My Next Favorite Subject

For the longest time I really only shot pictures of landscapes and still life. I worked through phases where I really wanted to shoot people, because I think they are interesting, and because I was young and wanted to be cool with the babes. I did however find that Models generally suck, and I dislike the "professionals" almost as much. So I set about working with average people, but then that fucking idiot got caught chopping up boys posing as a photographer, and the whole thing got blown out of context. Yea, American Press for killing the work of hundreds of legitimate photographers. Gone are the days of walking up to a person and saying "I really like the way you look, could I shoot a few shots of you for my portfolio?" No now you have to have releases, and all that smuck, and even with that they suspect you got everything from some "fly by night" internet scheme, and that your real intention is to exploit them for amazing financial gain. You used to be able to give a bum a ten dollar bill (well really a couple of bucks but I tried to adjust for inflation) and they would be more than happy to give you a few minutes of time.

Well so much for that, oh no we can't have that. Now everyone is so certain that you are making a fucking mint off of them, they want a contract with percentage rights and such shit. The fucking bag lady will let you take her picture, only if you give her a release and 20% of whatever you ever will make off the picture. Which really is nothing so it really isn't to bad, but still the whole thought of it sucks. I saw a street walker with a PDA, checking her stocks, what the fuck is with that.

Now I live in Podunk a Dunk nowhere, in the heart of New York, far away from "the street" wise whores and networked winos, but I still feel like I can't take someone's picture without the press police right there to make sure I am not some new form of photo terrorist.

So I turn to friends, wish I had some. And then again, I think this will most likely get me shit from the few that I do still have, but fuck it, what do I have to lose anymore. I am too fucking old to give a shit anymore. This is not a great shot, and I think I could do much better, but that will remain an adventure yet to travel.

My Friend Mary
From Mary F Petersen headshots

This photograph has no retouch, no manipulation, just a quick shot using a point an shoot camera. I will eventually produce a new version of it with manipulation and all that, but this is what I got in the Raw. She's my next favorite subject. I would have a picture of my beautiful wife but she won't let me shoot her.