It's been awhile...

For those of you following this blog, it's been awhile...so I thought I'd better check in. Just as soon as I picked up my cameras again, I put them back down. In about 2, 3 weeks I plan on doing another photo shoot...with this young man that's really cool, we've been planning for several months now. (This photo-set is Zander, by the way.)

Tonight I saw the documentary called: Horse Boy

A truly lovely story of this family with an autistic son, they travel to Mongolia and meet with several Shamans...miraculously he's much better once they return to their home in Texas.

Also tonight I got text messages from a young Model on a Greyhound Bus, headed to California with no money, no place to stay...in search of his dream. He wants so very much to do a shoot with me, wants to be in my documentary as well. Wow, I need an 'Artists Commune' or something I guess.

It's such a beautiful day, now evening...good food, movie and now sitting at LeStat's...watching all this 'humanity'. Two beautiful teenage boys, obviously attracted to each other, visiting in a safe environment, others on their laptop computers, people in motorised wheelchairs, goths, nerds, a variety of races, body types etc, etc, etc.

It's been difficult, this year for sure...losing Bray in August, was a real blow to my emotions and how I view the World. I so much need to finish this film, my documentary...hopefully we'll have enough funding soon to be able to go into post-production by Spring of 2010...not very far away. I can promise, you've never, ever seen a bio-pic/art documentary like this one...it ain't your average Picture, people!

Enough saying hello and checking in with the WorldWideWeb community...carry on!

~Terry

proud A M E R I C A N

One week ago today, I was on my way to Balboa Park to play Frisbee with Josh and Shane. Who's got the skills? I gots'tha skizzles. . . . . fo sho!

...anywhoo o o o, Art, making it...is liberating. 14 hours I spent with Josh...we became good friends by the end of the day.

It's so beautiful, fabulous, wonderful to make new friends with really cool, fun and funky people!

Freedom of Expression...that's what it's all about. We Americans are a proud people, we have rights to say, do just about any damn thing we want...within reason. Stand up tall, acknowledge your freedoms...live, love, make art. Show people in daWorld how much you care, we care, I care...live, love, make art!!!

Peace 2 daWorld,

~Terry

"HUMAN CANVAS"

The Human Canvas project to benefit a worthy local Charity/Organization is progressing quite well. Many of my Model friends are re-arranging their schedules already to accommodate the mid-March Event date. I thank in advance the property Owners that are making their space available as a temporary Studio for the public to view and appreciate Art, in the making. This image I've posted is my dear and late friend, Shane Dull. He took his life 4 months after our last group show in 2003, here in San Diego. I love and respect my young Artist friends...I have many good memories. Shane's story will be told in my documentary film. Be strong and courageous...I too suffer from depression and sometimes use this Blog to vent my emotional distress, however, I'm a living testament to being one that's a fighter. Art is sometimes the "savior of our souls". Let's Make Art!

Zach's Urban Experience

Here are two images from Zach's first photo-shoot. You will notice that there is a difference in the look and feel of each photograph. It is soft light in the mud & water. I used a #25 red filter for the photo in the direct sunlight.

We had a lot of fun walking around San Diego...also, you should have seen my shoes...there was about 3 inches of mud all around the edges. Zach is an 'Extreme Athlete', we will be filming him 90 feet in the air very soon.

Since tomorrow is Christmas, I'll wish a very Merry one to the readers of this blog. Zach's a good kid, I look forward to more artistic experiences with him.

College Track Star

This is Sheldon, when I met him...he was an amazing athlete. Now, he's in the Army. He is indeed one of "America's Finest Kids".

Cops in the Sky!

Cops in the Sky, that's right...wow...what a night, or morning or whatthefuckever! I'm still at LeStat's...accessing the "free" wifi. I've been emailing some magazines...my "already famous" photographer friends have been saying I should be in magazines...so, when we do the fucking search engine thing, then people will fucking start reading this Blog more. Well, as some of you know...I still do social services, elder care...the past few years.

It was killing me to work in juvenile group homes. There is all this shit in the news lately, the "16" yr old boy that was tortured in 'foster care' up in Tracy, California...there is so much more stuff that goes on. I tried fighting the "System" while working in it...got fired, went to Court and WON! Got my back pay, but the thing is...it's just like politics these days...all this shit just keeps on emitting its odor!

So, as very few people know, when I don't crash at Matt's house on my days off...I sleep in my car...last night there were drunks, skaters and their gf's...the Cop in the Sky was shining his light down about 2 am this morning...I was depressed, had a photo shoot cancel on me...I treat even the most 'green' model with respect...it bums me out when a shoot cancels....it hardly ever happens though.

I thought about my life, for just a moment...the depression took me very low...thoughts of not existing, suicide...that shit going through my fucking brain...but, I finally fell to sleep. Yes, my life is a Movie...it's not all 'fun and games', life is difficult to live...that's for sure.

It was cool to briefly talk with Cory in Pennsylvania again...he's now raising his two little daughters...his girlfriend split, what the fuck!...I love this kid!

Francis and I talked also last night...he and his Dad are going back out to fish, 4th time back to back...I look forward to getting out to see him next year in South Carolina to photograph and film him. He was 15 the last time I saw him...Oh', he told me to tell little Jed and his Mom hello last night...and I did. I was invited to the Christmas party at little Jed's home...it was really cool. I brought him a new Skateboard magazine...he's almost 11 now, into skateboarding...

This morning I was pleased to get a call from Sean, he's one of the kids from Seattle that's in my film...however, he's sort of starving, living in Pittsburgh now. Fuck!!, everyone needs money! It would be so cool if I could show more of my photography online, but I'll pick something out to include in this blog.

You know, I love the cast in my documentary so much, I must finish this film for them...let the World see them and get to know them...

-If we die, do we make a ripple?

If we live, dose anyone with money care?

If we reach out to the homeless, the abused & used,

will money come our way?

The next Great American Photographer...or, so people say...

my photography

my photography is overwhelming...no one, as of yet...is reading these blogs...and I have so much to show the World...

...what is...a great American photographer?


terry

Keith's recent photo-shoot

Here's a pic from Keith's photo-shoot here in San Diego a few weeks ago....this is a part of his follow up story. I filmed and photographed him as he's 18 now....

www.americasfinestkids.com

terry

as soon as I figure out how to load up photos, I'll post some from Keith's photo shoot from last weekend.....it was amazing.

....more stuff is coming soon to www.americasfinestkids.com

last night was a fun art event on Ray Street....with my friend Gustaf and the band was great...yadayadaya!!!

My photo exhibit in SouthPark is coming done next weekend at Junc boutique....so if local, swing by and check it out. It was nice to get to the beach and get away from politics, starvation and world hunger and poverty for a few moments....

aint it all just so swell; met these boys from Italy....their broken english was refreshing!!

amazing photo-shoot

It was an amazing weekend, I photographed and filmed Keith.....he's now 18 so we did his 'follow up' story. It was in the 90's....so hot here in San Diego.

I filmed him skating throughout the urban settings in San Diego, also at the skate park.

He did his first nude shoot...he was so creative and we came up with incredibly unique poses. He is one of the main Characters in my documentary which is based on my photo essay on youth culture as art. Remember, please go to www.americasfinestkids.com next week, it'll be online.

thoughts of the day...

hey everyone,
hopefully www.americasfinestkids.com will be ready to put online tomorrow. I'm so stoked about this new site and already looking forward to 2009. The plan is to be in NYC by end of summer....editing with Eric at American Montage.

Got news that my Mom is doing a little better. It's tough being an Artist, maintaining all these various relationships etc...

Some of the kids in the film are having tough time, legal stuff...too much partying etc... So much in life revolves around 'relationships'. I just talked with this kid in Temecula, he's probably going to play the drums in my documentary and we'll do a photo shoot as well. I think he can make as a fashion model....we'll see. I told him about Ryan Snyder....how I photographed him at age 13. Ten years later this kid is one of the most successful American male models.

So many kids want to have a career in front of the camera. Some have families with money, some don't...so many factors come into play....and life seems to throw you a few curve balls along the way. Well, hopefully I'll be hearing from some folks....asking about my photography and the documentary film on American youth culture....

Sean's visit to "America's Finest City"

This is Sean...we did a photo shoot in December of 07 in Seattle, Washington. This photo is from our shoot in March of 08, here in "America's Finest City".