Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Non-negative photos, pt. 4 of 10 (Happy happy happy from head to toes)




Some things you should know.

1. When Andy and I had that argument about destroying the stadium with a sledgehammer such that no stone would stand upon another, his original answer was--get this--thirty days.

Thirty days.

My response, after I picked my jaw up off the ground, is less clearly etched in my memory (and Andy's, since I consulted him about this). I think I said it would take him the rest of his life.

You see why we're bitter about this?

2. The eyeballs belong to Lydia Freeman, a recent Berry graduate (with honors). She's a very fine photographer, and her speciality is close-ups of persons. She does cheerful better than I can ever hope to, both in photography and in life. Ms. Freedman liked to brighten my office, but she actually never took one of my classes. (I wonder whether the two are linked.)

3. The feet belong to a Berry Elementary kid. I was taking photos of these colored shells (excuse me---shells of color), when some kids insisted walking by my camera. I have no idea whose feet they are, but what made me post them here along with Lydia's feet is because Lydia herself actually loves sandals. (Just a little inside joke.)

4. This non-negative project is quite challenging for me not just because I don't have that many photos that fit the bill, but also because (Steven Taylor's joking aside) I do think it's hard for me to know what others will see as cheerful--or at least as non-negative.

12 comments:

Steven Taylor said...

The poor child obviously has a busted lip and has to apply ice. Not not negative.

And everyone knows that walking on eggshells is not not negative.

Squish said...

Yep, that definitely looks like a busted lip. Look at the excruciating pain in her eyes.

Mike Bailey said...

Squish--I take your comment to be sarcastic, and I see your sarcasm and double it.

So there, Steven Taylor.

Look who's Mr. Negative now, punk!

Squish said...

I agree, I think Steven may have you beat. Steven, I hesitate to ask what you would see in a photo of a bundle of baby bunnies...

Mike Bailey said...

Mr. Negative has been dragging me down in my project, hasn't he? I post nothing but good cheer, and he simply finds the negative in it. I think secretly he wants me to go straight to the voo-doo doll.

Mike Bailey said...

Mr. Negative has been dragging me down in my project, hasn't he? I post nothing but good cheer, and he simply finds the negative in it. I think secretly he wants me to go straight to the voo-doo doll.

Andy D. said...

Look just get it over with and put Hank up there again. Hank will shut him up. There is not a single negative bone or vibe in Hank's entire existance. Nothing negative could possibly eminate from Hank.

And if it does -- Hulk will smash.

Mike Bailey said...

I actually will put up Hank if I have another decent picture. Problem was the lighting. Mostly we got lots of blurry shots of white fur.

Andy D. said...

There we go. Look, a poor golfer blames his equipment... ha ha

Now that I've finally seen the text of this posting -- I will say, I so loved the photos, I really could have cared less about the explanation, originally -- but now that I read it, regarding #4, I will simply point out that an artist does not care whether his photos are viewed by the public as negative or non-negative.

This is kind of like, one time I had the (dis)pleasure of serving as a bartender at a relative's swanky party for their swanky older friends. I hadn't done it before, and wanted to make sure I was getting their obscure drink orders correct. So as I handed them their weirdo old person drinks, I was asking them to let me know how it was. For example, as I handed them their Gin Gimlet. Not just beers and Roman Cokes like I was used to making as a 25 year old....

One old (75 yrs?) lady finally said to me, "You're not a professional bartender, are you?"

I immediately folded under the intense cross examination, admitting, "No." But I said, "Why do you ask?"

She simply said, "A professional bartender wouldn't ask me how the drink was."

So look mate -- who cares whether we say they're negative or not? If you say they ain't negative -- they ain't negative.

Sorry Steven T....

--A-man (not to be confused with, A-men)

Andy D. said...

PS -- as to needing "another" photo of Hank -- look you've been posting repeats all week. So suddenly you're the Front Page editor of the NY Times? Post the same photo again, dammit.

No one will even notice. Except JC...

Mike Bailey said...

Re: Hank. Yes, you make a good point here. Because....

oh, he's such a good boy. yes he is! Such a good good boy. oh hank is a good doggie, a good good boy!

re: your other note. This note was an impossible mixture of encouragment and insult. And I'd have it no other way.

Anonymous said...

Voodoo calleth.

Can you hear it?

Can you resist her siren song?