Legacy Denied

Latest hard fought restoration*...                Photo: © Stan Banos

Perhaps the whole "LIFE LESSON" I was supposed to learn when my B&W negatives (which I so vainly tried to safeguard for prosperity) were so critically damaged (by my own hand no less) was... to chill my own ego. There is no such thing as legacy. Fair enough!

But given the choice: should my name live on- or the pictures themselves? Well, fuck my dumb ass name, and my lame ass life! I want a few choice images to live on- stolen moments of times worth living... frozen, celebrated and immortalized! People hence can imagine the life of the anonymous person(s) or circumstances behind the images, if they so choose- but the delight and 'glory' are in the images themselves. Generations from now, will people marvel at the similarities between their present day lives and those depicted from ever increasing years past? Or, as I fear, will they look upon them as testaments to a world, a life once resplendent in the wide diversity of all it's wonders and everyday occurrences, both celebratory and tragic, natural and man made...

*Hard as this one was, I'm trying to psyche myself up for the next (one of my fave B&W images) which will no doubt take months to accomplish in my spare time (though probably just a coupla days- for someone well versed in digital restoration). Which is why I often defer to the lower hanging fruit.

Quick...

Name something Trump and Medal of Freedom recipient El Rusho both have in common... Yeah, they're both fat- true. Yeah, they're both narcissists, true.. Yeah, yeah, they're both non stop liars, racists and con men- of course...

But how 'bout- fellow drug monkies... The slurring and the sniffling, the early AM chain tweets, the periodic fits of rage...

                                                            Thanks, Martha!

Government For Sale!

Step right up and grab yourself a piece. Criminal record- no problem! Shady business connections- a bona fide plus! Unapologetic racist associations... You're in!

Our law, our government, our state and federal officials are now all up for sale. The price, a mere pledge of loyalty- not to country, not to the people who are to be represented...  but to The Great Leader, The Supreme Liar in Chief, The No1 Criminal Con Man these (dis)United Sates of America have ever seen... And if you think you've seen c-r-a-z-y, if this continues into 2021, Trump Unhinged: The Sequel promises we ain't seen nothin' yet! Not-even-close...

Barbara Lynn

Video sure ain't the best- and still, Wow, just Wow...

26,000X A Day!!!

Photo: © Stan Banos

Exactly- Just say... NO!!!

Hypocrisy Central

Trump, Barr, Graham, Pompeo, Giuliani, McConnell... A veritable Who's Who of Biblical Proportion HYPOCRISY...

Film Noir

Been diving deep into Film Noir (again), there's just something about it that remains forever young- despite the passage of time, styles, whatever... And of course, it has everything to do with the attitude, rebelliousness and that inner most certainty that this world just ain't right no matter what you do. It's you (and your gal) against the world- and even though you still lose in the end, at least you got to look it straight in the eye and spit in it's royal face. Plots are fast paced and direct, the women hot and reassured, the B&W cinematography often captivatingly innovative (due to budget constraints).

And then there's just... the feel- that Big City, Adult feel where grown up people were dealing with grown up problems in a mature urban setting- No Kids Allowed! Even if those problems were ultimately solved, or at least negated, in the most juvenile of ways. There's something romantically, tragically heroic and refreshing about them, these singular jabs at the collective consciousness in a time of white bread wholesomeness.

YouTube has a ton of 'em for free- unfortunately, you're gonna have to scan through a few before finding one that has a pristine enough print to actually enjoy viewing... But well worth the effort!

Welcome To...

The Unites States of Monarchy!

Photo: © Stan Banos


I stay out of things to a degree people wouldn't believe... -DJ Trump 

Got that right (esp. the last part)!

It's Not About Feeling Good...

Photo: © Stan Banos

Or making yourself look good- it's about doing what works best! Because.... ABOVE! 

Planting a Trillion trees sure sounds like a damn good idea, and for the most part, probably is... Although the money could be better spent- only that would involve real effort, real work, and real commitment! But, hey...

Muddying The View

Contemplating Big Muddy, and the family dynamic.         Photo: © Stan Banos

Actually... Big Muddy is the proper appellation for the Missouri River, not the Mississippi (ie- Ol' Man River) above. But here at the delta in New Orleans, looks like you couldn't go wrong with either.

Pretty much forgot about this image taken last summer, somehow discarded it as an almost- now, I'm downright captivated by the varying body language, individual gestures and unique juxtaposition of all concerned as they lose themselves in the moment. Safeguarding memories and experiences has always been one of the most primary of motives for the very existence of photography. Although I'm forever looking for a photo, I'm not always photographing- in fact, I rarely do. Even when I travel, I'm not going to photograph the Eiffel Tower just because it's the Eiffel Tower- there's already a gazillion postcards and Google photos of it already, I'm gonna experience its majesty live and in person. Now, should something unusual happen in front of, beside, or... when I turn around and look in the opposite direction- Snap! Otherwise...

One particular study concluded that people remember that which they photographed less than that which they didn't. But there's an inherent flaw to said study, the subjects were taking pictures basically to record and document details of the objects which they were assigned to observe. They weren't creating photographs, they were recording details for subsequent description/classification. Two very different purposes, two very different results. When you're simply documenting, you're free to dismiss once in the can. When you're photographing for something intrinsic you hold near and dear, well, there's a hella lot of thought going into the taking of that photograph (consciously, or not) and it's subsequent examination/evaluation. And often despite all the preparation in the world, you still ain't sure of what you got, until you look and contemplate afterwards- and maybe, as above... look and contemplate some more.

Beautiful...

Pelosi shows world what she thought of Dotard's speech as she avidly tears into it... Go Girl!!!

PS- And as Ms. Pelosi was ripping up Trump's speech, Trump's legal team was in court trying to get rid of the "preexisting condition" clause- as Trump vowed in front of the entire nation to never touch it!

PPS- And a hearty CONGRATS! to that brave American Patriot, Rush Limbaugh, who was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, yes, that brave American HERO who sent out his brown skinned maid to cop his Oxy when he was jonesin' for a fix!

And DOLLARS TO DONUTS- you just know he'll go after our Social Security if he gets another 4!!!

Well Done, Sir!

Human

Pretty incredible film- the last 2 volumes the most powerful...