Staying poor is a mindset.

Day 232 of 365

Scarcity is more of a mindset than a reality.  People are poor yes. 
Some people are extremely poor but I believe what keeps them there has more to do with a mindset than our realities. 

I never believed that there weren't any photography jobs out there. 
Otherwise I wouldn't have gotten into photography but at times I've felt myself slip into a mindset of scarcity. 
When I was younger I worried what if someone doesn't hire me this month I will miss my bills etc. 
Once I realized there is an infinite amount of money in the world this fear has been so put on the back burner and business has been better than ever. 

There are enough jobs in this world for everyone. 
Maybe these jobs don't exist yet but then you can go make one. 
There is no excuse not to find work. 

I work about 2 days a month right now and I pay all my bills. 
Yes I write, edit, take pictures, and contact potential clients pretty much everyday but this is hardly work. 
Most of it is fun and the days I have shoots with clients are almost always extremely fun. 

I do not believe in competition, I do not believe in scarcity I only believe in quality and abundance. 

If you provide something of quality and exceed peoples expectations consistently you will live in abundance. 

Everything you want is out there. 
Go get what you want. 

Keep good friends.

Day 231 of 365

You are 1 part the company you keep and 1 part you.  It's a dance.  If you want to do more of something that your friends aren't into or aren't doing you need to find the people that are doing it.  Otherwise you will be stuck doing things you don't want to do and you will be something you do not like. 
 

Ex. If you hang with friends that never create anything on the weekends, or do anything other than drink you are going to find yourself never progressing in your free time. 

Although weekends like this are a blast, everything in moderation because what is daily will define.

Surround yourself with people that inspire you to do more and do better. 

Photographing the Catskills

Day 230 of 365

Spent the past few days in Hudson, NY photographing for Hudson Made, a company I have been a fan of for some time now.  Experiences like this remind me why I love photography so much. 
The privilege to try new things, like sheep cheese, good wine, fresh vegetables, and to do it all with amazingly talented people is a dream come true.  I never knew where a camera could take me but I don't fear that it will lead me down a dead end anymore. 
It has only ever opened doors not close them. 
So to whoever is out there contemplating going back to a safe stable career despite how much you can't stand it....fuck that. You can work part time somewhere to pay your bills.  
Life is really short marathon. 
It goes by way too fast but we need to commit to the race to make sure we accomplish our goals.
Make a long term decision to commit to what makes you happy. 

I did. 

Despite the tons of people telling me, that's a saturated market, everyones a photographer, my friend went to school for that now she's back getting her second degree, etc. etc. etc. 

I've never been happier with my decision to stick this out instead of going back to school or getting a "normal" job. 

If you want something bad enough you'll find a way to make it happen. 

How to be anything you want. Within reason.

Day 229 of 365

What's daily will define. 

If you want to be something do it daily you will inevitably become it. 
I have no fear that I will not be a photographer, fuck I already am but it took years of daily practice to get here I didn't buy a camera and poof. 
Whatever you spend your days doing you will become. 
Most people I know spend there days doing jobs they're just okay at or that they don't enjoy. 
There is no self awareness in that. 
What do you love and what are good at? 
For me that's the intersection I'd like to be at for my work.
A more than tolerable career and more than enough income.

Live before you die.

Day 228 of 365

Everyone always tells you life is short.  Yet for some reason, it still feels infinite.  We still smoke, drink, eat till were stuffed and ignore our bodies like they will last forever.  I mean I get it when you wake up it's all you have, it's always there. 
You are apart of this world and I find it essential not to just exist in it. 
I know for most people existing is great. 
Wake up go to work, live a noble humble life and provide for your family. 
I want to live a life I am happy to leave as a mark on this earth. 
When my time comes I don't want to be begging for more time. 
I want to have left it all on the table. 

This is why I am segregating myself from naysayers. 
These are the people you tell your plans to and their first response is how will you be able to afford that? that's going to be really hard... 
Well, no shit, if it was easy everyone would have it, or be doing it. 
No one ever left a legacy as a subpar accountant. 
It's what you do that's difficult, extra, or above expectations that makes you extraordinary. 
If you avoid everything that is difficult how do you expect to have a happy and fulfilling life? 
I know for me having strong relationships, creating tangible high-quality work, learning, and giving back makes me happiest.
It may be different for you but the end of progression is the most terrifying failure to me.

Today's blog is a bit of a jumbled rant but that's okay. 
I've been back in Connecticut for 2 days now and after talking to some of the people that live here there is a starch difference between the people I meet in NY vs the people I talk to in CT. 
The Connecticut people often hate their jobs, or they complain about them and then say they're okay jobs to have.  
The NY people I hang out with often talk about their jobs as a stepping stone, a start to a progression, or they just love their work. 
There is a mix in both states but the overwhelming majority of people in Connecticut settle so fast. 
With that mindset life has not just begun, it is just the start of the end. 

Learning from journaling.

Day 227 of 365

Thinking about this blog this morning and the new things I want to do with it and I realized I often neglect what I don't know.  (Which is a whole LOT. )  Due to my language it seems I am speaking in an absolute tone.  I hope anyone that reads this takes my words with a grain of salt and knows that it is an exploration of my thoughts and the things I read. 

I am trying to learn, understand things I am struggling with and share.  It's a big fat learning process.  Like being in the middle of the ocean by yourself.  I'm just on here exploring my thoughts and it should be taken as such. 
I have a lot of fun writing, it allows me to purge whatever is plaguing my mind.

With that being said I hope it provokes you guys to think, and I hope it's enjoyable.  Looking forward to switching things up and interviewing some other creatives for some up and coming blog posts. 

Hope everyone has an amazing day. 

Much love, 
Atticus. 

Surf Photography NYC

Day 228 of 365

Sitting on the beach yesterday getting bit by horse flies I had a moment of clarity. 
Everything around me zoned out as I observed my brain breathing for a second. 
I thought back to a book I read The Compound Effect it's about a very basic principle.  Making good choices compound into better choices and more success and making bad choices compounds into more bad choices.  
It's so simple but it's funny how I can so easily ignore this as I feel most people do. 
Simple things like not exercising for a day, not eating a vegetable, having an extra piece of cake. 
These are just the start of things that have a longer effect on our lives. 

I have a friend that loves to do 30-day challenges.  Not really my thing but I think they are great. 
I have some other friends that love to bash these they think it's a weak-willed excuse for taking control of your life. 
What I see from my friends that disagree with these 30-day challenges is that they drink every weekend with no end in sight, they're okay with the extra piece of cake etc.  They still have a great physique but none of us have seen the effects of drinking, or shitty eating on our bodies when they are done for 20 years consistently. 

This baffles me. 
It also scares the shit out of me.  Imagine a cigarette a day for 20 years.  It's like taking a block of concrete and taking a chip out of it every day for 20 years.  In the end, you are going to be left with nothing instead if you added a block of concrete to it every day for 20 years you'd be left with a house. 

This is the essence of compounding for me. 
This book kicked my ass into gear. 
I now exercise regularly and have been seriously changing my eating habits. 
Although I may not be fit now or where I want to be. 
I know that if I keep it up, if I send that extra email every day, if I take pictures for an extra 30 minutes, if I have one less beer that in a year, 2, 3 from now things will be exactly where I want them to be. 
I won't have to join a weight watchers club, won't have to worry about being laid off, I will have avoided a ton of issues that come from the seemingly meaningless piece of cake. 

Yes, you have to find a balance and be able to be able to enjoy the fruits of life but everything in life is 80-20 not the other way around. 

Gamble your life away.

Day 227 of 365

I'd rather risk everything than rot another day here reliving the same cycle. 
 

Freelance your way to money.

Day 226 of 365

I was running this morning and all I could think was “Pain is the window in which happiness is obtained.”
You have so many options in life and everything you want lies on the other side of pain, consistency, and a mindset of abundance. Those are some of the simplest principles to grasp but the hardest to commit to. Wealth, Love, Happiness. 

Things we all want, and they are all available in abundance through pain and generosity. Work hard, bring value to people, and expect nothing in return. 

I’ll give you guys an example of this. My old boss and my first mentor really lead with his actions. He was extremely hard working and has no aversion to pain or risk. He now owns multiple businesses and is doing quite well for himself. Through pain and consistency, he has found freedom and economic abundance. (Wealth)He comes from a place of abundance which is shown through his generosity. 
When I was at my lowest point financially he paid for my flight to Italy for a job interview with no intention of getting the money back because he saw how hard I was working.You better fucking believe I’ll give the same generosity to an intern or hard-working employee of mine one day. And because of his generosity, I will never say no to him.If he needed me tomorrow I would be there. 
(Love, and Loyalty) 

Through his pain, struggle, generosity, and relationships my old boss has achieved a lot. He has a strong network, family, and business. 
I’m pretty sure he’s happy with where he is in life. 

In conclusions here is what I learned from him. 

Love, Wealth, and Relationships are not like a pie. Every time you give them out there isn’t less for yourself. Rather all of these things are like a muscle. The more you give love, invest money, and connect people to meaningful relationships the stronger those muscles become. 
Through generosity and pain, you are opening yourself up to long-term wealth, love, and happiness. 

How to instantly change your mood.

Day 225 of 365

Yesterday I was feeling a little grumpy and I let it affect my behavior and my mood.  That's unacceptable.  It's okay to feel but it is not okay to act poorly from it.  That it what children do.
So to end my night I did what I do every night.  I make a todo list for the next day.  I include details down to what I will eat and I chunk things into 30 minute to 1 hour time blocks and how I will devote myself to each hour.

It works wonders for my productivity but nothing...and I mean nothing does more for my productivity and mood than starting my day off with a run. 
I have been running for about a month now and I haven't ran in the morning yet. 
I ran for 2 months straight back in November and December of 2017. 
5:30 am every morning with out music. 

This morning I finally repeated that routine and holy shit did it open my eyes again. 
My pace was better than ever. 
I focused on my breathing and I felt my brain take a back seat as it observed it's own thoughts. 
Soon enough I was at the end of my 4.5 mile run on top of a hill I have not been able to run up yet and I realized holy shit I just ran up that hill. 
While I was doing it I was so lost in my thoughts I had almost forgotten about my body entirely. 
It was on auto pilot. 

The body does what the brain tells it. 
Don't let external factors and moods control your behavior. 
Decide what you want to feel and do and make it happen. 

Most importantly whenever your down, depressed upset, feel lazy, just get up and exercise. 
It will help you focus, clear your brain and ultimately make you more happy and in control of your life. 

P.s. Try running or exercising in silence without music. 
Or even with Binaural beats playing in your ear. 
Anything that will drown out your consciousness. 
Music makes you conscious of lyrics, and being conscious while your running makes you conscious of the pain you are in. 
Anything to make running more pleasing makes it easier to continue and make a part of your life. 

Good luck. 

Photos from below are taken on an old 2005 point and shoot camera in York beach, Maine. 
It's a place that is very special to me. 
It was my fathers favorite place in the world and he is one of my biggest inspirations for running. 
It was something he loved to do. 


 

Photographing the Details of Maine.

Day 224 of 365

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a few days.  I decided to take a little break from shooting, editing, writing and just try to enjoy myself for a few days.  What a stupid idea. A massive derailment from all the processes I love and cherish so dearly.  I didn't need a vacation.  Although it was fun as hell I didn't produce or create anything new or original.  My camera was down more than it was up but I realized a few things.  

It's hard for me to travel with other people that aren't photographers or models.
When people travel most people see it as vacation unless you are traveling for work, which is always the case for me.  
So traveling with people that want to vacation is very distracting.

The second thing I learned. 
I am most productive when I start my day alone and with a routine. 
It's like a jump start to my day for optimizing my time. 
It's essential for me otherwise I can hardly focus. 
 

The third thing. 
Pack healthy food. 
Fuck I hate eating shit late night, or struggling to find fruit for breakfast because often small towns have a limited selection. 
It's your responsibility to put food in your own mouth, no one else's. 
So if you go to a country or a town where the selection is limited don't be mad at the town's people or the store owners. 
Be mad at yourself for not taking responsibility for your own eating habits. 

Notice the beautiful details which make a place or a time unique. 

Us in 2018.

 

Coffee Table books and Running

Day 223 of 365

I chose quiet pictures today because over the past 2 days I have been working on making a mini poetry book.  Something for a coffee table.  I write every morning not just on here but in a journal.  This is something I started back in November and I am on my 6th journal now.  There is something so deeply satisfying about filling up pages until there is no more space to write.  You can't really accomplish that on the internet or anything digital.  It's a much slower process, more methodical, it's much harder for my hands to keep up with my brain when I have a pen in my hands.  I enjoy it. 

With this being said I'm really curious to know how many of you actually like poetry accompanied with corresponding photos for each poem.  If you'd be interested in purchasing one of these comment yes or no anonymously  below and if you want to say why  that'd be an even bigger help.  

I am also working on some photography editing tutorials if that is something your interested in, don't worry those are coming soon.  

Back to why I chose quiet pictures today. 
The same day I made the conscious decision to write everyday I also chose to run everyday but I fell out of it. 
Through work, travel, moving back to New York, I let it fall by the wayside.  
I was able to run everyday for 2 months then I broke from my decision. 
It was a terrible feeling. 
This time I was able to identify why i stopped running...Because it's fucking hard lol
It's easy and more comfortable to write everyday and it's painful and way more rewarding to run everyday. 
3 weeks ago I started running again.  4.5 miles every other day and if I feel up for it I run 2 days in a row and I skate board on the in between days.
I am committed to activity now.  I want to keep my body in motion until I die for health reasons. 
Yesterday was my best day yet I chose a new route 6 miles my furthest yet but when I got home I still had so much energy. 
So I decided to run my normal 4.5 mile route on top of what I had already did.
Holy shit did my legs get sore fast. 
All I could do was quiet my mind. 
My body just kept moving and I was out there having a good time. 
All I had to do was keep moving forward. 
Around mile 9 I ended up stopping at a liquor store an getting the coldest and best tasting corona of my life. 
I chugged it and continued on my route home. (luckily I didn't cramp) 
It was a great day for me and seeking pain only showed me one thing. 
Your mind is in charge not your body. 
That thing could be falling apart and if your mind says move it does. 

Seek pain. Quiet your mind. 

Creative Jobs.

Day 222 of 365

Everyday is just an excuse to work on something new. 
There are hardly any excuses besides family that are valid reasons not to create today. 
Most of us think we are born with or without creativity. 
Thats bullshit. 
Creativity to me is a derived from continuous creation.  
The deeper you get into the creations in whatever genre you are pursuing the more like you you
You don't need to be an expert to be creative you just need to look at things differently. 
 

Yesterday we sat in Kevins camper for the last time. 
It was a blast. 
We drank some beers and collectively brainstormed on ideas and tasks we are working on. 
It was a productive and fun way to spend our Sunday v.s. the alternative going to a restaurant eating drinking and getting nothing accomplished. 

Work before play doesn't mean that your work cannot be fun. 

Film photography at Rockaway Beach

Day 221 of 365

Pay attention. 
It's something I've always struggled with. 
To be here. 
In this moment and be aware. 
To not think of yesterday, or tomorrow, finances, or fear of missing out. 
When I am present in the moment in the activity life seems to be pure. 
Like your a kid again. 

There are some things in my life I would highly recommend that seem to put me into that space. 
The ocean. 
Writing. (sometimes) 
Running. 
Playing guitar. 
Taking photos when the sunrises. (That specific time because I seem to be in a groggy dreamlike state still. 

What do you get lost in?
What makes time melt away? 
You don't need to make money off of this thing but you should give yourself deadlines to do it more often.

There is no place like the present and whatever gets you there should be somewhat of a priority.

Photos featured below are from last Sunday with friends at Rockaway Beach, Nyc. 
One of my favorite places where I can sit i the water for hours and forget everything in life. 
I hope you enjoy. 

What makes a place home.

Day 220 of 365

When was the last time you walked around your neighborhood?  It's one of my favorite things to do.  I don't talk about this enough on here but at some point I realized that I really like walking more than I like photography.  My camera is just the vessel that encourages me to walk more often.  Most mornings and every time I visit a new place you can usually find me walking around at 6am with my camera.  It makes you appreciate and seek out the details of a place.  It has also allowed me to meet a lot of the local workers and early risers.  Those are usually the only people up this early in the morning.  

Most importantly walking can make you fall in love with a place.  If you walk the same walk daily you will know it like the back of your hand but it is still ever changing.  Noticing these details is something I strive for.  This is why I love Brooklyn so much you are forced to walk and interact with people daily.  It's why I so identify with Brooklyn over Manhattan.  Manhattan is more of a head down run to where you are going kind of place.  Brooklyn is much more of a neighborhood feel.  

This also brings me to identity.  For a long time I felt Connecticut was a big part of my identity.  It is based on my past identity.  It is no longer apart of my future.  I didn't realize how we chose our adult identity.  How you define yourself and what you want to be are conscious decisions.  This is why I identify with Brooklyn so much more than Connecticut.  I walk down the street and I run into 5 people I know and the kicker....there is no small talk.  We only know each other based on our similar interests or work.  So 9 out of 10 times the conversations are great, brief, or a friendly wave.  Image going to the grocery store seeing people you know saying whats up and there is no "how are things" it's fucking amazing.  

To wrap this up what makes a place feel like home to me is community, knowing the place like the back of your hand, being a regular at a restaurant to where they know your order and your identity.  Du you identify with the place?  If not LEAVE. 

Connecticut Photography

Day 219 of 365

Pieces of Connecticut. 
It's easy to overlook the culture we understand as home or the familiar. 
The fastest way to see a new place isn't a spur of the moment plane ticket. 
It's a fresh set of eyes. 

Your life just got 10x better.

Day 218 of 365

Whats keeping you in pain and why are you letting it keep you there? 

"In an attempt to protect ourselves from pain, we perpetuate behaviors that create the very pain we are trying to avoid." -Unknown

Think about this. 
What do you do when your sad, eat, drink, have sex with strangers.
What do you do when your angry? 
Break shit then get more mad that your things are now broken. 
What things are holding you back in your life because they are comfortable, but always seem to cause you pain? 

Do you really need those things or would your life be better with out that extra glass of wine when you've had a rough day, and why is it so hard to put it down?

Photographing Brooklyn

Day 218 of 365

No photos today just now.

In the present. 
The best place to be.  I've noticed that anytime I am too far in the future in my mind I am anxious.  I also heard this in a well known quote.  "If you are in the past your depressed, if you're in the future you're anxious and if your in the present your happy. 
I don't think anything could be more true for me. 
Goals are so important in my life but doing what you can do for those goals right now in the present is most important. 
It's important to feel the emotions of now. 
Feel your feet on the floor, the temperature of the air, the wind in your hair....if you have any. (I don't) 
You get the point. 
Let's be present today. 
Remind ourselves to return to the moment. 
Right now is passing with each word you read. 
Enjoy this moment. 

How to build a community.

Day 217 of 365

Day 217 of 365
I actually have no idea how to build a community.  I am currently trying, by creating a magazine, featuring artists whose work I admire, and organizing events with people that are doing shit in their own unique ways.  Even having a barbecue on Saturday with new people has lead me to meet some amazing creatives.  Choosing the right people is a lot easier to do then it may seem but being cutthroat and getting rid of the shitty ones is hard.  

This is why I decided to featured photos of my friend Pat below. 
He is a prime example to me of a kind yet extremely honest person. 
I tend to gravitate towards honest people because I find at times I have been nice for the sake of being nice instead of being honest. 
This only does a disservice to the people you are essentially fluffing. 

For example, my best friend Maciek and I were in class one day. 
After class, Maciek pulled me aside and said: "Dude wtf is with you today you were so annoying and all I could think to myself was woh will this dude ever shut the f*ck up."  
It stung but it gave me a chance to fix it. 
People that are honest with you and not rude or degrading to you give you the opportunity to fix unwanted or distasteful behavior. 
These people challenge you to bring your best work and be your best self. 
It shows that they care and FAKE FRIENDS will tell you that everything is great everything is perfect when in reality it's shit. 

If there has anything that has benefitted me from the friends I have chosen to be around it is cold hard honesty. 

As I build a community moving forward in my life I will be surrounded by thick-skinned, honest, and willing to bleed at the knuckles for me kind of people.  
The same goes for the way I treat my friends. 

Tough love is the best love. 
 

Cliff jumping in Connecticut

Day 216 of 365

Pictures By Blackout.jpg

This weekend one of my good friends from NY came to visit us in Ct.  It was an absolute blast. 
We went out for coffee, went cliff jumping went out for tacos, and then out for the night to dance.  It was a wholesome weekend and through out it all I managed to eat clean and it made me realize something. 

Cheat days are bullshit. 

Having a cheat day from a "diet" or from any commitment for that matter implies that what you are attempting to commit to is unenjoyable.  Which is why most people fail with these commitments.  No one wants to do something that sucks. 

Right now in my life I'm trying to think more long term. 
Making decisions that I can potentially commit to forever or for a few years. 
Good decisions compound. 
With each good one it only becomes easier to make more good decisions the opposite is also true. 
Bad decisions lead to more bad decisions. 

Take control of your life by making good small decisions daily. 

Apple over chips. 
20 minutes of exercise over a nap. 
Reading instead of Tv. 
Create instead of consume. 

Chose a lifestyle that doesn't need cheat days.

Live your kind of life.