Five Years Running! Time for Some Changes

 

Art Model, Alba ©2022 Terrell Neasley 

My Travel Goal is to transform my 

DREAMS into MEMORIES

Another year has come full circle. Yes, that is correct. 5 years ago this month, I left on a jet plane, beginning a new life of travel that I anticipated might be for only 18 months, but I am much further along than that with no time frame for completion any time soon. Things are a bit different now. For one, I'm not in Vietnam, but I do plan to return there. After 30 months in that country, I finally made it back to the US. Presently, however, I'm in Costa Rica! Two... most of my plans since my return have been fabulously derailed due to a prior shoulder injury. I thought it was maybe a pinched nerve or damaged labrum. Turns out, I have a complete thickness supraspinatus tendon tear of my right rotator cuff. Surgery is scheduled for early February. I decided to bounce down south for a bit after Christmas while I await my surgery date.

I am not looking forward to this surgery, but if it is what I need then I will do what has to be done. I was asked to commit to 4 months of having my arm in a sling, as my surgeon believes this procedure will come with complications. That puts me in a fixed place until June. Hence, my apprehension. I initially expected to return to Vietnam in January!

Art Model, Alba ©2022 Terrell Neasley 

And that's why I'm in Costa Rica. I just wanted to come some place quiet to sit down and think. I have lots to consider for these next six months or so. Change is happening this year. I'm making several amendments to my life, to include banking, phone plans, and even computers systems! Yep. that's right. I am 89% certain I'm gonna switch from PC to Mac. More on that in a minute, but the priority it to adjust my service and product needs to fit my lifestyle and more adequately reflect my goals.

Banking is a major consideration when you travel the way I do. My bank n longer suits my needs. I've had a few customer service issues that have left me high and dry a number of times. It always dealt with policy more than human interaction, but I've been put in harrowing situations where the Grace of God carried me through. I don't need a brick and mortar bank. It's been years since I've had to go inside a physical branch. These banks don't usually offer competitive savings plans. Along with that, I've been paying needless ATM and foreign transaction fees. Many places abroad don't take cards and if you don't have cash, you're out of luck. I'm done with that! I'm turning my banking needs over to a few credit card providers that waive ATM fees. 

Art Model, Alba ©2022 Terrell Neasley 

I've been with the same cell carrier for more than 15 years. AT&T has ran their course with me so I'll be switching to T-Mobile. Partly because of a bad customer service experience and also because T-Mobile will cover me internationally in more places than AT&T. I'll also save some money while I'm at it. And saving money is of utmost importance when traveling. I have virtually no debt since I've started this journey. Bill expenses (phone, cloud storage, website maintenance, Netflix) are the main thing I have to pay. The first thing I did when I returned to the US was to rework my self-storage options. They'd increased in price from $80/month to just under $200 in the time I was gone. Now I am paying $80 again. 

With all these changes, I figured, What the hell? Might as well switch laptops and go Mac instead of PC? 

I change PCs every two or three years anyway. Macs are more expensive and you can't upgrade them after purchase. I hate that. But maybe I will buy a maxed out version and keep it for 5 or 6 years. That evens out the cost that I'd spend on PCs. It will have to be the MacBook Pro 16, but it's prudent to wait and see comparisons of the upcoming M2 processor against the current M1 Max. The performance might be negligible and there could be a significant price drop for the M1 processors to clear out inventories. That could make the M1 Max version hella attractive. Hopefully, we won't have to wait much longer than the spring for this comparison. 

Art Model, Alba ©2022 Terrell Neasley 

One thing I'm NOT switching is camera systems, however. I'll stay with Sony and upgrade mid to late spring, whenever I am done with my recovery. Will it be the Sony a7R IV or the a7R V? I think the Mark V is way more camera than I need! I won't be shooting 8K video! And all that AI-powered autofocusing may be overkill on my style of shooting and subject matter. It would be great if I was shooting sports (or fast moving subjects). Or if I were shooting wildlife and trying to capture the unpredictable nature of animals with a super telephoto lens. But that's not me. I'm usually shooting posed people or landscapes using center, single-point autofocus!

However, that being said, there are still other features I can take advantage of with the latest camera. One is the variable RAW file sizes! Another is a badass BIONZ XR processing engine which... 

"... offers up to 8x greater processing performance compared to previous generations, which enables faster overall performance, impressive image quality with wide sensitivity and dynamic ranges, and more fluent processing that's capable of handling a bevy of AI tasks and intelligent AF alongside imaging processes. This processing system also reduces rolling shutter and other motion distortions for clean rendering of moving subjects." 

I don't need it the same for sharp eyes or tracking subjects. What I do find outstanding is the Focus Stacking features that I can use with Macro Photography. Yet more still, I think I can appreciate several other aspects of this camera over its predecessor like the flip out LCD screen and the reportedly 8-stop image stabilization. But the question for me remains... Are those improvements worth the additional cost? That inquiry still remains before me. Sometimes, that cost difference can be $1,000 depending on sales promotions.

Art Model, Alba ©2022 Terrell Neasley 

I Switched to Tamron for My Wide Perspectives

City Park in Hanoi, Vietnam  F/8, 1/50th, ISO 400

"Adventure may hurt you but monotony will kill you."

~ Unknown

I think that quote is one you can feel me on. Am I right? Who's going crazy in quarantine right now?

Okay, on with my story...

During my travel adventures, I can't take everything I own. I have to make choices on what I bring because in the end, it all has to be carried on my back. Weight is one of the largest considerations of my around the world travel.

I cannot say the Tamron 24mm 2.8 is better than the Sigma 20mm 1.4. But I can say that at a quarter of the weight, the difference becomes negligible. Don't misread me. I will not sacrifice quality. If there was a quality drop off that I felt affected my art, that would be a no-go. If the added benefit were not worth it, it would be a no-go.

f/2.8, 1/30th, ISO 1600... Art Model, Chaise ©2020 Terrell Neasley 

The Sigma 20mm f/1.4 is an excellent piece of glass. I'd put it up against anything in its class. But the thing is 2 pounds! Two pounds may not sound like a lot, but keep it in your camera bag strapped around your neck all day and then come talk to me again. I carried it and shot with it for almost a year and it served me well. I had no thoughts on switching until my friend Lucy told me about Tamron's new line-up... the 20mm, 24mm, and 35mm, all f/2.8 with macro capabilities. I got an opportunity to stop into Vegas on my way to Vietnam and see this for myself.

I came to Las Vegas to gear up, since I do not expect to be back stateside for a number of years. REI and B&C Camera was the only places I visited and that's when Lucy showed me what the Tamron could do. I held it and could barely feel anything in my hands. I shot with it and could find no fault. I tried to force some chromatic aberration and color fringing into it and could not. And then the price! I think it was $350... you gotta be kidding me! And it still had Auto Focus. You can't get a descent wide-angle Rokinon manual focus lens for that much.

Non-edited High Res, shot RAW and converted to JPG only. f/11, 1/50th, ISO 100 

I jumped on the deal and have not looked back. The only temptation I had to resist was getting the 24mm OR the 20mm. I went back and forth initially on which one to get and then Lucy suggested getting both. I so almost did it! But my sensible side told me the focal difference would not be significant enough to justify a 4mm differentiation. I decided on the 24mm since it was still a wide-angle, but it had less distortion (BTW, Photoshop recognizes the lens profile and  automatically corrects for this). I still get significant vignettes on the corners, particularly in low light (and it corrects for that, too!) at f/2.8. I sacrificed a 1.4 for a 2.8. That's two whole friggin' stops. But you know what? That true 1:2 macro capability is real. I'm under 5" on a minimum focusing distance and I can't get that on my Sony 90mm 1:1 macro, (which is in storage).

Center Square Cropped at 100%. Tack sharp

I can't say I've gotten to really test this thing out under ideal conditions. I got it and left Vegas like, the next day. And since arriving in Vietnam, well there's this thing happening all over the world that has limited my outdoors activities, but I've gotten a few shots with it. I don't have many shots at 100 ISO as most of the images I took were at night or during foggy days.

Lower Right Corner Cropped at 100%. Mild distortion and vignetting

It can be slow to Auto Focus on certain compositions, but even at night, I got it to lock every single time. When it does have to hunt in low contrast situations, I think it is noisy. The Sony 85mm 1.4 GM is the noisiest lens I've ever owned, but this Tamron is nothing like that. But be aware of it when doing video.

I was surprised as hell to see the front elements retracting inside the barrel when it auto focused. I strongly advise a UV filter on top of it just to ensure you keep dust out of it. Specs say it's moisture resistant and keeps out dust. Get a filter, anyway. It has a plasticy feel to it, which contributes to the light weight... but you can still tell it's durable. I've yet to test it on astro work since I have yet to even see any stars. I'll wrap it up to just say this thing suits me. It's just what I need. If speed becomes an issue, I may look at some other options, but right now, this thing works. Thanks, Lucy! Check out B&C Camera for your photography, video, and all you content creation accessory needs. I love those guys. They have free shipping on all their orders right now. Catch them for some deals!

Five Reasons I Will Focus the Rest of the Year on B&W Photography

Selfie!

"If you are not passionately devoted to an idea, you can make very pleasant pictures but they won't make you cry."

 ~ Ruth Bernhard

For the remainder of this year, I'm going to make a commitment to Black and White Photography. Everything I shoot will be edited in B&W... or at least nearly everything. During this backpacking journey, one of my goals is to be better with photography. Yes, I am always talking about becoming better or trying to show YOU how to become better. This will never stop. I'm going to continue to be a spokesman for my craft. I love photography in its various forms and genres. There's enough learning to last a lifetime. Here is why I am choosing B&W Photography to help me achieve this.

Art Model, Leslie ©2015 Terrell Neasley

1. The Challenge

I want to up my game. Putting limitations on myself forces me to exercise photo muscles that can become complacent when you have the ease of use of color. I am already challenging myself with the use of only two lenses. I presently travel with a 55mm 1.8 and a 20mm 1.4. I have nothing in the tele-range. I even left the 90mm macro at home.

I desire to also see light better. I'm pretty decent at judging an exposure without a light meter when necessary. I feel I need to be able to, not just measure light, but I want to see the potential and the opportunities in it. Black and White forces me to stick to the principles of highlights, the mids, and shadows. Without the distraction of color, I am able to focus more on just the light.

Art Model, Safia Sarai ©2016 Terrell Neasley

My first great challenge, back in 2005 as I began in photography, was exposing for snow without making it appear gray or blown out relative to the rest of the composition. So I learned to be better at measuring light. My second great challenge has stuck with me the most. It was being able to THINK in B&W despite what I saw in color. Before I moved to Vegas, I had the opportunity to visit for a few months (summer of 2006) the year before actually moving there in 2007. I shot a nude black woman using film on the red rocks of Valley of Fire. When I tried to process those shots, there was barely any contrast between the model and the rocks! Try dodging and burning that! I did not consider the tone over her skin nor the rocks when shot on black and white film. It was a painstaking process unless I wanted to just be lazy with bland low contrast work. That's not me. I should automatically know what yellow, purple, or brown converts to in monochrome.

B&W work will help me with composition development through a greater emphasis on lines, shape, texture, patterns, repetition, and creating art purely via the juxtaposition of light vs. shadow. I want to be able to "see" more clearly and when I can do that, I find the opportunities for impressive compositions. Seeing the potential will help me with the patience to let a scene develop until I have the right compositional elements at my disposal.

Art Model, Safia Sarai, ©2015 Terrell Neasley

2. Learn More About the Sum of Light

This will be a study. I'm going to learn about light, the characteristics of it, how to best use it, as well as when to use it. I say the Sum of Light because I will focus more on the visible aspect of light... it's sum totality, rather than the spectrum of light, or the color pieces created when light is refracted. In the case of camera sensors, that would relate to RGB pixels which absorbs light selectively via filters. The goal is to be able to make decisions about light subconsciously through repetition and practice. I want to be a more proficient shooter and a more capable teacher of photography by first being a better student.

3. Editing: Back to the Beginning

Sometimes when you want to start over or renew your mind, getting back to the basics of pure fundamentals is the universal start point. It's like going back home. I started out in photography using Arista 400, Agfa100 and Kodak TMAX100/400/3200. That's all professional grade film. I developed my film and prints in a darkroom. I made test sheets of each shot and outlined the regions where I need more light and less light... burning and dodging. You found the overall correct exposure for your prints and then mapped out the individual elements that needed the shadows adjusted or those that needed the highlights tweaked. This will help me with my edits.

Bodyscape, ©2016 Terrell Neasley

As much as I like a challenge, I also want to create advantages for myself. Without the color aspect, editing also becomes easier. Gone are the optical color-based errors that are produced from lenses, such as chromatic aberration. Photo editing tools have a much easier time finding tonal range in compositions when color is no longer a factor in brightening or darkening a subject. You get more quality work even at higher ISOs. So Monochrome surmounts RGB in edit quality and ease of use. Grain is also more tolerable in B&W.

4. Minimalism

I'm looking for a cleaner image. I started on the minimalist trail quite a while back. I've slowly been shedding everything. Now, I carry my belongings on my back. Backpacking is the ultimate in minimalism... just short of being a hobo. Wait... forget I said that. I see the irony, but I see myself as rather nomadic. Sounds better.

As to my work, I want less in my shot. I want my compositions to be efficient... doing more with less. A minimalist must be a master of balance in a composition and B&W will help immensely with this. You are forced to have better foreground vs. background elements. At the very least, you begin to see effective anchor points within a shot that helps create that necessary balance.

Art Model, Leslie, ©2016 Terrell Neasley

5. The Artistry

I honestly think this will help me become a better artist. I want to sell more prints more consistently. I want more exhibitions of my work. Quite frankly, I'm old fashioned when it comes to this. If the current trend says color will guarantee me more of sales and more exhibition, then... well, I'd be stupid not to consider that. However, I have lived my life being true to myself, despite trends. I can adapt, but where I think it's important, I still favor the greats; and that, my friend, is in Black and White photography.

I love the extremes. I tend to weigh more heavily with higher contrast in my edits and those are the same type of images that catch my attention from other artists. I lean towards the left side of the histogram more than I do the right. However, I'll dance around in the shadows or the highlights more than the mid-tones. So the ends are where I play, but I understand grays have their proper place. While I dance on the poles, I still go to work in the middle.

Art Model, Safia Sarai, ©2015 Terrell Neasley

After the love of contrast, drama comes in a close second. I'm not talking social drama, of course. Can't stand that ish. No, I refer to the drama created in the mood of a shot via the use of shadow and in the creative use or the absence of it.

Shapes and lines are more creatively accentuated which result in better and more meaningful abstract symbolism. I can become an alchemist, so to speak because I am able to transform one photo element into something completely different. Having a 42MP sensor lets me crop in on a subject. That too, adds to the ability to create better abstract. So stay tuned. More to come on this.

Art Model, Joanie, ©2010 Terrell Neasley

Month ONE - Central America

Art Model Kristi C., Nicaragua Copyright 2018 Terrell Neasley

Yeah, everything changed after October. October happened to be one of the most challenging and weirdest months that has hit me in quite some time, as I stated in the previous blog post.

So after going through a few interesting life events and situations, I decided to delay Southeast Asia for a little bit. I moved all my things in storage and sold the rest. I needed a life "re-calibration", of sorts. Over the last few months, I've lost some people that were dear to me and as close to family as you can get without sharing the same blood. Rest in Peace, Jerry Brady!!

L to R, Susan, Jerry, Tracie, and Me! RIP, my friend

I'm in Guatemala right now. I've already been through Nicaragua and El Salvador. So for something a little bit different, I'm doing something I've always wanted to do... extended travel... quite a bit longer than the usual 3 or 4 months that I usually do. I've been gone just a little over a month. I chose to start this venture in Central America because it's familiar. I was accompanied by my good friend and art model, Kristi C., but she left last week. We traveled to several places and tried to shoot where we could, but sometimes situations didn't lend itself to doing our best work. That happens. You try again or do something else. Little Corn Island was such an adventure. It rained on us every single day for five days. We saw the sun once as it peeked through the clouds and set over the horizon. Our clothes smelled of mildew and I became concerned for our camera sensors with the heavy humidity and salt in the air. So, I cleaned our sensors when we got back to dry mainland.

Art Model Kristi C., Nicaragua Copyright 2018 Terrell Neasley

I've met some very interesting people along the way and saw some old acquaintances from previous visits. I learned a ton about coffee and now I appreciate everything that goes into it so much more from my time in Juayua, El Salvador. A Canadian girl has given me some things to think about as it relates to depression. I had a great night in El Salvador with some guys drinking a few beers as we talked of our perspectives on cultural differences. An Austrian, a Salvadorian, a Canadian (who showed me a tat on his butt of another dude's name who did the same while they were drunk), a Belgian dude, and another cool guy from Norway. A Finnish guy joined later. No arguments. No judgments. Just 6 adults from different countries sharing opinions and experiences.

Art Model Kristi C., Nicaragua Copyright 2018 Terrell Neasley

Presently, I've got a room in a hostel in Quetzaltenago, Guatemala. I'm pretty sure I'm going to find a place to rent, chill for a few months and figure some things out. Quetzaltenango, also called Xela, is the second largest city in Guatemala. Its got a nice feel to it. Its got a good blend of the modern Guate City and the old colonial Antigua. There's something here and I want to find it. Ever get that feeling? I'm going to see if I can teach some photography as well as capture this city from my own perspective. Its a little cold here. Wasn't expecting that. I'm the only fool around here still walking the city in shorts and flip flops. At more than 7500 ft ASL in these mountains, it can still get quite chilled. And I still like it here.

Art Model Kristi C., Nicaragua Copyright 2018 Terrell Neasley

I'll have to head back stateside in May/June because I need to buy a laptop that I can edit on, likely that Surface Book 2. And maybe pick up that sweet glass Sigma 20mm 1.4, with the MC-11 adapter, of course to fit on my Sony gear. I'll only be there for a few weeks before coming right back down here and continuing with my adventure. I've been warned that many come here and don't leave. I can see why.

More updates to come. All these images are unedited. Til I get my new laptop, I don't have the photoshop tools I usually use. I rarely edit on the road. But I'll have to now tho. Soon tho! Til then...I'll manage with the likes of these.

Art Model Kristi C., Nicaragua Copyright 2018 Terrell Neasley

Art Model Kristi C., Nicaragua Copyright 2018 Terrell Neasley

Art Model Kristi C., Nicaragua Copyright 2018 Terrell Neasley

On the Concept of Change

Art Model, Kristi C. © 2017 Terrell Neasley

Boy, oh boy, oh boy...

If there is one thing you can count on in this life, it's change. If you're not ready for it, able to anticipate it, or otherwise adapt to it, you will live your life on your ass instead of your feet.

Okay. Recent events have transpired that have made me rethink and alter my future plans that I may have detailed in my last blog post. October had to have been one of the most challenging months I've had in some time. Southeast Asia...well, sorta but some other things will come first. And I'll get into all that later, as in probably another blog post. I'm encouraged, though by the way the course of events were laid out. If my back procedure had not been scheduled when it was which made me delay my SE Asia trip, I'd likely been less prepared than I am today. So I'm glad I was home throughout October and November.

But for right now, just to let you know I haven't stopped blogging, I wanted to catch you up on some shots I got to do with Art Model Kristi C. when she visited Las Vegas sometime around this past October. When she called and told me she was going to be in town, my brain went into overdrive to arrange a shoot. She was only here for a few days and my time with her was limited. So maximizing the opportunity was the name of the game. We got two locations that were ultimately quick in and out shots due to time limitations, but I think we did a great job in accomplishing our objectives.

We shot near Vegas and even with the time constraints we bee-lined up and back into Utah near St. George virtually on a whim. Of two locations, we actually got FOUR different scenes and any one of them seem non-related to the other three. I'm pretty sure we spent more time on the road then actually shooting. I definitely wanted more, but as she had more objectives then just shooting with me while in Vegas, you gotta respect a model's time. So taken what's given and making the best of it is all you can do. And I think we did well with that. So since this is a much shorter blog post than usual, I'll fill in the rest with pics. Enjoy

Come FLY with Me! Let's Fly, Let's Fly Away!!

Anonymous Model. German girl I met in Nicaragua. Shot in my room I booked with a local family. ©2014 Terrell Neasley

“I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine.” 

– Caskie Stinnett

I think you can track the evolution of this blog when you take a look where I began almost nine years ago, til now. My photography has changed. Even my focus has changed. Okay... I mean, I'm still doing the nude, granted. But I wasn't doing photo professionally at the start of this blog and I wasn't as driven as I am with travel back then as I am today. Now, if I could get away with it, I'd always be gone and adventuring somewhere. I don't know if adventuring is a word. Actually, I just looked it up and it is. Moving on. So yeah, I'd always be out somewhere. My ultimate goal, I think is to sail and circumnavigate the globe on an ongoing basis on my own 40ft plus catamaran. Yes, I need someone who's comfortable with being nude. Cuz I will be shooting. All the time. And maybe it would be good to have another couple who are well versed at sea-life who share the same exploration ideals and can help share the responsibilities.

Anonymous Model. German girl I met in Nicaragua. Shot in my room I booked with a local family. ©2014 Terrell Neasley

There are also times when I'll travel alone. And I'll want to be alone. Make no mistake about that. Even with having a girlfriend/wife, there are times I'll take off on my own escapades. I may even have a model, or be full on solo. I'll want some time to adventure on my own, by myself, in remote areas where its just me and the land/sea. I think its a very good idea for people to head out on their own and challenge themselves, not with overcoming fear of being in a new area, but rather of just being alone. No buddies to socialize with. No comrades to ask advice about what to do next. Just you. Making the call. And then living with the decision you made, whether good or bad. Chances are you'll make new acquaintances anyway, so you're never really alone, unless you hit barren areas bereft of human interaction. Then its just you, your thoughts, nature, and the Heavens.

Anonymous Model. German girl I met in Nicaragua. Shot at a beach location she recommended. Had some gear stolen while on this shoot. Had to walk back with no water. Got aided by some Canadians who also gave us a ride home. ©2014 Terrell Neasley

“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” – Susan Sontag

But here's the thing. I would absolutely love it if I had some of my friends, family, or CLIENTS come travel with me. Its not necessary to be gone as long as I do. But just a week or two. Correction... AT LEAST TWO WEEKS! You'll spend that first week just acclimating. Give yourself two weeks. Come do a leg or two with me. You'll fly in. Meet me somewhere. Then we'll head out on a grand adventure. I'll do some pics. We have a good time. And then you go home with fabulous memories that last you your whole life. Man, fuck some of the things you buy and spend money on. You'll consume those products, waste them, and they won't mean anything to you after a while. But you'll always be grateful of shared memories or new experiences and exploration. Those will stick with you and make for some great stories you'll never stop telling. The rest of your friends will become sick of you, though if you only have that ONE story that you're always telling. But they'll love you if you've always got something NEW to share.

Three-month trip with my girlfriend last year, Art Model Covenant. Beach at north end of Little Corn Island, Nicaragua. My second excursion into Nica ©2015 Terrell Neasley 

So there's two ways you can do this. When you hear me start talking about my next trip, start researching the areas I'm mentioning and see if it might be a good fit. Maybe you have some flexible days and some cash in the bank. All you need is a few grand, at the most and a valid passport. See if you need any immunizations and boom! Book a ticket. If I'm talking about bouncing around the Baltic States and spending a month in Estonia, maybe you want to get down with that for a few weeks. Hit me up and let me know. Or if the timing is off for you, well we can discuss that too. I tend to travel light and economical. Personally, I don't need the All-Inclusive package. I don't desire it. I'd rather be immersed amongst the locals. At least that's why I travel. I want to experience the people and culture as well as the land. If you're looking for resort-style room service, cool. But you'll be paying me to be there. Which leads in to the next possibility.

Lounging about next to the Rio Dulce, Southern Guatemala in Livingston reading our Kindle Paperwhites. 3 week battery life on those things. Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

One of these days, I'll be in Antarctica. Okay, you may not want to go there. I'll give you that. So, if you're looking for a custom itinerary, I'm available for hire. I'll be your paid travel companion/bodyguard/photographer. Nothing wrong with that. I almost got to do that with a lady I met in the camera store one day, but she was already heading to Europe the next day. I can usually be ready on a whim, provided I don't have to clear out any current projects. I'll spend whatever time you want, adventuring with you, shooting your escapades and we can make a hard back book of it when I get back and edit the pics. I would absolutely love being hired out to do this. I'm telling you, you would love it too. 

In our room Antigua, Guatemala. Art Model, Covenant right after she climbed the Acatenango volcano.
©2015 Terrell Neasley

And lastly, well...you don't need me to travel. Maybe you don't like me and are just reading my blog as a hater tracking what I do with a scowl on your face. You think I'm a bitch, right? Cool. OR maybe my style of travel doesn't suit you. That's cool too. You can still do this on your own! Holla at me if you want any tips. I'll even do that for my haters. That's how bad I want you to get the hell out and travel. Cuz even if you're hating on me, you ain't gonna be hating me when you get back and I'll have gained a friend. Or at the very least you'll be cool with me and reading me with a half-smile. 

Beach bungalow at Lebeha Cabanas and Drum Center, Hopkins, Belize. Been here twice! Best Pork Chops on the planet at the Frog's Point Restaurant. Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

What's Next.... Most Likely? Southeast Asia

Art Model, Safia Sarai ©2015 Terrell Neasley

Most travelers will attest to this. After spending time abroad, especially extended time, you begin to miss home. THEN as SOON as you get home, you're already planning your next trip. It starts after your first day back and you begin to wonder why you came home. Your brain immediately shifts into high gear contemplating the next adventure.

Art Model, Safia Sarai ©2015 Terrell Neasley

The hard part is trying to decide where. You recall your mental list (or if you are obsessive compulsive, you have an actual paper list), and think about all the places you know for sure you want to visit. You think of all the places you've promised yourself that you WILL eventually get to. Then you match that up with most feasible. For instance. I want to go to Israel, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Iceland, Antarctica, and revisit Germany. However, these places are quite expensive for extended stays. Nobody is spending 3 months in Iceland who isn't already living there or immigrating there. Northern and Western coasts of South America were the most likely candidates of places to visit for me to visit. I'm not done with my Latin American adventure/exploration by a long shot. BUT!! I think I should take a small change of pace and do something totally different.

Art Model, Safia Sarai ©2015 Terrell Neasley

And that's how I came up with Southeast Asia. First and foremost, its cheap. I can see being there for 3 months (at least) as being a viable option. Second, its sorta on the list of things travelers have to do. Third, its cheap. All but maybe the flight, that is. I'm mainly talking Indochina. I'd love to cover four countries there, Cambodia, Thailand, Loas, and Vietnam. Possibly pick up some time in Myanmar. What would do my heart some good is maybe a two week stint in New Zealand before heading up there. That's another one of the money places, though. So I've not got a bunch of reasons to keep bustin' butt for the next 5 months to make all this happen. Now, what would absolutely be cool is to start in Vietnam and just work my way Northwest, up through all these countries and into Tibet and Nepal. I had a trip planned there with a client that ended up falling through. I was going to photodocument her 3 month honeymoon with a Leica M Typ 240, and a Leica M Monochrom Typ 246 with 3 lenses. The deal ended up falling apart and didn't happen. I'd like to make up for that. Just with Sony gear. But that's all a stretch. That's the dream trip that could evolve from the 4-country exploration of Southeast Asia. I'd skip New Zealand for that. Any potential clients interested?

Art Model, Safia Sarai ©2015 Terrell Neasley

Next comes the question of WHEN! You get the place(s) you want selected, but now you gotta figure out when's the best time to go. Much of that consideration is whether dependent. Will it be hot? Maybe rainy? When do most tourists go? Well, that's going to be high season and more expensive that heading out in low season. Sometimes you can make the trade-off and go during low season, as long as you understand most people aren't there for a reason and that reason may be more than just because summer break is over.

Art Model, Safia Sarai ©2015 Terrell Neasley

I'm picking Spring time. Sounds like a good time to go. I haven't worked out all the details just yet, but that's when I'm thinking of heading out. I'd like to do another 3 month stint, but who knows? It could be 5...could be only a month. I like leaving that option open. I'll start planning a general route of where I want to start and then start researching the different places I'd like to visit there and start planning the trip. I think I've already got a Lonely Planet book on Southeast Asia to help me plan. That's one book that's been invaluable for these trips. Wanna go someplace, somebody's already written about it. I use it only as a guide. Its not a rule book. Some spots, I want my own opinions to be formulated by my own experience. Sometimes you just gotta go check a place out despite what every body else says.

I've had the privledge of working with a new model, Safia Sarai, over the last month and a half or so and its been outstanding. I think her biggest asset for me is her attitude. I've said quite often that I shoot as much as what's inside the model, as how she looks outside. Attitude is chief amongst those qualities. Other than the fact that she loves shooting, I adore her willingness to see my vision, trust me, and help me get the shot. She's proven to be quite the gifted muse. More on her soon, I promise.

Looking Ahead - For Gallery and Exhibition Opportunities

Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

"The entertainment is in the presentation."

~ John McTiernan

This past week is the first real fresh week for me since returning from Central America in June. I'm just now getting back into the swing of things and I'm eager about it. I teach One-on-One Photography Classes with independent clients and my schedule has just now opened up to where I can get back on that. They are week long intensive, but at your pace foundation instruction classes to begin with, but I give clients an option for a second week at more advanced principles of understanding light as well as working with the absence of it. I can travel to anywhere in the United States, but my best work will be here in Las Vegas. I definitely encourage potential clients outside Nevada to travel to Las Vegas, secure accommodations, transportation, and give me a week of your time. My last student was at the end of February and I left for Guatemala City just days after that. Its now MID-JULY and I'm just getting things to where I can start it back up.

Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

I can now also concentrate on accepting clients for more Photography Projects, as well. That's the principle part of my photography business which is shooting of course. I will continue my main line of portraiture and event work for clients, but at this point, I'm also looking to step it up a bit and operate outside the traditional fare with more Food and Interior Design Photography. But my Portraiture Photography work will be focusing instead on that particular client that needs something new, fresh, and different from the norm that involves a bit more of my artistic side with the creative liberties to push the envelop.

Market Square, Antigua, Guatemala ©2015 Terrell Neasley

Market Square, Antigua, Guatemala ©2015 Terrell Neasley

Lets see, what else? Oh yeah, the 3rd principle element. Photo Sales! I don't traditionally print small. I used to, but I'm more happier concentrating on work that goes on walls, not just sitting on coffee tables. I have books for that. 30x20 and larger is the realm of reality where you'll find me. I make images that are made for books and walls. Display and presentation are key concepts that help define what happens to my images and artwork. Shoot, Edit, Print, AND THEN PRESENT is the final step of the process. It does not end with the print. A print can never make it out of the portfolio. A print on its own will be appreciated by the small circle of its creator. However if said print is destined to be viewed by the world, Presentation is key.

Of course you have the web, web portfolios, web galleries, and archives that can store photos and make them available for viewing. My argument is that seeing a shot that will be viewed upon various screen size resolutions and color shifts does nothing for the image. It does not serve the creator nor the viewer the way a printed piece commands respect. As opposed to sitting transfixed in front of a small screen browsing away at the speed of your scroll wheel, an exhibited piece of art demands the viewer to work a little bit. Engage a little bit. Spend a little bit. Invest a little bit. It requires the viewer to leave home, jump in a car, and arrive at a predetermined destination. It insists that the viewer forgo an alternative form of leisure or other investment of time and trade this opportunity for the cost of being present and standing before my work of art.

Street Corner, Matagalpa, Nicaragua ©2015 Terrell Neasley

Now my job is to make this investment of time worth the price of admission and elicit such an emotional or calculated response as to implore the viewer to take this work of art home before a rival buyer might make this choice. That's my job. And if I can do my job successfully, this process will repeat itself again and again perpetually. I understand that some pieces will not be successful. I understand that some pieces I have emotional ties with may fail with you and you make wish to take home an image that I would never have believed to ever garner attention. This has happened before. The work that I so loved, sat while another image sold quickly.

Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

Art Model, Covenant ©2015 Terrell Neasley

I haven't bothered with exhibition to much in the past. Now its a focus. I now have preparatory work to do in terms of finding exhibition opportunities, selecting pieces for display, and having those pieces made available in the right form of presentation. This in and of itself is not a cheap process, especially with the way I choose to present and have my work hung. I make it especially more challenging on myself, because I have to insist that my nude work is part of this process and some spaces may have difficulty honoring this due to various policies. Nonetheless, it is a must. If I'm not showing my art nudes, then what's the point. In some instances, that is the main concentration and exhibit focus. And that's where you can come in. In changing tactics like this, I definitely need some insight. Having seen my work, if you think you know of exhibition opportunities that can accommodate me, then please message me the details. I'd love to hear from you!