unraveling life

2012-01-23T22:01:00.000-08:00

There are points where I question what I'm doing, where I'm trying to go. I think I want it, but I won't really know until I get there.

2011-12-24T22:10:00.000-08:00

I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I thought I hadn't processed these photos - turns out I did, and that they've been sitting since mid-September. Well, here they are - photo's from early July of a visit to Steven's Point with some good friends.

I meant to post a warning to people following on Google Buzz - seems I missed that by a long shot. It's been a busy year, and, again, my photography has taken the back seat. I have started doing in-house colour film development, though I don't have a scanner to share my work.

2011-09-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

I was unfortunately busy this year, and photography took the back seat. Towards the end of summer I started getting back into the swing of things. Here is an image from a party in June and two from the 4th of July.

2011-05-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

My cousins wedding reception was yesterday, and the first photo shoot I've done this year. Nothing official about what I was doing, though.

2011-03-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

My final B&W Photography project

I've been holding back this post since December - everything had been scanned, but I wasn't content with the quality. I've rescanned them, and still feel that the quality isn't what it could be. It's enough to get the prints the way you want them in the darkroom, but then to have software try to *correct* those prints is quite frustrating.

Some notes on the images:

1. This image was chosen by the instructor for the college art show. I didn't/won't attend because, well, it's a photo of a ceiling.

2. This image had some fun burning to get the ceiling in.

8. This was by far the most difficult print of not only this set, but any print I've done. It was such a dark image, and I couldn't convince myself that it should be that way. I have 20-30 prints of this image sitting in a folder that were too light, The details were difficult to get out while keeping it dark. The instructor seemed happy with it, telling my peers that it may look dark, but that it's exactly the way it should look.

This set of images was to represent something that was significant to me, if it isn't obvious, libraries. I shot once at the Eden Prairie Public Library (1,7), and twice at the university library with Caroline and Heather. I am very thankful for their willingness to work with me. Shooting with them was a blast - they, if anything else, helped me shoot with more variation than I might normally (4). I regret that our first shoot didn't turn out because of an accident in the darkroom, but was very fortunate that both models were able to work with me again for a second shoot. I am very grateful to them both.

I enjoyed the course, to sum up the semester. The instructor was good humored and tasteful in his work. He suggested that we continue onto another course in film that would be almost the same - so I did.

B&W Photo II was drastically different in what content we were to produce, trying to convey emotion rather than solely composition. I find that I'm not attracted to modern art, so this was a large turn off. I tried pushing through the course despite my better judgement. I ended up dropping 4 weeks in because I couldn't for the life of me think of how to convey "regret." I've told this to people, and it's always been rationalized that it was an easy assignment and that *they* would have enjoyed it. I enjoyed the techniques we were learning in the darkroom, for framing, different papers and film formats. The content, however, was on my mind night and day. I simply don't express emotion in this manner - and I've never felt a need or desire to be a social vigilante with my work. Photography for me is trying to capture beauty. The world has so many harsh truths and ugly facts, stepping away from that in a captured moment is something I try to do.

We were also to present a small number of photos that represented our work. I found this be be an enormous undertaking. How does one simply present hundreds, maybe even thousands of hours of work with one or two photos? I flipped between about ten images that I knew for sure, but wanted to include others. As I narrowed them down, I became increasingly critical of what I had chosen to represent myself to the point that I hated it all. When it came time to present to my peers, no one else used colour, or even digital for that matter. I felt silly presenting the images, and trying to explain what it was that I did with my work. I didn't hear much of what was said, aside from my own words being echoed back to me "you've captured a moment in time, something that will never happen again." I sat down, humiliated - not primarily because of what they may have said, but because of my frustration with my own work. In a nutshell, there was a rift in my view of the philosophy of art with what was being taught in that class. I really haven't done much since December with a camera. When spring rolls around and it warms up a bit, I hope to change that to some measure, though.

Summer 2010

2011-01-15T15:07:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about my first day in my Micro Econ class. I had my B&W Photo class before the day before. It happened that the econ class was in the same room. I found it odd that it was in the art dept. I waited with the rest of the students and entered with everyone once the auto lock disengaged. Upon entering students picked up the syllabus off a table before seating themselves. I expressed dismay and confusion when I saw the sheet they were collecting, this was Econ, this syllabus wasn't for our Photography class. And then I was told I was probably in the wrong room. I was. I wrote the same classroom number for two classes when writing out my schedule. I ran to find what room I was supposed to be in. Upon walking into a full lecture room, late, the Professor asked for my name. The class turned to me as I confidently, yet almost inattentively answered in full. Not bad for first impressions, right?

When I remembered this, it seemed almost years ago. But it was only a few months ago, the beginning of my second (*successful*) semester in college

The summer before Fall semester was absolutely fantastic.

Hanging with good friends, like Cody.

Hentge's Wedding

My little sister's Prom

Julie's return from California

My mother's graduation from college

C'n'C's summer kickoff

Summer...just being summer

Day's on the lake

Nights on the lake

Nights next to the lake

Bonfires at Ashton's

Hanging with my fantastic cousin, Gennifer.

Camping with amazing extended family for a weekend

Forth of July

...and so much more. What a blessing it all was - God is good.

2011-01-01T19:09:00.001-08:00

Hope you enjoyed celebrating Christ's birth this season.

Here's to a new year!

Röyksopp - ....And the Forest Began to Sing

2010-12-15T13:46:00.000-08:00

Finished my final project today. This isn't it, but there are shots from the shoot non-the-less.

2010-11-24T21:03:00.000-08:00

Final Project. This roll was a learning experience. The reel came apart while in the developing tank so that the chemicals didn't make proper contact with the film. Out of an entire roll of Kodak 36-TMAX3200, there were 2 clean frames, and a few blotched frames.

2010-11-24T20:55:00.000-08:00

Leaf. Photo class. ISO400. Scan from print.

2010-11-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

Thought this was pretty cool...

The Wobbulator by blair neal

2010-11-11T21:53:00.000-08:00

Conjure One ft. Sinead O'Connor - Tears from the Moon (dj tiesto in search of sunrise mix)

2010-11-10T07:33:00.000-08:00

Disney Girls by Bruce Johnston (The Beach Boys)

2010-11-08T11:41:00.000-08:00

The Funeral by Band of Horses

2010-11-07T20:12:00.000-08:00

The Rain Falls and the Sky Shudders by Moby

2010-11-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

pretty sure she's throwing a rocker sign...

My Weakness by Moby

2010-10-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

nom nom nom

2010-10-24T21:17:00.000-07:00

Good thing evergreens are native to this fine state.

2010-10-24T19:40:00.001-07:00

Crazy busy weekend

2010-10-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

Fall Retreat 2010

2010-10-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

OK, maybe it wasn't just my beard that has kept me from updating... I also had some issues with my zpools after upgrading from ZFS v13 on FBSD 8.0R to v14 on FBSD 8.1R. After two months, and upgrading to 8.1-Stable I was able to access the zpool.

Wild Life by Unicorn Kid

2010-09-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

When I have time away from my beard, I spend time in the dark room...

Vision One by Röyksopp

2010-09-26T21:36:00.001-07:00

Several people have asked for updates. I've been terribly busy as of late, and I don't know when I will be able to update beyond this. "Busy doing what?" you may ask. Busy growing a beard, that's what. These things take a lot of time and energy.

That Home by Cinematic Orchastra

2010-08-31T21:52:00.000-07:00

Thor was puzzled by this little creature that had disturbed his napping. The bunny was probably just as confused, as it was trying to burrow under Thor like he was his mother.

2010-08-29T14:21:00.001-07:00

Found some baby bunnies.

2010-08-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

RIP Ernie, The Sexy Kitty-Cat

2010-07-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

More Sonshine

2010-07-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

Storm lastnight

2010-07-22T23:15:00.000-07:00

Black River Falls, WI

Check that monarch caterpillar

2010-07-19T18:47:00.000-07:00

Coffee run to kick off another day at Sonshine. mmm, mocha

2010-07-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

Sonshine 2010

Locus Solus by Legowelt

2010-07-06T12:24:00.000-07:00

(Candle kites and Amazing Grace following fireworks)

2010-07-05T11:27:00.000-07:00

April 24th, 2010 was Hentge's wedding, and I now have the photos to share with you...

2010-07-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

4th on Prior Lake

2010-06-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

It's so easy to forget what we live for, if we live for anything at all. That is not to say that we don't have purpose, but that many are not aware of their purpose, and that for those who acknowledge Christ forget him daily.

2010-06-22T09:18:00.001-07:00

My cousin's graduation party.

2010-06-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Roszell for hitting the shutter on the last one of these four.

2010-05-31T11:51:00.000-07:00

by Raphaël Ibanez de Garayo

2010-05-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

Kicking off summer

2010-05-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

Finals, the semester; are done.

2010-04-25T22:00:00.000-07:00

Andy & Katie Hentge's Wedding went down beautifully.

Hopefully i'll have photo's up in a week.

2010-04-20T19:57:00.000-07:00

It's been a long while since i've drawn - hopefully summer will provide some time for some doodles. I'll have to fiddle around with water colours too, i find those to be one of the most frustrating mediums.

Legowelt - Gina Fly to Space

2010-04-18T15:58:00.001-07:00

This lucky fellow is getting hitched on Saturday.

Shiny Toy Guns - Major Tom

2010-04-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

Molotov

Bonfire lastnight

Ida Helen Fjeld - Capa/Ambient

2010-04-06T20:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday night on retreat

2010-04-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

Time to roll out some of the Fall Retreat stuff from a few months ago...

2010-04-04T21:23:00.000-07:00

Secrets: sonshine 2009

2010-04-02T19:31:00.001-07:00

Broke the camera out this week - hopefully will run with it for a few weeks.

2010-03-25T11:20:00.001-07:00

2009

2010-03-18T12:05:00.000-07:00

Dec 20, 2008 -- Ernie

Break has been good. i'm afraid my camera is collecting dust, though.

2010-03-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

The majority of mortals, Paulinus, complain bitterly of the spitefulness of Nature, because we are born for a brief span of life, because even this space that has been granted to us rushes by so speedily and so swiftly that all save a very few find life at an end just when they are getting ready to live. Nor is it merely the common herd and the unthinking crowd that bemoan what is, as men deem it, an universal ill; the same feeling has called forth complaint also from men who were famous. It was this that made the greatest of physicians exclaim that "life is short, art is long;" it was this that led Aristotle, while expostulating with Nature, to enter an indictment most unbecoming to a wise man—that, in point of age, she has shown such favour to animals that they drag out five or ten lifetimes, but that a much shorter limit is fixed for man, though he is born for so many and such great achievements. It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough, and it has been given in sufficiently generous measure to allow the accomplishment of the very greatest things if the whole of it is well invested. But when it is squandered in luxury and carelessness, when it is devoted to no good end, forced at last by the ultimate necessity we perceive that it has passed away before we were aware that it was passing. So it is—the life we receive is not short, but we make it so, nor do we have any lack of it, but are wasteful of it. Just as great and princely wealth is scattered in a moment when it comes into the hands of a bad owner, while wealth however limited, if it is entrusted to a good guardian, increases by use, so our life is amply long for him who orders it properly.

--Seneca "On the shortness of life" Chapter I(translated by John W. Basore)
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/On_the_shortness_of_life

2010-03-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Hammock - Shipwreck

2010-03-01T17:44:00.000-08:00

May 29th, 2009 - After practice runs of the wedding, Melissa and i stumbled upon this building

Now back to my homework...

2010-02-28T12:19:00.000-08:00

i have yet to take more photos than at this wedding.

2010-02-27T19:46:00.000-08:00

May 30th, 2009 - My cousin's wedding

It's difficult sorting through the photos - we played musical cameras for the day. i shot with my XTi, with an XSi, with a 50D, and there's a chance i used a XT too...

2010-02-26T17:31:00.000-08:00

May 27th, 2009

Tell Canada to give my cousin back.

i posted images from the shoot returning from Illinois, but haven't had the disk space to get the images off of the DVD's until December, when i posed about new disks. i meant to follow that with photos of the wedding, but i still haven't had the nerve to cut into them.

i went through some of my photos with a Mac yesterday, and found myself frustrated with the differences. Some looked better, but a good handful had far too much contrast, and supersaturated colours. i know Mac's have a lower gamma than PC's typically do (1.6 vs. 2.2), so i'm going to try to make up for this (if i can). i've played with curves more than i ever have in the past with these photos - hopefully it makes a difference.

2010-02-19T22:09:00.000-08:00

Hannah J. and an unnamed snake (ok, it had a name, it's passed my memory though)

Rural Youth Ministries (RYM), April 17th 2009

2010-02-16T20:56:00.000-08:00

July 14th, 2008

2010-02-13T21:51:00.000-08:00

Went shooting with Andy H. tonight. Street shots galore... but it seems that i wasn't so successful, and Andy lost all of the images he took. i guess this means we'll have to try until we get it right.

2010-02-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

My camera hasn't seen much action this year, yet.

2010-01-22T21:48:00.000-08:00

Steven's Point, see the first few posts from early Nov. '09 for better scope.

2010-01-15T11:32:00.000-08:00

OK, OK! i'll be posting a tad bit less because of school.

2010-01-07T18:05:00.000-08:00

Being critical of your own work can be difficult. Right now i really don't have anything new that i find exciting, i've been trying to dig through previous years shots - these are all recent, though. Retreat may be the only solid shoot i get in every year, along with Sonshine.

2010-01-04T22:35:00.000-08:00

i have a lot of study ahead of me.

(Hypnerotomachia Poliphili by Francesco Colonna ~1527)

2009-12-31T20:23:00.000-08:00

After River Candlelight service

2009-12-27T13:43:00.000-08:00

Fall Retreat 2009

2009-10-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

i'm back.

2009-10-13T20:39:00.001-07:00

Please pray for the Fall Retreat. i'll be leaving tomorrow, early. i'm sick, and Jake H. is too. Little sleep will be had by all.
Pray that equipment works, for our health, and that God would move in us and through us.

2009-10-06T22:15:00.000-07:00

&Ss

2009-10-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

Bonfires - Thomas's, and Ashton's:

2009-10-02T22:09:00.000-07:00

More Sonshine

2009-09-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

Sonshine 2009

On secularisation of marriage in the church.

2009-09-28T23:08:00.000-07:00

i recall when i was younger reading demographics stating that the average marriage age was 27 and 25 years old for men and women respectively*. In the years since, these values have incremented to 28 and 27. These values follow our current culture view on how we should go about our lives. Ideally, one will attend college for a 4 year degree before settling down and then dating around.

This view, however, conflicts with a Christian world view. i make an argument in regards to sex. Those that wait until their late twenties to marry obviously don't wait until then to become sexually active. Most will be active in their teen years, if not by their first years in college. Moreso, this secular stance gives little reason to marry. Why would one marry into responsibility when all that is good is available without?

As Christians, why would we deny our sexual needs by waiting until the cultural norm that doesn't agree with us, to marry? We set ourself up for failure in fidelity while holding ourselves back from what we were meant for. There is no good reason to wait until such an age to marry. One will always have bills to pay, whether for school or mortgage. One will always be busy, whether with studies or their career. Maturity does come with time, but what is mature enough for marriage? One mustn't forget that marriage is a pursuit of Christ, and with that a great deal of maturity will be had in a more rapid manner than otherwise, provided that it is Biblical.

Our bodies are ready for a marriage relationship at a relatively young age, in our young teens. i wouldn't think that a good time to marry, but late teens to very early twenties would, when maturity is set in place. Again, why wait until fifteen years after one's body is mature for sexual relations when we obviously don't want to. The society around us is drinking deep of premarital sex, we are exposed to it's lies day in and day out. We are fools to allow this to tempt us, to wait without reason.

There is also the aspect of child bearing. A woman's body is most able to birth when young, the older the more prone her children will be to disease. Conception will be easier at a young age, as will be parenting. Imagine having children at age 30+.
That leaves one with a 10 year old child at 40+. 10 yearolds are still able to cause a good deal of trouble, as are teens. It would be ideal to be able to keep up with your children, not panting trying to climb the stairs.

i find it very frustrating that leaders in the church push for couples to wait to marry. There is no good reason. There are all kinds of silly walls one can build for oneself, but that doesn't mean they are valid objects stopping them. If there is a will, there is a way - it may not be easy, but it will be good. And would marriage be any easier at age 30 over age 20? No.