"Days With My Father"

It's not something I often discuss much, as of late. Just as a side note. This past March, my father died of lung cancer. He was diagnosed the day before Thanksgiving at the local VA Hospital, where he stayed until just before Christmas and returned shortly after. All in all, it was short, brief, and gave us both too little time and too much. I still tear up even now, as it's not something I like thinking of. Why bring it up now? Because it seems that too many people have been passing away this year. First my father, then my friend, a classmates best friend, my best friend's family member, then another classmate's uncle and today his best friend's father.

Then, just a few minutes ago, I was linked through an LJ I follow to this website: Days with My Father by Phillip Toledano, author/photographer of the infamous Phone Sex photo book. Days with My Father touched me the most (okay, it totally made me bawl (quietly) in the middle of the student lab) because I did my own photo series of my father's illness in the hospital. Sadly, the idea for the series didn't hit me until after he was too sick to stay at the house. Christmas is the last time I took photos of my father when he was still mobile and ones I will always cherish. My sister was angry with me (and possibly still) for daring to take the photos of him while he was sick and was openly hostile towards me whenever I had my camera out. But I think in time she'll be able to at least look at them and not feel the urge to hit me.

((sigh)) I have to end this post now before I really end up crying again. In any case, please take a look at the website. It's just too sweet for words. :')

Bad Luck, plus some recs!

So I figured I'd post something before I go rake the yard for my mom. Anyway, my bus broke down on the way to class, so cash in my bad luck that I managed to avoid all weekend. Whee. The only good thing I got out of it? The card reader was broken so I got a free 3-block ride and to keep my fare for tomorrow. Oh joy. So thanks, Metro. You rock.

So, as far as recommendations go, I have a site and photographer to contribute. I'm a photography major, so it goes to reason it would be those, wouldn't it? XP

Site: We Are Sleeping Giants by Brooks Reynolds (who has TOTALLY become one of my favorite photographers for sure)
Bea-U-tiful photos! And NIGHT photos! One of the few genres of photography I myself have not yet gotten a chance to explore due to lack of equipement. Although this next couple of weeks I'll be able to with the local FotoWEEK, so yay! In any case, check it out with your speakers on b/c it has some awesome music to accompany the photos.

Photographer: Shawn Records ("Owner of This World," 2009)
Everyone knows who Max Records is. He plays Max in "Where The Wild Things Are." His father, Shawn, did a behind the scenes photo art book of the four month shoot, which contains some GORGEOUS pictures. WeLoveYouSo.com (Spike Jones' blog) has a generous preview of the book. I want it for Christmas so baaad! But I want my Mac popped open to, so it'll probably take a backseat to that. Anyway, check out his site, book, and his son's movie. All of which are awesome (or I hope so, as I haven't seen the movie yet).

Now I'm off to rake, so I'll talk to you all later! :)