Tag: photography

by jad

Seattle’s Nuclear History: Satsop

Satsop isn’t actually abandoned, but I like how this Instagram location tag plays on the indeterminacy of this place as both modernist ruin and post-modern investment opportunity. 20 minutes to Aberdeen, 1 hour 30 minutes to Seattle, 1 hour to the Olympic National Forest, 30 minutes to Olympia, 3 hours to Portland – that’s how the Satsop Business Park website sells this enticing real estate. I wonder how those proxemics would read today had this plant actually gone live. x Why choose Satsop? “The Park offers facilities from 5,000 sq. ft to 300,000 sq. ft. In addition, more than 400 … Continue reading “Seattle’s Nuclear History: Satsop” →

by jad

Light Again

I’m thinking about light because it struck me the other day how I seem to be turning more and more towards words as my mood has darkened, less able or willing or interested in reaching for my camera as well. It’s like my field of vision has narrowed along with the aperture of my heart, my eyes fixated on a single point directly in front of me. Making an effort to look around me has been an exercise in self-care. I’ve been seeking out the light; the camera helps with that. Despite everything the world might be saying right now, … Continue reading “Light Again” →

by jad

Gaza & Holga Week

I find it poignant that the shots that barely survived my Holga malfunction were taken just before the awful end to Holga Week, when many of us woke up to news of a new wave of violence in Palestine. I’d been jolted awake for some reason at 2:00 or 3:00 am that Saturday and spent the rest of the morning glued to my phone, scrolling through the news until it was time for morning prayers at the retreat I’d been begrudgingly signed up for — it was one of those work-related things I was technically allowed to say no to … Continue reading “Gaza & Holga Week” →

by jad

Seattle’s Nuclear History: James Acord

“Art and science are parallel paths to truth and understanding.” This is a quote that a Seattle artist I just connected with shared with me. It’s something James Acord said and believed. It’s something I believe in as well. Acord’s faith in the “transmuting” power of art was relentless, giving him the stamina to pursue his life’s work for decades. This is how he became the only private individual in history with a radioactive materials handling license: WN-10407-1, a number he tattooed on the back of his neck. His pursuit cost him dearly, not unlike Will Navidson in Mark Z. … Continue reading “Seattle’s Nuclear History: James Acord” →

by jad

Doing the Puyallup (Again)

Given the good number of story posts I’ve seen, a bunch of you were at the #StateFair yesterday like us. This is probably my fourth or fifth time at the Puyallup fair, so it pretty much qualifies as a family tradition now. Christine was reflecting on how stepping onto the fair grounds is like stepping into childhood for so many, as very little changes every year. I like it. It’s goofy and fun and I’ll come again. One thing we did this year that was new for me was to watch a hypnotism show. When the hypnotist asked who here … Continue reading “Doing the Puyallup (Again)” →

by jad

Christine’s Project: Tacoma Rose Garden

Behind the scenes (and rose bushes) shot of Sabrina talking to Christine about Saint Rose of Lima, as part of our ongoing photo-documentation project. See also. I think I caught this decisive moment mid-TikTok. It was a lot of fun being back at the same spot I got my nerve up to try “street” photography for the first time last summer, using up a whole roll of film walking around Tacoma taking candid shots with my heart thumping in my throat. I was nervous about wasting film and pissing people off, but now, both considerations are a lot less intimidating, … Continue reading “Christine’s Project: Tacoma Rose Garden” →

by jad

Reflections on Seattle’s Light

I walked through the ghost town that used to be my city during these dying days. I saw a holy man crying with mother Mary – all these dying days. x “As difficult as I sometimes find to admit it, I’m a westerner and even, now, a Seattleite. I love being a resident of a remote state, where (we tell ourselves) we’re disconnected from everyone else and therefore forced to make everything up on our own, feverishly hoping that what we come up with will somehow, magically, prove to be indispensable to the rest of the world which, hemmed in … Continue reading “Reflections on Seattle’s Light” →

by jad

Rituals & Liturgies, Fathers & Sons

The last time I was in this venue seeing this band was also the first time I started imagining myself taking photos in spaces like these. That’s the night I met Dom and Ellie and asked about their cameras; I even spoke to veterans like John whom I’ve seen at nearly every gig I’ve been to since, arm raised, Canon blazing. Michael and I reminisced about that last night; it hasn’t even been a whole year, but it feels a lot longer. In that time, I’ve enjoyed figuring out something like a style and bits and pieces of a technique … Continue reading “Rituals & Liturgies, Fathers & Sons” →

by jad

Nō Photo

I’ve been thinking about the many masks I’ve worn on this platform; I say “masks” because I’ve just started to read a book on ‘Atomic Bomb Cinema’ where the author draws parallels between the act of writing, as literally reflected in his shadowy form on his computer screen, and the method of acting in Japanese Nō theatre: “Before going on stage, the actor sits before a mirror, with mask in hand, and meditates. This creates a state of ‘ma’ or emptiness within him, thus allowing the spirit of the character he plays to fill the vacuum…Through the actor, the tormented … Continue reading “Nō Photo” →