I moved my journaling to a remote area this morning I’m currently on a bench swing overlooking the mighty Reedy at Falls park- the most photographed area in Greenville. I spent my morning walk getting a little more intimate with my fujifilm I bought for myself earlier in the year. I’ve brought it out to play only two or three times since I’ve bought it. I’m taking deliberate steps to learn the basics of this camera slowly. I’m an impatient person when it comes to learning new things which can cause me to get frustrated and put my new toys down. Phone cameras are easy you only have to hold your phone and take the pic. Easy access to filtering and cleaning up the photos. By my standards I’ve managed to take some pretty solid photos with my phone. I love the art of photography, even better when it comes with a little story. I’m honing my eye to see things from a different perspective and lens. You don’t really have to think when you take a phone photo. Cameras are a little more deliberate even digital ones. I like to pause and ponder why I’m about to take this photo.

Why does it stand out to me?

Vibrance?

Color?

Artistry?

I love homes filled with photos. I don’t care if they are crafted inside professional frames or bent old photos stuck to your fridge by a magnet.

Every photo tells a story. I share mine through journaling all I want to do is add some visuals to enhance my stories. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and in January I said screw it and bought my Fuji film 30 max volume XT5 Tokyo Drift. That was a joke I can’t recall what model I bought I do know it has a series of Roman numerals and a GT or XT. Did I mention I’m new at this?

My morning was spent taking photos of neon signs around downtown. I’m a branding guy I love electric signs the older the better. Put me on a street with atomic midcentury era signs and I’ll stay for the day. My photography skills are dime store energy right now. Hence my inserted patience. I won’t get flustered it’ll progress with time and practice. My favorite thing to do when I get impatient with any new craft is to peruse pics my charcuterie boxes the first two months I was open. I cringed when I made them, I grimaced when sent them out. After about 100 of them my muscle memory sort of clicked and my hand and eye coordination started collaborating and working together. I stopped seeing it as food and it became geometry.

Shapes in a box

Edible jigsaws

Refrigerated legos

After that it was no longer how to put fancy food on a plate it became tiling a board with different shapes and pieces. Pick your focal points and freestyle the rest. I did that just yesterday with a 10 foot board. My “apprentice” Brody who does my boxes when I’m out of town helped me with my table yesterday. Normally I handle all customs and have him handle the big boxes. If you got a big daddy on a holiday real good chance he made it. I reckon he made about a 100 in December last year. The kid’s got good cadence and better knife skills than me. He’s patient too you can’t rush this type of work. We was one of my sous’ at Southern and LTO. He also works at Society. When I’m on vacation he’s Chad until I come back.

He’s never done a grazing table before. I’m slowly acclimating him so I don’t have to turn down a big catering if I’m out of town. He did all the side components for the table yesterday. He’s learning some good skills. I don’t intend on doing charcuterie into my 60’s. I’ll pass this along to someone when I’m done if they want it. It’s good money if you have the stamina. So far Brody has the most capability of making it his should that ever happen. His real name is Brady btw I’ve been calling him Brody for so long it feels weird calling him by his real name. His older sister used to nanny for our daughter when we’d go to the beach. She also helps with the deli part time. When you come across good people it’s healthy to keep them around just to make life better. I’d say both of them have done that and more.

Back to the camera.

I spent my early morning finger flicking tiny camera dials in different lighting while wrapping my head around apertures and the letter F. I’d switch back and forth to standard and auto I don’t want to get lazy or comfortable at one level. I self taught myself how to cook I think I can do the same with this.

I walked around DT with my mini Patagonia sling bag, headphones and camera bouncing around in my hand. I look ridiculous but my mind is pinging like “this fits like a glove”

My trail marker stamp of approval

This is the way

A nomadic vibe attached to self expression

It truly does fit me

Random thought -old school hip hop is a great soundtrack for morning walks. I’ve got 3rd Bass beat boxing with the sun rising on my backside.

“Herbalz in yo mouth” 🎶

The weebles wobble but I dabble in verbals

Some of you kids will never experience the egg shaped 70’s action figures.

Weebles, the armless and legless authority on tenacity. They may wobble at times but they’ll never fall. They do break if you throw them hard enough. I was a bit of a tyrant when I was little.

I’ll have to find another bench should I make a habit of this. Eastern sunrise is burning a hole in my right cornea. Time to move on.

Today will be spent close to home. No adventures today it’s a rest day and I intend on milking it for all its glory.

Peace ☮️