On Assignment: Asheville, North Carolina-Day Five

"Tie Your Shoe" by Wes Aldridge

Today was the voyage home. Tired. Worn down. Sleep needed.

Always remember to tie your shoes.

On Assignment: Asheville, North Carolina-Day Four

"Rugged Fiddler" by Wes Aldridge

Well, my analysis of Asheville... I love it here. Everything is free and accepted and people are their own people, no matter how far from society's norms they stray. A great T-shirt that I saw gives a great summary: "ASHEVILLE where normal is weird." I really enjoyed this place and felt perfectly at home.

This is a shot of one of the many street performers I saw here. She was incredible and I think I almost fell in love. if you know me, the girls that I go for are not exactly like this one: Blonde, raggedly dressed and with armpit hair. No, I generally don't go for the earthy ones, but this girl was incredible.

She played an accordian from the 1930s and a violin. I can't really describe the music except that it was enchanting and almost dark. It kept me mesmerized while I listened. It made me want to shoot and shoot and shoot. So I did and here she is, as happy as she wants to be.

On Assignment: Asheville, North Carolina-Day Three

"Strained In Glass" by Wes Aldridge

Well, I decided to go with another shot from St. Lawrence tonight. Not because I didn't shoot anything else today that wasn't good, but because everything I shot today is no more.

I had 128 photos on my memory card and when I got back to the hotel, they were all corrupted. When digital photography files are corrupted, then you have no more photos. That really sucks for me. Oh well, I really love this stained glass. I couldn't decide between it and the shot of the candles I posted last night.

So here is a look at what last night's shot could've been.

On Assignment: Asheville, North Carolina-Day Two

"Flickering" by Wes Aldridge

Today was another long one. I love it. I walked all over Asheville today and eventually ended up at the Basilica of St. Lawrence. I thought the prayer candles were great when I walked in the door. Moody. Cool.

On Assignment: Asheville, North Carolina-Day One

"A View In The Big Truck" by Wes Aldridge

Today I drove the Coach and myself to Asheville for a shoot for a few days. We were in a huge Ford Expedition so we could carry all of our photo equipment. The drive wasn't bad at all. We had good laughs and conversation and I really enjoyed the trip.

We had finished a shoot today and were trying to figure out what the next destination was for the following shoot. The Coach and I were getting into the Expedition and we needed to make room in the vehicle for the other members of our group (that had drove to Asheville in a serparate vehicle). As we were loading in, I was sitting at the helm of the Expedition and had noticed earlier that a drop-down wide-angle mirror was in the roof of the vehicle. I popped it down and took a semi-self portrait and group shot with my 50mm lens at f/1.8.. I like it. Sybil is scheduling something for the trip on her cell phone in the background and the Coach is being straight-up chill with his shades on in the passenger seat. It was simply a true moment in our present reality.

I feel good about this trip and the group we are with. I think things are really working together and feel like an important part of a team on this assignment. It is a stark contrast to the normal photo shoots we do out on the road all alone. It is great to be with another photographer, who is pretty damn good, and assist on his portrait shoots and learn the mannerisms of his photography. I think this trip will be a great expansion and enhancement for my photographic skills... and it also looks to be some fun too.

Tainted Walls

"Red Sea" by Wes Aldridge

The horror of a red splattered wall. What happened? When? How?

We don't know. We don't care to know. We don't fear it. We don't even trust it and we surely don't believe in it.

So, we wonder about it. Think. Analyze. Try to see the truth through all the smoke. Can we? Will we be able to find it? Cna we possibly look hard enough and never find?

Yes.

Where's The Metal Sheep?

"Steel Wool" by Wes Aldridge

Steel wool with a flipped 50mm for macro with a bounced flash.

Stop and Smell

"Sweet Roses" by Wes Aldridge

Tonight was the final episode of Sex Feet Under. I have to say that it was probably one of the greatest television series ever created. Some people look at that series as a show about death and morbidness, but that isn't close to the point. I think watching it really was an affirmation of life, love and family. It was pretty uplifting and an incredible journey to feel a part of. I wonder how long before the box set comes out?

The End of an Era... Let the Party Begin

"Free to Roam" by Wes Aldridge

Today was spent in south Alabama. There were many angry animals surrying about. We swerved and dodged them and they had the Fear.

Actually, today is a monumental day. Hunter Stockton Thompson's creamated ashes were shot out of a gigantic cannon on his farm. He was my hero and the sole reason that I became interested in journalism, and eventually picked up a camera. Tonight, we pay homage to this incredible life force with Wild Turkey, Chivas Regal, Monte Alban Mezcal and anything else that comes about in true Gonzo fashion.

If you don't know of HST, pick up a novel of his, perhaps "The Rum Diary" or "Better Than Sex," or you could always go for his cult classics "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" or "Hell's Angels."

"There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. Some kind of high powered mutant never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die." - as said by Raoul Duke about Dr. Gonzo in "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," written by HST

On Assignment: Sherman, Texas-Day Five

"Warm Monuments" by Wes Aldridge

I spent 13 hours traveling today. Wake at 3 a.m. and get to Nashville at 4 p.m. I am beyond tired. I had dinner with an old friend and we went to the Nasvhille city cemetery. Some markers were so old, the dates had been erroded off of them. The end of the day in the cemetery. Wasn't I around one of these places last night about the same time? Strange how things come about.

Goodnight.

On Assignment: Sherman, Texas-Day Four

"Mother In Mourning" by Wes Aldridge

Right now it is 10 p.m. on my final night in Texas. I am beyond exhausted. I had mega amounts of photography to do today. The temperature was still hovering in the mid-90's at 6:20 p.m. tonight. I ran hardcore today. I shot this entire magazine in three days, and I think it is one of my best to date. I am pretty excited about it, in all honesty.

Something I am not as excited about is I just set my wake-up call for 3 a.m. My flight leaves out of Dallas at 7 a.m. Dallas is an hour-and-a-half drive from Sherman. The rental car facility is located about 15 minutes from the airport. Factor in time to shower and gather my belongings. Then, of course, the Friday morning airport rush. After my two-and-a-half hour flight to Milwaukee, I have a four-and-a-half hour layover before I board the plane to Nashville. I should land around 3:30 p.m., if everything runs smoothly. But, as I recall on the trip down here on Monday, there were multiple flight delays and an extended layover on the majestic Midwest Airlines. Yeah, tomorrow is guaranteed to be pure and utter Hell. But when I get home, I will be more than ready for the weekend to chill out.

This shot was the product of me scampering frantically to find anything to shoot against the dusk-filled sky. I happened to be driving by a cemetery and thought some kind of monument would work for a silhouette. Here she is, sad eyes in the sky.

On Assignment: Sherman, Texas-Day Three

"Five Gone" by Wes Aldridge

This one was powerful. I was driving down the highway and I looked over and saw these five brown crosses sticking out of the ground. I knew they stood where some people had died. I have seen roadside memoriams hundreds of times in the past. They have always intrigued me. I needed to take a closer look.

I parked and walked upon the scene. The ground was scorched and black for a good thirty feet in close proximity to the crosses. Small pieces of charred and twisted metal were scattered in the ashes. The scene told a silent story of destruction and I know the car accident must have been beyond terrible.

It was akward just standing there. It was the prologue of a great tragedy in so many people's lives. I struggled with making this shot. Moral concern tugged at my mind. I wanted to record this moment in my life with a photograph, but at the same time, I didn't want to cheapen the meaning of those crosses standing in the tall Texas grass. I decided to shoot.

I laid flat on the ground, careful not to disturb any of the ashen metal pieces that rested in the patches of blackened earth. I put the camera on the ground, forcing my right cheek to touch the ground as well... and click.

I decided to show the serene beauty of the situation, rather than show the burned ground and the sadness that it testified to. I feel like I properly handled this shot in a delicate manner.

On Assignment: Sherman, Texas-Day Two

"Lonliest Tree In Texas" by Wes Aldridge

After a day chok full of Texas-sized thunderstorms, the sun somewhat broke free from the clouds for a couple of minutes. Just my luck, I am out in the middle of nowhere checking on the direction a building is facing so I know when the sun will shine on it. There was nothing around... or so I thought.

I look over in this vast field beside me that seemed to never end. Standing there, all alone and weathered from the scorching Texas heat, I saw the lonliest tree in Texas. In its battered and worn down state, I thought it was beautiful. I popped out the Canon and rolled the passenger side window down and clicked a few frames. You know, I felt like those frames actually meant something to me. I can't put my finger on just what it was, but it felt wholesome and even a little stirring inside me.

I didn't get to shoot much today, but I think the assignments I completed were pretty golden. And now, lonely ol' me has my own lonely ol' tree to share it with! Once again, my camera was the one by my side. She doesn't fight or complain. She acts a little jittery in her old age every now and again, but for the most part, she is pretty good to me. I love her. She is my companion, and we were able to share a moment in time with this lonely ol' tree.

On Assignment: Sherman, Texas-Day One

"Unicard" by Wes Aldridge

For all of those who think us traveling fellas back in the photo department have simply got it made... let me share a little day in Photo Hell with you. I mean to make you laugh and its meant with a grain of salt in some points, but today honeslty really blew.

Being the good little traveling photog that I am, I get to the Nashville airport about two hours ahead of my flight this morning. I get to the ticketing counter and the Midwest Airlines ticketing agent tells me that my ticket hasn't been paid for. I stand there stunned for a few seconds while I stare at the printed online reciept that our accounting department gave me. One key phrase really jumped off the page at me: "This is your reciept. Thank you for your purchase." After arguing with the guy for a few minutes, he told me to call my company and double check. That would be great if it weren't 7:15 a.m. and anyone was actually at our office at that time. So, I have to disturb the bossman on his cell. Sure he appreciated that one. Anywho, he told me he would work on it and try to get something figured out about it. In the meantime, I proceed to argue with the ticket agent. I ended up fighting with him for 45-minutes, when he finally got someone from the reservations department on the phone at Midwest. He then said, "Oh, ok, you're fine." I almost lost it, but kept cool and just cursed the guy under my breath for his incompetency. I said thanks and headed on my way.

I get to the gate and make a few calls to schedule photo appointments and about 20-minutes before my scheduled departure time, the voice came over the loudspeaker and said there will be a slight delay with my flight. My curiousity go the best of me and I had to ask the Midwest reps how long the delay was expected to run. They said, "Oh, about one-and-a-half hours. Shoot me. I do the time and finally get on the plane.

I get to Milwaukee for my connection where I have about a two-and-a-half hour layover. Come to find out, this flight is delayed too. So, I was in Milwaukee for close to four hours. My flight finally departs in route to Dallas-Ft. Worth. Wouldn't you know it, a jolly little child kicked the immortal crap out of my seat from behind for the entire trip.

I land at DFW and go through the normal "find the carousel with your bags" fiasco amongst a horde of people. Then, off to find the rental car counter... which is in a remote location from the airport. I board a shuttle with all my gear and luggage, packed like sardines in the standing room only bus, and kill another 15 minutes with the trip to the rental car location. When I get there, the waiting line wasn't too bad... only about 12 people in front of me. When I get to the counter, I identify myself and the rental clerk tells me there are no more of our company's standardly requested "mid-size" cars available. Thats funny how that works out sometimes. You make a reservation for a particular kind of car and then, I'll be damned if they just won't have one. I thought that was the whole point of a reservation, to guarantee what you want.

So the guy says to me, I can put you in a mini-van. I look him dead in the eyes and say, "Are you joking me? No, that isn't going to fly here." He fumbled around a bit and told me for $10 extra per day he could put me in an SUV. I said, 'Aren't you supposed to upgrade me for free if my car I reserved isn't here." He got this look on his face. Then said he would go ahead and put me in the SUV at no additional charge. Did he really think I was a complete idiot and that he could take advantage of me like that? What a jerk. I get the Suzuki wagon-thing and here is where the day really starts to suck.

I was driving through the dead center of Dallas en route to Sherman (about an hour and 20 minutes from the airport) in stop and go rush hour traffic. And then, it happened. The guy in front of me stopped and you guessed it, accident time. That was the last thing I needed today at 5:30 p.m. I was pretty shook-up, but I didn't get hurt and the only thing wrong with my SUV was a bent front license plate. The other two cars were a different story. Insurance information, yada yada, you know the drill.

I finally get into Sherman around 7:30 p.m. and try to find a map so I can shoot something at sunset. Huge black storm clouds roll over and I didn't get anything.

After a day like today, the only things I wanted right now were dinner and a Miller Lite. Buffalo Wild Wings surely had both. I go in and ask for my beer and the server asked if I had a Unicard? I asked her what the hell that was. Well, in Sherman it isn't enough if you have valid photo ID to have an adult beverage, you also have to fill out a card with your name, address, telephone number, etc., called a Unicard. It seems to be some form of evil extension devised by the Patriot Act, I am sure. Well I happily obliged and played the little game. I had my much needed Miller Lite and as you see above, I now have my very own Unicard to allow me to have a beer in the city of Sherman, Texas.

Thank God this day is over. I wasted the entire day traveling, no photography at all. What a totally screwed away day. A few more like this one and I might just laugh out loud.

Where Can You Turn?

"Dead End" by Wes Aldridge

No outlet. Nothing else. Just a piece of time in a place where the colors complemented each other and the elements of design were present.

When Enough is Enough

"Too Much" by Wes Aldridge

Tonight, holy shit, what a fiasco. After a year-and-a-half of nonsense with her, it came to a breaking point. Harassing phone calls in the middle of the night. Well, that happens pretty often from her. Tonight she was calling from someone else's phone. Too much, too much. Then, she ends up on my door step beating on the door. Too much, too much. Then when I open the door and very loudly yell at her to get the fucking hell out of my house, she stays. I call the police and she calls me a pussy. She comes inside my house and starts grabbing hold of me and shoving me. I put my hands up in the sky and stay away from her. Then she runs away and hides in the bushes. I talk to the police again. She runs past me and gets into her car... she had obviously been drinking, which is no problem until you endanger yourself or others by operating an automobile. I get behind the car to get the license plate numbers to give to the police and she backs into me, knowing full and well I was standing there. That is intentional assault, a felony charge. She then speeds off and a police officer pulls her over a few roads from my house where she had the opportunity to wear silver bracelets and sit in the backseat of a patrol unit.

Lets see. We have harassment, trespass/burglary and even assault. Now, it seems I have plenty of reason to file charges, and I have a year to do that under the Tennessee statute of limitations. I filed a police report, very thoroughly and I am considering the next set of options in this matter: Do I press charges on all, some or none of the charges or maybe file a restraining order? Jesus, after a fucking year of torment from the same female I sure as Hell should press for all its worth. I have much thinking to do, much. I can't believe I was put in the position to actually call the police. Tonight, I had the option to file these charges and have her taken downtown to be booked, but as much of an idiot as I am, I give her one more chance to not fuck with my life anymore. One more chance, then I will press all charges. No more toleration in my soul. Bless her heart. One more peep from her or anyone that knows her to me about anything involving her, and she will be a visitor in the Metro jail system of Nashville.

There is only so much a person can take before they say enough. ENOUGH.

Oh yeah, this is a shot of a huge flock of birds on a powerline system in Nashville. A little strange. Time for bed. Too much bullshit for one night.

Out of Nowhere

"Poles of Light" by Wes Aldridge

I was driving home through a rainshower after leaving work at about 6:30 p.m... long day. The sky was a mess and I knew I would struggle for a shot tonight, so I started to head toward The Village. As I was driving over the hill at Belmont University's parking deck, the sun suddenly dropped from behind hideously thick cloud coverage. It was magnificently big and beautiful. This wasn't going to last long because the sun was fading toward the horizon quickly.

Panic struck me. I needed something to frame this great sunset against before it got away. I looked to my right and lines of light poles on top of the parking deck were the tallest things around. It was time to get artsy.

I pulled over and threw my 1.4x teleconverter on my 70-200mm f/2.8 lense. I worked the angles for a matter of minutes and then hit this shot. I knew it was the one and joyful relief entered me because Friday night has finally began.

Bicentennial Splash

"The Kick" by Wes Aldridge

Today started to turn sour as I was leaving work and I started to feel like things were turning to shit in a suitcase... but I had my camera by my side. I decided to go hunt for a shot for the blog and race the setting sun. I went down with intentions to take a photo of the Tennessee Capital, but I saw some activity at Bicentennial Mall across the street. I get down there and a bunch of kids were running and playing in the water of the Rivers of Tennessee Fountains in the Riverwalk. Nothing better than seeing life flowing through kids having a great time, running around trying to beat the summer heat.

Splash.

At The Fair

"Teetering Above" by Wes Aldridge

I shot the Williamson County Fair tonight. It was the first time it happened in 55 years. This was the Ferris wheel.

Still Life Study

"Little Money" by Wes Aldridge

I wanted to do an experiment in macro still-life photography tonight by turning my 50mm f/1.8 lens around backwards to mimic the macro effect. I decided to grab spoons, a mirror, razorblades... anything shiny and relfective that would make it difficult to shoot without getting bad reflections from the strobe light bouncing off the object's surface. I decided on some dimes and quarters.

They made for an interesting subject because the words on the coins had interesting reactions as I shifted and tilted the lens. The edge of some of the coins had a drastic streaking effect as the depth of field changes by getting closer and farther away from my subject.

I am really enjoying trying to master such an unmasterable technique. There are so many inconsistencies with using the lens in this way and of course it is fun to see things that I photograph like this much larger than life.