Fine art photographer’s guide to south Georgia

I have great plans for myself and a 4×5 camera this summer.
If you’re not quite sure what one those looks like, check the pic on my about page and that’s the camera I’m messing with.

Anyways, my plans include deciding on a few landmarks that are intertwined in my and emotional identification with this state. I really wanted to start on this project sooner but as always, school kept me busy.

If any of you Thomasvillians want to help me out with locations I’d be much obliged.

Heres what I’ve accomplished so far, not much but… its growing.

The Lapham Paterson House was built in 1885 as a winter home by a Chicago shoe merchant who got caught in the Great Chicago Fire. His doctor told him to move south on account of the therapeutic value of the pine-scented air. For safe measure, he had the house built with something like 50 doors throughout.

This is Maryland Fried Chicken, no one is allowed out of Thomasville without eating at least one meal. My high school graduating class and I ate here everyday for a straight week before leaving just to get our fix.
I’m not really sure at all what happened to this negative when I exposed it but I’ll be remaking this photo once I am home again.

On another note!
I will be walking in graduation this saturday (still have 2 summer classes to finish up though)! Some other grads and I are having a large sized family party out on Tybee island after it’s all over.
pictures may ensue…

Out takes from the farms

Just in case you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to this spring photo wise I’ll let you know a little bit.

For my senior project at SCAD I have been visiting a handful of farms here in Georgia and documenting what they are about. These farms aren’t just any old tired farms, they are small, family oriented, modern thinking establishments and everyone should be all up in their business!
When I feel its all ready, I’ll be glad to share what I’ve collected these past 3 months.

For now, I’d like to share a little gem from Sweet Grass Dairy in my little hometown, Thomasville.

have a nice weekend!

Jasmine on this side, honeysuckle on the that.

While taking the trash out behind my house today I realized its Jasmine season again. My next door neighbor’s fence is almost all covered up by jasmine vines and last year I’d make special trips out back just to stick my nose in it all.

One thing I love most about that plant is that the flowers wait until dusk to put out their fragrance, just in time to enjoy it after a hard days work.

and then
I see on the far corner of our fence a little growth of Honeysuckles cropping up! As much as I love the abundance of jasmine in this town, the sent of one good Honeysuckle flower if more than I can take, so amazing. I spent some good time harvesting honeysuckle nectar straight on to my tongue.

These events have made my night of work seen much more hopeful.
THANK you, Spring.

I don’t know how she has time for it

Through some web surfing yesterday I came across this super cool newsletter put out by… Gwyneth Paltrow.

Kinda weird, huh?

Well its pretty inspiring, she even has a few home cooking videos of her being very candid and funny in the kitchen.

I know my sister will l o v e this site.

It is nice to see a famous person caring about other people’s quality of life and sharing some philosophies.

I especially liked reading about some of her favorite children’s book in this one. I’ll be keeping those in mind for when I have use for them…

It’s worth signing up for, if nothing more than to say you get e-mails from an amazing actress.

Timber Timbre

Thanks, Bob for this new infatuation:

Their name’s play on words is clever but not to clever, timbre means –
In music, timbre (pronounced, like tahmber) is the quality of a musical note or sound or tone that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices or musical instruments.

I liked this line from their story –
“Timber Timbre front man Taylor Kirk is haunted by the history of pop music.”

I was searching for just an mp3 of “We’ll Find Out,” but ran across this really moving video instead –

Here is a not so great video (I couldn’t find just sound so just shut off the monitor to enjoy)… way to gimmicky. The song is much more simple and would have been better complimented by something more sophisticated.

Oh Messiah – Timber Timbre from Scott Cudmore on Vimeo.

Bekah got hitched!

This weekend I traveled home for the wedding of a dear family friend: Rebekah George got hitched to Forest Boone.

Rebekah and my sister Christie grew up together; and even though they loathed my existence half the time, I have a bucket full of fond childhood memories with the Georges (i.e: playing “lost children” in the woods, and having Christopher, Rebekah’s older brother, throw us over the fence like the ninja turtles).

I was so happy when Karla (her mom) asked if I would spend the day with the bridal party and document the hours leading up to the big moment. Since I’ve sold my digital possessions, Rick Groves, a church family member loaned me his 40D, it did a fine job.

I’ll spend the next week going though the 1,500 images I shot off in under 8 hours, but here is one gem I’d like to share with yall:

Have a nice warm day!

Farm visit

Last weekend Bernardo, Ethan (a very good friend of ours), and I went to the strawberry festival in Bloomingdale in search of fresh strawberry ice cream and various fried junk food. It was a really fun break from the regular college-y stuff going on in Savannah.

word to the wise:
picking your own strawberries is highly fulfilling and addicting.
also, pigs like strawberries. the little pink piglets in the pig race really appreciated me sneaking them the strawberries people dropped on the ground.

Here’s a picture Bernardo took of me and the most adorable berry of the day:

Ah!

I’m ashamed of the abandoned state I have left my poor blog in.
A lot of things have contributed to this neglect:
Spring weather
My really awesome documentary project I’m working on
Helping dear Bernardo move to Tampa
etc.

Never the less! I’d like to talk about the last installment of featured professors:

Zig Jackson
The time I’ve spent with Zig has been a unique experience at scad, his presence is calming and I feel compelled to be as honest as I can around him.
One thing I appreciate Zig for being is sensitive.
As a documentary photographer, you have a lot of responsibility to present a subject in accurate light to your audience, and the way you approach a subject is just as important as the way you compose it. If you don’t have passion for what you are making pictures of, it will be hard for anyone else to either.

I realize through Zig and his work that so much in this world is sacred and should be treated so.

http://www.zigjackson.com

The River

Found an old usb stick with this scan on it.

Thats my Dad and his aunt at my grandfather’s house on the river last summer. Such good times.

The picture speaks volumes

This quarter is my first encounter with Larry Dixon in the classroom. It seems everyone had an opinion, mostly negative, on him and his teaching style when I was choosing which Senior Project course to take.
I have to say, either photo kids are overly sensitive or Larry made some life changes over spring break, pretty sure its the kids though.
Everybody has bad experiences from time to time, but so far class has been inspiring, if someone isn’t attempting to push themselves Larry will call it out. He seems genuinely interested in our endeavors. “Why?” is always one of the best/hardest questions, thanks for asking Larry.
I am really pleased with the group of photographers in class with me, I can’t learn enough from my peers and I respect a lot of them (Here’s one new
friend

His website:
larrydixonphotography.com
On his own work:
“The meaning of any one photograph is dependent on the viewer’s willingness to project themselves into the depicted event.”

To keep things consistent, here’s todays catchy tune:
“Home” Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros