Not that anybody gives a rolling donut what's going on with me, for the few who do, the few who keep tabs on me, I thought I'd post a bit of an update.
It appears that I dropped off the face of the earth. I guess I have a bit. A few months ago I felt totally burned out on driving around Detroit, looking for evidence of how rough things are in the city. I also felt very 'unsafe' in doing so. When I'm in my own, I feel safe and invulnerable as I drive the cities in some damn dangerous areas. But not now. Add to that the fact that many others have joined me in this and it just isn't fun anymore, looking at recent photos posted in my style, of houses and scenes I shot years ago. It shows a lack of creativity on the part of these people, though I must say, their photos are definitely not ones I would take. When I used to go out, I rarely saw others roaming with cameras, but recently I spot people on just about every trip I took in the city. I roam alone and am definitely a lone shooter type.
I had quite an adventure in Detroit, and now it's time for me to do something else. If ever I do return, it will be with fresh eyes.
However, that something else hasn't materialized for me yet. I wanted to do a series on Christmas decorations, especially ones where patriotism is very evident in the display, flags and whatnot. I think waving a flag proves nothing, especially since so many of these flag wavers are not engaged in what's really happening in this world, but rather living off of some distorted notions of who we are and our role in the world. America is a real we're #1 and we're going to kick your ass if you don't agree mentality lately. The USA is a wonderful concept, or at least it used to be, before the ultra rich took over this country. They own it, lock, stock, and barrel, to borrow a phrase often associated with the gun industry.
Bankers and Wall Street manipulating tycoons are running things here at home. Corporations are running things here at home. The officials we voted in (assuming they were not recipients of fraudulent elections) are owned by the corporations. And the shift to the rich is getting stronger each month. Watch the movie Food Inc to get a glimpse of how little we know about our food supply. Corporations have been granted the same Constitutional rights as people.
Sorry. I'm so damn pissed off about what's going on here, I lost it.
Why I haven't been posting many new pictures. How about because I haven't been taking my camera out of the case very often? Or that I don't get in the car and either go somewhere 'shootable,' or cruise? I do occasionally slip into a cemetery and drive around, and I really do miss the camera action.
Lately, though, I have had to turn my attention elsewhere. I am self-employed and have been devoting long hours to my business, to maintaining it and to developing it. Business is not good. Look at my photos and realize that I live within a radius of that devastation, and you might get the feeling that the economy is especially hard hit in this area.
I provide a service, a non-essential service, so as household incomes freeze, so do I.
I have to put my work first now, and I do not have the time to shoot.
And I need to eat, and that eats up a lot of time. Though I am a honky through and through, of 100% European descent. I am drawn to other cultures and foods. I eat Indian (of the Asian sort) food 95% of the time. I've become quite good at cooking up a dal, a spicy sambar or rasam, a kootu or poriyal. And lately, idli and dosai. Last weekend I made a fish curry to die for, it was so good. And I'm definitely not into taking photographs of my food. It has taken a while, but I have established some very interesting relationships with people here of Indian descent. The Indian community is very large here, due to the highly technical nature of the auto industry that once centered in this area, but now has moved on. There still are some good jobs to be had, and the Indian community here is very strong.
So now I eat, shit, catch a few movies, work my ass off on developing my business, and if I have some spare time, find new recipes to cook. I still take my cameras with me whenever I leave, but now instead of roaming the streets, I'm going to a destination with a purpose.
Not that anybody cares, but I'll try to keep you guys informed on my progress in getting back behind the lens. I adore the winter time and I have been feeling hunger pains to get out and eat up the area looking for winter photos. However, they are usually not that popular on my site. You guys just want the death and destruction! Also, I have some staged photos in mind. I've gathered the props I need and just need to get me arse in gear to go out and do it. I prefer to shoot 'found' stuff, not staged. And I'm not thinking I'll be especially good at doing this. Perhaps I can give the props to a friend, describe basically what I want, have that person set it up and just go and shoot it. Hmmm...
I will still be on Flickr, enjoying your photographs, and will post a few of my own, just to let you know I'm still alive.
