Sponsorship

MuseCube is changing it's rate structure; moving from unlimited duration, free accounts to three month free trial accounts with the choices after three months being either join at $36/year or get deleted. The change seems to have caught some people by surprise. They are taking the attitude that if they have to pay anything, it isn't worth anything to them.

I see it quite differently.

If I do a googol search on my name, of all the Joe Kozlowskis out there, my MuseCube account is right at the top of the list. That's worth $3/month to me. Beyond that, the Cube offers some pretty decent templates. That means I have a professional looking place to hang my shingle without going through all the hassle of setting up and managing a site.

One thing I have to decide deals with my plans for OMP. Though it may be bigger, I'm not so sure it's better. I have actually found people to work with there. I have not with MuseCube -- though, to be perfectly honest, I've not really been trying to find anyone to work with.

I've "maintained" (though "to maintain" is not quite the right meaning) an account there for a number of years; since account were free there. I've been grandfathered into their current system, though they seem to have dumped some of the images I've had up there. I may actually have to start paying for an account there.

In any case, I digress. Given that the changes at MuseCube seem to be catching some people off guard, I've offered to sponsor any model who works with me on a TFP basis to the tune of a full years membership on MuseCube; that is, I'll pay for their membership for a year. I doubt there will be any takers (just as I doubt there are any models who would ever make the same kind of offer for an aspiring photographer). At worst, I get good press on the Cube.

Great Village - Down the Road and Around the Corner

It was good to get out to dinner, even though there was enough MSG to choke a Great Village. It's the first time in a while.

I was contacted by a aspiring Goth photographer/model. I guess Goth part has been accomplished. It's the other two that I believe fall under the "aspiring" heading. She started by outlining that she wanted to shoot but, never having done "anything like this before" we left it at "give me a yell when you're ready".

She seemed a little non-plused that I would shoot for the pictures.

The MakeUp Artist that I blew off a few months ago - because I don't like getting e-mail cancellations an hour or two before we're supposed to shoot - dropped me a note to tell me that she was really impressed by the new stuff. I guess she means the street photography that's been holding my attention lately. That was a very nice thing for her to say and for me to hear. I sent her a "thank you" note and signed it "The Grumpy Old Man". I hope she gets a chuckle out of that. I may want to work with her again and I'd hate to think I burned my bridges. (Actually, I thought I had until I saw her note.)

I've been haunting RetroKitty - a model site dedicateed to models and photographers involved in retro (20s 30s 40s, 50s and 60s era) pinups, Goth and a little fetish. I feel a lot more comfortable putting my stuff up there. At least I'm not going to get "wedding photographered". The people there are more likely to "get" what I'm doing - or at least I think its probable.

Dead cat

I rock (v.t.); I, rock (n.), Iraq (v.i)

The Panama
Posted by Hello

Suburban Cactus - in black and white
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Suburban Cactus - anything but wild.
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A visit to the local Museum of Contemporary Culture.
Posted by Hello

Candy's pain is under control for the moment, though there's some indication of a flare up in her left arm as well. We had an appointment with one of her doctors early this AM and she's now scheduled for surgery on March 2. I think that has to put a lot of things on hold for the moment. We were hoping surgery wouldn't be the answer but, I guess there's no way around it.

One of the things that goes on hold is the idea of actively looking for sone one(s) to work with to expand the model oriented sections of my portfolio. Candy is the first priority.

On Display. My part of a "collection".

It's really nice to see some things up. I really like this bunch together. As a group, they have a very musical quality, aside from the obvious content. For example, 1 and 3 are fairly square in format while 2, 4 and 5 are full frame rectangles - musically that would work out to A-B-A-B-B, a blues format.

Another way of looking at the progression would be grouping content. 1, 3 and 5 are musicians (jazz, bluegrass and blues, respectively) while 2 and 4 are based on repeated patterns (one of the major foundations of music). That would translate to A-B-A-B-A ... another progression.

Jaguar

Time to start looking for models. I set up a few "Desire to Work With" acknowledgments on OMP... though I do dislike the site. It has too high an escort content and I'm not looking for a date. I am looking for alternative/art/glamour models willing to work nude and semi-nude, though.

Aside from updating and expanding the model portions of my portfolio I'd like to position myself to make contributions to Mike's website, Femmexotique. It generates money. He pays and that would mean I can pay. If I can pay, I'll shoot more. Pretty simple formula. The bottom line is that I'd like to shoot more.

Bluegrass in Arizona 

Parade Rest ...

ain't what it used to be. I won't ask if you don't tell.

Culture Clash

The Fiesta de los Vaqueros is coming around again toward the end of February. I'm afraid that Candy's back problems may preclude our going this year. We had been planning on taking a box so I could get some decent photographs of the action. We sat in the bleachers last year and I was disappointed by the chain link fence that blocked my view of the rodeo. I could "see" what was going on but photographing it was more than simply problematic.

There are other things coming up just as fast. I am not looking forward to going to those things alone. However, I think I have to start liking the idea. I think venturing out is becoming less and less of a thing we do together and more and more of a thing I must do on my own if I'm not to be held prisoner as she is to her medical condition.

There were so many things we'd planned to do together. Visits to Mexico, touring the Anasazi ruins ... now this. We will see what the doctor says next week. There is the possibility of surgery but even in the best of circumstances, there is no such thing as routine surgery.

The Keyboard 

Dinner - Chicken with Green Beans, stir fried with a touch of Pino Gregio.

Another pocket camera sketch. I should break out the Alien Bees and really work at shooting food. I've always thought it would be a fun project ... but on the other hand, when you think it through, there's a lot of preparation that goes into a food shot - and by the time you've finished shooting, the food is worthless as a meal!