flat flat flat flat flat flat flat flat flat

Surf has been non-existent as of late. The last time I got in the water was over ten days ago, and aside from the awesome weather, the waves left much to be desired. Brought out the camera for a little sunset session.

Although its been flat, i've been keeping myself busy with other types of photography. I caught two shows of my friends' band, Villains Like You over the past two weekends. Due to unfortunate circumstances the first weeks show was only performed by a duo, but the full band and friends were in attendance for a Newark show at Homegrown.

I also started my portrait project with a 'film noir' styled photo of my cousin Scott and his girlfriend Caroline in his recently purchased Lincoln Town Car.

I started a new book the other night titled, The Wave by Susan Casey. It is a collection of research she's done about big waves from scientists, fishermen, and big wave surfers. She speaks mostly about the occurrence of rogue waves and the ironic views between surfers who search for waves, and fishermen who are inconvenienced by them.

I just tried a new recipe that I made up on the spot. Chicken and Mushroom Alfredo

Boil a pot of water with a splash of olive oil and enough balsamic water to color the water(optional, only for taste).

When water is boiling add pasta.

In another pan, splash olive oil, then pour enough alfredo sauce into pan. On top of sauce, add cooked chicken and sliced mushrooms. Heat on low.

When pasta is finished, strain, then add to pan with sauce. Heat for a few minutes, then serve.

#3 and #14

SURFLINE.COM

Two of my shots were run in a recent Surfline.com photo feature called Almost Nicole.

Don't wanna check out the entire feature? Well here they are...

(out of the) studio work

In the past few weeks there has been absolutely ZERO work done in my studio. This is because all of my work is being done OUTside of the studio. Also, I have a painting studio, not too great of a place for a lot of expensive equipment. My "work" has been in a variety of forms aside from the actual taking of photographs.

So what I've done thus far is...

ordered a water housing, which arrived in NJ earlier today.

And last weekend I went back home to check out the scene at the Belmar Pro. Upon arrival, I met friend, grommet, and filmer Alex Gazonas who was there to film the Dunkelvolk team from Florida (and Brazil). I was introduced to them, and they allowed me to borrow their housing and 7D for a short session. It was my first time in the water with a housing in quite awhile, but it did nothing but amp me up for getting my own soon. The rest of the weekend was spent searching for waves, meeting people, and well maybe a few parties thrown in there. I got quite a few photos, but right now they can't be posted.

I haven't really been remembering many of my dreams lately, but at least I'm not having dreams where I'm being chased and/or can't move, like I've had in the past. Those dreams were weird and scary. I felt like my body was retarded. There was a disconnection between my brain and my appendages, and something was searching for me. Well I guess it never found me, and the pathway was reconnected.

A recent visual memory that has stuck with me was last sunday morning. My alarm woke me up at 5:30, and I snoozed until 6. I barely checked the surf on my balcony and walked down the flights of stairs, and got in my car. I was in the parking lot at Jenks by 6:30, and there were only 5 other car around. The sun hadn't broken the horizon yet, but there was a reddish glow in the sky, and a thundering ocean in the east. Still not having seen the sea yet, I slowly grabbed my camera and walked around the building and onto the beach. That was when I saw massive walls of water crashing on shore. At a spot that you normally can't see unless right on top of it. It burned red like fire, and the spray flew everywhere. One brave soldier was out, but not catching anything. It was too big, this was not the spot. I snapped a photo, and turned around and continued my search.

I still gotta get on those links.

So here is this blog thing everyone's been talking about.

Well I guess this is it, Welcome to the 'blogosphere'. The great wide open of the internet where all things are found enclosed in a computer and INDOORS!

My past few months were predominantly spent OUTDOORS!! You know that place outside your window, with that bright white ball in the sky, and wind, and rain, and trees, and all that stuff. You know nature. I spent my summer working on the beach, pretending to assert my authority onto mostly unknowing daily beach patrons who may fall victim to the shrill cry of my plastic Fox40 whistle. While not on the beach soaking up rays and making sure all the bikini clad women stayed safe in the surf, I could be found causing all sorts of mayhem in one of the many bars of Asbury Park, NJ. Some of this mayhem included cooking fine food at the new Aqua Lounge in Covention Hall, but mostly it included drinking far too many Stone IPAs at the Brickwall and then running random objects up the Ocean Grove flagpole.

But even while living the glamourish "Jersey Shore' lifestyle I was able to still think about art. Early spring was spent cutting out large stencils that would never end up being used. Banksy's spring campaign in the states made everyone think they could be a graffiti artist, and with myself included in this disillusioned majority I began to make stencils. Reality soon set in, along with hoards of tourists and cops, so the pieces could never find the walls they were meant for, but the ideas still remain.

While many of my adventures were too wild and crazy (aka drunk) to bring along a camera, others were tame and included many hours of boredom on the beach in which I could prey on the unsuspecting seagulls. Lifeguard tournaments also provided a photogenic subject before the beach juice and adrenaline caught up and the after parties began.

And now it is fall, the "J Shore" is finally again the beach, and mostly everyone is at work or school like they should be and the beach is ours again. The summer's hard work (and partying) has paid off and I hope to soon be the proud owner of an underwater housing, so that I can enter the water and combine my two loves of surfing and photography in the most proper sense. I have some ideas for remote flash and night photography work, that if all goes as planned will catapult me to be the next Dustin Humphrey. Well, maybe not, but I can dream...