….the last sunset of 2008……

A lot of cool things have happened this year, the first year of this blög.  Thanks to everyone that has been keeping track of what I have been up to, hope you have enjoyed the posts.  There is more to come on the horizon.  Hopefully it will be even more interesting.

I think it is incredibly important to always be trying new things and learning as much as I can so I have more “tricks” up my sleeve to use when it really matters…when it is for a client or an assignment.  I paid a lot of money to go to school, but, there is still plenty to learn and plenty that is of interest out there on the internet.

I suggest these sites for inspiration and instruction…..

Strobist . http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/

Lost America . http://www.lostamerica.com/

So, I took my camera, pocket wizards, gels and flashes out and drove around.  There really wasn’t anything that inspiring to see, but I got a few shots in anyway (before the police showed up at least).  I set a canon flash connected to a pocket wizard radio transmitter inside the booth and exposed the entire image for 25 seconds.  Here is what I got.  It was really more of an experiment than anything, but now I know….

…..well, Christmas is over.  This year, I spent it, alone, relaxed and happy with my wonderful girlfriend.  We got a cabin about an hour away from our home.  We got to relax, eat steak and bacon and sausage, I think we ate some vegetables and then we drank vodka drinks in a hot tub while deer walked by.  We got to go hiking in state park lands on a beautiful sunny Christmas day.  It couldn’t have been better.

It did start a little confusing…..someone must have forgotten their ladder or that Halloween was two months ago…..

Then there was the regular, middle of nowhere abandonment……

….but all was well, serene, beautiful, relaxing, quiet, peaceful, etc. etc. etc., for the most part, on Christmas day.  We hiked for a few hours enjoying the awe of the nature around us.  It always makes me wonder what it was like in the cliff filled terrain for the Native Americans that had inhabited the land we were able to enjoy.  We were also in awe of some of the other novice hikers who showed no fear, or maybe, respect for the territory.  Maybe it was just their lack of reading skills when it came to their own safety and where not to tread or how to behave.  We even got to see some folks fighting about something only to find out they had lost track of their teenage boys, then the mother walked on a cliff, mere inches from the edge, with a hundred foot drop to certain death below…..how does that happen?  Anyway, the beauty and grandeur of the forest and gorges was worth any hassle or distraction, which was limited.

Hope everyone had a joyous, peaceful day of their own.

I thought it might be kind of cool and spread the Christmas cheer by giving a gift to a reader by throwing a contest.  It is pretty cut and dry and should be pretty easy.  All you have to do is answer some questions (below) in a comment.  One comment only, please.  I will also need an email address, for this is how I will notify the winner.  The winner will be chosen at random from the folks who answer the most questions correctly.

So now to the goods.  What do you get if you win?  Well…you can choose from one of the four images below printed 11X14 and signed by me sent directly to your doorstep.  So get crackin’ on the questions and good luck.  The contest ends on January 31st at 11:59pm.  The winner will be notified soon after.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Chris

The Questions:

1. How many fingers does Tony Iommi wear prosthetics on when playing?

2. When and where was Tony Iommi born?

3. What was the name of Corey Taylor’s high school band?

4. Corey Taylor produced and appeared on the song “Addicted” by what band?

5. Who tattooed the demon on the back of Kerry King’s head?

6. Which Rob Zombie song features a Kerry King solo?

7. What influential rock guitarist did Lemmy roadie for?

8. What year did Lemmy join Hawkwind?

It would only go to figure that since I photograph musicians that I really dig music.  So I thought I would throw up a list of the best records of 2008 and what I am looking forward to in the new year…according to me.  I reckon, critics are just folks with an opinion so here is my opinion on the subject…..by the way, there are links all over this post to the bands, so if you are so inclined……

1. Slipknot . All Hope Is Gone…absolutely brutal, the first four songs make me want to crush something or run stuff over in a truck outfitted like a Road Warrior vehicle.

2. The Bronx . Bronx III…a little less hardcore than the last two records but way more accessible with just as much energy.

3. The Night Marchers . See You In Magic…anything John Reis touches…well…he is borderline genius and busier than most mere mortals.

4. Motorhead . Motorizer…Come on, it’s Lemmy, he has created a formula that is untouchable.

5. Gaslight Anthem . The ‘59 Sound…This is a great album with obvious influences that go against probably everything their fan base is into.  Really a smart well put together record.

6. Black Crowes . Warpaint…Great comeback record.  Hopefully the Robinson’s wont kill each other and are back together for good.

7. The Hellacopters . Head Off…Their last record (until the live album), 99% covers of bands they like, proves they can play the songs better than the original artists.

8. Rocket From The Crypt . All Systems Go III…..B sides and more, I think there may be another coming from this now defunct juggernaut of a rock band along with a DVD….yet again, John Reis and his midas touch.

9. White Zombie Box Set…..well, it is everything the band ever did, so it has to be good, nothing new here, but just as vital as ever.

10. Replacements Re-issues….the last of the Replacements reissues came out this year.  Too bad the last two records (or the first two Paul Westerberg solo records) were involved.

….now for what I am watching for in 2009….

The Lemmy documentary,

Halloween 2…directed by Rob Zombie (October), hopefully a new Airbourne record, The Company Band full length (featuring members of Clutch, CKY and Fireball Ministry), New SLAYER record, El Bronx…the mariachi record by the Bronx (March), Hellacopters live DVD and album and extras, new Social Distortion record, new Riverboat Gamblers record (March)……and of course tons of photographic opportunities.  If you read my blög regularly, then thank you….hopefully you dig what you see…..

This is probably why I do what I do.  This is what I was like.  This may be more of an honor than actually being asked to do it in the first place.  Awesome, humbling and motivating.

….how about no light.  The older I get and the more I shoot for assignment, the more annoyed I get with venues who think that it is alright to charge a lot of money for tickets then have some moron running the lights or managing them.  Yes, I have a job to do and the lights are integral in that job, but what about the fans?  Don’t they deserve to be able to see what is happening on the stage?  There is a joke of a venue where I live that gets a ton of big name shows and I more often than not opt to drive a couple hours to a city, with a real venue, with good lights that are taken care of and upgraded and work.  Say what you will about the House of Blues, but they at least put forth the effort to give the fans a good experience…..but don’t get me started about the price of beverages at any of these venues….highway robbery.

…”I got it dude, let’s point the lights five feet behind the band…..no, no wait, even better, how about we light the band from behind….pure genius, dude.”

….actually I am a very little bit country, more rock n roll than anything.  I do like Miranda Lambert though.  She is an undeniable talent that seems to get the shaft constantly from the country world.  Must be all that songwriting she does herself instead of those other folks with all the acclaim, I reckon.

A kid’s wet dream is an overweight, slow, bitter rental-security person’s worst nightmare.