Limitation Breeds Creativity

Sunday January 30 I went to the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica airport and saw Raymond Pettibon speak. He was actually "In Conversation" with a friend of his who was really there to ask Raymond questions and try to keep him on track. I've liked Pettibon's work since the Black Flag days and now, I really wish I would have thought about trying to buy some of his work back them, because now I really want some and I can't afford it.
I was nervous that I wasn't going to make it to the noon event to which I had purchased advance tickets ... I took Joe to the train station in Fullerton got home to walk Otis and he promptly barfed twice. So I was feeling guilty about leaving him home alone but I knew he was tired and would fall asleep as soon as I left.
I left the house around 11:30 and made it just in time. If Mona hadn't been there early saving me a seat, I never would have pulled it off. Thank you Mona!
I took a few pictures with my phone and only 6 with my camera (it was a small venue and you could heard every camera click, so I was self conscious - plus Raymond Pettibon is awkward in front of a crowd and I didn't want to be the source of more awkwardness). I think you can tell by his body language that he's not too comfortable.

One thing that really stuck out was one of Raymond's answers to a weird question from an audience member. I really felt that the people asking questions were trying to be on the same plane as Pettibon. Kinda artsy, out there in left field, weirdos ... Basically, I didn't really understand what they were asking. Some guy asked a question somehow pertaining to limits and referenced haiku ... And Pettibon answered "Limitation Breeds Creativity" (I think that's what he said, I freeking loved it when he said it and now, 2 days later I'm having trouble recalling it). I just thought it was a great quote and it made me think a little bit ... Just a little bit.

Check

I made a long list of things I want to accomplish this year. For some reason I don't want to call them resolutions, I've never been big on making resolutions anyway ... Why wait 'til Jan 1? If you really want or need to do something, just fucking do it. Anyway, some of the items on the list are as silly as "surf more" and other items have a more serious subject or are to do with work ... I've actually been able to check a few off already, which is cool. I have not lined them out because I can do them more then once this year. I have 11 items on the personal side of my list and 6 on the work side. I've already done 6 on the personal side and 1 on the work side.

One of the items on my list is to take more pictures. In order to do that, I now take my camera almost everywhere with me. I took it on a walk with Otis the other day and only took 6 frames, all of the same subject, none spectacular but I'm going to post one because that's what this blog is for (and I like the shadow).



VClub Box

 This blog is not about food trucks but I need to vent a little. I decided to try to hit a food truck for lunch today. I haven't gone to a truck in a while (except MIHO in SD for Phonography). I found a tweet that Taco Dawg was going to be serving about 15 minutes from me from 11 - 2:00. I always try to avoid the "regular" lunch time to avoid crowds, so I arrived at 1:35. Upon arrival, I saw the truck parked in it's place.  I did notice that none of their windows were open ... So I parked and got out of my car just in time to see them drive away ... At 1:35! This sucks. They were supposed to be there until 2:00! As far as I'm concerned, they owe me a taco or a dog or whatever it is that they sell ...!

Obvious

Sunsets are an obvious thing to photograph yet I'm drawn to them. Sometimes the colors are just amazing and if you add some clouds in there ... I'm sold.

A couple days ago Sarah said "The sky looks really cool right now, you should grab your camera" and I did. I remeber not being too excited about what I shot, right after shooting it but looking at them later, I actually kinda like a couple.



I wish the moon was an inch to the left.



I think this was January 16, 2011.

Phono

The Phongraphy show opening was last night. It was cool. A lot of great photos. I bought 3 by Ed Templeton. I've really liked Ed's work for a while now and when he has a solo show his work can be $3000 each. I got 3 images for $20 each at Phongraphy and I'm almost as happy about that as I am about having a picture in the show. The show was PACKED. In fact the Blind Lady staff were concerned about capacity and finally had to start a line outside until some people left. By the time I left, there had to be 150 people in there. It was crowded, which is GREAT. If I remember correctly Josh (curator) said there were 164 images in the show and probably 50+ different contributors Before I left it looked like sales were going pretty well, which is great because I want Josh to get reimbursed for his expenses and I'd like there to be a decent donation made to Doctors Without Borders for Haiti too. I'm curious to see if mine sells but we'll see.


Wall A of the show.


Switching gears - I got a nice email from John Royce (pres, Cal Hts Neighborhood Assoc). He said he was talking to Robert, the owner at Roxanne's, who was looking for vintage photographs from Cal Hts to display in the bar. John said that there are not too many available and wondered if I would be interested in sending Robert some of the stuff I've been shooting around the neighborhood, particularly the pictures of the reconditioned street lamps. I am stoked that Mary Sramek tagged John in some of those pix on facebook or this never would have come about. I've sent some images to Robert ... we'll see. I think i posted a couple of the pix on the last blog entry. Most are from my phone but here's one from the camera:

favorite

Well, including myself, there are 3 people following this blog so far. I am actually considering telling a few other people about it. But not yet.

You 2 other people have seen these pictures before but they might be my favorite pictures I've ever taken with my iPhone. That being said they belong on my photo blog, right? So here they are, taken in California Heights Historic District in Long Beach, CA, January 6, 2011.

Carlsbad

Had a long productive day on Saturday. saw friends, shed tears, exercised the dog and took very few pictures but i like a couple I took in an Alley behind Timmy's work (after I edited them and boosted their color a little.

Signing

I don't really have too much to say about these two pictures except I cried as soon as I saw them. They capture a special moment in time for a special friend on a special night surrounded by friends.
(Taken on my iPhone ... I love that thing).



Mona Signing




Weave Signing



Rib Shots is started

I imported the few entries I did on my "FTW" blog. That blog was going to be a food truck blog, but I don't want to do that anymore and I haven't been chasing food trucks lately. I think a photo blog will be healthier anyway, that's what the earlier blogs are referring to "FTW" or "Food Truck World." I had no subscribers to that blog and I expect to tell the same amount of people about this one.

My main goal is to post pictures here. Not daily as I don't have access to this computer daily and this computer has my photo software and photo storage, but at least a few times per week. I've started bringing my camera with me everywhere I go. I don't take it out of the bag everywhere I go, but I have it, just in case.



I'm in my first photo show and I'm pretty stoked about it. I heard about the show and sent an email to the curator and asked if I could submit a few pictures for consideration. He said yes and I'm in. One picture for sure maybe 2 depending on room and space. Either way I'm pretty stoked even if I'm not on the flier.

Since I've said the point of this blog is to encourage me to post pictures, I guess I should post one now. Maybe 2. These were taken in Oxnard on 01/05/2011.





Wagon Wheel

Zeph's Guard dog

  



OK - so they are not great, but I like them.