Have Nikon’s DSLR plans thru 2010 been leaked? It seems pretty legit to me- I saw it on NikonRumors.com yesterday, and now it’s on WIRED today. Here it is. If so, then sign me up for a D700x. Seems a little too good to be true, being released so soon, but certainly not impossible. I feel bad for Nikon if this is the real deal, and I wonder, if true, how damaging (or beneficial??) will this leak will be to Nikon? It’s a bit like peeking at your Xmas presents in November- it’s good for a bit, but ultimately you always wish you hadn’t done it. Maybe that’s just me. After you’ve got 20+ MP, can practically shoot in the dark, can film movies, what’s left? According to this, you put AF in the movie mode, and you have a built-in HDR mode, merging 2 images in camera for HDR photos. That’s kind of interesting- something that’s usually a Photoshop plug-in now, but not something that seems critical. If I were big into movies maybe the AF would be a big deal, although every movie person I talked to said that it’s not so important or good. I saw that they may start putting in little projectors into their smaller cameras so that you can have a mobile slideshow which sounds pretty cool. But the big deal for me would be if you could have the camera send images wirelessly directly to the internet. How cool would that be for photojournalism/news shooting? Or a better method of captioning images in camera. Again, like the HDR mode, these still aren’t game changers, but it might be cool. Any other ideas of what they could do to a top-end DSLR that would make it better than what it already is?
Family Court Audit Passes!!!
The project I’ve been working on with the Center for Judicial Excellence regarding exposing the corruption, collusion, negligence and overall lack of accountability and oversight prevalent in the Family Court system has culminated in some real-world political action! Senator Mark Leno sponsored an audit of the Family Courts in Marin and Sacramento counties and it passed today unanimously! This project has made me very cynical about the legal system and politics in the United States, so I am surprised and delighted that this is actually going to happen. Go here to find out more info on the photo project, and on the family court crisis.
Nest Gallery Opening
I have a couple of pieces that have been included in Nest Design’s collection for their new gallery. The gallery is geared toward pieces for interior designers, so it’s a good opportunity to show some of my work that was shot outside of a series. Here is the invitation to the opening, and also some of my pieces that will be featured in this month’s exhibition titled Birds and Branches, and then in their permanent collection.
The number 88
This symbol signifies endless or continuous prosperity. This symbol is closely associated with Chinese beliefs where the sound of 8 is “fatt” which means Prosperity and Abundance. Also, the figure 8 is also known as the symbol of Infinity. Therefore, putting these two together, we have the symbolic meaning of “Endless/forever Prosperity”.
The Chinese also believe that eight is sacred and powerful as it is associated with:
· The legendary eight immortals ;
· Eight triangles of the I-Ching or book of changes,
· Ancient Chinese System of Divination.
· Eighty- Eight also resembles the Chinese pictograph for “Double Happiness.”
Chinese feng-shui beliefs:
It activate abundance when place at your Sheng-Qi success direction and at the Wealth Area (South East) of the office or shop.
The figure 8 is also a Remedial Symbol to help balance occupants when negative symbols or a bad Feng Shui house affects them. The use of Two Eights just doubles the effectiveness of the cure.
When a house has Feng Shui design problems- a corner is missing or a wall creates an obstacle, it is suggested to use an 88-to create space and harmony, instead of using mirrors which only create the illusion of space.
The 88 symbol is also used universally to help create a flow of energy and unblock stagnant chi.
Olympic Torch Protests
Olympic Torch Protests, originally uploaded by 88ZERO.
Last week I went and photographed the Olympic Torch protests in the city. It was a very surreal scene- a huge pro-Chinese presence that tried to confront and contain pro-Tibetan protesters. Many of the pro-Chinese protesters had been bussed in from outlying areas by the Chinese embassy; and the basic idea was to try and dilute or mask the Tibetan protesters. One tactic I noticed was the flanking of flags- a Tibetan flag would go up and soon two Chinese flags would be brought near it and would sandwich it so that it would be far less visible. As a result, most of the Tibetan protesters remained on the move, trying to maximize their impact. The pro-Chinese supporters also tried to neutralize the Tibet supporters in the auditory sense as well, carrying bullhorns and using them next to pro-Tibet protesters using bullhorns. The result was simply noise- this epitomized most of what I saw- just a lot of screaming at one another; often it would begin in a relatively civilized debate-like manner but in less than a minute would devolve into name-calling, pointing, and fury. Surprisingly with all the intentionally antagonizing (chanting “One dolla, one dolla” behind a group of Chinese supporters, or “Dalai Liar” next to Tibetan supporters) I never observed any violence; it always seemed to push as close to the edge as possible, but strangely never seemed in threat of going too far. Like most people there, I didn’t see the torch since they whisked it off to a random street to run along for a couple of bus before it hit the bus and went to the airport, but also I think like most people there, I didn’t really care- this was more about the protests than the torch.
David Roche
David Roche, originally uploaded by 88ZERO.
I recently did some photos for the newspaper of author (and speaker) David Roche whose book, The Church of 80% Sincerity, just hit the shelves. We talked so much when I got there that we ran out of shooting time and I came back later that day to finish up. He gave me a signed copy of his book and I read it in one night. David was born with a severe facial disfigurement due to a benign tumor on the left side of his face. As a child he was subjected to numerous surgeries and heavy radiation treatment. What fascinated me about David’s book was how many times it made me realize my own preconceived notions about what his life would be like, and how wrong they were. Like that he had a very happy childhood, or that he sometimes got annoyed when people said how much he inspired them. He doesn’t see himself as a hero or an inspiration, it’s just a part of his everyday life; he says his face is a gift “because my shadow side – my difficulty and challenge – is on the outside, where I have been forced to deal with it.” There are many singular moments in the book of both extreme beauty or horror that must be read to be fully understood, but what is captivating about this book is how it draws the reader out to reflect on their relationship to David’s words, to examine their own fears and hopes. In structure the book is a kind of hybrid between memoir and philosophical reflections, small revelations, and loaded with humor and pathos. It is life-affirming and shocking, and everyone who is reading this should go out and get it and read it tonight. Find out more about David at davidroche.com.
Road to Bolinas
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Today I had a shoot at Coast Cafe in Bolinas. Bolinas is a small beach town that you can get to by following the road we live on and taking it over the mountains, through the redwoods, across a lake, past the eucalyptus groves and to the beach. I drove our scooter there and it was a blast- the best scooter ride yet. It made me feel so lucky to live in Marin. The Coast Cafe was terrific- a passionate chef, great ambience, and of course the coolest town that almost no one knows how to get to since the residents there tear down all the road signs in the vicinity. Definitely worth an afternoon of exploring the roads until you find it, especially during the weekdays since the town was practically deserted.
Talking to Obama
Back in Jail
I got a call for a great assignment this morning that involves going back to San Quentin prison and photographing the inmates performing the play “Much Ado About Nothing” by Shakespeare. It reminds me of one of my favorite episodes of This American Life radio program titled ACT V. You should set the time aside and listen to it- it’s amazing; especially their insight on Hamlet’s dilemma of vengeance. The last time I was in San Quentin was when I shot the story on the Insight Prison Garden program, which focused not only on gardening but also on meditation and on our relationship with our bodies and the earth. It’s interesting how these relatively mundane activities, such as gardening and theater, take on such a different meaning when placed within the culture and setting of prison.
Holiday Commuting
On my way to pick up some rental equipment from the city right before Christmas (Friday Dec. 21), I walked on to the ferry to find it covered in holiday (read Christmas) decorations made by school children. The thing that struck me was how tired the decorations looked and how that reflected the general sense of exhaustion regarding the holidays. Also, I thought it was funny how the decorations seemed to impose on some people who you could tell wanted a little space from the whole scene, like the image here. I also found the juxtaposition of the decorations with the utilitarian institutional elements of the ferry really funny- like trying to decorate a gas station restroom.
I’m headed into the city tomorrow to pick up some more equipment for this weekend and plan to do another mini series on some theme while I’m there. Right now I’m thinking it might be just strolling through Chinatown, or maybe the street grocery stores of Mission St. or Irving.
