An Accidental Sort of Bio

In 1983, when photography was my primary passion, I had a lapse in judgement and showed my latest series of photos (which had earned high acclaim from my photography instructor) to a family member whose name starts with, um, Jill.

1983 was my first living-in-Phoenix experience. At the time there was an outdoor trampoline center called 'Jump'. I was new in town, and taking photography classes at ASU with the intention of entering the MFA program. For those keeping score, I ended up going home to Miami the next year instead, and working in a photography studio. Anyway, I was driving down Scottsdale Road when suddenly I saw flying humans. Suspended in the air, then gone. I knew I had found a place of great visual opportunity.

I spent a lot of time at Jump. I emerged a few weeks later with a unique portfolio of photos. Some of the photos captured the pure lines of the human form. Others captured graceful dance-like movements. Some were downright silly, in an unabashed, giddy way. My favorites though were the ones that represented a metaphor for spiritual levity. In one such photo, the one on which my sister commented, the subject is a young girl, about 11 years old. She has escaped earth's bounds and is blissfully ascending, arms akimbo, her innocent face enraptured and angelic. Behind her is only the cobalt blue of the desert sky. My sister studied the photo for two seconds, maybe three. Her comment, delivered in an impatient tone: "Ok, who's she?"

The purpose of this post is not to make fun of my sister or to hurt her feelings. I seriously doubt she reads my blog anyway. My point is that that experience, and a few others, taught me that not everyone will always 'get' what you are trying to express. People are wired differently. Some people would rather see exactingly-executed photographs of churches, and that's fine. It's really cool though when people do 'get' you. I have a friend with whom I share my stories (I write stories. I'm pretty serious about them). He is brilliant, a Berkeley-educated lawyer, and a great writer. I sent him my first story with trepidation. Long story short -no pun intended - his unbridled enthusiasm has given me a glimmer of hope that I possess some talent.

I had no idea this post was going to take this direction. I meant to write just one paragraph as a sort of disclaimer against the weirdness of the photos I was about to post. Now that I'm here though, I just want to take a moment to thank the people in my life who do 'get' me. I hope I am similarly able to express to my friends and family the unique qualities I appreciate about them.

Ok, this is getting kind of gross.

Next post: Weird photos.