Category Archives: Writing

Rights Of The Photographer

This week’s post is going to be short and to the point as I’m currently dealing with some family issues.

Have you ever wondered just what rights you have as a photographer?  Have you ever been taking pictures somewhere and been stopped by security who then tried to confiscate your camera and/or memory cards?  I’ve been lucky enough not to have been accosted by security guards wanting to pull rank, but I’ve educated myself enough to be ready should that moment arise.   One of the first things you need to do that kind of situation is stay calm.  Next, be respectful even if you’re not being respected.  The worst thing to do is snap back with some aggressive comment when you’re being confronted by a security guard or other authority figure who has an inflated ego and is ignorant to your rights as a photographer.

To learn the basics about your rights as a photographer when photographing in public places, check out this site and download the PDF file.  You may also want to check the local laws of your state for anything governing photography, as well as the laws of any state or country to which you plan to travel.  I also purchased the book listed on this page from Amazon.  It has some good information on not only your rights to photograph but also rights concerning copyright and more.

Until next time…

[-_-]

~A.M.

I Fail…Fire Me…

Yes indeed. I fail.

At what, you ask?

Well…Everything apparently.

I could go into a long drawn out rant full of whining, crying, raging, fuming, and a whole other menagerie of emotions but for the sake of space, time, sanity, and the frakers that don’t really care what I have to say and just read this to see if they can use anything against me, I’ll keep it simple…

1.) I’ve been trying to work on my photography course but haven’t been satisfied enough with what I’m producing to actually turn anything in. (Good thing they give you a couple of years to complete this thing.)

2.) I can’t seem to bring myself to sit down and put a pen to a fraking piece of paper. My novel just might end up dying a premature death.

3.) I can’t seem to find a few items I’ve been searching for online….Like anywhere…

4.) I can’t seem to keep this or any other blog, site, electronic communications device updated on a somewhat regular basis like I had hoped at the beginning.

5.) My “friends” seem to have conveniently forgotten that I exist…..Again.

-And finally-

6.) I think I may have permanently damaged my right index finger. The trunk in my room decided to bite me (the lid fell) and now there’s an ache and a lump in my finger near the middle knuckle that won’t go away (and the trunk attack happened over a month ago).

So, I’ll leave it all there instead of launching into some sort of angst ridden sob story. I’ll save that crap for the personal journal.

Yeah, I fail.

I’m so fired.

Keep on rockin’ on….I guess.

[-_-]

~A.M.

Slacker Extraordinaire

So, here I am, playing on the internet when I should be doing something productive.

What could be more productive than playing on the internet?

For me, plenty.

One, I could be printing out some photos and getting them framed. I’d like to be ready when my professor tells me I can put a show up in the campus gallery (and I’m hoping that’ll happen sometime next year or soon after). But somehow I tend to get off on something else when I start that project. Somehow I find a way to procrastinate even though it’s something I know I need and want to get done.

Oi vey. And I’m not even Jewish!

And two, I could be writing. Oh yes. Writing. My novel has sat there, untouched, unloved, and alone for the past two months now. I’m getting to a point where I’m disgusted with myself for it. One of my new year’s resolutions was to write five pages every day, five days a week. I did well in January when I got down about 100 pages but in February, something happened. I missed a day, which turned into two, which turned into a week, and well, next thing I knew, the entire month was over. Yeah yeah, I know, I deserve to be slapped. Just not too hard please.

But speaking of writing, and getting off the topic of this post, I’m thinking of titles. Anyone have any ideas for a title suitable for a science fiction novel?

I know, damn it! Here I am, thinking of titles for my next novel when the first one isn’t even been halfway finished. That’s me though. I start one project and jump to another, then another, then yet another without ever really finishing one. Then either I get bored and abandon one or two completely or, a deadline creeps up and I’m panicking wondering how I’m going to finish everything.

Luckily, I have no deadlines where my writing is concerned (or the photos for that matter). I’ve tried to set goals. Well, I have set goals but attaining them is another story. I’ve tried to set a schedule. Well, I have set a schedule but keeping to it is another story still. Maybe I need someone in an unofficial capacity to set a deadline for me and make up some reward if I meet it or a punishment if I don’t. Maybe that would get me off my ass and make me a bit more productive.

I need help to shake my tendency to procrastinate, to shed my title as “slacker extraordinaire,” and get down to business. I need to get things done but I need a swift kick in the ass to do it. Unfortunately though, I’m not limber enough yet to get my foot into the proper position to kick my own ass. Wanna help?

Keep on rockin’ on!

[^_^]

~A.M.

So, Here We Are Again…

Yes, indeed.

Blogging for the masses even though over half of them don‘t know I exist. Hurrah!!

Anyway, I haven’t updated in a few days so I figured I’d do something to correct that. So, Ta Da! Here’s an update! Woot!

Let’s see now, what have I been doing lately? Well, I got the walls in my office painted. That’s something at least. Maybe now that the physical office is on its way toward completion the business will follow.

What business you ask? Well let me tell you.

I’m a photographer. I’m starting my own photography business. I plan to do portraits as well as sell art prints.

For those of you that already knew that….well, you’re awesome and you deserve some skittles!

Let’s see….What else….

Well, I’m a bit sad about a few things at the moment. Things I can, and intend to change soon. One being my writing. I have so many ideas bouncing around in my skull like a lunatic in a padded room. That’s all well and good. But what saddens me is the fact that I can’t seem to bring myself to sit down and get those ideas out. I’m having a hard time exorcising the demons so to speak. And that makes me sad.

I’m a good writer. Don’t laugh. I am. My mom told me so (well, she and my college English professor). My biggest problem is motivation, or, lack there of. That and the marvelous procrastination gene passed on to me by my father. Thanks daddy!

I guess I’m just waiting for something. I’m not really sure what that something is though. I’m telling myself that its my office. I’m waiting until it’s finished. But honestly, that’s a poor excuse. It’s in a state now where I could be down there writing and doing photography stuff, but I’m just not doing that for some reason. Lack of motivation? Probably. Procrastination? I’m sure.

I’ll have to work to change that though. Um…I’ll start working on changing that, tomorrow.

As for the other thing I’m a bit sad about…Some of my books have gone AWOL.

If you know me, or know anyone that knows me, you probably know that I’m an avid reader and that I value and treasure my books like they were my children. I mean, I get horrified and sick when I see someone toss out a book or worse, when I see someone on a design show destroy one in order to make some ugly coffee table base or something equally stupid. I love books. Just the look of them, the feel of them in my hands, the smell of them….wait, I better stop, this is starting to sound a bit sexual and that’s not what I’m aiming for. At least, not in this post!

Anyway, my books. I tend to know where all my books are at any given moment so I have little to no trouble putting my hands on the one I need or want to read. But unfortunately, I think I’ve misplaced some. A series. That’s right people, a whole freakin’ series. That’s seven books to be exact. I don’t know how I did it or when I did it, but I lost them. I can’t for the life of me find them and I’ve looked everywhere. I don’t remember loaning them out, especially the whole series. I don’t tend to do that. In fact, the only person I trust enough to loan my books to, because I treasure them so much, is my brother, and I don’t think he would have borrowed this particular series (not his style).

Oh yeah, you’re probably wondering what the series is. Even if your not, I’ll tell you, cause hey, its my blog and I can!.

“The Death Gate Cycle” by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

Seven books of fantasy coolness. Well, from what I remember, they were cool. I got the series way back in high school. Figured it was time I look into them again. But when I went to look into them…what should I find? Well, nothing. Which is my point here. I can’t find them anywhere and it makes me sad.

So onward goes my search for both my motivation to write and the Death Gate Cycle novels.

I’ll be sure to let everyone know when I find one or the other. Or, if I get lucky and find them both! That’d be damn cool!

I guess that’s all for now folks.

Keep on rockin’ on!

[^_^]

~A.M.