for the haters

I've been showing the draft or proof copy of the book around, and there have been some comments made about my selection of images. I'm only going to say this once, so read carefully:




I didn't pick the pictures for whatever reason you're thinking. This book is the result of 5 different edits, three of which were complete restarts from the original 25,000 pictures. It took me 6 months to get this far, a herculean task if there ever was one, so you really won't ever get the full reasoning behind what is in the book. Photographers and picture editors reading this, if you've ever had a 25,000 picture project all in your head, will understand what I'm talking about.




There are two reasons I put pictures in the book: either they told a part of the story, I thought they were a good picture, or more usually, both. Of the individual portraits, I tried not to have more than two or three of anybody, and I think I did that... but there are also pictures that are more about the things that are happening, and I didn't really think about who was in those at all. Except I did, kinda. The second edit featured a couple of people more prominently, and I actually trashed that one because I didn't like the way it felt with those people at the front. It's not about any one person, or any three, but about an indefinite number somewhere between 20 and 50, about what you can fit into a two bedroom apartment for a decent party.





That said, I think I'm going to go back and write little vignettes about the pictures... not captions, but stories to go with them. Not for all of them, but for some of them.




Note for these photos: they're all from last wednesday, there's more coming, a lot more, I have an infinite backlog right now actually. Too much other stuff going on to post, but I'm trying now. There was an unintentional hiatus while I was sick and an intentional one the past couple days, but I'm officially back.

am I late to the party, or is this just awesome?

right? (via today and tomorrow)

Norman Playground

So to put a capper on an unbelievably amazing day, we went down to norman, where Amber and her fiancee Josh fed us cake and roast and squash. Even the squash was good, and I've never like it in the past. Might have to revise that sentiment now. Anyway, we watched a movie, something weird with Zooey Deschanel and some dude adopting a baby from china.Weird ending, but I think I liked it. Then we all went to the park, where it was very dark. Too dark to focus using normal methods; zen methods were employed with some success. As sharp as can be, considering 1/10th of a second at f/1.2 and ISO 25000. You don't believe me, you go out and try it. Anyway, pictures:



Chelsea took this one, she said I needed pics of myself on my birthday. Here's me playing on a playground at 25 years.

And here's the playground, also by her.

Amber, looking at Josh in the foreground.

Last friday

Ran into Amber and Kat at blue note, fun times.



The moon was full, so of course crazy things happened.

Fuck yeah 1984. Year of the Orwell.

Erin and Katie. Don't know why they're blurry.

Oh yeah, Neal was in town, just for shits and giggles.

Chelsea Sat. Morning at osu-okc; we were on the hunt for fresh fruit, and found none there. but the flowers were nice.