Retoucher Priscila Desingz
"The high ones die, die. You look up and who's there?"
~ John Berryman, "Dream Song #36"
When I came on the blog scene in 2007, it was a strong and thriving place. Lin at Fluffytek, Michael Barnes at Art Nudes, and Stephen Haynes at Truth and Justice For All were among the forces at work, the pioneers of an online fine art nude community. These were the High Ones. Where are they now?
As Berryman wrote a long time ago, "You look up and who's there?"
Michael Barnes's "extended break of a month or two" from Art Nudes leaves a tremendous hole in our world. After a well-deserved and much needed rest, he plans to post "when I find art or information that really inspires me" rather than on a set schedule.
Mr. Barnes began blogging nine years and nearly 3,000 posts ago. His blog brought good publicity and exposure to the artists he featured, and I was very, very fortunate to be among them. He gave the fine art nude an aesthetic presentation that endowed all of us with dignity. You can read the full text of his last post New Years Wishes and An Announcement for yourself.
Michael Barnes and Stephen Haynes were two of the four power bloggers we featured as a cover story in the Winter 2010 issue of Carrie Leigh's NUDE magazine. For years, Stephen posted Truth and Justice For All each and every day, without fail. His last post is dated Nov. 13, 2011. Lin comments here regularly, thank goodness, but I've tremendously missed the thoughts and ideas she shared in her Fluffytek posts as well as her distinctive voice full of wisdom and honesty, tempered by her British charm.
Some of the bloggers in my blog roll have not posted since last summer; most of those who remain active post irregularly, often silent for increasingly long periods of time. It reminds me of the demise of daily newspapers, but this is the Pixel Forest, isn't it, that creature of 24/7 insatiable consumption?
Berryman says our appointed task in life is to love and die. That is what I've witnessed in bloggie terms. So where does that leave someone who loves to blog? It leaves us wondering about the daily expenditure of time, the risk of negative exposure, and the stress of occasional battles with detractors. I wasn't charmed by a quote from Piers Anthony on my post Don't Fuck With the Photographer, calling us those bloggers. Rhetorically, this cast us into the prejudicial arena of those people.
Is this our reward for staying the course in providing a not-for-profit publication? I've published books that still produce royalty checks, and I could do it again - if not for the time I spend every day writing posts for WHAT WE SAW TODAY. So I really did not appreciate a glib retort from a popular commercial writer. I chose to model without signing with an agency for the same reason I write this blog. At this stage in my life, I want artistic freedom enough to "pay" for it.
If I had only one online presence, I have long thought this blog would be it. I am a writer first and a model secondarily, and as long as people come to read and comment, I would like to continue this daily exercise in communication. Like The Little Engine That Could, if you are old enough to recall that children's tale, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." Yet, I completely understand the cutbacks and departures of the Big Ones. We are diminished as a community when we lose them.
15 comments:
I'm still here!
And thanks for your incredibly kind words - I really do miss Fluffytek and you can be sure that we are still in love with nude photography more than ever. However as you well know, blogging is an immense commitment as well as a time sink so I can completely understand the pressure on Michael and why he left.
I am constantly boggled by your dedication to the nude photographic world and your endless patience and dedication. Although you are so very kind about us, if anyone is "The High One", then it is you. You are the glue that binds this community together and we are SO lucky to have you!
On a personal note, it is still our definite intent to blog again one day. We are immersed in art on a daily basis and we would love to write about it again, albeit in a (much) smaller capacity. That is, if we can ever fit it in-between one existing business, a new start-up company and three kids:-)
They (whoever "they" are) say you need to publish five posts before you can truly say you have returned to blogging. If we ever make "the magic five" then you can be sure I'll let you know first!
Hugs
Lin
x
(P.S. Stephen, if you're reading this I miss your blog too!)
Anyone who would criticize a blogger really doesn't understand what it takes to select a topic each day, articulate that idea, then respond to the comments. Especially one that routinely draws as many comments as this one does.
Of all the blogs I follow yours has developed a better group of respondents, cyber friends who enjoy expressing themselves and participating in the resulting exchanges. For me it is a group that I meet with over my morning coffee or tea. I may not comment that often but I routinely stop in and give some though to almost every conversation here.
There was a small group of us that functioned similarly in the forum on MuseCube. Eventually we wandered off mostly as we dropped our portfolio hosting accounts, victims of the changing economy. I occasionally run across members of that group in other forums and blogs.
With that said, I'll now go fix a bit of breakfast and refill my cup. Later I'll stop by again to see how my friends are doing and what's on their minds.
Lin just stole all the words out of my mouth!
I know for me, its hard to stay on top of my blog. I try, I really do, (and I'm impressed that I've hit over 2,000 views) however, like Lin said, it can be a time sink, and I don't often have the time to commit to it (especially with school). As it is, I have 12 other social networks that I try to be on daily, if not weekly. And I do try and make the blog a twice a week thing....it doesn't always work out. :(
I'm still impressed that I still manage to come here almost, daily and read what it is that you write. Sometimes, my only chance to do so, is 20 minutes before I drop into bed -so I don't always comment, but I do read what you write.
RandJ-Photo also makes a good point. Anyone who would criticize a blogger really doesn't understand what it takes to select a topic each day, articulate that idea, then respond to the comments. Those that do criticize, are certainly not bloggers....or they are on some high and mighty throne where they feel it's necessary to look down on others. And, sadly, if someone doesn't understand something, the first reaction is usually to pull out the criticizing card.
Which, is terribly unfair to those who do pour their heart and thoughts into a blog like you do.
I do hope, with this semester, and with the coming summer, I will have more time to blog. I do value my time on here, learning from you, reading my friend's blogs, and being able to bring readers to my own blog.
In the mean time, you will see me appear here, whenever time allows (or I force time to allow), so I'm not going anywhere. :)
You know CJ, the command "Close Ranks!" isn't heard very often in the modern army, but once upon a time it was a command (sadly) heard all to often in battle. It meant tighten up the line after the fallen were drug off, get back shoulder to shoulder with the guy next to you. Back in the days when wars were even stupider than they are now, back when armies lined up a hundred yards apart (about the range of their muskets) and shot at each other until someone got fed up and ordered the next stupidest thing: a bayonet charge. That forward he cried from the rear, and... the front rank died sort of thing.
No one is shooting at us, no one is running up trying to skewer us on a blade or melting yet another barrel off a machine gun in our general direction or tossing out-of-control fission reactions at us, but... a very big BUT... there is quite a war going on none the less, a war between all the things that compete for our time and our attention. Some are just the consequence of a complex world competing for our business, others are actually quite political, the covert cultural warfare being waged in attempts to subvert and convert an alien population (that being much more effective in the long run than out and out conquering them), and some IMO are down right insidious, the predatory actions of the collective entities harvesting their life force by ransoming back to us our self definition in exchange for our time and efforts hosting their agendas within our lives. It's really quite a fight going on out there. And yes, everyone is taking casualties.
Which, to stay in this massively over torqued analogy, would mean you dear lady are at minimum full bird if not one star, making WWST a fire base supporting those in the field who just might understand what none of the power players want known... "hey, there's a fight going on for freedom of mind, the right to think beyond last night's subliminal propaganda on the television, and dang! I think I'm in it!"
I like the idea of being a fire base, Cyranos. Thank you for that inspirational thought.
Lin, it will be a Red Letter day when you return to blogging! In the meantime, I treasure your comments, and the word "treasure" is not an exaggeration. I am a wordsmith, after all.
I love you as a writer and as a person.
Rand-J, yes, it is so true: "Of all the blogs I follow yours has developed a better group of respondents, cyber friends who enjoy expressing themselves and participating in the resulting exchanges."
For those who don't know because they "came in late," the "WE" in WHAT WE SAW TODAY refers to each and every person who reads this blog and especially those who take part in our discussions.
I agree that going away to mull over the posts and comments counts for participation in the discussion, so I value each and every person who comes here whether I can "see" that person or not.
I've read other blogs, and I know how fortunate I am in this regard. I know, Rand-J, I know, I am very very aware.
Josefina, it's about money. Everything in life comes down to money and/or jealousy. The phrasing Mr. Anthony chose, "those bloggers," told me I am looked down upon by those who write for royalties, or at least by that royalty writer.
Those words have stuck in my craw, and watching another Big One cut back / depart I think Cyranos nailed it. This blog may be a fire base. Thinking of you and your wonderful "new" blog, I realize our young people are preparing for and beginning careers. The free time isn't there for them as it is for me.
And, Lin, I forgot to add how much I miss Stephen, too, and hope he sees this.
*chuckle* I hope your reply wasn't total sarcasm CJ... but still, your efforts here are full appreciated. This is a bastion of civility in a world gone callous and jaded. Thanks.
Not sarcasm at all, Cyranos.
I'm sorry I posted that Anthony quote. My initial thought after I received it was to edit his response, and leave out that part. But, no, post it all, I did. I didn't mean to cause you discomfort, and if I had thought for a moment that it might, I wouldn't have. Although my time is very limited, I love reading your blog and the dialog you maintain with your readers. The beautiful mind behind the gorgeous body. My wife is also a PhD, but stays as far from a camera as she can get. Thank you for the time you put into this. SouthernMan
I never blame the messenger, Southern, and I appreciate that you sought out and conveyed the quote. I am not one to hide from the truth, and I would prefer to know how commercial writers view those of us who blog. Only the person who actually said it should see need to apologize and perhaps revise his thinking. Or not. It's his point of view.
A friend pointed out to me that some blogs are indeed commercial and make money through advertising. Some high traffic art nude blogs make money from ads and porn videos. When you add the component of porn, your stats rise exponentially and the door opens to substantial profit.
So now I know commercial writers scoff at those of us who are ad-free and not selling anything (prints or bookings). I truly appreciate knowing that. It has made me take a long and hard look at what I'm doing. That takes a reflective person more than a few days, and I can't predict whether it will lead to my return to paid publishing ventures or signing with a model agency or no change at all.
How wonderful your wife also has a Ph.D. What is her discipline? Did she become an academic? And how wise of her to stay far away from a camera. The only other model I know who has a doctorate is also someone like myself with a background in dance. It must be the performing art background that makes us different in regard to a camera.
No, you must not apologize, dear friend. You showed me the elephant in the room, and I believe in the virtue of that. Thank you, truly!
"Life" breaks in, all too often. And I too seldom say how much I value this blogspace for its commitment to free and civil discourse. Blog on, milady!
Aw, thanks, Jochanaan. And may I say how much I look forward to your comments? I count on you for a unique view point on our topics. You add so very much!
Awwwww... *kisses hand*
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