Greetings!

It has been a fun week, for sure, both in my geeky and art worlds. And that continues, so I’m happy that the holiday lull I’ve witnessed for 14 years is coming out from under the blanket into the light. Finally.

I teamed up with Griffin and Todd, and we visited the home/studio in Mesa to get as many Playboy-style sets as we could in about three hours. My favorite kind of art. Not specifically Playboy magazine, but the style they set. I will say I’m a bit more on the dark side than Playboy style, but their goal was well lit pretty girls. Mine is more artistic. In my mind, at least.

It was fun getting Griffin in an excellent home/bedroom environment to showcase her talents and beauty. I’ll be posting more from that shoot, I’m sure.

It might be time to revisit some personal rules I follow as a photographer. First, I’m in the self-esteem business. If I can give people an escape from their daily lives to have fun, great. If I can make them feel wonderful about themselves and how they look, maybe for years to come, that is outstanding. I want nothing to impact anyone’s life negatively.

The biggest threats to those goals are judgy people and stalkers. Most of the ladies I’ve worked with are strong and confident; if they are being judged, they move on. They know judgemental people are expecting the model to live by some standard in someone else’s head. Um, no.

The other problem is stalkers. They are just as easily handled. If I see inappropriate comments on so-so media, I delete them. Usually, anything that is sexual or talks about any part of the woman’s body, the comment gets deleted, and depending on the gravity of the comment, they may find I vanished from their feed. Being blocked is earned this way.

The other thing that stalkers will do that is creepy and not tolerated. “Do you have more pictures of - insert name here?” Contrary to what one might think, this is creepy and it matters not if I have more of a specific model, the answer will always be no. And the name of whoever asked will be sent to the model. Stalking, before the internet, was far more rare. Today, stalking is as available as a phone in the pocket. And one can do it anonymously. It is deplorable that, for some, a woman who poses nude becomes a sex object in their heads, and they think she is not a human to be respected.

I understand that 90% of the people who follow my art just want to see boobs. My efforts and my art are 100% directed to the 10% that see the art I attempt to create.

Now, find someone to hug.

To be a great conversationalist, ask questions and listen. Repeat.

“Be curious, not judgemental” - Walt Whittman

And if you’d like to give me feedback on these Museletters, feel free! I love to hear from you all! - Contact form