Kourosh Azar | Blog

Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues - Nina Simone

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:40:00 +0000

Tears

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:27:00 +0000

“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief... and unspeakable love.”

~ Washington Irving

Rachel Weisz - Esquire UK

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:32:00 +0000

Cheeky

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:51:00 +0000

That cheeky smile, the lashes, those eyes, the accent (which I wish you could hear)... How could you hold back from photographing her? Not possible I tell you, not possible!

If

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:35:00 +0000

If you're in the right spot, if you have the patience, if you keep your eyes open to everything happening around you (no matter how trivial), then, just maybe, you might get lucky, and for a split second, you find what you're looking for before it evaporates into thin air. However, if you happen to blink, then it sucks to be you...

I'm sure there is a word to describe all that, but I can't think of it at the moment.

Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:40:00 +0000

Originally uploaded by Kourosh Azar

You go somewhere for one reason and end up staying for a totally different reason. Don't you love it when plans you didn't make, work out better than the ones you did?

Trini

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:56:00 +0000

I'm Back

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:13:00 +0000

Originally uploaded by Kourosh Azar

Been going through about a year's worth of photos. Some shoots I haven't even looked at yet! Opening a folder of photos you shot almost 6 months ago is like finding an undeveloped roll of film. It's such a buzz!

Anyway, I hope you like where this is all headed. More tk.

Getting the Ball Rolling Again

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:24:00 +0000

I was recently backing up my computer when I realized that I hadn't taken a single photo for at least three months! I couldn't believe it! I had slowly sunk into this rut and become disillusioned with my photography to the point where I hadn't even picked up my camera.

That was my "rock bottom". I reached the point where the only way out was up. In the past week I've shot more than I can remember. At first, the camera seemed foreign in my hand. I had lost touch with what had become an extension of my hand. Fortunately, yes, it is just like riding a bike. I've since shot more than I can remember. I've re-familiarized myself with my camera again. The functions, menu items, button locations and feel that had become second nature to me have all come back. I've taken the damn thing everywhere with me. It's like having gotten back with an old flame and not being able to stop touching eachother. Ok maybe that was a little too dramatic and creepy, but you know what I mean.

Another thing I noticed is how my way of seeing an image has also shifted. I honestly don't know how to explain this one, but something has definitely changed. Perhaps it was having the time away from the camera, or seeing so much of other people's work without creating any of my own. I don't know. However, I'm sure that it's going to start showing in my work.

The only down side to all this is all the editing that's waiting for me on the computer right now. I really need to work on my editing.

I guess the moral of the story is... You know what? I have no idea what the moral of the story is. All I know is that I'm back doing what I love with the passion I thought I had lost, and that's all that counts.

Twelve Photographers

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 02:49:00 +0000

Came by this article on the Pixylated blog. A fantastic collection of YouTube videos on twelve photographers. Check them out when you have some spare time.

If you can't see the video in your RSS feed or email subscription, just use this link.

Be Back Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:46:00 +0000

Originally uploaded by Kourosh Azar

I've decided to take "the ground breaking" step of choosing 01/01/10 as the date to change direction, navigate some new waters and throw fuel on the fire like there's no tomorrow.

I've decided to make some major changes both personally and professionally. However, to not jinx them, I'm not going to list them here, but reveal them one by one as they happen.

I'm going to focus on setting up some things and ironing out the details for the next couple of weeks at least, so I'll probably be out of touch here for that time.

I wish you all a wonderful 2010, surrounded by loved ones and filled with good health, happiness and prosperity.

Here's to the start of a fantastic decade, Happy New Year everybody!

End of Days

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:02:00 +0000

Originally uploaded by Kourosh Azar

Newton and Avedon

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 22:34:00 +0000

Any photographer who says he’s not a voyeur is either stupid or a liar. ~ Helmut Newton

A portrait is not a likeness. The moment an emotion or fact is transformed into a photograph it is no longer a fact but an opinion …. All photographs are accurate. None of them is the truth. ~ Richard Avedon

Happy Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:41:00 +0000

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! I hope you all have a very healthy, happy and prosperous 2010 surrounded by loved ones.

Remember not to sweat the small stuff, remember yesterday, think about tomorrow and live today!

Oh Yeah

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:57:00 +0000

Talk about a perfect space.

A Decade of News Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 01:19:00 +0000

Photo from: Boston.com - The Big Picture

Another fantastic post is up at The Big Picture titled: The Decade in News Photographs.

Everything Else is Secondary

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:24:00 +0000

"Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Speech, 2005 (via: O'Bedlam).

The Big Picture - 2009 in Photos Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:48:00 +0000

Photo from: Boston.com - The Big Picture

Here is Part 3 of the Boston Globe's 2009 in Photos series that I wrote about yesterday. You can find parts 1 and 2 at the following links.

2009 in Photos Part 1
2009 in Photos Part 2

Sashimi to die for.

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:34:00 +0000

Originally uploaded by Kourosh Azar

I could tell you where, but then I'd have to kill you...

The Big Picture - 2009 in Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:16:00 +0000

Photo from: Boston.com - The Big Picture

The Boston Globe's The Big Picture section has published an amazing three part series on 2009 in photos. Links to part 1 and 2 are below. I'll post part 3 when it comes out.

2009 in Photos Part 1
2009 in Photos Part 2

Opera in the Night

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:57:00 +0000

Originally uploaded by Kourosh Azar

Photo Anarchy

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:54:00 +0000

If you can't see the video in your RSS feed or email subscription, just use this link.

Do Epic Shit

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:37:00 +0000

The graphic above was something random I found on the web. The reason I'm using it for this post is because I feel it somehow fits my hopes, not sure if that makes any sense but there it is.

It's officially the first day of Summer today (Southern hemisphere) and I've been contemplating some big changes on various fronts. I figured getting them started on the 1st of December instead of the usual 1st of January might produce some better results. However, I seem to be having problems getting the ball rolling. Is it procrastination, apprehension or just plain ass laziness? Honestly, I don't know. It might just be a cocktail of all three with a dash of 'what's the use'. Whatever the stumbling block is, I'm sure I'll find a way around, over or under it.

I can hear all the cliches regarding change, resolutions and fresh starts already. Why am I writing this here? Well, the discipline to both update this blog more regularly and to change it's course to something different (you'll slowly see what that is) is one of those changes.

So, with a little luck and I'm sure a shit load of harder work, frustrations and the occasional 'oh yeah!' (when something works out as planned) we head out into the unknown with plans of epic proportions.

Wish me luck...

Air Traffic Control

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:18:00 +0000

No, it's not a secret underground mission control center for keeping track of aliens getting ready to invade planet Earth, it's actually the Sofia and Varna Air Traffic Control Hall in Bulgaria. (Image from Airliners.net)

Gobble Gobble

noreply@blogger.com (Kourosh Azar) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:33:00 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!