The creative habit is my therapy.

In the midst of running some errands in the city today, I stopped at the MoMA to finally get a glance at the incredibly comprehensive Henri Cartier Bresson exhibition. Bresson was born in 1908 and lived to be almost 100 years old. He is widely considered to be the father of modern journalism. I must say walking through the exhibit was overwhelming– but I felt somehow connected to Bresson. Even though his work is prolific, far greater, and more comprehensive then my own, and much of his photographs were taken over 75 years ago, I feel very connected to the man, to his work, and to his eye.

In an era where photographers’ work are typically very specialized and stylized (something I can’t always relate to) I appreciate Bresson’s ability to just TAKE A GREAT PHOTOGRAPH– whether it’s a moment– a shadow, a bike whizzing by, trees in the wind–  a portrait of a famous artist, or of a moment of great suffering.

Looking through his work I felt connected to the people and places he saw because I’ve photographed, in my limited travels (compared to his) many of the same places– industrial China, Turkish workers in Istanbul, England, and France and so on.

If you get a chance while in New York before the end of June, stop by. You’ll get an education– not only in photography, but in history, and especially in how to see.

So while I was in Rio I let my time there– the people I met, the places I went, the weather– form the story. What resulted is a narrative pseudo-documentary.

There are two prizes: the grand prize of $100,000 is awarded by judges Chase Jarvis, Rainn Wilson, and iJustine. But there is an audience award of $25,000 that comes from the voting system on the site.

Out of over 1,000 videos, I made the top 50, and the polls are open for voting. So do me a huge favor:

1. Go to my video
2. Watch.
3. Vote.
4. Comment.

This will be my last shameless plug of 2009. Thank you all for your support. Screenshots/poster below…

Thanks to Ben Bishop and Caravel for some of the music and for Nimai Coppieters for being my only character (besides me I guess).

I’ve been working on a side project for the last 6 months that is now finally (beginning) to come to fruition.  After 1 photo shoot and a very brief video shoot, I’m moving forward with an international “blogumentary” project entitled “Shake The Dust.”  The documentary, which will ideally be shared in the form of videos, words, and photos through Loose Luggage, will also be cut into a final mini-feature documentary.  It will cover break-dancing and b-boy culture in countries across the globe– from Brazil, to Uganda, to the Middle East, to Cambodia.

As I move forward with this project, which, I confess, is my heart, I must appeal to you all, my friends:  we need funding.  We are shooting next week here in New York City to work on putting together our first webisode as well as a promo to help us begin raising money.  In the mean time, we’re working on researching everything from grants to commercial partnerships to make this happen.

I’m already so excited about the potential of this project– not only as a stand-alone piece of art, but also as something that pushes the future of this blog.

Right now this page will operate as the “Shake the Dust” homepage.  I need a few things from you all:

1. A web designer.  I’m looking for someone with web design experience who wants to jump on board and VOLUNTEER (in hopes of future pay once we get funding).  If you’re interested, e-mail your resume/examples of work to adam@shakethedust.org.

2. Funding!  If you know any grants, public or private donors, or great brands interested in commercial partnerships (or just want to donate a bunch of money yourself) please let me know.  All of our funding is being run through The Harrison Center for the Arts who are acting as our fiscal agent.  They will be insuring that all of the funds are handled properly and with integrity as well as helping make any donation TAX-WRITE-OFFABLE.  Again, e-mail me at adam@shakethedust.org.

3. Dancers/Connections!  We’re working on developing connections with B-boys and street dancers across the planet.  We’re excited to partner with people in places like Cambodia, Korea, Uganda, among many other places.  We’d love to hear from you dancers– and anyone else that is involved in the break-dancing/b-boy world.  Once more: adam@shakethedust.org.

4. Follow me on twitter.

Before I show you a little preview of things to come, I’d like to introduce my partner and cinematographer: Mr. Patrick Jones.  You can check out his reel here.

Thank you all for your continued interest in the things that I put up on here.  I look forward to exciting days ahead…

Cat’s out of the bag:

Shake The Dust from Adam Sjoberg on Vimeo.

Well, a couple of months ago, Schuman posted this photo on his blog, which he took in Venice.

The image itself, and the spirit and timelessness to it, inspired me to revisit some of my photos from the summer.  I took the following photos on Long Island in New York, and on the Lake Michigan coast early this past summer.

Only in New York City, my friends.

After the movie was over I overheard some snobby kid saying he didn’t like it because it was too “corny.”  I kind of wanted to punch the guy in the face.  Because I was deeply moved.  Please go see this movie.  Tell everyone you know.  It’s the kind of movie that there should be more of.  Check out the trailer, and then watch for local listings:

“We want to hire a social media whiz (your title will be “Murphy-Goode Wine Country Lifestyle Correspondent”) who will report on the cool lifestyle of Sonoma County Wine Country and, of course, tell people what you’re learning about winemaking.   Did we mention that the compensation was $10,000 per month Plus accommodations in a beautiful home in picturesque Healdsburg, a popular vacation destination in our neck of the woods. Working hours are flexible. And all you have to do is experience wine and good living…”

Now out of around 2,000 applicants, I was selected as one of the top 50.  But it only get’s more competitive from here.  So I need your support in a couple of ways so that I can get this amazing job!

1.  Please please please Watch and favorite my video.

2.  Follow me on twitter if you don’t already @LooseLuggage and RT about my video.

3.  Subscribe to this blog.  Tell your friends about LooseLuggage.com

4.  If you have a blog, re-post this link to your blog.  I can use all the publicity I can get.  Not that people need an incentive, but any blogger that posts this link to their blog will get a bottle of wine and t-shirt on me IF I GET THE JOB.  Just let me know you posted it so I can add you to my wonderful list (first 20 bloggers I should say…

5.  And lastly— if you really believe this would be the job for me, tell your friends, loved ones, enemies, co-workers, etc. etc. to watch my video as well.  If you can’t remember all this information, just tell them to go to www.tastethegoodelife.com (that’s GOOD with an E).

Big gigantic thanks to the Pelz’s for pushing me to do it and believing in me like crazy and to Marcy Guevara for her amazing encouragement and camera-holding ability in the production of my video.

And remember, you can just tell people to go to TASTETHEGOODELIFE.COM.

Another post of Ira’s photos around Venice to come. Here’s some highlights from his shots of the Biennale. Keep in mind that, though I choose not to watermark my images, they are property of LooseLuggage.com and these in particular are owned by Ira. Please be legal and fair about using them .

Best Wedding singer(s) (as well as best-dressed drummer:

Best group of slightly intoxicated bridesmaids:

Best dancing dad:

Best vendor food (the food for us photographers). We got fed TWICE!

A couple more highlights:

So sorry for my absence here lately. But I do have about 15 posts on deck to start shooting at you. Among the things that have gotten back-burnered in the last weeks has been a video I’m putting together of a musical weekend we had a couple weeks ago in LA. It’s becoming a yearly tradition with my friends in Long Beach. Here is part one of two posts. These are the photos of the weekend. The next post (in a few days) will be of the video. Enjoy.

James Nachtway:

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Tonight I dealt with mildly frustrating congestion at an art opening at SEPIA International gallery a few blocks north of my apartment. But as I worked my way, camera in hand, through the throngs of people socializing, viewing art, and sipping wine and sparkling water, I realized there was a louder commotion then usual at an opening: it was the sound of kids. Kids crying and laughing and chatting. It was apropos for an art exhibit that is almost entirely about children.

The art: I am no good, especially when in a hurry (as I am right now), at trying to sum up my feelings about things that profoundly impact me. I usually fail to demonstrate the profundity and instead fumble over clichés and sentimentalities that come off more as melodrama then poetry. So check out some of these images, and then head over here to find out more about these wonderful artists’ work. Just click on “exhibitions” and than click on “The Intimate Line.”

Tonight the work of Elinor Carucci, Sunil Gupta, Amy Jenkins, and Angelika Sher lifted by soul.

Go see this film if you can.  Be prepared for something powerful.

Yesterday I went over to the wonderful LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) with Jody and Josh to see one of the current exhibitions, “Vanity Fair Portraits: Photographs 1913–2008″.

It was a fantastic exhibit that left us all a little overwhelmed once we’d invested the time to see and read about nearly every photograph. Trips to the museum are simultaneously draining and inspiring for me. To really breath in all that’s laid out– the history, the technique, the stories of the photographers and their subject– is a daunting but incredibly rewarding task and this exhibit was no exception.

Josh and Jody before we went in:

And after we left (tired but quite inspired):