He Who Seeks Beauty Will Find It - Bill Cunningham (Oct 2008)

He Who Seeks Beauty Will Find It - Bill Cunningham (Oct 2008)

Paul Byrnes on Bill Cunningham:

His own mode of dress is self-effacing, workman-like. In Paris every year for the fashion shows, he buys a $20 blue smock with lots of pockets, the kind worn by Paris garbage men. There's a funny scene here where he wears a new one to his investiture as an Officer of the French Order of Arts and Letters.

via Life through a lens by Paul Byrnes.

I saw this movie at the Dendy Newtown in Sep 2011 shortly after our return from the USA. It was an unusally cold rainy working week day, but he brightened my day with his enthasasim for life, fashion and photography. Forever an inspiration ..

"Very deeply I think he feels he does not believe he deserves it. That's why he deserves it .. Even more."

It's not work, it's pleasure - Bill Cunningham (Oct 2008)

On the Joy of Paddling - Honolulu (Sun 10 Sep 2011)

a little lift - gotta work for it!! - Geoff, Jo, David, Betty (that would be my amazing Mum in Seat 4), .. - Waikiki Beach / Honolulu (Sun 10 Sep 2011)

now enjoy the reward of the effort - Geoff, Jo, David, Betty (that would be my amazing Mum in Seat 4), .. - Waikiki Beach / Honolulu (Sun 10 Sep 2011)

Paddling has changed my life. It has given me so much Joy. It has given me purpose and goals through the good and tough times.

Going back to Hawaii just now for the biggest paddling challenge for an Outrigger Paddler. Thanks to all who have supported and encouraged us to get to this Moment (yes it's just there now ready for us to firmly grasp with both hands). It takes much effort by many people. It can be hard, uncomfortable and difficult but that's why you do it.

Hoping we might be able to catch a few runners just like we did here off the beach in Sep 2011, and minimise the mistakes as we do the 66 km crossing with 110 crews from all over the world. See you on the other side, all going well ..

On Recognition - artlyst (Sat 27 Dec 2014)

Untitled - The Met / New York (Mon 15 Aug 2011)
artlyst (*) writes on Recognition (*) and Vivian Maier (*):

After a lifetime in domestic servitude, secretly documenting the streets of America through 100,000 photographs, Maier had died in great old-age, and in poverty - just on the edge of global recognition - never to know that her work would even receive a glimmer of praise, or understanding.

via Vivian Maier: The Secret Photographer Gets A Retrospective In Amsterdam (*) by artlyst (*).

On Saul Leiter - Saul Leiter Early Color / Martin Harrison (Jul 2005)

Untitled - Lower East Side / New York (Wed 17 Aug 2011)
Martin Harrison (*) writes on Saul Leiter (*), Color Photography (*) and embracing the Unpredictable (*):

Yet he found ways to circumvent these restrictions - exploiting the color distortions in outdated film stock and embracing the unpredictable color rendition in emulsions available from some of the smaller manufacturers. His openness to the accidental, and willingness to forgo the photographer's legendary control, are crucial components of Leiter's ethos, anticipating precepts that remained exceptional, even among photography's avante-garde, until the advent of postmodernism in the 1970's.

via SAUL LEITER Early Color (*) by Martin Harrison (*).

On Saul Leiter - Tomas Leach (Fri 22 Aug 2014)

Untitled - Manhattan Bridge - Brooklyn (Mon 22 Aug 2011)
Tomas Leach (*) on Saul Leiter (*):

Saul’s greatest lesson was to believe in yourself and your own way of seeing the world.

Tomas admired Saul's:

ability to be himself in his work and in his life.

via The Legendary Photographer Who Captured the Softer Side of NYC - Wired (*) by Pete Brook (*).

A few ways to increase your connection to your photography - Kirk Tuck (Thu 23 Feb 2012)

A3 Prints - New York - Aug 2011
Kirk Tuck (*) writes:

To do what you like in your work, separate from the buzz. [..]

• slow down [..] If you slow down and concentrate on the kinds of images that bring you real joy you'll find a tighter bond with your own work.


• Stop looking at all the sharing sites - When you turn off the outside influences and sit quietly with your own thoughts about art and photography you begin to understand the way you like to see and share art. That's valuable. Everything else is unconscious imitation.


• Do a project - Consistency of vision and subject are worthwhile goals for all artists. Set yourself to the task of creating a body of consistent work. Choose a subject that you love and explore it in depth. Ignore everything else.


• When you choose to do a project have a a goal - Wouldn't it be great if it changed some lives? But no matter where it ends up I will have met interesting people who've taken charge of their own lives and excelled. What fun role models. And the art will be my souvenir of my time spent with them. The prints will be part of the sharing.


• Start thinking beyond the screen - [..] When you slow down and do your art try to go through the whole process of bringing an image to life before you rush out the door to fill up more memory cards and hard drives.


• Really explore the images in front of you. Edit them down. Make them perfect and then print them large [..] Print them till you love them. And learn from the process of presentation. Learn what you like to see, big. The art becomes both portable and present when you pull it off the screen and onto paper. Be sure to go through the whole process so you understand in your gut what you've really created. It will slow you down [..] and focus it on doing work that makes you smile. You are the first audience.


• Finally, forget the online critiques - Find people in your own town, city, region whose work you admire and approach them about forming a sharing circle. Just like a writer's group.

Having a project will move you to take chances. [..] You'll need to discipline yourself to do the [..] And you'll need to learn how to finish.

Having a goal for your work gives it extra meaning.

Sharing the work with live people standing in front of you builds real confidence in the work. Having real critiques is painful but helps engender real growth. Helping real, human, non-virtual friends succeed with their own art is part of a rewarding virtuous circle. Embrace it.

From A few ways to increase your connection to your photography (*) by Kirk Tuck (*) - Thu 23 Feb 2012.

On Photography - The crushing force of time - Daido Moriyama

Uncle Sam (*) Mural - Chicago (Tue 06 Sep 2011)
Daido Moriyama (*) talks On Photography (*):

The crushing force of time is before my eyes, and I myself try to keep pressing the shutter release of the camera. In this inevitable race between the two of us, I feel I am going to be burnt up.

via Daido Moriyama: Now and Now: Steven Kasher Gallery (28 Mar 2013 - 04 May 2013) (*) via The crushing force of time .. (*) by Photographs on the Brain (*).

Interestingly enough, and something I did not know until just now ..

Daido Moriyama was born in 1938 along with a twin brother, who died when Daido was two. [..]

I think little known fact has a hugh bearing on Moriyama's photographic direction and subsequent career. More On Being A Twin (*) later. Back to the Photography:

Moriyama’s images convey the artist’s boldly intuitive exploration of urban mystery, memory, and photographic invention. Moriyama’s work immerses us in the melancholic beauty of life at its most ordinary.

Jenny and Joanne - Twins - Coop's Shot Tower (*) / Melbourne (Dec 1992)

On Photography - Memories and Ambiguity - Daido Moriyama

Martin Luther King Jr (*) Mural (1 of 2) - Chicago (Tue 06 Sep 2011)
Daido Moriyama (*) writes On Photography (*):

I think that the most important thing that photography can do is to relate both the photographer and the viewer’s memories (*). At first sight a photograph looks straightforward as it slices off a scene or a moment in time. But the images that photography captures are actually ambiguous (*). And it’s because of this ambiguity (*) that I like photography..

via Sampling in street photography (photographing other images like signs, posters and billboards) - in 35mm (*) by Alex Coghe (*) and Michael Ernest Sweet (*).

Martin Luther King Jr (*) Mural (2 of 2) - Chicago (Tue 06 Sep 2011)

When all is lost - The moment of highest leverage - Seth Godin (Tue 12 Mar 2013)

Keep Moving Forward (*) - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum - Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)
Seth Godin (*) writes about what I think is about Letting Go (*) when all seems lost and pointless:

It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, don’t waste it.

You’ve already won (or you’ve already lost). Right now, you can choose to do what’s in your heart, you can bring your real work to the world, instead of a lesser version, a version you think the market wants. After all, what do you have to lose?

When it feels like it’s hopeless or when it appears to be a lock, why not?

So you bring your true self to the work, your unadulterated effort, without negative self-talk and the sanding off of the interesting edges. Instead of compromise, you bring us vision.

Of course, when we see that reality, the kamiwaza of what you’re able to do when you’re not second guessing or giving up, the odds of transformation go way up. In fact, you haven't already lost, because your magical, vulnerable work changes everything.

You won’t get this chance again soon (unless you choose to). So go.

via The moment of highest leverage (*) by Seth Godin (*).

I experienced this in Prague (*) and the lead up campaign in which we lost Jenny (*).

Somehow,just 4 days after we farewelled Jenny (*) and 10 days off training, I "pulled" the best water trial of my career and found myself one of the top ranked paddlers in the Australian Masters Mixed Team, a first (and only time) for me. A week later I would come down with the flu and a nasty sinus infection which lead to me having a 10 day break from paddling and at one stage I thought the campaign was all over for me, as I could not "shake" the infection. As it was I should have had a bit more of a break, but I did not want it "toss it in"

In this time off, I lost my usual seat in the boat and after a bit of "soul searching", I forgave all, including myself (mostly) and just decided to let go (*) of everything and just go with it.

Had the time of my life and this little snippet of wisdom from Seth resonates most when I think of that Prague (*) Campaign just under 4 years ago now.

I tried to explain some this here (*) and here (*) a long time ago, but I like what Seth has written here.

I hope Seth will one day write more about how to accept the result of rare moments like these (but I suspect that this is the "winning" way of responding to Seth's post), something which has not been easy and I struggle with even to do this day (and maybe the reason I wrote this unplanned and unexpected post).

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum - Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2013)

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum - Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2013)

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (3 of 3) - Boston (Oct 1988 / 22 Aug 2011)

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (*) - Boston (*) [Mon 22 Aug 2011]
The Museum had not changed too much in 23 years since I was last there on my first visit to Boston in Sep 1988. This is my favourite photo from both visits. I love the complexity, contrast, colour, light and mostly the shadows on the white concrete wall to the left.

The way I see has changed a lot since those early days when I travelled with Pentax K1000 that was a gift from my Family for my 21st birthday back in 1981. I still have the K1000 and it would be fun to get it out and shoot a few rolls of film to see what comes out.

Love my little Canon S95 (*) [the most recent version being the Canon S110 (*)] which I bought in Jan 2011. It has taken just over 22,000 photos and is still going strong. It (*) has been to New Zealand (*), USA 2011(*), Hong Kong 2012(*), Korea 2012(*) and  Japan 2012(*). It fits easily into my pocket and it goes everywhere with me. I have recently printed a few of the photos to 30x20 inch (*) and they are crystal clear.

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (2 of 3) - Boston (Oct 1988 / 22 Aug 2011)

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (*) - Boston (*) [Oct 1998]
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (*) - Boston (*) [Mon 22 Aug 2011]

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (1 of 3) - Boston (Oct 1988 / 22 Aug 2011)

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (*) - Boston (*) [Oct 1998]
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (*) - Boston (*) [Mon 22 Aug 2011]

Abstract Construction - London / Canada (Fri 02 Sep 2011)

Abstract Construction - London / Canada (Fri 02 Sep 2011)
An A3 print is wonderful. The random palette of shapes and textures is what makes it. This small jpg does not do it justice.

Intersection - Broadway / New York City (Sun 18 Aug 2011)

Intersection - Broadway / New York City (Sun 18 Aug 2011)
Was recently looking through all my New York 2011 photos and this one surprised and jumped out at me. I like the colours and the reflections off the wet road surface. Always nice to find a sleeper, in my eyes anyway, amongst the archives.

Two Photos - Before Irene - Quebec (Sat 27 Aug 2012)

Two Photos - Before Irene - Quebec (Sat 27 Aug 2012)
We had arrived by bus from Montreal the day before. It was a nice day and there was a Scottish Marching Band Festival on in Quebec. This was the calm before the storm that would come the next day as the tail of Hurricane Irene (*).

Car Park - Corner of Avenue du Mont-Royal and Rue de Bullion / Montreal (Thu 25 Aug 2011)

Car Park - Corner of Avenue du Mont-Royal and Rue de Bullion / Montreal (Thu 25 Aug 2011)

99c - Mural - Montreal (Wed 24 Aug 2011)

99c - Mural - Montreal (Wed 24 Aug 2011)

Trees and Water - Charles River Esplanade / Back Bay / Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)

Charles River Esplanade - Back Bay / Boston (Mon 22 Aug 2011)
One year today since I sat by the Charles River (*).

For some reason today, I am drawn to an inspired piece of recent writing (*) by Spencer Lum (*):

[..] if you’re willing to take a gamble, I’ll bet on you. If you’re willing to put it out there, if you’re willing to fail, if you’re willing to let go of it all, thumb your nose at the world, and do it your way, I’ll believe in you. You may not find what you want, but you’ll find what you need. Want is easily known, but need is a thing that only reveals itself in retrospect.

I have thought a lot about belief (*) and self-confidence recently, particularly after my little speech (*). Often it takes some time to have the confidence to believe in one self. Initially, more than not, the belief comes from others, those who support and love you for who you are.

It is only with time, experience and the support of those others who believe in you, that you can find your own self belief and you start say things to yourself like - yes, I can do that, you start finding reasons why you can, rather than you can't, and when you question yourself with why?, you are able to say well why not(*) - and it is then that things start to happen.

As time goes by, you become stronger, more independent and not afraid to give things a go, even if it means making mistakes or even failing. You know that the risk is worth the reward of at least trying, whatever the outcome. I think I even knew (*) this, one year ago today, when I sat beside the Charles River (*) - as I said back then, a week later (*):

I would still like to think that I am still a believer. After all three steps forward and two steps back is still a step in the right direction.

Thanks for believing Spencer.

On Remembering - Remembering Memories make the Memories Stronger - Jonathan Blaustein (Mon 20 Aug 2012)

Colours - The Met / New York City (Mon 15 Aug 2011)

Jonathan Blaustein (*) writes about his visit to The Met (*) in New York Summer Visit 2012 – Part 1 (*) where he concludes:

Remembering memories make the memories stronger

Part of the reason I blog here. Memories are not memories if you can't remember them.

Something worth remembering.