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Merry Christmas! Your plans in the New Year?
It's been a heck of a 2021 .. and I'm ready for some changes for the better in 2022. The pandemic has cause remote shooting to become popular with those brave enough to try it. I've not tried it yet, but I am "friends" with someone on Facebook AND on here https://www.modelmayhem.com/IrizarryGarza is the Queen of remote shooting! https://www.facebook.com/alexandra.irizarry.90 Alexa Michelle is so wonderful as a model and human being that I may just try doing a remote shoot with her or maybe I will get back to traveling and shoot in person like I'm used to. Speaking of traveling, I am fully vaccinated and still tested "postiive" for covid. That was about a month ago. I thought I had caught a "cold or flu" as the symptoms were mild. It had been 7 months from the time that I received my 2nd shot so I was on the brink anyway. I probably tested positive because I have been driving Lyft through out the pandemic. I got the booster a couple days ago. I feel good! Many of you may not know that my specialty in photography is actually in photographing live concerts, musicians as well as journalism at entertainment events and venues. Since I first started taking my camera to concerts back in 1979, I have worked for print media long before the digital age and Internet changed everything. Many of the musicians I have photographed have passed away since then, especially in the past couple years. My big brother who influenced my early passion for music also died November 20, 2021. My sisters husband also died this year, and I lost a friend to covid earlier this year. It's been a hard year when it comes to loss! I believe we have all felt some loss this year, and last year directly or indirectly due to the pandemic. Some of the members here have complained that "Modelmayhem is dying!" OR "Modelmayhem is not what it used to be!" I am going to disagree with the "dying" part. I think that the pandemic has greatly reduced the amount of in person model shoots. Certainly Modelmayhem has changed and is not what it used to be. All websites evolve and change over time. Most certainly Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter have changed too. I don't actually like some of the changes, but I am still using social media as much as I need to in order to continue my own business of photography and writing which requires my use of the Internet IF I want to be published anywhere. Websites like OMP and Myspace are still around although barely ... but I think Modelmayhem is going to be around for awhile longer. Thank you for being here reading this! If you can't tell from the number of postings and comments I have written in the past, I have been a very active member of this forum. There were a few times when I got brigged when I got too overly "vocal" about something. LOL ... If you've not guessed it yet, I have gotten a temporary ban on posting on Facebook. It makes sense that I would be delivering a Christmas Eve message here! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! Let's hope it's a good one!  Dec 24 21 01:59 pm Link I'm going to be released from Facebook Jail just in time for Christmas Eve! It is the third time I have gone down for a crime there, but this one was worth it. A dear friend of mine has a daughter I treat as if she was mine. Devina had posted on Facebook that her ex-boyfriend who had broken her arm in the recent past had also planted a tracking device in her car. She and her mom are not connected on Facebook. I had some very strong language about what I would do with the jerk who is stalking her, and how I would put that device so far up his ass that he would not be able to find it ... well I did apologize to the Facebook Gods. I admited that I should have told her to take the device to the police and file a report. Unfortunately there has been an increase of domestic abuse plus an over-indulgence in drugs and alcohol which in part can be blamed on the pandemic. Check on your neighbors. Tell your loved ones "I love you!" Show kindness every chance you get. Give the gift of time because it is priceless. Enjoy the moment! For those who celebrate "Merry Christmas!" and those who don't "Happy Holidays!" The feeling is that the New Year has for to be better! I got you covered! Dec 24 21 02:34 pm Link First, my condolences to you on the loss of your brother, and brother in law. For what 2022 brings, I am not sure. Unless things drastically change I think it will be a continuation of 2020, and 2021. I am doing a lot of drone photography and will probably continue with that. As far as MM, I’ve only been on the site since 2015. It probably has changed from what it once was, but I still find it as a good place to network. Happy holidays. Dec 25 21 08:27 am Link 63fotos wrote: Thank you. Waking up in an empty house on Christmas day is a heavy feeling of realization that nothing last forever. The house might be empty of any live beings but myself, but there are spirits here. I also see that this house is a treasure of physical memories that need to be preserved for future generations. There are hundreds of paintings, thousands of photos and other works of art to be taken care of. Dec 25 21 02:25 pm Link I'm sorry to hear of your loss of family over 2021 Patrick. It must be hard. Hopefully, 2022 will be a much better year for you and yours. As for the forums dying down - I'm only new here, but it has been fascinating dipping my toes in and going back through old posts to learn tips and techniques. You're right though, communities change over time - but that's not a bad thing. Maybe it'll pick up again in 2022, and people will be able to shoot again? I've been pretty fortunate this year - in my day job I work as a front desk manager at a local hotel - and I've managed to dodge covid so far. It has started creeping up to the far north of Australia since they opened the borders in early December however. I guess it's only time now - I'm just hoping that it doesn't negatively affect my friends and family. In 2022 I'm hoping to further improve my skills and follow happiness. Maybe I'll pluck up the courage to interact more here, rather than lurk haha! But ultimately I can't wish for more than that really (eh, maybe a lotto win would be nice too haha). Here's to 2022 being a better year for all.  Happy holidays!Dec 25 21 10:47 pm Link I'm very sorry Patrick, for the year that you had to go through. I hope, and believe, that 2021 will turn out to be a MUCH brighter year. Both for you and, hopefully, all the rest of us! Dec 26 21 10:56 am Link Thank you, KatanyaG! Actually 2018 was worse when it came to loved ones dying, as losing mom after dad had passed sometime before meant the realization that I am now an adult orphan. If you have one or both of your parents near you, hug them for me and you! Then Google the term "Adult orphan" to understand some of what I am feeling. The forums were the biggest attraction for me for many years until Internet Brands changed things up as to disallow politics and religion or anything else controversial to be posted. Now everyone including those of us who were once very active have gone on to argue / debate on Facebook!  Well that is just part of the reason things have died down a bit around here. It could pick up again someday, who knows? Maybe Facebook will go the way of Myspace and Yahoo Groups? You have my best wishes for the health and well being of your friends and family! Working at a hotel must be interesting! There are many other health issues one "could" waste time worrying about. Don't let worry steal precious time. I am happy to be triple vaxx'd now. I have never been harmed (that I know of) from vaccinations that I have had starting iin childhood. I had tested positive between getting the first two shots and then the booster ... I am sure that being vaccinated caused the symptoms to be so mild that it seemed like a mild cold or flu. Another advantage to vaccinations is lifting travel restrictions. I would love to visit Australia someday! So you are a Retoucher, but I would challenge you to pick up a camera and go shooting! There are many of us who started with one aspect, which later influenced us to try other areas of this industry. Modeling and photography both being popular, where as many of us do our own image retouching. I have been a photo lab tech back in the days when we shot with film. Now I shoot with film and digital. It's the best of both Worlds! There are no limits to creativity! I do believe that 2022 is going to have many wonderful events ahead! May we all find happiness in the New Year! Dec 27 21 06:29 pm Link LightDreams wrote: Thank you! (I think you meant 2022) Dec 27 21 06:29 pm Link While I have no experience first-hand of what you went through, I semi understand how you're feeling. I witnessed (and supported) my Dad after his Mum (Grandma) died from ALS - to this day he's still wreaked by it. They were very close. In a way it feels a bit of a shame that everything has moved over to Facebook - I left Facebook earlier this year for my mental health's sake - I miss the days of finding interesting groups and bulletin boards for all kinds of interests. You weren't tied into just one platform. It's kind of hard finding community without it (and for now, I refuse to go back to Facebook). I wouldn't be surprised if Facebook does go the way of MySpace etc - I know a lot of people my age and younger have already left the platform. Reddit sort of fills the gap in a way. I certainly agree with the statement that there are many other health issues one could worry about - some of them are far, far, far more terrifying to witness than Covid. Not to say that it's not horrible - it certainly is. Over my previous employment and personal history, I've witnessed some truly horrific conditions that I wouldn't ever even wish on my worst enemy. Working at a hotel certainly has some of its more interesting moments, that's for sure! As all jobs do though. I'd love to travel the world one day - sadly I've never left Australia. I'm waiting on my 3rd vax - as it was I had to beg my local doctor to let me have the jab before the Government even opened it up for my age group. Hopefully end of January, the beginning of Feb will see it happen. I haven't contracted it yet - but since the Queensland / New South Wales / Victoria border opened cases have exploded up here in the Far North. I do get nervy being on the front desk - if 2020 and 2021 has taught me anything it's that people will lie about anything sadly. I would like to pick up a camera and make really awesome artwork but I'm afraid… I'm really, terribly bad at photography! I had to do a photography module for my first year of university and failed it really badly (I also failed cinematography in my second year). I just can't wrap my head around composition and focus (and boy did it show on slide film) - it appears that I inherited my Mum's lack of photographic skills hehe. That being said though I'm hoping to buy a low entry Canon body next year just to experiment with - I do have an old Sony DSLR but it's on its last legs. I do enjoy using old 35mm and 120mm cameras that I pick up at garage sales though (I'm currently trying to find parts for an old Voightlander that I'd like to get working). I do love the look of film. Best of luck for the year ahead for you too Patrick  Dec 28 21 09:40 pm Link I'm hoping to break out of the funk and at least open My gear bag back up to see what I have. It's been a while since I have shot anything, Feb 2021 to be exact. My last experience was costly but not fulfilling, more of an annoyance tbh which made Me wonder why I was doing what I was doing. I think I'm ready to find My feet again. Dec 30 21 04:42 am Link Patrick, Thanks for sharing about the good and the bad! Really nice post. I'd love to see some of your concert photography. There's been some great concert photography highlighted recently, especially of musicians who have died. Do you have a website? (I'm off FB these days, so I won't see it if you post there). I started out shooting dance performances, and the difference in what I could capture then with film vs today is night and day! Take care from your neighbor to the north. Dec 30 21 10:52 am Link FIFTYONE PHOTOGRAPHY wrote: Best wishes to you in the New Year! Dec 31 21 02:29 pm Link matt-h2 wrote: Hey fellow Californian! I will be in Oakland through out the coming 2022 .. as I have a dear friend who is a talented model, musician, rap artistt, actress, TV personality and now promoting stylish berets. I'll send you a Friend Request on here ... Happy New Year! Dec 31 21 02:54 pm Link Why, hello there, Patrick, and Happy New Year! Great to see you on here again, and I am sorry to hear about your losses. *Hug* Ahhh...Facebook Jail. I've been in there so many times, but I think my uncle has me beat. Lmao. The 30-day sentences are brutal. I've gotten it for calling some nasty woman a cunt. One of the other times was for allowing some grown-ass man in a General Hospital Facebook group to bait me into a fight. One of my shorter bans was for commenting on a post "Dudes are fuckin' pigs." Like you, I'm vaccinated and also had Covid. What surprised me was that I was actually prescribed something for it...medicine called Bromphen. My son is getting his Pfizer booster this Sunday. Towson University (where he is a freshman) is now requiring students get the booster and have KN95 masks at the start of spring semester. I just found out the other day about Inked Magazine's cover model search, so I just entered that! January has been a bit of a stressful month. I was supposed to have surgery on January 4th, but the hospital has now rescheduled it TWICE because they're swamped with Covid patients, so all of us patients scheduled for surgeries have to keep getting these dreaded "I'm sorry, we have to reschedule your surgery again" phone calls. Now mine is set for February 25. Let's hope it can happen then! 2022 is the year I turn 40, and I plan to make it the best birthday yet. Jan 21 22 11:46 pm Link |
