Work+Play

The RIT summer transfer has been keeping me busy. It feels really good. While I have been I have been working to create lots of things, I have been playing too. This past Saturday night the "Photo Transfer Kids" went to a friend's roommate's party, like typical college kids. The nine of us instantly overpowered the seven people that were already there. This was comfortable yet oddly unstimulating. I didn't feel like talking photo this night.
In Los Angeles, when a college kid goes to a party, you only expect to know the people you came with, maybe a couple random faces in the crowd. Rochester is worlds apart. As more people arrived at the party, the more people knew each other. Conversations were started everywhere as old friends reunited. Soon enough, the summer transfer kids were the odd ones out, quietly chatting amongst themselves. We only knew each other and were not crossing any social dividers. I removed myself into the kitchen. From across the counter I observed. There is something truly amazing about staring into the eyes of human interaction. I became an outsider watching this phenomenon. It made me smile all over. Everywhere people were humming with laughter. Awkward gender interactions were mixed with nineteen year old sexual tension. Old friends told familiar stories while new friends were made. It was like watching a perfect moving photograph. Everywhere I looked flawless scenes of social interaction were being made. I am on the outside living it. My friends look over as I watch. I look through them, taking it all in. History is made. As quickly as it began, I let the moment end. I submerge myself back into the whirlpool of humanity. I become them, laughing awkwardly at strangers sexual jokes.

Postcards

Milk-Drop Coronet, 1957. Copyright Harold E. Edgerton

A postcard I picked up at the George Eastman House. I do not have a clue how he achieved this amazing color. This is a simple, beautiful photograph. Cheers to high speed photography!

My Class Portrait

Your bed is your most intimate, comfortable state. Through these photographs, I got a peek into my classmates most exposed state.


This was the final for my Photo Arts 4 class.
Image Copyright 2008 Graham Walzer

click to enlarge

Postcards

Oh dad, you are a funny man.

NYC

I'm going to New York City for the first time this weekend. I finished the first part of my three section course and we have a four day break. We are leaving within a half hour and I am really excited. I just know it will be fantastic. Hope your weekends are amazing too!

Family Love

My family has been sending me lots of love via snail mail and it is fantastic. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy for them. I love you all soo much!

Here is one my sister sent me.
(click to enlarge)

Busy Bee

Sorry I have been MIA, I went camping this past weekend and it was a blast. Then this week get started with on a full run. I did have a chance to ride my bike to Nate's house last night. It was really fantastic. Then sun was setting, the birds chirping, and a breeze-a-blowing. The weather here has been warm and humid, but I don't mind.. My favorite part of the day is when the clouds come in and a short rain drops down, cooling everything off.

Postcards

I bought a bunch of postcards at the Eastman House. I went there last week on a field trip with my class. If you are ever in Rochester, NY, stop by, it's worth your time.

This postcard is called:
Fay Ray X-Ray, 1993 by William Wegman.
I like postcards because it seems like a random moment that catches your eye. Obviously the company choses the cards based on their belief that it will sell. I am sure these ideas are based on a lot of things but I just like having a photograph I can actually hold. The quality is not the best but I get to tack it to my wall and admire its beauty.

Michael Hernandez

My boy Michael Hernandez from Los Angeles finally got a website up. Frankly I am blown away.
He did it all himself and an amazing job of it. He pretty much strictly shoots Polaroids. Go check it out.




PS. Mike, that little trick you did with the colored links is really cool.

A Summer Storm

     Thursday night we had school all day and once that was done we had a field trip. Once it had ended and the Photo4 kids were good and tired, we knew we had to go out. Skip to Nate's front porch on a sticky, sweaty summer night. While everyone complained and drank cheap beer, a giant smile began to rise out of me. The situation, the weather, everything felt amazing. I was alive and were kids again. I began to see lightning in the sky, but not a chance of rain. It was Heat Lightning they explained. This seemed to be a debatable issue. Not everyone agreed that Heat Lightning actually existed. Some said it was just a made up name for regular lightning (see Gatoraide's Electrolites). I can tell you that was lightning in Rochester was nothing like we have in Los Angeles, the rare occasions we actually see it. LA's lightning is bright, strong and it cuts the world in half, connecting the clouds with the ground. This so called "Heat Lightning" just brewed in the sky, flashing angrily without being able to express it's full fury. There was no thunder. The storm again could not shout it's anger. I was stupefied by this show of emotion. It was both beautiful and chilling. Was night going to explode into white light at any point? Of course, I was the only one who was so intrigued by this. Everyone else did not seem to notice. While I stared into sky, a faint rumbling sounded in the distance. Was this thunder? No, it was not. The sound got louder and louder until it was upon us. Rain! Within one minute, buckets of rain dropped upon us. Without warning, we were drenched. It was fantastic. The damp heat was being drowned by a cool refreshing rain. Within fifteen minutes the rain left as quickly as it came, leaving us with our cool wet clothes and an unforgettable Rochester experience. 

Random

Look at this cute little dog I found.
Her name is Piccina (sp?) and she is my sister's.

Lake Ontario

Saturday, after my first fantastic Rochester BBQ, the Photo4 kids headed to the "beach". This so called beach belongs to Ontario Lake. This was my first time going to a beach lake, let alone going to Ontario Lake. For us Californians, beaches have always been near the ocean. Although the "lake beach" looks almost exactly the same as a "ocean beach", there are a few fundamental differences. The first and craziest, there are no waves. Whats a beach with no waves?! This completely blew my mind. Without waves, a beach looks like a, uhh, lake. What gives? I expected a giant tsunami to appear in the distance, a humongous wave making up for the lack of other waves. The second difference was that there is no off shore drop off. People were standing quite a ways out, with water only up to their waists. This lack of depth combined with the flatness of the lake was a very creepy feeling. My senses were heightened and I felt like something terrible was about to happen. I was almost offended at the thought of this lake imitating an ocean. Who is this so called "lake"? How deep are you? How are you able to emulate my beloved ocean? Who do you think you are?

Although, Lake Ontario is quite beautiful and there is a small "lake breeze", it is nothing like a beautiful California beach. The relaxing purr of the waves crashing can just lull you to sleep. I don't feel right about just calling Lake Ontario's sand a beach, this implies ocean. It's correct title will be "lake beach". Just "beach" is reserved for California, in all is golden glory.

Haiku

I got this idea on a forum I go on. It seemed like fun. Here is my first try:
***Edit: OK, I admit, I didn't do the correct research. A Haiku has five syllables on the first line,
seven on the second, and five on the third. This isn't a Haiku at all, but I like it anyway.
I'll work on it.***

Late night
All alone
Completely happy

Postcards

This is another postcard I got from the SFMOMA. The photographer is Herb Ritts.
The way the hair, body and bathing suit are represented by shapes is soo good. All of the shapes seem to be graphically designed arrows, pointed towards her bottom. I just love this photograph.

Time is a flying...

It's already Wednesday?! I think of Sunday, and it feels like ages ago. Things have been really busy, but, I'll try and recap. I have completed a number of assignments. We wrote a biography, and shot an introduction photograph using digital 35mm. We also wrote a future autobiography and photograph to accompany that using large format, 4x5 "Fujiroid", film. Today we shot a still life in the studios using 4x5 chrome, positive film. Today's assignment was to buy 10 items at the dollar store and compose a still life with these, this was called, "The Dollar Store Daydream". The whole class has to re-shoot the bio photo to improve upon the things we talked about during the critique. While it does not seem like we have a lot of assignments, combined with class time, I'm booked. We get to class at 8am, work until twelve or one and have lecture at two. This break does not allow enough time to do anything besides eat. After class finishes at four or five, I go back to my dorm to let my brain relax a little. At about seven I am usually hungry and ready to eat. The problem is that dinner hours for on campus food are 4:00-6:00pm. The only option left for me is to bum a ride with someone for dinner.
Yesterday, after class, four of us went to the dollar store to purchase items for our assignment. Four turned to five, then six, as we ran into fellow students shopping for "The Dollar Store Daydream". Afterwards, we all decided to eat at Applebee's for dinner. I explained to them that on the West Coast, Applebee's is quite the Old People's diner but they brushed it off. It is quite the hot spot in Rochester. I had a cheese-infused piece of chicken, it hit the bottom of my empty stomach like a ton of bricks. Today I ate much better. Evan, Nate (another classmate/friend), and I went out to eat. After several minutes of intense deliberation, we settled on the "Dinosaur Bar-B-Que". It was a fifteen minute drive downtown. I must say I was more than a little skeptical. But after ordering the "Texas Beef Brisket" I left my appetite in the hands of a BBQing dinosaur. Surprisingly, it was delicious! The soup of the night was "Roasted tomato and onion" and combined with the seasoned fries, it was damn good. The brisket reminded me of Tri-Tip, which the waitress never hear of, was okay. Rochester Eating - 1, Graham's Stomach - 1, fair tie. I probably should be using my meal plan, but when Applebee's becomes hip and dinosaurs are cooking, you have to seize the opportunities in front of you.
It would be good if I could write about my actual classes, but once I am done with my school day, I don't really want to think of it any more. Not that anything is wrong, it's a lot of fun and work, my brain just wants to be free to ramble. One thing to mention is my teacher, Dan Larkin. He has been very helpful to all of the students and has organized some interesting field trips coming up within the next couple weeks. Well, until next time, peas and eggs.

Oh yeah,
OBAMA!!!

one more thing!

New Yorkers do not know what Smog Checks are!

This is crazy, they haven't invented smog here yet. Someone quick, ship some over from LA.

My first day of school!

Oh how exciting it was. I felt like I was in Kindergarten all over again. I was very anxious and couldn't sleep last night. Finally at around 2:30am I fell asleep. I jumped out of bed at the first beep of my alarm. I took a shower and was on my way to class. My class started at 8am and I was stumbling numbly to school when I noticed I was the only one around. I literally saw less than five people on the fifteen minute walk to class. I started to get nervous all over again. Would I be the only one in the junior transfer program? "I won't meet anyone and this whole summer quarter..." "...I'm lonely and depressed, waaaaaaaahh." Then I got to class and everything was alright.
The class was a cozy 15. Our teacher, Dan Larkin seems like a good college professor, complete with swearing and a receding hairline. He went over the syllabus and then had us all get into a circle. We introduced ourselves, explained we were from and each told a exciting experience that had happened in the last three days. After our introduction, we went on break.
Six of us wondered around campus, getting ID cards, and changing our food plans. Six turned into four and we toured the gym and underground tunnels before having lunch. I split away from the group to get my bicycle from a friend. I had it shipped to his house before I left LA.
After our boring afternoon demo, I hung out with another transfer student, Evan, that lives in the same dorm building as me.
Evan and I worked on our first assignment and then went to eat. For some strange reason, all of the restaurants, if you could call them that, close at 6pm. Lucky, for me, Evan brought his car from Connecticut and we went searching for food. We found the Pita Pit, think subway-but pitas instead of sammies. It was a good satisfying dinner.
Now I am back at school in the computer lab, no I still have not gotten my computer to work in my room. This will do for now. Oh, and today was a really beautiful Cali-esk day. Blue skys, white billowing clouds, and a cool breeze.

ps. here is a video of me and my room

Here now...

My mom flew into Rochester with me Thursday night to help me settle in. We drove to some of the Finger Lakes, visited Ithaca, saw Iron Man (very good!) and ate some good meals. I felt like we came to early because I am anxious to start school and I didn't want to hang out but it ended up being ok. We traveled the city a bit which helped me orient myself.
I am here at the RIT dorms for the Summer Semester. I have never lived away from Cali before (for longer than a month) and this is a very weird sensation. It isn't like I am living in my own apartment, its almost like summer camp, without the counselors. I am looking forward to meeting people.
I start school tomorrow at 8am. I couldn't get my computer working in my room. Apparently, I have to take it to the IT office tomorrow. I also need to get my RIT ID and go to the student store and get supplies. I am excited to go to my first class tomorrow.
I am sitting in the computer lab in the bottom floor of my dorm building without much to do. I checked Myspace, email, and a little Google reader to waste some time, but now what. Earlier the housing people said that there would be about 250 people in these dorms for the summer. Today may be a very boring day until tomorrow when I start classes.

Until next time....

ps, These are what I am watching on Ebay.