Photo Essay and Myspace...

This is an older image from my photo essay on youth culture as art. Chris is at his Grandparent's, in the pool house. Recently I've added over 200 photos to myspace. One was removed which had a guy-n-girl couple (clothed)....all sexy and fun, an image from my photo essay. It's funny and sad too, how myspace is all about making money, using young people and their need to communicate via the computer....They will cancel your account if someone, anyone complains....it's amazing. There are myspace groups for masterbaters, this, that, whatever...

It's an American thing. The myspace guy, "Tom"...he's in Santa Monica for crying out loud...BUT, he's all about exploitation and making money off of horny little teens that are searching for love or whatever through his M Y S P A C E "machine".....

You know it's a great asset, really...for communicating with friends, networking etc...but, it's America....don't fuck with the "Money-Mongers".... Advertise, Advertise Advertise!!!!!!!!!!

So much for Art, freedom of expression....and God forbid if you take on any established social norm or money making machines of our imperfect and celebrated society....

Whatever,

terry

MILK

Last night I waited in line with all the other movie goers at the Landmark theater in Hillcrest....we were all waiting to see Gus Van Sant's new film, MILK.

It was such an amazing story, whether you are gay or straight....it's a very educational experience. It's important that we see films like this to teach us where we've come from and where we are going as a Nation.

Of course it's very sad how the story ends, it's a true story with a sad ending. I'm inspired to continue to strive to finish my own story, my film about my struggles as an Artist, with a camera and the relationships of the youths I've documented as art, for so many years....

terry

Keith is ART

This is another photo from our recent photo-shoot. That morning I woke up thinking about day 2 of our weekend filming and photography. 'Spider man' was what I thought of....so, we did all of the fun and wacky poses...Keith was great!!

www.americasfinestkids.com

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

my Mother

Cory is texting me...he's a good friend, will call me tonight. Well, I talked with my Sister back in Oklahoma a little while ago. Her oldest daughter is getting ready to go to work to her first job...she's a server at a nursing home. Sis and I had a good lil. chat before she had to go take care of her kids. My Mother is back in the hospital. Mom is asking for me....saying, "where's Terry". It breaks my heart.....my folks have been one of the main reasons I've continued on with making this film, in hope that the sale of the documentar will net me enough money to be able to bring them back out here to southern California.....for there last days....Mom loves the ocean.

Hopefully I'll start hearing from people, I need to do the maximization thing to get traffic to my website etc....trouble is, I'm a fuckN broke ass Artist...currently.

Again, hopefully this'll happen sooner than later. You know, family is really the most important thing. So much craziness is going on in the world, we have clashes of cultures and ideals etc....really though, human life if the most valueable thing ever!!!

The whole world revolves in some way....shape....or form, around "relationships". Of course money makes the 'world go round'....but, it's really how we see the world through relationships that truly shapes 'our world'.

Are you a believer in karma?? Do unto others?? ....and I'm not talking vengeance.....we need more love..... Can we even love our enemies?? The problem is....our human race loves to hate, Wow!

I believe we should do our best to be kind and caring....now maybe I've just messed with your 'artistic mojo'....well, there are many aspects to our busy living.... I hope as my career takes off here in the very near future....that I don't lose my own 'humanity'....

Some day I will be worth a lot of money and many people will want to be with me in some way or another.....but, I don't ever want to forget where I came from....

terry

prejudice @ Target....and Skaters dissed!!

I'm here in San Diego, in my car, burning fossil fuel, running my AC, listening to U2 sing...."new years day"....

....watching Skaters, the one kid's board just broke....I gave the kid with open shirt, blond....my business card....told him about my documentary... I spoke with them as I was leaving the newly remodeled Target here on Balboa Ave. Some idiot in a high profile 4x4 tried to hit one of the Skaters as he was marking up the newly painted red curb with his board.... I talked with them about Washington Skate Park.....(built by Skaters)....

....but, what is fucking sad is.....(oh, by the way......Steven Seduction is texting me from Florida....I love this kid, he's so 'friggn' cool)....

...anyways, as I was leaving Target, I was looking down.....to my left a little African American boy, apx 6 or 7 years old was walking hand in hand with his White guardians (Parental units or whatever)........just talking, nothing weird or offensive....and then a 1/2 second later I heard an adult voice say, "fucking niggers"..... I looked up to see who it was....it was an older bearded white guy with his wife......she was probably embarrased....

....it just kinda surprised me, you know....it was sad to me. Maybe because, this little boy didn't do anything that I could tell to provoke this man to say such a thing....Oh well, just had to get online here in Target's parking lot, watch my new Skater friends....and burn more $1.95 a gallon gas and rock out to 94.9 and 91x.....

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!!

www.americasfinestkids.com

hey everyone and whomever.....the site is up. We're still fixing stuff, more photos and videos will be up soon as well....

.....yes I'm watching the news, pirates, 8 year old kid killing his Dad etc..... yes, it's a fucked up W O R L D....

it's a pretty great place too!!!

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".