John Craig

I Have Moved ~ John Craig Media

2016-06-01T11:45:00.000-04:00

Vist my new site here: http://www.johncraigmedia.com

I took a year & half off.... Thank you all for checking in with me. I'm back baby...

http://www.johncraigmedia.com

Where Have I Been?

2015-10-22T09:30:00.000-04:00

I stopped posting here about a year ago. I have come to discovered that this abandoned blog still gets over a 1,000 views a month. Thank You!!!!

Will I come back to daily blogging, probably not....well maybe??? I don't know. I do miss you.

What have I been up to? I been out in universe creating stuff for other people & creating fun stuff for myself. If you want to join in on the randomness (or get caught up) on what I am creating, this is a good place to start.

Click here

PHOTO WALKS & WORKSHOP

2015-06-17T14:15:00.000-04:00

I am pulling a Billy Joel (yes…we just dated ourselves with that one). He will be doing one Photo Walk a month (for free!!!) and one small group workshop per month ($100) for the next year…or until no one shows up (that’s the Billy Joel part ;-))

Photo Walks: Free
-Bring a friend
-Make a friend
-Ask John anything; it will be a Q&A format. Pick one or two topics from the Q&A to focus on.
-We will meet at our studio on the North Side (see below)
-These will be outdoor walks at the park across the street, weather pending. Should it rain the walk will be changed to a sit in our studio.

Workshops: $100
-Learn what ISO, f-stop and shutter speed mean.
-You will learn how to create a photo in-camera in Manual.
-Understand exposure.
-Class is limited to 10 people (maybe 5; not sure as of yet).

Photo Walk Dates: 10am
7/12
8/30
9/27
10/4
11/15

Workshop Dates: 10am
8/2
9/13
11/1
12/6

Time for both: 10am
Location for both: 502 W. North Ave. Pgh 15212 (free on-street parking. Ring the Craig Studio buzzer when you get to the door).

PNC Park

2014-12-29T08:43:00.000-05:00

I been working on films and writing so much this year that I have been forgetting to create photographs...that needs to change.

Photo of the Week

2014-12-23T09:48:00.003-05:00

Best of Pittsburgh Awards for Wedding Photographer

2014-12-04T09:34:00.000-05:00

We are very delighted to announce that Craig Photography has just been awarded the Best of Pittsburgh Awards for Wedding Photographer!

And here is a little bit about this sparkly new thing:

“Each year, in and around the Pittsburgh area, the Pittsburgh Award Program chooses only the best local businesses. We focus on companies that have demonstrated their ability to use various marketing methods to grow their business in spite of difficult economic times. The companies chosen exemplify the best of small business; often leading through customer service and community involvement.

For most companies, this recognition is a result of your dedication and efforts as well as the work of others in your organization that have helped build your business. Your team is now a part of an exclusive group of small businesses that have achieved this selection.”

And a little bit about the Pittsburgh Award Program:

“The Pittsburgh Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Pittsburgh area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.

Each year, the Pittsburgh Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Pittsburgh area a great place to live, work and play.

The Pittsburgh Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community’s contributions to the U.S. economy.”

Nice! Very nice indeed! To all of our incredible clients that made this possible, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Moment

2014-11-12T08:39:00.004-05:00

Current Reading: The Damned Don’t Cry by Harry Hervery
Current Music: Lost on the River by The New Basement Tapes
Mood: Alive
Smells: Coffee, dust & cold air
Temperature:  39 degrees
Thoughts: Waiting for Helena Francis to die...

John Craig Media ~ Youtube Channel

2014-10-29T08:44:00.001-04:00

Its official I have a Youtube channel...the only thing missing is people watching it. Be sure to check out my playlist "Marketing Films" & "Soul Scrubber Series".

Also looking for interesting people to add to my Soul Scrubbing Series...pass along suggestion of people who you would like to see.

Moment

2014-10-27T10:19:00.002-04:00

Current Reading: On the Shortness of Life by Seneca
Current Music: Love is Hell by Ryan Adams
Mood: Want to go outside and play
Smells: Coffee
Temperature: 57 degrees going up to 72, bring on the outside fun!
Thoughts: Life is short, Art is long

Things I think About When You are not Listening ~ Life With NMO

2014-10-22T08:26:00.000-04:00

This is what I think about when you are not listening.

I am a highly energetic person who is trapped in a body that is continuously fatigued. It hurts when I stand, I lose my balance when I walk, I feel normal when I run...until I stop.

My brain sloshes from right to left inside my skull. Always right to left. My vision becomes a jumpy freeze frame as if an old film 35 mm film projector has bounced off track. This experience repeats then fades aways as if the breeze brings relief.

At all times I am alone, even in the company of others. As if I am a character in a Murakami novel. What bothers me about this surreal state of being is that Murakami characters are always the boring quiet type; why an energetic person relates so well to his writing...I am not sure.

I am the everyday invisible man going on a journey alone. Moving forward on a pilgrimage to the mecca of me. With paths of discovery of how to live with this monster within. I am lost. Incessantly looking within ever so deeply asking myself the same question. The answer never comes...

Constantly watching others look past me trying to see my monster. Pour me another drink and I'll tell you my story. You can nod along and then tell me how good I look. I love this part, for no matter how deep my monster may hide my ego stands up and looks you straight in the eye. I am alone even during conversation...smile, nod, move along.

I should go see a doctor, but I won't. I do not want to be placed back into an MRI tube nor do I wish to have vials and vials of blood taken from my arm. I do not want to hear another kind nurse tell me a sad story about her last patient. I have as of yet to heal from all the previous harm that my past doctor visits has caused to my psyche. The beat goes on and I turn to the next page.

Russian roulette, preventative medications, kale, bourdon...salvation or purgatory?

Trust me, I am only deep enough to be shallow. A drunk barstool prophet preached those words to me. I will never forget it. This is the truth of me: inwardly I am a scared-pessimist-poor me-take me now Jesus type of person. Most people that I meet are depressed on the outside, and I question if they are happy on the inside? An odd juxtaposition.

What I miss most in my life is being embraced by reality, for mine is at all times in flux as if I am walking on the cliffs of insanity.

My disease progresses as my health progresses. The seasons change.

30th Short Film ~ Dahlia

2014-10-16T08:59:00.001-04:00

This is my 30th film in two years since getting into cinematography. Go on the journey of one woman passion for the dahlia flower. Relax, enjoy & share...

Moment

2014-10-15T12:32:00.001-04:00

Current Reading: Zero to One by Peter Thiel
Current Music: The Beatles 1967 -1970 (vinyl)
Mood: Foggy
Smells: Cut grass
Temperature: 59 degrees
Thoughts: 95% of the world is at peace...remember that.

Living is the Cure ~ Life with NMO

2014-10-01T07:10:00.000-04:00

Living is the cure.
Fueling your body for life is the cure.
My disease is not going away.

Hot pink running tights with a shaved head and a princess tiara adorned on top. This is what I see about three runners ahead of me. I pick up my pace to get a better view of her. She is wearing a white tank top that is almost transparent so that all could notice that she had her breasts removed. You could see the scarring breaking through the fabric of her shirt. I look over at her and give her a nod of my head and hold up my fist in a manner of encouragement. I choke back tears….she nods back and takes off running. It would be the last time I would see her.

16,000 runners and I was lucky enough to run with the strongest one, even if it was only for a brief moment.

She has the cure, I say to myself. A cure dose not come from medicine solely. The cure comes from deep within your spirit.

For myself I am not interested in raising money for the cure. I am not interested in running for the cure. There are plenty of good people already doing that. I am interested in raising up spirits. I am interested in bringing the dead back to life. I am interested in running with the cure.

For this is the cure…getting up and doing is the cure. Fueling your body for life is the cure. Today when I run I move not with the disease, but with the cure. For this action, this moment is about living a life…and that is the cure.

Three months prior to the race on this very same street that I am running on today, I sat at a coffee house with a young man who himself has recently been diagnosed with NMO. It was oddly comforting to share my experience with someone going through what I have been living with. Never in the past decade has the opportunity presented itself for me to talk with another man about life with NMO.

We swap stories about the impressionist life we see out of our legally blind eyes; mine in the right eye, his is in both. We talk about medicine, side effects, hopefulness of being seen by certain doctors. We talk about fear, our future and the unknown. His attitude about living with a disease was promising. I knew at that moment that this young man would have trials ahead of him but in the end he would come out a victor.

“Run this race with me” I tell him. “I promise you when you cross that finish line you will have all the answers you need about how to live with NMO. Have all your loved ones there…anybody who has felt your pain standing at the finish line. For when you cross that line it will be healing to all (especially me).

In hindsight, that was terrible advice for me to give. Here is a young man who is going through steroids therapy, rounds of infusions, MRI’s, countless blood tests and hours of sitting in waiting rooms. All of this will continue to lie ahead of him for a long time, if not forever. Here I sit across the table asking a legally blind man to spend the next three months training for a race. Luckily, for the betterment of his health, he did not run with me. But be warned: when your life with NMO becomes balanced (and it will) I will be asking you again.
I had to live my words for myself…it was hard.

About six weeks out from race day all started going wrong. I would awake every morning in pain. My legs were weak (and still are), numb and tingly (that in itself in nothing new). Holding my own body weight became a struggle; my balance barely there. Getting out of bed was as if pre-paralysis would set in every night. I would awake with limited mobility to move my legs. I would use my arms to lift myself out of bed, placing my feet on the floor, next pushing myself off of the bed and then catching my balance on the wall. Standing there I would take inventory of what was working and what was not. Holding my arm against the wall I would stand there for a moment to regain my balance and let my bare feet grab hold of the floor. Next with one hand on the bed and one hand on the wall, I would make my way out of the room, using furniture, door frames and the narrow hall wall to keep me standing upright. Next would come the steps; one hand on the railing and one on the wall, it would take all four of my limbs to get me down the steps. Why struggle so much you may be asking? There’s coffee down there. With my coffee and a book I would sit in a chair for about a half and hour before my body would come back to life.

This has become my morning ritual and, with yoga and meditation, soon I would walk out the door either for a walk, bike ride or a run (most or somedays…read on).

I have enough life experience with this disease to know that my body is not broken. My mornings are nothing more than a misfire of brain neurons and nerves not working together. Even though I am feeling pain, there is nothing physically wrong with my bones or muscles.

Sometimes that last sentence make me feel better…sometimes.

Pain from doing something feels much better than pain from simply waking up. But at times that is how my body works…my brain neurons like to sleep in much longer than the rest of me.

So here I am, weeks out from running my first major race since my last setback 18 months ago.

Coming out of that setback I wrote a blog post titled “The New Normal”, which would go on to do a lot of good for people. Every week e-mails and kind messages would pop up almost magically thanking me for those words. Those messages, from all parts of this globe, were the best medicine I could have asked for. It seemed every time I wanted to quit I would receive a note of thanks….God’s ways may not be that mysterious after all. Somedays I would push on, somedays I would take a nap.

Goddamn it, I must live those words.

The most confusing bugger for me was that there was no rhythm to this flair up. Somedays my body would be at 100% and somedays never getting past go. This “no rhythm” was killing me. For when you get an attack/flair up, you are down for awhile, then you rehab yourself back to health. Rehabbing was not working this time due to the fact that there was no rhythm to what I was going through. Somedays I would go out into the woods and run for an hour and feel light and energetic, and somedays getting to the mailbox was not going to happen.

Life with my body became “the call and response”, as if there was a mystical Baptist preacher yelling out to the congregation and the congregation would respond back to him. My body would call out to me and I would have to respond differently to each message.

This is where things get a little weird. Imagine a miniature Incredible Hulk with a taser gun living in the middle of your spine. This mini-Hulk is trapped inside the flesh monster (a.k.a me) and he is zapping and shocking his way to freedom, but he never gets free. My skin is too thick to set him free. My skin is too thin to hold all of the Hulk’s rage inside of me. This is what happens sometimes, with NMO, when the brain tries to communicate with nerves and there is a misfire (or worse, several in a row). That misfire has to go somewhere and is made up of electrical currents with the mission to deliver messages to your body. Instead of that message reaching its intended target, it hits outside of the bullseye, bringing unimaginable zaps of pain, for me, in my middle back.

Being electrocuted from the inside out is a godawful experience; I am pretty sure that it will kill me someday. The shocks happen randomly and without notice. A 30 second experience of these back zaps leaves me winded and gasping for air, instantly fatiguing me and a black fog of haze sweeps over my mind. I can not hold a thought and listen to music at the same time. The world moves in fast forward as I move in slow motion. The call and response of back zaps is debilitating. The treatment: sitting still and hopefully in silence.

I may go months without an episode of zaps, then for a day or two, the mini-Hulk fights to get out. Three to four weeks before the race, the mini-Hulk fought hard.

For six weeks prior to race day I had good days and dark days. There was no rhythm; all I could do is respond to the call. I failed a lot. I have drank more alcohol during this time than any other time in my life. I would have two to three drinks a night to numb myself and self-medicate, to calm the mini-Hulk living inside my back and to get through the night (do not do this). In the morning after, I stumbled my way down to the kitchen and make myself the perfect kale smoothie to fuel my body for the hypocritical life that I was living (do make kale smoothies).

With purpose, effort, bourbon and kale I made it to race day. I now run past the coffeehouse which inspired me to enter this race in the first place. I watch as an older, frail man passes me by with the words “pain that feels good” scribbled on the back of his shirt. I look around at the16,000 other runners, all with their own stories of why they are running today. The one thing that we all share is that we did the work to get us here today…and that feel good.

As I round the last corner before the finish line, there is a line up of little kids on the sidewalk cheering and reaching their arms out, waving to the runners for a high five. I make my way through the pack slowing down to hight five each one of those kids. They filled my heart up with an energy that is unexplainable. If it was not for this disease in the first place I would not be running here today. I choke back tears once again.

I remember that this disease has given so much to me. My days are lived fully because of this disease. I see the world in such a beautiful way now; that’s why I write these articles. I want to share as many of my miracles with you as I can. This disease has given me life and for that I am eternally grateful. I am eternally grateful to you for reading and sharing these words with your loved ones and friends. I am eternally grateful for the messages that you have sent me. I am grateful for your prayers…prayers that I will never quite earn. With deep bows of gratitude, each one of you are a blessing in my life.

Living is the cure…
Pass it on.

Marketing Film

2014-09-29T08:35:00.001-04:00

Behind The Scenes

2014-09-15T10:17:00.000-04:00

Location: Renaissance hotel rooftop downtown Pittsburgh. Be sure to check out Elizabeth's blog here for more....

Moment

2014-09-04T08:26:00.001-04:00

Current Reading: Colorless Tsukuru by Haruki Murakami  
Current Music: The Beatles 1962 -1966 (vinyl)
Mood: run, run, run
Smells: Kale smoothie
Temperature: 69 degrees
Thoughts: Spirit original meaning “Breath” - Holly original meaning “clean”

Lesson Learned ~ Life with NMO

2014-09-02T10:04:00.002-04:00

About a mile and half into the run she asked me, “Daddy, why do you run?” “Because I can.” I tell her.

October 2013 I was supposed to run in my first marathon. February of that same year I had an NMO attack. The attack took away my ability to run, barely leaving me with the ability to walk. October 2013 came and went. My dream of running in the Chicago Marathon faded along with the numbers on the calendar that year. Slowly I rehabbed. I got better as the season changed colors.

September 1, 2014, the unofficial start of autumn, I ran in my first race since my setback.

I say the words to her, "Heart of a servant - strength of fighter. That's what keeps me going. My desire is for you to know that it's possible. That everything is possible. Dream big and do the work." I have always fancied myself as a street philosopher. Here I am preaching to an eight year old little girl who is running simply because she can.

Telling my daughter that I have a disease that was not going away and did not have cure was my biggest fear. Then one day I received a handwritten letter addressed to John & family. The letter was written from a kind woman who herself was raising a son with NMO. The letter was a thank you for the writings I have done on NMO. She went on to express her gratitude for me sharing my journey publicly. The letter filled me with joy and tears. The letter was the bridge (the gift) on how to tell my daughter why daddy got sick for long periods of time.

About a half mile before we cross the finish line my daughter tells me “Let's run for NMO. It's not about winning the race, it's about completing the race.” Yes little one. I pat her little bum and we run until we cross the finish line.

Chicago marathon can wait. This was the best run of my life.

You do not need to be strong enough for whatever life throws at you…..You need to be compassionate enough to be of service to it. Lesson learned.

If you like what you just read and would like to read more I keep an updated page on Medium.com with all my writing on Neuromyelitis Optica. Please share with those who you think will benefits from the writings.

https://medium.com/@craigphoto/latest

Moment

2014-08-29T08:52:00.002-04:00

Current Reading: Meat is for Pussies by John Joseph
Current Music: Ashes & Fire by Ryan Adams
Mood: Future thinking
Smells: Laundry detergent
Temperature: 71 degrees
Thoughts: Living with a ghost, waiting for it to die…..

Sisterhood: Documentary

2014-08-25T09:24:00.000-04:00

What happens when you get 9 gutsy women together to celebrate beauty, success and sisterhood?

Moment

2014-08-22T08:58:00.003-04:00

Current Reading:Creativity, Inc by Ed Catmull
Current Music: Aerial Boundaries by Michael Hedges
Mood: Zapped
Sound: Fan, feet & drum beat
Smells: Coffee
Temperature: 70 degrees
Thoughts: Impermanent is unreliable.

Life with E ~ Insanely Useful Photography Tips

2014-08-18T08:21:00.000-04:00

I have been wanting to write this post for years. Not until seeing the photo above and being a witness (film coming soon) to nine women going through the Elizabeth Craig Intimates experience did the words come to me. I am writing this for the up-and-coming photographer to help them be the greatest (& happiest) photographer that they can be.

Elizabeth is by far my favorite photographer in the world. Ok, I am her husband and deeply in love with her, but read on to discover why for yourself, and how you can apply her approach to becoming a better photographer yourself (or whatever artistic endeavor you want).

I feel like I’m E’s olympic coach; for years I would help guide her on her creative path of discovery.

She has heard me say “photograph the light first and the subject second” countless, endless times. We have critiqued, ripped apart, and been overjoyed when reviewing her work after a shoot (only the family-friendly photos ladies…I’m not privy to the “husband/fiance/boyfriend/significant other” photos. No worries there). We do this after every single session. She imports the pics, then we have a conversation and a discussion on what she has created that day.

Tip #1. Get critiqued often.
Tip # 2 Have lots of conversations.

Like most coaches, I look at her as far surpassing anything that I ever taught her. When I watch her work I feel like the student. Don’t get me wrong, someday when she is awarded “greatest photog" in the world, I will accept a big shot out, but at the same time nobody will be cheering louder than me.

She is a constant creator, collaborator and at times a pusher (she wants what she wants). When a camera is in her hands she has a glow and an energy; she is happy, very happy.

Tip #3 Do the work that makes you happy.
Tip #4 Do not take a job because of the money, you will fail.

One of her strengths is that she knows that no photograph can be reproduced twice in camera. Every single press of the shutter is an opportunity to create anew. She is a student of her craft. She studies others, but at the same time she has a complete understanding that you can never copy another photographer’s style. You can be influenced, motivated, jealous and inspired by other photographers, but you can never be them. You must make your own music, create your own work. If you try to clone another’s work you will always fall short in achieving the most important thing in photography….which is seeing what is in front of you.

Tip #5 See what’s in front of you (light then subject).
Tip #6 Vision takes practice; put the time in.

Her greatest talent by far is the wounded healer that she carries inside of her. Today when she photographs a woman, what she is doing in essences is handing back to those women her own beauty within. Yes, the photos she creates are beautiful, glamorous and carry a dream like quality. When Elizabeth connects with a woman (see photo above) she herself is looking forward to looking back on a moment.

A moment when that woman felt strong, beautiful and intimate. A moment when that woman can say to herself that she got it right in her life: flaws, scars and all the wobbly bits are just as important as the curves, lines and the fire and passion in her eyes.

As the group photo session went on that day, Elizabeth would take each woman and do an individual session with her. I filmed this entire process and I noticed there was one constant thing that every woman would say when Elizabeth would show them their photo on the back of her camera: “That’s me?? I am amazed!” Elizabeth’s response was “Yes. That’s you” with a smile on her face.

Tip “Lucky #7: Transformative power of seeing the beauty within.

This is the my favorite photo of E, never has truer pic of her been taken. I am the lucky baster who gets to see her beauty within, daily.

Family Photo + One Giant Ego

2014-08-11T08:59:00.001-04:00

Last week two good friends of mine (also fellow photogs) updated their personal headshots. This kicked me in my butt to go and update mine. It has been at least four years since a new photo of me has appeared.

Since I am married to the world's greatest beauty portrait photographer, achieving a new pic would be easy. Flash her a smile with an offer to by drinks afterwards and bam you get an updated photo.

Since, I am also a good student of the craft, she handed the camera back over to me with a set of instructions on how she would like to be photographed. Bam, updated Elizabeth photo (damn she's hot!).

We go home and bask in our extreme good-looking-ness, proceed to talk about what a beautiful creation we have in our daughter. Open up photoshop and stitch together a new family photo.

A photo of you is important, do not forget that. Go get one done!

Moment

2014-08-08T11:24:00.002-04:00

Current Reading: Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong by Juliet Macur
Current Music: Pure by Michael Hedges
Mood: Feel good
Smells: Clean air
Temperature: 69 degrees
Thoughts: What I will ask of you is do you have a "kind plate?"

Abstract Photo ~ Ambient Art

2014-08-04T08:56:00.000-04:00

This might be my favorite photo of all time. It is definitely my fav as of now. What I love about abstract photograph is that, without a defined subject you can find yourself in it.

Ful·fill·ment ~ Short Film

2014-07-31T08:44:00.000-04:00

As with all the films in this series the film is best enjoyed in full screen with the outside world turn off. If this film resonates with you then please share it with the people in your life who need to hear this message.

This is #7 in the series. Ful·fill·ment