Our Culture is Changing Before Our Eyes

Our communication technology has been changing so fast everyday. We are used to a fast pace service through our various communication devices (internet, email, texting, twitter and facebook) to get answers back within several moments. And the efficiency of our communication is getting much more accurate. As if we need to rely and service and answers NOW! This fast pace communication has spoiled us.

Also, our culture is currently experiencing a deflating economy. Some people compare it to the 80s, some people compare it to the Great Depression of the 30s. Neither of these times had the incredibly fast communication technology we have today.
We were spoiled by the high rising economy. It was a time of feast, not it is a time of famine. Get used to it. Now prices are lower and people are staying home a lot more. In my opinion, this is the way it should be because this is how the rest of the world lives. Did we really believe ourselves when owning and pouring all of your money into other rental homes was really going to make you a lot of money? Our culture got ahead of itself, and now we are learning how to survive in a slower and more realistic time.

I went to Costco the other day, and I got annoyed by everyone there. Everyone was on their phones going down each aisle asking who ever they were talking to if they needed more stuff for dirt cheap. We lived in a time where we were used to buying what ever we want. Professional consumers, if you will call it.

It is different now, communication is faster than ever, and the economy is slower than ever. We have to learn to slow down, and it is ok to live a slower lifestyle. Hey, maybe you can call (or twitter) an old friend and hang out with some good old fashion regular coffee.

Orphans

I am going back to the Motherland next week


Here is my first Russian slideshow on my blog. I don't really have any excuses, except I am lame.
I am going back to Russia for the third time. But this trip is kind of a real vacation. Meet some friends that I have made on the way.
Tea, chocolate, and trains.

Edit for TOM DAVIS and the support of positive influence of orphans in my life.
I am changing the title of the blog post to 'Orphans' to counter the web traffic searching for the horror movie, Orphans.

Warner Bros. new horror movie Orphan proclaims that it must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own. Let me tell you about how an orphan changed my life...
A life should not be thrown away to let a government raise it. A child should have every opportunity as any other kid to grow up in a loving home. I will not disappear like my father did to me.

4th of July

Welcome to the neighborhood...on Independence Day...

Michael Jackson Tribute Firework Show at Dodger Stadium 6/26/09

Last Friday, my friend Scott had some extra tickets to the Dodger game, and he had never been to Dodger stadium before. (He lives DOWN THE STREET...) He wanted to take me because the Dodgers are my favorite team. I had never been to a Friday night game since they started having fireworks after the game. (I am more of a Monday through Thursday fan). I had no idea that they would play a tribute firework show for Michael Jackson. Usually, firework shows are played to classical music, but hearing Jackson songs to fireworks made it the most AWESOME firework show ever! And they let everyone on the field.



This video is the finale of the show. If you have a short attention span for youtube (like me), the last 30 seconds are EXPLOSIVE...

Nixon Library

I went to the President Nixon's Library a week ago. They acted like the Watergate scandal was someone else's fault, but Nixon resigned anyway. Make sense? I didn't think so

Say it loud, I'm stubborn and proud.

Lately, I have been reading around that stubbornness is a negative trait.
I consider myself to be fairly stubborn. Around 75%. Let me tell you, being stubborn is the make up of who I am and how I operate. I do what I want, when I want, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.
Sound like a bad thing? Maybe, maybe not. Stubborness is not be confused with being selfish. I have always lent a helping hand out to those in need. (I drove to Santa Barbara once at 11PM to pick up a friend who crashed his motorcycle...)

Stubborness is part of my drive. I don't like people telling me what to do. This is part of preserving my individuality. You can't change me, or who I am.
If I want to go on a trip somewhere, I will go and I will not wait. Sometimes, I am like a roaming bull in the field.
Bottom line, I see this "weakness" as a strength.

Innovative Energy

I was talking to a friend the other day, and he asked me about my travel plans for the summer. Long story short, I have a lot of plans, and a lot of camping trips. He noticed that most of my trips are mostly outside and involve motorcycles and tents, and asked why. It is just what I like to do. I enjoy the outdoors. Especially in the American Southwest.
I got thinking.
At first, I started traveling and camping because it was fun. Then I brought my camera to show people that there is a whole other world out there besides the beach. (Some of you might remember when I would send mass amounts of emails with images attached...)
I started researching and traveling to strange places for awesome landscape photography.

People tell me all the time that they are impressed by my traveled check list. So when I was hanging out with my friend, and he asked why I camp so much, I began to realize that for me, being outside and traveling anywhere is where I get my renewing innovative creative energy. I don't climb to the top of mountains for photography, I do it just because I feel like it. That is my attitude and spirit, to just go. My creative passion comes from the earth and everything on its giant playground because I find everything about the planet interesting, not for capturing images with my camera.

My curious, visual, nomadic self will travel to all of the corners of the earth.

Here are some images over the progression of my work "on the road."

Nighthawks at the Diner.

I love diners. They are my favorite kind of restaurant. You see all of the local flavor. When I go to a new city, the first restaurant I go eat at is a hole in the wall diner. Diners are one of the few places you can go by yourself, and not be alone. Tonight, I went to The Pantry, in downtown LA. That is my favorite restaurant in Southern California.

While I was there, I got thinking.

Diners are a staple to the American culture. I was looking around and watching everyone come into The Pantry after the Laker game, and I saw how diners define Americans.

My other thought was, if a restaurant is open 24 hours, you should visit that restaurant at all hours. How about french toast 3AM?

Maybe I was tired, but I couldn't think of anything to talk to the server about. Any rowdy crowds? Naw, lakers play across the street... Economy? Naw, too boring... Does he eat after work? He probably never gets off work...

So I just sat in peace and quiet and ate my toast, hashbrowns, eggs over easy, & pancakes.
Shouldn't have ordered the pancakes...

And I saw the Nighthawks painting in Chicago a few years ago at their awesome world class museum.

Interview with The Flashbulb Group

I was Interviewed by The Flashbulb Group, and I was impressed with Justin Moore-Brown's smooth talking writing.
Thanks a lot.

His work ranges from landscape, portrait, and most notably, weddings. We were impressed by his natural ability to photograph some of the most standard images and turn them into visual adventures. His portraits, even when shot for fun, are masterfully composed and his wedding photos tell fantastic stories...

- Describe your style or approach to your work.
Rambo. I use my camera like machine gun. I shoot 3x more than anyone
else I know. I don’t care. I WANT the shot. I have been averaging 1000
shots per photo session, and 4000 per wedding...

And I meant to say I shoot Nikon. oops..THERE WAS SO MUCH PRESSURE!

The Actual Museum update

I believe photos should be printed and walls should be decorated. My wall is definitely excessive, crammed, and full of colors from around the world. Well, mostly Russia. I had 50 prints from my last photo class, and I finally found some time to fill some frames with my photos. Well...I ran out of frames, and I saw a lot of space in the big frames to squeeze more photos in.

It's my wall, with my photos, and I can do whatever I want!

I am playing Bruce Lee nun-chucks with my duster towel. WOAAA!!!









The girl in the large B&W print was my favorite portrait from the Russian Orphanages. She was not at the orphanage the second time I went, but she still showed up to hang out with us. The color print next to her was the after picture. Yea...red hair!


I bought this "Rappin' Rodney" record for $5. The pictures of Rodney are priceless. And to think he started his comedy career in his 40's. And the Frank Zappa beer that says "kill ugly radio" is classic.

Disney. It all came from an idea... of a mouse.

"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse.

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.

If you can dream it, you can do it.

All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.

Crowded classrooms and half-day sessions are a tragic waste of our greatest national resource - the minds of our children.

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.

Disneyland is a work of love. We didn't go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money.

Laughter is America's most important export.

Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language."

-Walt Disney

I was at downtown Disney at ESPN Zone, eating a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and playing some basketball, and I saw another quote from Walt Disney.
"Inspire. Imagine. Dream."

Then I got thinking...
I see it the other way.
Dream. Innovate. Inspire.

Dream of the mouse. Innovate or create the mouse. Inspire others of the mouse.

Disney words applied to my work:
Dream of the photos. Innovate the photos in my own way. Inspire others of the photos.

I never really thought about dreaming, innovating, and inspiring before. I just wake up everyday and do my thing. Just be Joey.

Then I got thinking...
As simple as Disney's idea's were, they are an excellent foundation for any business and branding. It is the simple ideas & practices used for the foundation of companies that lead to greatness. Details are always being fine tuning, but company mission statements are important to relay to clients & associates. Mission statments also reflect in your personality. I would imagine Disney was Disney, all of the time.
Disney never considered himself a genius, but his idea's and philosophies are on the same level as Einstein. (No Joke. Except Disney's ideas never destroyed cities.)

Disney, Einstein, and myself are dyslexic. And I see similar patters that break molds that information and ideas dyslexic's bring to the table.

Dream. Innovate. Inspire.
I am definately in dream mode. I think about pictures and photos ALL of the time. Not just mine, but every image I see. I dream about my passion, photography. I am in reconstruction mode for building my wedding business. I constantly innovate new ways to refine my work, and quite honestly, I have a lot of fresh creative edge and ideas to offer to my clients. I don't know how or who I inspire, but as of now, I would hope to inspire people to get out of their element and travel (cities, restaurants, museums, parks, scenery & greenery) go places, and see things you would not see in your everyday life.

I joined Twitter

I joined twitter. I dont know why. I dont get it. But here it goes.

Twitter.com

@theactualjoey

Edit for update:
NY Time Article on Twitter

Ain't Got No Time For A Resolution

Happy New Year!
I had an interesting year. Lots of happy times, but a lot sad times, too. I lost one of my best friends from cancer, and I am still having a hard time with the loss, which is expected.

Despite the loss, I had a lot of good things that happened. I have learned a lot about life and even more, about myself. I am really spreading my wings and trying very hard to focus on my talented photography skills. Chicks dig dudes with mad skills. Speaking of chicks, I have been with Erica for a first and complete year. Just from that alone, I have learned more about myself and see a lot of need for improvement. And I also figured out that I am somewhat dyslexic, and from that, I have been able to excell in my photography in an exponential degree. It is my passion, and I am moving and growing full force.

So with the idea of moving forward, I want to make this year a strong year for ACTION & GOALS! I don't have time for traditional resolutions to problems that will end up broken by February.

This year, my 2009 New Year Action is CHOICE! At first it sounds weird, and I had a hard time to explain choice to Erica as a new idea for action. Lately, it seems that I have not been able to do what to do with my time, and that something else pops up in my schedule that I have to do. I feel that I spread myself out too thin and that burns me out, which is unfortunate because I miss out on seeing a lot of people.
In 2009, I am CHOSING to do what is best for ME. We all need to put our needs first for ourselves. There is too many times we put the needs of others before our own. I just can't do that anymore... Sounds selfish? Not really. If everyone would focus on themself and become independent on what they choose their needs and growth to be, you wouldn't have to give your time and effort to help someone out.
This is a complicated issue, and in no way I am saying don't help anyone out anymore. I am talking about choice, and making my choices to improve myself with my actions because I normally make too many plans and choices, and I can't get to them all.

Example: Lately, I feel that almost all of my choices I make, someone gets their feelings hurt because my choices and promises end up affecting other people, and I sometimes flake out on the important people in my life. And when I can't keep my promises, everybody loses, including me. I am still learning on how to use my choices to benefit me, and not other people.

As expressed in a blog post about a week ago, everyone was so busy running around for the holidays. So my brother & cousins went on a little camping trip to get away. We planned about a month in advance to ditch town, and go camping. It was everyones choice to go, and we all relaxed and benefited from the trip.


Me and Ricky's Russian poses in our Russian hats.

Joe's Camp Shack, Vol. 2. For the Colder Nights

After camping in Death Valley with my cousins and brother, I got a few more outdoor camping tips, especially in colder weather at night. We set up camp at night, and it went pretty smooth. Death Valley is probably one of the warmest places to visit in California, right now. If you are looking to go on an outdoor trip, it is a pretty cool place without snow near the mountains.

Tips:
1. Long matches are more reliable than those $5 grill lighters.
2. I like propane lanterns now. The propane is cheaper than batteries for battery lanters, and much brighter. Use the flashlights in the tent.
3. Bring a metal pitcher to heat up water for tea or coffee. It will make your night and morning better to have warm liquid in your system.
4. Wool everything. Wool is so awesome, I am surprised people use cotton. Wool keeps you toasty.
5. Plastic bags. Sometimes sleeping bags just don't keep you warm in the middle of the night. Use trash bags for insulation.
6. Bring something to sleep on. The ground gets cold and there are always rocks.
7. Try to go to the bathroom before you go to bed. The last thing you want to do in the middle of the cold night is to get out of your sleeping bag. We had a story that will not be blogged. Ask my brother...
8. Don't listen to Anthony because he was born yesterday. He was thinking about fasting during this trip. Sometimes, I think he was born on mars.

On my way back to Death Valley

Ricky, Brett, Anthony, and the actual myself are going back to Death Valley National Park
today. I edited some images from the last time I went a few years ago. We wanted to end the year with a cool trip, in honor or Nicholas.
Surprisingly, Death Valley is one of the warmest places in California right now.

Textures in the city of Pomona

I think Pomona is cool. It used to be a small farm town about 150 years ago. Now it is a small artist colony, similar to Santa Ana. I was scoping the downtown area out for cool backgrounds for some portraits that I did on Sunday. I'll post the portraits soon.






I could not resist...Welcome to advanced [f]art class...



Spongebob Moses

Final touches to Zion.

I needed a few more images for my final project slideshow of Zion. I found some more of my favorites that I didn't edit yet. I separated the images into themes: Zion (landscapes), Yellow, Water, Trails, Wildlife, and Night scapes. These images are mostly from the Trails and Water catagories, which I really didn't get around to posting.
So I think this concludes my work from Zion. Yea that sounds weird, I actually finished something. I printed about 35 images, and made a DVD slideshow. Feels good. I should do this more often.

Death defying trails on the cliffs.