Song of the Week

Frank Ocean's 'Forrest Gump'

This song has been on repeat for the past week.  Along with releasing, what is in my opinion, the best album of the year so far, Frank Ocean opened up about his own sexual orientation (he states that his first love was a man).  Such a fact obviously skews the interpretation of the song, making it much more personal than Ocean merely assuming a female narrator – presumably Jenny.  I find this song to be intriguing in its ability to flow between the narrator’s nostalgic view of the past and her/his present, less romantic reality: the cigarettes are burning and the narrator admits to a nervousness of unknown undertones.  Ocean subtly employs echoed samples of cheering crowds along with a collective chorus that brings the remembered scene to the narrator’s conscious.  Sure you can read into this song on many levels, but in the end it's a song that simply reveals the effects of the past upon the present.     

Remnants of a Fire

Last month an apartment building caught on fire displacing families, students, and internationals alike.  I went and took some photographs of the remains.  Many of the rooms of the bottom two floors were stark and empty.  The top floor, where the fire did most of its damage, however, were left with rooms still "furnished" in the midst of ash and rubble.  A fire indiscriminately reminds us that what we value can be quickly and easily taken away in mere moments.

Photos and thoughts

The post-college life is quite interesting, especially when you still live in a college town and have a fairly flexible.  This picture looks a lot like college as all these people I befriended while in college, but it also looks a lot more "adult" and "mature" than most resemblances of the college life.  And not only more adult, but yes, more fun too. 

Anna Aderton took this picture.  I always find it interesting what others come up with.  Others' creativity is a source of inspiration. 

 I'm a fan of the back-shots while walking.  And I realize that I tend to hang out near the back of the pack.  It gives me more space to observe.

Beer. Settlers. Friends.  Life can sometimes be more complicated... but why?

Dan and Anna Aderton.  A year's worth of joy and marriage.  I really like these two.

There are a lot of things to say about this picture, and all of them profound.  I don't know what type of photographer I exactly want to be yet, and I don't know how to articulate my "style" but if I could capture a moment like this all the time,  I believe I'd be doing pretty well.  

Dan had been trying to get me to play Settlers of Catan for a while and I always resisted.  The game seemed complicated and long to learn.  I was not in the mood for something arduous.  However, once I finally committed to a game I was hooked.  To me, Settlers is a near perfect game.  A great combination between luck, skill, charm, and foresight.  I could probably play this everyday. 

Angles and architecture.  I'm still trying to translate what I see and what I think would be a good picture to it actually being a good picture.  What makes a good picture for me, is a good story.  I don't exactly know what that means as this picture is one that doesn't necessarily tell a story (hopefully it's still visually intriguing).  But I'm sure a story is there...