The uranic charachter of Diana is well reflected in her connexion to light, inaccessibility, virginity, dwelling on high mountains and in sacred woods. Diana is thus the representation of the heavenly world (dium) in its character of sovereignity, supremacy, impassibility, indifference towards secular matters as the fate of men and states, while at the same time ensuring the succession of kings and the preservation of mankind through the protection of childbirth.

Diana was the goddess of the hunt in Roman mythology.  She is often depicted in statue with a deer which is a reference to another myth, that of Actaeon.  He saw Diana bathing naked in the forest and she turned him into a stag and set his own hunting dogs upon him. Yeah, Diana had a bit of a temper.

How does this relate to photography?

After a short break, I pick up the camera and start shooting regularly again (I hope).  Throughout all the assignments from the Bee ( I love those guys!) and opportunities to shoot for new and existing customers, I will still be hunting for that singular thing that I am still seeking in my photography – art.

Yes, you can shoot that hot dog stand, and it can be very factual and informative, but can you make it ‘pop’? Can you make it the most compelling shot of a hot dog stand that the reader can remember?  Can you deliver a ‘gourmet’ shot of a ‘fast food’ situation?

So frame after frame in 2010, I hope to ask myself the same question.  No, not ‘Is that lady over there in the woods naked?’ but ‘Is there something that I am missing that will turn this shot into something worthy of a second, or even a third look?’.

Editors can be tough, comments on the blog can be tougher, but getting the elusive and reclusive Diana to raise her head and take notice of my work is the prize for 2010.

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions but I do hope to take that extra second, that extra breath at every shot to ask myself if I am doing everything I can to make this frame THE frame of 2010.

If I get the shot, I will post it faster than Mercury can run but I will be relying on my family and friends to pull the doggie teeth out of my backside.

And since we’re talking ancient history…

A Portrait of the Artist As A Young Man

Here’s to Chasing Diana in 2010!

I confess, I was never much of a cat person. I always related well to dogs but cats typically didn’t interest me so much because of how aloof they can be.

Then we got Mischief.

Watching this kitty learn and play is must-see-TV around this house lately.  Even our two dogs sit back and watch her chase shadowy, imaginary prey across the living room floor.

This kitty also gives me a new subject to try out my new 35mm f/2 lens on. It was an anniversary gift from my ever understanding wife.  You see, I react much like a kitty with catnip when I get a new lens.  I prefer to think of it as unlocking vast creative ideas deep inside my soul when I try a new lens. My wife’s opinion is far more succinct and slightly different from mine, she says I get ‘lens stupid’.  OK, enough of our opinion poll…

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This is Mischief, a kitten found by my wife. She also took the shot.

I would have to work for days to get as cute a shot for a client but she took one, and only one, shot of this kitty and got this.

I am well past thinking that life is fair but maybe someday the photo gods will drop a gift shot like this into my lap.  Of course, that day I’ll have the wrong lens on, my batteries will be dead and I will have left my compact flash cards at the store.

The photo gods giveth and the photo gods taketh away…

Ninety percent of the models I work with are a joy.

This picture is dedicated to the other 10%.

If you’re not going to show up to a shoot, don’t get upset when I don’t call you for another session.

If I provide you a dozen processed web-ready & print-ready shots from the 400+ shots from a TFP shoot, please don’t expect 388 more web-ready, print-ready shots. By Monday.

And if you’ve just recently been hospitalized but still show up for the shoot I admire your strength, however, the only look you’re capable of is ‘illness’.  I’m a photographer, not a plastic surgeon.  I’m only willing to do a finite number of hours in post processing.  I’d prefer to invest that much time into a new shoot with you.

Common courtesy and common sense seem not to cross the minds of some women with uncommon beauty.

‘Nuff said.

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Women are bombarded everyday by media, products, and opinions that provide unrealistic, unfair, and unnatural views of women. Here’s an interesting and disturbing fact: if the Barbie doll were real, her body measurements would be 39-18-33, she’d wear a size 3 shoe, and at 5?9? and 110 lbs, she’d be both 35 pounds underweight and (with a BMI of 16.24) she’d lack the body fat required to menstruate. This is what represents Woman? If Barbie were real, I’d offer her a donut immediately. ~ JD

I just found a new blog I really like. It’s called The Body Blog.  Go check it out, its worth a read or two. And click on the the link above about unnatural views of women. Excellent stuff!

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has created a TV ad for the Super Bowl considered too racy by NBC.   It’s not any ‘worse’ than the Victoria’s Secret TV ‘Special’ or the Sports Illustrated ‘Swimsuit’ Issue in my opinion. In fact, if NBC showed the ad, it might get more viewers than their sitcoms.

View it for yourself and ask yourself the one questions that no one dares to ask…is NBC anti-veggie? ~

PS – My vote for the sexiest Super Bowl commercial has to go to Catfight for its very high production values – and two uber-babes!

Yup, it was bound to happen.

The PORN industry has asked the Federal government for a bail out.

So, just how DO you decide how much bail out money someone in porn gets….and how much will our good friend JimmyD stand to make? Stay tuned!