Day 118 of 365

Living in Between. 

Over the past 6 years one thing that has become a frequent for me has been living in the "In Between."   Whether it was before College, after college, before new jobs and even before moving to new places being in between can really fucking suck but it has always been what I chose to do in those in between times that has lead me to better freelance opportunities. Being in between allows for a lot of freedom don't squander it and waste it drinking with friends and playing video games.....I have been there.  The summer of 2016 was a huge in between moment for me but I spent it taking photos, reading, and I decided that I would no longer go to bars for the entire summer.  It saved me a bunch of money that I didn't have to spend.  I ended up driving around the country shooting for a few clothing companies and on that trip I applied to a job in Italy which I was able to go to that October and try out for.  I didn't get the job... but ultimately I was just stoked I got to go to Italy for 2 weeks all expenses paid.  I learned a lot from these experiences and now that I am in another in between stage I find there is only one thing to do to get out of it.  Shoot everyday, make a morning routine, Wake up early as freak, and exercise.  Taking the easy road and choosing to have fun has never lead me out of any low point in my life.  I don't know about you but I can't tell you how many times I have had a bad day so I tell my self I deserve Ice Cream then after eating the ice cream I feel like a pice of shit.  If instead I had chosen to just run for 20 minutes or done anything productive over sabotaging all of my progress I would have felt much better about myself.  Making those seemingly simple but difficult choses really build to your will power.  There is no secret to it, slacking off and taking the easy road when your in a low point will only keep you where you are.  If you are someone that is in a low, in between or shitty moment in your life, try doing the opposite of what you normally do in that situation and see how it takes you through your in between moments I'm sure you will be surprised how taking the difficult road always seems to make things better. 

 

On that note here are a few photos from a brief photowalk today. 

Day 117 of 365

Sunday with the boys.

I know I am not on here often but I haven't stopped shooting.

I find it a bit more difficult to post on my desktop daily and unfortunately I don't have access to post on my blog via my cellphone.  

None the less I am trying to rekindle this old habit and share photo stories weekly if not more frequently. 

I really love sharing stories on here its a different experience than instagram.  It feels slower more genuine and it connects to a very small group of people. I like the intimacy it creates. 

With that being said I look forward to sharing more photo stories with you guys on here. 

 

Best, 
Atticus

Day 116 of 365

Alaska

This Past Summer I took a 12 day trip to the Alaskan Interior with the School of Visual Arts.  The assignment was to gather photos or illustrations of our time sent in Alaska with the goal of putting this work into a printed Magazine when we returned home.   

I tried to go on this trip having no expectations but that seemed to be a lot more challenging than I expected.  I did no prior research, I didn't even look at the itinerary or pack until the day before the trip.  Luckily it worked out for the best and I met some great people but I don't think pre-organized trips are my thing. 

 Even with the effort of trying to avoid expectation you cannot avoid preferences and I don't enjoy not having the option to participate or not participate especially when it comes to taking photos or sitting in a bus for 12 hours. 

I felt that in Alaska we spent a lot more time in gift shops, and in buses viewing this gorgeous state through glass more than getting dirty and feeling the grass beneath our feet. 
 

Needless to say I don't have any plans of ever going back to school.  The positive aspect of this trip though was having a deadline to create a printed Zine.  Although it did not come out perfect it is a start.  Below are some of the pages and some writing from my visual journal in Alaska. 

Although I wish we did more on the trip I am just very appreciative that I was afforded the opportunity to see such an amazing state even if it was from a bus seat.  Most people don't even get the opportunity to leave their home towns and for that I am grateful.  

If I were to tell you a story about my trip to Alaska how would it sound, taste, and look like. 

A visual story of my trip. 

Not a travel guide highlighting the best parts about a place but an honest expression of traveling to Alaska on a budget, and a class trip etc. 

Carb heavy tourist, bear heavy wide eyed seekers of life before death. 

I'm an annoying man without distraction, constant motion and expectations plague me. 

Before it heads into the vast we must worry, there are too many rules under a field trips watch. 

Where have all the ruleless places been left for me to discover. 

I need you.

Unadulterated seeking. 

How can I find you tree fort surf escape.

Cliff jumping breakfast.

Empty skatepark.

Early morning photo walks.

Barbecues with best friends after long beach days.

Active life.

Day 115 of 365

I haven't been posting on here for a few months after spending some time traveling this summer I felt it was more important to write in a journal rather as quickly as possible without worrying about grammar or writing errors.  There is something freeing about just getting your thoughts down no matter how random they are and thats all I really did.  This past summer flew by but it was a very slow summer for me as far as creating my personal work.  I traveled the US for 30 days alone and with the time constraints and amount of driving I had to do it left me with little time to create and an ungodly amount of time to think.  I realized so much this summer.  Like what scares me the most is what I should be doing, that I am not getting younger, and the risks I desperately desire to take should be taken NOW.  That NOW is the only right time to get anything done, and that done is always better than perfect.  All this thought and on this trip and all the time to just drive and think made me miss one place...New York.  After seeing most of this country, I only have 3 states left (Idaho, Montana, North Dakota)  I have only grown more in love with New York.   It's a city full of transplants and locals fighting to live here, to meet people, and to create a life of their own.  There's no backyards, its crammed, smelly and dirty, but it's home.  Whatever you put into this city it gives it right back to you ten fold.  Traveling exposes your loves, and your hates and it's the best way to find your home.  Get going.

Day 114 of 365

Rough seas. 

People should want to help other people.  It's human nature.  Were better together than we are apart.  So it always baffles me when talented people become hyper insecure.  As if people are trying to take their job.  For example I love taking photos and there are photographers I really look up to.  At times I have sought some of them out for advice, only the ones I know on a first name basis of course and all but one have been nice.  It's like this one guy has a vendetta against me for no reason when I admire his work and respect his opinion, yet he some how finds a way to be a dick.  It's clear he has some insecurity issues but none the less a good friend of mine helped me immensely with this situation.  This may be obvious but kindness is the only answer.  Whether it's a little kid asking you what camera you use or a celebrity asking for your opinion treat them both the same.  Give insight to everyone because only the people serious enough to work their balls off will take your advice, and on top of that will will probably respect you enough not to come steal your job.  We've all felt insecure when someone is hot on our tale with the skills they have obtained but I believe that if we work together with that person we can both push ourselves to the next level.  There are no magic bullets to success, so no one needs to act like they hold the secret key.  

Day 112 of 365

Bad Luck. 

I think what makes this photo great is that it needs no explanation.  We can all relate to bad luck, like your stubbing your toe on your way to grab your breakfast except your still alive and didn't have to suffer for days on end in the desert heat stuck in a cattle guard.  Yeah bad luck sucks but it happens to all of us. 

Shit Happens. 

 

Day 111 of 365

Back in Ct after 30 days on the road. 

I spent some time on the road in this country, seen and met a lot of people. The later more important. 
The most prevailing observation from city to town in every state, community is no longer. 
There remains some small communities but gone are the days of small mom and pop shops and small businesses. The people have voted they'd like the same Dunkin coffee and the same subway sandwiches in every state regardless of how shitty they are, variation is the enemy. We have the expectations of the perfect sandwich at all times yet we ignore that the ingredients of our sandwiches rely so heavily on the seasons and time yet we rush these things in exchange for profit then we wonder why we have some of the highest cancer rates in the world. Not all tomatoes ripen at the same time, care about your community support local small businesses and in return they will take care of you. 
I can promise you, that the corporations you buy from will never give a cent back to you or value your endless years of support like a small business will.

Day 110 of 365

NYC to Niagara Falls
Day 1 of my Summer 17 Road trip. 

Stood atop of Niagara Falls yesterday around sunset on the American side.  

Compared to Dettifoss in Iceland it is much bigger which really blew my mind.  This was the largest waterfalls I have ever seen but the view from the American side wasn't the best because your essentially looking over the edge of a cliff behind a railing 20ft from the edge.  Not exactly my style lol I'd much prefer to be sitting on the edge.  That is literally the only complaint I could have about Niagara falls because it is an astonishing wonder to witness.  It is a must see if you leave on the East coast of America where tall mountain ranges and natural wonders aren't really anything compared to the West coast.  Not to mention it was very inexpensive, only $10 dollars to park for a whole day.  Although I only spent 2 hours there because I opted for the 2 hour $6 dollar street parking.  If you haven't seen Niagara Falls I suggest taking a weekend trip this summer. 

 

P.s. If you Leave after sunset Canadian sand flies line the edge of the rivers in swarms that look like clouds of black smoke.  I hit about 10 million of them on the highway... 

Day 107 of 365

My Fathers Killer

Never in a million years did I expect to stare through the eyes of the man that killed my father. I'm 24 years old the same age as the defendant when he committed his crime and it blows my mind to think that someone at my age could have such a disregard for human life. My dad was never afraid of anyone neither am I and there was no better feeling than staring this fucker in the face and telling him how amazing life is when it is lived right. Thankfully my mother never complained a day in her life and she made me realize how simple life is....respect people, work your fucking balls off, and have fun. It's really that simple. Death for murders would be a sound too sweet for their own ears, it would be a returning to their mothers womb but living with regret is the hardest pill to swallow. I don't prefer murders to die I prefer them to change, many won't so until then enjoy your unlimited supply of baloney in prison.

Day 106 of 365

WORK MORE 

A lot of people think it's all play and no work. That I just get to shoot all day long everyday but it's a struggle. To afford to live and eat and to afford to search for hours for little places like this. Manual labor sucks for the most part but it has taught me so much about the years people put in without ever bitching, they're just happy to have jobs that they can support their families with. I'd like to live a simple life as some do but I can't get rid of this sense of urgency that pushes me to shoot everyday after work when I'm tired as fuck and all I want to do is nap. If you want something you gotta fight for it. Show up to work everyday and hopefully one day soon it will lead me to being on the road full time. 

Day 105 of 365

Photography has been a marathon of growth for me.  Shooting so many different styles so often and trying to pin point one that works best for me has been no easy task.  Then after realizing how much I loved my taking photos I began making a slow transition into freelancing entirely which has brought up more challenges and learning curves than I ever thought I would be able to handle.  I still don't think I've found my niche within photography but I am sure of one thing "Rome wasn't built in a Day" but it was built everyday.  So for me no matter what happens if I make it or if I don't, or whatever making it even means is different for everyone.  Regardless of the end result I am showing up everyday to work and to take photos everyday.  There's still so much to be done and so much  fun to be had. 

 

Sample Photos for Narragansett Brewery's Spring Line

Day 102 of 365

It seems to me that when you are young your eyes are nearsighted and only as you age do you look for the longevity in your decisions, yet I am still diving in head first. 

Day 101 of 365

Somethings in life are a mess but when you stop trying to clean them up and learn to just enjoy them they seem to work themselves out.  Appreciate your mess and it'll fix itself.  

 

All photos Edited with VSCO app on iphone 6s.