Cowboys, Condos, and RainStorms.

When I started this trip.... I shot with a photographer in Maryland. He was a hobbiest, shooting on weekends.... His fulltime job is racing horses. He has piles of those funny little hats that you see people wear at the Derby's on TV.

When he graciously gave me the keys to his winter Condo in New Orleans, he said, "There is a giant bridge, one of the longest in the US, built across a lake on your way into Louisiana....really neat," Perhaps it would have been neat in other circumstances, but a massive storm hit just before I reached the bridge. The sky opened up. 6pm and the lightning made it look like daylight. I swear, I thought my windshield was going to break from how much water was hitting it..  Convertible top started leaking. I could not see the road. It was really scary. I would not see and I could not pull over because I WAS ON A BRIDGE. Everyone was trying to pull over, though. My wheels were skidding across the water and I kept losing control of the car..... I was sure I was going to die. That went on for well over an hour.... I was so scared, I started crying and hyperventilating. But at some point, I realized that no one else was going to drive me car for me.

And perhaps that is how life works too? Some times you just realize that no one else is going to get you through the hard things. You just have to do it yourself.

And then this giant bomb went off....

Not sure about New Orleans, because I haven't made it there yet. But Gulfport Mississippi looks like a nuclear bomb was dropped on it. Katrina did a number on this place, there are no stop lights - wires hanging from more wires. The beach is bare, all the gas stations/food places/casinos that were on the beach are just giant piles of rubble. Hotel/Restaurant signs are scattered all over the place, vacant lots on every block.... yesterday I was walking across the road - to the beach. And I walked right through someone's kitchen. They had green tiled floor. There are pools full of random junk and concrete... It's eerie.... the entire town is missing portions of their houses, most are vacant or under heavy construction.

The beach is really quiet.


While this is a disaster, I enjoy walking down a white sandy beach without the giant shadows of a million looming condos over me. It's almost like I'm on a deserted island after the apocolypse...... I bought some groceries inland yesterday (since there aren't really any restaurants in Biloxi anymore, well other than McDonald's which rebuilt itself over night..).... but I am currently living off fruit cups and beer.... it's a delicious way of life.

Bought my ticket for Bonnaroo yesterday.... so I am headed to the music festival in a few weeks. A small roadtrip, amidst my already long roadtrip. 

Mobile, AL

Didn't have any work for Tallahassee or Pensacola, so I decided to keep driving.... "Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel....." Music has been mostly 60's rock this month - Decided to stop here in Mobile AL.... it is pretty here. Clean and quiet. Staying about 20 minutes from the Gulf, tonight I will go check out the city..... small cites are great because they are easy to park in and traffic is nearly non-existant.

Right now I am sitting outside, on the sidewalk of a Motel 8, stealing their wireless.... My problem is that I am staying at a Motel 6 tonight..... and more than often, Motel 6 still does not do the "wireless-internet-thing" They are the ultimate cheap-o's of the industry....

Just this morning, I decided that I really want to travel to the Bonnaroo music festival with Patrick  (Decemberists are playing so are the Police and all these other great bands...). BUT IF I decide to do the festival..... (and I still have two more days to decide). I need to book all of TX and New Mexico between today and Jun 13th - or I will fall behind on my trip. 

No work for the next 5 days....

How much does that suck? Nothing for Tallahassee, Pensacola, or Mobile.
So I am basically just sitting in these cities, doing nothing all day -
Sure I will check out the state capital and some beaches,
but after a day or two, I miss working with people
- not the camera so much - although that's fun too
But I just miss talking to people about photography
and hearing all their crazy life stories
Creativity keeps my brain moving, you know....

I normally drive with my left foot on the dash or out the window..... It's just more comfortable like that - but a few months ago, I saw that movie, the Grindhouse Massacre, and I keep getting flashbacks of that girl's leg flying off in the car crash..... freaks me out. Now I keep both feet inside the car....

Saw a pasture full of goats today - it was silly.

Drove to Tallahassee this morning..... don't like it much here.....
Driving here, all the brush was on fire.....
so the city itself is covered in a thick haze
Everything smells like pine-wood on a campfire.
Plus there are these bugs called Love-Bugs
(perhaps that's just a nickname)
but they only come out for a week every year
and they smush themselves all over your windshield
So much so, that you can no longer drive,
Literally, you cannot see the road, because your car is covered in bug goo.

A guy at the gas station told me to go out and buy shower cleaner
"and they wipe right off"

The hobbiest...

Many photographers are hobbiests -
That means that they don't mind
putting money down for models
- because photography is their 'fun-time'
Just like some guys buy motorcycles or boats.
Other guys will buy a bunch of photo-gear
and buy themselves some photoshop
They will just go to town with it.

But just because they are hobbiests -
- that doesn't mean that they only snap pictures as a hobby.
I've met guys who collect the baseball hats of celebs
They collect bobbleheads, pictures of Marilyn Monroe,
The paint dolls, they own every copy of the marvel comics
They can tell you about every country they've visited
They are part of the fire-department - but as a hobby.
Some collect plants.... I work with a guy in Houston
He collects exotic plants from all over the world.
He literally lives in a jungle of exotic flowers.
There are a lot of photographer who collect car stuff
and then they put models in front of their car stuff.
It's a mixing of many hobbies, I suppose.

Right now I am staying with Lynn....
and when he isn't off spending his money
on beautiful models.... he is collecting and building all this:

~He handpaints Birdhouses














~Collects Salt and Pepper Shakers





















~Collects Puppets! (See the Talaban one!?)





















~Brewery Mugs
















~Photography and books

















He also collects german beerstien, antique cameras, native american art, oriental art (there is an entire room), he travels to take photos of balloon festivals, he collects books on history and travel, he also paints in miniture soldiers which he is currently running into the house to show me..... haha... he's so funny. Anyways, the hobbiest shooters - are usually plugged into other outlets as well..... and I think it's fun to see what makes a person that particular person.

Aggrivation.....

Ok, so you know how you live in a town?
Or perhaps it is a city?
I'm not really sure where you live, but anyways,
But in your town/city, you probably have
a Wendy's, a McDonald's, or a Burger King.
Up and down your highways,
you probably have a few bulletin boards which
advertise things like car rentals,
hotels, Mobile gas stations......
But you don't really pay much attention to them..
....because they've been around for awhile
You're just used to seeing them.

Did you know that the entire US is just full of
Wendy's, McDonald's and Burger Kings?
Outbacks, Days Inn, Verizon Wireless,
Popeyes, Red Carpet Inns, Enterprise.

Walmarts, Targets, Home Depots
Full of grease, trans-fats,
diesel, dollar signs, and shitty cars?
You think it's just here and there,
but seriously, it-is-everywhere.
Everywhere.

I drive.... and sometimes I feel sick.
There will be acres and acres of trees,
run down by bulldozers
For a Sign that says, "Future location of Wendy's"

I wish I lived back in the 50's and 60's.....
when every city had it's own culture
If you are thinking about doing a roadtrip,
right now I would tell you to
pick a small town, a small state, something
untouched like Vermont or Maine
Because every city you drive through,
is just the same exact city as the one that you left..
What state am I in? I keep forgetting

Headed to Tampa....

I've been trying to find work in Jacksonville, but there isn't anything here. So I am packing up and moving onto Tampa.... I have a lingerie shoot for a catalouge tomorrow and I'm wrestling on Thursday.

My aunt took me shopping at a bunch of stripper stores today - Not sure if that qualifies as 'weird' or 'cool'....  I did find some really great new stuff for photos.... shiny, fun patterned, classy stuff that strippers would probably never wear ... but the outfits are awesome. Since I've started this trip - I've easily shot in all my wardrobe about 100 times. Any time I can add something new to the mix, I get excited to take photos again - because it means a new look, with new clothes, and completely new images.

I'm going to be staying with a photographer whom I consider more a friend. He lives in Bradenton, FL (between Tampa and Sarasota).... He took this photo in January on a nude beach in Miami. We had 40 very, naked men on the beach watching the shoot  with their ding-dongs swinging all over- first/last time I've been around that many naked people at the same time. One guy was holding a sombraro over himself.... I still look back on that and giggle. Perhaps you'll remember the photographer's story from MM. He got stung by a man-of-war and kept shooting..... that's the actual photo of the man-of-war. Haha. He traveled all the way down to Miami to work with me a few months ago. He's a good guy and he's taking me out to show me the town a bit. So far, I've been to Tampa six times since I started modeling - once for fetishcon, but I've never really got to see much of the city.

Dirty Soap Line

.Jacksonville, FL. I am staying with my aunt and we went to the beach today.... It's a comfy place to crash for a few days. She has a lot of Pug-dogs.... They are currently fighting over a talking cheeseburger in the livingroom. 

Got to hang out with Cyklop Bunny yesterday - he's so awesome. He gave me some free molds of his new dirty soap collection (see attached photo... ha!) AND he gave me the best present EVER - an Atlas! So now I know where I am going without pulling over and stealing bandwith from Paneras. Yay! Excuse my cheeziness but he's the bomb-diggity... Remember that you can't catch fish without Jesus on your side.... ha.

Alison Krauss!? Yesss....

Just talked to the photographer who I am working with tomorrow afternoon - and he has an extra ticket to see Alison Krauss tonight in Atlanta! Yay! He offered it to me and we're going to the concert around 6ish. Get an early dinner, spend the evening stomping around to bluegrass .... Alison's stuff is so lovely. Haven't listened to her new stuff that much...so lets hope she pulls out some of the old Union Station.... she rocked that album so wonderfully. Backing up a bit, I shot with Dennis from 2:30-7:30pm the other night. It was a really long shoot but we were having such a great time that neither of us really noticed.... The guy's lighting is outrageous!! He has tons of the same camera equiptment that I see all the time, yet somehow someway - he gets killer photos like these...... how magazine-zine is that? 

Smith Mountain Lake

Speedy post - Lets do it.... Arose at Scott's shining brightly Clean skin rubbed pink from a hot shower Ready to take on Smith Mountain Lake (my next stop along the map) A photographer, whom I couldn't shoot with on the trip, really wanted me to enjoy my time in South Virginia..... Without asking and without strings attached, he booked lovely hotel room for me at the Westlake Waterfront Inn on Smith Mountain Lake. By far my most enjoyable day on this trip - The ride in was sunny, the top was down, Counting Crows was loud ... it was awesome..... Let me tell you. Not the passing out part, but all the rest of it. Two photographers trekked out to my little middle -of- nowhere. We shot both indoors and by the lake, perhaps, they will share some photos for the blog. We'll see. Went out to dinner with my last photographer of the day..... He attended that rodeo that Borat visited in his recent film, the rodeo where he sang that horrid anthem. Great piece of information, don't you think? The photographer thought that Borat should have been killed on the spot.... because making fun of our country is wrong. I don't know about you but, personally, I think that film was brilliant.... especially the part where he took his bag of poop to the dinner table..... He also thinks women shouldn't be in the military..... because we need to be home making babies - It was then, that I realized, that I had just hit 'the south'.

Painful drive to Roanoke...

Worked with two photographers this morning that admitted that they rarely pay models..... but they wanted to help contribute to my trip, which I thought was just lovely - As for the photos, they came out really amazing.  : ) Scott, the photographer.... offered me a spare room at his place. He gave off really great vibes. I really liked waking up at his place.... There was sun coming through the drapes The house felt like a big warm hug.... .... Southern Virginia is one of the prettiest places I've even been.

To Beer or not to Beer?

Two days ago, well three now because it's past midnight... I was in Raleigh, NC - This is a snapshot of his wonderful, almost SoHo type studio. All brick and unfinished walls and things. Absolutely lovely. The mural was done by one of his friends. I believe the story is that KC locked the man in the studio with a case of beer and some wine. Returning the next morning, this wonderful wall of black and white movement had been created. Perhaps beer is also a great catalyst for art (although not modeling).... In college most of my friends created their best work while they were either ridiculously high or wasted. After shooting with KC, I headed over to a very talented female photographer's place. Her name's Lauren, she shoots film.... her black and whites are deliciously yummy. In return for shooting with her - I was getting a free place to crash for the night. 

Normally I would never mix modeling with drinking... but Lauren likes to party. She invited eight girls to the house ... There is so much that I would love to tell you about that night ..... if I could remember it.....What I do know, is that when I rolled over in the morning, the girls were cracking beer open at 8am... As for the images, I can only hope that whatever we shot comes out OK. I have never taken modeled while intoxicated (and I am not going to make a habit of it) - I am not sure what happened, but somehow, all the money in my wallet has gone missing. $840. I worked for weeks for that money. I do not want to point fingers because I have no idea what happened .... But I sort of want to cry and puke at the same time. 

Durham, NC and Coon Dogs...

So when I arrived at my Motel 6 address in Durham, NC - let me describe what I saw there: What I saw was an acre of land, hosting of a nest of dumpy-broken down trailers. Scattered around these trailers were a various assortment of car parts - From the looks of it, they seemed to be using the car parts as lawn ornaments? 

Motel 6 doesn't exist in Durham.... So I broke out my neat little GPS thing that my younger brother bought me for my last birthday (I don't use it often because it has this Loud British lady who is very demanding). The GPS screen gave me lots of tiny hotel icons to choose from. Alas, I ended up at the hotel right nextdoor to my next photographer. It is the first time I've stayed in a really nice hotel since I have been on the road. They gave me SIX towels and I used every single one. You know you are at a fancy place when they give you six towels and the beds smell like a Caribbean island full of tropical flowers. I cranked the heat, got naked, and had a beach party!!! Photographer in Durham is a fulltime photographer who is hired to only photograph brick buildings (he is in the brick business).....He told me that he hasn't worked with many models. I just really enjoyed how prepared and eager he was to shoot. Before I had arrived, he had already picked out images that inspired him. Love when photographer prepare!

Classic Pin-Up

This classy old-Hollywood photo is all thanks to JD Boswell and Anastasia Summers (MUA)....
What an amazing shoot....
I expect everyone to purchase the calender when it comes out
You can send it to people for Christmas!!
You could even send it to ME for Christmas!!
I won't complain about the pretty girls in it.... : )

Dear GWC's....

"Dear GWC's..... You are funding most of my travel the US and I respect you (when you respect me) but when you are shooting me Please do not zoom in on my crotch - If I had a camera, I would not zoom in on your crotch - Just because you have a camera, you should not zoom in on mine. This is called a respect It makes me uncomfortable and it also, makes me want to throw your camera against a wall jump on it and light it on fire and then dance around it If you need a crotch shot, as soon as I leave, feel free to head to photoshop and blow my crotch up until it is the size of your wall If you shoot RAW images, Just think! You could make a 10 foot wall hanging ..... of just my crotch!! You could give it to your Mom for Mother's Day!! Wouldn't that be awesome!! Thanks for your kindness and understanding in this matter. Lots of Love, x0x London" But seriously, do you think I don't notice? I am staring straight at your camera.... It's rude..... Alright, now that I have gotten that off my chest.... .....it's time to get driving!!!! See you in North Carolina!!

The World's Got a Fever....

Cool name for a post, eh? It doesn't really have anything to do with what I'm going to talk about.... but while driving from Baltimore to Williamsburg.... I had tons of stuff to think about. And somehow, I started thinking about how cozy and warm it was with the top down, which led me to think briefly about global warming, which led to the world being 'sick' with pollution, which made me think about how .....The World has a Fever. I like it. Someone turn it into a song and give me some props in the credits. 

So for the first time on this trip - I've been forced to visit a local Panera's. I think I've been sitting here for about four hours now... people are giving me funny looks and the lady passing out free Cinnamon bread to the other tables has begun to skip me -Yesterday I shot with a talented guy with cool sneakers.... Wish I could tell you about the amazing project he's working on, but I am pretty sure it's top secret. So you'll just have to wait until the coffeetable book comes out. : )

Williamsburg and racing...

I think I mentioned to many of you, that I was having a lot of trouble finding a place to stay in VA - both because of the NASCAR race this weekend and the fact that the Queen of England is touring the state of Virginia in celebration of the 400 years of Jamestown. I also sent out a notice through myspace, asking if anyone could help me out or knew of any places that I could stay. A guy named Alfred wrote, saying that a bunch of racing fans were headed down to watch the race at Richmond. If I wanted it, they had an extra hotel room and an extra ticket for the NASCAR race. And for once, things were exactly as they should be..... Here I sit in Williamsburg, in a great hotel, without the stress of trying to figure out a place to crash ..... He even gave me a ticket to the NASCAR race! My Dad used to take us to races. He was an Earnhart fan-till-the-end. When Dale died, Dad was so crushed that he locked himself in his bedroom and did not work for a week.  Met everyone at the bus at 3:30pm. There were jello shots on the bus (too many jello shots for 3pm), I hung out with Alfred.... We tailgated. Eventually the race started. We were in the nose-bleed seats. When the helicopters flew by, we were at eye level. The cars were like little toy cars, so tiny on the track .... Woke up this morning, cursing myself for being alive. I drank too much. I always drink too much. Even half dead, I pulled myself together for a shoot. My photographer traveled all the way from Fredricksburg to work with me. He sings when he is nervous (I think that it is endearing). He also loves random lines from movies and television sitcoms. I think that he broke out with the Gilligan's Island theme ten times during our shoot.

Headed to Williamsburg... (not Richmond)

The Cowboy: "Shot with a cowboy yesterday He randomly gave me the keys to his condo in New Orleans He race horses and trains them for a living. Half are in Maryland and the other half are in Louisiana. When he was fifteen years old, he hitched a train headed north and wrangled horses in Montana." Basically, that part explains itself. I went to shoot with a cowboy, who lives in a nice country home in MD with his little dog. In casual conversation - he inquired about the cross-country trip, "Where you headed?" I mentioned New Orleans.... "New Orleans can be scary," he left the room and returned with a spare set of keys. "I'd like to have you stay at my condo while you're there. It is in a good neighborhood. There is a security guard - I will feel better knowing that you're safe. Also if you want to relax, there's a hot-tub and a pool. When you finish your modeling trip... just lock the condo up, put the keys in this self-addressed envelope, and send them back to me." Is that cool, or what? On top of being really cool - he also talented .... Still shooting film, of course, like any self respecting Cowboy would do. The New Shooter! Then, later that night, I took on a last minute shoot - It was literally maybe four emails sent on MM - and we were booked. It was his first nude shoot.... which was really awesome. I always feel so honored when I get to be someone's first nude model.  

Ida the asteroid....

Shot with a photographer a few days ago, an Astronomer, toting his film camera and lovin' it...... two days later, I still feel the need to update on him. Partly, because he was so nerdy and cute. But mostly, because the story of how he came to name his cat amused me - I love that it is so in-tune with his being an Astronomer. Since there was no-way-in-hell, I could possible repeat his cat-naming tale - I wrote him for help and below is the email he sent (above is photo of Ida - not the cat, silly; the asteroid).

" Ok, here's the cat story, but you have to attribute it to "some photographer" that you shot with - not just me. Anyway, the first asteroid that was discovered to have a moon (ie, it had another asteroid orbiting it), was named Ida and the moon was named Dactyl. Kind of amazingly, this was discovered in 1993. Anyway, my cat has extra toes which is a mutation called polydactylism. So I connected that back back to the moon named Dactyl (polydactylism).... so the cat got named Ida. It's really a nerdy story. To take things even further, the Linux server that serves some of my web pages and email is called dactyl"

Come on - I know someone out there just giggled!.... That has to be the cutest, nerdiest, most endearing name for a cat with too many toes... ever to be named!

Wrong place, Wrong Tim

Yesterday I show up to a shoot and we do the usual dance of introductions. He asks me a bunch of questions and I ask him some questions. Just simple conversation. I ask, "What do you do full time?" "Are you married?" He replies, "Oh yes! She is so lovely, she bought me two prostitutes for my birthday last year! She can't keep up with all the sex I want to have." Random? He just keeps talking about how he likes to have sex three times a day and his wife just cannot keep up. He starts telling me about models who stalk him and want to sit on his face and it just gets more and more sexual. I feel less and less comfortable. So I shut off completely. No longer engaging at ALL. Three hours into the shoot, I need to finish all four hours so I can get paid and find a place to sleep..... But OH but No.... it could not possibly be as easy... All of a sudden his "lovely" wife comes home - "SHIT!" he says. I can tell that he is scared. Real scared. He starts whispering loudly at me, "Put some real clothes on! QUICK".... She hears him and comes running downstairs, calling me a "Whore" and "Slut"... She is right up in my face. Inches from my face. My heart was pounding a million miles an hour. How did I even end up in this situation? Why am I here?.......totally crazy...  He is telling me to leave and pushing me out the door but I refuse to leave without getting paid. He took up half my day. This was my only shoot and I did not have money for a motel....  He tosses money at me, screaming at his wife, screaming at me. I make it to my car and the wife comes sobbing out the front door, crying so hard. She jumped in her car, tailgating me to the highway.... Yesterday was insane. I just *never* seem to know what sort of situation I am walking into.  It is emotionally exhausting. I miss being home. I hope things get better.

The Two Questions -

Someone told me once that most people go through life without answering either of these questions - Who are you? And what do you want?