Inspiration


11
Jan 10

Cultivate

I was struck by this word yesterday.

It has so many possible meanings behind it but nearly all of them have some sort of positive meaning.  2009 was a rough year for many people in the world.  Many lost jobs, loved ones and ultimately hope.  They simply gave up.  They allowed the darkness in this world over take the joy in their life and because of that, they were left stranded, alone and hurt.  2010 is the year to change that.

The definition of “cultivate” that strikes me the most is this one:

to acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill):
- to win the friendship or favor of (someone)
- apply oneself to improving or developing (one’s mind or manners)

This year I have  a goal, not a resolution (since resolutions are rarely fulfilled).  My goal is to be selfless and compassionate.  A goal to give when I don’t think I have the time or energy.  A goal to build relationships with people in an attempt to show them hope, to make them feel loved.

I was very blessed last year and to keep that all to myself would be selfish and egotistic.  I will apply myself to improve someone’s disposition.

I will cultivate.


7
Jan 10

Charlotte Skyline from Banner Elk

Photo by Landis Woffordl/Grandfather MountainPhoto by Landis Woffordl/Grandfather Mountain

Landis Woffordl captured this beautiful image from Grandfather Mountain this morning.  On the horizon, you can see the Charlotte skyline. Charlotte is over 100 miles away so, for this shot to be taken, there has to be near perfect weather conditions.  Great shot Landis.

For more information on Grandfather Mountain, visit there website.

www.grandfather.com


30
Dec 09

Winter Wonderland

So, for those of you not living in the South, we were hit with the biggest snow storm in nearly a decade. Most people lost power and couldn’t get out because of all the snow. I, however, was fortunate enough to be able to get out. Twenty-eight inches of snow is no match for a ‘04 Subaru Forester.

2009 Snow Storm in North Carolina

Once the sun went down, and the snow froze over, some friends and I went out to build some igloos and that we did.  Not only did we make 2 igloos big enough for a bear, we also built 20 feet of tunneling to connect the two ice homes.  It was most impressive.

If you played in the snow, tell us about it.  What snow activities did you participate in this past couple of weeks?


23
Dec 09

Inspired Bicycle

So yeah.  Mind blowing.  Just thought I would share.


24
Nov 09

Matt Powell

Matt Powell is a good friend of mine as well as a humanitarian photographer.  I usually keep up with all of his work and just today he has published more work from a recent trip to Bangladesh.

Check out Matt Powell’s work right HERE.


24
Nov 09

No one wants ordinary photographers anymore

Here is a great video posted by Chase Jarvis earlier today.  Chase has been inspiring me for years now.  Check out his site and blog.


18
Nov 09

Recollection: Part 2

Thanks for waiting.  Here is the remainder of the series “Recollection”

We played basketball here.

This actually means I watched people play basketball.  I retrieved the ball when someone overshot the goal and the ball would go into the woods.  Now, when I say “woods”, I mean the huge briar thicket that was directly behind the goal.

I was the retriever every time.

Goal

This rocker-swing-chair-thing always gave me the creeps.

The paint was always peeling off of it in a few places so therefore I was always afraid that if I sat on it, my skin would begin to peel off.

I don’t know where I would have ever gotten that idea from…

rocker

This shed by the woods always smelled like moth balls.

I asked my brother once why the shed always smelled weird and he then replied with the obvious answer, “A giant man eating moth lives in there.  Don’t go in because he gets really mad, really easily.”

Forget that.  There was no way I was about to go into a confined space with a flesh eating, killer mutant moth.  I haven’t been in that building for years.  I’m sure it’s safe now.

shed

I had my first snake experience next to the trees beside Nanny’s house.  That snake peered into my soul with it’s demon eyes and told me that he would make sure that his family would terrorize me for the rest of my years.

Now, I don’t have documentation to prove it but believe me, it happened.

I hate snakes.

yard

When you spend so much of your time in one place, you have to be able to mold, to adapt.  This home became my fortress, teepee, castle and bunker.  I owe my life to this place and for my grandmother. She helped mold me into the person I am today and I am forever grateful.  This home indirectly helped me decide what I want to do with my life.

nanny


27
Oct 09

I have time

I had a very humbling experience this evening.

Some may know that I stay pretty busy.  A 70+ hour work week isn’t anything new to my life and I honestly welcome it with arms wide open. Between the wedding post processing, product shoots, meetings, scheduling and promotion, I don’t really have a lot of time for other things, let alone myself. Most of the time, I have these amazing ideas that I would like to do, write a book, do this shoot, redesign this, start doing that, but I always cop out and say “If I only had more time.”  After thinking about all this tonight, I came to this conclusion; I have always had more time.

I have been choosing to put other things in place of the things that I would rather do and feel that I need to do.  I have been choosing something lesser over something better.  For the past few years, I have been doing what is expected instead of what is needed and right.  This culture that we live in is so demanding and twisted.  Our actions communicate what we value.  If we work and slave over things for hours, we place that work above all other things because that is what we focus our time on.  I’m not saying that you should stop working.  I’m not saying you should be lazy.  What I am saying is that we all have a passion inside of us that fuels us and we should keep that passion alive by creatively pursuing it.

What do you value?


6
Oct 09

Tilt Shifts Rock

A good Tilt Shift lens is a great substitution for a view camera.  This video really makes me want to purchase one.

Hmmm…

gottardo nord from fb1 visuals on Vimeo.


11
Sep 09

Help Portrait

I saw this the other day and this was by far one of the most inspirational things that I have seen in a while.  Jeremy hits the nail on the head with this one.  So many times I feel that I should be giving back to my community with the skills that I have been blessed with.  HELP PORTRAIT is the way I will be giving back.  Later this year, I will be organizing a HELP PORTRAIT shoot in the Boone, NC community.  If you live in or near Boone and you would like to have a part in this wonderful event, please contact me to see how you can help.