Draining The Swamp!

 One... Small... Drop- atta time!!!

The man's a Bloody Saint, he is!

End Of An Era!

The Last Photo- © Stan Banos

And just what era might that be? Well, for the last dozen years or so, I've been attending the annual leather fairs in San Francisco (the Folsom St. Fair and the Dore St. Fair). And although I'm not gay, and don't even have an interest in S&M (I'm sure some have their doubts, whatever)- they sure have proved to be fertile ground for photo ops, around 120 keepers to date! 

And although I'm quite thankful to all that allowed me to photograph them, and all that didn't object, the writing's clearly on the wall, the law of diminishing returns have come into play. Hey, that might be... nah, got one similar, only better. Everything has its expiration date, and what was once fun and challenging has now become almost chore-like and routine. 

This Sunday, I just knew it was the end- the thrill, the novelty just wasn't there... Will I be tempted to go back next year- you bet, precisely because it remains such a wealth of possible photo ops to this day. But it's a bit more complex than that, and it's precisely because I'm not of that scene, that I feel somewhat uncomfortable with the changes that I personally perceive, and my right to objectively and justifiably criticize. I've always considered myself a guest at the event, one who enjoyed and appreciated the event for the photographic results in what was often not unlike a collaborative undertaking. I also enjoyed a lot of the energy that celebrated the power and energy of the individual, that which was original and different- Viva La Difference! 

Admittedly, much most of what I feel is simply the blues at project's end- it was fun, exciting, a proven photo mine, and now... the thrill is gone! The other, smaller part is that I also feel it's changed, even though it's always been a celebration of sex, a certain kind of sex, and particularly a certain kind of gay sex (although not exclusively)- it now seems less focused on the individual, originality part, and more on the hard core sex part. Put on a Furry costume, and you're not really that original, just part of a team, same with the diaper guys. And seeing both of those groups, along with more and more others, openly humping each other in the middle of intersections is not my thing, aesthetically, photographically, any which way- yeah, even if it was heterosexual! But hey, I'm just an old straight guy, so who am I to complain about whatever they wanna make it; and no one forced me to be there anyway- got it... 

On the positive note, I do see more women attending, and people with disabilities! It was a long productive stretch (photographically)- and it's their party and I wish them well... Having already made a book called (appropriately enough) At The Fair, this winter I'll edit a larger, more extensive version in zine format, and try and drum up some interest- most likely, with same sa(i)d results. Granted the photos ain't for everyone, they don't break any grand artistic boundaries, they don't ride any current wave- some are pretty interesting, a bunch fairly humorous, a few even kinda poignant...

Our Press Has... FAILED Us!

Donald Trump lied 30,573 times during his first four years as POTUS- that's approx 21 lies per day, each lie and untruth documented by the Washington Post. How many times did we all hear him respond with the thoroughly, utterly nonsensical, "That's what I hear, that's what they say;" it was a constant refrain! And the press would then hurriedly go on to the next question, consumed by the next lie or obvious deflection. How many times has he denied knowing, meeting, doing business with people he has demonstrably known, met and done business with? Had the press done their job properly, Trump would have never been allowed to run- the first time! Period. His long career of criminal activity in NYC alone was an open secret. I mean there are some excellent investigative journos out there- and they were either out to lunch or maybe working on something, uhhh... more important?  Point is, the Press didn't do their job then, and they've failed to do it since. 

Unlike some European journalists who simply won't tolerate evasiveness and demand direct answers to direct questions, American journalists (those that don't automatically cave and/or immediately change subject) will play a little song and dance where they feign perseverance and determination before ultimately giving their subject a pass. People like 'tough interviewer' Sam Donaldson were really good at this- pressing onward, advancing ever forward and making a good show of it until the line was reached... and never breached, allowing the inevitable politico saving of face and safeguarding future access to that next high ratings interview!

And so, Trump is allowed to make up the craziest, most inane and nonsensical whoppers of all time- over, and over, and over again... He'll end the war in Ukraine before he's in office, he'll reduce prescription drugs by... 1,500%, he'll most certainly release The Epstein Files, of which he now refuses and knows nothing about! Just three of the tens of thousands, have we reached hundreds of thousands- is anyone still counting?!?

Trump once cried out- "Where's my Roy Cohn?" Now, they surround him. Question is, "Where's our Woodward-Bernstein?" Minus a relevant press, we're down to praying for a Hail Mary pass- perhaps a whistleblower, a series of them brave enough to deliver the goods on either the Epstein Files or anything else that will finally land our already convicted felon in the prison that he has for so long evaded and so justly deserved...

And we keep asking ourselves how he gets away with it- because-we've-let-him!

Goddamn DEI!!!

Photo: Jacquelyn Martin

This is what a fully qualified lawyer looks like in the Trump Admin! A former Florida insurance lawyer (and beauty queen) with no prosecutorial experience, Lindsey Halligan was nominated as the US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and will hold “one of the most sensitive posts in the Justice Department, leading around 300 lawyers and staff, overseeing complex national security investigations and representing federal agencies such as the Defense Department and CIA in court.” As if further proof of qualification is necessary, she was also instrumental in removing "offensive ideology" (ie- documented, historical references to slavery) from Smithsonian exhibits- Bravo! 

This is the level of utmost competency one can expect (and demand) when the corrupting influence of DEI is removed from government!

The Triumph of Eternal Friendship!

TRUMP & EPSTEIN!     ©Anna Moneymaker, Getty Images

This is the most moving monument to the top two Titans of Friendship ever created! A masterful, artistic representation of all that is good and decent amongst friends and the secrets they shared, and still keep. Fifteen (15) years of not letting the minor details that occupied their everyday lives get in the way of their morals and dedication to each other. Secrets that come and go- like children passing in the night...

ADDENDUM: This most beautiful of loving statues was purposely defaced and removed in the cover of night- even though it had permission to remain for the week! I ask you... Who, Oh, Who Lord, would possibly commit such a violent, heinous (not to mention cowardly) act?!? Who would have the power and audacity to do such a thing!?! Trump was right- DC is running rampant with crime, and I'm confident our Law And Order President will track down this vicious lawbreaker and punish them like the dirty dog they are under the full weight of the law (soon as they find and punish the evil mastermind who sabotaged the UN escalator)!!! 

It's back up!

God Bless This Woman!

 

 

I think of all the insanity in US politics: convicted sex molester and probable pedophile POTUS pardoning a child molester and other various sex offenders, a 'news show' host calling for the murder of all homeless people, the US "Border Czar" given a heads up on his eager acceptance of a $50,000 bribe, and the Presidential silencing of... comedians! And that, of course, is just the wee, wee tip of yonder iceberg!

So, it it's just such a refreshing (and desperate) breath of fresh air to hear someone: sane, resolute, enlightened...

At The Crossroads!

Photos: © Stan Banos

No exaggeration, no hyperbole. History is rhyming. Once again, an authoritarian lurks, extending his reach beyond his power(s), bending our laws to the point of fracture. He is threatening to imprison protestors solely for peacefully protesting, he has required oaths of loyalty from public servants whose loyalty is to serve their citizenry, he has ordered our public airways to silence those he doesn't want heard simply for their opinion. Step by step, textbook authoritarian playbook 101, tried, tested and proven a hundred years ago. 

The courts, legislative bodies and justice dept; the titans of industry and technology, the press, institutes of higher learning, the arts and even goddamn comedians- jokes must not be made! And All must bend the knee...

Where are the patriots of liberty on The Right and Left who will defend our inherent right to speak, protest and disagree... 
while-we-still-can!?

What are the Top 10 Elements of the Authoritarian Playbook?

1. Divide and rule: Foment mistrust and fear in the population.
2. Spread lies and conspiracies: Undermine the public’s belief in truth.
3. Destroy checks and balances: Quietly use legal or pseudo-legal rationales to gut institutions, weaken opposition, and/or declare national emergencies to seize unconstitutional powers.
4. Demonize opponents and independent media: Undermine the public’s trust in those actors and institutions that hold the state accountable.
5. Undermine civil and political rights for the unaligned: Actively suppress free speech, the right to assembly and protest and the rights of women and minority groups.
6. Blame minorities, immigrants, and “outsiders” for a country’s problems: Exploit national humiliation while promising to restore national glory.
7. Reward loyalists and punish defectors: Make in-group members fearful to voice dissension.
8. Encourage or condone violence to advance political goals: Dehumanize opposition and/or out-groups to justify violence against them.
9. Organize mass rallies to keep supporters mobilized against made-up threats: Use fearmongering and hate speech to consolidate in-group identity and solidarity.
10. Make people feel like they are powerless to change things: Solutions will only come from the top.

Check, Check and Check!

Work, Life, Serendipity...

Photo taken after spotting subject across the street immediately upon leaving work. Photo: © Stan Banos

I've owned my fair share of cameras in my life: Spotmatics, Nikons, Fujifilm X-T's and even a Leica Q (also played with a Widelux and a Mamiya medium format). All fine cameras each! But if I had to pick the camera that served me most and best, it would be the Ricoh GR- I own two of the first iteration (both in various states of disrepair). And the reasons for being my most used and reliable are basically two fold: a) it's ridiculously portable, unintrusive and ergonomic- it can slip in your goddamn (shirt/pants) pocket for Chrissakes, and b) it punches well beyond its weight for IQ! You're paying for its minuscule go anywhere size and the quality of the goods it ultimately delivers!

One can go weekend after weekend (hour after hour) with nothing to show for your effort(s), no matter how earnest, no matter how sincere. You can't will an image to occur, but ya best be ready when it comes. And that's where the GR excels, it allows you to easily transition from everyday, workaday to photo capture mode- waiting on a bus, walking to a grocery store or coming back from work. Completely operable with one hand and the latest (4th) iteration once again comes with a very handy (although now separate) fill flash. You're instantly ready for that 'layered' shot, portrait or cityscape- whatever the subject demands. The 28mm equivalent lens is both ideal for story telling purposes, as well as ridiculously sharp. The viewfinder is sometimes not ideal (granted), but you'd be surprised how well you adjust with continued use. An EVF would increase the size and defeat one of the camera's major attributes- it's extreme portability.

I love taking pictures, with people or without. People pictures have that extra special something when done right, and yet photos without have to have an extra something special just to compete- which is why I enjoy the challenge of each, whenever, wherever they occur! 

Now That Ya Mention It...

Photo: © Stan Banos

Like/Unlike

At least the Dems got rid of their old man with dementia- Republicans elected theirs to another four years. Unlike the United States, Brazil (often considered "a third world" country) convicted their authoritarian leader who tried to lead an insurrection that emulated the one that failed in the US... where the insurrectionist not only went unpunished, but was then allowed to regain control of the country!

As Charlie Kirk Said...

"I think it's worth it. I think it's worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our God given rights."

Thoughts and Prayers...

$58 Gold Karat Deluxe!!!

I remember reading how completely disillusioned a young Cassius Clay was when he discovered that after wearing his Olympic Gold Medal for days, the gold plating started to wear down to reveal... nothing more than common metal.

Well, no such disappointment will be had here! That is, Donald Trump will suffer no such buyer's remorse, because he damn well knows that all those gaudy gold decorations he has been festooning the White House with and telling every visitor and their mama who'll listen that they're all The Real Deal is nothing more than: plastic decorations from... Home Depot, spray painted gold (gold paint, that is, not gold leaf)! Can't - make - it - up. 

Well, at least he still has his full head of hair!

Summertime // Love

Photo: Mark Steinmetz

Went to the Leica Gallery in San Francisco for the opening of Summertime // Love by Mark Steinmetz, who is probably the world's greatest B&W photographer currently alive and regularly working (gladly consider options). Frankly, he's not the greatest speaker, and I really don't give two shits- when your photos do the talking, you can be as low energy as ya want. Some of his prints were definitely on the soft side,* something that I hadn't particularly noticed in his books, of which there was also a nice collection of at the gallery. Each is a master class in how to do justice to whatever subject covered: from Chicago to airports to... the one I was particularly impressed with- Summer Camp. I would have to be forcibly assigned to cover such a topic, and then only after rolling my eyes, throwing up my hands and being threatened with the death of my loved ones- BORING!!! And yet, there they were, page after page, photo after photo of incredible, revelatory images... Remarkable! So really, who cares if the guy is low key! 

Finally, while the staff at the Leica Gallery here in SF are refreshingly non-stuck up, it's still so near absolute ludicrous just how many people attending the opening were sporting their brand new Leicas (look-a-me, look-a-me!)- and then actually pointing them at fellow attendees as if they're gonna get the Leica portrait award of the year for their dedication to brand loyalty right there and then... and it's always guys! Give-it-up!!!

*One of the reasons I always found B&W printing so hard was because I like a certain amount of contrast, printing is waaay easier when you print towards the soft side. It's when the contrast finally kicks in that everything begins to border on unmanageable (highlights and shadows with little to no detail that one has to compensate for)- that's when the real problems start. I remember seeing B&W drug store prints as a child and thinking B&W is so cheap looking- because they were so grey and mushy. Wasn't until I saw actual blacks in B&W did I realize it's inherent power, potential and beauty. Grey and white just don't cut it...

After a decade of shooting exclusively in color, B&W almost seems abstract to me now- not that I don't love it any less so. Just still having too much fun shooting color after decades of B&W... 

This Woman Is A 100% Gonzo, Batshit, Crazy Mama!!!

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 An Honest, Modest Assessment.

To Be Young Again...

I used to go the cinema about every other weekend pre-Covid. I still get a charge watching a good movie on the Big Screen at a theater- being able to escape my humdrum life in this darkened expanse where I'm allowed to enter another world not of my making. Unfortunately, this experience has been severely curtailed post-Covid- local movie theaters, big and small have permanently closed their doors; and since the amount of movies shown are less, the ones of note are even less so...

Caught Stealing was a nice aberration to that formula- it was fun, exciting, well written, funny, and not when it had to be. Didn't hurt to look at Zoe Kravitz either. Not exactly the greatest review, admittedly- I was just happy to see something that was, in fact, so full of life (good and bad), well paced and capable of holding my interest throughout for all the reasons above... The end.

The Fast And The Furious...

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Without End...

Photo: © Stan Banos

Less than 1% of the Epstein files have been released, and already, the MAGA faithful are proclaiming his exoneration, his complete and total vindication. Ghislaine, the convicted sex trafficker, has proclaimed Trump, the self professed pussy grabber, a "complete gentleman" and she, a complete innocent; and this is but one facet of his blatant, multifaceted criminality. Once again, the criminal in charge is allowed to spew forth the most obvious of lies, accusations and defamatory non sequiturs that now not only go unchallenged, but are actually used to defame, harass and criminalize those they are so vilely leveled against! A tirade of vengeance against those he's deemed have wronged him because they have dared to call out his own multitude of criminalities, only some of which he would have been righteously convicted of had he not been reinstated. 

"Ever wonder what it's like to live under Fascism? You are," read the graffiti. It's true, everything I've ever read about its history and trajectory describes the gradual, step by step encroachment proceeding today. Fortunately, Trump doesn't want to take over the world militarily, he just wants to enrich himself without end, and if people have to die or suffer, or lose all they have for his own betterment- what-is-the-problem? He has no issue with the thousands now slowly starving to death in a famine of friend Bibi's own making- if he has a say in the real estate to be had. His ridiculous claims to have ended multiple wars are not based on any urgency to save lives, he has no empathy for anyone's plight, or their suffering- only that they are the currency to attain what he currently covets... A Nobel Peace Prize. It would all be so laughable, if not from a man bequeathed with the power to manifest his petty machinations- all of them being slow walked directly in public view. 

For eons, people world over believed it couldn't happen in America, people just wouldn't stand for it! It is, they are...

Welcome To The Godox Train...

Fujifilm X-T2 w/EF-X8              All Photos: © Stan Banos

Of the literary thousands of posts I've put up over the past twenty years on my blog(s), probably around a dozen (make it two to be on the safe side) have been on camera equipment. Not my thing really, although I've loved my fair share of equipment. I'm also a natural light kinda guy, and with the added ability to dig out digital shadows, never thought I'd really need any kind of additional lighting. I-was-wrong. Sometimes that little extra kick to: help with the raccoon eyes, give some small measure of detail in deep shadows, or just add the little extra oomph can go further than I thought. But I'm still not about to embark upon lugging around some biblical sized potato masher. The miniscule, near toy like flash that comes (or at least came- I'm assuming they still do) with the Fujifilm's XT cameras is more what I'm talking about... Mostly I just I just need a little something for masked or sunny day eyes.... Fill Light!

And while the EF-X8 accessory flash is just fine for my Fujifilm and my (currently somewhat working) GR is also accounted for with its built in flash- what do I do with my Q? At first I tried the Godox iM20 a bite size chewable of a flash that was surprisingly... powerful. It's manual only, has four power levels, but if I went just slightly closer than full length portrait (in landscape format) at its lowest setting, it would still blow out the exposure! If you don't use WA lenses, this may not be a consideration; one thing that is, no matter what lens used is that you can't see its miniscule diodes in direct sunlight. Still... pretty freaking amazing for size and power alone!

Godox iA32

Fortunately, there was an alternative... the Godox iA32, it's automatic (not TTL, old school auto), set the ISO and aperture and you're good to go. Now, I've yet to shoot with it in the field, but some (very) preliminary testing shows that it blows out the exposure by a full stop when set to ISO 200, f8 on auto! Well, I can deal with that, especially in direct sunlight, just set a full stop higher- I'm not your onion skin depth of field, butter creme bokeh kinda guy anyways. And it also gives several f stops to choose from in auto (not just a couple) at every ISO, and seven manual power levels- with three levels for each of those seven, talk about fine tuning. I'll probably just use the 1/32 or 1/64 manual settings for most of my needs if I find the auto problematic. It's almost identical in size to my GR, runs on two AA's, has an easy to see digital read out on the back and can also be triggered off camera. Did I mention it also does bounce (and looks like an electric razor)? 

Godox iM20

Godox has also recently come out with an iT30 mini TTL flash for most popular camera brands (except Leica) as well as the even smaller iT20 (also TTL) as I write this- pretty freaking awesome! At this point I'm betting they'll probably release both of the latter for Leica when I'm finally ready to use my then antiquated iA32 for reals...

Truth To Power- (Epitomized)!

 INTERNATIONAL  --and--  DOMESTIC!

PLAYED!!!

Like A Fiddle. Does it show?