Country Roads Exhibit Opening

Bethlehem Branch Library Exhibiting Artist Series

"Country Roads"

Collaboration by Photographer Clayton Joe Young & Poet Scott Owens

February 2nd thru March 29thth 2012

Opening Reception Opening Reception February 2nd 5:30-7:00 PM

Gallery Talk at 6:00 PM

The ongoing exhibitions of art and photography as "The Exhibiting Artist Series" at the Bethlehem Branch Library in Bethlehem, NC will feature "Country Roads", a unique collaboration of photography and poetry by Clayton Joe Young and Scott Owens from February 2nd through March 29th 2012. The exhibition includes a poetic pictorial book titled Country Roads: Travels Through Rural North Carolina (Blurb 2011). An Opening Reception to meet the artists will be on Thursday, February 2nd from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. with a gallery talk at 6:00 PM.

Clayton Joe Young is currently the Program Director and Lead Instructor for the Photographic Technology program at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, NC. In 2010, Young was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award at CVCC. He has won numerous awards with the North Carolina Press Association and North Carolina Press Photographers Association. In 2011 he won Best in Show at the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition. His photography captures the rich heritage of our region of North Carolina.

Hickory poet Scott Owens is the author of seven collections of poetry, editor of Wild Goose Poetry Review, author of "Musings", founder of Poetry Hickory, Vice President of the Poetry Council of North Carolina, and a writer of reviews of contemporary poetry. He has been featured on Garrison Keillor's The Writer's Almanac and WFAE. His work has received numerous awards from the Academy of American Poets, the North Carolina Writer's Network, North Carolina Poetry Society, and Poetry Society of South Carolina. He currently teaches creative writing at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, North Carolina.

The Bethlehem Branch Library is located at 45 Rink Dam Road, Hickory, NC 28601 (Bethlehem, Alexander County). For more information contact 828-495-8753.

Blurb Bookstore

I added all of my books to my Blurb Bookstore. You can preview each book.

Country Roads Exhibit

Country Roads: Travels Through Rural North Carolina
A Collaboration Between Photographer Clayton Joe Young & Poet Scott Owens

Exhibition Dates Feb 2, 2012 - March 29, 2012
Bethlehem Branch Library, 45 Rink Dam Road, Suite A , Hickory, NC

Opening Reception Feb 2, 2012 (5:30 - 7:00 PM)

Gallery talk at 6:00 PM with poetry readings from Scott Owens and discussion with Clayton Joe Young.

Light refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the public. Please bring family and friends.

The Latin American Heritage Camp

Our second part of our Colorado Rockies adventure happened at the heritage camp. The first evening involved registration, a first timers meeting, a market, and a traditional Latin American meal. Right away I can't count how many people came up to us and treated us like family. It felt like a warm homecoming. I was one of the photographers and talked to several of the other photographers. Several made fun of me because I had two cameras. I wasn't ready for battle but I wanted calibrate both cameras with the photo editor which he requested we take pictures of his watch (I am not sure how he creates a timeline from his watch but OK). I was told to take it easy and have fun.
More than anything I love watching and interacting with the other children and adults. Most of them where born in Guatemala. They all remind me of Abigail at different stages of her life. They were all so beautiful. We were hoping Abigail would make a lot of friends. What is funny though is that the best friend she made was born in South Korea, like her brother.
The camp was also great for Julie and I because learned a lot about Guatemalan traditions and more importantly how to deal with issues as Abigail gets older. What worries me more is not how we are treated with our children around strangers but how she will deal with confrontations when she is alone. When older, like all teenagers she will have to face self identity and people who are not nice. Let's not even talk about boys. I won't always be there to save from harm. Is this not what all fathers worry about?
I can't wait to go back again in a few years with Nate and also go to the Korean camp which is the previous week. I think we might drive though. I did not enjoy dragging around a car seat through mazes at the airport and I cannot count how many flight delays we had which included a flat tire on the plane.


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The Colorado Rockies

Finally I have taken my family out West to witness the grandness of the beauty a camera can't capture. The purpose of the trip was to take Abigail to a Latin American Adoption Heritage Camp. We thought we would spend a few days enjoying the sites before the camp.

We flew into Denver, rented a car, and started our journey to Estes Park, a gateway to the Rockies. I forgot how empty the traveling was with gas stations and restaurants far and few between. Somehow Abigail spotted a Chick-Fil-A which filled some hungry stomachs. I was surprised they had sweet tea and spicy chicken nuggets which I expect will hit Hickory in about six months.

Estes Park was not what we expected. The town had some history, including the haunted Stanley Hotel but lacked the charm and good food we hoped for. For supper we ate what tasted like a microwaved flip flop. Think of Gatlinburg going through a rough recession back in the '80s.

What Estes Park lacked the national park made up for. We saw elk everywhere, hiked through snow with a nice older couple. We also walked to several beautiful waterfalls.

The next day Julie drove across the park, over the highest road in the US, Trail Ridge Road. The road is only opened a few months during the year and was delayed because of a recent snow. For most of the two hour drive you are over the tree line. On one side of the road is a huge drop off, you either see the tops of trees or the sky. On the other side of the road is a huge snow drift, often much higher than car. We stopped and hiked in the snow a few times and took pictures. We saw more elk, rams, and a moose. It was incredible. It made Abigail sick.

We stopped at Grand Lake for lunch. The food was much better. It had more of a feel of an old Western town with streets from the days of cattle drives and rodeos.

I have to give credit to Julie for driving. Abigail is not the mountain climber I thought she was but it an adventure. We made it to the YMCA camp, Snow Mountain Ranch, for the heritage camp. The place is huge but not real photogenic due the pine beetles destroying most of the trees. It was still well worth the trip.



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Friends Of Facebook

It has taken me two years to learn a valuable lesson from a professor in graduate school. I requested to "friend" her on Facebook. I was surprised and a little upset to discover that she denied my request. I figured it was to distance her personal life from her profession life. I have questioned this myself and once tried to manage two separate accounts. I really did not want everyone to know my private life but merged the two accounts together to make life easier.

It all came to me Thursday while watching a multimedia project from a student. The policeman in the video said he had to turn the scanner off when not at work or that he would go crazy. For me the scanner is Facebook. I thought being friends with students would improve a student teacher relationship and that it would be a great way to stay in touch and keep them informed with opportunities such as jobs or events. I also thought that I could stay up to date with milestones in their lives such as marriages, children, or the dream job that had finally happened.

Other than just learning about their successes I also get to hear complaints indirectly or directly towards me or other photography instructors. Instead of meeting with me in my office, students rather vent to their friends who of course agree with them. I find it unprofessional and not accepting responsibility to their own actions, be it a bad grade or misunderstanding. True, photography is a very suggestive profession and it can be debated what is considered acceptable or not. But to be a professional and to move away from a hobbyist you have to accept criticism and learn how you can improve your craft. By not doing so, not only is the student receiving a discredit but the survival of the profession of photography is falling deeper in its grave. I am not sure which type of student is worse. Is it the one who brags about a good grade or complains about a low grade on their status?

I feel both need to learn a valuable lesson. To me, a grade is a private matter between a student and instructor. Immediate family and employers could be included but why does the world need to know? A real achievement is winning an award or getting paid for a profession you love doing. What is going to matter is a client or employer paying you a deserved salary you can live of. If some cannot accept constructive criticism how are they going to deal with an angry boss or client? Instead of a bad grade you are getting fired or will harm your future business because this client will tell all of their friends how you mishandled the situation.

I have decided in order to keep my sanity that other than the ones I have a professional relationship with that I am going to unfriend all current and past students on Facebook. I am sure with social media today this will not totally work in my favor. To prevent myself from receiving more ghosts of photography past and my profession as an instructor I have to distance myself outside of the classroom.

I am sorry to make this announcement but I hope it is understood. If anyone has a problem with any grade which I believe was deserved or other issue please make an appointment to see me or contact me via email at jyoung@cvcc.edu.

I truly care about each and every student that I have had. I have felt your happiness, encouraged you to try your best, and have shared your hardships. Maybe this will be a life lesson and will help you move on. Or it might all just continue and I won't have to hear the nagging behind my back.


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Run of the Mill 5K

On Saturday I hope to make my third go at the CVCC Seeds Of Service 5K at Murray's Mill. The weather forecast is not looking good but I am keeping my fingers crossed. This is the first time that I have actually trained for the race. Previously I have came in 13th and 17th place. Once I came in second in my division. My average is around 33 minutes. I hope to make it in 30 minutes or less. This might not sound like much but the first time I just wanted to finish and last year I beat two of my students which one is younger than me and the other is in great shape.
I love running at the mill, it is beautiful and helps me find peace. Maybe one day I will attempt something larger but right now I looking forward to Saturday. I will post my results after the race. Wish me luck.

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The 8th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition

I was very humbled to discover that I won Best In Show last Saturday at the reception for the competition. There was a lot of incredible images selected. Two of my images were chosen out of the 46 on display. It was the picture of Eustace Conway that got the judges attention. Eustace has been proclaimed as the Last American Man. Him standing in front of a worn flag while looking at the sky can be interpreted many ways. The picture is not posed. We were talking and stopped in front of the flag. We paused, he looked up and I captured the moment. It ties in closely by his proclamation.

The picture above is from the seating for the Banff Film Festival at ASU. The exhibit is apart of the festival. A slideshow of the show played as the New River Boys entertained our ears. A highlight was when they announced my name to an auditorium full of guests. There was a roar of cheers.

I am just glad I got to share the experience with my wife. It is nice to have these moments. For everyone high there are plenty of lows that I would like to forget about.






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Holga in color

I got two rolls of color film back from Kansas from a recent Holga shoot. You use to be able to get 120 medium format film processed anywhere. Now, there are only a few places in the country to send it to. Most labs can process 120 but do not know how or do not want to switch the processor for 120.

I ended up not liking the color as much as I thought I would. I still am a die hard black and white fan. Included in this post are a few recent black and white toned images also. I will let you be the judge of which you like better.

Lomo LC-A+ in black and white

I have continued to carry my Lomo LC-A+ with me wherever I go. I shot a roll of black and white and processed it in the darkroom. I have continued to be amazed how well the camera calculate exposure and helps me get those easy to miss images. The scans are not the best, the scanner I am using is having problems. I think it needs therapy.

Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition

Please vote for me for the People's Choice Award. You can enter here.

My two images are listed under Culture. There are a lot of incredible images so every vote counts. More about the reception later.


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Holga

I always keep a Holga loaded in my car to capture images only a Holga can capture. A Holga is a plastic 120 medium format plastic camera. It's imperfections make images unique and unpredictable. These include vignettes, soft focus, and light leaks that create dreamlike effects.

With digital cameras why bother? Because for one it is fun. You still can't beat not knowing how your pictures turned out and watching a print appear in the developing tray. Taking pictures is also simple so I can concentrate on composition and capturing the moment.

The above images are from recent roll. My subjects is usually my children who are never shy in front of the camera.

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