Daily Collect

Again, it's been fun just shooting around and collecting stuff that I see on the daily basis. The practice of shooting images and gathering them up have been a fun part of my work. I'm hoping to enhance more of this in the later future, but for now enjoy the collection.

- Arthur

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It's Nice

Nice to know that the sun is here and the summer didn't even start. It's nice to know I'm able to sit here with no worries writting this blog post and watching Summer Games Done Quick on my phone hanging out in the front porch ready to head to work in a couple of minutes. It's nice to know that just this past weekend I saw a Kpop group in a stadium, at a bunch of good food & mellowed out with my girlfriend. I don't know what else to say.

And this coming weekend I go back to New York to see Yvette Young play in a string quartet. There's just so much shit happening that I'm starting to realize where I am at is where I wanted to be this whole time. I'm happy and content and grateful and will work harder and smarter and be better and all that other shit that will hopefully get me to do more things like this in the years to come.

I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, but here. And I'm glad I'm here. I'm glad this all matters.

- Arthur

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Daily Collect

This past weekend I was able to see Mamamoo perform in Chicago. Jen had told me they were performing and would possibly be our only chance to see them in the U.S. This was our chance to check it out. Some of the members' contracts are ending and they may not be renewing as they've been in idol status for a good 10 years. Shit I'd be tired of doing it too.

Not often do you get to see international performers in a big arena live on a huge stage. This was something I never got to experience in my past life and was able to find that this past weekend. Hwasa, Solar, Moonbyul & Wheein did such a great job that night. I hope to see them perform again soon, but in all honesty I think it's doubtful.

I got a lot of images to sort out this week so bare with me. It's been one hell of a weekend.

- Arthur

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Daily Collect

Head in the Clouds 2023 was more like Rain in the Clouds 2023. The whole experience was back and forth due to the weather conditions, but for the most part I was able to see Dumbfoundead & Beabadoobee perform. And like always they put on good shows. In fact everyone put on a good show.. I just wasn't interested in their music. This was sort of one of those things that I needed to do just to see them play once. It was good.

Would I go back to see this festival again? Maybe not, but that's just because the performances aren't really to my taste. I respect these artists, but I can't relate.

I'm glad they're around though. Do it for the kids.

- Arthur

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Yo WTF Did I Not Want To Do Anything This Week?

Honestly, on some real shit I had this fatigue and wasn't sure if I was depressed or just burnt out completely. Over the last few days I felt no need to exert myself and take as much rest as I can. And since my girlfriend is away for company activity until this Friday I've been kind of realizing how much of my mental is attached to her presence. I hate that she's away, but that's just me being love sick.

But the past few days had me learn to be more alone that I usually am. And you know it's not bad to have some solitude to yourself without any worry. Its just a good reminder that you can reorganize some thoughts and priorities you have been keeping idle towards the finish line.

So, I've been keeping myself busy a bit. I finally cut up the developed film that I had neglected for months and had started the scanning process of the images. I finally get to see new shit this time rather see some old stuff I've been trying to rescan for the last few years. And pretty soon I'm going to get my ass in check and develop all the film that's been sitting in the closet and my desk to get that prepared for some scanning shit as well.

The creative grind is still in effect. I'm trying to take things slowly, but I think I want to amp up a bit and just start getting these images out there. There are a lot of prospective projects I want to complete before I die and this is one of those goals lol.

I'm going to be leaving for Chicago this weekend to go see Mamamoo perform. I'll check back in next week and write about my experience. Hope to eat a bunch of fucked up food hahahaha.


- Arthur

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Tumblr Nostalgia

During the tumblr days you could find yourself immersed in the world of photographers who are upcoming, current or casual posters celebrating a craft that journals out their lives. As someone who still considers himself a novice in the photographer world I looked up to these people showing me a bit of themselves and their contributions to other tumblr sites and such. Bands were also a deep dive for me in the age of Bay Area hardcore (thank you Comadre) and the amount of underground noise it generated. It was almost a replacement for Myspace for me since that kind of network did not exist anywhere else.

These days Instagram, Facebook (surprisingly for some), Tik Tok and even YouTube are the new networks for social media coverage. And I find myself sort of lost in the fold most of the time. And maybe because I don't have a network like most people do. Above all these are the current ones while tumblr just sits there with much of its dead sites.

I miss the fact that I could look after my favorite artists and see what he/she/they post or repost. Their thoughts, their inspirations, their frustrations... A lot of the ways they view the world just by images or text so simple. I was an avid poster myself (I didn't have much of a following their either lol) and it was interesting seeing the images sort of pop out a bit when I showcased my work. What was cool is the fact that artists were certainly communitive and very kind (at least in my eyes) and supported each other every way they can. Now? I'm not sure that's the case. I'm starting to get annoyed just looking at my feed these days.

I give Tumblr props for helping me find some of the best artists. It was indeed one of the best times I had through a network of folks who were upcoming and have come out showing their best works. I wish I could find that with these current socials, but I think I'm out of the loop with everything else.

Funny enough though.. I reopened my Tumblr account again hahahaha. I'll most likely be cleaning it up configuring some images that I don't want to show (aka my ex). I'm posting my Daily Collect work there so check it out. And like that platform I'm going to strictly be doing DigiCam stuff anyway.

I don't know what I started this thing again. Maybe I'm after some nostalgia and maybe I'm just tired of looking at the gram now. But hey... who knows? It might be good again in the near future.

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Daily Collect

I'm liking that I've been posting more these days. A nice practice diary as I've been loving the images I've been taking on this camera. And considering it's been giving me a rough draft view of what I'm looking for it's allowing me to focus on other projects as a whole rather in pieces like Daily Collect.

Having such a camera has been a thrill these days. It's putting into place a regular look at the things I see. I don't have any crazy things happening and most of the time the light guides me to places that I wouldn't normally head towards to. The images are of empty or isolated places and perhaps a look at how my life is: simple.

Not only that these images are a good way to see if a record can be built from it. Hopefully I can continue onto this.


- Arthur

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Daily Collect

I don't know what it is, but awhile ago there's this photographer Kate Sweeney who used to run this tumblr pairing 2 images together to create these relationships. At times it could be awkward and other times it comes together. Above all they play or fight with each other. The identity is sort of enhanced when it could've been stagnent on its own.

The pairing system has been an approach I've been very much keen on and love how the images sort of play together. I use it quite often as I feel like some of the images that I make need other images to compliment it and continue on whatever idea or story I'm try to convey. This may not be a fluent thing when I'm posting more these days, but something I'll be working on towards when I'm reviewing my images.

These images are just some finds I've snapped that, in edit, saw a potential of something a bit strange to put together. It was fun finding this pairing and hope I can find other images that can do the same.

- Arthur

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Goodbye Canon S410

Looks like this camera is done-zo. Unfortunate circumstances, but hey... for a $5 chance? I'll take it. The Minolta is starting to take more precedence than anything and any film shots are subject to be released in future endeavors. I hoard my images. I don't release a lot.

I hope to revive it one day, but I just can't make any time doing so. I'm having this corruption error come out and I'm not able to bypass it. One day I'll figure it out, but for now I'll keep it in the graves.

- Arthur

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Daily Collect

The other day I conducted a live event (with my brother helping me facilitate the matter) regarding a record I'm releasing this coming Saturday. A good amount of people came out showing support and definitely validated everything I've been working on this whole time. The event was nearly flawless start to finish and I cannot thank my brother enough for helping me do this.

I have a record coming out called "10 Years I Still Don't Know You". The record is about my nephew and his family and what it felt like to be reconnected with family after all these years. It's weird how the turn of events could be led by making a sepcific choice. Being divorced was one of the best choices I've made.

Briefly I think about my past life and realize how much of a disease it was. And considering what I've been through it was the realization that certain people don't have a clue of how far they take certain things. Love is certainly blind and it's dumb how it can make you settle into things that is not agreeable. And for that moment when I realized I had enough....

- Arthur

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Daily Collect

Text has been a weird focal point of my work and I'm not sure why I need to photograph words and such, but it's a habit to take pictures of text written on property legally or illegally. I find it funny that society does this to broadcast their thoughts and feelings to the public using mobile or stationary objects. It's dumb and I'm subscribed to this because I have shit on the back of my car that promotes Tiffany Young, record labels and photography.

My favorite ones are billboards that talk about jesus. You spent all that money to give people false hope, anxiety and lies using money that could've been used for a better cause like feeding homeless and shit. What a waste of resources.

Anyway....

- Arthur

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Dear Nanay

Happy mothers day Nanay. Happy mothers day Mom.

Nay,
I wanted to let you know how truly sorry I am for not calling you and asking how you've been all these years. It's been a weird time in my life and a time that I haven't made for you to at least tell you that I love you and that I wish I appreciated you more when you were here actually helping us grow up and raise us the best you could and tell me how fat I am and how skinny I am and how smelly I was because I wouldn't take specific showers and whatever crazy filipino things we did when we didn't have a care in the world to even care about anything. You were there in a brief period of time when I was such a snotty kid, but cooked for me and told me how I was such an asshole. At one point I realized how much I loved you and what you did and how funny you were and what it took to get you from point A to B to help us feel healthy.

I love you Nanay. And I hope life is treating you better with that family that you deserve to be around.

- Arthur

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Daily Collect

What's been great about pictures lately is the fact that I get to photograph really mundane and stupid images and see if I can make something out of them. Rather than go into this whole barrage of seeking images in really crazy areas I'm here just pointing my camera at stuff that doesn't really matter. And that's pretty much what this all is lol. Images that don't really matter.

The sun is starting to shine out as I'm writing this and this will prompt me to bring out my film cameras more and more. Being apt to just shooting for a few minutes has been nice and I'm certain that the practice is starting to make more sense everyday.

I don't know where this body of work is going, but damnit I'm having a lot of fun with it. I have not burned out yet hahahahha


- Arthur

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I Think My Canon Point & Shoot is Broken LoL

So, a bit ago my camera started having these weird glitches that I couldn't fix. All of a sudden the camera just won't read the memory card properly and I'm left with this thing-a-ma-jig that turns on, but won't save images at all (even take pictures, but has this cool looking glitchy screen thingy). I had hoped that this camera would live longer, but alas it's straight fucked lol.

It's been great experiencing this stuff as of late. Just not-having-a-care in the world as to where this work goes. Sometimes you just need to not be serious and just enjoy shit. Ya know what I mean?

- Arthur

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The Daily Collect

Sometimes your home can be the best place to photograph. Often times I observe how the light shines through the windows and creates different designs when it illuminates the stairs, the chairs, table, floor, etc. By that time I've probably photographed 7 images on my Leica just going nuts on how beautiful these designs are. By then I've already felt I've met my photo quota lol.

It's true though. Light certainly gives me the drive to take specific pictures. I usually don't photograph much in the winter time considering how crazy the overcasts can be and just puts me in that emotional landscape that I seem to always lay in. And to live in a relatively slow place I usually try to search for these images during commutes. Most of the time its a waste of time hahahaha.

No matter though. I'm still practicing.

- Arthur

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The Daily Collect

The weather has been so atrocious lately. I'm like "dude what the fuck hurry up fucking sun." Most of my coworkers are not down with warm weather for some reason and to be honest I don't trust them lol. Like, you don't want that Vitamin D on your skin? It's unbelievable.

Anyway, as I'm getting as much snaps as I can I've been trying to actively go places to just shoot pictures rather than just getting coffee and editing loops on my laptop. I haven't necessarily given photography much attention these days and perhaps this small little project has been giving me that opportunity.

I don't know how I did it back in the day. I just blogged as much as I could, photographed as much as I could, went out there and did not give a flying fuck as to what kind of material I was going to get. Hungry to take pictures and hungry to just do shit all the time. And maybe that's what I should be doing. Not necessarily waiting on getting things done or when the time is right. That's how people lose most of the time. When they're over patient about stuff and just let shit just rock ya know?

Maybe this was what I've been missing all this time. Just writing and observing some of the images that I've been photographing over the days and seeing where they go. Just taking pictures that just don't really mean anything, but maybe could mean something later. Maybe just take a picture and figure it out later. Maybe sit on the front porch listening to Mineral's first record "The Power of Failing" and write about my feelings. Maybe having this cat on my lap while I write these things and smile because I'm content and I want to keep that exercise of being creative and think about stuff I want to do with my girlfriend and drink this cold ass coffee lol. I don't know. I'm high right now and I don't even do drugs.

- Arthur

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A Letter to an artist

Hey there. Thanks for taking my money and just totally ghosting me this whole time. I know that you have some financial trouble and that you were trying to get your feet off the ground photographing shit. But I can't excuse the fact that I've had a print waiting from you for the last few years and tried to establish a good artist relationship with you when all of a sudden I've not heard from you about the status of these things. You've just taken my money and just left. Honestly, that's kinda fucked up.

This whole time I've been a fan of your work seeing as you've been doing your best to just take these cool portraits, cool landscape photos and cool double exposures that this work spoke to me that I've never had in a long time. I could never be as good as a photographer as you are and loved every ounce of the stuff you've produced.

But your business practice lacks a lot and spending time and some of my money to invest on being your fan... I think I'm closing this chapter and removing you from my life. And can't see myself supporting someone who just takes the money and runs and doesn't give me the time or day to even realize what you had forgotten. That's fucked up. I hope the next client doesn't feel this way. I hope the next fan doesn't feel this way. Because one things for sure. Karma a bitch.

Communicate with your fans about this shit. Especially to the ones that root for you all the way

- Arthur

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The Daily Collect

I hope I don't get burnt out of this exercise, but I'm going to attempt to work on just shooting small things and posting them as a small photo exercise. Normally I'm one to keep work hidden away from everybody, but since I've been working on getting better at just having fun with stuff (and packing a very light crappy camera) I've been into the idea of just going for it and just post on my blog and Insta. No sort of expectations. Just keep working on that eye.





And I think a lot of that self loathing and being so particular about everything can be a bit much when the goal to doing what you do is to have fun. I know the above image here states otherwise (I'm tired this week), but it's been a thing. Just shoot shoot and shoot. I also don't need to post all this crazy shit all the time. Just do it up.

When you don't have any expectations why hold back? It's been going pretty well these last few days as a creative. Lets just keep it going.

- Arthur

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Just Want To Talk Right Now

As I started writing this post I'm sitting in my porch, drinking an iced americano & am somehow listening to Nilo Smeds' cassette tape "Helicopter Circles" anticipating my route to work today. I didn't realize that I picked up this record considering the cover of it looked like a black metal cover. Fresno doesn't seem to leave me behind. This record involved Greer McGettrick (Rademacher) and Mike Adame (Ultra Diamonds, Sunumbra & Fats Labell) who are, at least on my mind and experience, legendary in the music scene. I don't know much about Greer, but I definitely know Mike lol.

It sort of makes me realize how much I miss, and perhaps, deappreciated my time as a Fresno Scene go-er and contributor while being part of those early bands. I know I had a lot going on trying to get educated and find my calling in career, but man I wished I did a bit more recording with different types of musicians. Then again I'm glad I didn't spread myself so thin at that time.

The Fresno scene was something I've never experienced before. Being young and hungry for collaboration, being centered in the idea of knowing I was never gonna make it in a band so I might as well just show some ideas for future rockers and just be there for your friends who continue to make work was something I miss these days. But now? Hehehehhee.. I'm only tend to myself to write these songs and such. Only a few people really get a chance to collaborate with me. And I say that because not many give a shit about what I do lol.

I guess these thoughts made me think about my friend Roarie. Roarie was here a couple of days ago enjoying the time with both Jen and I with food, coffee/tea and conversations. And the thing is I've been wanting Roarie to come home to us just to hang out, laugh and feel the love we both have for this person. And those moments gave me some insight of what I miss about some of my friends that I used to be around. The idea of just hanging out without doing anything crazy and just being around each other ya know? I miss those moments so much that it makes me want to be around Roarie more.

I don't have any friends here. And I think my reason is being just closed off all the time. I'm open, but not that open you know what I mean? I need to rid of that and just open the damn door ya know?

- Arthur

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