strangers should talk. photography by sam hurd.

blog moved to http://blog.samuelhurd.com

2010-03-01T15:08:00.000-08:00

all new blog posts will be done at my new blog at http://blog.samuelhurd.com

enjoy!

it's always really fun to see my work in action

2010-02-13T08:44:00.000-08:00

i've been very luck to have easy access to some really great clients. working where i do the clients tend to just kind of come to me. the real effort on my part comes when i show a client my work, which is different than most photographers where the real effort is finding a client interested in a photographer to begin with.

anyway, so i just came across a new website launched using many spatterings of my photos.

it's here

http://www.mvplg.com/

looks great to me!

Engagement Shoot Elizabeth and Tony

2010-02-10T14:57:00.000-08:00

So, I'm shooting Elizabeth and Tony's wedding in March and naturally they wanted to get out and have some fun taking photos with Nathan and myself. It was a fantastic learning experience and I think we'll be doing another one of these soon! Here are a few of the snaps. Enjoy!

Meetesh and Kellie Portrait Shoot

2009-10-20T11:39:00.001-07:00

I had a really fun time shooting this business portrait session with Meetesh and Kellie. I took promos at a demonstration event for Meetesh the week previous, and he liked the pictures so much he asked me to shoot some things for his law firm's web site redesign etc.

Thank goodness I brought a long my co-worker to assist with lighting as tripod stands aren't allowed on park property (ala the entire Mall) and it was crazy sunny so a lot of light control was needed!

an e-mail i replied to? yup.

2009-09-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

So, this was an interesting e-mail I sent to a guy asking me some questions about audio. I figure it's interesting enough to post up for others that might need the insight.

Sam,

Logan told me to maybe try you via FB. It's kind of funny how I started out writing music on manuscript and got paid decent books for transcriptions by hand. I also was instrumental with Bell Atlantic getting started with this thing called the internet back in 1993. I am so far behind. I wish someone would just wire my brain up and let the music just come out as I hear it. Probably in the next generation :-)

so here's my current story and I'm sticking to it.

Not sure what Logan told you about me but I have a BS & MM in music; toured back in 70s & 80s. So the music I wrote nobody cares about but me. I have written tons of stuff and still have more to deliver even if just for posterity.

About 4 years ago I purchased a Yahama Motif ES8. It has amazing sounds and a lot of wonderful preset combo stuff; but it was meant as a workstation and not user friendly. Then I purchased DigiDesign Mbox2 and was using Pro Tools LE7 on a Windows XP system. The problem I ran into was a lot of delay and the Yamaha Motif ES8 just didn't sync well via a midi. There was a delay and then getting all the combo sounds to midi map was insane and a showstopper.

Since I'm a note person, a friend suggested Sibelius and it was terrific for me. I had to buy a new machine to handle the memory and it is a Dell machine running Vista. I was able to recreate by manually entering notes for many of my comps. The Yamaha Motif still had seriously delay and unfortunately at the time, Digidesign did not have a Vista version.

So, where I'm at. I feel at ease with Sibelius but it is not a mixer like Pro Tools or Cakewalk ,etc. I need to record voices which Sibelius does not do.

So do you have any suggestions for me. I'm willing to ditch stuff to make things work. Example: I think I just need a cheap midi keyboard to input notes instead of the Yamaha Motif. Also, I've been told that I probably don't need anything a complex as ProTools.

Do you have some advice?

Thanks for listening. It is greatly appreciated!!

my response:

Hey there!
Sorry it's taken a bit to get back to you. Crazy busy recently. Anyway, First problem...you're using Pro Tools LE. Though Pro Tools is the "industry standard" it's actually the Pro Tools HD that's the standard (starting at $10,000) and their LE and M-powered solutions can't touch other native DAWs these days.

Now, you're issues with the delay may be caused by one, or two things. The first is the latency amount set by your sound card, or m-box. There should be some settings in the audio preferences which let you adjust the latency for your box. This will cause more or less delay for all things in pro tools (plug-ins, monitoring, etc), but a longer delay is less taxing on the CPU etc. etc. So, first thing to check is that your latency is as low as it will go without hearing drop outs and slowing down your computer too much. The second thing is that you might be monitoring improperly. You should have the ability to do zero latency monitoring if what you're recording from your Yahama is going in via 1/4 input and not triggering some midi instrument. Zero latency monitoring means you're not listening to yourself through the computer, but directly from the output of the input (if that makes any sense?). Your m-box should let you monitor your inputs along with the playback of your computer, thus allowing for no delay recording. Of course, I've heard that pro tools LE doesn't have automatic delay compensation as well, so who knows if that's coming into play with your problems as well.

So, what I would recommend first is ditching pro tools and probably that m-box. Now as far as using a notation software...it's going to be a bit tricky. The problem with audio programs like pro tools, sonar, cubase, etc is that notation is really an after thought for them. They aren't going to touch a stand alone program like Sibelius. So you're probably going to need to just stick with Sibelius for notation and something else for mixing in voices and other various things.

The DAW I use, apart from pro tools HD, is Cakewalk's Sonar. Its got a fantastic work flow, and in my opinion is the by far the best solution for a windows based recording system. It sounds like it might be overkill for what you need though, which is why I'm actually going to recommend a brand new DAW from a company called Presonus. It's called Studio One. I've used it a good bit already, and it's FANTASTIC! It integrates perfectly well with all their hardware interfaces, but unlike pro tools stuff, their hardware and software is perfectly compatible with other formats!

Presonus just released a product called Firestudio Mobile, which might fit your needs pretty well. It's got midi input capability, two mic pres, 6 line inputs, headphone output, and two line outs for your speakers etc. Anyway, I'm not sure on cost, but it's probably not going to break the bank.

As far as midi keyboards go...I don't have any special preference. There are a plethora of choices out there, and all you really need to make sure of is that its got either a USB connection, or midi capability. If you're planning on just using it to control a virtual instrument running within your computer...than things will be much cheaper, and probably sound better!

Now, if you're willing to accept the overkill that Sonar may provide you, it probably has better midi editing, but Presonus Studio One's setup looks promising...and as I said they JUST released it so updates are sure to follow soon!

I hope I helped somewhere within all this. Any other questions...feel free to ask!!

Sam

2009-09-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

i'm slowly feeling...complacent?

not good!

Video update about momentary prophets etc.

2009-07-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

Video with 45mm 2.8 ED PC-E Nikon Lens

2009-07-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

inspiration? check.

2009-06-14T10:15:00.000-07:00

this video is absolutely worth watching if you've ever struggled creatively. do it NOW.

I will remember this day...

2009-06-10T13:08:00.000-07:00

Because it's the first time I've shot an event where I've been truly impressed with the results.

So, this morning I roll into work after being out a week and a half. I've just picked up a new lens (85 1.4) and have been practicing shooting with strobes for a couple of weeks now. I arrived to the event about 15 mins early and began taking shots in the room. The space is called The First Amendment and it's a very nice spot at the NPC. Unfortunately, for photography it makes things difficult. It's probably one of the most complex rooms I could imagine. It's got natural huge windows on two sides, a very low ceiling that covers only half the room, the lighting temperatures in that ceiling change from florescent to tungsten depending on where you are, and the section that is most ideal for the speaker podium is a very awkward place to move around for photos. Anyway, it's been difficult for me to achieve decent results and only after a fair amount of post processing have I been able to do that....until today!

Shooting with strobes has made ALL the difference. I am now very comfortable shooting in complete manual mode with strobes also set in manual mode. I feel completely confident in what I've learned about the relationship between light power, angle, direction, temperature, and how it's effected by shutter speed, iso, and aperture. It's a fantastic feeling!

Here is a link to the photos from the press event:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/newspress/sets/72157619475285737/

Now, I know these photos aren't OMG that's an incredible news photographer, but I'm so happy with them. I controlled the lighting for 90% of those shots. I said "get the eff out of here ambient...i'm doing what i want" and it came out looking totally natural, clear, and exactly what I envisioned.
Here is a specific shot of this:

It's probably not even noticeable that flash was used in many of the shots, and that's exactly how I wanted it. Being able to pre-visualize a shot before you take it is a major key to being a photographer. Knowing what you're changing and why. Why you're putting a flash here, bouncing off this colored wall there, and making this tweak here. Sure, there is always going to be fiddling in the initial setup, but once you KNOW why you are making a change...and how it will effect things...you've done well.

Also, the 85 1.4 rules. People just automatically look great (proportionally) with it. Solid.

On another note...I was supposed to shoot an event tonight at the Holocaust Museum. It was a pretty big deal with all kinds of dignitaries and such, and I was the lead photographer (out of 3!). Sadly, some 88 year old crazy man ran in with a rifle and shot 2 people earlier today so the event was cancelled. Glad I dodged that one.

What's in my camera bag? I'll show you!

2009-06-01T10:52:00.000-07:00

So, I have a lot of other videos i've been planning to post as a second vlog, but I made this one really quickly before leaving for the beach this week!

take a look....

recording etc.

2009-05-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

well the past two evenings have been pretty busy tracking drums and guitar for two prisms demos. i'm pretty satisfied with the results thus far and have some fun pictures to share...

Vlog 1!

2009-05-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

forgive me as i did not know at the time of making this vlog...the chick in imogen heap's name IS Imogen Heap. Thanks Vinny....

an interesting realization in audio/mixing...

2009-04-09T19:36:00.001-07:00

well, today I realized something rather interesting. I suppose it's something i've always known, but not really sat down and thought...OH that's WHY that's the way it is....let me explain.

So, when mixing a song there are a few rule of thumbs to go by (in theory). One of the hardest to master, but most critical is eq masking. It's basically the idea that each element in a mix should kind of have it's own "space" within the mix. It has to be just right...not too out of place from everything else, but also not too blemished in with everything else and just creating mud. Obviously, the choice of instrument, player, mic, mic pre, mic technique, gain staging, and about 20 other factors play a role in exactly how a single source will sound, but the idea is to take the end result (where the source will ultimately end up in the mix) into consideration when making all those technical decisions.

Typically, the closer you can get your source to how you want it to sound IN THE MIX from the very beginning...the better. So, this got me thinking about the quality of all the different analogue elements in the signal chain. What makes such a good mic so expensive?

Oddly, when recently mixing a tom drum I started thinking about all this. If you think about it...a tom is one of the best examples of something containing a clear and obvious spread across most of the freq spectrum. A really good tom (or any other instrument) will sound reallllllly really good when played all by itself. It will be full and bright and beefy...all at the same time. BUT...that won't necessarily matter in a mix. You aren't going to be throwing up the 50hz, or 12Khz freqs on a tom drum in a mix...even though they're there in the source recording. You'll likely be doing some sort of mud scoop, a little low end boost, and a thin q of high end for attack. You'll literally mold that thing into it's exact space in the song, but the point is....by having such a full range of tone from that tom to begin with you aren't boxed into the sound of it, at all! You can spend less time planning how to capture the tom with technique and foresight because you'll have such a good & complete sound to work with right from the get go (and i don't say that meaning it's a good thing).

This can be applied to any instrument! A great sounding acoustic will sound AMAZING all by itself, but that doesn't matter in the mix of things (assuming it's a full band of sorts)! Sadly, a $200 guitar probably sounds less than impressive by itself., but if you can envision how and where you want to use the sound of that specific guitar in a mix, and plan all the other sources accordingly...you can make a pretty damn great mix.

So, knowing all this...it gave me that AH-HA moment. You can make incredibly good recordings using especially crappy gear if you plan accordingly. In fact, by using the crappiest gear when starting out you'll be doing yourself a huge huge favor. Forcing yourself to learn the sound of an instrument, mic, mic pre, etc. Cheap instruments, mics, pres, etc typically have only one sound. Yes, some of them are just utter crap, but then there are the few that actually have the potential to sound great...when mixed in with enough other elements that were chosen to compliment each other.

Have you ever solo'd the elec guitars in a mix once everything is done? They sound far less than impressive. In fact, they often times sound thin and anything but punchy and rock. Of course they would without the low end of a bass guitar and the thumping of a kick drum to suck the compression in and out gluing the mix together. But, if every element in the mix sounded incredible when solo'd, you'd have a huge mess on your hands. Bass guitar competing with kick drum, vox competing with guitars, and don't even get me started on keys.

The point is, great gear gives you more potential to take your mixes in totally different directions...after the fact. They don't paint you into a corner (as easily) right from the start. So, for a pro audio engineer that's great, but for the kid at home...it might not be needed nearly as much as you think.

Anyway, I suppose I've always worked with these fundamentals in the back of my mind, but I've never really sat down and explained it all out to myself. It's likely I'm wrong on a few points, and obviously great gear doesn't always give you a "full range" of sound to work with. There are $3000 compressors that give you all of ONE sound....but I promise you that sound will be jaw dropping.

as tall as a lion

2009-01-30T18:06:00.000-08:00

music. i can't really even begin to explain what it means to my life. i survive off of it. for me, music is almost like a living thing. doesn't matter the band, instrument, genre....anything. it's all the same. it's all physical waves hitting my ear drums. in my mind. it's something that can take me away to an entirely different place in an instant. it can talk to me and make me laugh, cry, happy, sad, angry, energetic. it follows me wherever i go. it's always in my mind playing over and over in different variations, different keys, and different patterns. it's something that affects me on another level entirely.

falling in love with a new song is like falling in love with a stranger. it's refreshing and different. it's exciting and you have no idea what to expect. it will take you anywhere it wants to and there is nothing you can do about it.

that's not to say there isn't music i find horribly annoying--but that's part of the fun.

anyway, there is no way i can or will ever be able to write anything that explains my relationship with music. so, i'm going to stop now!

--this week was pretty cool. work was chill. shot two events and i feel they both went pretty well. i'm waiting to hear back from the client of the most recent event...and i really hope she's happy with them as I could tell the pictures were of huge importance to her.

a girl and a boy

2009-01-20T19:25:00.000-08:00

so, some random girl asked me out to dinner tonight.

didn't see that one coming.

it was fun.

peace!

is anyone truly happy?

2009-01-18T16:03:00.000-08:00

i often think that i am. some days i'll take a seat. relax. think to myself -- "i am so very happy right now."

then there are other days where i find myself wondering if i really am happy. it's not that i'm sad, but maybe confused. where is my life going? where is this path taking me, and how can i be sure to end up where i want to.

keeping in touch with carrie has been nice, but i still wonder what i'm doing with her. what do i expect to happen? i don't want to move back to lynchburg any time soon, and by staying in touch it's really unfair to her. i know she doesn't feel like she can really move on with me saying "i still love you." it's true that i do, but is it fair for me to tell her that? not really. i think it's just me being selfish. i don't want to face finally having her let go by dating other people.

hanging out with graham is usually pretty fun, but today it just kind of sucked. he's got such a different perspective on what's important in life than i do. i know his mind is filled with complicated/deep thoughts, but all he let's himself truly contemplate is money and appearances...and definitely to a point that's unhealthy. he's such a smart guy, but i feel like he's so concerned and confused about what he really wants out of life that he focuses all his energy on things that he has complete control over....like his money and possessions. i think if he could see how valueless those things are then he would be set free from his conflicted thoughts and unhappiness. i think he could really do incredible things. but, his pessimistic view (on pretty much everything) in life is such an easy way for him to feel like he can contribute an opinion--even if it's negative it's still a contribution...and to him that's better than nothing.

i believe if he were able to take risks with things he has no control over--like putting more effort into a creative outlet--he would truly be happy. creativity (at least as i see it) is releasing your logic and forethought to make something unique and beautiful. right now, the only outlet he has no control over is drinking himself insane-- and that's such a cheap way to feel happy and comfortable.

i'd like to think that he will have some sort of life epiphany, but i have a feeling that as long as "adult life" is as easy on him as it has been...he won't change for the better.

i am a product of failing our public school system

2009-01-17T14:23:00.001-08:00

i really am. i've rarely succeed in an academic setting. tests? lectures? open discussions? they just aren't for me. i've recently realized that i am currently successful in my life, in fact, more so than many of my peers. i've even noticed that at work i am much "smarter" than many of my co-workers. it's a strange mind set to have. especially since i know i'm not very smart...at all. i know that i'm not! it takes me forever to comprehend even simple things. i can't read too deeply into conversations, or even follow a discussion or argument for more than a few minutes before my mind wanders and looses all the tangential relationships (is that even a correct phrase?). So, I'm really wondering how the fuck people are so stupid! Are they really dumber than I am? Does it really take them that much longer to understand things than me? Even this blog post....it's horribly written and hardly structured in any way.

here is the key.

after i'm done writing what pathetic non-sense i think i can i'll go back and refine everything i say. i'll make edits. look for the incredible errors, and fix them....usually correctly. it might not make up for the poor ideas and conclusions, but it certainly makes things seem smarter. and that's my catch. i create the deception of smartness around everything i say and do. even when i'm actually making a very poor conclusion in a average conversation...i'll make it a joke and it's usually perceived as being clever, and sometimes even funny!

anyway, this post wasn't nearly as good as i had envisioned in my mind before writing it, but that's okay. i'm really just trying to type my thoughts as quickly as i can before i make all the edits it's going to need. so, i'm going to conclude this post making it clear that i'm not very smart. i'm actually pretty dumb, but by realizing the weak spots in the fabric of our society...and exploiting them...i'm a genius!

so exhausted all the time...

2009-01-13T17:22:00.000-08:00

recently i've noticed that i'm getting more and more tired after I get home from work. i'm starting to wonder if it has something to do with the longer commute, but it's more likely the fact that i go to bed at 3am---give or take. i really need to get into a better habit of things for my sleep pattern. it's such a hard cycle to break! hopefully, working out more will help with that...among other things.

there isn't much better than a solid work out. it's like a toxic clean out for the entire body...and to top it off you look and feel better!

anyway, i think i've finally come up with some new concepts for paintings. should be interesting. definitely will let gravity do it's thing in a new way....or so i hope! i'll certainly post some shots if it works out well.

well, this is short and i am out...PEACE

so proud.

2009-01-11T15:49:00.000-08:00

the person i am most proud of in my entire life is my mother. she has overcome so much in her life, and (thankfully for me) a lot of it has been in the past 6 years. I have been able to see her face her challenges head on after reaching rock bottom. I have seen her become happy, but not by the use of prescription drugs (unlike mot people these days), rather by dedicating herself to her passions and goals. there isn't much else i can say about my mother except that i am so blessed to be able to be proud of my family. from my observations it almost never seems to work out from this side. i mean, it always seems to be the mother/father is proud of the kids and the kids get that reassurance and blah blah. but for me, i'm able to realize (most of) what my mother has faced and see her crush it down with a vengeance. i guess i consider my mom the ultimate independent woman, and i love that about her. she joined the military at a time when women were certainly not welcome to. she raised two kids (and i was no easy kid to raise. in fact, probably one of the worst) on her own, and though she made mistakes (who the fuck doesn't?) kate and i have come out just fine. fantastic, in fact. i hope that someday i can explain to my mother just how appreciative i am of everything she does for kate and i. just by her living i have leanred some of the greatest lessons in my life. so, thanks mom :)

see how it molds and shapes and reacts and creates

2009-01-09T18:25:00.000-08:00

so, another friday night at barnes writing and exploring the internet. fun fun. tonight seems a bit different though. i finished my book "the last lecture" earlier today and i guess it got me thinking. am i doing the right things in my life? do i have enough drive? am i managing my money (no) responsibly? is the risk i'm taking on worth the reward when i feel so lackadaisical about music? most people would definitely say yes. then again most people don't have life long goals or passions.

i'm not sure i'm doing all that i can. often times i feel like if i'm not working or creating something in some way than i need to be recording and making music. even if it's complete shit that has nothing to do with anything. everything can be a learning experience if you look at it with the right perspective. in fact, you learn the most from your biggest failures. but i don't i just watch a mythbusters episode or ding around gearslutz.

i think the amount of debt i'm taking on is starting to affect me in negative ways. i need to develop a plan so that paying back is set in stone. a strict budget. this year should start that. having a pay raise of some sort would certainly help with that, but i think it's unlikely that i'll be getting anything over $5000, which in my field is total shit....though with the state of the economy i'm lucky as hell to be where i am. bah, i get off on too many tangents.

i guess the main question i find myself wondering is whether or not i'm doing as much as i should be towards my goal of working full time in sound. i'm on the web researching and reading constantly, but what am i really learning? i think i need to find a way to work nights in a studio somewhere. yea. that'd be the day (no pun intended). I would kill to do that, even cleaning up the dirty bathrooms if it meant i could have actual session sit in time / learning on steroids. well, i won't ever get there by recording in my bedroom all my life. i need to throw together a resume and start making calls. that also means i need to invent a way to set myself apart from the 1000 kids that attempt the same thing every week around here. i guess my only real advantage right now is that i have some much nice gear! i mean what kid my age has a $8000 mic?? NO ONE. But real engineers don't give a fuck about that. not in the least. i realize this. i purchased that mic for my own benefit. so i could see what real pro gear sounds like and how it molds and shapes and reacts and creates. i feel it will be a real benefit when and if i finally take the step into commercial audio.

i'll tell you...most engineers aren't very well rounded. it's plain obvious. i guess that's one aspect of myself that a pro may find appealing. i have so many interests that i've developed in the last 15 years. photography, painting, computers, programming, web design, server management, art design, playing violin, guitar, drums, bass, singing, soldering, building, researching, math (haha kind of), networking, hacking, politics, writing (not very well), traveling, i mean geeze. i feel like i should retire and die already! i feel like most of my peers are good at two good things and one of them probably includes video games.

well, today i read some thing that struck me deeply in stephen's blog (from anberlin) and randy p.'s book (last lecture). they both ad dedicated entries about how people need to just ASK things. just ask questions. ask if you can tag along, ask if you can go there, take that, sit there. ask her out. ask for a raise, or a discount. ask for a strangers opinion. ask for everything! just see what happens and typically the worst that can happen is a "no." i mean how difficult is that to take when it boils down to it? not very difficult. i need to start asking for things. i never do. ever. i have problems asking for a soda refill during lunch. it's sad. i know. shy me doesn't want to put any body out...even if it's their job.

at least i can reflect on these thoughts! i'm out for the weekend (hopefully recording in f'burg) as tiffany has bailed on me tonight i'll probably just chill at home and do some mic tests of the blue caps for some gearslutz.

peace.

another day in another place...

2009-01-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

so, here i am back at b&n. chilln with one of my roommates, who happens to be reading two books at once. very nice. anyway, it's been a while since i've been able to blog/had a place to do it so it's nice to be back in the swing of things. these couple weeks of vacation have been so nice, but i fear i'll be too lackadaisical to do much at work for a while now that i'm so used to all the bs days of nothing to do. i imagine the photography aspect of things will pick up considerably, which i am pretty excited about. i'm really hoping that my year review goes well...with a raise, and some other perks...but in this economy...who knows!

so, new years ways cool. decided to just stick it out by myself, which was refreshing and (i felt) original. it really gave me time to reflect and just explore my own thoughts for the evening, which i haven't been able to do undistributed for a while now. it's actually really nice to be back living in VA for that exact reason, as I feel like there are many more places/chances to just drive away to some place and chill out like i used to do all the time. maybe i can find a spot to write some music, though i'm really enjoying my basement a lot more than my old place.

i've recently purchased a fair amount of new gear. i'm kind of uneasy about it, which bothers me a little bit, but i hope it will pay off in the end. some of the recent tracks i've recorded for hope at hand and myself have turned out extremely well, but when it's all said and done, it's just unclear to me how i'll eventually meet my goals of working in audio full time. it's on my mind a lot, and i pray about it a lot as well. my trust is in God so I guess that's the best I can do for now.

i'm gonna head out and get some other stuff done. nice to be back. peace!

happy new year...

2008-12-31T16:46:00.001-08:00

i'll be chilln at home...all alone! ah!

i'm either a total loser, or a modern genius.

good luck in the new year everyone!

no, i havent forgotten you internet!

2008-12-25T19:45:00.001-08:00

no....i haven't forgotten about this blog! merry Christmas all! i'm moved in, but not yet unpacked. perhaps i shall post some pictures when i'm done unpacking in my new place!

happy new year!

moving

2008-11-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

well, i've finally found a place with graham and evan. it seems like it will be a very nice fit for us and i'm happy that i'll retain some privacy in the basement of the place. not only will i have my own room/full bathroom, but also a very large "rec room" and half way kitchen with a freezer & fridge. the rest of the house is great too especially the living room, so i think we'll have some great times there. i am kind of concerned about graham not having enough space to work on his art etc, but i imagine we'll work something out if he needs to use part of the living room etc.

anyway, so aside from signing the lease for that and meeting Herb (the santa-clause like landlord) we went around old town to find a place to eat, and i can't believe i'll be living so close to a place like king street. i'm going to get some fantastic pictures!

speaking of which, i just researched a little aout online user content rights and management for places like facebook & flickr etc. it seems very extraordinary that web sites (especially those VERY popular ones) are so greedy as to steal whatever they want from whatever you upload and not even make it clear to the users that it's going on. though, i think it's unlikely that somewhere like flickr would steal your photos especially if you actually take the time to setup your privacy settings for all your uploads (which i certainly do). now, facebook...i just upload and go. i really don't care what they steal as the resolution of the photos isn't all that useable anyway....and hey i'm an unknown so if i'm discovered because facebook steals one of my images and uses it in some huge ad....it can't hurt my career.

mom's calling gotta peace...

longest without posting!! and it's halloween

2008-10-31T15:56:00.001-07:00

ah! it's been an entire week since i've been able to post anything last....that sucks. it's been a busy last week. went home to lynchburg last weekend. that was very fun. it's always nice to see my mother, and i finally was able to give tucker his birthday gift (amazon kindle)....which, needless to say he was shocked about. aside from that it was just osakas and chilln'. the work week has been very chill...say for one day when the fourth estate re-opened. that was a bit hectic, but i was able to get all the computers up and running in just an hour....so GO me! anyway, tonight is halloween and there are tons of kids out and about. it's surprising to me how early it is getting dark these days. kind of sketch for the little ones to be out and about in such darkness, but it seems most parents are with 'em...so good. my plans tonight = movie with greg and lauren. it'll be fun to hang out with them outside of work, which rarely happens these days. tomorrow, i head off to newport news. should be a fun trip, hopefully it goes as well as i'm imagining in my mind. it's been a few months, but i think there is still something there. in fact, i know there is, but it's certainly difficult imagining that anything serious could develop seeing as it's so far away...and for the most part i don't have a car here. all i know is i'm happy around there, and that's all i really care about right now. i suppose nobody has any clue what i'm actually talking about, but that's okay with me seeing as how this is a public blog.

amateur musicals?

2008-10-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

so, the internet is down and i'm writing this blog via notepad, or at least the mac equivalent. anyway, things are going pretty well. slow, but well. i've been hit with a large influx of music from several of my favorite bands recently. copeland, forgive durden, and anberlin just to name a few. it's really crazy how great these albums are and to hear how each group has progressed so dramatically. over the last few days i've been reading about forgive durdens' new release, which is sure to be interesting. basically, three out of the four members in the band decided to quit which left the singer (and primary song writer) left to fend for himself. well, he certainly outdid himself by writing an entire MUSICAL! i mean wtf? impressive to say the least. i've listened to a lot of the stream they've got going on the blog about it and it sounds insanely good! it really makes me want to sit down for two years and just work on something from the perspective of an entire orchestra. i'm pretty sure i have no idea what i'm doing, but still...worth a shot. in fact, i might sit down with a few pieces of sheet music of something already composed and just convert it over the midi to get used to the software i have. after-all, i have all these capabilities i might as well try and use them to the fullest extent i can. it's not like i'm doing anything better with my time. so, it's wonderful to hear albums and be inspired to work on more of my own stuff. i'm sure all these artists would love to find out just how inspirational they are! **hmm looks like some sort of band is setting up to play downstairs here at ebenezer's. interesting....**

well, this is epically short as my laptop is about to die and the internet is continuing not to work at all....sooo.....until next time!

like a wall covered with warm light

2008-10-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

it feels like i'm sitting in a room. a very small room. just enough room to move comfortably with all my stuff. everything and anything i need to create whatever i want. the walls are lit with warm tungsten lighting which casts shadows over everything in its path. the floor is wooden and the ceiling is low.

this is how i can feel my mind closing in on me. it's not a bad thing. this is exactly how i feel before huge bursts of inspiration...something i've been longing for so long! it's kind of like "the night is darkest just before the dawn" i suppose. it's not depression & it's not anxiety. it's just pressure building up on my thoughts, emotions, reactions, and physical being. i suppose this is all being triggered by my recent trip to ny, which attributed to the realization that i'm not exactly where i want to be and i don't know how i'm going to get there. i'm not exactly in a rush to leave DC or anything, but i'm excited to know where things are going to lead in my life. it's so up in the air! (it's always awkward to write when people are looking at me through the window. maybe it's just me being paranoid, but it's effin lame).

i like that it's starting to get cold again. it's so great to be able to bundle up in as many layers as i want. break out gloves, a scarf, or a sweater. whatever. it's awesome. kind of like copeland's new album is awesome. it's amazing actually. though, i think i could argue that it's not really copeland anymore. they've switched out a few members since they began, and they've definitely lost their "rock" edge, which is both bad and good. anyway, if there is anyone that randomly comes across this blog i suggest you buy copeland's "you are my sunshine" and all their other albums too.

until next time...

weddings weddings everywhere

2008-10-19T16:25:00.000-07:00

so many people seem to suddenly be getting hitched. one day i'm sitting around hearing about one breakup or another then suddenly all of my (college) friends are married! craziness. I suppose there is a reasonable explanation for three of them...ryan, nick, and now greg. they've all been dating their (now wives) girlfriends since high school, which is a formidable feat to be sure. still, i can't help but think how their lives will be different in comparison to mine by making such an intense commitment so early in life. i guess there isn't too much more to say about it other than of all my other friends, those three couples stand the best chance (by far) of actually being successful for the long term.

moving on, chilled with some friends of mine from HS a while today, which is always fun, though a little weird. i don't get to see them nearly as much as nathan or jon & greg etc. so it can be difficult trying to stay current in our conversations etc. but it sounds like i'll be living with these guys (possibly) in the next few months. i'm not too sure how i feel about it yet as i always get a strange sense of reality whenever i hang out with (i'll call him something made up) joe. he lives such a reckless lifestyle, yet is still capable of retaining some sort of false sense of moral strength. it's hard to explain, but it's certainly a conflict i sense whenever i'm with him, and it makes me feel uncomfortable. i know his actions do not reflect what he truly wants to be as a person, which is a shame. it's practically a waste. i don't want to get into the details of his "recklessness" but let's just say i'm more then 85% sure that his first few marriages (yes few) will fail hopelessly. the only possible way that joe would be able to sustain a marriage would be if he married a woman that was completely able to change him and his outlook on people and life. bah, anyway i'm sure that i'll talk more about him in future posts.

one cool thing i forgot to mention about greg's wedding (if i even mentioned it to begin with *i'm too lazy to re-read this post) is that i got to hang out with all of his CA family. they are so cool, and i don't think they realize how highly i think of them. i mean they've actually made it. craig can sit there and talk to me about how he's executive producing some new cartoon show and i'm like DUDE you're sitting right next to me! haha, i suppose it's probably weird for them to think about things from that perspective as i'm sure that they consider themselves normal people, which they are, but the difference is still there. they've done what so few people are actually able to pull off. anyway, my conversations with craig and his wife were very interesting, especially with craig. he talked about how foster's home for imaginary friends was finishing up it's 6th season, and how he felt that cartoons would (ideally) only last a season or two at most. this was an interesting thought which we discussed in some length. basically, it allows the creators of these shows to really explore many more creative outlets and it opens up the door for a lot of ideas that would normally be turned down. long story short, i related that kind of thinking to music and the current revolution the industry and experiencing, and i think he understood where i was coming from. i had had a few drinks at that point so i hope i wasn't rambling too much about nothingness. anyway, it's always so nice to be around Californians as the few that i've met have been very easy going and overall just happy....maybe that's cause they're successful! haha. oh well.

time to wrap this up by saying that though ebenezer's is a great place to chill and write, i miss nyc a lot. it is definitely the city i need to live in...someday.

in manhattan...

2008-10-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

so, blogging in nyc is a lot different than DC. it might be because i'm so used to being in DC at this point, and i haven't been in ny in so long. people here are so damn unique. it seems like pretty much everybody here has a style all to their own, and it's totally different than i remember it being. i find myself wondering if every other person i see is rich, or not. either very rich or very smart. hmm. are there any average working low income people working/living in manhattan? i feel like there must be! but i don't see how that can be possible with how expensive everything is here. though, i live in work in DC which isn't far behind in the cost of living. so perhaps. anyway, i feels strange being here without anybody else. especially carrie. this was always our city and it's actually very depressing to walk around and see all these familiar places---without her. very depressing actually. it makes me want to call her up and beg for her to come back and work on things together....though truly i know that is not the answer. it's hard to imagine finding another person that will compare to carrie even remotely, but i have faith that it will one day happen. just need to be patient and aware. by the way this is the BEST mocha frap i've had in my life. literally. the best. it actually tastes like chocolate. i wonder if they made it incorrectly because it seems very loaded down with flavor--so much so i don't see how they could make a profit using so much syrup etc.

so i started to read sex, drugs, and coco puffs again. i kind of lost interest in it a couple of months ago because the writer started to sound like any/ever realization he ever came to was a result of some trip he had while stoned. thankfully, the recent chapters have lightened up a bit and actually started to make some applicable sense. i guy writes so eloquently it's scary, and almost every point/topic he discusses and apply directly to me in every way and from examples that apply directly to me. it's crazy. he basically writes as i wish i could...more intelligently and with broader depth and focus.

so, i'm going to head out and try and find gill and this venue i'm supposed to be photographing. i'll likely be back at this exact same starbucks later tonight trying to upload my photos to ryan, but i might try and see if he can wait until just a little later tonight so i have a faster connection at my hotel. hopefully, i'll have some time to grab some shots around central park and other areas afterwards. maybe even times square if my feet are up to it...who knows.

until later...

the day before i go home.

2008-10-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

i know that someday i will call NYC home. i've always known that. my mother literally (as do i) remembers the day that i told her i want to live in a new york apartment. i was 5 & we lived in colorado springs i even memorized the zip code of the new york, new york address in the stick stickly nickelodeon commercials--10185. kind of sad, but it confirms the dedication my mind has always held. i definitely didn't choose new york, but new york chose me. it's gripped me and drawn me to it like a magnet. when i'm there i feel like i've never felt. each time a totally unique experiance. there's some feeling that i can finally breathe. i guess the best description i can give is like falling in love. the feeling you get when you and your significant other both realize that you're hearts belong to one another. it's infinite and addicting. unstoppable and encouraging.

over more recent years it's definitely become "the place to live" for young 20-30 somethings, but that's never been the reason i've had an affinitiy for it. in fact, i hate the stereo typical new yorker 20 something. talk about rich and out of touch. i want to live in NY to experiance the true city atmosphere. the energy and quickness. the isolation and emmersion. to be poor and struggling. to constantly be surrounded by life and lights.

i'm headed to NYC tomorrow and i'm really excited. a bit nervous because the expectations are pretty high that i take some great photos...and there's always the chance that the entire network could come crashing down at work here in DC! oh well, whatever happens happens. pura vita! i'm sure i'll try and blog a bit if i can find the time. i also want to get some shots of the city, but it's unlikely i'll have time to do that either....we'll see.

Schedule:
9:30AM---catch bus at 9:30am 11th and G NW to arrive at 1:45pm New York 33rd and 7t
3:00PM---check in ~3PM at Holiday Inn Midtown 57th Street 440 WEST 57TH STREET
4:30PM---head to 20 Cooper Square NYU to shoot the event and help Gil setup anything

Panelists:

Jill Abramson, Managing Editor, New York Times
Tom Curley, President, The Associated Press
Dan Rather, Global Correspondent & Managing Editor, Dan Rather Reports, HDNet
Jay Rosen, Media Critic and NYU Faculty Member

Event will probably end around 9PM?
Head back to hotel and try and grab some shots of the city/hang out

Next day:
Wake up as early as possible. Maybe grab some food from the bread factory?
12:00PM---Check out at 12PM
1:00PM---catch bus at 1PM at New York 33rd and 7th
5:15PM---arrive 5:15 pm Washington, D.C. 11th and G NW
catch metro to old town alexandria asap and take photos at greg's rehersal dinner etc.
SLEEP

All Day Saturday
Early- meet up with nathan to hang at greg's wedding and stuff

Sunday
Sleep in.
Chill with Evan and Graham

good morning fire eater

2008-10-14T14:39:00.001-07:00

so, i'm practically sitting in direct sunlight....fitting after a day of staring at direct LCD lights, haha. Had a three hour booking this morning for photography of an event that was surprisingly interesting. It was a bunch of scholars, engineers, and the former governor of NY discussing the National Electric Grid. Very fascinating stuff...especially the keynote speaker Peter...something. Anyway, he was the weird, totally nerd, and obviously genius type. He just knew wtf he was saying...so rare. I felt a little more awkward than usual because of my clothing, but it's all good 'cause I got my official press blug black t-shirt now! So, after the event I spent my hours editing up the photos and uploading them to flickr...it took 45 mins JUST to upload all the shots. 1.10 GB worth. Hopefully they feel they got their monies worth. I feel like most of them turned out well...especially if all they're using them for is web related stuff. I need to start using my 50 1.4 lens more, but I'm always afraid I'll need the 18-50mm for a group shot or something. I LOVE the 50 1.4, but I'm so lame and unskilled that having no zoom really freaks me out. Oh well, tomorrow morning I will force myself to suck it up and go for it. Plus, I'll have my d50 as a backup with a lens ready to rock if needed in a hurry.

So, for the rest of today I'm planning on going home and mixing up a song that I actually recorded way back in February. Just finished the lead vocals last night, and will finalize the backing vox (hopefully) tonight. I think it's going to be my best mix to date. Its got that elusive "in your face" punch and warmth that everyone seems to always be after. There's also a shit ton of instrumentation goin' on. Yes, SHIT ton. I have no idea how I was able to write such an "advanced" song, but I definitely pulled it out of my ass! Anyway, more on that later...once I've received some feedback from friends & fans.

On a more serious note, I fear that I'm really starting to be unhappy at my job. Maybe it's just the time of the year, or the fact that I'm single, or something I'm unaware of, but I definitely feel like something has changed. It might be a result of the slow summer and/or the fact that there are several large projects people seem to expect me to take on---and it just can't happen. I don't have the time! Though things are slow a lot of the time right now that doesn't mean I am able to take on a 4-6 month long project. Bah! Anyway. I'm going to stop journalling like a 12 year old emo boy.

an arresting development...

2008-10-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

so, on my walk home today i witnessed a young man being arrested & surrounded by no less than 5 police cars (overkill anyone?). he looked like a young teenage boy, but come to think of it i can't remember what he actually looked like. i tried not to stare....lord knows everyone else was. maybe i've seen too many episodes of Cops HD or something, but surprisingly it didn't strike me as much of a big deal. maybe it's a sign that i've been living in the city too long! haha, who knows. either way, it made enough of an impact to discuss here on my lovely blog.

so today, i thought about how cool it would be to write a book. to answer, it'd be very cool. the coolest. i don't think i have near enough the discipline to tackle a creative project that huge. not even close. it's nice to think about though. maybe someday. thankfully i haven't had to use those two words too much in life. "maybe someday."

so some crazy guy just started talking to a couple of attractive girls about parenting and the inner city kids of the dc. it's pretty interesting to see how awkward he is making this girl. she just nods along, and goes with it. how sweet. haha this guy keeps talking on so many tangents. hahaha and now i can't stop smiling. wow. now he's on about the cheap labor in dc. this is great! ironically he is fulfilling the request that is the title of my blog. strangers should talk. perhaps i should clarify "strangers should talk...if they want to."

anyway, so i'm gonna need to stop laughing now and perhaps he'll go away. yay! he left. that was weird.

so back on topic. a book. yes, maybe someday.

forgetting sarah marshall

2008-10-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

seriously, one of the funniest movies of all time.