Here's a typical Cadence shot, all a-blur from moving so fast.  Sometimes, sharpness doesn't matter, especially when it's not true.

This is a cooperative cultural space in Rogers Park called the Mess Hall.  I was browsing their website, and I found that their 10 Points really resonate with me.  Here is the list:

Stuff to think about...

This is Erik browsing some art at the Mess Hall on Sunday during the Glenwood Arts Festival in Rogers Park where we live.   Erik is a talented artist himself, and he and I confided to each other that we just aren't into Art Festivals, namely of the summer Street Festival genre.  Still, it was cool to check out Mess Hall, as Erik had happened to mention it to us earlier that afternoon when we were discussing places to take sewing classes (for Ted).  We had no idea it was right in our backyard.

I am thrilled to announce that I've been accepted as a Visual Artist for the 2008 Around the Coyote Fall Festival.  The opening party is Friday, October 17th, and the festival will take place that Saturday and Sunday, October 18-19th.  This year, they are moving the venue to the Plumber's Hall in the West Loop at 1340 W. Washington.  While I'm a bit bummed that it won't be in Wicker Park, my old stomping grounds, I hear the new venue is beautiful and will look more like a professional exhibit.

The photo above is of my friend Ben Miranda of the Dethozl!  I did a photoshoot of him a few months ago for fun.  This is one of the photos I submitted as part of my application to the ATC festival, and will most likely be part of the exhibit.  So once again, I will be busy choosing, printing, framing in the next couple months before the festival. 

If y'all happen to be in Chicago that weekend, please do come say hello.

This is Cadence, peeking underneath the door to her playroom where her beloved Uncle Erik is sleeping in after a long night of flight delays which got him to bed close to 3am.  She couldn't wait for him to wake up, and she must have lounged around on the floor for a good 20 minutes outside the room, and she eventually started trying to catch a glimpse of him through the crack under the door. 

Yes, our good friend Erik is back in Chicago for school (at the School of the Art Institute), and his girlfriend, my cousin Jeannie, is off to grad school in Denmark for 2 years.  He'll be staying with us until he finds an apartment.  It's good to have him with us.

I seem to have been on a desaturated/B&W kick the past couple weeks, so here's a bit of color.  This is a bench that was in Mikey's permaculture/organic garden.  It's actually just a little bench.  I love how it's surrounded in greenery, and how there's a bit of green even in the wood itself from having been left out in the elements.  It's probably a lovely place to sit and ponder the bounty currently growing in Mikey's garden.

I like taking photos of people while they're looking away, especially if they look deep in thought, like Phil does here.  Now, I don't know for sure how deep Phil's thoughts were running at the moment, but he's been known to have some meaty ones.  I also like how horizontally and perfectly his arms are stacked on top of each other.

This is Gina Ferrera, a friend of Mikey's who was at his party Saturday night.  She and Mikey played duets on two gyile, which are wooden African xylophones, specifically from Ghana, where Mikey has spent a number of years.  I'm not sure what's with all these headless shots this week, but I just like this photo--grain and all.

Since yesterday's post was headless, here's the face to put to the legs.  No, that's not Leonard.  That's Jozka (a.k.a. Joe).  So who's Leonard?  That would be the impeccably waxed handlebar mustache Joe is sporting these days.  Now you know why I wanted Joe to bring that suit.  It's an outfit that is worthy of a photoshoot for Leonard.

Our dear friend Jozka was in town this weekend.  I had spied photos of him in an impeccable white suit on his Myspace profile earlier this year, and I expressed my keen interest in a chance to photograph him in said suit.  He was sweet enough to fit the suit into his little suitcase for the trip, and I had the chance to shoot some shots on Saturday at our friend Mikey's graduation-from-Rolfing-School party.  I felt quite honored, and I hope he likes the photos.  It's not everyday you get to shoot a guy in a whitish linenesque suit in sneakers.