I drove past a field of sunflowers yesterday & in my head, I was transported into some place far far away. Sunflowers are already the perfect youthful summer bloom but to see a huge field full of them is quite magical.

I just wanted to get out & run through them all but because I’m not a fool, I did not do that. I did not want to get stung by pollenating bees, bite by a snake or ate up by mosquitoes.  So instead, I took a few snapshots from afar & accidentally took a few home.  I have no idea how the 5 sunflower got in my car.

Strange!

One issue that I have when I photograph anything is that I over photograph, then I switch lenses etc. Each shot has subtle differences so when I’m deciding on what to keep & what to toss I go crazy.

While photographing the sunflowers today, I took about 124 photos & kept about 80 of them. Of the 124, I only wanted to post 4 & this is what you see here. Decisions!

The 1st set of photos was taken with my Nikkor 105mm macro lens. As you can see, there are some very sharp elements with lots of detail & soft edges.

The 2nd set was taken with my Lensbaby Composer outfitted with the macro kit.  Images taken with the Lensbaby are often dreamy, with a nice soft focus, little detail & lots of imagination.

It’s always hard for me to choose a favorite version when I compare the Nikkor macro to the Lensbaby. They both offer something very special.

Taken with my iPhone 4 then processed in the iMovie app for the iPhone 4.

My assessment:

- When you upload a 720p (HD) version of your iMovie creation to either Youtube or Flickr directly from the iPhone, the conversion/compression totally destroys the quality of your mobile masterpiece making it look like a hot mess!

- For better results (720p HD), it’s best to export the movie from the iPhone (i used iPhoto to export from the phone) onto your desktop then upload to either Youtube, Flickr etc.

- What you see here was exported from my iPhone to iPhoto then uploaded to Flickr. This version looks 100x’s better than what I uploaded directly from the iPhone to Youtube & Flickr earlier today as part of my experiment.

On a side note:

- I need a little tripod for my iPhone!

- Suite Suzy got an iPhone 4 today. We spent a little time setting it up this evening & I gave her the quick tips & tricks guide. I hope that she will have fun with it.

- Once the novelty of then new phone wears off, I’ll stop talking about it. I promise!

Art Credits:
Music: “Aquarian Moon (LP Version)” by Osunlade
Setting: Float Bar at the Hard Rock Cafe San Diego

Don’t get me wrong cause I love the rain. When it rains, I don’t have to water my plants or grass, which not only saves me money, but it saves me time. And my lawn looks amazingly lush right now.

But……. Most recently, the rain has been tapping into my pocket because I’ve had to cancel a few outdoor photo sessions.

Sure they were all rescheduled but all this time shuffling is a bit much & has been putting me in a time crunch.

I’m sure in a few months, I’ll be complaining about it not raining enough as my water bill starts to skyrocket. On the other hand, I hope to be happy with scheduled & executed photos sessions.

Whats not to love about this song & the way that Erykah artistically displayed it visually. 3/30 is not getting here fast enough! I’m ready for my “New Amerykah!”

GROUP THINK:

“They play it safe.

Are quick to assassinate what they do not understand.

They move in packs, ingesting more and more fear with every act of hate on one another.

They feel most comfortable in groups, less guilt to swallow.

They are us.

This is what we have become.

Afraid to respect the individual.

A single person within a circumstance can move one to change, to love our Self, to evolve.”

———————————————————–
UPDATE:

So this evening (Sun 3/28/10) Erykah Badu aKa @fatbellybella took to Twitter & gave her followers a behind the scene peek at her Matt & Kim themed video.

@fatbellybella we only had 1 shot to get it right . we didnt plan the shot . coodie and i just went raw dog . too busy lookin for cops and being petrified

@fatbellybella i remember tweeting that day.”okay here goes nothing” i felt like i was going2 do something life threatening.1nce hoody unzip-no tur’n back

@fatbellybella it was st patrics day in dallas . i was at the grassy knoll . although i was thinking 1 million things as i walked i didnt see anything …

@fatbellybella heard people yelling diff things @ me but i held my head up and kept moving.there were children there.i prayed they wouldnt b traumatized…

@fatbellybella ..didnt remember what kind of undies i wore that day so i chked 1st b4 removing pants.lol. i knew my intent was good.that thought made it ok

@fatbellybella i talked to matt on the phone earlier. before i pulled up in the Lincoln .kim texted to me “did you do it,thats some crzy sht right?”right.

@fatbellybella hours before i talked to mama .she said she wasnt fully in favor but she had my back .

@fatbellybella asked 7 what he would do if teased -he said ill tell em my mom is great she was having fun…i immediately took myself less serious. hes 12

@fatbellybella i told puma (5) my plans . she looked at me with a blank face and replied . ok mama . can i have another pudding ?

@fatbellybella i asked @jayelectronica if i should go threw with it . he said . IF YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT DO IT – YOU GOT 1 SHOT TO BE ERYKAH…

@fatbellybella Andre said,if u gone go ,go all the way./D.O.C. said, U got huge balls kid.& gave me a high five…i bathed,took a breath.i started the car

@fatbellybella had to put money in the meter cause i had to leave my car incase cops came … after last action , we ran like hell ! lol

@fatbellybella funny thing is , the physical nudity is nothing lol . i been naked all along in my words actions and deeds . thats the real vulnerable place

@fatbellybella THE GROUP WAS MY ASSASSIN .

@fatbellybella my blood at the end of the video spelled out GROUPTHINK .

Being on Twitter is a wonderful thing, especially when you can interact with artists who appreciate the value of reaching out to their fans.

And if you were wondering who Matt & Kim were, we now you know. And wow, what a surprise ending here as well.

Usually, I am able to execute most of the photography concepts that I scheme up. If I’m not able to get what I want exactly, I close enough to be happy with the end results.

My idea with this image turned out the exact opposite of what I wanted & I’m so/so OK with it.

My original idea was to have a hand holding the compact fluorescent bulb with the bulb not over exposed & while using strobe lighting. Kinda like those clever ads for CF bulbs or environmental stock type photos.

I knew that I would have to pull off the concept with two exposures but it just didn’t happen.

I think I will try again & figure out how I can make my concept a reality or get daring & try the tip that was featured on the Strobist website a few years ago.

So much for my bright idea!

Today I heard from a client who saw an image of her on a MSN website advertising single ladies “in your area.”

She sent me a screen shot of the page & I totally flipped out! She signed a model release for me so that I could submit it to Getty images Flickr Collection a few months ago but it had not sold. So knowing that it hadn’t sold, I KNEW it was being used without my authorization. With that in mind, I went storming around the internet for answers.

I left messages on the MSN support site, left a message, started a discussion thread with Bing via FB, & later posted something to the Flickr Getty Images contributor forum.

As you can imagine, I was quite upset. Like really upset.

To my relief, by the end of the day, I was contacted by the Bing Facebook team, letting me know that they were investigating the situation on my behalf. About an hour after that, I received a call from one of Microsoft’s managing photo editors who explained that the image in question was indeed used lawfully & that it was recently purchased from Getty Images via the Flickr Collection.

“Hi Tafari

I’m a Managing Photo Editor at Microsoft and your mail and link to: http://www.twitpic.com/vls82 was forwarded to me.. This is an image we acquired from Getty (see the info below with your credit) and is in the cue for payment. We take licensing very seriously and go to great lengths to make certain our images are licensed correctly…”

Funny thing is, somewhere along the way & during my hastiness, I forgot that the image was indeed available via Getty.

Had I paid better attention, I would have contacted Getty images & let them do the investigating for me. Sigh! These days, one can never be careful with protecting your creative properties

So since all of the drama was laid to reset, I made amends with Microsoft for my hasty reaction. With quick reactions, a couple of tweets, a FB post & no research, all kinds of hell can break loose.

Oh, by the way, my client thought that this was comical & right now, she single & still very much sexy.

See my original image here.

Dear diary blog,

It’s been a minute & I have had things on my mind have neglected ypu a bit. Im sorry but Twitter & Facebook have me caught up on some other shit. I promise that I will pay more attention to you before & after I get back from DC. In the meantime, I’m sorry for dumping on you like this but I love you boo! OK!?!?!

I likes me some learnin’:
- School started this week & unlike so many semesters before, I’m actually excited to be in classes. My management class seems like it’s going to be pretty cool & the instructor started things off on an energetic & positive note. My marketing instructor really has a great sense of humor & I’m feeling like this class is going to be hard work yet fun. I cannot believe I am saying a class is going to be fun. Maybe now that I’m a business school student, I have a new outlook, I guess.

Entertainment:
- Movies
I went to see “Doubt” last week & was so disappointed. This makes a string of like 4 movies that I’ve seen since November that were a waste of my time & money. I think I will stay away from the big screen for a while, I need to get my confidence back up.

- JazzMusic/HipHopMusic/HouseMusic/GhettoMusic
I have been digging some cool tunes lately. I discovered Esperanza Spalding via the “Songs in the key of Life” blog (worth bookmarking!!!). Esperanza’s jazzy music has the feel of way back when with fresh vocals & popping instrumentation. Her album “Esperanza” is a must have in my book.

I have also been rocking non-stop Panacea’s latest album “A Mind on a Ship Through Time”. OMG, this joint is super hot!!!. “A Mind on a Ship Through Time” is a little better than their last album “The Scenic Route” , which is a classic!!! Panacea is helping to reclaim hip-hop from crap rappers!

If you are a house music fan, you have to check out the “SoulShine 2005 Sampler” by Kenny Bobien. I rediscovered it days ago & love it. It’s only $3.96 on iTunes & so worth it. Its four singles are mellow yet energetic, which means great driving & workout music for me. Pick it up boo!!!!

I know I introduced many of you to T-Baby; the artist who did the song/Youtube hit, “It’s so Cold in the D”. Well, it seems like everybody & their momma in Detroit has scene this video & even heard it on the radio. T-Baby has done radio interviews & everything. When you ask people what’s going on, you are sure to hear them say “it’s so cold in the D”. The shit is really hilarious.

Anyway, I was thinking about the song today after getting an email that referenced it & I decided to see if it was on iTunes. So I type it in & what the fuck, it comes up available for download. I fucking could not believe it. Why come I downloaded it??? Like a fool I listened to it twice before I left for class.

Lastly on a music note, I was looking for hot mess on Youtube & I found it in no time. Why did someone make a song named “Smell Yo Dick”. I would have loved to post the video here but the artist; Riskay (I know, ghetto right!) is not allowing people to post outside of Youtube. You have to see this shit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC8GTmX2G5w

“Why you coming home 5 in the morn
Somethings going on, can I smell yo dick
Don’t play me like a fool, cause that ain’t cool
So what you need to do is lemme smell yo dick”

Politics:
- The Congressional Black Caucus is out of their minds! I don’t support their support of Burris. They are obviously not looking at the big picture.

I have wondered this before & now I am re-questioning if we really need to have a Congressional Black Caucus. The whole racial element of Burris’ faux appointment is really pissing me off! Those who choose to racialize (is this a word) the issue is a) ignorant b) should not be in office themselves.

I have nothing against Burris at all but I think he should do the honorable thing

- In other Negro political news, Kwame Kilpatrick’s former boo, Christine Beatty is official on cell block 4 in the Wayne county jail. Home girl is looking at four months behind bars. The judge asked he if she had anything to say before they turned the key on her & she said about Kwame:

“The way the brotha walks is beautiful.
The way he talks is beautiful.
The way he abuses me is beautiful.
Hey the brotha is beautiful!
The way he makes love to me is beautiful.
Hey that’s my man.”

I made that up but still. Anyway, when I watched them take her from the courtroom, the only thing I truly wondered was if Beatty will get her hair braided by Cookie n’ nem while she’s locked up.

- Hamas is getting their ass kicked in Gaza. I honestly di dnot expect it to go down like that. Isreal has really dealt one hell of a good bitch slap. Who’s right, Who’s Wrong (what have you done for me lately)???

I’m An Artist Bitch:
- I picked up my 10 unsold art pieces from the Detroit Artist Market last night. I would be lying if I said I did not want to cry like a bitch. How could no one not buy my beautiful pieces???

As I drove away from the DAM, I was thinking that maybe the marketing of my art is something I should just say fuck it on. I went through self-doubt, pisstivity & back again. Before I hit the road to go home, I stopped at the Centaur to drown my sorrows. It’s amazing how a few pomegranate martinis can make you feel like you are on top of the world.

I have decided that after I get the results of the 2 art fairs that I applied for, I am not paying to enter anything else. I will take the route with the least amount of stress & put the extra energy into my school work.

On the way to work, I decided that mentally I’m a starving artist. Woe is me

- On another note, I will be interviewed this week on a photography podcast that deals with new media & how it’s impacting how to network for jobs via blogs, facebook, twitter etc. Looking forward to it. Will keep you posted

StankyTech:
- I sold my old MacBook Pro finally on eBay Monday for 850. Shipped that bitch off today. One less thing to worry about now.

- My new MacBook Pro really makes me happy.

- I hate my broken ass iPhone & refuse to get another!

Only in the Hood:
- How many Sean Bell’s will we see in the future??? Another man done gone by the hands of the Po-Po. Did you here about (I know you did but…) 22-year-old Oscar Grant who was shot & killed by the police (yes all of them) while laying with his face to the ground.

This case is enough to make somebody go fucking nuts. The video is too much to watch, but here is a link.

The officer did resign his position today, which is a smart move. And the family is suing for 25 million, which will change nothing but it is the principal & a message needs to be sent.

Another sad twist on this story is that Oakland residents held a protest rally tonight & it turned violent, almost riot like.

I for the life of me cannot understand why we riot & fuck up our own neighborhoods & businesses!!!

- On a lighter note; Academy of Americas, a Detroit elementary school is begging for donations of toilet paper and light bulbs to keep that bitch running.

First of all the Detroit Public School System is 400 million in the red.

A spokeswoman for DPS stated that the school ain’t running short of supplies, they are just seeking to supplement what they have to not run out. Ummm bitch please, that’s just janky. This is reason #312 why I could never move back to Detroit.

Out of Nowhere
- TD Jakes looks like a Black Porky Pig.

- I need to cut my fingernails, they are almost at bitch nigga length & I need to handle that.

- I would love to have a strawberry milkshake right now.

- AT&T DSL is finally available in my area. Comcast; two words for you; Bye bye!!

- Can’t wait to get my hair color touched up this coming Saturday.

-My computer mouse is half dead & I need a new one. Why can’t shit last for more than 2 years?

I wanted to write something witty about apples, but as of 3 hours ago, I am not giving a fuck about apples because the art drama is over & I got my shit back tonight! I am so relieved that there was no drama & my twenty-mutha-fuckin’-dollars were enclosed! And best of all, I do not have to deal with that damned 36th district civil court!!!

In other good news, The Yellow Toothed Mummy got his ass clobbered by “That One” in the debate last night. This 2nd debate was so much juicier than the last one big time.

I am dying to see who The Mummy is going to try to spin his defeat last night. And what will his pussy puppet say now?

That republican ticket is the most desperate & pathetic thing I have ever seen. Will they start talking about his white momma next???

On a so/so news level, the “House Wives of Atlanta” started tonight on Bravo & it is a hot ghetto mess. Just when I thought the “House Wives” franchise could get no worse, it did. The wives are all so common & seem to not have come from shit, then blew up. I guess this is typical when you are dealing with people from the hood that grew up eating their cornflakes with water.

Speaking of not having milk, I don’t know what it is about NeNe but something special about her makes me thirsty for a tall glass of milk.

On a totally schizophrenic note & before I hit the sack, if you are into sexy new age jazz, love the piano I highly suggest checking out the Esbjörn Svensson Trio’s latest album “E.S.T Leucocyte”! It’s hot & great studio/office music. Also great when coupled with a 3 cocktail buzz on a Thursday night (I love Thursdays).

Back to apples kinda; If you hate apples, don’t click here.

I was talking to an associate today about my move to file a small claim against The Dally in the Alley & Khristy Wilkinson if my work is not in my hands this Wednesday. During the conversation, he asked me if it was that deep.

I responded hell yeah, they have my shit, I want my shit, they are not giving me my shit & that is a problem; a deep problem!

I did not donate my shit, I offered my shit for display at their show. The show is over, it is more than a month since the show & I want my mutha fukcin’ shit back.

Dammit; I almost feel like saying, I WANT MY DADDY’S RECORDS.

Anyway, when I called around today to find out what the process was to file a small claim, I almost vomited when I found out that I would have to file my claim in the 36th District Court. The 36th district is in Detroit, ghetto as hell & doing anything there will take a whole damn day. This adds another level of drama to the entire ordeal. I really hope it all ends before I have to get into a bunch of mess.

But the bottom line is yeah, it is that deep!

It has officially been a month since I had 2 pieces of my art on Display at the Dally In The Alley. You probably remember how excited I was to be part of this, my first show.

The show has come & gone & my excitement has turned into being pissed the fuck off.

Pissed off, yes!!! I am so pissed!!!

First of all, after the show, I collected the two pieces that made it to the via the jury process & while inspecting them, I noticed that the glass on one was damaged, so I notified the head fool in charge. Before I left, I talked to Khristy Wilkinson & asked when I could get my other pieces from her & she was like, I will FedEx them to you on that following Monday & that was cool.

Well, lets just say that she never followed through on the FedExing. So I tried calling & emailing her to get my work & she just did not follow up. After the 2 try, I contacted my associate who invited me to participate in the show to assist with getting my work.

It seemed like it was a going to work & that I would get my shit because Khristy responded to him with some bullshit but she was working to get the issue resolved.

Well, lets just say that it is weeks later & I still don’t have my shit!

Last Wednesday, I emailed this bitch & told her that she had a week t run me my shit or pay me $450.00 + $20.00 for the piece that was damaged under her watch. After she saw that, she was like ok, I will have it to you Friday or Saturday.

Well, lets just say, it is Saturday & I still do not have my shit & the bitch has not responded to my voicemail.

So since I was lied to & dissed again, I contacted the chairman of the Dally hoping for some satisfaction. In my message to him, I indicated who upset I was & if I got no response by Wednesday then I was filling a small claim against her & the Dally In The Alley.

I hope that it does not result to this but I am so ready to make it happen!

This is the 2nd time that I got janked over for my art within the last month & I am not putting up with any more bullshit, from friends, or these so called art professionals.