Loss

“Is there some lesson on how to be friends?
I think what it means is that central to living
a life that is good is a life that's forgiving.
We're creatures of contact regardless of whether
we kiss or we wound. Still, we must come together.
Though it may spell destruction, we still ask for more--
since it beats staying dry but so lonely on shore.
So we make ourselves open while knowing full well
it's essentially saying "please, come pierce my shell.” 
― David Rakoff

The world is now more empty, another light has been turned out, another mind has gone away and left with so many wonderful things to say. Writer, artist and generally amazing person David Rakoff has passed away this month at the too soon age of 47.

If you've never experienced his work please do so, you will not regret it. With many books, essays and fantastic readings he has managed to convey passion and interest and will remain one of my favorite writers with pieces such as the one below about a man who finds himself turning into a cockroach and writes a letter to Dr. Seuss for help, the entire piece is written in rhyming couplets which adds something almost unspeakable to it all, please jump to 41:15 to hear it in the audio clip below.

 His three core books are Fraud, Don't Get Too Comfortable and Half Empty, find them and enjoy.

Now Playing: This American Life - Episode 470

The Power of a Photo

Image courtesy of NASA and the Curiosity rover.
If you've been media blind then you may have missed the news that NASA recently landed a new rover on Mars that is equipped with more instruments and higher resolution cameras then ever before, this is resulting in some amazing images of Mars with clarity and detail never before seen by humans much less the public in general. I am a huge fan of the openness NASA has had with their missions as time goes on and seeing images like this makes my heart rate increase with thoughts and possibilities of a camera on Mars. 

That said the main reason I wanted to share in today of all days is because they have released a 360 degree pano of Mars that just takes your breath away, please go check it out and share in the curiosity.

Now Playing: These New Puritans - Drum Courts/Where Corals Lie

30 Days and 30 Nights in Queenstown with Trey Ratcliff

I've been following Trey's work for years now and he still has some of the most beautiful landscape images I have seen while continuing to create inspiring work every day.

This video is a time lapse created in Queenstown, New Zealand, a town that Trey recently relocated to from Texas. It has some very powerful music by the wonderful Hans Zimmer that ties into the images as well as adding to the dramatic effect and the clouds in the time lapse mesmerize me with how they just loiter around the mountains. The video itself is available all the way up to 4k quality so let the extreme clairity carry you away!

Now Playing: Right Away, Great Captain - When I Met Death

Recovery

It's been a very relaxed and busy week as I have gotten back from the first real vacation of my life and to be honest it was not at all what I expected and has really shaken a few of my views. I couldn't be happier to have things challenged as that is the quickest and sometimes only way to grow but it has left me in a bit of a slump with my compass needle spinning so I do not have an image to share with you today even though I did make a few while I was out, they are just not up to the quality of what I want to share here.

I'll leave you with a thought to share with me and maybe ponder the answer if there is one. What is a vacation if every day you live exactly how you want?

Now Playing: Angus Stone - Clouds Above

Hengki Koentjoro: The Sparse and Beautiful

Hengki Koentjoro is a magnificent photographer that was introduced to me by the also amazing Trey Ratcliff. He focuses on black and white images with striking contrast and dramatic views, they are the type of thing I can just stare at and lose myself in. Take a look at his portfolio here on his website and if you have Google+ then you can see a lot more of his images in a larger size here.

Strait from Hengki Koentjoro's Google plus streamNow Playing: NPR - Fresh Air 25th anniversary episode

Soul

Emotion and life in a single drop. This image conveys the perceived shape of my soul.

Now Playing: These New Puritans - We Want War

Drag Me There

You see images from things like The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri or illustrations from religious texts that this image reminds me of, they are all like hands pulling you down into something dark.Now Playing: Linkin Park - Victimized

We Were Made Out Of Lightning

One of the most beautiful performers and artists I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Andy Hull inspires me every day in many different ways. Take a look at this solemn performance from his newly released album and hopefully it will inspire you as well.

Now Playing: The Tallest Man Earth - Leading Me Now

Colin Stetson

A masterpiece. There are no real words that can describe his pieces, like with all great music only ears can do it justice. He has two albums available to my knowledge which are called New History Warfare Volume One and Two, buy them on iTunes or wherever you like to support artists. Do you know of someone that puts out pieces as amazing as this? If so then share them! Let us all exerience emotion through their sound.

Inspiring a Revolution of Thought

Stumbled upon this model a little over a month ago now as I was looking through many different photographers portfolios and I seemed to keep coming back to her work. It seems that everything she is involved with is interesting and has a unique point of view on the world which I very much appreciate so I wanted to feature her here and encourage you to keep up with her work as I have.

Jessa Peters has so far as I've followed her been very prolific in all areas of imagery and always presented an honest and refreshing point of view, please take a few minutes to check out both her modeling work at the link here and her art at the link here. If it doesn't make you look at at least one thing differently I will be surprised.

Makeup sketch by Dracouni, model and photographer unknown

Now Playing: Colin Stetson - And It Fought To Escape

Power

This image created by Philippe Halsman is one of my favorites of all time. In my eyes it captures everything it means to be human. I look at it every day for inspiration and after nearly a year I still enjoy it each day.

Photo by Philippe Halsman of theoretical physicist and father of the atomic bomb Robert J Oppenheimer.

Now Playing: Lana Del Rey - Radio

A little something for your brain



Imagery is what I love, if you're here then you probably love it in some way as well. That said here is an artist that will poke the cobweb covered corners of your mind such as the image to the left done for a collection of Russian fairy tales.

Kate Baylay does work for many fairy tale that seem to provoke the image from her, when you look at them it's almost like you can see her imagination at work.

Take a look at her work here, it is all pretty astounding.

Her blog can be found at katebaylay.blogspot.com

A Lack of Inspiration

Went out walking tonight at a beautiful garden with a windy storm blowing in and the sun setting through a mountain of clouds and regardless of all of the scenery zero inspiration struck me. That being said I have no image for you today but instead a short video that continues to inspire me. No matter what you think of the song this video is just genius, if you have fine minutes then take a look.

Inspiration 4-10-12

I don't have a daily photo to share with you today so instead here is something that may inspire you to go create something beautiful.

The Yoshida brothers are two amazing Japanese musicians with some amazing stuff out there that everyone should at least give one play through. This is what I would say is their most accessable track, a remake of a piece from The Nightmare Before Christmas that was featured on the Nightmare Revisted soundtrack. Let me know what you think of it in the comments.

Emotion

Quantic Dream, a company that has done some amazingly unique things in gaming has released a techinical demo of their new software engine and if you are like me, used to seeing tech demos of a lot of bouncing balls or floating rubber ducks and falling blocks or running soldiers then this video is the most refreshing and emotional take on a technical demo to date. 

The demo itself is much more of a short film and pulls at many strings in me that I think are just wonderful.

They offer a look behind the scenes of the video here and have done similar videos in the past such as this one, an engine demo for what later became Heavy Rain.

Now Playing: Excision & Downlink - The Underground