Summer

It's hot. I'm broke. Looking for a job. Maybe Voyager, maybe Southwest Airlines. If you need a photographer in Dallas, shoot me an e-mail.

JMW Turner Exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art

Mouse-over for titles, xkcd style.

Back in Dallas

I've been back for a few days, and I already got to catch up with Chris.

This is going to be a good summer.

Castillian, I'm out

Moved out day before yesterday in a whirlwind of activity... I hate moving, but I'm looking forward to having an actual apartment to call home. I'll be at 43rd and Duval, anyone else looking to live in the Hyde Park area? We'll hang out and be yupsters together (yuppie + hipster = ?)

Tattoo

Well, I can FINALLY make this post. I was holding off until I'd told and shown both of my parents in person.

Yup, I got a tattoo for my 20th birthday. Yes, it hurt like hell. Yes, I started giggling uncontrollably halfway through. Yes, I love it. Yes, my mom hates it.

Andrea came to take pictures, and David came for emotional support (he was visiting for my birthday anyways, and I managed to keep this a surprise, even for him!)

I don't have a superb photo of it yet, but I'll post one when I do. In the meantime, here's an iSight snap from this morning.

For those curious: it's an aperture at f/8 within an eye. Seven aperture blades (also, f/8? Fate? I just realized that one the other day) for luck, the eye to represent my newly empowered vision (and to ward off the evil eye, of course.)

Here's to year one of a lifetime of photography. I never want to forget how I feel right now, because I've never been more satisfied with what I'm doing.

Au Revoir

DOM photo from the last paper I worked on...

The end of the semester has been really bittersweet. Sweet, because I met a bunch of hip cats and got several chances to really enjoy their company. Hilarity ensued, of course. One of them I like quite a bit, but we're approaching bitter territory at this point.

I'm mostly kidding. In truth, I have no reason to be even slightly bitter about the end of the school year. A bunch of great things happened, I met really neat people, the only downside is that I have to leave it all and pick things up in the fall. I don't even really feel that bad about it, either, since I'm going to spend the summer back in Dallas hanging out with everyone I've missed so intensely for the past two years. But I definitely hold regrets about not making these discoveries earlier. Ah well, such is life.

DRUM JAM LADIES AND GENTLEMAN.

I'll miss you, Austin friends. Especially you.

What a semester...

Yet another insane Daily Texan fueled weekend... it began with the NPPA Spring Show, where UT's best photographers displayed large prints of their work and hobnobbed at the best photographic social gathering of the year. Did I mention there was a keg? We're classy at our photo galleries.

I got to see all of photographer friends and the people who gave me the chance to succeed. I owe everything to Courtney Dudley, left, who gave me the staff photographer position at the Texan in the first place. There were four slots for new photographers, and she entrusted me with one, and for that, I am eternally grateful. It didn't end there, however, because Courtney always took the time to go over my work with me and dispense suggestions and very thoughtful edits. There's probably no one who has had greater direct influence over my style and habits than Duds. And hopefully she's returning next semester to wrap up her UT career!

After the gallery show, the night took me all over Austin, and somehow I managed to either see or bump into every ex-girlfriend I've had in recent memory. Then, as if things weren't strange enough, I finally settled into a party at the very house where I lived this summer, where the Daily Texan webmaster now dwells.

I'll say one thing... journalists work hard, and journalists play hard.