The other night (Friday, Jan. 22, 2010) my wife, daughter and I went to Nebraska Furniture Mart to see Thomas Kinkade, the artist known as “The Painter of Light”. We have between one and one hundred works from Kinkade and we all enjoy his stuff. Many art historians and people in the art world consider Kinkade a hack and not a real artist. I am not going to join in this debate. I just know that I like his paintings, and don’t give a rat’s backside what some self involved or self proclaimed expert says. That’s the real beauty of art and paintings and photographs and sand castles made at the beach or in your sand box. If you like it, it really matters not if anyone else loves it or even likes it a little bit.

My most all time favorite artist is my daughter. Will her art ever hang in The MOMA, The Louvre, or The Guggenheim? Highly doubtful. But I don’t care. Last year in school, she drew an Egyptian themed picture and colored it. Her use of color really made something in me go…COOL! Recently, she produced an abstract self portrait and again, I said to myself…COOL! The fact she is my daughter plays into my feelings toward the art, but she has many artworks that I don’t get the same visceral feeling from.

Not that I like to see myself in pictures, but my daughter took my most favorite picture of me a couple years ago while we were vacationing in Arizona and went to see the big hole in the ground or as is properly known, The Grand Canyon. I include the following to share with you this picture, not in some vain attempt to show off my good looks :>)

My daughter and I then took this pic into Photoshop and did a few wacky things to it and this is the result:

My point is that most if not all people who have ever seen a picture of me would probably pick a different one than the one I have. It doesn’t make them, or me, right or wrong, it’s just a personal preference. Many people feel that Picasso, or Monet, or Van Gogh are the ultimate, most bestest (my made up word), no one is better in the Universe, artist or artists. Their respective works do nothing for me. I will take a Thomas Kinkade or a Mort Künstler painting any day as their works make me feel something I don’t when viewing the previous artists works. Even though most of Kinkade’s and Künstler’s works are primarily sold as mass produced reproductions has no effect on my thoughts. I view their paintings as objects that bring me peace and tranquility, not as investments to fund my daughter’s college education or my retirement.

I have taken many, many photos in my time on Earth. Are they all masterpieces? Although I would love to say yes, I honestly can’t. For every killer pic I produce, I probably output 10 or 15 complete turds. It’s the nature of the beast. Sometimes, you do everything correctly, except one small detail and what could have been genius turns out to be a dud. The sun is just about to go to bed, the sky is composed of various shades of reds, oranges, yellows, blues and purples. This could be the most beautiful sunset your eyes have ever seen.

You are sure you have all the settings on your camera perfect, and you depress the shutter. CLICK. You decide not to chimp at the image and snap off a few more before this wondrous scene vanishes. You know you just captured lightning in a bottle and can’t wait to chimp your images now. Like a small child on Xmas morning, you excitedly press the preview button and…Practically release your bowels when every image is OOF!!! That’s Out Of Focus! You mutter several very strong adult words that anyone within 10 feet or so hears, as it suddenly hits you; you forgot to set the camera back to auto-focus after taking a few manually focused shots. The sun has almost set, the sky no longer looks on fire, and you are sick to your stomach.

Happens to all of us that have ever put our eye up to the viewfinder on a camera. Anyone who tells you it has never happened to them is either lying or they are completely lying. Often times, less than masterpiece pictures are produced due to things out of your control. Your subject doesn’t cooperate, someone unwittingly or obliviously walks in front of your camera just as you take a snap, or any number of things.

It’s getting late and I am sure my thoughts are lacking and rambling. I am just really trying to say this: Art is totally subjective and we all won’t ever agree on what is good or bad. I have taken portraits of people and families and things have not gone smoothly. There have been one or more issues to try and overcome, and I am convinced my photos will be as welcome as a dog poop on fine china. But the client is pleased with the end result, and that is what an artist strives for; to make people happy and feel good about what they have spent their hard earned money on.

Until Next Time,

Mark

I know it’s been a couple of few weeks since I have written an entry. I was busy preparing for Xmas, fighting with Mother Nature as she put Omaha through the weather wringer and dumped mucho snow on us. Then she lowered the thermostat and turned on the ceiling fan (Translation for those that can’t follow: It got very cold and windy).  Anyway…I have spent considerable time walking behind a monster sized snow-thrower the past few weeks and being doused in powdered snow as the wind changes directions and I am lost in the sea of snow. First time this happens, it’s kind of funny; gets real old, real fast after two or three times and becomes downright miserable after ten or eleven times.

Xmas was pretty good. Loved seeing my daughter open a gift she definitely wasn’t expecting. As she figured out what it was, her smile spread from ear to ear and she was definitely pumped. Made my wife cry…In a good way. Being that I am an idiot that takes lots of pictures, I have access to… lots of pictures. My daughter and I each made a home-made calendar for my wife. Used many pictures of our family doing family things and other stuff. Had no idea she would react the way she did. She opened the calendars, took a few minutes to flip through them and the water-works were in flood mode. Often times, it is the card made from construction paper and crayons, the patchwork blanket made from fleece scraps, or the calendar put together with much thought, tape and love that hits the home run.

I got a few photo related gifts from Santa this year. Got a Lastolite 8-in-1 Tri-Grip that is absolutely cool. Can’t wait for the wicked wind from the North to take a break so I can give it a try outside and not be carried off like the notorious balloon boy was said to. Also got a Sensor Loupe to magnify any dust on my camera sensor and aid me in cleaning. Got that from my Mother-in-Law and Father-in_Law. They also renewed my subscription to Outdoor Photographer.

Was really hoping for a D700 camera body. Didn’t get it and didn’t do so well hiding my disappointment. Made my sweet wife and daughter feel very bad. Realized I am an ass. Provided great example and life lesson for my daughter on how not to act when one is disappointed. Life is full of moments and events that aren’t so great. One should be grateful for what they do have, and not act like a spoiled baby when they don’t get what they want. D & CRS, I am truly sorry for my behavior. As long as I have the both of you, my life is A-OK!

The main reason I have not added an entry in a few weeks is that I have had something on my mind. Without going into too many specifics, I have been contemplating making a change in my life for a while now. I am not cheating on my wife, getting divorced, planning suicide, getting a tattoo (not just yet anyway), or any number of real serious things. Oh, I am not sick either. I just have realized that I have not been involved with my family as I have wanted and needed to be, and I simply missed them. In light of this and unable to schedule things that would allow me to spend more time with my wife and daughter, I have made notification that I am no longer able to fulfill certain commitments. It saddens me knowing I am leaving behind something I have enjoyed in my life. But, my family is my number one priority.

If you should happen to read this, please don’t ask me what I am referring to. Those that need to know, know…

More to come,

Mark

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