Reflections on 2024

“The past is in your head, the future is in your hands.”
-Unknown

As 2024 comes to a close I wanted to reflect on the past year. Mostly my favorite things, lessons learned or reminded of, and thoughts on what’s to come in 2025. I’ve heard from many others how they felt the year went by so quickly and I’m inclined to agree. 2024 was such a whirlwind for me personally. Lots of traveling, working on projects, greetings and partings, etc. But overall, I would say it was the single best year of my 30s as they too come to a close. In light of recent events, I feel like I’m closing a certain chapter in my life. Not sure exactly what I’d call it, but it feels like going from adolescence to adulthood if that makes sense.

I planned to post more on the blog in December, but after returning from Seoul, I decided to take a bit of a break from blogging as I worked on images and just enjoyed some downtime for the holidays. A more regular blog schedule will return beginning the first week of January and I think I’ll go back to a new post every Friday format. Don’t quote me on that, lol.

Anyway, without further ado, here are my reflections on the year:

Favorite Photo Camera

My workhorse. There is none better.

As I said last year and this year is no different, my favorite camera is the A7RV. It’s really all I could ask in a full-frame camera with only a couple of small things I would change. It has been my workhorse for everything from portraits to event photography. It’s fast, small, the image quality is fantastic, and the high-resolution gives me lots of flexibility in post. It’s easily one of the best gear purchases I’ve ever made and has recouped its expense a dozen times over. If I could change anything, it would be a faster sensor readout so silent shooting wouldn’t be so hit or miss with the rolling shutter at play. And maybe better high-iso performance. Otherwise, I still love this camera like the first day I got it. Bravo Sony!

Favorite Lens

The little lens that could. The Tamron 20-40 f/2.8 Di III VXD is legit.

The Tamron 20-40 f/2.8 Di III VXD easily. I’m not a fan of buying wide primes lower than 28mm. If I were a landscape shooter, I could justify the cost of an expensive 20mm or 24mm lens. If I did real estate photography, I could buy, say a 15mm lens, and it would be justifiable. I’m just not in enough situations where I need wider than 28mm. But when I do find myself in those settings, the Tamron 20-40 f/2.8 is my lens of choice. It’s small, fast, and I find the focal range extremely versatile. When paired with the A7RV and its APS-C crop mode, I can easily double my focal length at the push of a button turning my 20-40 into a 40-80mm. For event photography, it feels like cheating. I can shoot from the hip with confidence as I know the focusing will be accurate and land on the subjects I want it to. You’d think it would be expensive, but it’s a reasonably priced $699. Like my A7RV, it’s paid for itself many times over. If you don’t have one in your kit, I highly recommend it for both stills and video. My runner-up would be the Tamron 28-75. Also an incredible value. I can do practically all of my work with those two lenses. Brilliant stuff.

Favorite Video Camera

DJI Osmo Pocket 3. The perfect combination of form factor and fun factor.
I really should trademark that phrase.

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3. It’ll never use a full-frame camera again for travel vlogging. Yeah, yeah, I know the image quality is better, but the size trade-offs aren’t worth it. And the Osmo is just too fun to use. It goes everywhere with me. Dinners, concerts, walks in the park, rides in the countryside. I can hand it to someone and they can quickly figure out how to use it. I’ve even started using it to record personal vlogs as an alternative for traditional journaling. I love it and keep it in my camera bag.

Favorite Shoot

The phenomenal Ryu Sera. There will never be another. She deserves her own post.
Best shoot of the year(and my career). Forever thankful.

This one is tough because 2024 was a very active year for me creatively. I learned so much from others, about myself, and about what I want my images to ultimately be and be about. I’m very blessed to say I got to work with every single model I wished to work with this year. And the work we did felt like I moved the needle forward in a considerable way. I loved all of those shoots, even the ones that didn’t come out as strong as I’d hope. But ultimately, my favorite shoot was with Korean singer, Ryu Sera. I’m a HUGE fan of her and her music, so having the opportunity to shoot with her was a once in a lifetime event for me. Even thinking about it, it still feels surreal to me. I haven’t written about it at length on the blog yet, but it was a far better experience than I ever could have imagined. She was sooo cool to meet and work with. That one I’ll always cherish and it makes me thankful for choosing photography as a profession. I highly doubt our paths crossing if I chose to be a real estate agent haha. So easily that one is my favorite of the year. Probably all-time so far in my career.

Favorite Place

Lisbon was amazing. 12/10 would recommend.

I travelled a lot this year. Many times to Paris and across Europe. Seoul was fantastic, but I think my favorite place was Lisbon. I felt the spirit of God there. In the people I met, the places I went, the food I ate. It just felt spiritual for me. I would describe Portugal is like Spain and France had a baby. It’s like a unique blend of what makes those countries great with it’s own flavor added. The people were so nice and accommodating from the staff at my hotel to every Uber driver I met. I loved it there and will be returning at some point in the new year.

Favorite Film

Beautiful film. Gothic Horror is back? Yes, please.

This year was pretty sparse in terms of films. The entertainment industry is still reeling from the strikes of 2023 and a lagging economy/job market, so there wasn’t a ton of films to sift through this year. No Oppenheimer or Poor Things. Oscar season looks pretty light as a result. But one film that came out on Christmas Day and is recommended viewing even for the cinematography alone is Nosferatu. The atmosphere of that film is fantastic. At times it felt like watching a live action Resident Evil 4. Very dark, gothic, and gritty. The sound effects were chilling, the violence visceral, and the performances believable and gripping from the entire cast. Willem Dafoe is in it and every time he’s attached to a film it feels like a seal of quality. Oh Willem Dafoe’s in it? Sign me up. From the Lighthouse to Poor Things to Nosferatu, Dafoe has been in major, industry shaking films year over year in recent times. His resume just gets better and better as the years go by. Not to mention the air of sophistication and character he adds to the projects he’s in. Kudos to him. So yeah, Nosferatu is a recommended one.

Favorite Software

Not an ad. Canva is actually pretty awesome.

Canva. I’ve seen advertisements on social media and out in public, but it wasn’t until a stylist named Lola that I met in Prague, sent me a presentation she put together on the platform that it really piqued my interest. If I could describe it in one word, it would be “slick”. It really elevates your presentations and the entire interface is just a breeze to use. Very intuitive and structured in an easy to follow manner. It can even translate your presentations into different languages. I put together a moodboard for my shoot in Seoul and created a copy translated to Korean which was very helpful to my makeup artist who didn’t speak much English. I’d recommend it if you have an ongoing, month-to-month need for such a program.

Favorite Flop

Oh you beautiful disaster. And the nerve to release on Valentine’s Day.

This is an interesting category. Easily, Madame Web. Terrible film. Terrible writing. Terrible casting choices. But it was hilarious to sit through. How they can work on a film in production with so many glaring flaws and no one stops to course correct will always impress me. The incompetence on display even at the highest levels of society requires study. It’s fascinating as it is baffling. “He was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders just before she died…” is the Citizen Kane of bad movie lines. Jeez. Thankfully the cast won’t be impacted to much by it. It’s Sony’s fault for wanting to make a “Spiderman”-verse of films without having actual Spider-Man. Kraven The Hunter came out a few weeks ago and effectively killed Sony’s plans to produce more films in this universe. Their entire live action “Spiderman”-verse from Morbius to Venom was a disaster. But we’ll always have Madame Web to remind us of just how bad films got in the era of pandering, DEI, and agenda over narrative being the primary modus operandi for making a film.

Favorite Sporting Event

“I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the nightttt!” *shadow boxes

This year’s Super Bowl was fantastic and Patrick Ma-homeboy did his thing as usual. This would have been my pick, but I’m going with boxing. Boxing was fantastic this year. My pick is Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury I. The first undisputed heavyweight boxing event in over 20 years. Two top heavyweight champs putting it all on the line in Saudi Arabia. It could have easily been a dud, but from the entrances you knew you were in a for a special night of boxing. It was tense, it was dramatic, and it was without controversy. We had a clear winner and Oleksandr Usyk’s hand was raised proudly at the end of the night. He’s done both his country of Ukraine and the sport of boxing proud. A champion that carries himself with dignity, a sportsman who’s a shining example of what an athlete could become, and just a solid all-around guy, he has one of the best resumes and stories in boxing, all-time. Easily. Best moment for me is Tyson Fury coming to the ring to Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For a Hero.” The pyrotechnics going off, the Fury family all standing in line supporting him, and Tyson shadowboxing with John 3:16 on his back as the music pumps gave me chills. He didn’t win, but damn if he didn’t entertain.

Favorite Sporting Moment

Murray was ice cold in this one.

Lebron and the Lakers getting eliminated in the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets yet again. Probably the most divisive figure in all of basketball, Lebron has been the butt of jokes, memes, etc. for his antics and rabid, toxic, fanbase. The way the sports media mostly covers him and the Lakers despite their being numerous other interesting players/teams is one of the reasons the NBA’s ratings are in the gutter. But when he speaks in interviews or they talk about him, it’s almost as if they expect him to be champion every year. Like he’s entitled to it. It’s his right! So to see them go down in flames every year puts a smile on my face. Small market teams matter too, so it’s nice to see them make the media eat crow. And give Nikola Jokic his props you haters!

Lessons Learned

Learning from the maestro Richard Dumas. A single piece of advice went a long way. A big thank you to him.

• You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Photographer Richard Dumas gave me this nugget of advice during a conversation I had with him at his workshop. I asked how does he keep things fresh after so many years and does he feel like he’s repeating himself. He smiles knowingly and goes, “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Jazz is composed of three notes. You don’t have to reinvent every time you shoot. If it’s good, people will to continue to like it.” I took that wisdom to heart and stopped futzing over if I was repeating myself or not and just did “my” work. I’ve been all the better for it.

• Rock with the people that rock with you. This industry is full of fake, opportunistic people and posers. From the members of your team to the models/actors you work with. There’s a lot of posing and pretending to be interested in what you have going on, especially if they can somehow benefit from it. You have to weed those types out. Can’t tell you how many people popped back up in the past year when they felt maybe I had something to offer them. If there are people genuinely in your corner, showing you love, do the same for them. But stay away from the pretenders. They’ll waste your time and energy leaving you stressed and annoyed.

• Shoot what you love. What is your creative passion as a photographer? Is it fashion? Nudes? Landscapes? Shoot that. Don’t waste time doing stuff you have no interest in. Even if that stuff makes money. Of course we all have to do what is necessary to survive, but all things being equal, if you can shoot what you enjoy, by all means do it. It’ll keep you motivated to keep working even when you’re tired, uninspired, etc. Life is too short to be spending your good years on stuff that doesn’t excite you. Make your career fun!

• Build solid working relationships. I have people I work with on a consistent basis. From makeup artists to models. People I can trust for certain projects, especially when it involves a client. The later part of this year, I started refining my approach to working with models. Some shoots were good and some were downright bad. I casted poorly and that’s on me. Going forward, I’ll be much more discerning on who I work with from top to bottom. And if I really enjoyed working with someone, they’ll be on my trusted list of people I’ll work with again and again.

• Subject matter > Gear. Gear is cool. It’s fun to talk about or drool over, but in photography, the gear is not the thing. Subject matter is. Doesn’t matter if you’re shooting on medium format if what you’re shooting is boring. If you have something or someone interesting in front of your camera, it doesn’t matter if it was taken on an iPhone, it will appeal to people. But if it’s shit, it doesn’t matter how much you spent on your camera and lenses. The subject matter is the thing.

• Go around. If the industry puts up a wall and doesn’t want to let you in, go around. There’s always another way to approach something from. Gatekeepers will try to keep you at bay, but don’t let that deter you. Keep persisting, keep resisting, keep insisting, and you’ll get in.

• Don’t forget your education. I’ve been a professional for almost 20 years now and I’m still learning. There are things I do well and many areas for improvement. It takes a willingness to be critical and a habit of self-reflection to improve as an artist. There’s still things I can learn from others. Workshops I can attend or tutorials I can watch. Or just experimenting with things on my own. What is most important is to not let ego and pride convince you that you’re so high and mighty, so good, that you know everything. Humble thyself and put your student cap on. You’ll be amazed at how it can impact your work.

• Always make time for loved ones. No matter how big you get, how busy you get, what cool projects you work on, or what cool people you meet, don’t forget about the people in your life. Parents, friends, romantic partners, your dog, etc. We can’t only be our work. And life is fleeting. Spend time with the people that mean the most to you. Tomorrow isn’t promised ya know?!

• Always make time for yourself. In addition to the previous point, take time off for you. Even if that’s just sitting at home doing nothing, give yourself time to reset, process, decompress, ruminate, and reflect. I’ve used the month of December for this and will return to a “full steam ahead” sort of schedule in January. Breaks are important and time to yourself even more so. It’s great if you have people in your life that understand and give you that space. If not, you may have to make some changes to your circle.

• Don’t dwell on the nonsense. Be it personal or professional. Life’s too short (sensing a theme?) to worry about dumb stuff. Difficult, uncooperative people in your personal life. Jealous partners. Unsupportive family members. Cheapskate clients. Flakey “friends”. Bitter colleagues who never made it. The list goes on and on. Try your best to work things out, but it gets to a point where you must realize something just isn’t for you. Be it people, places, or things. That’s life. Focus on the positive, the supportive, the appreciative, the loving, and you’ll be much happier for it.

• Be relentless in pursuit of your dream. Not even being hyperbolic. You must be unrelenting, unshakeable on your journey. Gotta sleep on the floor? No problem. Gotta sleep in the car? No problem. Have to work more hours than expected? Bring it on. Have to travel abroad for an opportunity? Let’s go! Friends whining because you can’t hang out all the time? Ah well. You often have a finite window to make something happen, don’t get distracted, don’t get complacent, keep going till you reach the goal. Double, triple, ten times your effort. Study, refine, improve. Don’t settle for good enough. Strive to be great. Great-er. Hell, the great-est. If you’re not giving it your all, then why the hell are you even doing it? That’s my own personal philosophy. You may not have the temperament or mindset for it, but much of the above I stated is the mindset of many of the world’s most successful people. And if you want to be successful, easiest way is to learn from people who’ve been there and done it. You’ll get there. Godspeed!

What’s next?

Where shall we venture off to next old boy?!

This year was amazing. Full stop. But now we must set our sights on what’s ahead. The nature of being an artist is that you’re often just going from project to project. You have to appreciate past successes and allow yourself time to celebrate, but then it’s off to the next thing. For me, there are several things I wish to get done in 2025. Quick list then we’re getting outta here till next year:

• More traveling. I turn 40 in March and will spend most of that month traveling. To some places I’ve already been and some that are all new to me. Some to work and some just for leisure. Wherever I go, it’s motivated by the idea that I will never be landlocked in NYC. I can’t stand it for more than a few weeks these days. Going forward I plan to go to at least 2 places every 3 months throughout the year. I’m already in the midst of adjusting my schedule accordingly to accomodate this change and I’ll be careful to space things out appropriately. It got a bit crazy there in October hopping around Europe. And I ended up coming back feeling extremely depleted. I’ll be sure to avoid that in the future. You live and learn.

• I’m buying a house. I’ve been saving pretty aggressively and have considered moving at different points over the past few years. Now, fully committed to the next chapter in my life, I’ve decided to buy my first house. Not sure where yet, but I’m getting one.

• Finish and release my book. The first priority of 2025 is to finish up the book and put it out in the Spring. I was hoping to release it this year, but other things took priority. In retrospect it was for the best. I made a lot of notes in my spare time and when I compared it to some things I’ve already written, I felt there was room for improvement. So a lot of my free time will go to writing at the the beginning of the year.

• Buy another medium format camera. Most likely the GFX 100S II. I’ve spoken about returning to medium format in the last post. I think it could be useful for the new direction of my work. And that sweet 3 x 4 format. The 100S II seems like the right camera, but the 100 II has that beautiful viewfinder. Is that worth $2500 extra? Oh decisions, decisions.

• Put out a film project of some sort. Filmmaking is an undertaking so I decided to put on the back burner this year. I wanted to really hone in on photography. Next year, I’m excited to do more film related work. Be it short videos from shoots, a documentary, or short, I’ll put out something. Admittedly I sort of threw my hands up at filmmaking, but recently felt inspired and want to explore that feeling.

• Shoot more swimwear. Like filmmaking, I took a bit of a break from shooting swim, but I miss working on the beach in Miami. To satiate my appetite, I’m planning a visit in the coming months to shoot some new work.

• Set up shop in Miami. I’ve been eyeing Miami as a market for a few years now and will make some bigger steps in setting up a base of operations there by end of summer. I considered the west coast, but really have no interest in California, so Florida it is. No more winters in NYC!

• Spend considerably more time with family. My parents are elderly with my mom turning 70 in February. I plan to spend much more time with them this year. Just hanging out, reminiscing, creating new memories, etc. I know all too well about the fragility of life, so I’ll be going home to Mississippi as often as I can throughout the year. Traveling somewhere fancy is cool and all, but you ain’t nothing if you can’t go home.

• Live life. This one’s pretty broad I guess, but ultimately, I just want to take these happy emotions from this year and the type of moments that made them, and do more of that ya know? Just having fun, exploring places, working with people that are great to be around, grow my business, see my parents, fall in love, write, sing, dance, all of that. Less stress, more happy days. That’s all I ask for truly. For myself and for you too.

To everyone who made the year an amazing one, thank you. Here’s to the next one!

Goodbye 2024, I’ll never forget you!

Happy New Year folks! Remember…

“The first 365 days of the year are always the hardest.”
-Karl Marx…probably

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Musings: November 22, 2024

Haven’t posted in a while due to traveling and having a loaded schedule after I returned. It’s like all my clients decided to all book on the same week November 11-17. I was shooting every single day last week, but this week I got a breather. Thank God!

I’ll talk more extensively on my travels in another post.

As much as modern photographers talk about gear, I don’t hear enough conversations about the actual process of working as a photographer. The grueling hours, the planning for a project, working with clients, negotiating jobs, the failures, etc. It’s camera, camera, lens, lens, as if that’s the only aspect of what being a photographer is like. It’s a lot of work despite the glamorous appearance of the profession.

I was glad to have a break this week because I’m currently preparing for a trip to Seoul, South Korea on Monday. I’m working on, probably my biggest, personal project yet. Not big in terms of scale, but big in terms of importance to me personally. I’m hoping this one will lead to more trips to Seoul in the future, but I’ll expand on my thoughts about it more in this post. On to the musings!

GEAR TALK

Sony Alpha 1 II. Great specs, but feels like an incremental update. My A7RV is safe.

• Lots of gear announced and released in the past several months. Most recently Sony announced their successor to the flagship Alpha 1, the Alpha 1 II.  I had the Alpha 1 back in 2022 and it was a beast of a camera. I’ve since shifted to the A7RV and couldn’t be more happy with it. Looking at the Alpha 1 II’s specs, it is an impressive camera, but more of an iterative update(same sensor at the original Alpha 1) than a tour de force of new technology. At $6,498, I probably won’t be buying one. There’s no need. I wish they would have had open gate video recording given the sensor, but Sony doesn’t seem all that interested in that. For the price point though, I can have my A7RV and buy an FX3 for only a little more. I’d rather have two cameras instead of one, so it’s a pass for me.

Fuji’s GFX Eterna Cinema Camera. Looks good. How will it perform?

• Fuji announces their Fuji GFX Eterna Cinema Camera. This should have been a very exciting announcement that had all the film/video heads excited with glee. But I think it was met with a “meh” from the masses since Fuji’s first foray into an actual cinema camera utilizes the same sensor featured in their GFX 100 II camera. The GFX 100 II is brilliant for photography and the video quality is superb, but there are issues with a massive sensor with such a high megapixel count for video. Namely, very pronounced rolling shutter. It probably would have been better if Fuji’s first cinema camera used a much lower megapixel count, medium format sensor. Imagine the Eterna with a 12-megapixel sensor and dual-native ISO like a medium format FX3? Now we’re talking. Who knows, maybe this one will be a homerun, but I have my reservations.

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens. Favorite zoom lens ever. Full stop.

• One of the benefits of being in the Sony full-frame ecosystem is the sheer amount of available lenses. One company who I feel is the unsung hero of lenses on E-mount is Tamron. Their zooms are fantastic. I use the Tamron 28-75 lens on all of my portrait shoots and absolutely love that lens. So much so, I rarely use any primes that are covered by its range. I have the Sigma 50mm f/1.2 DG DN lens and hardly use it. I have the Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM lens and hardly use it. For the way I work, the Tamron is much more versatile and delivers a look I love. The extra reach on the end makes it a great portrait lens. And it’s the focal lengths in the middle of the range that really make the difference. 50mm, for example is often too wide for me. But 55-63mm? Perfection! If I want something slightly wider I can stay in the 40-50mm range. It also helps when working with models who move a lot and I’m not trying to lose limbs on the edges of the frame when they go into a spontaneous pose. There are a plethora of 24-70mm lenses on the market and it seems like a new one is announced every year, but the 28-75 range is perfect for my needs, for portraits. It’s versatile, lightweight, focuses fast, super sharp, and cheap. What’s not to love? I’d prefer a little more on the wide end for events, but for my use case it’s perfect. Shout out to Tamron for such an amazing little lens.

• In relation to my last point, I’ve decided to sell both my Sigma 50mm and Sony 35mm lenses. I don’t need them. And I have this new thing for eliminating waste. If I’m not using equipment on a regular, consistent basis, I’m getting rid of it. This has lead me to not purchasing much new equipment in months. There are small things like a memory card here or there, a fresh backdrop, but no major camera or lens purchases. I’m very happy with the equipment at my disposal and it’s been great investing more time and energy into production rather than gear. That’s truly where the difference lies. Gear is fun and exciting sometimes, but it’s great when you think of a project and now you have a budget for it. I would recommend spending 70% on production and only 30% on gear. That seems about right in terms of balance. Or maybe 80/20? You get my drift.

• Repurpose instead of resale. I have a Think Tank Production Manager 30 rolling case that I’ve used for years whenever I go to my client’s location here in New York. It’s served me very well and is still in excellent condition. But it’s big and heavy. Once I changed from AC powered monolights to battery powered lights for location shoots, my kit downsized tremendously. So I switched to a much smaller Tenba rolling case that I’ve also had for years. I pondered selling the Think Tank and I tried, but no takers. Instead of wasting a lot of time only to get a couple hundred bucks, why not use it for something else? This also prevents me from buying a new case, when the old one will do just fine.
  
  In my travels, one constant annoyance has been booking studios and them not having certain lighting equipment available. So I started thinking, “Why not just bring my own lighting equipment?” A eureka moment, ya know? Now I’ve repurposed the Think Tank case to be my case when I travel on a plane whether domestic or abroad. It fits all the lights I need and some grip equipment, all while not going over the 50lb limit. And it’s built like a tank so I’m not worried about anything getting damaged in transit. Why I didn’t think of this before is beyond me? But age brings wisdom they say. What equipment do you have laying around that could be used for something new?

• Backpacks are better than rolling cases in airports. Last trip to Paris I took a Think Tank rolling case. It was nice, but navigating the airport with it along with other bags proved to be a hassle at times. Before I went to Lisbon in October, I decided to switch to a backpack instead and oh man, was that the best decision. Having your hands free to do other things should not be understated. Getting food, chugging water, retrieving your boarding pass, getting on and off the plane, etc, was all considerably easier. A bit heavier of course, lugging equipment on your back. But for the often short stays in airports, it’s more than worth it for the convenience and versatility.

MUSINGS

Heading to Seoul on November 26th. Can’t wait.

• They say you should never meet your heroes, they’ll surely disappoint as the quote goes. I’ve been fortunate to meet a few of mine in passing, but never had a back and forth conversation with them. Choosing instead to keep my distance, saying the odd hello or tell them I’m a fan. To my surprise, I had the pleasure of meeting one such person recently and they were more than I could have expected. Chill, approachable, and a great sense of humor. More like a regular person and not a celebrity. We chatted on Zoom and it was the most surreal experience. They even agreed to do a shoot with me! Crazy yeah? I know, I know. The little schoolgirl inside of me is going crazy with excitement! Squeeeee! lol. But the professional in me is all, “Focus. You need to make sure you have this and also this, also this. And don’t forget that. And also…” So I’m headed to Seoul next week and I couldn’t be more excited, anxious, ready, unprepared, giddy, nervous, etc. All the feels.
  
  For the past couple of weeks since my return from Europe I’ve been preparing for this shoot. As my Dad says, “Son, always remember the six P’s. Proper planning prevents piss poor performance.” I’ve taken that to heart and have been dotting my T’s and crossing my I’s. Wait… Now, I’m pretty much ready, all there is to show up and execute.
  
  This shoot sort of puts an exclamation point on an already incredible year. I truly don’t think it can get better than this, but we do have one month left. I feel truly blessed and humbled by all the good lately. This year has been utterly fantastic. I’ve gotten to shoot with every single model I’ve wanted to work with, travel to places I’ve been excited about, make some great friends and professional contacts, and cap it off by photographing my favorite celebrity in Korea. Best year both personally and professionally, easily.
  
  Can’t wait to share more about it after the fact. I’ll give you more of a behind-the-scenes look at the entire process. Wish me luck!

Till next time. Fighting!

Being Political (Or Not)

Regardless of where you sit politically, this is one of the greatest Presidential images of all time. Damn, I wish I took this photo.
©Evan Vucci/AP

With all the tension and fallout surrounding the recent US Presidential Election, I thought I would touch briefly on politics and where it comes into play as an artist. For myself and otherwise.

My belief is that your political views are your own and you have the right to have them whether we agree or disagree.

I know, a novel concept in the age of outrage simply because someone sits opposite of the political aisle. My political beliefs as well as my religious beliefs or beliefs about having children, or having a family, or parenting, or paying taxes, or vaccinations, or space travel, are all my own.

Same goes for you. You have the right, as an American, to believe whatever you chose. That’s the beauty of living in a country that gives you those freedoms. Where we have gone wrong as a country is trying to force others to share the same beliefs we have. Or else!

US Vice President, and Presidential hopeful, Kamala Harris.
She didn’t win. But it’s not the end of the world. Calm down folks.

As many actors in Hollywood have meltdowns over the result of the election and continue steering Hollywood into the abyss of irrelevancy, I think about how much time we’ve all wasted bickering over politics. Shunning our friends, family, lovers, etc. Over their own personal views.

How frail as a people have we become?

I also think how we’ve embraced oversharing our personal views as a society. One only has to look at TikTok to see some young Gen-Z girl sitting in her car about to deliver a diatribe(put her foot in her mouth more like) on whatever social/political issue she’s somehow, all of a sudden, an expert on. These people don’t want discussion, no. They want to dictate the conversation. For they are the enlightened. The virtuous even!

Think like them or you are a: {insert liberal word used to both insult but also to avoid debate}.

As an artist, politics and social issues generally don’t factor into my work. Shocking I know. Not only that, but I will never allow myself to be pressured by whatever social movements are the hot trend of the moment. Especially if I don’t agree with them. In other words, I will not work on projects, causes, or with people I don’t particularly care for. It’s a business, not a charity. And an empowering part of being an artist is deciding what you want your art to be about. If I choose to cover a social/political issue, I do so at my own discretion.

If I want my work to simply be about beautiful women in swimsuits(or even without clothing), that’s my prerogative. If you, on the other hand, wish to photograph, say people in poor rural communities, that’s your prerogative. For example, I don’t shoot weddings. Absolutely hate them for work. No one can pressure me into shooting one. And even if they threw a ton of money at me, I can’t be bought. I’ll keep an open mind of course, but I use my own judgement if I’m willing to accept a project or even work with someone. If you’re independent, you too, have this power. It’s different if you work for a company where the pressure comes from the top and you have little choice in the matter. With that in mind, I’d rather be independent any day.

PlayStation 5 videogame, Stellar Blade.
The amount of butthurt this game caused for simply having the audacity to make a sexy main character was crazy. While a small minority feigned outrage online, the game has sold massively raking over 1 million sales in 24 hours of its release. The critics or so called “taste makers” of the industry proved to be irrelevant, yet again. The consumers won.

In the age of DEI, ESG, diversity mandates, social/political pressure from companies, artists have the right to create the art they want to create. External pressure be damned. But so many have caved to this, hence the bland landscape we have in terms of modern entertainment media, particularly in the west. Films used to be unique and interesting, tv shows used to have gripping writing, and literature used to challenge you. But when those in positions of green-lighting this stuff started prioritizing social/political stances over entertaining the public, the art suffered severely as a result. Joker 2 anyone?

In closing, I’ll add a bit of optimisim if you’re someone facing these challenges and find it all frustrating. The world is much bigger than New York or Los Angeles(and the US). There are other markets where you can find people with similar views or at least where your art/ideas will be embraced. Where you can flourish even. If they put up a wall, you go around. And if they don’t like what you do, fuck ‘em.

Till next time.

How Much Time Do You Spend On Your Art?

“If you do the work, you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.”
-Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan by Walter Ioss, Jr.
© Walter Ioss, Jr.

If you too are on the creative journey, be it music, animation, sculpting, photography, painting, dance, acting, etc., I ask you:

How much time do you spend on your art?

Does it keep you up at night? Are you constantly sticking your nose in a book or reading an article or watching a video on the subject? Desperately looking for new nuggets of golden wisdom that will make your skills that much better. Are you investing in yourself? Your education? The production of your art? Are you practicing? Even when you don’t have a project in mind, are you experimenting with new techniques? Or refining your approach?

Actually tally up the time each week and note how many hours goes towards your art. Also, tally up the hours that goes towards other things, not including your day job if you have one. I love the feature on the iPhone that shows your app usage and how much time you’ve spent on certain apps. Unless those apps are aiding your improvement, that time should be much lower than the amount of time spent on your art.

Simply put, the amount of time you spend will show how much passion you have for the art you create. Even if you’re a seasoned pro, you still have to establish a process of improvement. A period where you work diligently and determinedly on refining your craft. Top athletes do this all the time.

All-time great Quarterback Tom Brady studying game film. Remote in hand, replaying clips over and over looking for weaknesses and areas he can improve.

In basketball, they work on their three point or free throw shooting. Spending hours in the gym, taking the same shot over and over and over, making slight adjustments to their approach until it clicks. In football, quarterbacks study film religiously, not only looking for holes in their opponent’s game, but their own method of playing. Maybe they can release the ball faster or be more aware of their teammates positions downfield. The greats continue to refine and sharpen their blade even after they’ve won championships and received accolades for their abilities. Think Michael Jordan or Tom Brady. Athletes who are obsessed with the game and pushing their skills to the absolute limits. Great artists are the same.

Put the time in. Let it become a part of your daily rituals. Take notes. Make adjustments. Refine, refine, refine. And in time, you will get better. If you’re unable to do this on your own, find a teacher or mentor. That act alone puts you ahead of 95% of people who are likely too stubborn or arrogant to seek help from others. Art often comes with a lot of ego. Maybe you need someone else who can hold you accountable for your inaction or lack of effort. Most tend to give themselves a pass when quitting when the work becomes difficult or frustrating. Think people not doing all their reps at the gym when working out alone versus when working with a trainer who pushes them.

An iconic photo of a young, highly touted Rookie Kobe Bryant, getting next to Jordan mid-game and asking for his advice. For such a young star player with all the hype and praise heaped on him, to humble himself and ask his senior for tips, is one of the many reasons he too, would be one of the greatest players of all time. You’re never too good to learn from the masters.

© Vincent Laforet /AFP via Getty Images

In closing, I say again, put the time in. Drop and avoid the distractions. And make no excuses. When you do your time calculation and if other less helpful endeavors are taking up most of your time, work hard to change that. Try to get your “hours spent” numbers much higher in the column for your art versus, say, social media usage. Set goals and observe your improvement week after week, month after month.

Your art will be all the better for it.

Are you ever ready?

You can either bleat or you can make a decision. What will you do?
- King Alfred, The Last Kingdom

During my yearly rewatch of my favorite show, The Last Kingdom, I came across an amazing, pivotal scene in the third season. The ailing King Alfred leads his men into battle with his son, Prince Edward the heir, by his side. Prince Edward has promised to bring reinforcements to Uthred, a man the king doesn’t like nor wishes to aid. But Prince Edward has given his word, although it wasn’t his place to do so.

As they arrive on the battlefield, King Alfred refuses to engage and enter the battle. Using the opportunity as a chance to teach his son a lesson about bravery, seizing the moment, and making the hard decisions of a king. While his group holds their position, Uthred and his men are being attacked on all sides, losing people as the seconds pass. Instead of issuing the command to charge and enter the battle, King Alfred wisely lets Prince Edward squirm in his seat fearing the battle could be lost if he does not act. The tension and anxiety is palpable. Should he charge into battle against his father’s wishes? Is it the right decision? Will he be embarrassed in front of the King? What if they lose? Is he worthy of taking the mantle from such a great man? Is he ready? It’s an amazing scene full of emotion and a coming of age moment for the young prince.

Which made me think of the topic for today’s blog post.

Are you ever ready?

Opportunities often come when we least expect them or when we don’t feel the most prepared for them.

You get a great job offer or client opportunity and it feels way beyond your ability at that current stage in your development. A part of you says, “I don’t think my skills are quite up to the task as of yet.” That voice is both rooted in logic (your skills probably aren’t quite there) and fear (you fear a less than stellar outcome, embarassing yourself and disappointing clients in the process). But as history has shown us, many people seize those rare opportunities and the skill is developed in the midst of the fire. They rise to the occasion despite their perceived limitations and fears.

Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston by Neil Leifer
© Neil Leifer. All rights reserved.

I’m a huge fan of boxing and I’ve seen countless scenarios where contenders, young and old, get thrown into the fire with an opportunity to face the champion. Pundits and boxing vets alike are all chiming in saying the fighter isn’t ready for such an opportunity. Everyone braces for the worst, that the underdog fighter will get clobbered. But, despite the gap in experience/accomplishment, the fighter rises to the occasion pushing the champ like never before and in many scenarios, winning. Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston comes to mind. Or Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed in the fictional Rocky film.

The stress and expectation of projects outside of your skill level forces you to focus like never before. To sweat the details. To refine areas you’d normally skim over. It’s like being “in the zone” and tapping into another level of your brain. You have to be “on”. Some will wilt at the pressure. Pressure bursts pipes as they say. Yet, in my opinion, if you really want it, you’ll steel your resolve and push through.

Are you ever ready? Sometimes.

There are times where your skills will be at such a level you’re like “Bring it on!”, whatever the challenge. You’re at the peak of your power. Battle tested. And there will be times when you’re not feeling your best or quite there yet and an opportunity falls in your lap.

What will you do? Take it and seize the moment? Show the world what you’re made of? Or shirk away from the opportunity?

You’re probably not ready, but if you pass on the opportunity, you’ll never know if you are. Fate favors the bold.

My advice, take it. Damn being prepared. The moment may not come again.

Till next time.