Take It Slow

It's always amazes me how often one can learn one discipline and apply those concepts to another. During my 8 year stay in Australia I studied (for a couple years) massage therapy at the Alice Springs Health and Relaxation Centre, under the tutelage of the great Trevor.

Trevor was the owner and instructor for the facility. Soft spoken and well mannered, he knew the intricate details of the science of hands on body work. We studied every muscle in the human body, if we could touch it..uh hem..it got rubbed. I know the details of the sartorius, and how it interacts with the other three muscles of the quadriceps group. I've had my hands so far up into a woman's medial gracilis, one millimeter slip in the wrong direction and I'll have the wrath of her husband or a date for the night! (oh and if your wondering, being a student, we also receive the same treatment from our partners, so the story goes both ways!)

I know, fascinating stuff..but that is not the lesson for today. One class in particular stands out. We were working on pectoralis (chest muscle). After theory was complete, it was practice time. So my Australian classmate happily dropped her top and jumped down on my table. So..uh...there I was standing at the head of the table, face to face with my (fairly attractive) classmate and her smirk waiting for me to figure how I was supposed to dig into the baby food makers below. So, with a nervous squirm I went for it. Digging around, smashing, crushing, rubbing, clinical, avoiding anything stupid, diverting my gaze off onto the wall and generally rushing my way through it all.

Trevor saw my train wreck of an attempt at massage and casually walked by and asked for permission to take over. Wiping the sweat from my brow and gladly jumping out of the way, he assumed the proper posture; much less tense than my attack position. Smoothly, simply, and most importantly SLOWLY he kneaded her pectoralis muscles... Of course his technique totally avoided any embarrassing bits. In comparison to my nervous twitching, I was stomping all over the wrong places and missing the muscle all together. He worked for about 30 seconds and hit everything perfectly, and expertly..she loved it. It was next my turn, all my apprehension, anxiety was gone. The focus was there and my lovely classmate was smiling again. I had slowed down to snail speed, executed the techniques taught and everything came out perfect.

So...photography...SLOW DOWN! Don't focus on the parts you want to avoid. Less thinking, more doing. Most importantly, slow yourself down and let natural motion guide your actions. When I go to a club or event to shoot, I'll often not shoot for a good 30 minutes. I'm calibrating my mind to the scenario. Working my natural motions to blend with the group I am with. Some people show up and start snapping a zillion shots which come out like crap. I'll know exactly which ISO, flash power, fstop and shutter speed after my 30 minute study. I'll take a shot, check it to make sure and shoot a few more to see how I'm working with the subject. Nice and slow, take my time..don't focus on the bad..change my perspective and work it through, smoothly, slowly, expertly, for perfect results...just like Trevor working the pecs on my classmate...

A smoke shot...slow shutter speed...hours to prepare
(click for happy version)

-Jogo!
-MARK!

Know What You Know

I was sitting around thinking today...we'll actually staring at my wall, in my cubicle at work. Half zombie state and half daydreaming. Not because I was bored, but rather I was having an epiphany. Or more like some stroke of bizarre enlightenment, perhaps some alien felt sorry for me and shot some ideas through his inter-dimensional comm-link right into my brain.

You see, this alien may have beamed in a thought about knowledge. No, not actual knowledge but about knowledge. Geeks call this meta-data, normal people call this wisdom, I call this a lucky guess...

Here's what the little alien sent me: Know what you know.

Understand completely your knowledge. Seeking new knowledge is great, I recommend it. What this bit of absurdity is about is once you've learned something new, try to understand it completely.

One little trick I use when exercising something I know, is to act as if I'm teaching it to someone. In your mind, answer their questions. You would be amazed at how all the little details smooth out and you now, know what you know.

Being the master of your knowledge is very powerful! It allows you to break the rules. You can build new concepts which others may never formulate.

What this has to do with photography is fairly obvious. Understand everything you know about about your camera. Whatever you know about composition, explore it completely. Know something about light? Be the master of this little bit. Even if it's minimal. You'll add more as you explore.

This parallels my other passion: Jiu jitsu. We have noobs who want to learn everything in short order but fail to learn what they already know. I'm at the point where, I drill stuff I've done since day one. Know what you know is a force which is unbeatable.

A master is only a beginner who has mastered the basics.

Thanks to a little alien, I now know a bit more about my knowledge :)


-play
MArk

Purpose and Intensity

There are those who step through life with just the basics. We see these people

...doing just the bare minimum... to survive.

I once had a supervisor who walked as if he were on the very edge of a cliff, slow and calculating every move. His thoughts were the same, slow, methodical and simple. The problem was he never got anywhere...nor could he convey information adequately. At work he was

...doing just the bare minimum... to survive.

A high school friend of mine; a pure genius. He could read and understand the most complex of electrical schematics. Yet his intention to apply his gift was non-existent. He knew the problems, he knew the answers... He would never try to make things work... At school he was

...doing just the bare minimum... to survive.

What driving force did these two lack? I propose they needed a purpose. A reason to be there, a reason to live and to fight and to play and to do whatever was asked of them...with intensity. Neither individual really needed to be there.... they were both

...doing just the bare minimum... to survive.

So let me define purpose in my own warped sense. The individual must recover some sort of reward for their actions. Such as money, love or enjoyment. The supervisor didn't have to work, he was a retiree with a side job telling me what to do (poorly)... My friend didn't have to take that electronics class. He did it because it was nothing more than a check box he had to fill in. Wheat these two needed were rewards for effort. Their purpose in their actions would be to recover a reward rather than

...doing just the bare minimum... to survive.

Onto intensity. This is one of my most favorite concepts. It applies to everything. Intensity is the amount of energy we expend into an effort to engage with a particular purpose. I can't expound upon how highly prized intensity is in my mind. For me, launching a huge blast of energy into a project, and riding it through to completion is fascinating. It can be a workout, a tough jiu jitsu roll, driving on a curvy street or even photography. Intensity comes through verbally, physically, emotionally and even through time. As time has the greatest of all intensities! Time cannot be stopped therefore its energy is infinite! My two examples before, existed with no intensity, with barely enough energy to be

...doing just the bare minimum... to survive.

Bring into your life, your art, your capacity for a purpose with intensity! Extend this lifeforce and vigor toward into everything you do. Brush your teeth, reminding yourself you're alive today. Tell yourself what your purpose is today. Be specific, apply yourself to this purpose. Execute it. Drive great amounts of energy into this effort! Overflow the dam with your vigor and spirit. Don't hold back, drive forward until you've crashed the barriers and exceeded even your own expectations. Never be that person who is

...doing just the bare minimum... to survive.

Live these words!
..., , ardor, , , drive, vivacity, efficacy, spirit, power, efficiency, endurance,zest , exertion, , force, , fortitude, , initiative,principle, intensity, juice, life, , might, , ,will , , , , potency, , , punch, , spontaneity, stamina, zeal, ,determination , , vehemence, , , virility,fire, vitality, , , , ambition, , aspiration,, , , , desire, destination, , direction, , , , , , goal, animation , , , intent, , mission, , objective, , , , , project, , , , reason, resolve, , , target, , ,, ,

My dog Zulu. (Click for a larger readable version)

-Play
Mark

UFC 103 PreParty At Plush

Thanks to a really nice friend of mine, Sheena Lee; I was VIP'd into the UFC Pre-Party to shoot some shots for a birthday party at the same location. Talk about a crazy fun night! Loads of people, packed together and the alcohol was certainly in a rapid flow! Glad I don't drink, I'd probably still be dragging my butt off the floor!

I'll keep the BDay party pics private, but I did get one shot I'd like to share.



Yes it has some blur...even some blow out.. I don't care. For me it was a perfect symbol of the night. Plenty of people were blurred, slurred and blown out! haha!

-Play
Markoo

Water

I don't always shoot models. Sometimes shooting something as simple as water is just as challenging and interesting. The image below is actually three images super-photoshop-glued together..Each on it's own RGB channel. It looked ok in color, but I switch B&W. I prefer it this way. As always click for higher rez version for best enjoyment.

-layp!
Makr

Worlds Collide

I recently had the opportunity to unite two groups I've shot for in the past. Aromaz and Dallas E-Models to include Sheena Lee. Both are really awesome groups. Dallas E-Models had a shoot for new and old (not antique, but experienced!) models down at the 8 Lounge. Aromaz offered up their hair/MUA services to any of the girls whom needed it.

Although I could only stay for a bit, I was able to get a few shots with some really talented girls!

So, enough of babbling... ;)











_Play_

MArk

Lift!

Aromaz Agency had another one of their awesome launch parties at Club Lift in the heart of Dallas! As usual, the girls were up to the task of being the subject of many photographs! :)

They were awesome! Lots of fun!

Here's some shots(click for big size!):












-PLAY!
MArk