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About Me Member General Digital Photographer ElucidarianMale/United States Recent Activity Deviant for 1 Year
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Mon Apr 6, 2009, 11:17 AM
I attended more of the recent Writers Conference at UND this past week than I have in years. It was time to get more connected. I had the chance to interact with Chuck Klosterman at both his reading and later that evening during the John Little Tribute at Whitey's. While I had only begun to read his books, what he had to say (and his way of saying it) affected me with a hopefully permanent new kind of confidence.

I asked at the reading if he'd ever encountered the question, in writing of his life in North Dakota, "who would be interested in this?" His answer was simple, in his entertaining manner of dissemination. He told me he writes the books that he would want to read, and I should do the same for myself.

I wondered what circumstances make this so profound to me. It's not unlikely I might have come across this notion before or could have come up with myself. I suspect the perceived authority of hearing it from a celebrity of pop cultural commentary, someone only four years older than me with shared experience as a small town North Dakotan, and a variety of factors more than I can expound on right now, made him the man for the job.

I've always been a self-conscious entertainer. Since writing papers and performing in speech and theater in high school, I've been taught me to know my audience. Basic social etiquette relies on reading people in order to behave appropriately. Somewhere along the line, I got wired to respond to the whims of others, often placing my own interests as secondary, alternate options. I don't completely ignore my impulses, but where the opinion of others is concerned, I've been too willing to take a back seat.

It's like I tricked myself out of ambition.

I feel different now, in all my creative endeavors. The road to achievement seems less riddled with contingent criticisms and doubts about my ability to discern the value of my own work. It's still a concept I need to nurture, but it's a start. So, thank you, Chuck Klosterman, for appearing as the catalyst I so needed.

  • Mood: Pleased
  • Listening to: http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh34409736130055894

deviantID

I'm skirting the boundaries. While I wouldn't shy away from admiring or purchasing a striking piece of photographic art, it still seems like there is too much "photoshop" and too little photography for my liking. I recognize that the right camera and lens do make a difference, and I'm competing with a wide range of capabilities among a growing base of practitioners. Ultimately, I think of myself as more of a photojournalist than an artistic photographer, in the sense that I don't want to juice up the images with much more than what materializes when I snap the shutter.

Devious Info

  • Current Residence: G-Forks
  • Interests: Local Photography, Storytelling, Sustainability
  • Favourite movie: About Schmidt
  • Favourite band or musician: The Decemberists
  • Favourite genre of music: Indie Rock
  • Favourite artist: Rebecca Guay
  • Tools of the Trade: Nikon D40, Picasa

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Comments


:iconchanchez:
Thanks for all the favs,, Brian. :hug:

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Blue on Blue
:iconchanchez:
Thankyou for the feedback on my photos, I really appreciate it.

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Blue on Blue
:iconchanchez:
Thankyou for the fav, friend!

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Blue on Blue
:iconchanchez:
Thank you for the favs my friend! Its wierd,because Ive probably past you in Hugos or the mall at one point, or maybe on the street lol. Keep takling those sweet photos, ok!

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Blue on Blue
:iconfogke:
:heart:

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Canon eos 400D
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
:iconchanchez:
Hey man, thanks for the favs, it means alot to me!

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Blue on Blue
:iconchanchez:
Hey thanks for the fave!

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Blue on Blue
:iconlike--a--fox:
Hey there, thanks for the watch buddy! You can be sure I'll be posting more G-Forks pics in the future. Maybe I'll bump into you by chance out there.

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"History would be wonderful thing - if it were only true."

- Leo Tolstoy
:iconcornlord:
Thanks for the :+fav: Interesting to see some other shots around town.

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:iconkramer:
yo, nice to see another G.F.-er.

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Photostyle.efx2blogs.com

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