Selling Salvation

I have a few articles that I'll post next week. Until then, enjoy this new poem I wrote today...

Drug dealers
and preachers
they're not that different,
selling salvation
one dime at a time.
Holy water and heroin
communion wafers and cocaine
the road to heaven has never been higher...

Who do you call
when all you want
is sleep
but all you do is shiver,
shake,
and sweat?

It's too hot to think
all I can think to do is drink.
My shirt sticks to my skin
like cellophane on processed cheese.

You tell me to quit killing
myself one braincell at a time.
Well, honey, you can want
all you want
but not a damn thing is going to change...

Filler

I decided to post a new poem as filler until I can crank out another article next week

"I Lied"
by Charles Wood

Spent shotgun shells
and empty ink ribbons
are the only proof
I've ever lived.

This was the summer of bad decisions
where cheap beer and thin blood
flowed into thirsty gutters
with reckless abandon.


We sat on the porch
drenched in our own sweat
and besieged by chubby mosquitoes.
You said you loved me
I said I didn't care...

Kodak Moments

1-A bunch of people and myself stayed at a house on top of mountain for a weekend to let off some steam. I took a bunch of E and danced like a mad man in the guest house which we deemed “the spook house”. I was wearing a camo vest, a woman's robe, and a gardening hat while dancing with reckless abandoned.

2-For my 26th birthday a bunch of friends and I went to the get strip club. I was on E (see a pattern here?) and I was forced to sit on a chair with my hands tied behined the stripper poll as the two strippers I picked danced on me. The later released me only to have one pin me down with her thighs as the other whipped me. It was a kodak moment

3-I tried rollerskating once, with disastorous results. That would of made for some funny pictures

4-I took karate lessions when I was five, for like a month or less. I was sparring with this kid one day and he suckered punch me. I went ballistic and they had to pull me off of him. No damage was done, we were both wearing padding. Still, it would of made a great photo...

5-When I was a sophmore I lived on campus in Grogan dorm. We had a fire alarm at 3am in the middle of December. It was snowing outside. I was so frazzled I didn't think to put on pants or a shirt so I was stuck out in the snow for a half an hour wearing my boxers. It would have been an embarassing photo but a good one none the less...

Lunch With Marty

I met with photographer Allen Martin of MartiniVision for lunch at McCoul’s a few weeks ago to talk about his work. As he enjoyed a delicious blackened chicken and gouda sandwich he told me, “I’ve always been in visual arts and I’ve always had a camera but I didn’t start shooting seriously until five years ago.” Martin does both fashion and art photography and believes, “At its best they [arts and fashion photography] blend together and become indistinguishable.”
Martin, originally from Greensboro, moved to New York because he needed more than Greensboro had to offer, a sentiment common among Greensboro natives. Martin’s father owned a type setting business and Martin ran the dark room. Once Martin left for New York he took his experience in the dark room with him to become an art director. As an art director in New York Martin had to, “separate fine art from commercial art. Commercial art became a way to make a living.” During his stint in New York Martin produced all the print tourism ads for Turkey tourism from 1994-1996.
Martin eventually left New York. Since his return to Greensboro Martin has been impressed with the state of the town, “With a city of its size I’m impressed with the talent and creativity of the people here. I feel now the [arts] scene is more crystallized and focus then it was before I left.”
A typical photo shoot begins with Martin discussing with his models every detail of the shoot, down to wardrobe or the lack there of, before they even meet. If it’s a fashion shoot a stylist may be involved but in most cases it’s just Martin and the model. The ideal model for Martin is someone who is capable of fashion photography but also open to artistic work as well as someone who has their own style. Beauty and intelligence are also necessary for a good model.
Film noir has been a major influence in Martin’s photography, “I really like the feel of classic film noir. The lighting and composition of those old black and white movies catches my attention. I also like the true Americana in it.” Noir can be seen in his fashion photography, which is very European in tone and feel, as well as his art photography, which can be dark but never delves into horror, sci-fi, or gore.
As for upcoming projects, “I'm currently shooting a series I'm calling Noirotica . It's Erotic more in subtext, than in blatant, obvious visuals. Think Sam Spade, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, James M Cain and Lew Archer. Think Maltese Falcon, Touch of Evil, Night and the City and Double Indemnity. My studio was formerly a group of insurance offices. And by "formerly", I mean the 1940s. It looks it too. It's not really a fetish series, but it's kind of leaning that way. It's black and white.”