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Confession of a squid

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Alden

Member
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Joined
Dec 20, 2007
Messages
313
Location
Wyoming
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I suppose I should introduce myself properly, but be warned I don’t have the capacity for a mature easy going hi ya’all.

I did the high school yearbook thing, went to Brooks, and disintegrated.
I split into a hybrid art/journalist/documentary type and went against the grain of the school and in many ways did not learn my craft. Then with a headful of myself I went straight to New York and fell into a frozen bay. Three different New Yorks, one LA, and one Seattle apt./portfolio/assist screw up later and I GreyHounded myself home again with nothing to show
for it but mental health?

I then decided to become an alcoholic painter, and basically
dropped out. By the time I woke up and thought I’d better get back in there,
studio’s were computerized and expensive beyond my means. I was too old
to fit into the scene of upstarts, and too broke to compete with the big guys.
I know, excuses, excuses.

And so on, and so on. I shoot tons of stuff, but it lacks originality. The
best thing I ever did was in Calcutta. But most of my things in the states
are ho hum landscapes, somewhat improved by shifting away from Ansel
and more toward Robert. I did pyro for two years, and went back to D76
for the whites. I prefer 5x7 over 8x10, so I can enlarge and actually see
the reason I carried the thing. No shows have ever panned out, thousands went into thin air shooting stock, and the only reason I think I keep doing
this darn thing, truck is loaded with 4x5, 5x7, 6x9 for tomorrows cross country skiing foray into yet another stupid snow and rock picture, is that
it’s all I’ve got. The bottom line for me, is that I simply don’t try
smart enough. Hard work is foolish without channeling good ideas into
works that stand out, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll actually apply myself
one of these days.

There. Now you know what a 51 year old teenager sounds like. Oh, and
another thing. That avatar is Hans Arp. I’m looking like that a little more
everyday.
 
Nice intro...and welcome

I'm looking a bit like Hans as well..
 
Hi Alden, welcome from a 49 yo teenager!
 
A belated welcome to a late intro; too much of what you say cuts quite close to home here, but never mind I started a new career (about the fourth I think) at 55, so you have plenty of time yet.
 
welcome

i thought you looked like hans arp, but i wasn't sure :wink:

don't forget to have a little fun !

john
 
Welcome Alden. I can say that being a member of APUG has helped motivate me a lot, has taught me a lot (especially about vision), and I'm finally becoming focused in my craft. I hope and believe it can have the same effect on you, if you want it.
I'm only 36 and wasted two careers so far. Nothing like starting (over) late, but it can be done.

- Thomas
 
Sounds like you're gonna fit in just fine. Welcome!

Joe
 
welcome and thank you for such an excellent introduction.
 
Hi Alden, I too see a lot of myself in your intro. I went back to University last year at 46 y/o, I'm the oldest in the class but hey....
Look forward to seeing your photographs.

best wishes
Tony
 
Hi Alden, wasn't Brooks great? For an even better one try on Art Center. There they take a sword and cut you off like a bamboo shoot if you go against the grain. I got enough of that in the service. I lived in Wyoming for two years as a kid, 12, and learned a lot there, land, farming, snakes, square dancing in the schools, it was really quite fun, cowboy duds with snap buttons, big belts and boots. No TV or radio, just a windup record player and the old disks. 48's, 68's, I forget now.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi.
 
Hi Alden, wasn't Brooks great? For an even better one try on Art Center.

Almost went to Art Center. I used to think that Brooks should be brought up on charges. I could teach in 2 1/2 months what they stretch out to 2 1/2 years, but ultimately you have to take responsibility for your own education. I advise against paying a photo school, especially if you're going to miss out on a real college education, and you don't even get up to date business practices. Successful people in any field are self motivated and aggressive learners. I vote that a photographer can be self educated and florish, yet look what the art world has done to aspirants. They're now expected to have masters degrees. This so they can swallow whole the postmodern dogmas of the gallery system. But no sour grapes here. Innovators always set their own pace.
 
Don't feel bad, I've got almost 5 more teenage years on me then you and I'm still farting around with trying to put together a portfolio. My money days have come and gone and if it wasn't for the fact I'm handy and can repair things (thank you GOD) I'd be starving. I think what people like you and me need to do is quit shooting general bullshit landscapes and choose a subject, any subject and shoot it to exclusion for a year. This thread on personal projects might get your motor running: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Nice to meet you btw.
 
18 'till I die... Glad to see there are a few more 50+ year old teenagers here besides me. Thomas -I'm on my third career and it's the best one so far (they've all been great).
 
Welcome Alden! Your avatar looks a bit on the young side to me. (I'm 73 and still a pupil).
 
Welcome to APUG, Alden. I have very much enjoyed the threads you have started.


J
 
Almost went to Art Center. I used to think that Brooks should be brought up on charges. I could teach in 2 1/2 months what they stretch out to 2 1/2 years, but ultimately you have to take responsibility for your own education. I advise against paying a photo school, especially if you're going to miss out on a real college education, and you don't even get up to date business practices. Successful people in any field are self motivated and aggressive learners. I vote that a photographer can be self educated and florish, yet look what the art world has done to aspirants. They're now expected to have masters degrees. This so they can swallow whole the postmodern dogmas of the gallery system. But no sour grapes here. Innovators always set their own pace.

I couldn't agree more, I had a University Degree when I headed to California and ACCD and Brooks, I think Ernst Brooks Senior probably had a good thing going and maybe Art Center in the beginning but what they evolved into is questionable. Thousands of dollars to learn how to load a film holder? I remember the grumbling of the students at Brooks. They all wanted to know when they would be getting on to the real stuff.

Art Center reminded me of a convent where if you step out of line a nun would rap your knuckles. They had some real harsh rules. I remember moving back home and going to an outlet store to drop off some film and found that the automated film operator was a Brooks graduate. How much film, paper, and workshops etc. can $50,000 to $100,000 dollars buy?


I wish you the best photography and living in the new year, keep taking those pictures and enjoy being young at heart.

Curt
 
Welcome to the group, Alden. You near Jackson Hole? I have an uncle that is an attorney in that town. Anyway, welcome.
 
Welcome Alden, I sure would love to see some of your work posted here. Thanks for the inspiring intro:wink:

Regards,
John
 
Alden - welcome from western Massachusetts.

gene
 
SLAP!

:smile: :smile: :smile: :smile:

Murray
 
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