The Rare and Beautiful Indoor Pigeon

How exciting to have actually caught a glimpse of the elusive, indoor, bus-station pigeon in the wild. What majestic creatures!

Kaleidoscope Celebration of Color 2008 Photos

I had such a quandary deciding whether to go to Kaleidoscope as a performer or a photographer. In the end, I decided to spin poi and let my awesome friend Connor Hays man the equipment. I had a wonderful time and he did a fabulous job.

Kaleidoscope Celebration of Color 2008 Photos



(It seems some of you can't see some embedded photos in my blog. Please be patient. This will change when I upgrade my web server next month. )

Versailles 1996 Photos

My Versailles 1996 Photos are up. Some of these originals were a bit drab, so I had a bit of fun boosting the color. I hope it's not distracting.

It wasn't until I visited Versailles that I truly understood the French Revolution. Versailles is small, pretty. The buildings are simple, humble. And then there is the Palace....



Le Chateau de Versailles is the most ostentatious building I've ever seen. It sits on grounds that stretch, quite literally, farther than the eye can see. It utterly dwarfs the town.



Suffering in the shadow of this arrogant fortress of wealth and power it's no wonder the peasants revolted. If I'd been starving in Versailles, I too would have been in the mood to sever some haughty heads from a few pompous, royal bodies.

Paris 1996 Photos

Looking back at my Paris 1996 Photos, I realize these trips, with my cheap 35mm point-and-shoot camera in hand, enticed me to see the world through the eyes of a photographer for the first time.



While these are not my best photos to be sure, I do have a certain fondness for some of them and the beginning of the wonderful journey they represent. I hope you find a few you enjoy. I had quite the attack of nostalgia while sorting through these.



Ahhhhh ... sigh ... Paris is beautiful.



Ahhhhh ... sigh ... I used to be a twink.

More good stuff from my ScanCafe project is still to come.

The Chinese Sure Can Put On A Show

Here's some stunning photography of the Olympic Opening Ceremonies.

San Francisco 1997 Photos

Rescuing and Preserving the Past
I decided to try out ScanCafe and I'm positively ecstatic with the results. It's only 19¢ per image, they pay all the shipping, you don't have to organize what you send them and you only pay for the scans you like. I sent them a box load of hundreds of prints and negatives, they sent me back my life in vibrant color with stunning detail on a DVD-ROM.

I can't recommend this service more highly. The only minor drawback is it's slow. It takes two months. But since my prints and negatives were just sitting in a box it's not like I was enjoying them, so I didn't mind.

Here's the first album from this project....

San Francisco, California 1997 Photos

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 2008 Photos

As I continue to feed images into the wood chipper more albums emerge.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 2008 Photos

All of the underwater photos and the first three images here were taken with a cheap disposable 35mm camera. I have no use for prints, so I had them developed at a drug store straight to CD-ROM. Considering the production tools couldn't be any lower, the results are surprisingly good. And while I'd never go back, I do find I have an affection for film photography I'd forgotten.

Bali 2007 Photos

I decided to upgrade from iPhoto to Aperture, Apple's professional photo management tool. As with all professional programs, the learning curve is harsh and occasionally frustrating. But Apple's free workshops are most helpful and the reward for this endeavor is great.

I'm finally bringing order to my rapidly growing photo library. And as I sift through the back catalog finally making albums and publishing them, it has brought these images to life for me once again. I decided to tackle some smaller, long neglected trips before trying to make sense of the 1,000 photos I brought back from Italy.

So here, at last, are my Bali 2007 Photos. If you have a large monitor, don't miss the Giant Bali Panorama.

Mini Bro

It's interesting how the perspective and setting in this image make my brother at the MoMa look like a kid and not the 30-year-old military officer and father of three that he actually is. Adorable, no?

It's Good to Be Home

Sunset in Ft. Tryon Park with the George Washington Bridge

Tourist at Home

My brother Burke is in town, so I'm sightseeing in New York City.





I didn't tell him the hat and sunglasses I loaned him are from my
Gaucho de las Mariposas ensemble until after he'd worn them all over town. *snicker*



So often when you go sightseeing, you end up peering at landmarks from afar and from amongst the throngs.



But there are other lovely things to look at.



This little security robot looks like Wall-E or Number 5, don'tcha think?



All in all our trip to Liberty Island was quite enjoyable.
I just wish they'd do something about all the corpses.

Picture yourself in a boat on a river...

As my trip draws to a close I am content and happy. Gallery Borghese and David are the perfect bookend memories for my trip. I'm so full of joy I can hardly bear it.

The art and beauty I've experienced overwhelmed me again and again, but in the best possible way. Each time I'd stretch to take it all in, my world became a larger place for my experiences. This is why we travel. As we learn more of the world and its peoples we learn more about ourselves and we grow.

Ciao, Italy. Grazie.

Putt, Putt, Zoom, Zoom Through The Countryside

I've done paintings, sculpture, architecture, food, tours, sightseeing and nightlife! It’s my last day in Italy. What’s left?

ROAD TRIP!

My travel buddy and I grabbed a matching pair of the iconic Italian scooter, the Vespa, for a magical journey through the Chianti region of Tuscany. Of course, it’s not that simple. I had to get an International Driver’s License in the U.S. before I left and the rental itself took an hour. Italians don’t hurry. But finally I got my sleek, black, little cutie and off we went.



I’ve had a motorcycle license for some twenty years now. But a scooter is a different creature and I haven’t biked in a couple years. So I was rusty and busy watching moving targets. In the first five minutes I took two wrong turns, got separated from my friend, got lost, had to back track and drove the wrong way up a one-way street.

Strong work.

Things improved one we got out of the bustle of Florence. Within a few hours all the old muscle memories had returned, along with a feel for the road and a sense of mastery of the vehicle.

On our way out of town we stopped at Michelangelo Plaza which offers views of all of Florence.











The David here was created by the artist himself. Yet it is a pale copy. I was aware immediately of it's many differences and shortcomings. After my time with the original, I feel I know David ... like a lover. Still, there is a fondness for even a copy ... like a photograph of family, hardly a replacement, yet a comfort nonetheless.

---

The cool breezes and warm sun of the Tuscan countryside enticed me to lay my skin bare to feel closer to the lavish world around me.











I plucked an unripe grape and squeezed it between my teeth, slowly releasing the powerful flavor. It was sharp and very strong, like concentrated lime juice, yet enjoyable in very small amounts.

We didn’t have time to visit all the vineyards ourselves. Which is OK because boozing and piloting a two-wheel vehicle are only a good combination if you’re keen on cranial intrusions and facial reconstruction surgery.

So we went to Le Cantine, a do-it-yourself wine and cheese tasting room. Machines dispense tastes of wine, cheese, meats and olive oil in an elegant yet low-key environment. You buy a Wine Card and then run amok.



Chianti Classico Riserva is one of my favorite wines. So I decided to sample a survey of 100% Sangiovese wines and record my impressions. My survey was neither scientific nor expert, but it was fun.



After lunch and a break to metabolize the wine, we headed to the tiny town of Castellina.



We were told they have the best Gelato in Italy.



They did. Click to check out this babe’s awesome eye makeup.



42 kilometers from Florence to Castellina for ice cream ... absolutely worth it.

Back to Florence we went.



Our tour was planned for us by the hardcore biker at the rental shop. Picture a guy with a beard, muscles, leather jacket and some serious tattoos giving directions on where to get the best ice cream, wine and cheese. Memo from Italy to American men: masculinity and culture are not mutually exclusive.

There’s just one more thing....



"Hands on the wheel, sir. I’m going to need to see your license and registration."

The View from Ponte Vecchio

Buon Giorno, Florence

Ciao, Venice! Arrivederci, Venice!

Our day and a night and a day whirlwind tour of Venice started with our studly taxi-boat driver taking us up the Grand Canal.



Who's a big lug? You are! Yes, you are!



These holiday snaps don't really capture the experience.

VENICE SELF PORTRAIT


This was the view from the roof deck of our B&B.



Venice offers absurdly quaint streets full of absurdly hot men, like the rest of Italy.



The streets are also full of lost tourists peering at maps.



San Marco Square is every bit as picturesque as the movies promise. For me the movie is Moonraker. I know it's nerdy and kitsch and Roger Moore is not among our more beloved Bond actors. I don't care. Drax was an awesome villain and the 007 gondola/hovercraft chase rocked!



Sadly this place is positively overrun. I'm told lovely photos and a little peace may be had at dawn. I wasn't motivated enough to make it then. Really, it's worse than Times Square. We could only take it for about twenty minutes before we had to flee.



I got an unexpected nerd fix late at night. This street bar has joysticks permanently built into the wood bar. They're connected to a game console with graphics so old I didn't recognize them. Drunk boys playing Street Fighter, bashing and slashing each other with virtual sticks and swords, are pretty amusing.



Overall I had a lovely time. I was a bit tired the first day from an early train, and overwhelmingly frustrated the second day when the crappy tourist map absolutely every news stand sells got me hopelessly and repeatedly lost for over two hours. I felt like I was in a really beautiful version of the Blair Witch Project. "Dear God, no! I've seen this lovely fountain before!" (If you go, be sure to get a Streetwise brand map before you leave.)

But I'm so grateful to have been. Mostly I just walked around and soaked it in. Venice defies visual documentation. It simply must be experienced.

Super Gay and More Than A Village

Gay Village is Rome’s huge gay nightlife party. It’s only in the summer and it’s in a park. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Tents, kiosks, bars, booths and dance floors sprawl as far as the eye can see.





It’s a veritable carnival of gay, gay, gay. It’s refreshing to see so many gay men and lesbians out together. New York’s queer community is quite segregated.

The selection at the snack booth is dizzying.







There’s a spin class. People brought biker shorts and gym bags for it.



The tobacconists are there to poison us and make otherwise attractive people repulsive. Fuck you, Phillip Morris.



There’s even a car show.



I decided to do it all. I was interviewed live on Radio Dee Gay. The lovely Sophia offered to teach me some Italian and asked what I wanted to learn. I said, “Since everyone here is so gorgeous I want to learn how to say ‘you are beautiful!’”

Bellissima!



There’s a booth where you can have your own photo shoot. I was feeling tipsy and sexy so I went for it.





Afterwards everyone spills out onto the streets.



These stands sell drunk food and, of course, more beer. What a country!

The Color of Night

Long ago I bored of what I call, "proof photos," that is, photos that prove you were there. Me in front of the Eiffel Tower. Me in front of the Brandenburger Tor. Me in front of the British Houses of Parliament.

Zzzzzzz....

I know what these places look like. And I know what I look like. I don't need to know what I look like in front of these places.

Problem is, my mother complains if there are no photos of me amongst my holiday snaps. So I've combined my interest in night photography and poi. Here ya go, Mom. Happy?

Night Colors

Oh the night ... so much more intriguing and colorful than the day.

Agua Poi

I was trying out my new LED Poi when Sergey Matsko happened along. He shoots what he calls Agua Photos, images that emphasis motion over detail. How perfect for my little light show!

REVERSE WHEEL


FORWARD WHEEL


FORWARD WEAVE


MEXICAN WEAVE

Arrived! At last.

Art by Accident

So often art is accident. Take these photos of me taken the fabulous and talented John Morrison for example. The very red lights at SuperEgo Comedy wreak havoc with light balance. And yet, I really like how they look. In fact, rarely in my life have I felt a photo has both flattered me as much as these and captured how I like to think of myself in my own mind.






Thanks for the fab pics and the confidence boost, John. You're tops!

Carson's Bali Pics

I'm a bit too swamped to get my own photos up yet. So in the mean time have a look at Carson's Bali Photos.

Midnight Fantasy in Quinine

The Art of Collecting Photons

My friend and fellow photographer, artist, nerd Murray Williams has published a stunning beautiful slide show of his photography.

I will eat your soul!

Because cell phone cameras don't have flash I struck upon the idea of using a candle as a light source. This photo of me as some weird, possessed, demon spawn was the result.