. You'll probably see him huddled in the back under a mountain of army uniforms sewing on buttons.

Although the 1930 Polaroid cameras caught my eye on a dusty bookshelf, the were unfortunately not for sell. See I have actually started my own mini-collection of antique cameras. Half of which you can no longer find film for. What I did find in the store was a nice collection of antique typewriters. I've sort of had this itch to buy one the past 2 years but never found one that I wanted or that was in working order. At first I asked the old man about the two on display. But after further questioning, he showed me one he had in the back. After a what sounded like an earthquake, he re-emerged with the most beautiful typewriter I have ever seen...and guess what? It works! Below is a pic taken from my cell that doesn't really do it justice. I was also pleased to know that I can still buy the ribbon cartridges at any office supply store. Score!

Oh so I left out the price...the other inferior typewriters were $35. For this one I paid $45. Maybe a little steep? Quite possibly, but I plan on keeping this baby for a good while.

Someone call the awkward police...it just got real hot in here

2008-05-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

"So the Walkmen show was really great."
"Oh did you see them open for Spoon a while ago?"
"Oh, no... I saw them in town at The Blue Note last Saturday."
"What the hell was I doing?"
"...I think watching Scrubs reruns..."

The Walkmen headlined for Springfest last Saturday, an event put on in conjunction with a local radio station and the college music committee. It was hands down the oddest show I had ever been to in Columbia. The band actually played a great show, it was free with a student ID, and they even hung out afterwards on some red couches outside and signed my Polaroids... So what was so odd about the show? Well, hardly anyone was there!

Now, in case you haven't heard about The Walkmen, they are a mid-tier indie rock band who are pretty respectable in their own right. The fact that they were here in Columbia, Missouri was kind of a big deal considering they flew from NYC to St. Louis and then drove another 2 hours to Columbia, just for this show. When I first heard about the show a few weeks ago, I really thought I would have to arrive early and suffer through some horrible local bands just to ensure a spot in the audience. But when I got there a few hours before The Walkmen were to play, I was shocked to see only a dozen people in attendance. I began to think "Maybe this is a different Walkmen...like some bad techno band hunched over a macbook and keyboard." So I killed time by cruising the new bookstore downtown and finally buying a Vonnegut novel. That's when I spotted lead man Hamilton Leithauser in the record shop next door. So ok, this is at least the right band playing. I headed back to the blue note soon after and still, there was hardly anyone there.

By the time the band took the stage, the crowd began to swell to a whopping 5o people or less. I just felt embarrassed, like collectively as a town we had really disappointed this band. Nonetheless, I was glad that they were here, but still puzzled about the turnout.

I think there are some lessons in publicity to be learned from this concert. For one, the powers that be at the radio station and the music committee decided to hold Springfest during the very awkward hours of 2-8 p.m. Now the crowd that usually attends these types of shows were probably still sleeping off their hangovers at 2. Secondly, hardly anyone knew about it. There were small flyers placed sparingly around campus. But even those did a poor job of announcing The Walkmen, whose name was found in small print at the bottom of the flyer. And thirdly, the emcees for the event came out abruptly after The Walkmen finished to thank the other bands and talk up their organizations...thus ruining a chance for an encore. All three of these reasons are part of why I loathe such sponsored events (despite it being free of course).

I just hope The Walkmen can find it in their hearts to one day forgive us and come back...when more people know about it.

New from Stogner Studios

2008-05-01T22:51:00.000-07:00

Warning: in the event of career meltdown as photojournalist, use fashion photography as plausible alternative...or maybe senior photography (oooo!)

Coming Back For More

2008-04-27T02:30:00.000-07:00

I'm finally back in the studio! It's been a few months since I've made time for the trek to Lee Hill's basement for a studio shoot. Studio work is quickly becoming one of my favorite fields of photography and I'm happy to say I'm back. (Although I'm not very happy by the condition of the lighting equipment, which is used by all photoj students, since the last time I was there. Of the casualties: 2 out of the 4 strobe heads dead, a light meter MIA, backdrops dirtied and torn, ladder gone, boom broken, and only two sandbags remaining...seriously people, why take the sandbags?)

Keep an eye out for the finished product of a fashion shoot held today. I'm hoping to squeeze in the editing amidst a flurry of finals studying, paper writing, class photo assignments, and prepping for a trip to Dublin. But it was definitely a breath of fresh air to be back.

So here's a little taste to see if you want to come back for seconds...

The New Face of Journalism: Where is Tibet again?

2008-04-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

Someone please pinch me...reality is more unbelievable than my dreams sometimes.

It may surprise you to know that the majority of students at the prestigious Missouri School of Journalism (the place that invented the news, of course) no longer read the newspaper. In my news writing class, we actually have short "news quizzes" to gauge whether or not we are reading the paper everyday. Before this class, I already read the New York Times, The Missourian, and a great website called Marumushi on a daily basis. (some other cool websites are Mediastorm and Chicago Tribune's multimedia section)So I thought little of these quizzes. But in recent class discussion, most of my peers were just downright frustrated with how ridiculous they felt the quizzes were. Not because they are challenging or anything, but because they felt forced to READ and to take 10 minutes out of their day to glance over the front section of the NYT. Oh the horrors, the horrors!

Now just take a second to imagine a word in which musicians did not listen to other musicians, doctors did not study other doctors, and air plane pilots felt confident "just wingin it." I just don't understand this mindset. This is our chosen career. It's one thing to not study the work of current journalists who we all aspire to be like. And it's another to not be in touch with the very events you plan on reporting about. Very few of my peers, before this class, knew about the civil rights conflict in Tibet, the genocide in Darfur, or who the mayor of Columbia, Mo is.

Not only is this disturbing in the sense of the future of journalism, but it's frightening in the larger sense of my generation. None of us read anymore! The last novel someone my age read was a required reading for a class that they skimmed over and then abruptly turned to cliff notes. To me, I can be more entertained by a great novel or story than by many movies. (By the way, currently reading Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions"...pure gold) But it does more than that. Reading expands vocabulary, gives you greater insight into the world, and, really, just makes you more intelligent, I think. This drought in reading is showing its effects in our writing as well. I cringe every time I see "peer revision" show up on a syllabus. Not that I'm the next Hunter S. Thompson or anything, but Jesus, lighting yourself on fire is easier for most people than writing a coherent paragraph. Punctuation is randomly splashed on the page like a Jackson Pollock painting, sentences come in no specific order, and I'm usually napping by the second line. I'm just glad I didn't decide to be a copy editor. They have my pity with the next wave of reporters throwing crippled stories in their direction.

Thank God for The Hippies

2008-04-22T17:17:00.000-07:00

There is nothing I love more about this town then when the free-spirited souls come out from their smoke-filled dwellings to dance (often poorly), sing (sometimes even worse) and generally enjoy the company of other non-deodorant wearing hippies salvaged from the 60s. Sunday was Earth Day here in Columbia and although I don't completely associate myself with this crowd entirely, I hold many of their same perspectives and values. Sometimes it is just nice to be reminded that there are people around here that don't give two shits about social pressures and are still willing to give the bird to "the man" once in a while. This refresher is even more important when I consider how many classes and meetings I'm in everyday, surrounded by cookie cutter sorority girls that still interject "like" between every other word as if that hadn't gotten old in the 90s. Or who are just "like way toooooo busy to even study for this ridiculous exam. Like I totally had a hair appointment yesterday!" (true story.)

There were also some really cool tables set up during the event. I stopped and talked to some new girls opening up Mustard+Seed downtown. It will be a not-for-profit store featuring all fair trade items. A lot of the artisans that they are buying from are also people they have met personally in Africa. It opens up in October, so check it out and support it. I'm actually working on a multimedia story right now about Fair Trade practices in Columbia . And although there have been some noble attempts by places like The Artisan and Peace Nook, Fair Trade has yet to really catch on in a big way. I think the main problem is the higher prices. And I wonder how long Fair Trade will last in our highly consumerist culture with companies like the Wal-Mart empire offering up their everyday low prices at the cost of low-paid factory workers in China. Heaven knows our fat asses aren't going to pay the 50 cents extra for our espresso. We gots gas to put in our SUVs afterall! Who knows, maybe I'm just being pessimistic. I hope so at least.

Also on my agenda last weekend was the Okkervil River & New Pornographer's show at The Pageant in St. Louis. Candace and I made a quick tour of record shops for National Record Store Day (I picked up Wilco's Sky Blue Sky and shamefully a Grand Funk Railroad's greatest hits...it was real cheap and they were from my high school, what can I say?) Then on to the show. Okkervil started off with a strong set, playing many of my favorites. I thought they were energetic, although I tended to agree with my friends (and some other bloggers I follow: Playing Catch with Zombies and living in misery) that lead man Will Sheff was a tad too awkward on stage. It kind of looked like he just found out he had limbs and was struggling to figure out how to use them. New Pornographers took the stage to play what I thought was a rather anti-climatic set in comparison to Okkervil. Their set list was great, but everyone except A.C. Newman and Kathryn Calder seemed to be in some sort of paralytic trance.

I think another reason the show lacked some energy is in the venue itself. The Pageant is set up so that people standing in the pit area are nose level with the stage, where performers are a good 30 feet or more away from the edge. It just seems tough for band and the audience to do more than (what I call) the white-person head bob or side step. To me, a live show is all about the energy of the musicians meeting the crowd. That's why I love shows at The Blue Note or Mojo's in Columbia. You're up-close and face to face with the voices you've grown familiar with after years of listening to them in private. You get bumped around in a tangle of sweaty bodies, beer spills on your shoes, and you start losing your hearing from being two inches from the speakers, but it's all worth it. On a record or cd, music tends to be a one-way connection. I'm not a musician or anything, but it seems the live shows would make all of the work of writing, recording, publicizing, etc. worth the effort.

A Little Somethin Somethin

2008-04-21T18:50:00.000-07:00

The faces we wear

2008-04-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

My latest art photo assignment was to find inspiration in the work of another photographer. I have always admired David Levinthal's work and saw similarities of my own style in his. He's most famous for his work with antique toys. He creates these invented world where toys become real. Often evoking a movie quality to his work, Levinthal usually places toys in precarious or unsettling situations, creating a gap between the innocence associated with the toy and the dark environment it finds itself in. What I like most about his work is his statement on how we socialize our youth. We give boys little soldiers or cowboys. We tell them to be fighters, to be tough, and to embrace violence. To girls, we give doll houses, and bratz dolls, and anything that comes in pink. We tell them to be cute, to be reserved, and to be domesticated.

For my specific assignment, I pulled more from Levinthal's association of innocence with the eerie and dark. Strolling through the toy section for the first time in years, I looked for something I could use to represent modern childhood. When the big nose, busy eyebrows, and Hitler mustache caught me eye, I knew that this classic mask was the ticket.

I wanted to create a sense of uneasiness. This picture is, to me, humorous and creepy at the same time.

I also played around with some dead pan style.

The masks we wear for other people..

This one is by far my favorite in this series. The composition of the windows creates cells that isolate the main character from everyone else.

The whole premise of this assignment bothered me somewhat. I think most of my classmates perceived it as a copy job. One girl literally tried to recreate this photo (and it was a horrible attempt, I assure you): The point of taking photography classes should be to find your own perspective, learn from the greats, and not try and recreate them. Because you will undoubtedly fail. I don't see a problem, however, in taking cues from other photographers. Even those that people consider "original," have been influenced by their predecessors in some way. I think this project leaned toward the latter in giving a nod to Levinthal's work and finding some new dimension in my own.

Daily Entrees

2008-04-16T08:39:00.000-07:00

When you start off the morning reassuring yourself that you WILL have a good day...and then immediately after you realize there's a sharp pebble you're kicking around in your shoe on your 30 minute walk to class...you know you're fucked.

It's kind of funny, however, that in these days, really shitty and really fantastic things happen simultaneously. It's like going through these marathons of absolute boredom. Nothing changes. People are habitually unsurprising. The food is churned out on a turntable. And then one day... bright, juicy, red strawberries land on your plate next to a pile of feces. Now tell me, which one is worse. The same ole, same ole? Or the fruity feces platter?

I'll take the fruit any day.

Pickpocketing My Heart- NYC in photos

2008-04-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

One thing I think I've begun to develop in my photography, is the ability to document a feeling of being in a certain place, at a certain time. My first trip to New York City was over Spring Break. I traveled with 12 other college students on a service project to work in elementary schools in the Bronx/Queens, spend time at a Boys & Girls Club in Brooklyn, and serve up hot meals in an AIDS soup kitchen on Staten Island. On this trip, I made a point of trying out compositions that I wouldn't normally think to envision. I made use of the old rules in some and intentionally broke them in others. I was also shooting all film on this trip with my old Pentax ME Super SLR. I love shooting digital, but I found a freedom in shooting film for this length of time. Instead of "chimping" (what professor Rees refers to as the habitual viewing of photos on digital LCD screens), I kept myself in that moment, whether it be a shop closing in Chinatown or girl playing ping pong at the boys and girls club. Over the past year of photoj classes at MU, I preoccupied myself with learning the basic techniques to survive as a photographer. What I hadn't forced myself to do yet, was find my own perspective. On this trip, I began to do that.

Our home for the week. We stayed at this old convent in the Bronx for free since the people who run it provide free board for those on service or non-for-profit visits to New York. The place had a lot of character and I really enjoyed the stay.
A room in the convent. This is probably one of my favorite pictures I took on the trip. The colors work together naturally and I just enjoy the simplicity of the composition.

This is actually not in the convent. This photo was taken before we arrived in New York. We stopped somewhere half way between Missouri and New York in this church to spend the night and take a break from driving. The light coming through the windows was very beautiful. So this was the last photo I snapped that night before passing out in my sleeping bag on the floor.

The first cat I had ever seen in a store. I found this place when we were lost in Brooklyn and I stopped in to buy an apple. I think the cat may have been the manager.

Girl in Boys and Girls Club. She was one of three photographers in training I took under my belt that day. They were fascinated by my old camera. So I taught them how to use the manual controls and they ran around taking photos of their friends. I really hope one of them becomes a photographer one day. I think it would give my life some meaning.

A little fun with soft focus on the escalator in Toys R' Us in Manhattan. I've been a little obsessed with the work of Uta Barth recently.

Because every photographer must eventually photograph their own feet. Get it out of my system now.

I took a picture of this thing because I had to. It felt like photographing the columns on campus...evvvvvveryone does it. But I waited to take it. We were on the Staten Island Ferry and I knew we would pass it again on the way back if I didn't get what I wanted. But as I was about to find refuge inside the ferry from the freezing wind, a flock of birds flew up from the island. I just snapped one frame and I knew that was all I needed.

The subways are the playground of curious minds. From the crowded morning rush to the midday lag, every person made for an interesting character study. People fought, kissed, slept, read, sang, and danced on these bullet rides. I could probably do a whole series on subway transit if I lived in a city that had them. Here are just some of the people on the trip with me. It felt inappropriate to take pictures of strangers at that time.

This spot was about a block from our convent. We passed it multiple times each day. Each time, my eyes were drawn right to them. The iconography speaks for the location better than anything I think.

Closing time in Chinatown. I would have liked to sit down with one of these families that own a little shoe box shop on Canal Street in Chinatown. I want to know the story behind the pushy broken English, that spends all day haggling with rich Americans for one dollar more. What reality is worse: the economic conditions of their home or the nauseating circus of touristville?

Escaping the Midwest

2008-04-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what I expected when I climbed into the back row of a cramped 12 passenger van and headed for the Mecca of modern civilization. I was picked up last minute to join a trip to New York City to spend a week volunteering with other students from MU. New York was on my mind often in the past year, but I never formed a concrete plan of paying for a trip on my own. The city had become this elusive power in my head that I was constantly chasing. It felt like hearing a roaring doorbell inside a door-less house. Suddenly, and without much planning, I found myself on the curb outside of that mid-western homestead, watching it sink behind highway billboards and a continuous drag of pavement. The grasslands became trees. The trees became mountains. And the mountains became the skyline of New York City.
Part of the reason the trip was affordable (roughly $200) was because of our lodging for the week: an old convent in the Bronx. Nothing could have topped the experience of this place. We slept on fold out mattresses on the floor. The showers backed up in minutes, leaving you standing knee-deep in dirty water. And I'm fairly confident the place was still haunted by old nuns. This wasn't one of those "middle class whities enjoying cultural experience" type of thing either. For me, it was a taste of living that I can see myself in after college. OK, so maybe I wont be living in a convent, but as an aspiring war and conflict photographer, I don't expect to be staying in the Hilton on assignments. And there is just a fulfilling quality about leaving behind the junk and living with the bare essentials. (I've amazed myself at how I've simultaneously become a pack rat and minimalist).
During the course of the week, we had time to hit up all of the stock touristy things to do in NYC (Broadway, Times Square, Ellis Island, Chinatown, Central Park, etc.) However, I found the time spent outside of Manhattan in the other burrows most rewarding. We had three different projects throughout the week. The first was spending time in the afternoons with the Boys and Girls Club in Brooklyn. When we arrived, there was really no introduction for us or the kids so it was sort of awkward. We were literally just thrown into the mix of kids running around the basketball court, silently playing board games, or bouncing ping pong balls of the walls. It was funny how with every kid I approached had the same look of apprehension. I was getting sized up from head to toe. But the uneasiness never lasted long and I was surprised to find how accepting and open they were to new people in their lives. My camera also helped. One girl spotted my old pentax right away and was practically hypnotized by it. She was at first confused by why she couldn't see the pictures on the back (it shoots film). So I first took some photos of her and then taught her how to use it. In turn, she ran around the club photographing all her friends. She used up the last roll of film I had on me, but I didn't mind.
The second service project was teaching a Junior Achievement program in a school in the Bronx and one in Queens. (JA is a non-for-profit program the provides business and economic lessons primarily to elementary schools.) As I stared out into a room of miniature faces, desks and lunch boxes, I felt my heart in my throat and the Nile forming on my palms. I would like to say now that I have a new found respect for teachers. Most people think of the job as just the teaching component. I realized in New York that teaching is also mob control. I was DRAINED after every class. These weren't even rough schools. These were charter schools were 10 year olds interviewed for enrollment. But my god was it difficult to keep students focused. It was disheartening at the beginning of the day. I thought these kids didn't care that we were there. I began to questions my reasons for coming. "Wasn't it rather pretentious of me to think I could waltz in here and think I can make some kind of difference? Who am I to teach these kids anything about fiscal responsibility anyways?" By the end of the day I found some answers to those questions. At the end of our presentation we allowed the kids to ask us questions about college life. That's when they came alive. "Do they pay you to go to college? What classes do you take? Do you get in trouble if you do something bad? Do you party? What are dorms like?" The party question was my favorite because the teachers always became so uncomfortable. Out of respect for the teacher, I gave a PC answer that was age appropriate about making good decisions and having to face consequences as an adult blah blah blah. I really wanted to tell them the truth. Yes! You can party. In fact you can party every night of the week! But you better be able to man up to the hangovers and the drama and the effects on your classes and the potential hospital bill to get your stomach pumped when you thought 21 shots was a good idea. Because that's where the real fun of drinking is. But I didn't say any of that and I somewhat regret it. But anyway... back to my main point. The real benefit in me being in those classes was not teaching the somewhat silly J.A. material. It was just in the fact I was there, standing in front of them. Many of these kids just want someone to be interested in them, to ask what their goals are, to ask "where do you want to go to college", not "are you going to college?" I went home with pictures and thank you letters the kids drew up for us on their own. My favorite was "Miss Sara, thank you for coming! I like your hair and you are really funny even though you are in college. I think I want to go to college too!" ...Enough to break your heart right there.
Project 3: AIDS soup kitchen and pantry on Staten Island. Working with kids was great, but this project took the cake for me. Most of the morning I spent weaving in and out of the mini supermarket upstairs where people could pick out what food they needed. (It's really an ingenious system compared to other pantries that hand out pre-packaged baskets. Here people only took what they would eat and and it saves on waste.) Many of these people, ranging from 30 to 80 years old, couldn't read the shopping lists given to them. This was my job. Taking one person at a time, I walked them through the isles pointing out that they could take three packages of meat but only one box of cereal. And no, I'm sorry, you cannot trade a serving of fruit for an extra box of donuts. A few people came in who spoke maybe three words of English, so I busted out my knowledge of Spanish to help them through. It was hard to look these people in the eyes for very long. They were filled with so much gratitude and happiness, the kind that is painful in large amounts. After the pantry was closed, I went down stairs where my friends had already started up lunch for the soup kitchen. It was some of the best mashed potatoes and chili I've had in a while. After lunch with the locals, the director of the kitchen sat down with our group to talk about the AIDS issue in New York and his own personal battle with the disease. He contracted HIV back in the 80s when it first became a huge issue in America. One of the most poetic things I've ever heard was when he said, "Back in the late 80s, two or three of your friends would die each week. I was living in funerals."
I don't think I have to spell out what this trip did for me. It was hard coming back to Columbia after. Back to a town of vanilla varieties and trendy beliefs. Back to the same sidewalks and issues and dead romances. Don't get me wrong, Columbia is a great town to live in for college. But I already miss the freedom of walking down a street and not recognizing a single face...the complete anonymity and absolute escape.

"I told you no kicking the dog...now go get my belt"

2008-04-03T13:15:00.000-07:00

I was really taken aback in my family studies class today when we talked about raising children and the use of corporal punishment. Taking a quick class survey, the prof asked how many of us were spanked as kids. About 90% (including myself) raised their hands. Next, he asked, of those spanked, how many would not spank their children. I was the only one in a class of almost 200 people who raised a hand. The rest said they would.
Now thinking back to my own childhood, the one thing I remembered about spankings were the amount of anger it built up in me that someone, let alone someone I love, was hitting me. I also usually found it unfair being the youngest, and quietest of 3 children, I was usually blamed for most everything that went array in the Stogner household. (The most memorable being my sister's attempt to cook eggs in a crayon box, then, inevitably facing failure, hid it under the bed for a week... The smell soon caught up to her.)

It makes no sense that we reason violence into our homes. We call it "spanking" to give it a less severe connotation. And we took it out of the schools, but kept it in our homes. It's like we have created this gap in American family life between growing up and adulthood. You would never be able to slap an adult across the rear if they are out of line (although I can think of a few people I wouldn't mind doing so). But the point is that it sends a message that violence/hitting/whatever p.c. term you would like to use, is ok and is an effective means for controlling people and getting what you want.

Not to mention all the negative implications researchers have found that can come with spanking: trouble with social adjustment, trouble with moral identity, trust issues, increase in risky sexual behaviors, hindrance of cognitive development, and increase likelihood of childhood depression and anxiety...just to name a few.

I've never seen the phrase "violence begets violence" illustrated so clearly in my class of peers willing to pass on the spankings to yet a new, traumatized generation.

Sk8er Boyz

2008-03-19T23:50:00.000-07:00

There is just something so great about the skate park in Columbia and the people it draws that keeps me coming back for more. This picture happened on the first warm day that broke this winter. I knew immediately that the guys would be out at the park and I was right. I love the interplay of shadows and light with the jumble of bodies. Everything just seemed to be in the right place (sun, lines, subject). There is also a really compelling aspect in each one of these boys' body language that speaks so subtly to the moment. What can I say, I just love this photo.

This was also a historic milestone in my life: This frame was the first frame I shot on film, then developed and printed on my own in the darkroom. It just made film processing all that more fantastic for me.

Twenty Dollar Vices

2008-03-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

This is a project for my art photo class based on Henri Cartier Bresson's "Decisive Moment" ideology. As one of the basic schools of thoughts regarding photography, I wanted to rethink it a little for this. Instead of photographing one person or place until I got the right moment, I decided to do the same but with things that act as "decisive moments" in our lives (more so the bad moments/habits) that end up shaping who we are. As a central focus, I took a series of portraits of a 20 dollar bill. Maybe I'm making a statement about the corruptive powers of money and the green language in which we communicate. Maybe as a poor photographer, I just like the feel of money in my hand. Either way, I'm pleased with how this turned out.

Alcoholism

Greed

Indolgence

Vanity

Gambling

Infidelity

The Death of a Poetic Metaphor

2008-03-15T13:43:00.001-07:00

I wonder how many great moments have happened while eating a Taco Bell bean burrito. A plastic Wal-Mart bag floated in front of my car in the fast food parking lot as Candace and I were enjoying the beany, processed goodness. Immediately "American Beauty" came to mind as I told Candace, "Look it's dancing with us." It proceeded to dance right out of the parking lot and onto Nifong during rush hour. It weaved in and out of cars, narrowly avoiding the crush of their tires. I wondered how long it would last out there in the jungle of speed and metal. Then a game developed between Candace and I as we started making bets on how many lanes it could cross. We cheered. We squirmed. Another SUV with an American flag detail swept by, pulling the plastic tote upward into the air. Finally a crushing blow came when a Jeep's front tire caught it at the right moment, leaving it flattened on the left, east bound lane. I don't know why, but there was just so much humor in watching that damn bag, imblazend with the wal-mart logo, die. I don't think I have laughed that hard in a long time. Hell, a little bit of bean mix shot up my nostrils. Now that's poetry.