as a photographer...

as a photographer, one of the worst things you can ever do is to photograph a poor person in black and white and call it an art.  It's okay to photograph them, but unless you have a good reason to, you're objectifying human beings for selfish, ostensible reasons to portray your (lack of) aesthetic abilities.  I'm not afraid to admit it - I have done it in the past, but I do not anymore.  For the same reasons, I try not to photograph handicapped person unless I have a very good reason to.

with that said, here is a picture I'd like to share:



and no, I do not feel guilty for taking this picture.  For me, taking a picture is an intuitive process.  There's usually something I want to say, but I never know exactly what it is at the moment.  I instinctively frame and press the shutter, blindly trusting my intuition to guide me.



here are couple other favorites of the day:


(I didn't know which person to focus... so I just chose one quickly, but I wonder if I made a mistake)





oh and this lady: her features were so noticeable!



*edit. nope, I chose the right person to focus.

sometimes...

sometimes, I wish I were a girl. why? so that I wouldn't have to surf on the web all day trying to figure out if I have to go to the STUPID ASS MILITARY if I were to move back to Korea.

I dug through my files to search for my certificate of citizenship (yes I'm a US citizen). It turns out that I actually received my citizenship before I was 18, BUT, according to the changed Korean law, that may or may not matter.  Actually, I'm gonna stop writing because I have no idea what I'm talking about.  After an entire day of searching and digging through resources, I still don't know jack.

and for those of you who are wondering, yes, there was a case of a person with American citizenship being sent off to the Korean army.  He was born in America.

Portfolio

I was putting together my portfolio the other day and I realized that out of my 10,000+ images, I can't even pick out 80 of them that I truly like.  By "truly like," I mean pictures that I wouldn't be embarrassed to show to some of my favorite photographers ever.

I'll post ones I have decided for sure.  You guys probably have seen them about a bazillion times, but I'll post them anyway:

























































What is that, about 30? 40?  geesh...

...the ultimate

 

FAIL

 










...honestly, the pillow can do better.











Here's a picture of their baby:

Hurry.  Make me feel better.  I'm sad.

I feel like I haven't accomplished a thing in my life.

Damn it, "feel like" is not a correct phrase because the statement is actually very true.  What did I accomplish that was so significant?  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.



Last thing I want is some stupid self-rationalization that will make me feel better.  "Well, I did translate that work for the prime minister of Korea, and the Minister of Environment, and the Minister of Land Sea and Maritime Affairs."  Or something like, "I spent 6 months in Mongolia helping out underprivileged children." 

nonononono.  Those are the moments in my life that shone just a bit.  If I were to die today, I don't want my life accomplishment to be that I translated a page of foreword in a book, regardless of who wrote the damn thing.

I need to begin my long term project.  Now.  I have no time to be depressed of my failed life so far. - that will only prolong the "failed" portion of my life.  I need to put my plans into action.  And I need to stop planning, and start acting.

This is how I feel like from time to time:



... a caged animal haha. Love the positioning of the flower, which was intended.