More Lightroom Mobile Edits.
Really enjoying the process of learning how to edit on something new and I am still blown away by how much faster it is than editing on a computer. Excited to put this to use over the next month.
Here are some photos from Alaska in August 2017 edited this afternoon.
What can I learn today. Somewhere in the past year I stopped asking myself that question and it has done me a major disservice. I got comfortable forgetting how little I know. So today I took an hour to dig into some lightroom mobile a new extension of an editing software I already use. I am more of a photoshop guy but it is very slow and argues editing tool so wherever I can save time is a massive advantage. Why not just switch to lightroom.... Well my main issue with lightroom is that I am a big color manipulator and when I manipulate the color green in the trees to be more of a burnt brown it will also change all the other greens in the photo. Meaning a green car will turn burnt brown and I hate that. I feel like that is a very "instagrammy" style where you see the entire feed having all the same colors. That doesn't work so well with products which is what I have been photographing the past couple years. It also doesn't work well with skin tones either but none the less it is a very popular look. I prefer to keep certain colors as is especially if they serve a purpose in the photo ex. a red shoe. My other major issue with lightroom is that when I get an edit to look finished on my desktop and then send it to my phone it never looks quite right...but when I edit in photoshop then send to my phone it looks the same. Finally to my point I gave lightroom mobile a try and the absolute best part, is that the edit looks exactly the same because its on your god damn phone...
I don't know what causes the disconnect between computer to cellphone or from lightroom to my phone but it is rather annoying. I think with that being said mobile editing is the way of the future so I decided to stop avoiding it and if it can save me time and allow me to edit while traveling I will hopefully end up loving Lightroom Mobile.
Sample photos below.
I’m a rush writer after exciting times I smile
receiving love through emails
I’d embrace these new challenges
the only way I’d escaped depression before was to listen and reach out to new people.
What could a different person hold
New perspective, sometimes.
Mainly different life styles,
a chance to head in the opposite direction, for me,
but for you
you’re on my path following
That is the easiest way to get lost
following someone you can’t keep up with.
Any excuse to take photos. Even if it's not your favorite subject. You must be obsessed with the process of creating.
What you don't see.
I often here people tell me they wish they had my job. I wouldn't call it a job at all its more of an obsession, a fun one. A narcissistic one. A dance with subjects. What you don't see are the hours of researching, learning, editing, attempting to shoot but getting destroyed by the weather, and the frustrating days where you come back empty handed. The highs are really high in any creative medium but the lows can be tough as well. With that being said I wouldn't even begin to compare my lows to that of someone with a 9 to 5. I wake up write, shoot, post, and send emails nothing crazy just consistent. When it was warmer I'd wake up extra early to hit the local skatepark. Felt pretty crazy being able to skate everyday, as if I was fulfilling some sort of childhood dream and it made me very happy. There are tough days though and today was one of those days but it was fun. Trying to see familiar places in new ways and just get back to the basics. Having fun taking pictures. Pressure can ruin a lot. Im trying to work through it and continue to be a student.
Often I talk about the importance of community but I never really touch on the actual size of a community. I don't think people realize how simple it is to propose collaborations over the internet. If you have people in your area or in areas you are going to visit you should always reach out and try to work together. These Collaborations can and will lead to more serious work and if nothing else a fun day or a lasting friendship. The photos featured below were taken by my friend Beth an extremely talented photographer that I met while studying abroad in Australia.
Each time I visit cali I make it a point to visit here and grab lunch, take photos or just catch up. Along with being a good friend she has introduced me to several creatives in NYC and LA. A little friendship goes a long way. Don't seek people in order to gain from them seek people in order to give and connect. Don't be afraid to ask for help. A closed mouth doesn't get fed and this is a sure fire way to never become a part of a small community.
Happy Holidays
Atticus.
Wolcott, Ct
There is beauty in everything if you chose to look for it. There's also a lot of shit if you look even harder. Don't look to hard.
A good life comes from making hard decisions. If you avoid those decisions a good life will avoid you.
You'd be surprised what beauty you can find in your home town, on your daily walk, or on your drive to work. It's just choosing to notice and deciding to look that makes things beautiful. As much as it's easy to complain about where you live / grew up. If instead we chose to notice 3 things a day that are beautiful instead of ugly I think we could train ourselfs to be a happier people.
Begging ocean please come and drown these memories.
Over the past 6 years one thing that has become a frequent for me has been living in the "In Between." Whether it was before College, after college, before new jobs and even before moving to new places being in between can really fucking suck but it has always been what I chose to do in those in between times that has lead me to better freelance opportunities. Being in between allows for a lot of freedom don't squander it and waste it drinking with friends and playing video games.....I have been there. The summer of 2016 was a huge in between moment for me but I spent it taking photos, reading, and I decided that I would no longer go to bars for the entire summer. It saved me a bunch of money that I didn't have to spend. I ended up driving around the country shooting for a few clothing companies and on that trip I applied to a job in Italy which I was able to go to that October and try out for. I didn't get the job... but ultimately I was just stoked I got to go to Italy for 2 weeks all expenses paid. I learned a lot from these experiences and now that I am in another in between stage I find there is only one thing to do to get out of it. Shoot everyday, make a morning routine, Wake up early as freak, and exercise. Taking the easy road and choosing to have fun has never lead me out of any low point in my life. I don't know about you but I can't tell you how many times I have had a bad day so I tell my self I deserve Ice Cream then after eating the ice cream I feel like a pice of shit. If instead I had chosen to just run for 20 minutes or done anything productive over sabotaging all of my progress I would have felt much better about myself. Making those seemingly simple but difficult choses really build to your will power. There is no secret to it, slacking off and taking the easy road when your in a low point will only keep you where you are. If you are someone that is in a low, in between or shitty moment in your life, try doing the opposite of what you normally do in that situation and see how it takes you through your in between moments I'm sure you will be surprised how taking the difficult road always seems to make things better.
On that note here are a few photos from a brief photowalk today.
I know I am not on here often but I haven't stopped shooting.
I find it a bit more difficult to post on my desktop daily and unfortunately I don't have access to post on my blog via my cellphone.
None the less I am trying to rekindle this old habit and share photo stories weekly if not more frequently.
I really love sharing stories on here its a different experience than instagram. It feels slower more genuine and it connects to a very small group of people. I like the intimacy it creates.
With that being said I look forward to sharing more photo stories with you guys on here.
Best,
Atticus
Alaska
This Past Summer I took a 12 day trip to the Alaskan Interior with the School of Visual Arts. The assignment was to gather photos or illustrations of our time sent in Alaska with the goal of putting this work into a printed Magazine when we returned home.
I tried to go on this trip having no expectations but that seemed to be a lot more challenging than I expected. I did no prior research, I didn't even look at the itinerary or pack until the day before the trip. Luckily it worked out for the best and I met some great people but I don't think pre-organized trips are my thing.
Even with the effort of trying to avoid expectation you cannot avoid preferences and I don't enjoy not having the option to participate or not participate especially when it comes to taking photos or sitting in a bus for 12 hours.
I felt that in Alaska we spent a lot more time in gift shops, and in buses viewing this gorgeous state through glass more than getting dirty and feeling the grass beneath our feet.
Needless to say I don't have any plans of ever going back to school. The positive aspect of this trip though was having a deadline to create a printed Zine. Although it did not come out perfect it is a start. Below are some of the pages and some writing from my visual journal in Alaska.
Although I wish we did more on the trip I am just very appreciative that I was afforded the opportunity to see such an amazing state even if it was from a bus seat. Most people don't even get the opportunity to leave their home towns and for that I am grateful.
If I were to tell you a story about my trip to Alaska how would it sound, taste, and look like.
A visual story of my trip.
Not a travel guide highlighting the best parts about a place but an honest expression of traveling to Alaska on a budget, and a class trip etc.
Carb heavy tourist, bear heavy wide eyed seekers of life before death.
I'm an annoying man without distraction, constant motion and expectations plague me.
Before it heads into the vast we must worry, there are too many rules under a field trips watch.
Where have all the ruleless places been left for me to discover.
I need you.
Unadulterated seeking.
How can I find you tree fort surf escape.
Cliff jumping breakfast.
Empty skatepark.
Early morning photo walks.
Barbecues with best friends after long beach days.
Active life.
I haven't been posting on here for a few months after spending some time traveling this summer I felt it was more important to write in a journal rather as quickly as possible without worrying about grammar or writing errors. There is something freeing about just getting your thoughts down no matter how random they are and thats all I really did. This past summer flew by but it was a very slow summer for me as far as creating my personal work. I traveled the US for 30 days alone and with the time constraints and amount of driving I had to do it left me with little time to create and an ungodly amount of time to think. I realized so much this summer. Like what scares me the most is what I should be doing, that I am not getting younger, and the risks I desperately desire to take should be taken NOW. That NOW is the only right time to get anything done, and that done is always better than perfect. All this thought and on this trip and all the time to just drive and think made me miss one place...New York. After seeing most of this country, I only have 3 states left (Idaho, Montana, North Dakota) I have only grown more in love with New York. It's a city full of transplants and locals fighting to live here, to meet people, and to create a life of their own. There's no backyards, its crammed, smelly and dirty, but it's home. Whatever you put into this city it gives it right back to you ten fold. Traveling exposes your loves, and your hates and it's the best way to find your home. Get going.
Rough seas.
People should want to help other people. It's human nature. Were better together than we are apart. So it always baffles me when talented people become hyper insecure. As if people are trying to take their job. For example I love taking photos and there are photographers I really look up to. At times I have sought some of them out for advice, only the ones I know on a first name basis of course and all but one have been nice. It's like this one guy has a vendetta against me for no reason when I admire his work and respect his opinion, yet he some how finds a way to be a dick. It's clear he has some insecurity issues but none the less a good friend of mine helped me immensely with this situation. This may be obvious but kindness is the only answer. Whether it's a little kid asking you what camera you use or a celebrity asking for your opinion treat them both the same. Give insight to everyone because only the people serious enough to work their balls off will take your advice, and on top of that will will probably respect you enough not to come steal your job. We've all felt insecure when someone is hot on our tale with the skills they have obtained but I believe that if we work together with that person we can both push ourselves to the next level. There are no magic bullets to success, so no one needs to act like they hold the secret key.
Sometimes it just feels good to be alone.
Bad Luck.
I think what makes this photo great is that it needs no explanation. We can all relate to bad luck, like your stubbing your toe on your way to grab your breakfast except your still alive and didn't have to suffer for days on end in the desert heat stuck in a cattle guard. Yeah bad luck sucks but it happens to all of us.
Shit Happens.
Back in Ct after 30 days on the road.
I spent some time on the road in this country, seen and met a lot of people. The later more important.
The most prevailing observation from city to town in every state, community is no longer.
There remains some small communities but gone are the days of small mom and pop shops and small businesses. The people have voted they'd like the same Dunkin coffee and the same subway sandwiches in every state regardless of how shitty they are, variation is the enemy. We have the expectations of the perfect sandwich at all times yet we ignore that the ingredients of our sandwiches rely so heavily on the seasons and time yet we rush these things in exchange for profit then we wonder why we have some of the highest cancer rates in the world. Not all tomatoes ripen at the same time, care about your community support local small businesses and in return they will take care of you.
I can promise you, that the corporations you buy from will never give a cent back to you or value your endless years of support like a small business will.
NYC to Niagara Falls
Day 1 of my Summer 17 Road trip.
Stood atop of Niagara Falls yesterday around sunset on the American side.
Compared to Dettifoss in Iceland it is much bigger which really blew my mind. This was the largest waterfalls I have ever seen but the view from the American side wasn't the best because your essentially looking over the edge of a cliff behind a railing 20ft from the edge. Not exactly my style lol I'd much prefer to be sitting on the edge. That is literally the only complaint I could have about Niagara falls because it is an astonishing wonder to witness. It is a must see if you leave on the East coast of America where tall mountain ranges and natural wonders aren't really anything compared to the West coast. Not to mention it was very inexpensive, only $10 dollars to park for a whole day. Although I only spent 2 hours there because I opted for the 2 hour $6 dollar street parking. If you haven't seen Niagara Falls I suggest taking a weekend trip this summer.
P.s. If you Leave after sunset Canadian sand flies line the edge of the rivers in swarms that look like clouds of black smoke. I hit about 10 million of them on the highway...
