a_bell

I shot this the other night, I got it on the 12th frame at 30"

shutter speeds. I also didn't notice the lightning on this shot, I

had my back to it, as I was walking back to the camera.

Mike,

Even towards the end of our discussion, you still only see me as a the other side "your ilk". George Washington expressed all of this from the very beginning in his Farewell Address Speech in 1796. Please read it all past this following reference he talks a lot about it towards the end.READ HERE and the paragraph that starts "In contemplating the causes which may disturb our Union..." I and a few other people may have heard Washington's message 211 years too late, but I will not see OUR country torn down by citizens who must divide people by their values. Your hasty generalizations have taken this conversation nowhere; you have just about misinterpreted everything I said just as Washington said you would. There is not one common enemy, it's not that simple, therefore you have made the other side your common enemy.

A person, who will vote only for one side at an election, has destroyed the entire essence of having the right to vote. Are you telling me everyone researched George Bush before casting their vote? Or did he fit the label of what the people wanted during that time? It frightens me that our next election will be totally based off of emotions, the conservative's fear of the horrible terrorists and liberal's passion for a socialist system, and the independents whose voice is too small to do anything, but tilt the election.

Mike, this misleading vividness is ignoring my message. I made the remark of wearing a "C" on my chest so you, like Salem in the novel "The Scarlet Letter" will begin to see beyond labels. Maybe one day perhaps you will stop the use of equivocation with such labels, and actually begin to hear and see. The principle here is not a "denial" of the conservative party, it's your disability to discuss an issue outside of the realm of black and white. Why can't we be gray and just talk?

Until then, make me a conservative write me off with the rest.

"I am a Conservative. Hath not a Conservative eyes? Hath not a Conservative hands,organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the samefood, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases,heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd by the same winterand summer, as a Liberal is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? Ifyou tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?And if you wrong us, do we not revenge? If we are like you in therest, we will resemble you in that."

- Shakespeare (updated)

Just hold on a moment, before you reply...

Even reread it, if necessary...

Save your anger...

Until then, your dislike for your FELLOW U.S. citizens will destroy any good in our country...

Stop this segregation.

-Adam

Mike would it help you if I wore a big C on my chest?

Adam

"debating a conservative is always the same."

You are just as blind as you think I am. You only see me as what you have chose to see me. I am not a conservative. I actually argue both sides.

"You guys really need new arguments"I agree, but why unload my best stuff at the beginning? I see you chose to quit. You are not going to stand your ground, just like you want us to do in Iraq. Quit. Typical...

"You came back to judge."

Agreed. I did that exactly. If you had values of your own or something you TRULY felt strong about it, you might decide to stand up for the principle of the issue.

"Is Ramon Catholic because of his last name?"Nope.

"IS that what you taught on your mission to Latin America?"It wasn't a mission trip. I went to live with strangers, for them to teach ME their language and their values. What good would it be for me to go there and express all my thoughts and opinions on a society I know nothing about?

I wish you could have been an adult about this, and we carried this discussion (not arguement) in private via our emails. But instead, like Hollywood you decided to allow everyone to be entertained with your somewhat wit, instead of taking to heart anything "the other side" had to express.
-Adam

Good points.

First: "OK Adam, what did you think of the lighting Ramon used?"

I felt the lighting blew out the skin tones.

So is that it? Is my flaw the fact that I decided to comment about what the image actually is? I mean let's talk literature. Do we discuss grammar in literature or the content? I feel you need to discuss the content. Are we not supposed to discuss content in photography? If a photographer took a picture of a little child being molested would you commend that the same? "The vision is his, the shock and awe is yours."

Second:

You wrote: "you were appalled but you won't admit that."

I previously said: "This image bothered me at first; I despised and even closed my browser."

Again sense I was labeled a conservative as people saw (past tense) only Black people as being black, you neglected to understand anything I had to say.

Lo lamento Ramon, para este conversacion largo.

I was discussing his image on a very controversial issue of religious symbolism. I questioned his purpose, its meaning, what it conveys. I didn't bother to mention its minor flaws; I felt his message was more of the discussion. When a mother wipes her 16 year-old son's butt, or as you commended Ramon's attempt, no lessons are ever worked out. Liberal left wings and conservative right wings are exactly the reason we are getting nowhere, and your labeling is just as bad as racism, you are not seeing what I am saying you saw me mention a little something religious and you dismissed me for a conservative right wing. I will not discuss politics because I feel that our nation is running strictly off of emotion (both sides). No one sees logic. We all have our sources via news or friends or family serving in the war, it's all different perspectives. Bottom line, democracy in Iraq is like an arranged marriage, it will take time and it definitely have a rough start. I am neither conservative nor liberal, a Bible pounder nor a Bible dust collector; I am merely a perspective from outside our normal society. I have lived in Mexico for six weeks this summer to experience culture outside my norm and broaden my horizon. Our nation is relying off the media for our own thoughts; our people want democracy in Iraq to divorce. Like the arranged marriage, instead of letting time heal the issue for greater good for everyone not just us, we are wanting to bail out, like we did in Cuba, like we did in Vietnam, and like we will do in Iraq.

My intent in discussing this photo was to talk to someone who wanted to express himself, and not to talk to someone who will step on an ant hill just to see how they will react.

Wars are the worst thing in existence, but no war is ever going to be effective when ran off a schedule. If Hollywood and the news media staff had the ability to see another perspective other than their own, we would have a complete different attitude. Stop feeling and start thinking.

I actually wanted to continue our conversation privately like adults. Nothing personal really, just two adults merely discussing our opinions privately. I didn't feel the dialogue should have continued through photo.net. It's nice to talk to people who are willing to stand up for what hollywood and news media teaches them, I live near Wichita Falls, TX home to Shepherd Air Force Base. Since you have announced how courteous I was by not arguing with you publically, I would ask that you request my email, and I believe "you may not like the outcome."

-Adam

PS - I bet you loved the movie "Valley of Elah"

Well I think I am through corresponding with you, actually I thought for just a moment, you were a bit intelligent, instead you "have helped" me see you truly do not know what you are doing. Isolation is not the problem, take note that instead of hearing what anyone has to say; you accuse them of something ("I deduce [big word - good for you] that you have an isolation problem.") Try listening for a change. The quality of your photos, your verbose vocabulary, and your prose explains everything else.

-Adam

P.S. It's Psychology not Psychiatry. I didn't write you a prescription, there is a difference.

This image bothered me at first; I despised and even closed my browser. But, then I believe in education and not isolation, so I went back and I looked at it more? I let it speak to me? I read your comments, and I will tell you my conclusion.

I see two things:

First, I asked why? What is the reason for this? Ignorance, arrogance, intelligence, or are you just some artist trying to be controversial to get a name for yourself? I am still not for sure. But what I feel about your comments of a quick defense (less than 3 hours response time) after Bjorn's post, "I think that your comment seems the commentary of a citizen of provinces that tries to pretend that knows everything." (And you do?) I began to see your motive. Many artist suck; I am not saying you do, but a lot of artist are extremely uneducated and very primitive in their work. Everything has been done in the world of art, and you have decided to attack a main symbol of one religion. I use the word attack because that is what you did to Bjorn, you attacked his insightful comment.

Second, I know you were Catholic growing up. I see how people never taught you how to think about religion for yourself, you never had a good instructor, instead your family did the typical scheduled routine in going to church (whenever you felt like going). Deep down you have severe doubts of the existence of Dios, which is why you chose a nude woman for this shot (women answer many questions of men). You wanted to attack your childhood lessons and see if they (your family and Catholic friends) would defend themselves so you would get your answers you have searched for. A naked woman is what moves you, which would move most men as well. Female nudity is what gives you your answers. This shot was probably more therapeutic for you, than it is for anyone else. I have written two novels so far in my life, the first will never be published. In writing that novel I found my answers I searched for, and really, that is the only purpose in which I wrote it. I feel in witness to your work, you have taken the two most emotionally moving things in your life and you are trying to sort them out.

Good luck instead of God bless.

-Adam

I've decided to take a different step than most photographers. If

pictures are worth a 1000 words, than I will give it a try.

Just prepping for my trip to Mexico, to bring back even more

butterfly pictures.

Do you guys like this idea? Be honest? The image is a lot warmer

before I submitted it here. But, my main concern is the idea of

bubbles?

I waited two hours for this Butterfly to zoom passed this shot. I

know he is out of focus, but for the depth of field I wanted, I

chose the a longer shutterspeed. I am happy with it. What do you

guys think?

Please let me know what you guys think about this. I have mixed

emotions towards it. Also the color in the flowers are little dense

when I shrunk it and uploaded it on here... Either way tell me what

you guys think of it please.

Yeah, not seeing it here. You are contridicting yourself... even after your explanation, I am still not seeing. Any ignorant person might like it...

Sorry for the harshness.

If you are ever bored sometime, shoot in Raw mode and convert to JPEG via CS2 or Canon's or Nikon's image software. (Not the free software...) There is a remarkable difference; so much that I will never shoot in jpeg again. I used Nikon Capture NX. Part of digital photography is going all the way in on name-brand products, Canon and Nikon encrypt RAW data so ONLY their software may access it. There is a bit of sharpness data recorded in RAW and to truly access it, you must use their software.

DOF: is a major factor in sharpness...

The dark background. Goto levels (Ctrl-L) in Photoshop and click the black dropper and click an area you know is black.

For a better look and sharper way of doing that I use Capture NX. It really does a better job than CS2. The random bubbles and a small reflection on the bottom of the picture were cloned out via CS2. (Which is what CS2 is intended for in photography.)

Thank you so much for commenting on it.

Adam

Tell me what you guys think of this... I would greatly appreciate

your responses.