garrison beau scott

According to the date stamp of this post I’ve been at this blog thing for one year. Well, it’ll officially be one year exactly at 9:08 pm EST, but I’ll be having a celebratory glass of wine then, so the party will have to start a wee bit early if that’s alright with you guys.

To be honest, I’ve been aware of the impending one year mark for a few days and have been thinking about how I’d mark the occasion. What I decided on was something akin to a “Greatest Hits” record. The kind that comes with a new, previously unreleased bonus track. Or something like that. Anyway, consider this post the linear notes to this compilation.

I started this thing with a mixture of curiosity, purpose, and a desire to share not only the images, but the 1,000 words they’re supposedly worth. I also wanted to meet some other like minded souls out there who’s work inspired me and to see if I could return the favor. I consider myself to have succeeded on both counts and look forward to another year of doing just that. When I began this blog, it was very much akin to standing alone in a room with a lightbulb and a microphone. Slowly, people began to show up with their own light bulbs and decided to stay, but when that was I’m not exactly sure.

So what I’d like to do now is, link to a few of my favorite moments from the past year in case anyone missed and/or cares to check out what might have gone down in this place before they showed up. And I’d like to sincerely thank those who’ve brought their own light to this party and left it on.

•Funny Story

•Looking Back

•Race Car Driver

•Her

•Pablo

•Emmy and Her Camera

•My First Leica

•Maxxx

•Memory

•The King

•Another One From My Pops

•Chalkdust

•Eulogy

•Wild Geese

•Bonus Track

So, I was out walking around the neighborhood the other day at late dusk. It was a dreary day, wanting to rain, but too lazy to get it together. I saw a bit of color and this was it. Spring…?

There are things in this life that are inherently good. The last bite of s’more, refrigerator art galleries, cold pillows and heavy blankets, Krazy Fiesta’s remix of Chromeo’s “Me and My Man.”

That shit is dope.

Anyway, so it was that I went off into the 30 degree night, iPod pumping, camera and tri-pod in tow to look for some more inherently cool goodness. And this is what I found.

• Walking alone without a care as to how goofy you look grooving to Krazy Fiesta is inherently good.

• Hand-made wool skullcaps that are big enough to fit over the headphones pumping Krazy Fiesta are inherently good.

• The sight of your breath shrouding the darkened windows of the houses you goofily funk your way past while geeking out to Krazy Fiesta is inherently good.

• Standing alone, in the middle of a frozen field, looking at a massive tree, under a sky of stars, with a camera, tri-pod and Krazy Fiesta pumping in the headphones worn snug under a hand-made wool skullcap as your breath joins the atmosphere, knowing that your pillow at home is cool and the blankets are heavy is inherently good.

A shot across the bow of the S.S. Photography is Not An Art? No, not really. Though I will rally behind the argument in favor of my chosen medium’s inclusion into the realm of the high arts.

When the day is over, no matter the medium, it’s still about light and subject and composition. I don’t think you can escape that. Substitute tone/melody for light and music can be included in that set of rules.

Anything worth building needs a foundation.

There’s something cool about an airport. The world at your feet, the people coming and going. That being said, a train platform, even if it’s only a commuter rail like this one at an Oakland B.A.R.T. station is just as cool, if not more so for a few different reasons.

At the airport, for the most part, you get on a plane with everyone else, arrive at your destination with everyone else, and that’s that. Return your seat to the upright position. Unless you’re trying to make a connecting flight, and there’s not a lot of fun involved with that endeavor.

On a train, people come and go, it’s a much more organic flow of travel. Departures and arrivals happening simultaneously, you witness them, and become part of it. On a train, you can get up, change your seat, change your point of view and those who you share it with. On a train you can get off, have a look around and get back on. On a train you don’t have to take your shoes off to get on.

Yes, they’re back, shots from a parking lot. Digital. I know, it’s just, well, I kind of like these. And they’re already scanned as they’re, well, digital.

I feel like Frank the Tank in “Old School” having promised his wife no beer, and then someone offers him a beer bong and next thing you know…naked.

You can bet I’m not getting naked, but it still feels dirty some how…digital.

Once it hits the lips…

By the way, this is the one image that sparked this whole series to begin with, so blame it on these pixels, okay?