Tag: photography

Living In The “Buffa” Art Media

I guess WGRZ doesn’t think much about local professionals, even if they are requesting a favor from them.

Unfortunately, they’re not alone. I’ve been asked by other media groups from the Buffalo News, to the BEE Newspapers for permission to use media, and rarely do they manage to credit it properly, or at all. Hell, it’s often an impressive step if they even bother to ask to use it. Larger media organizations simply don’t care about the work of others apparently. As long as they get what they need in the moment.

Weigh-In Wednesday – The Ten Year Challenge

Our Meet The Filmmaker interview went well, but as always, the questions I anticipate people will ask about the movie are not the questions that are asked. Meet The Filmmakers will probably be released in late Spring/early Summer. Before then, however, Stages will be shown at a movie night at Buff State’s Upton Hall on Friday Dec 6 at 7PM. This is an event hosted by Mike Raisch for his recent production Smith and the Devil which I assisted slightly in helping to shoot some video elements (under water, no less). There will be a Q&A afterward, and I will be speaking about Stages, so feel free to come, and ask questions.

Weigh-In Wednesday – The Uniqueness of You

I learned in time, that’s just how it is, and I need to have patience with myself, more than patience with others. In those times when you’re stopped worrying about it, and start focusing on other things, amazing people come into your life. When you’re forcing it, less than amazing people come into your life.

Just my two-cents of my old age wisdom. Picture me peeling an apple and eating slices off the blade of my pocket knife while sitting in a porch rocker while telling you this. It might make more of an impact.

A straw hat, and denim overalls are also nice additions.

Movie Poster for Stages

Weigh-In Wednesday – Back to Routine

The previous weekend was the 48-Hour Film Project. Our movie titled, Stages was filmed in record fashion. Our first year leading our own team; we kept the production streamlined, the story easy to follow, and sensible, and our production schedule stayed very close to schedule for the entire day. Because I directed it,  filmed it, and edited it, it was less of a challenge keeping the vision on point.  The Premier Screening was this past weekend, and I have to say, I think it played well. Not as flashy as some films, but given our small team, and limited technical resources, it still came out clean, and cohesive, and seemed to have the emotional impact we were going for. Confirmed by a few different viewers, some even said it appeared on screen as one of the best looking, best filmed movies of the day.

A Manifesto of Love

To this city, and this region – Buffalo – the City of Good Neighbors. We don’t always exemplify that, but I would like to think we exemplify it more often than not. Yes, you’ll see more examples in the media of us not being good to each other, but the media doesn’t often tells us about the acts of kindness we see, and perform every day. Rarely do you hear stories of the success of our refugee programs, of the community organizations that help welcome the world to Buffalo, and give them the help they need when they get here. Rarely do you hear of how those same refugees are building their own communities, and running successful businesses while adding to Buffalo’s diverse culture. There is no coverage of neighbors helping neighbors daily, not out of obligation, but out of a want to be helpful, and to foster a kind, and cooperative community. 

I want to be a bigger part of this. I want to show love to my neighbors, those who come here seeking a better life, and the future generations who will call this region home.

Weigh-In Wednesday – Three Decades Later

By far, the people who complain the most, and about the most trivial, nonsensical things are Conservatives/Republicans/The Religious Right.

While they sit back, and call others “snowflakes” for things like, not wanting to be shot while in school, or not wanting the police to kill you during a routine arrest (often a BS arrest), or things like justice, and civil rights, those on the other side worry about coffee cups not being Christmassy enough, religious symbols not being allowed on public (tax funded) buildings, and scream about their faux persecution in the face of others demanding equal rights. They live on socialist ideals, and taxes, yet complain the policies they don’t want are all socialist, and therefore evil. They stump over free-market ideals, but when the free-market puts them in their place they complain they’re being discriminated against.

It’s a shopping list covering every aisle of hypocrisy, and irony when you think about it.

Wix... wait, what?

Weigh-In Wednesday – Stunning Websites without Stunning Images

I saw an add for Wix.  Wix annoys me. They promote their services as “do it yourself for free,” and try to convince people they can just build a wow-factor website in under 15 minutes at no cost. 

Eight days later, most users have an incomplete website that looks like a 5th grader built it in 1998 using Microsoft Frontpage and Paint, and on this monstrosity there’s a Wix advertisement in just about every corner that pops up whenever your mouse cursor gets within 30 pixels of it.

Weigh-In Wednesday – Something Missing

#PHOTOGRPAHYWITHOUTLIMITS

I came up with that tag a number of years ago in a way to express that I’m kind of a go-anywhere, do-anything for a good shot kind of photographer. Obviously, I have limits, but they’re usually based more on how can I get the shot AND keep my camera safe? Because if I can’t retrieve the shot, then it’s not worth the shot.

At the start, someone believed it was in response to a threat lodged by a former colleague that I would never take photos at an event in WNY again. That was a silly threat, with no chance of being enacted, so I wasn’t really worried. Since then I have photographed countless events. I can try to count them. Shall we?

World’s Largest Disco, multiple times. Witches Ball, every year. Pride Parade, on behalf of 2 different organizations. Cupid Undies Run. Carley’s Club fundraiser. St. Paddy’s Day Parades.  Not to mention dozens of Yelp community events, Buffalo Without Borders, and thanks to my relationship, First Night, Steam Punk Fest, and a dozen other events she has performed at.