The Great Photographers. Part 1 - W. Eugene Smith

W. Eugene Smith was a photojournalist. He photographed life as it happened - events, people, landscapes... His work was not just about the visual, it had meaning, it had significance.

Not just because he photographed war or consequences of pollution, or people's sufferings. It was more than that. It was about capturing a moment that lasted a split second and under no circumstances could have been repeated again. It was about conveying a message through a stunning image that evoked emotions.

The very first photograph of Smith I saw was the "Walk to Paradise Garden"(1946) - single photo of his two children walking hand in hand towards a clearing in woods. And I was blown away by the power of this image. Not only Smith creates visually strong images, he creates a mood, he tells a story with it. And that's a sign of a truly great photographer.

Designer Stuff I Don't Regret Buying

There are things in life that are just meant to be yours... They fit, they make you feel and look good, they bring just a little bit of that extra joy into your life... I am talking about designer clothes and accessories.

Now this may sound shallow, but let's face it - if you had an opportunity to wear something that was made well, looks amazing and will last long, you'd go for it (affording it is another question, but I am talking hypothetically here). 

So, throughout my life I have owned several designer things (some were more successful than others) and these are the ones that stood the test of time:

Pride and Prejudice

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife..."

What is it about Pride & Prejudice that makes you read (and watch and watch and watch) it again and again? Maybe it is the characters that everyone can relate to and recognize, maybe it is the desire to believe in the fairy tale ending and the happily ever after,  and maybe it is the need for stories that are simple and true, almost like the stories that can happen to you one day...

Video Games

Swinging in the backyard
Pull up in your fast car
Whistling my name

Open up a beer
And you say get over here
And play a video game