Double Down ... A change is coming.

Happy Sunday!

Happy Sunday!

Happy Sunday!

    I sent out that message yesterday a few times hoping it might change how I felt. You know, a random message that might create happiness in someone. Truth is, there's a lot for me to be happy about, yet the world is in turmoil. Death, destruction, looting. Fire, chaos and emotion. It's so thick in the air right now. The energy is overwhelming. The pain is real. 

    There's a call for everyone to speak out. To speak their minds and create a new way of life for humanity. No change occurs without adversity. People always learn more from their losses than their wins. The fight for equality has taken horrific losses in the last few months, yet a change is happening. I see it. We all see and feel it. Now is the time to double down. Join in the message. Do better. Look within and do your part to create the change in humanity we hope to achieve. Assess your lives, your belief systems and the way you act, think and react. Let love drive you though adversity to this new way of living and a new way of life.

    When I think about black men and women, I see a new generation of leaders stepping up. I watched how eloquent President Barrack Obama spoke while leading our country for eight years. I admire the black men and women who have come into my life and opened my eyes to a new normal. I encourage them to double down right now and I will join in their message of equality. Yesterday I watched Michael Santiago Render, aka Killer Mike, talk in Atlanta and pray his message reaches the ears of those he intends it for to create change in the minds of those who need it. I also watched Nick Cannon's poetry tribute to George Floyd and fully felt the pain in his message. I pray his breath continues to be the voice for those who were taken from our world far too soon in an unthinkable way that must be changed. 

  

    Twitter feuds wage on. My Facebook and Instagram news feeds fill with horrific images of violence and chaos that can't be unseen. A memorial to Floyd and others sits rain soaked outside my local library as citizens peacefully take to the streets in protest. Protests all over the nation break out. In some, violence and chaos ensues. Once the dust settles, we all must build on that pain and craft a new message of hope inspired by the memories of those who have passed unjustly that can’t be denied. Continue to fill our eyes, ears and minds until your message of change is realized.

    They say there's a fine line between love and hate. Some even believe the devil is in all of us. It seems as though we've seen that devil lately. Yet his energy can be stopped. Contempt is the feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn. Speak out and reach your audience. Craft your message carefully like I've attempted to do with this blog. Know that to win an argument you must stay strong but calm, yet be extremely rational. For those who resist, you must qualify each point with evidence. Prevent facts rather than opinions and avoid sarcasm. Know in your heart that your message will change hearts and minds. A new normal is coming and you are the change you hope to see in the world. 

Happy Monday!

A new day has come. Use it wisely. There's only so much energy a person can create. Be sure that yours is leading those toward the new world you hope to achieve.

Equality ... Now is the perfect time for tribal examination. Where do you stand?

Every now and then your mother flashes you a look that's priceless. A little bit of fear, a little bit of horror and a glimmer of anger masked by an ever-so-slight veil of amusement. Those looks are priceless. My mom always knows exactly what I'm thinking. At times, even before I say it. It's a subconscious connection that amazes me. We search our whole lives for a God like figure who will explain the world to us. A "daddy in the sky", if you will, but a mother is the closest thing I've ever found.

Mom's looks are always priceless, but last night my mom gave me a doozy. Apparently I hadn't packed enough into my day. I'd edited photos, listed 20+ items into my eBay store, drove to Bellingham and packed my orders, ran 2.6 miles at Lake Padden, mowed my parent's lawn... and then I sat down for dinner and the discussion of equality came up. Men are probably not the best people to stand up for women's rights right now. In the midst of the current Me Too, cancel culture, Trump administration, we've taken our lumps the last couple years. Luckily, life moves on and each day I'm continually blessed with new and interesting opportunities. Life is good. Or, as they say, life is beautiful! That's what I keep telling myself when I wake up each morning. Affirmations of gratitude are all the rage and I've jumped on that bandwagon. Why not, right?

But every now and then there's an discussion worth having. A discussion that moves society forward toward equality. There was the civil rights movement that started in the 1940s and supposedly ended in the 60s, yet Black Lives Matter reminds us that fight is far from over. Countless young black men are continued to be unjustly slain and the news videos are horrific. It's all too real.

There was Mr. Colin Kaepernick's decision to shock the nation by taking a knee during the Star Spangled Banner prior to an NFL football game. It shocked many and he was essentially run out of the NFL. Some argue that he was just an average quarterback whose career ran its course, but anyone who really watched his run to the Super Bowl knows better. Don't worry, Nike made it right. He's doing fine. Better than ever. He has continued his endorsement deal with Nike since it was signed in 2011. He released a new ad campaign in 2018 and will reportedly even have his own branded line. His jersey is still a top 50 best seller. I imagine young Kap sits at home admiring all the zeros in his bank account as he gives affirmations of gratitude for not having to potentially get concussed by 300-pound men on the gridiron anymore. Life always comes down to a matter of perspective. His latest campaign slogan is right on point. He truly did believe in something and sacrificed everything. Any person who does that should be admired.

And then there's the Woman's right to vote movement that occurred in the 1920s with the 19th amendment. Today's Me Too movement reminds us again that the fight for equality is riddled with speed bumps and sometimes the mighty must fall. Your heroes can quickly turn to villains, get locked up and stop making cute tv shows with little children while promoting delicious Jello pudding pops on the side. Life reminds us, yet again, that it truly is stranger than fiction. You know, Cosby's behind bars, Bruce becomes Caitlyn, Trump becomes President and that one handsome former pro wrestler with a flair for eyebrow raises, suddenly picks up some acting chops and works his way to being the world's highest grossing movie star.

We're living in strange days, but history can still teach us a few things. In 1973, some 90 million people around the world watched 29-year-old tennis player Billie Jean King beat 55-year-old Bobby Riggs in a straight sets "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match. Every so often a moment occurs that may not seem significant at the time, yet it cumulatively has its impact on society over time. A year before that infamous match, in 1972, Title XI helped provide equity in athletics and females were finally offered the same number of extra curricular sport offerings as their male counterparts. Some argue that men's athletics programs were cut to make way for the women and males suffered, yet women progressed and society eventually accepted the change.

So when to topic of equal pay for male and female World Cup soccer athletes came up at the dinner table, I decided to chime up and say, "I think they should get paid the same." Looking back, to pay  them the same won't happen for some time, but to take another step toward equality isn't out of the question. When comparing men's and women's World Cup tourneys, the money discrepancy is hard to deny. Really, it's comparing apples to oranges. From what I've read, the women generate hundreds of millions and the men bring in multiple billions. Point is, FIFA makes a lot of money off World Cup soccer. So, when US World Cup soccer star Megan Rapinoe stepped up to the podium to give her speech greeted by chants of "equal pay" after the women won the World Cup, it was easy to sit back in my armchair and tell FIFA to "pay them". Looking at all the pay discrepancy charts out there on the internet, I'm sure the financial breakdown is far more complicated than it appears. When it comes to money, it's always complicated. Of course, any employee who performs well will push for a raise at the height of their performance levels. It's to be expected. Rapinoe, had her platform and she took her shot. Atta girl.

I guess the point of this blog is that change doesn't occur without discussion. It's okay to think about these things without all the facts and then gather them later to try and make sense of it. We're tribal individuals by nature and it's okay for men to tip toe into the woman's tribe every now and then to make sure everything is okay. Men are being forced to take those steps more than ever right now. The country is led by tweet friendly, former reality star entertainer, who seems to prefer to communicate to us from behind the screen of his phone. Hey, who am I to judge. I make a living behind a computer screen too. Everyone has their safe space. I see a world where women seek Facebook likes and IG love to feel valued. It's weird. But they also still want their piece of the pie. The American dream has been blessed with recent World Cup championships and a portion of that almighty dollar should trickle down onto the backs of the women who earn them. It's only fair. These moments in history might not seem like a step toward improving humanity now, but 20 years from now they will. Just ask Billie Jean King. The women's movement didn't start in the 70s with Title XI and a celebrity tennis match, but it didn't hurt. The true "Battle of the Sexes" is far from over. It's just begun.

Do you have the energy to read a few paragraphs. Well, I wrote some.

One thing I know about myself is that I'm a one-on-one guy. I've always been that way. I can connect with people one on one, or sometimes in small groups, but the minute there's more than 4 people in a room, I tend to get quiet and let someone else steal the energy. Like a lot of people, groups have never been my thing, but recently opportunities have been coming my way in photography for family portraits. I've tried to do my best to get over this one-on-one thing and embrace the group dynamic. When I first purchased my little portrait studio/clothing store, I never wanted to be a family portrait photographer, but as time goes by I see there's definitely a demand for it, and I'm more than happy to do my best to meet that need.

The other night I found myself busily pushing racks of clothing around in an effort to transform my 4,700- item online eBay clothing store (insert plug: www.menschoice.info) back into what could somehow work as a photo studio. This time it was for a family session with 8 people in my small 583-square foot commercial spot downtown Bellingham. As my eBay store grows, it's getting harder and harder to transform it for shoots, but I'm still able to make it work. For most of my photography career, it's been about that one-on-one connection. You know, creating a moment in a photo that the audience can connect with and appreciate. Creating an image the subject enjoys and can share with their family, and on social communities, that can convey who they want to be and how they want to portray themselves. I generally give some input on what I like, but usually the outcome is rarely up to me. I've learned to relinquish control and become comfortable with how photo shoots work, and just let it happen organically. When it's all said and done, to be honest, some of the art I like and some of it I don't, but the joy of the moment triumphs any frustration and I forge onward.

Of course, capturing an entire family in studio is an entirely different animal than the solo shoot. Getting eight people to all agree on one common goal is virtually impossible, so what I've learned to do is just try to get them all to look at the camera. Usually there is a hidden struggle for the energy in the room. I know as the photographer who owns the studio, the camera and the lighting, I'm supposed to be in charge, but the alpha female almost always ultimately takes over and some form of organized chaos usually results. As the guy with his finger on the trigger aiming to capture the moments, I try to do my best to calm the chaos. Whether it's an unruly toddler who doesn't want to sit next to his older brother, or the alpha male who stubbornly refuses to smile, there's always something. After a while you learn what to expect and find tricks to manipulate the energy in the room. To tell you the truth, I think I'm actually getting better at it. Like anything in life, the more you do it, the better you get. Practice truly does lead to perfection. If there really is such a thing. I think the great Green Bay Packers' coach Vince Lombardi said it best when he stated that, "Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence". And anyone who lived through the 90s knows what the great Bill S. Preston said, "Be excellent to each other". And Ted Theodore Logan added "Party on dudes". Okay, I'm out of great quotes, but please read on.

We live in a world where energy is all around us. What we do with the energy in our bodies determines who we are. Everything we do is about energy. From time we wake up to the moment we close our eyes, we thrive on energy to move us forward. From the food we put in our bodies that provides the nutrients needed to channel our brains to move us to do what we want and need to survive, to the thoughts that allow us to bow out at night for some of that REM sleep that will allow us another day, everything is about energy.

One of the greatest energies I see in studio is the love for a child. The bond between a mother and her child is something we take for granted. We don't question it until it doesn't exist. Those of us who are blessed with healthy bonds growing up learn to love. Those who lack those bonds tend to struggle. John Lennon said it best when the Beatles sang "All We Need Is Love." My challenge for everyone who has read to this point is to ask yourselves how you are you using your energy. Are you channeling it into productive endeavors that will better your world. I certainly hope so. If not, make that change you hope to see in yourselves and others and the world around you will suddenly become that much better.

Let's talk about love, shall we?

In a world filled with anger, jealousy, greed, lust and hatred, we get inundated with stories of energy wasted on lives lived full of sin. Yet, above all, there is the most wonderful energy ever created; love. Love is an energy that's ever-present. Sometimes it consumes us and burns as bright as the sun in the sky. At its brightest it's capable of creating the greatest gift of all, the gift of life. Other times it sneaks up on us like a stealthy samurai in the night and surprises us with a precious story of summer romance that'll be remembered in the recesses of one's mind till their dying days. In retrospect, one will sit alone with those thoughts of romance, then suddenly crack a tender smile on their face. That's love. That's what it does. Sometimes love sparks hot for a few years, a few decades maybe, then dwindles. Some hold tight to each burning ember, begging it not to die. Wondering what happened to it. What they did and how they can get that feeling back. And, sometimes, let's be honest, sometimes it dies a horrible tragic death.

Some people are blessed with love and manage to turn up love's magnanimous energy for 50 years together and end up side by side in cemetery plots to become part of the earth together forever as one. While others spread love like a mailman making his rounds through the neighborhood by dosing each person they encounter with a little sprinkle of love's splendid joy. Hey, I don't judge. Some people have a lot of love to give.

Sometimes I sit alone with my thoughts and think about the love that created me, my family members and loved ones. I look at the love stories around me that flourish, create new life, new heartbreak, new joy and new sadness. I feel that energy. I weighs heavy on me at times, yet I'm thankful I've been given the chance to create each new ember of love that consumes my heart and makes me feel alive.

Sometimes one might not understand love, or see it or get it. They might look at it and wonder how it exists between two people. They might see it and feel uncertainty or pain. One thing about love is that it makes a person feel. It touches them in ways they can't explain. That's what arguably the greatest energy in this world can do. Never doubt it. Like a tidal wave capable of crushing a village, it can move lives in different directions. It's definitely a catalyst to create change. Everyone knows that change allows us to learn, grow and progress. Some people believe mistakes are mankind's way of forcing change and making us learn, grow and flourish. We go through life as members of couples, as families, as communities, as countries progressing toward change that hopefully betters our world as a whole. I like to think that way.

For those of you who know me, all this talk of love might seem a bit out of character. I don't talk about it much, yet best believe I see it everyday. I'm aware of love and even let it embrace me if it must. Sometimes a person can sit back, relax and just watch love work. They can watch in awe as it propagates its magic on loved ones, then suddenly twists their lives into uncertainty and despair. I've seen all this over the years. At this point in my life, I don't question love all too much. When it hits someone, I choose to celebrate it with them. Apparently, a new ember or two of love's billowing fire shot up hit my sister and her new beau. The two of  them ran away to that city that shines the brightest. You know the one. The one filled with copious quantities of sin. Anyway, back to this love thang. They walked through that city of sin, found a chapel and made their love official to the government. Yep, they got married.

Later today I'm supposed to meet up with the new couple to celebrate their love over a family lunch. To my loving sister, I have this to say. I wish you nothing but the best. May your love burn brighter than the embers of a Nasa rocket ship on its way to the moon. If it dwindles, don't let it die. Work your hardest to get the most out of that energy. Torch that energy and stoke love's fire for all its worth. Enjoy each and every moment of the greatest energy on earth. To my new brother in law, I welcome you. I thank you for your kindness, generosity and love I've witnessed during this courtship. Most of all, I thank you for showing my sister the new love she has needed and celebrate the new story that has been created. May the energy encompassed in these words stoke the fire of your love to ever reaching new heights.

With love,

Brian

This one time, at camp, God was my Savior and Jesus was my Homeboy

When I was a young boy, I went to Northwest Basketball camp, a Christian-based basketball camp where they teach you about hoops and pump you full of religion for a week so that mom and dad could get a break from me and enjoy a little bit of their summer vacation all to themselves. While at the camp, I wrote a letter home to my folks. Reading it now, that experience was obviously far more about religion than basketball. By the end of camp, God was my Savior and, like Jessica Simpson says, Jesus was my Homeboy. Wait, maybe it was Jesus was my Savior and God was my Homeboy. Okay, I didn't listen to everything that was said. Point is, at one time in my life, I was pretty jazzed up about religion.

When it comes to religion, I've always tried to do unto others as they would have done unto me, but the whole church on Sundays thing never really worked for me. Like many sports fans, there was just too much great football to watch. But every now and then I'll have an issue in my life and wonder, "what does the bible have to say about that." I mean, it's a good book and 95 percent of Americans stand by it, so there must be some good lessons in there. That's when I usually call my dad. He might not be able to quote every bible verse, but in his long life, I'm sure he's probably read them all. Turns out I've asked him so many times, he actually bought me my very own bible. I looked at it a couple times, and really liked the feel of its thin pages, then I shut it and put it in a drawer. It might be a great book and all, but as it turns out, I'd rather just call Dad for answers.

Anyway, back to this camp. There was the basketball part. I think there was a lake ... oh, and there was this guy who would give speeches while shooting free throws. He was amazing!!! Apparently he could make like 100 in a row. I watched him shoot away, talking about religion and the fundamentals of a perfect free throw shot. I was in awe. He drained basket after basket and I was mesmerized. Life can put you in a trance sometimes and fill you with great knowledge if you let it. I definitely soaked it all in. I mean, he made like 95 out of 100. God was definitely on his side.

Life can also feel like that movie Ground Hog Day sometimes. You know, the famous movie starring Bill Murray. In the movie, he wakes up and lives the same day over and over again. For the last 15 years my life has kind of been like that too. I'm self employed, so every Monday, I go shopping for inventory that I flip on eBay throughout the week. I also photograph prep sports in the evenings. Each morning I sit alone in my office editing those photos and listing items on eBay. Nobody really bothers me. I'm my own boss and I like it that way. One bad thing about it is that I rarely get feedback. I mean, every now and then someone won't like the color of a shirt and they'll tell me "this shirt isn't green, it's olive," but on social media, my photography usually only receives praise.

Many of you know by now that last season I made a comment on one of my photos that was posted to Facebook and the athletic directors didn't like what was written. Ultimately, that comment, was what caused me to lose my credential to shoot for the WPA Network and ended my prep sports coverage. Some of you have asked, what exactly did you say? I'm not going to get into all that here, and actually it doesn't really matter at this point. Point is, according to Facebook analytics, more than 500 people viewed it before I took it down, and my mom was the only one who commented. Nobody said squat about it being inappropriate until I get a call from the AD. When I make a comment, or post a photo. I hope that it can make someone feel special. I post my photos for free to Facebook because my art is, and always will be, about more than the money. I appreciate the photos I sell, but it was always about sharing the moments I capture with my audience. I realize now I should just let the art speak for itself. Lesson learned.

My mistakes as a prep sports photographer are simply an opportunity for the system to become better. A system only becomes better if it can learn and grow. And I really hope the WPA Network can grow into something greater. Something that can pay freelancers a wage to photograph high school athletics instead of leaving it up to chance. A place where the community can go to celebrate the accomplishments of the student-athletes that work so hard each season at their sports. I've heard that some ADs don't want to see it become that, and have never really been keen on the idea of freelancers in their schools. With technology advancing in the way it is, everyone should realize that every student walking the schools with a cell phone is capturing life as it happens and posting it online. It's a way of life now. Instead of choosing to be a cog in the wheel of progress, administration needs to streamline their regulations for such content and communicate it in detail to the communities they represent.

I photographed 37 events last winter. Throughout that time, I saw athletic directors and principals and parents, and nobody ever said anything negative to me about the content and commentary I presented to them on social media. In retrospect, sure, I toed the line about what would be considered appropriate. I made comments to bring more attention to my art. I even wrote a vlog or two purposely slanted in favor of the school I cover. That was all within my first amendment rights. With the increase in platforms to express ideas growing every day, the first amendment's freedom of press component is more important than ever right now. Just because you can end someone's voice within a community doesn't mean you should. My advice for the NWC ADs would be for all athletic directors to work at improving their communication with freelancers. Don't just talk about their photos in special meetings or e-mails they know nothing about. Make them part of the process.

My situation has been an eye opening realization to the power of the 1 percent. In every system, there's usually a collection of the 1 percent who decides what is right and wrong, what is allowed and not allowed. The power of the 1 percent is real. They can change government. They can change process for good and bad. And, believe you me, they can definitely put an end to a freelance photographer editing sports photos for a quorum of fans on Facebook. The 1 percent can change my environment, but they're not going to stop me from taking photos. I'm going to find new adventure in life and document it for all to see. I'm going to be more careful about what I say and reconsider the messages I'm putting out to the world, but they're not going to stop me from capturing photos and making comments that make people feel special. Creating art that makes people feel special is too important to me just give up on.

Like Bill Murray's character in Ground Hog Day, sometimes someone comes along and slaps you awake. That person can change your way of thinking and behaving. I remain grateful. Right now, I'm grateful the most for that person. The strife they've caused me has been painful, but I have already learned and grown from the experience. Life lessons are everywhere if you take the time to open your eyes to them.

A young boy's search for peace, love and joy never ends

As a kid, I never worried about anything. Everything was taken care of for me. My folks did a perfect job of raising me and provided me with all I could ask for and more. As an adult, my search for peace, love and joy isn't always as easy. There's been a few miss steps in my life. I've made a few screw ups. It's par for the course. They happen. I try to always apologize for my mistakes, own up to them and learn and grow from them. I try not to dwell on them, but sometimes I wake up sad. I wake up mad at myself. I wake up thinking about all the joys in my life and can't help but cry a little. Well, not cry cry, but that moment when your eyes fill with tears and you get that lump in your throat. Ya, maybe I'm just one of those sensitive types who needs to wipe my eyes and move on with life, but sometimes I like to live in those moments a little. Maybe a little too long. I like to let those tears sit in my eyes and think about all I have to be thankful for. Today is one of those days.

Yesterday I did my first infant photography shoot. A family was kind and trusting enough to visit my little studio and give me a shot at capturing some precious moments of their little one on his half birthday. Not even a year old and it was obvious this kid was going to grow up with all the peace, love and joy he needs. Just a few years ago, I was busy photographing his mom and dad on the hardwood as star prep athletes playing basketball. His dad had a jump shot like you wouldn't believe. His mom ran the show on the court as the point guard and had a way about her you couldn't help but love to watch. As I watched the young couple get their little guy ready for his studio photo shoot, it made me think a little.

Ya, surprise surprise, Brian got a little nostalgic. I thought back on the love I received growing up and how family can help shape a young child into the adult you want them to be. To me, that idea carries with it a whole lot of responsibility. A daunting amount. Yep, there's a lot to it. A mom and dad will need to fill that boy's life with peace, love and joy for 18 years. And then he's an adult and it's done, right? No, when that young adult questions life and seeks answers, he's gonna call on you. Like me, he might wake up with tears in his eyes some days; wondering where his life is going. He's gonna wipe those tears and need you more than ever for comfort. He's gonna call on you for answers you don't have. If he finds small pockets of happiness in life that are stolen from him, he's going to feel angry, frustration and confusion and call you looking for answers. Be ready.

I'm not going to sit here and pretend I have all the answers. I've never been a dad. I'm sure that in your half year as parents, you've surely learned more than me about parenting, but I will encourage you to look at the pictures we captured yesterday, slow down your busy lives a little and take a second to live in each moment for a bit. Enjoy them for what they are and realize that the joy you felt in studio yesterday, and the joy you feel looking into the eyes of your newborn will not last forever. Soon he'll be one. Then the terrible twos you've heard about. He'll mature into a toddler and turn your young worlds upside down. That toddler will grow into a young boy who will surprise you with the way he sees the world. He'll dazzle you with his intelligence, make you laugh in ways you didn't think possible and create memories you'll never forget. He'll love you unconditionally and fill you with the greatest joy possible on this earth. Ya, let's end this knowing that you're in for quite a ride. Thanks for sharing a little of it with me.

Enrique & Lauren