Flying | March 2009
“Can I ask you to turn that off sir?” | 1m 30 second video
see it larger here
see it larger here
March 31st, 2009
March 26th, 2009
Jodell | I
My grandmother’s backyard.
March 25th, 2009
Jodell | II
My grandmother’s backyard.
March 24th, 2009
#1RN | Max G
March 23rd, 2009
Sidney | FL
March 20th, 2009
Pride in #’s | part I
This week I got my 1000 target pin. You get a target recognition pin for every thousand registered targets you shoot at in a given year, a pin of honor if you will. This was my third such pin:
2006 = 1700 targets – 1 pin for 1000 targets
2007 = 3200 targets -1 pin for 3000 targets
2008 = 1700 targets – 1 pin for 1000 targets
This gives me pride.
March 20th, 2009
Pride in #’s | part II
This week I also got my SALES AND ROYALTY STATEMENT from a fancy place that not only represents me in some aspect, but also as of this week, now represents photographic legend Annie L in some aspect. One would think this would be a moment of pride in more then a couple #’s too…
Asset Description:
Young woman with redhead, close-up, portra
Rights: Industry
Computer/I.T. Services
Rights: Usage
Display-outdoor, transit and POS
Rights: Use Territory/Duration
NRU Nov 01, 2008 to Oct 31, 2009
Sales Territory:
POL
License Fee (in USD):
$4.70
Royalty Rate:
30%
Gross Royalty (in USD):
$1.41
Minimum Payment Not Met. Amount carried forward (in USD):
$1.41
Now I am not sure, but I am willing to bet that it cost more to generate this statement in regards to me being notified that at some point in the future I may receive a $1.41 of a $4.70 sale that gave someone somewhere the right to use my image for one year in some kind of an outdoor ad.
This gives me pride.
March 17th, 2009
#1RN | Andrew H
Andrew H (aka What’s the Jackanory?) stopped by on Friday the 13th. I normally don’t put much stock in this day, but oddities were abound here in #1RN this time around. Random modeling light malfunctions, an absurd contract arrival, a flashlight burning ones arse (not what you are thinking) and redundant video making. Of course if this was just anyone stopping by there may not have been such stories all around, my video above or his on his site here. It was a good day. Now back up, back up, back up… there ya go, sit back, relax and watch all the exactly 100 photographs in the order they were created.
March 14th, 2009
Ransom | Contest
To the person who left their (prescription) glasses here today:
If you don’t claim them within 7 days, I reserve the right to sell them on ebay using your name and fame. I will then promote this sale all over the blog world, myspace, facebook and twitter to drive up the price. In this same spirit, guess whose they are and you will win a prize. I don’t know what this prize is yet, but rest assured, you will eventually receive it and you will enjoy it.
March 13th, 2009
Wake Up People
This email blast was forwarded to me today. I found it interesting as my experiences with Madoff images and those requesting them has been a little more unique then most.
The following facts as I have experienced them relate to far more experiences of mine then just the Madoff situation:
Just because an image is online or otherwise easy to come by, does not mean that it is yours to do with whatever you please in anyway whatsoever.
(case in point: me posting this email blast above)
Just because a business wants to use your image online only, does not mean that it should be free.
Just because someplace wants to publish it somewhere in someway, does not mean that it is special enough to be there for free, no matter how special this place thinks it is and tells you they are.
Never before like now has our culture expressed the importance of an images power as the fight for the most unique or most recent of whatever grows more dramatic daily.
(However never before it seems has uniqueness been sacrificed so quickly for a race to the bottom in price point. Quality is out the window nor even considered to effect pricing, if place X has an image and place Y has an image, they should be priced the same right?).
Never before like now have those in need of images tried to convince the creator of these images of their worthlessness while at the same time only wanting them to make a profit.
I had an incident today when I realized something important and it thus helped me make up my mind regarding a potential licensing inquiry… (No, I am not talking about the email I got posted above, although I have to admit, I have gotten offers just as absurd from places we have all heard of).
The guy who hangs the advertising for your magazine/tv show/whatever on the bus that almost hit me today makes more money for hanging that sign on the bus that is promoting your product then the very magazine/tv show/whatever being promoted are even offering me for the actual content of the product you want my image for in the first place.
Wake up people.
This would be a really funny story if it was not all true.
March 12th, 2009
A $50,000 Camera and a Shotgun
A $50,000 Camera and a Shotgun, never go into the woods without them.
I’ve been waiting to make images like these for 2 years. I just never had a camera worthy of the task. For a brief hour or so, I finally got to test one out exactly where I wanted to use one the most. I haven’t felt a camera like that in years, it was wonderful using a ‘real’ camera again. I will make more, I will just need to revisit all 28 clubs I have now been to and get my hands on these cameras more often. It was a good day, sporting clays and big files in Kentucky, you cannot go wrong.
28th Sporting Clay Club Self Portrait
All images below by Ryan Kurtz.
March 10th, 2009
Art of Food | Kentucky
The Art of Food | The Carnegie Arts Center | Covington, KY
“This unique two-week exhibition attracts the art and culinary masters in the area, to create the best art, food and atmospheres. The exhibition opens with a Grand Event to initiate the run of his exhibition. Top chefs from the greater Cincinnati area, fantastic local artists and actors and the public will come together to experience the dynamic way in which food comprises an art form.”
I was asked by a friend to have my 150 Meals in a show he was curating. It was to take place in Kentucky. Before he was even done asking me, I think I had bought a plane ticket. Who wouldn’t want a slide show of any kind in Kentucky?
“Jonathan Saunders likes to tell stories (there’s a puzzled and puzzling portrait of Bernie Madoff on the cover of CONDE NAST PORTFOLIO; for TIME, here’s Bill Gates adjusting his still geeky glasses. With us, he’s sharing 150 Meals. It’s the story of what Jonathan ate. Plate by plate, the story unfolds: Jonathan eats out (a lot) – and he doesn’t always eat his vegetables. Compelling, and weirdly appetizing, these plates leave you yearning for a culinary life (like his) – in New York City, where we too could choose Mexican for breakfast, Indonesian for lunch and Croatian for dinner.” – Kate Gallion
I did well at the event considering it was really just a small sampling of food to taste. I managed to eat about 15 plates (they were small), only drop 3 and walk around with a napkin stuck to the bottom of my shoe for a mere 20 minutes. I like Kentucky.
March 3rd, 2009
October
One of my favorite things is simply making a box of pictures.
March 2nd, 2009
Tennessee Smoke
One of my favorite things is simply making a box of pictures.