August 29, 2006

Schoolhouse Supplies

Music | Dreams Alternate Take by Susie Ibarra Trio

"Schoolhouse Supplies serves classrooms in need by operating a volunteer-run free store for teachers, which is stocked with supplies donated by the community."

My assignment was to document one of the corporate volunteers taking out an afternoon to set up, organize, and pack over 300 backpacks with necessary school supplies for an the entire student body of one of the elementary schools in the Portland school district.


scissors awaiting to be packed...


pencils being loaded into the supply bag...


a volunteer diligently stuffing supplies...


more volunteers...


pickup trucks awaiting all the stuffed backpacks...


This was a pro bono assignment that will be completed next week when the same volunteers distribute the backpacks to the students on the first day of class. I haven't ever done anything like this before, but I have to admit I had a great time. The volunteers were so into their work, I was hardly noticed. I love the fact that I am in the midst of all the action, being able to document the goings on without affecting the outcome.

August 24, 2006

Back on the road...

Music | Crash by Dave Matthews

Ahhhh, to be back on the bike again! Yesterday afternoon, I finished off wiring the rear end, along with brand new signal lights. The front end got an acceptable front fender which replaced the badly bent old one. Also, a mini fairing was installed with newly placed front signal lights. So the bike seems to be in a bit better shape than when I got it. I still have some issues of fine tuning the fit of the fairing and now dealing with the front brakes making noise due to some vibration. As soon as I can isolate the area, I should be able to fix that too.

I only got to ride into town for dinner, but took the long way on the interstate. Then after dinner, I took a meandering ride home, totally enjoying the moment.

August 22, 2006

The Beast Lives...

Music | Whatever You Want by Vienna Teng

After the accident, I got the bike out from the impound the very next day. In a period less than 24 hours, I started to have doubts and feelings about how fragile one is sitting on a motorcycle. Besides the advice I got about getting the bike out of impound because of co$t, I knew that if I didn't get the bike out and ride it, I would have the serious consequence of possibly never riding again.

For the short period of time I got the bike and had the accident, I was brought back to a happier and much more adventurous time in my life. I was reminded about the joy of a kind of solitude that is empowering. It's like playing one on one with mother nature being out there in the mountains, along rivers and riding thru the trees. Every ride exposed something new about the world, whether it be a shaft of light streaming thru the trees, or the sudden coolness in the air when riding into the shade of a mountainside. Suddenly, your senses come alive and you notice things, things you never noticed before, taking the same mundane route to the store or to run an errand.

So weeks have passed and I haven't been able to ride The Beast, the rear end having no lights, and a foot peg bent to a point I could barely shift. Nothing major, but without running lights, I couldn't legally go anywhere. Having an old, close to a 30 year old motorcycle makes finding parts very difficult. Even with the advent of ebay, it has been a struggle getting the necessary replacement parts I needed. Though the thought of running thru a salvage yard seems like fun, it isn't for motorcycles. I did manage to find the foot peg, though not an exact match. Via ebay, I got a decent front fender, rear tail light and other necessary parts to return the entire rear end back to its original form.

So today was the day I got my package with the parts. I was able to reinstall the tail light, but couldn't quite figure out the wiring. That task WILL be done tomorrow and I'll be able to fire up the bike and ride, again, finally. I'm so greatful that up to at least this point, I have been dying to get back on the motorcycle.

August 17, 2006

Speed

Here is a great link to test your speed on the internet. My downloads are great, but the upload speed is pretty lame...

The Wait

Music | I Don't Want to Want You by Sia Furler

It has been some time since I have been out on my motorcycle. The accident has left the rear end without any lights, so I haven't been able to get out. I found most of the parts I need for replacement that will make me legal again on ebay. I'm can't stand having to wait for the package to get here. It will be nice to wrench again as well. It has been some time since I've loosened and tightend nuts and bolts. Though these parts have no mechanical issues to make the bike run, I'll be happy to turn.

I all ready found the foot peg from a salvage yard, but will need to get another front fender, as it got bent out of shape when I hit the car in front of me from the impact behind. I'm hoping the parts will get here today or tomorrow so I can ride over the weekend. I'm dying here!

August 15, 2006

upgrade... again

Music | Fight the Power by Public Enemy

Moving thru technology, yet again. It was just over a year ago that I purchased a Canon 20D to upgrade from the 10D. I've sold both bodies in order to upgrade to now a Canon 30D. The big difference and reason for this upgrade is the larger lcd. As my eyes seem to be straining ever more, the little 1.8 inch lcd just isn't doing it for me. The 30D sports a nice 2.5 inch lcd and makes a world of difference for me to be able to see not just composition, but the way light is falling on my subject and to see if the shot is even in focus. For all other practical matters, everything else is the same.

August 13, 2006

Yesterday I was on location doing a job. Next door was a lone horse, amid a huge fenced in area. He seemed very lonely and was only too happy to come visit.

Horses, like dogs have eyes with profound knowledge. I wish I knew what he was thinking...

August 08, 2006

Photographs...

I got up at 5:30 A.M., a bit uncomfortable from the aches. Fortunately, I had placed the big 4800 at its home before getting in the accident. I was still and am still quite the novice at working this beast. I haven't figured out the finer points of tweaking the printer the way it can. However, I managed to make a few BEAUTIFUL prints by trial and error. Just merely seeing these images made me want to print more. I managed to print about 6 different images and went on to achieved 12 images on paper. Some on the cusp, and 2 that are spectacular. I could go to the framer tomorrow and have these images done right and they would be waiting for a gallery to hang from. I've worked 90% on the basic matte paper, but tried a premium rag paper for one of my finer images. O-M-G I just couldn't contain myself. I am so excited about having this machine to work at my whim. The issue will be feeding the beast with the 220 ml cartridges it takes. All 8 of them. And I won't get into wanting to print on some of the various premium papers that are available. All these years of digital images, I forgot what expendable were. Now I'm back to it, but will have boxes and albums and frames filled with art.

BAM!

I won't go into too much detail, but while out on my bike, I got rear ended, sent in an ambulance to the ER and felt sorry for myself. That was yesterday, but today I am feeling like I just got beat up, thats all. Not bad considering. My bike will be saved, still rides straight as an arrow.

Shit happens in an instant!

M O V E ! ! !

Random Play

1. Nine Inch Nails - Head Like a Hole
2. The Clash - Bankrobber
3. Steve Coleman and Five Elements - Maat
4. Sheryl Crow - A Change
5. Gerry Mulligan - Motel (Take 4)
6. Sarah McLachlan - Back Door Man
7. Richard Robbins - Lucy, Charlotte and Miss Lavish Tour the City
8. Ornette Coleman - Chronology
9. Kurt Elling, Lawrence Hobgood and Stefan Harris - Man in the Air
10. Antipop Consortium - Stream Light

August 03, 2006

4800

Music | Daybreaker by Beth Orton

In my glee and excitement, I'm posting this entry before even having in my hands, the object for this post...

As I've written about before, my desire to be an artist has felt lacking in that most of my images are viewed electronically and not by the standard by which I am accustomed to. I have had some large prints made, mostly for clients, but hardly for myself. I've been told I am somewhat picky in how my images are represented, but now I can have the standard of creating prints.

I went with Bob to the store when he purchased this beomoth of a printer earlier this year. The box was so big, it would not fit in either his or my car. Fortunately, I had racks on the roof of my car. We strapped it down and slowly drove the less travelled route to his home.

I've yearned to have a printer capable of creating art prints on various media. Sizes up to 17 inches wide, as opposed to the less costly 13 inch printers or the more common 8.5 inch printers. It however turns out that the operation of this large format printer cost much less to run because of the cost of the inks. My problems has been that the initial cost of the printer was too much for me to afford one for myself. I would wait and be generations behind in technology before I felt I could ever get one.

While running thru some forums, I noticed that Bob had put his printer up for sale. His big issue was that he wanted to sell it locally because of transport hassles. We even talked about other solutions. Days had passed and I had thought on and off, with no serious consideration about getting this printer from Bob. Suddenly, I had this rush thru my brain that I had to have it. I thought of all the possibilities of creating and selling prints. I fought hard to resist and even waited a day more, thinking that maybe this was not a good thing for me to do.

What made me finally decide, even though this is a stretch for me was that as an artists, a photographer, I owed it to myself to have such a printer, to create prints and hone this part of my craft that has been lacking since the days of my darkroom and film. Again, I will have a measuring stick that is concise and enabling me to display by my own intention.

Another era begins...

 
-- --