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| Amazing Panda ©2013 Terrell Neasley |
I met a girl. [Isn’t that how a lot of great stories begin?] I meet a lot of girls. I think you all know that by now. I run into people all the time, both male and female, but today, everything centered around this one chick and she was inspiring. Every now and again, I meet somebody like that and it totally makes my day, despite whatever crap I’ve been hit with.
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| Amazing Panda ©2013 Terrell Neasley |
So, this is one of my days in the camera store and in walks a girl, then another girl, then a family. She’s got on a busy, but cool looking orange and white outfit, very attractive, and she’s carrying a camera bag. I know she needs her camera fixed. I’m with another customer at the moment who’s asking a lot of questions about some gear he’s not going to buy. I’m partially glancing over at the first girl carrying the bag as she pulls out her gear. I notice she’s got a Nikon film camera and I’m intrigued. This is a young girl and she’s strolling in with film business. I’m impressed. I’m not proud of myself, but I’m wishing this guy asking all the questions would just stop and enjoy his weekend.
So I finally get a chance to see what the fuss is all about, because she’s pulling out several sleeves of negatives that the store repairman is mulling through. I can’t help myself and have to investigate as well. If you hadn’t followed me for long, you may not know or recall that I still have a deep affinity for film work. Black and White was my specialty and my licence plate is an homage to my favorite brand and choice of film…the Kodak TMax. I haven’t looked at negatives in quite some time. I used to develop my own negatives and prints. I didn’t like developing negatives as much. It was a necessary process that had little latitude for artistic expression. Granted, you can push or pull your fill…maybe develop it at non-standard temperatures, or even cross-process it. But I never liked to destroy or alter the film. Prints, yes. Film, no. To me, the creative process would begin and end with the print! I miss those days. I’ve often said…”Nothing like the smell of FIXER in the morning!”
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| Amazing Panda ©2013 Terrell Neasley |
So far…I’m just looking at a pretty girl who happens to do film. What gets me, though are the next few things I learn about her. First, and probably foremost, she’s a traveler! She gave me some tips on NGO work and had just returned from Pakistan. You know I love me some travelers. “Get gone” has become a mantra of mine. That’s how I feel quite often…like I just need to get gone, sometimes. Okay, pretty girl, shooting film, she’s a traveler, too…so what else? She doing AMAZING work! Listen, you’d have been inspired, too. I’m not just tripping off of a cute girl. I’d have been the same way if she had a face like (insert well-know not so cute celebrity). The fact remains. She’s an avid traveling film photog who happens to be pretty as hell.
And I guess I better say something about Tumblr, otherwise my title wouldn’t make any sense. The little lady also gave me a few tips on Tumblr and recommended it. I told her I already had a blog, but she thinks I can still benefit from and enjoy Tumblr. I’ve contemplated doing a Tumblr as well, but have left the notion in perpetual hang-time in an abstract section of my head. Now its before my eyes again after a long hiatus of consideration and I mull over the idea again. Have I not discussed some alternate means of exhibition of my work? I have, but the intention was to get it off line and in a gallery line. So I’ll continue to excogitate this notion with a bit more vigor.
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| Amazing Panda ©2013 Terrell Neasley |
I hope Lil’ Miss continues with her emulsion compulsion and keeps posing her work. You can see (and follow) her at Speirs.Tumblr.com. I think you’ll appreciate her style and vision. Her tumblr says she’s 99% film and her most recently posted shot, Skinnydipping in Dubai is amazing. My most fave of what I’ve seen of her work has got to be, her Fishing the Old School Way as well as her creative self portrait, Bad Hair Day. There are so may candid and introspective imagery on her site. You’d think they were shot by an old soul, but such is not the case. I’m sure she’s not over 25, but it begs to question where she evolved this style from. What were her influences? Granted she’s a travels, but these are the shots I would expect from someone with much more experience in life in general.
And last but not least…I gotta give props to my girl, Panda. I’m not sure its possible to get bored shooting her. I think I’ve shot her more times than any model I’ve done to date and I still look forward to the next time. Thank you, my Panda muse.