In 140 Characters or less...

These social networking sites are the new wave of communication amongst many in not only the US, but the world. Twitter has slid its foot in the door and forced its way in between Facebook and MySpace as the juggernauts of internet commo. It has grown faster than any thing we've seen before. This thing has become global in just 3 years. I hadn't done the research behind it yet, but I'd certainly like to see how it is profit driven. Its a free service and there are no cluttering advertisements that float across the screen or use dancing figures in triplet to get our attention. To my understanding, one way they do this is to sell member information to 3rd parties. If you wikipedia Twitter, you'll see its use in everything from education, politics, and even space missions. That's right, astronauts were using Twitter to give updates on Hubble repairs! 

So let me ask those of you in the art community...How many of you models, photogs, and artists use Twitter regularly and how do you use it? I think I'll post this on my devianART page as a poll question. Virtual Photography Studio.com posted this article on 80 photographers you should be following on Twitter. WeFollow.com also does this same thing...track photographers on Twitter. I jumped on a few months ago to see if I could get a feel for it. I'm definitely not an everyday...every second user. These constatn updates, sometimes called "microblogging" can be overkill for the regular Joe Smoe. Because of Chad Ochocinco, (wide-receiver of the Cincinnati Bengals), the NFL has banned twitting during the games. The NBA has done the same I believe. Right now, I tweet under Artnudephotog, but I just now created one for PhotoAnthems, as well. So take your collective asses on over there and start following me. Oh, and if you've not clicked on the button "Follow Me" on this blog, You're Wrong! So get right on both accounts. 

You all know Stacey Scott, right. She was like my first model for my Las Vegas Art Models Group art nude photo workshop. Well in case you don't recall, here's the blog post on it. That first workshop was stressful as  hell, but we got it done and Stacey was great. Well, I got to shoot her later on in another Lighting Seminar that also went well. Stacey has since moved to New York were she got to compete in tryouts for America's Next Top Model. I revisited some of the work we did and did some more edits to a few of her shots. At the time, I didn't edit that many and she's contacted me recently about some of our work together. So that's what's prompted this revisit. Is she not pretty? Chris St. James was totally smitten with her. I think she was also the first model I interviewed for his Univers 'd Artistes blog. You can also see her new website here. 


And speaking of model interviews on that blog, I'll be doing another one in the next few days on Trixie. She's got a great story behind her and she's not holding back anything. That's why I love the girl. She tells it like it is.

Stacey Scott Interview

"I want people to understand the fact that I may be deaf, but that won't stop me from fulfilling my dreams. I'm deaf, but I can do anything (except hear !)." - Stacey Scott

I recently got to pay homage to a model I hadn't worked with in a long time. Stacey Scott was the first model I hired for my Las Vegas Art Models Group. I did an interview of her for Univers d'Artistes last week that I believe turned out well. Stacey is in New York now and is still kicking ass. I've been so impressed with her. She's deaf and has never let that be a barrier or obstacle her her ambitions for modeling or being a success at whatever she wants to do. So JUMP on over and check out what Stacey has to say.




Since I've been working a real job now, I haven't been out shooting much. I've had to focus on job transitions, new events in my personal life, and planning for upcoming events. Jeff is also back in the hospital. Its all been a thrill ride in some senses of the word. In others, its been downright nerve-wracking. But as one friend recently told me, there's a sense of freedom that comes with it all and now the future is wide open. That's exactly the way I feel right now. Life isn't fair or unfair. Its just life and you can either make the best of it or not. Despite all my shortcommings, trails, and tribulations... I gotta say I've been truly blessed in my life.


I've still been going back through my old stuff and editing material that I didn't complete as well as getting rid of stuff that I know ain't going to be used. You'll be seeing new graphics on both my website and my blog. I think I want to change things up every year or so. I've registered a new domain name so you might be seeing everything change to PhotoAnthems.com in the near future. I'll be looking into a new logo design for it and will eventually change my web site and blog domains to reflect the new name and logo. (And to think I just got an order of about 1500 business cards last month.)


And finally, I've recently bought in with a travel company and now have my own web site where you can book travel. So far, I've had several people tell me they've found my travel fares either cheaper or equal to comparable sites. So if you need to book travel, hotels or vacation packages take a look at my Rovia site by clicking www.TerrellNeasley.Rovia.com/. Its the only way I'm traveling now. Even if its just for kicks, comparison shop and let me know what you find out. I'd be really interested to know how much of a savings my customers are averaging.

Me Interviewing Me

"Jeremy, there is a famous photographer that shares your last name. He is Terrell Neasley. He is famous for his artistic use of the nude." - A text message to my son, which he forwarded to me. Funny, huh?

This is me, interviewing me:

Me: So how are things going?

Answering Me: Not bad, not bad. Few challenges here and there. Same as anybody else.

Me: Yeah, challenge you can handle, I presume.

Answering Me: I'd like to think so. I mean, you never know. Times are tough for everybody. Its just a matter of holding on... you know...weathering the storm so to speak, til the clouds break and the sun shines on you again.

Me: Sounds like philosophy.

Answering Me: I guess, in a way. I ain't no Socrates or nothing. I've just got a survivor mentality. I know what I believe. I got tough skin. I'm used to adversity. The poor weren't jumpin' out of skyscrapers during the depression.

Me: Point well taken. So let's get on with this. Tell me about this new direction you are taking in your art work. You list some objectives in your Model Mayhem profile that say you are shooting nudes for the next 18 months. Not sure when the clock started on that, but oh well. Now in your last blog post you say you're taking a "hiatus" *air quotes* from doing nudes at all. Isn't this sort of a contradiction to your original objectives?

Answering Me: Not at all really. I know I wrote those goals, but sometimes you gotta drop back and punt.

Me: What exactly does that mean?

Answering Me: Its a football analogy. You've got 4 times to touch the ball to make a touchdown or at least gain 10 yards for a first down. Sometimes you don't reach that 10 yards so you punt the ball. In a since, that's what I am doing. I put my defense on the field for a little bit while I try to figure out another way to consistantly move the ball and score. There's nothing wrong with that strategy. Besides, sometimes the defense can make an interception and score too. You just never know. The point is, I WILL get the ball back. I will figure out a way to score.

Me: Okay, I guess that makes sense. Good to have that sort of drive. So what exactly will you do while your defense is on the field?

Answering Me: Lots of things. I'm trying to make it so that when I do start doing nudes again, I am better at it and with more resources in which to do it. I'd like to be able to do it without out of pocket expenses. I want to gain more experience shooting other things and then bring some of those new-found skills back to my nude art again.

Me: Can you give me an example of these resouces and new skills?

Answering Me: Certainly. Right now, I am behind on many of my non-nude edits. I've got other things I like to. I have a series of work on old scrap metal like rusty cans and I like to shoot odd signs. I've taken so many other photos that no one has ever seen just because they are still sitting untouched on my computer.

I also want to take another look at the business side of my operations. I don't have a logo just yet. I need to better manage my workflow. I need to improve my backups and storage management. All that takes better resources in terms of equipment and tools. In terms of skills, I think I can benefit from some better lighting techniques and more photoshop editing. Shooting other things that have different demands from my nudes can help me excersize different photographic muscles to help tone up my photo skills overall. I think its a good way to expand my knowledge of image capture and light manipulation. When I am back to shooting nudes, I am just that much better at it.

Me: Understandable. Makes a lot of sense too. Where did you get this idea from?

Answering Me: Well as you said, "It makes sense". I've had to do the same thing in other areas of my life before so why not use the same measure of wisdom here?

Me: So you're giving up nudes, cold turkey? That doesn't sound like such an easy task considering how much I've read in your blogs about loving your work.

Answering Me: Ummm, I can't say cold turkey. I still have a few gigs I've already made committments to. I'll still fulfill those. I also won't pass up opportunity shoots with interesting people. Then there are also those models whom, I've said can have whatever they want from me, like Trixie and Faerie. They've been dedicated Muses for me and when they want to shoot, we're going to shoot. Case in point, Trixie just emailed me last week about wanting to follow up on a project I asked her to consider. So this won't be a cold turkey thing, but I won't actively pursue models, I don't think, at least not for free work. Commissioned stuff, well that's in line with my whole objective of making the camera work.

Me: You know, it wasn't that long ago that you blogged that you liked where you were in photography. How does this new direction jive with that? Doesn't sound to consistant.

Answering Me: Why not? Just because I want to change my mind a bit? That blog piece was just what I meant it to be. Rather than pity myself on the challenges I face, I'd much rather reflect on what I've been able to accomplish and when I did that, it brought into perspective a more positive experience. You ever heard of "Looking on the brighter side?"

Me: Dude, I'm just asking questions. It's my job. No need to be defensive.

Answering Me: Bite me.

Me: Whatever... You can't say everything is simply a mind change. You also said you were going to start camping out at least once a month. And I quote, "I want to set a goal of camping at least once a month for a year. Can I do it?...Is it practical?...Don't know. The point of the matter is that I'm interested in experiencing life."

How is that going?

Answering Me: Man, why you gotta be an ass?

Me: I'm just asking questions. This is an interview? So how is that going?

Answering Me: Not like I planned, thank you very much? It kind of fell apart when I got banned from that unmentionable park and I just never followed through on it yet. Thank you for bring it up to my attention again. *Sarcastically*

Me: Don't mention it. So how long do you expect all this to take?

Answering Me: Til it takes! ...When I've got what I wanted out of this deal. I'm just going to take it day by day til it feels right.

Me: So what made you want to do this "interviewing yourself thing"? How is this helping, anyway?

Answering Me: Man, I honestly just sat down and knowing I wanted to post a blog today, it just came out like this. I'm waiting on Felix to bring me back one of my flashes for a shoot tomorrow afternoon and kind of fell asleep at the computer. I woke up and figured, I'd stamp out a few keystrokes til he gets here. This is the way it all came out.

Me: So you are shooting a nude tomorrow?

Answering Me: Well, yeah, but I didn't contact her. She got hold of me and its a good opportunity shoot. Its going to be some commission slash art work for me.

Me: Now is that going to be what you say everytime you get a chance to get a girl out of her clothes... "Its an OPPORTUNITY SHOOT?

Answering Me: Dude, F*ck you, Man! What's your problem?

Me: I'm just asking a question. It doesn't sound like you are giving up nudes at all. Isn't this going to just put you in the same predicament you're still in?

Answering me: No. No, it isn't. This is a beautiful black woman. I don't get to shoot many black women. I'd be a fool to pass on her. Besides, like I said, commission! We are going to work together on this. She's already talking about referring me to some of her friends for MORE commission work. Comprende?

Me: Fo-shizzle, My Nizzle. I understand...word of mouth. It makes sense. I'm just asking you a question! So what about you workshops? You gonna give them up? Let someone else run them? How's that going to work?

Answering Me: I'll still do my workshops. I don't get to shoot at my own workshops anyway. Well, at least I don't get that many great shots. I get some, but they are mainly over the shoulder shots of the model posed by whatever photog has lead and is directing the model at that time. I don't see them so much as myMY shots, so I either don't shoot or don't shoot much.

Me: Well, we are about out of time, for now. We'll pick this up again for another session later. ~Nice portraiture, by the way~. Any parting shots?

Answering Me: Yeah, you're a butt-head.

(Models are Stacey Scott and Lisa Savilla from a previous lighting seminar.)