Arlene Lagos's Blog, page 10

“An Octopus Named Mom”- The Journey

I think every mother at one time or another has used the phrase “I only have two hands!” or “What do I look like, an Octopus?” Most days, I wish I had eight arms to get everything I need done.

My journey with started six years ago; inspired by my own childhood with my mother raising five children, having my own children and what life is like as a mother. My ideas and thoughts would come at all different times so I have notepads around my home and post it notes with messy notes on them. So whenever a thought would hit me, I would instantly write it down until one day, when I pieced them all together and created the story.

Then I was on a mission to find someone willing to bring my story to life! My challenge was finding someone who would be willing to be my partner in this and take a chance with me, because I could not afford to hire anyone.

When I began my quest searching for an illustrator, I looked in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Boston. The time came when I was ready to give up and in that same moment,  a friend introduced me to illustrator, Jen Donehey; this fabulous woman who had been living just miles from me in the same town! That was three years ago.

Jen and I met monthly, between our hectic work schedules. We would brainstorm and she would pull every detail out of my imagination to create each page. Every page was created with much thought, patience and love. Our months turned into years…until we finally, completed our last page.

During this process, I had several people review what I had written: a few who worked in the publishing industry, educators and even some authors. I took their advice very seriously. I would talk with anyone I knew and I would absorb every ounce of constructive criticism they had or guidance they had to offer. Everyone I sought out, would give me new direction, and I would walk away learning something new. This in turn made me create some changes in the story.

Our next challenge was finding a publisher. We sent our story along with the beautiful illustrations to several publishing companies. We never heard back from one, not even a response. I began to seek out professional advice from people who worked in the publishing industry. Their advice to us was to tap into the social media and all it has to offer. They said to find a high quality, custom publishing company and get your book out there! Don’t wait for the big publishing companies to find you, because unless you’re a celebrity, they won’t give your book a chance.

We found a local publishing company called, Three Bean Press which was out of Boston. This company was created by three local women who worked in the publishing industry for years. One of which ALSO lived in our little town of Millis. We shared our story with them and they instantly loved it and wanted to represent us. We were thrilled but still needed to find a way to pay for the publishing expenses, which were expensive because we wanted it printed in the USA.

We promoted our book on Kickstarter, which allowed us 30 days to raise enough funds to print our book in the U.S.  The support came pouring in for us; it was truly a humbling experience. We reached and exceeded our goals and it is because of the kindness and generosity of others that we were able to move forward and put our story to print.

On Friday, July 27th  2012, our books arrived and that night we had our very first book signing. It was all so surreal that our hard work and years of laboring over this “dream” had finally come true.  was born and introduced to the world.

Since then, we have been stocking the shelves of many bookstores and gift stores throughout New England. Our calendars are filling up with library visits, book signings and even requests for us to attend public speaking events. We have already held book signings at Bloomingdale’s in Chestnut Hill, MA. Our book can be found at such prestigious stores like Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill, Barnes & Noble, and many, many more.

I am so proud of our book. The love and time that went into it, the people who supported it and the friendships I have made throughout this voyage. But what I’m most proud of is the page that Jennifer created, which is dedicated to my mother who lost her battle with ovarian cancer. We have teamed up with Ovations for The Cure and we will be donating a portion of the proceeds of every book sold to them in her memory. I look forward to the day when we can hand over a large check to their foundation in my mother’s memory. I know she will be smiling down on us on that day.

Interview was done with Kathleen Flaherty of Millis, MA

Kathleen and Jennifer are currently working on their next two books:

“A Superhero Named Dad” and “My Perfect Family”.

They hope to launch by August 2013.

Questions? Email us at: octopusmoms@gmail.com

Interview with Health Coach, Tara Hire

1. What made you first get into Health Coaching and what do you hope to offer your clients?

From an early age I learned quickly that health and food are intertwined with psychology, tradition, and our environment.  This made me want to learn more and now I have degrees in culinary arts, food science, human nutrition, and holistic nutrition. I am uniquely qualified to tackle health problems from all angles as opposed to just from one.

My mission is to create a space for people to explore their bodies’ needs and give them access to the information necessary to fulfill those needs. Through coaching and support, everyone can make diet and lifestyle changes that will lead to better success in all aspects of their life.

2. I often hear of people going on wellness retreats, why are they so popular?

Wellness retreats are a great way to kick-start a serious lifestyle change. Getting people out of their normal routines, and away from their computers, televisions and other distractions, allows them to open up and be receptive to ideas and information allowing them to make plans for how they want to live their daily life.

3. Tell me about Monehegan Island, what makes this a great place to take a break?

Monhegan is often referred to as a spiritual vortex, making it an amazing place for growth and change. Among the outermost islands of Maine’s central coast, there are few that rival Monhegan for remoteness and scenic wonder. About 65 people live there year-round, most making their living from the sea or catering to the annual invasion of visitors. The unique charm of the village and ruggedness of the coastline has made Monhegan a summer haven for artists and other visitors for more than 100 years.

4. What is the most common mistake people make when they try to lose weight?

The most common mistake people make when trying to lose weight is that they fail to plan. Setting concrete goals and making a detailed plan to meet those goals will make all the difference.

5. Do you have any events/retreats coming up?

This June, Diet-EARTH will be hosting a weekend retreat for anyone seeking to lose weight permanently. The retreat includes, 5 group sessions about nutrition, goal setting, and maintenance; 3 yoga sessions; healthy meals and comfortable rooms. 
It is going to be an inspiring and fun weekend. There are only 20 spots available so contact me soon before spots fill up. My email is: t_hire@yahoo.com

To sign up for Tara Hire’s newsletter go to http://www.diet-earth.com

Be sure to like her Facebook Page

Tara Hire is a Certified Holistic Health Coach (CHHC).  She received her BS from the University of Maine, Orono and studied holistic nutrition at Clayton College of Natural Health and Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Her approach is flexible and open-minded. She aids people to reach their optimum health through Metabolic Typing, and individualized health and lifestyle habits.

 

Artist Spotlight: John Brennan

Reblogged from beyondearthseries:

GREAT NEWS!

Sexy relationship comedy  The Banana Monologues  is set to play off-Broadway's Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row this summer. The production will begin previews on June 13, and officially open on June 24. No casting or creative team has been announced at this time.

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What did one wall say to the other wall?

Meet me at the corner!

Read more… 423 more words

Here's an update on "The Banana Monologues", they have set a date for their upcoming off-broadway play at Acorn Theatre! Congratulations John!!!

Greela

Sitting in a room full of family and friends dying to get their greedy little hands on my recently deceased Aunt’s fortune, I carelessly pick the polish off my nails as the lawyer reads her last will and testament. Eyes bulging in anticipation, one by one their faces drop in shock as they realize that my aunt gave it all to charity.

Collectively, they stand up and storm out, cursing her name. My parents thought for sure they would get some of her money, but they didn’t deserve it. They were greedy and I swear only adopted me as a tax write-off. My aunt was a great woman, but she too was obsessed with money. She told me once that she wished she had the strength to walk away from it; looks like she finally did.

Surprised that I was even invited at all, I start packing up; sure that nothing has been left for me as well, but not caring either way. I had hoped she would have left me her cookbook, containing the secret recipe to her delicious mince-pie. As I am about to leave, the lawyer calls my name.

“Elaina, your aunt left a few things for you,” he said.

“Is one her cookbook?” I ask.

“Yes; and a few other things. She left you this bag of herbs, a note to read in private, and this…wheel,” he said.

Excited about the book I grab it immediately and thumb through it. The herbs smelled wonderful. The wheel was strange, as I had no idea of its purpose; but nonetheless, I put it under my arm and took off to my new apartment where I could read my Aunt’s last words to me, in private.

Opening up the letter it read:

Dear Elaina,

What I am about to tell you might frighten you, but you must believe what I say, and keep it to yourself as you are the only one I can trust.

Seventeen years ago, a horrible monster called Greela came to Earth from another planet and took human form. Her wants were simple; Greela survived off the flesh of greedy men. I came in contact once with Greela as she was at my back door ready to eat your uncle Ned.

Begging for pity, I promised Greela that I would find her food to survive on as long as she left my family alone. The Greela agreed and I’ve been feeding her since. I would comb the streets at night, following the greedy into bars, nightclubs and brothels and kill them. I would mash them up into a pie and feed them to Greela to keep her at bay; using the herbs to conceal the smell of human flesh.

One day, on my way to Greela’s layer, I found a magic wheel. The wheel whispered to me that it had the power to send Greela back to her planet forever. Thankful to whoever sent it, I used it to send Greela back; or so I thought. The next day, I found an infant hidden in the caves untouched. Thinking that Greela had taken on another form, I tried to send the baby back but it disappeared before my eyes. As legend has it, the child of a Greela doesn’t mature until its 18th birthday. We’ve been waiting for years to see if she will come back, but I grew sick and couldn’t wait any longer. I feared my days were numbered and since I have no children, I am passing on my gift to you. It’s been almost 18 years now since I found that baby. If it’s still here on our planet, you must try to use the wheel to send it back. Otherwise, I fear it will come for our family.

Love Always,

Auntie Beth

Instantly, I pick up the phone and dial.

“Hello?” said a man.

“Timmy? It’s your cousin, Elaina. I’m freaking out right now, can you come over?” I said.

“Sure Elaina is everything okay?” said Timmy.

“It’s kind of hard to explain over the phone, just please hurry up,” I said.

“I’ll be right there!” he said.

Crumpling up the note, I throw it into the fireplace and watch it burn, then grab the magic wheel and pitch it into the fire as well. Walking into the kitchen, I grab a slice of pie out of the refrigerator, put a candle on it and light it with a match.

“Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday dear Greela….”

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I’ve never written anything like this before. I was tasked with writing about a magic wheel, a herb and a Wendigo in 750 words or less. I had never even heard the word Wendigo before. So this is my first try at horror I guess? Hope you liked it…

Undead, Wendigo by ~lvl9Drow on deviantART

AMPED 3D

Freeze time and space at a moment when a tattoo artist’s achievement is realized, the artwork is healed, and an emotional connection to it is manifest.

Life size AMPED 3D images present these moments, and the visual experience, with the same depth and tonality of reality.

So what exactly is an Amped3D image?

Amped3D images depict life size three dimensional space and do for tattoo art what simply hasn’t been possible before in a photograph—to present tattoos with all of their natural human depth, scale and topography. Amped 3D images are images you can see into.

How is an Amped3D image made?

Amped3D photography is accomplished using a unique combination of complex camera hardware (featuring an array of modified cameras equipped with hi-resolution sensors), sophisticated proprietary software, materials and painstaking manufacturing techniques.

At a photo session, the camera array captures multiple perspectives at one time instant. Those digital images are then precision aligned and processed, to be printed with a modified high-resolution printer with each perspective occupying a vertical strip 1/2000th of an inch wide.

These special prints are then aligned and bonded to custom-made cast lenticular lens material. The photos can then be mounted in custom back-lit frames for an optimal viewing experience.

The result? Amped3D images are so realistic that the brain perceives them in a similar way to seeing real life, so it’s the next best thing to actually seeing the tattoo in real life.

The result of years of work, Almont Green has developed AMPED 3D photography with the help of neuroscientists, brain research centers, vision research experts and leading technologists.

No processing, direct from camera test Amped360 fifty camera array.

Go to this link: http://amped360.com/ca/

Click and drag to rotate (or swipe with finger if phone) to see the effect!

Interesting? Visit Almont’s blog for more information

Check out these clips on Youtube:

*******************UPCOMING EVENTS*******************

Do you have an amazing tattoo?

Do you want the world to see it in it’s full potential?

CHECK THIS OUT: http://amped360.com/sh2/

Are you an artist, model, hairstylist?? Do you want to enhance your personal portfolio? This is an amazing chance to get your pictures done 3D and have them before anyone else!!

Come to Sacred  Tattoo in New York City to be imaged with the AMPED360 camera array and get a chance to be given a travel expense paid, $3,000 modeling contract.

IF you win, you would be posing for a best of the best tattoo collector’s edition AMPED3D exhibition image at a studio in Los Angeles, Boston or at a world-famous tattoo convention.

AMPED360 images, photographed at Sacred on March 17th and 18th, will be posted the following week on the AMPED3D Facebook page.

The person with the AMPED360 image of their tattoo to receive the most “likes” in 45 days will be awarded a career launching, modeling job contract. One contract is guaranteed to be awarded, however, Almont Studios reserves the right to award more than one contract.

To reserve a space, email@amped360.com

CONTACT ALMONT GREEN FOR INFO 978-853-0084

AMPED 360 at Sacred Tattoo in NYC 3/17-3/18

424 Broadway, 2nd Floor 12:00pm- 10:00 pm

Like us  on Facebook

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Born to Explore with Richard Wiese

 

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of visiting some of the world’s most fascinating places. I started off in Belize, then took a tour of the Tiwi Islands and finally finished my adventure in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco – in less than thirty minutes! I’m of course talking about my favorite Emmy nominated culture, travel/adventure show on television, “Born to Explore” with host Richard Wiese.

What I love so much about this show is that this modern-day Indiana Jones takes you to places and introduces you to people you never knew existed. When he visits the island of Belize to learn about old Mayan traditions, he really tries to connect with the natives by delving into their routines of making tortillas, doing dishes and even giving a baby a bath! 

He doesn’t simply report, he gets to know the people and you can tell by the looks and smiles on their faces that they accept his kindness and willingness to learn about their cultures and traditions.

The same goes for his trip to the “outbush” to visit the Tiwi Islanders where he learns local customs and ceremonies about reducing stress through dancing, face painting and more. We are shown the work that is put into their art, customs and family.

Finally, we are off to Morocco, to a village lost in time, one that almost no westerner has ever set foot upon…until now. We meet the Berber people and witness a traditional arranged marriage.

From making tortillas to catching and eating snakes, Wiese is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and learn how to live amongst the people he is visiting. But then again, Wiese is no stranger to travel.

Wiese has traveled to all seven continents, tagged jaguars in the Yucatan jungles, led expeditions to the Northern Territory of Australia, and was a member of the largest medical expedition ever conducted on Mt.Everest. He achieved the first ascent of an unclimbed mountain in Alaska, discovered 29 new life forms on Mt.Kilimanjaro in Africa, and cross-country skied to the North Pole. As a journalist, he received numerous honors, including an Emmy, a Genesis Award, an Associated Press Folio Award and a Golden Halo Award. His articles have appeared in many national publications.

“At 12 years old I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with my father and reached the summit days later. If every child could have been with me that day, they’d have my curious mind that drives this show,” explains Richard Wiese. “Connecting who we are with where we live on this vast globe defines Born to Explore. Thanks to the show, now everyone can go with me, and this time, we’ll summit together.”

Every Saturday I look forward to what’s next on our journey to explore the world and understand the people in it. My only gripe with this show? It’s too short! Can we make it an hour ABC?

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Currently, the Born to Explore crew is filming in the great country of India, capturing the world of spiritual worship, colorful markets and elephants.If you’d like to explore with Richard Wiese and the “Born to Explore” crew, you can check your local listings for when the next episode airs on ABC station!Follow Richard and the crew on Facebook and on Twitter for up-to-date information on where they will be going next!

Gaslighting at the Oscars

If you witnessed it, like many others, you were surprised. You may have even laughed, but the truth is, it was horrible, tasteless and a perfect example of Gaslighting. I’m of course referring to host Seth MacFarlane’s inappropriate Oscar stint, “We saw your boobs”.

What many don’t realize is that anyone that did laugh did so uncomfortably; especially if they were a woman and even more so if they were any of the women mentioned.

Gaslighting is the practice of systematically convincing an individual that their understanding of reality is mistaken or false.

So when a few women stood up and started shouting that what Seth MacFarlane did at the Oscars was wrong, they were thrown back with the classic Gaslighting manipulation: “You’re overreacting, relax, don’t you have a sense of humor?”

 When someone says these things to you, it’s intended to shut you down from addressing their bad behavior which is emotional manipulation, pure and simple.

 This is exactly what happens in our country to women everyday in the workplace, in the home and even in the limelight. This emotional manipulation feeds an epidemic in our country, one that defines women as irrational or overly sensitive.

Those who engage in Gaslighting create a reaction — whether it’s anger, frustration, sadness — in the person they are dealing with. Then, when that person reacts, the Gaslighter makes them feel uncomfortable and insecure by behaving as if their feelings aren’t rational or normal.

Even powerful women in Hollywood, ones that bear the brunt of this type of manipulation remain silent. Why?

photo by Chris Pizzuti (AP)

One well known actress did not take it lightly. I applaud Jamie Lee Curtis’s recent slam of Seth MacFarlane and his misogynistic approach. But why haven’t more women spoken up about it?

Because we are conditioned not too.  Sadly, it’s easier to emotionally manipulate women because people have been conditioned by our society to accept it. Men continue to burden women whether the Gaslighting is conscious or not, to produce the same result; to keep us silent.

Gas lighting is a game. One you might not see coming if you don’t know what to look for. If you already have self-esteem issues, it is easier for someone to gaslight you. The best thing to do is keep your self-esteem high and be more vocal when you feel like someone is trying to take away your power through verbal manipulation.

Gloria Steinem quotes, “The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn.”

Seth MacFarlane needs to unlearn his behavior towards women. Moreover, he needs to apologize. Really apologize, not just to the women he Gaslighted at the Oscars; but to women everywhere. I’ll be waiting for mine, Seth.

*****

The term Gasslight  comes from the 1940′s suspense thriller set in nineteenth-century London. In the movie, Paula (Ingrid Bergman) marries the villainous Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer), not realizing that he is the one who murdered her aunt and is now searching for her missing jewels.

To cover up his treachery, he tries to persuade Paula that she is going mad, so he can search the attic for the jewels without her interference. He plants missing objects on her person in order to make her believe that she has no recollection of reality. He tries to isolate her, not allowing her to have visitors or to leave the house. However, she uncovers the truth when she notices the dimming of the gaslight.

Links to other articles on Gaslighting that I used as a reference for this blog:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/power-in-relationships/200905/are-you-being-gaslighted

http://www.enotalone.com/health/16906.html

http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/why-women-arent-crazy/

http://www.outofthefog.net/CommonBehaviors/Gaslighting.html

The Seeker Statue

They were horrible, greedy, lazy and cruel. They screamed at me for no reason, locked me away in my room for days on end and sometimes – and these were the really bad times – they even beat me. I was only fifteen years old and this was my ninth foster home. I don’t know what I do that’s so bad, but no matter where I get sent, it always ends up the same, them yelling and me running as far away as I can.  But every time I would run away, they would always catch me and then it was back to the home until they could find new parents to torment me; but not anymore, not after today.

Today I am leaving for good and I’m never coming back. Hiding up in my favorite tree in the woods behind our house, I gaze up at the stars through my telescope. The only decent gift I ever got from a neighbor who pitied me. Suddenly, I see something fall out of the sky and crash into a nearby field. Climbing down the tree I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me until I found the site.

There sitting in a large hole in the ground is a tiny golden statue the size of my palm. It’s of a beautiful woman with flowers in her hair. The inscription on the bottom of the statue reads, “Queen Mala of Thura”. Kneeling down on the ground I hold it in my hand and look up into the night sky.

“Oh Queen Mala, wherever you are, I wish you would find me. You seem nice,” I said.

Suddenly a giant gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew me right up off my feet suspending me in the air. A hole in the sky opens up and hurls me into a void of total darkness. When I finally stop moving, I am in a strange land surrounded by tiny people the size of my hand, standing around me, some flying; looking at me in a strange way. They’re speaking a language I didn’t understand.  A small woman waves a tiny wand and instantly grows to the same size as me.

“What is your business here?” she asks.

“I don’t know where here is ma’am,” I said.

“Where did you come from?”

“Massachusetts?”

“What planet?”

“Earth. Why what planet is this?” I ask.

But she didn’t reply.  Scared, I decide to tell her about the statue.

“I saw a golden statue fall out of the night sky. I picked it up and next thing I knew, I was here,” I said.

Her eyes grew wide as she drew closer to me.

“Where is this statue?” she asks.

Opening up my palm, I hand it to her. She turns to the others and holds the golden statue above her head. At first there is silence, then looks of awe, and finally they begin to cheer. A horn sounds and a tiny woman dressed in a golden gown with flowers in her hair arrives. Instantly, I recognize her as the woman in the statue, Queen Mala.

She too waves a wand and grows to the same size as me. She takes a necklace out of her pocket and places it around my neck.

“What’s this for?” I ask.

Suddenly, we both shrink down in size.  Everyone begins cheering and clapping in a roar of excitement. Frightened and out of instinct, I begin to run as fast as my legs can carry me.

“Child, don’t go, please! You needn’t run any longer,” she said.

Something about the softness in her voice was soothing and it caused me to stop, turn around and walk back toward her.

With tears in her eyes, she smiles at me, signaling for me to come closer.

“Many years ago, an evil Sorcerer tried to take over Thura; our sacred land. Unable to defeat us, he stole my child while she lay in her crib and banished her to another land. For fifteen years we have been searching for this child by sending out the golden seeker statue in hopes it would find her. The statue has a spell on it that if touched by the hand of my daughter, would bring her home to me. Last night we sent the statue out to the Land of Giants, to Earth.”

“So, this is, my home?” I said.

“Yes, my child. I’m your mother, Queen Mala, welcome home princess,” she said.

With a giant breath, I exhaled.

“It’s great to be back,” I said.

TOXIC

TOXIC

If you truly want to measure the severity of an addiction, you don’t look at the amount and frequency of the abuse, but rather the way a person reacts when they are without it.

I have never liked Coffee and so I don’t drink it. To me it tastes like dirty socks and although I am constantly surrounded by a Dunkin Donuts or a Starbucks every other square block of my life, the craze never sucked me in. I have however, seen what it does to people when they don’t have it. A good friend of mine recently quit drinking coffee and described the withdrawal as such:

 “On a mental level I felt at first extremely giddy, like I was high and then suddenly I crashed and my mind was a blender of thoughts swooshing around. All of my senses were heightened and I felt over-stimulated to the point of insanity. Then I crashed again and felt dull and dead inside.”- M. F.

This was after eight hours of no coffee. Eight hours.

I’m not immune to the caffeine bug however. I would drink one, sometimes two sodas in the morning to wake me up. Never more than two, never after 3pm. Knowing how bad soda is in general, I decided that I was going to stop drinking it. I knew that I would still need to replace the caffeine at least and since my love for coffee was non-existent, I opted for tea instead, Vanilla Chai to be exact.

Switching was easier than quitting, but I did start to notice by day three of being off of soda, that my body was beginning to exhibit signs of withdrawal. The most common symptoms were headaches, rapid heartbeat, irritability, and oddly enough, my eye started twitching. Now that could have been attributed to the fact that I spend hours in a day staring at a computer screen; but I’ve always done that so I’m going to keep the eye twitching in my list of symptoms.

We all know that addiction rears its ugly head through the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, drugs (both prescription and non-prescription), food, shopping, adrenaline and even people. These are just some of the most common themes but there are many more.  There are even people addicted to things like hand-washing and cleaning which is often more associated with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) but still, it’s an addiction and when taken away, it exhibits the downright nastiest of side effects.

What is it about some people who have the strength to quit something cold turkey; walking away from a 10, 20 or even 50-year habit versus someone who tries and tries to quit but can’t seem to last more than a few days?

“You have to want to quit more than what you’re trying to quit. I walked away from chewing tobacco fifteen years ago, yet I’m around it everyday. I just remind myself that what I want and crave even more than tobacco is the strength to NOT want it.  We can choose to be a slave to what we crave or we can choose to walk away. I believe that its 100% mind over matter.”- D.T.

So my fellow readers, what do you think? Do you think it’s all in your head? Do you think that anyone can quit a bad habit if they want too badly enough, or do you think it depends on the habit? Is quitting soda, coffee or nicotine easier than quitting heroine, cocaine or painkillers? Why or why not?

I don’t have the answer, but I do know that with all my physical symptoms from quitting soda, the thing that keeps me strong through the day is constantly reminding myself that I don’t want it. That what I want more than anything else in the world is for it not to have control over me. (And that I will most likely drop at least 20 lbs in time for my sister’s wedding)

“I just try to keep my mind busy by doing as many things as possible with my free time so I don’t have to think about it. That got me through the first year.”- M.L.

A good question to ponder is how do we protect our youth from forming bad habits and taking on addictions?  In my personal opinion I think that an active child is a healthy child and not just in the physical sense. Keeping their minds active as well keeps them from wanting to stimulate or dull their senses in other ways. I’ve always thought that if you don’t find a hobby, sooner or later, you’ll find an addiction. After all, idle hands are the devils workshop.

What’s your poison?

Interview with Photographer Tim Rice

How long have you been doing photography?

My taking of photos has phases. My first phase would have been when I was a teenager and I did not have what I only knew to refer as “A Real Camera”. I had Polaroid, 110 and disc camera, I think I even got a cheap 35mm Minolta with a fixed lens but I knew I wanted more, they would not do what I wanted them to do. When I was 18 my (future) wife got me a Pentax K1000 and with that first roll everything changed. I was in control and could make the camera see what I saw.

Again, that was only the first phase; the next was when I owned a One Hour Film Lab. I took pictures all the time, it was easy since I had the means to print everything I shot, but I eventually sold my shop and went to work for Kodak when the world started to go digital. I was not ready to give up on film, but I really felt film had given up the fight against the new technology. Especially Kodak, they laid me off and that was the beginning of the end of a great company. That is about that time I put the camera down and did not take many photos (at the volume I was used to) for a couple years.

Now I am in my ‘daily pic’ phase, in the mid 2000’s I gradually got back into photography. I purchased a few Digital SLRs, started to play and learn how to make it see the way I wanted it to, in 2009 I sold most of my equipment and bought my first Nikon DSLR a D80. I discovered Adobe Light room software and I joined Facebook.

These things started the path I am on now. I saw people sharing photos online and became inspired again. My birthday is October 1, so I had decided I wanted to participate in the social sharing. So I started a project of taking a photo each day and posting it on Facebook starting on my Birthday. It helped shake off the rust, I learned the camera and I challenged myself to keep it interesting for those that followed it. 30 days was up and with the encouragement of friends and family I decided to go to the end of the year… it never stopped, it has now been over 1200 days. The photos have moved to my website where I share them to a fairly large audience on Facebook, Flickr, twitter, and other social sites.

 

Did you go to school for it or are you self-taught?

I took photography classes in college; black-and-white, color processing, composition, the standard classes. After graduation I actually returned to the school as an assistant instructor and taught Adult Ed courses for black and white at night.  Since then, I honestly don’t know how many books I’ve read on the topic, countless blogs, different photography groups and just experimentation.

 

What type of photography interests you the most?

I would label myself as a generalist; I really will photograph anything. I get many requests for portraits of families, kids, and group shots. I shoot events, weddings, and bar mitzvahs; lately I’ve been shooting more and more product shots for business websites. As for the “daily pic”, well that can really be anything, landscapes, still life, I guess I would have to say macro photography especially with the toy shots has become something I’m known for.

Do you have any inspirations/influences?

Inspiration comes from everywhere.  I see photos all the time.  Taking a photo everyday I am continually looking for the next shot.  I have a running list I keep on my phone of ideas and locations. As for influences, for the longest time I avoided looking at other people’s work.  I did not want to copy or mimic anyone, eventually I got over that and really enjoy scanning Flickr and 500px for shots.

For famous photographers I would go with Vivian Maier, and Arthur Fellig better known as Weegee. They both were street photographers in their own way.  Vivian is a classic American story that I recommend people check out and Weegee was both a photojournalistic genius that created stunning black and white images. He was also a crime scene photographer.

The first time I ever saw his work was on the cover of George Michael’s album, “Listen Without Prejudice”, just a sea of people standing on the beach at Coney Island.  I could look at that photo for hours picking out different pieces. I am in awe of both their works considering the technical limitations of their times.  We take for granted Photoshop and megapixels, when their images where taken with film and many times were the only shot they took.

Can you name your favorite photo of all time taken by someone else? How about your favorite one taken by you?

That’s really hard; I am a sucker for great black and white street scenes, like the Weegee beach scene. Really, anything that draws me in.  I look at a lot of photos really fast. The photos that make me stop and back up are few and far between. Those are my favorites.  Photos that make me think how did they take it? Or what were they trying to share?

As for mine, I do not think I have taken my favorite photo yet, but I practice everyday.  The closest I have come is a Black and White I took of my wife while she was sitting in a car 20 years ago. I shot it in the mirror on the visor from the backseat and I am in the photo.  It is not my best, but I love it one for the content and two it was a moment where I realized how to make the camera see what I saw.

Where can someone learn more about your work?

You can find me at timricephoto.com.

There you can see samples, services, and the sign up for the “daily pic” blog.

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