Saturday March 27th, 2010 5:00 PM
Posts Tagged ‘Photography’
Link to the Burning Element Virtual Gallery
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
the Burning Element
Sunday, February 21st, 2010
the Burning Element
Please feel free to invite anyone you think may have an interest in viewing photographs from the annual even, which takes place yearly the last week of August in the Black Rock Desert outside of Gerlach, Nevada.
AJPN Photo Studio and Gallery is located inside the State Theater at 985 Lincoln Way Suite 204 in Auburn, California 95603. Please call with any other questions you might have. (530) 885-5375. Regular hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday
Check out the event on Facebook.
My Philosophy on Photography — Humble Beginnings
Thursday, July 16th, 2009
Wind Swept (1986)
I was a teenager when I truly discovered my passion for taking pictures. Unfortunately, photography was not offered as an elective at my high school, but I’m sure that had it been, I would have enrolled in the program.
I got my hands on a 35mm Pentax and started taking it everywhere I would go. At that time, even though it as difficult to get developed, I preferred shooting with black and white film. In fact, the only time I resorted to using color film was when I couldn’t locate something monochromatic.
Sel Portrait (1985)
When I finally put my pursuit of music aside it was nearly as much the echoes of those voices as my former passion that encouraged my return to photography.
For several years I shot only with film, but in 2002, I started shooting digital and in 2003, I purchased my first Digital SLR. Since that time, my 35mm SLR has been seeing less and less use. Within a year of that eventful purchase one of my images saw publication.
Another image I took in 2004 was picked POW (Photo of the Week) on Photo.net. It’s quite a prestigious honor and the image has been viewed well over 1.7 million times. Later that image would see publication in two separate magazines.
I began shooting occasional professional work in 2005. Since then I have taken on more and more work as a photographer and earlier this year I decided I would open a studio and pursue it full time. In April, I found a space at 985 Lincoln Way, Suite 204 in Auburn, California. The studio is now open and you are welcome to drop in anytime Monday through Friday. I take appointments on the weekend as well. The phone number is (530)885-5375.
In my next blog I will discuss elements of life’s experiences and the manners in which people communicate and the impact I feel that both have on my Philosophy of Photography.
Colfax Independence Day Parade
Thursday, July 16th, 2009
Soapbox Derby!
The Independence Day Parade in Colfax this year, which took place on July 3rd, turned out to be a lot of fun. It was a little frustrating to have to wait for the train to pass before the festivities could begin, but once it got rolling things quickly looked up.
Highlights of the parade were the Quinn Family Clowns, lots of free flying candy, a little campaign stumping by Scott Owens and plenty of kids and family friendly fun.
Capping off the entire event were the fireworks later that evening. We were there, but I decided not to take pictures.
Check out the gallery of what I did take here.
3rd Annual Pirate Festival
Friday, June 26th, 2009
The Mast that Greeted All who Came
Last Saturday, June 20th, 2009, we headed on down to the Third Annual Pirate Festival at Mare Island in Vallejo. It was free and I have to tell you, we really got our money’s worth. I had more fun there just walking around than I have had in some time at any other event.
I really appreciate it when someone is so into it that they go the extra step to do it right. And whereas at many other events the women step it up and make the men look like pathetic wannabes, well, it wasn’t that way at the Pirate Fest. In fact, it was hard to find too many women that were as glammed up as many of the men.
One of the 'more' Insane Pirates!
I highly recommend checking this event out next year. It’s worth going out of your way for. It’s just a good, family friendly, exciting event. There were a ton of kids there and I didn’t see one making complaint.
Great music and food and fantastic shopping, especially if you’re into the kind of duds that pirates might favor.
Check out the gallery here.
Nevada City Classic Bike Race
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
Lance acknowledges his Victory
I had seen Lance race earlier this year in two legs of the Tour of California (Sacramento and Solvang respectively). Although it was great to see him riding
again, he didn’t seem like the dominant force he was back in the day.
Galleries from both of those races are in the Mesomorphic album here.
Watching Lance at that time was more entertaining than serious racing. Don’t get me wrong, he was still a lot faster than many of the other riders on those courses, but he wasn’t even close to matching Levi Leipheimer’s performance. To be serious, I thought he was more about promoting cancer awareness.
I figured it would be more of the same this time around.
I was sorely mistaken.
The Lance that showed on in Nevada City was a different man. He was noticeably stronger. And the man was a monster on his bike. For the first 25 laps he rode with Levi trading off first position almost every lap. But there was a point at about the 30th lap where he just changed. Anyone there paying only minor attention would have surely have seen it.
Lance pours it on
Suddenly, he was throwing his bike back and forth as if he were hell bent on a mission. An older gentleman that was standing beside me looked at me and said, “What just happened?” The next time he came around he was clearly separated from the paladin.
From that point each successive lap the distance only grew and I was blown away when about three laps later he was all by himself and the rest of the group was out of site.
At the end of the race while they were interviewing Lance the emcee asked, “What inspired you today Lance?” And he answered (this is from memory so forgive me if it isn’t perfectly accurate), “I don’t know. The crowd was just electric. And there was the smell of the barbeque and the beer and the smell of something else I can’t talk about here.”
The crowd laughed. Nevada City. What can you say?It was a great race.
See the Nevada City Classic gallery here.
Join the AJPN Photo Facebook page here.
June Update
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
Welcome
For me it isn’t that way. I still have plenty of interest in shooting; I just haven’t had a lot of time to pursue it. I’ve been in this space now for two solid months and I still haven’t gotten it all together for where I need it to be.
In the meantime I’ve missed out on sharing the experience of starting a new business and a photography studio. Thinking about it that’s something I shouldn’t have neglected. So, from the point on I am going to make a commitment to blog on the progresses and hindrances I encounter on this endeavor.
The entries may be brief, but I’ll do my best to make the effort. And maybe some of you out there who come across this may get to know the photographer behind this venture better.
Life and Time and Things
Monday, May 4th, 2009
Directions . . .
In the meantime I’ve been neglecting the things I usually have plenty of time to work on. My gallery, my blog, taking random pictures, posting them, going places . . . all of those things have been tossed by the wayside.
For the time being I have no Internet access in my space either so that has made things a little difficult. Hopefully, I can remedy that situation soon. In fact, I need to do that posthaste, as lacking the hookup it making things difficult. The thing is I was thinking that without it I would be faced with one fewer distraction.
In more tragic news, last week a close friend was killed in tree trimming accident. Joe Huckins was only 30 years old. I will post more on Joey in the future; right now I believe we are all just trying to come to terms with his death.
Come by and visit me at the studio at 985 Lincoln Way, #204 upstairs. You might call first though just to be sure I’m there. I’ve been in and out quite a bit. (530) 885-5375
Furr Ball Gallery
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009
Furr Ball 2009
The Furr Ball was everything it was chalked up to be. Kind of like a small slice of the playa transported into the unlikely location of Gold River, which is a small borough in Rancho Cordova. There were fire performers, mutant vehicles, lots of art and a couple of hundred people dressed up in their playa finest.
The theme was fun fur and Roger Rabbit, so there were plenty of outrageous costumes moving to the music of a half dozen DJs.
I set up a pair of strobes off in the corner and planned to take a bunch of portraits. Unfortunately, there was so much going on outside many of the patrons never made it inside or failed to notice I was set up if they had.
Due to this detriment I was able to get outside and run around and I actually took some of the first fire performance shots I have taken in probably two years. Yes, I know it’s hard to believe. I was supposed to go to Fire Drums VII this weekend, but due to my current situation with opening the studio I decided to bow out.
As I said last year, there’s always next year. Maybe not!
Check out the Furr Ball gallery here.
AJPN Studios
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009
North View
After that date I will be open weekdays from 10AM until no earlier than 3PM. Most days I’m sure I will be there much later, but the earlier time will allow me to go out for any possible shooting I may need to do outside of the studio.
South View
The plan is to split the room in two with some kind of a portable wall with one half used for the studio and the other half as a gallery and ultimate chill space. Come visit me anytime after Thursday at noon.