Grin and Bear It

Sometimes ya just gotta smile.  Everything which has ensued after my summer vacation has been a task in patience; the sudden 'retirement' of my beloved PC, my quick decision to go ahead and buy a Mac, and the whole new learning process involved as well as the software platform issue - - I do not like running them through another program which allows Windows to be hosted on a Mac.  It feels foreign, and inefficient.  It's slowed me down immensely, and there are other issues I won't get into which make it impossible to continue this way.  I need to switch the programs to Mac versions.  More money.  More delays.  ugh.

Additionally, I've not retrieved all (though many) of my lost files; (oddly, 3 external hard drives 'died' when I returned from vacation as well!)  who knew that often all that is required are new external enclosures to put those hard drives in once you figure out how to pry apart the ones that died.  Some successes, then, but more to go.  If anyone is still around once I am back up and running, it would be quite humbling.  I am one of many in a vast ocean of talented artists and photographers.  If I seem invisible, why should anyone keep looking for me?  So, thank you for any of you who still do; I promise I will be back, and I am hoping it is really soon.

As The World Flickrs: Snailbooty!!

There is no other doll photographer out there which can send my nerve endings into a delighted tizzy like a person who goes by the moniker 'snailbooty' on Flickr. Scenes from elaborate to simple are the settings for Snailbooty's fantabulous collection of bizarre doll-creatures. It's quite clear to me that much time is taken to set up scenes and lighting, and hours upon hours of shooting takes place. My favorites are the black and white 'film noir-esque' ones, which are at once jolting and comical (in fact, you'll find a lot of humor as you browse through the pages of Snailbooty's Flickr stream!) And the talent doesn't just end with the camera, no, Snailbooty is an artist as well. I invite you all to check out this wonderful body of work.

[**OFF-TOPIC NOTE ..... I am still without access to most of my files from the old pc. Two of my seven external hard drives died on the same day, and my images now only remain on the pc's internal drives (I had 3). It is seeming like an eternity for which I wait while external enclosures for those 3 drives arrive in the mail. Until then, I am unable to do much of my work, and going absolutely bonkers in the process!!]

Show's Not Over!

Exit, Stage Left, originally uploaded by sMacshot.


We're just having technical difficulties. If it seems I've been absent lately it's because I have been; at least from the online world.

I returned from a month-long vacation to find that my beloved computer doesn't want to stay on more than 20 seconds. I nearly built this monster myself 6 years ago and it served me so well; never so much as showing me a hiccup or a wince (despite its age) in the face of heavy-duty tasking in Photoshop or 3D Animation/Modeling.
But the day has come and I am currently awaiting the arrival of my new computer, a Mac Pro. It's my first Apple machine but I still love Windows and plan on getting a laptop down the road.

Meanwhile, I've resorted to long distance phone calls with my sister - she is the one typing this now, as I dictate (since she's also the only person I trust with all my website logins). So hoping everyone will not abandon me - I haven't been ignoring you.

Happy Labor Day weekend to my US readers! :)

Lost In Fog

Lost In Fog, originally uploaded by sMacshot.

Last summer, Ann wanted do a self portrait in the beautiful sweater knit for her by Rebekka, so I got in on the session, and then a stranger came up and joined in, too! Ann and I shot with Polaroid backs - - hers,unexpired film on a Hasselblad, mine, very expired on a Holga; the stranger with a Nikon DSLR. A good time was had by all.

August

summers at the sea , originally uploaded by original_ann.

Hangin' out with my sis at the beach house in New England. This is a photo she took of me. Click the pic to read the description. :)

Summer In New England

Lobster on Ice, originally uploaded by sMacshot.

It's so great to clear the 'city' outta your life for a little bit; breathe in the salt air, eat seafood every day, live with the constant sound of foghorn and thunderous waves crashing, and dip into the valuable Polaroid film stock. This morning I was up in the 5 o'clock hour with my sister, dressing quickly to run out to take photos by the fishing docks. It's expected to be a clear sunny day, so we rushed in case the fog was not going to last long. Just hours ago I was walking by the building you see in the photo above which I took last year. It was a different 'scene' this morning with heavy fog, but ice is still $1.75, and I'm glad that hasn't changed.

sMacTack

The sMacVision sMacTack is a multidimensional piece of technology. First, it's heavy, and feels darn nice in the hand; second, it provides the owner with a tiny signed* original art print; and third, it can be used to hold a fat stack of loose papers, bills, homework, or what-have-you on any magnetic surface. Just stack 'em up, and smack it on; it's art that works.

*each titled and signed by me on the back.