I shot a wedding today. The first ever. They wanted a photojournalistic style and not so much of the traditional shots. Actually, none of the traditional shots. There are a few things I'll do differently next time. I think I'll pose more shots. I wish I had taken the bride and grooms photo in some of the settings I photographed the guests in. Most of the people I took posing were already posing for other shots. It took place at the beautiful Potowmack Landing Restaurant on the waterfront. I am sure it will be memorable to all who attended. The ceremony was stopped for a brief moment during the vowels to let a jet taking off from National Airport pass by. One thing happily unexpected was that the bride and her family are Korean and they had beautiful kimono-style dresses.
I was drinking some iced coffee in Swings Coffee Shop yesterday when through the swinging doors walked Bill Trollinger, rodeo and ranch minister. I asked if I could take his picture because I had never seen a cowboy in the coffee shop before. Trollinger is from Wyoming where he says, "There's not a shade tree anywhere ... if you want shade you gotta wear it on your head!" He said he doesn't do too much cowboying anymore. "I ride the buckin' horses every now and then." He goes to rodeos and tries to keep the young competitors away from all the bad things they might get into like drugs and alcohol. After a short talk and "a regular coffee" he took off back to his preachers' convention.
After my last class of the semester I got some lunch at Hot Off the Grill with my friend Andrew. Andrew got something like chili-mac or beefaroni. I asked for the meatloaf. The lunch lady behind the counter suggested the mash potatoes and gravy. While we were eating I realized it is the quaintness, and predictability of serving typical cafeteria food that makes Hot Off the Grill so attractive. (Michelle thanks for holding this cup.)
I got a lot done today but there is still more to do in the following hours. The heat and humidity made my running around at the last minute uncomfortable. I still found time for an hour of relaxing before class, kicking the ball, squirting the guns, and drinking from cups. The good thing is when I got home the toilet stopped leaking so the floor was dry. Did I ever mention I feel like Shrek living in this basement apartment?
This is Luly's Fine Art studio space. She is Catholic. This is her painting of Christ. His face is cut out so people can take their very own picture, of themselves as the Christ. There are so many issues raised with this piece of art. The currently trendy commercialization of religion, the thought that anyone can be Jesus, the desensitizing effect our culture has on religion, and the effect "religious" cultures have on our culture. At the same time, the White House seems way too caught up in religious issues and has, since "9-11" brought Christianity back to the mentality of the Crusades. "God, please forgive the dirty bastards, for they know not what the do ... actually, strike them down with great wrath!" (Just try not to hit me.)
This is one of the photos for my studio lighting class drying in the racks in the photo studio at the Corcoran. It is a contemporary portrait, a well done mug shot. I'm happy that I've been in the photo lab developing 4x5 negatives and printing photos in the darkroom. This drying rack has a look and style that calls to mind the Zen feeling that comes from working in the darkroom. I hadn't recalled how simple and wonderful it was to watch an image appear on paper like magic in developer. I am happy that all of my prints are now finished. Now I start on the digital prints.
I had a lot more time to take a lot better pictures of tennis playing at Eastern Market today. After tennis Maris (above) made some awesome hot wings. There was other good stuff too, but I can only really remember the hot wings. On my way home I stopped to get a Slurpee. Fuad, the clerk, said, "It looks like you got that hat fighting in Baghdad." "No," I said. This hat brings up a lot of unique comments. A few days ago I was in line at a liquor store. There was a drunken homeless man in front of me. I was trying to hurry and he was gathering his cans and bags at the counter. I held up my drink and reached as politely as I could around him to pay the cashier. As I was paying I could feel the man staring at me. All of a sudden I heard the low grumble, "My buddy was in 'Nam." Then he turned and left. I love this digital cammo hat, but it attracts a lot of social heat.
The end of the semester is in a few days and things are getting down to the wire. The one break I got from the darkroom and the studio today was when I went to take photos of Andrew and Maris playing some tennis by Eastern Market on Capitol Hill. I'd say they had been playing less than five minutes before we got kicked out by the people locking the chainlink fence. On my walk back to the school I saw a group of young Marines. "Is that the digi-cover," said one of them. "Yeah," I replied. "That's not authorized for wear," he said. "I'm out," I explained. "Everything is authorized."
There was a reasonably-sized crowd at Rex's opening until it's closing. Rex, a writing professor at the Corcoran, had a unique party. Many of the art pieces displayed were made of broken bottles and broom sticks. As the night went on mixtures of diet soda, sherry, and gin infected the ability to make rational decisions. The art became a backdrop for a social evening that was awkwardly comfortable. As Rex kicked the last of the last out after 3 am I wondered where everyone went. Instead of getting a ride like a good goer I decided on the late-night pedestrian express.
First thing this morning I walked out the door and got a free Brita filter from the District of Columbia for having lead filled pipes. My sweetness of the day didn't stop there; I completed my last video class today. After class there were the all-senior show and the graphic design openings to visit. After the shows everyone hit the Corcoran Parking lot for the "Day-After Cinco De Mayo Party!" The last time I saw such skilled break dancing is a toss-up between mid-90s house parties in Pittsburgh and recess at any of several elementary school I attended in the mid-80s in Orange County. Seana and Alan weren't breaking but they had great time. Seana also won the hot pepper eating contest.
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This is Chad and Sara. They are always sitting under these trees by the E St exit of the gallery. They are taking a little break from the party.
The sheer dullness of the day is reflected in this photo of the Geico Auto Insurance Building. I rode and waited for the bus approximately four hours trying to get to a basketball game I skipped class to shoot. The bad news is I never made it. The good news is I saved a lot of money on my car insurance.
