I was just sitting here thinking about how easy it is to become connected with people on the net. Virtual relationships have become sort of common in my life as of late as I communicate with individuals, develop a bond...a connection, yet, never having met together face to face. In some cases I know that's an okay thing, but I know for kids, the naive, and those less wary this can be a dangerous proposition. Common sense should always be the chief discretionary trait in any relationship you become involved in, whether virtual or in person.
Kickoff is getting ready to start for the Super Bowl. My Cowboys didn't make it and neither did the Packers, so I am not as hyped for this game, but I hope its a good one. 
Its one of several online business models that allow to you post information and images about yourself and then communicate with like minded people who might like to do business with you. Its quite popular, but the format to gain more exposure keeps you on it constantly to say hello, comment on someone's work. The more you say...the more you are seen, so you are constantly being polite and courteous in the belief that its the proper etiquette to respond to someone else's comment about your images. You get a forum to seek out potential models in your area and they can also find you.
The thing is, this doesn't always pay off. You can expect to see several profiles where the user has not been active for several months or longer, because they get frustrated at becoming comment whores eagerly awaiting feedback. On the other hand, its great for MM in advertisements. The longer you stay on and the more often you come back, the better potential that you will see an advertisement that catches your eye. You may not be the type to be sensitive to these ad placements, but I can assure you, more money using this type of business model for generating ad revenue than they get from your subscription. Thats why they can afford to let you have the space for free. I'd be willing to be less than 8.2% of all MM users upgrade to the VIP service that allows them to post a hundred pics in stead of the 20 free ones they get. For the moment, even that service is suspended while they do some server renovating. If they are smart, they'll be virtualizing those servers.
On another note, I think I am getting ready launch my first photo workshop for my Las Vegas Art Model's Group as soon as we get enough participants to sign up. My drawing workshop is back on hold again, pending studio space. I am still looking forward to shooting Trixie again. She's got an excellent backside as you can conclude from these abstracts. I'm also anxious to interview with a few others who have contacted me about shooting. Its a process...
The world might just be returning to normal. My web site can again be accessed via an AOL browser. Its been, maybe two weeks and I can tell a significant decrease in my viewership numbers. Still, no explanation of what happened, or if it is prone to happening again. 
I guess my presence on Model Mayhem is starting to pay off. I've been in contact with several models who wish to work with me, but I get several from out of town, mainly California, who plan to visit in a few months. I have not had that same opportunities with models in Vegas just yet, at least not any that seem serious enough to result in anything definite. This is my profile page...I am MM#579934. I am still learning the ins and outs of exposure on this thing. I can't say I am fond of posting announcements that disappear in 4 seconds of posting as other announcements are made which force yours to the bottom of the page and then off the screen. I kid you not... 4 seconds. So many people are posting announcements that you can click off the main screen and then go back and your avatar is already moved on. 
So the next way of exposure is posting vane comments on people's pics. Nice pic...Nice port....Stunning...Beautiful...I like this alot!... If you are a model, you're inundated with photogs who comment on wanting to work with you. Basically, you become comment whores along with everyone else. BUT, I think once you have established a presence, things start to roll for you. You get seen more often with less effort. People are requesting to be added to your friends list and your comments fill up with the same mundane "nice port" crap. Its never really any type of critique you can use, but you still live for it. Just the attention is what you crave. But then you sometimes meet some interesting people and exchange in pleasant dialog. You make future plans to meet up at some point and schedule a shoot. I guess that makes it worth while.
I hope everyone has found time to get around to Chris' Univers d'Artiste to wish him well. As promised, I said I'd post some new material. Its been a while since I've gotten to do new work. I think I introduced Natalie sometime last October or late September. I don't plan to let a span of time like that traverse the continuum of space again without me getting somebody naked. Granted, a contracted project worked me for 12-14 hour days for 3 months in that span, but that's still no excuse. In fact, I am very appreciative of having the job. It payed well and afforded me the ability to jump in into my Canon 40D, which I now have the benefit to enjoy. But still, art Nudes is like Jello, there's always room for that.
So that being said, I introduce Trixie. I, initially, had no intention of posting the work I was able to do with her for out first time. We planned some preliminary shots just to get started and then maybe do some real work later on afterwards, sometime the next week. Well, THREE hours later, I was taking home some pretty good material that I liked. I immediately saw that I could use most everything we did. I tried to tell her to stop posing toward the end, but she'd ball up into something cute and I'd have to fire off the shutter a few times. I then attempted to put the camera away and in the course of conversation I would see another angle of her...back out comes the camera again. The last 45 minutes must have been me putting away the camera and bringing it back out because I would see something new I liked. It was only her driving natural force of hunger that finally abated another hour of shooting. I was trying to exercise better control and not attempt to get everything I liked from her at once. That would have been rude.
We first talked about doing the shoot maybe mid-December and I conducted my first two interviews with her. We hit it off well and agreed to shoot, but thought it would be best to wait til after the holidays settled. I could tell right off that she was a person of great character and ideal for my to shoot on an ongoing basis. Spirit and a willingness to give are the two traits I can ascribe to her that I most admire. This girl is willing to work and has a sincere interest in becoming part of an artistic process. Its my hope that she, and maybe a few others, can help me develop my trade. Models like her, give me the opportunity to experiment and try new things. Her contributions just over this single shoot were invaluable. I was also thankful to her husband, for being so understanding and willing to "lend" me his pride and joy to create something I can now share with you all. I will be posting several of her images up on the blog. You can also see some on my website, TLNeasley.com, as well as on my profile on deviantART, which will be uploaded maybe tomorrow. Some will be the same, some will be different. I think I have 37 on my website but out of about 350 shots, I have edited it down to about 160. So they will be popping up all over for a spell. Thats not counting the set from our next shoot planned soon. I have also been contacted by a few other models who have expressed a desire to work with me, so we'll see how that goes as well. By the way, AOL still hasn't fixed the thing that causes my website to re-route to something else, so use Internet Explorer or Firefox to access my site. 
On another note: There must be a huge interest in mail modling konserns, and errekshuns is almost always the main subject. I intentionally misspelled that so as to not draw attention from search bots. This has resulted from my 13 November 2007 posting on the discussion. I got enough requests on the matter that I responded to help mailartmodelz get over that concern. Good gracious, I really don't want to answer any more questions about that and I am almost certain 30 percent (or more) of my blog hits come from searches that regard the subject matter. My blog is on top of those search results. I guess I can't be mad at anything driving traffic to my blog, but I am pretty sure not all these mail modling konserns have to do with someone who is a modle worried about what to do if he gets an errekshun. What do you think?
But since we are both here, I may as well use the time to post a few things. Jordan Matter ... I came across his website when a nudist site posted my link on a page of nude resources. Browsing the links, I ended up finding New York photographer on a link promoting topless equality for women. I had no idea that it has been legal for women in NY to be topless! I am a big fan of the artistic nude. Number 2 to that is the topless woman. Spending time in Germany,France and Spain has cultivated that notion. After a discussion with a woman in France, back in 1989 or so, I became enlightened which led to my distaste for bras. I know some women feel they need them, and maybe rightly so, but as a personal preference, I hate bras. I do not care what anyone says, a man did not invent the bra, unless he was kidnapped, locked into a basement, and made to do so under force.
On another note, I picked up a copy of Carrie Leigh's Nude, at my local book stand over the holidays. It's still back with the porn mags, behind the counter and laid flat so you can't even see the cover. Its available upon request. Anyway, I was glad my bud Dave Rudin got to make the first issue and I could see that the magazine had quality material in editorial and interview content. As before this second issue was no exception. I was particularly intrigued by the Leonard Nimoy interview. Granted, I have been a fan of Spock and Star Trek for years. But this was really the first time I got to see Leonard Nimoy and not visualize him with pointed ears. I had no idea that the man has been a photographer since before he was an actor. I was one of the ignorant who figured he picked up a camera after his acting days are over and pointed it at a naked girl. The man built his own first enlarger as a kid out of an old metal lunchbox and a spare camera! He goes on to describe his love for the print since before, during, and now even late into his acting career. I can't say "after" his acting career, because I am pretty sure a new Star Trek is coming out and he's in it. Well, I have seen his work before and can relate to his efforts to take on challenging and even non-popular subjects like the project he did on overweight women, The Full Body Project, which is in the magazine. I had seen these images before while browsing a library. Well, that's enough for today, me thinks, especially since that's two major posts, two days in a row. Don't wanna spoil y'all. 
You can listen to a mp3 version of this 35 minute interview by clicking => HERE. RealPlayer or MediaPlayer will suffice. Mr. Abell is in Nevada to be the keynote speaker at Ceasars Palace for the "An Evening with CLASS! , 2008", in support of a fundraiser for a high school organization. In the KNPR interview, he talks about many subjects of interest. In an answer to a listener's question regarding post-processing software, he reveals that he is strictly a film photographer and does not use digital software to alter any of his photos other than to create digital reproductions of them. He has a deliberate philosophy regarding his craft, but a rather dismal prospect on the future of photography and photographers. It would seem he believes this may be a dying profession, going the way of the cassette tape, or at least that's my opinion of his remarks.
Camera technologies has been in a perpetual evolutionary state since the camera obscura and the daguerreotype. The advent of multiple exposure possibilities from emulsion coated a paper or plastic rolled substrate (a roll of film) instead of a single "one shot at a time" plate was seen as an advancement. Instant film by Polaroid was seen an advancement, just as the digital censor was viewed as an advancement. Photo purists have already began to lament the onslaught of the digital age, but Abell comments that the art and craft of the photography is dying much faster than what we might imagine. He discusses the advent of videography as a new tool that is quickly gaining ground as the preferred method of still capture. Abell recounts how it once took him 14 months to "get the shot" on a particular shoot for which he was charged. This sort of dedication would be absurd today. No longer is there a need to wait for the right moment. Video of the same scene allows the ability to become more selective with image capture. 
It would appear that the new age of photographers, or rather videographers will not even need to do that. The ability to record video footage and then select the choice still image reduces the propensity to pull a muscle in your trigger finger from releasing a shutter a million times for every shoot. Is this really the future of photography? How much time do we have left before the art of fact SLR becomes an artifact SLR? Photojounalists will feel the impact much more than the photo artist, but is it simply a matter of time?
It wasn't easy staying away from all of you. I had to resist the urge to get back to writing despite saying I'd continue after the holidays. I made a list of things I wanted to write about, but I think I will ease into them, instead of blasting you with it all at once. So I will first start out my blog entry of the year with congrats to my bud, Dave Rudin, author of Figures of Grace for being selected by The 2007 Fluffytek Photographic Nude Blog Awards, as the Best Overall Nude Blog of 2007. For that he received a "Golden Fluffies" award. There are many many Nude Art blogs on the web right now and I can tell you that the competition was stiff. Dave taking tops is no small feat.
I am starting to get back to an adequate measure of sanity where I can concentrate on my photo work again. Over the last few weeks, I have been able to do a wedding and a wedding reception (of a different couple). I have about 800 photos to go through and edit with about 300 left. I am also happy that I have had a chance to line up a few model prospects. I've done a few interviews that have gone well, but doing anything right now is crazy, so I am delaying shoots til January.
This is the Christmas season and I really hope everyone will be safe and respectful to everyone else. There is no Christmas without Christ, so I wish that those who disagree with that theology would let it go and just accept Christmas the way it is and leave it alone. Its just one day out of 365. I talked to a friend from Malaysia today who has no history of Christmas, but she's not out protesting against calling Christmas, Christmas. Just be respectful of what has been established and enjoy the day off doing something else. 
Anyway, enough on Memory Lane. I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and bid you all a safe New Year's. Unless, something comes up that I really need to share, I am going to take a break from posting and catch you all at the first of they year. I am going to catch up on some of my Rankin/Bass Christmas cartoons. Don't act like you don't remember. We all know Rankin/Bass Christmas Specials..."Rudolph", Santa Claus is Comin' to Town". Who doesn't remember the Burgermeister Meisterburger? I know there's not a soul in existence that doesn't recall Mr. Freeze Miser or Mr. Heat Miser in "The Year without Santa Claus". So, I thank you all for becoming subscribers or regular readers of my blog. Also a special thanks to those of you who have helped me develop this blog, so special thanks to Chris St. James, (BTW, Chris your daughter is gorgeous!), Iris Dassault, and Dave Rudin, along with all those bloggers who put me on their list of blogs of interest and drive traffic to me. I really look forward to this new year for more opportunities to get better and develop my art into something you all can appreciate even more. I thank you all your support, encouragement, and kindness. 
I say that I am done with school for a while, but actually, I am planning to take some more courses in Photoshop, hopefully in January. I could use the added wisdom to help edit my photos, in particular with layers, curves, and histograms. I do not plan to do much in terms of special graphics, but I'd rather, for now learn how to better enhance my photos as they are. I may later explore some work with other types of digital manipulations as I did with alternative darkroom manipulations using film.
I am kind of excited about this one because I was searching specifically for someone who could be available for me to shoot on an ongoing basis, even on short notices. Ever wake up to a lovely day, with beautiful clouds and just think to yourself that if only you could find someone to take off their clothes and let you photograph them? Well, that's what this interview is for. Sometimes you just get a spontaneous moment and want to shoot and there is no time to hunt for a new model, coordinate schedules for two weeks out, and put together a concept. No, sometimes I do not need a concept...just a naked female with a good attitude. I don't have that here in Vegas and I need to change that. The girl in this photo was one such muse. She is a friend from Kentucky who was ready and willing whenever. I'd like to get to work with her again as well as a few others I left behind...Trish, Jacinda, Chels, Dana, Elizabeth...and the list goes on.
For any readers in the Las Vegas area, I need a venue to hold figure drawing sessions for my Las Vegas Art Model's Group. Specifically, I am seeking a drawing studio complete with hot lights, easels, benches, and a model platform. I'd like to be able to use this facility at least once a week to hold figure drawing sessions. I could use the same thing with a photo studio, but right now, the biggest focus is on drawing. (Volutneered is the operative implication here.) I want to begin this mid January. I want to hold a few photo workshops as well and will be looking for guest instructors to come and impart some knowledge on fellow photogs. So when we get a studio for it, I'll be interested doing this as soon as possible. So I am putting out the call: I need models, particularly female...we have plenty of guys. I need a drawing and photo studio. And finally I need artists and volunteer instructors to help participate and grow these functions. Thats my Christmas wish list, so to speak. So unless you are getting me photo equipment, stick to this list.On another special note, I was very please to get to see my friend, photog extraordinaire, Dave Rudin from Brooklyn again. Dave and I got together and checked out the Crazy Horse topless cabaret show at the MGM Grand. I had seen the show once before about 6 years ago, but we got front row seats which made for quite a different experience. Those girls were GOOD. They possessed the unique ability to show you everything without letting you see anything. I tell you that took the skill of a magician.... Now you see it...NO YOU DIDN'T!
*** Note to MOM: Ignore the aforementioned list....stick to the photo equipment.
At any rate, I am going to do tributes every now and again and this one is going to be for my friend, Umit (oo-mit), from Istanbul, Turkey. I got to meet Umit while doing my MBA at Murray State University in Kentucky. I got to meet and interact with many different cultures while in the Army and I have always been intrigued by observing and learning how other people in the world go about their daily lives different from my own. I grew up in Texas... in Terrell, Texas actually. I was not named for the place nor do I own it. I just lived there. Anyway, I didn't travel too much, but I always loved reading about the history and traditions of other cultures. So when I joined the Army and was sent to places all over the world, I got everything I could from the experience.
Therefore I came to relate to Umit very well. Since I was curious about his country and customs, I was glad that he was willing to indulge me in my questions about where he lived. I thought I might have gotten on his nerves to some degree, but I was able to often return the favor in his quest to learn more about the U.S. Sometimes we had challenges with the language. Umit spoke English very well. Every now and then a word might understandably stump him and we could spend 15 minutes just to figure out what he was trying to say. On one such occasion we discussed job opportunities. I thought he was trying to tell me he wanted to be a carrier builder, so I am making associations to either naval ships or HVAC units. When it finally dawned on me that he was interested in finding a job on Careerbuilder.com, we were both too mentally exhausted to continue the conversation.
The closer it got to the end of the final semester, the more we hung out. We went to a party that was in his honor where I got to meet even more international students. My daughter called me while at this party explaining how proud she was of her command of the french language. I put her on the phone with some of Umit's french speaking buddies and she quickly realized there is a big difference between learning french in school and speaking to someone from France. I recall good memories with my friend, Umit. I regret that he has called me 5 times since I have been in Vegas and I have missed each call! I do not hope for Umit's next visit to the states. Rather I hope to visit him in Istanbul sometime and let me be the foreigner for a change. I know I could not do what he did by coming to a foreign land and get an MBA. I got a 3.5 GPA and he did better than I did!
