RAV ☆ HOLLY ™

Queen Esther

2012-02-07T20:24:00.000-08:00

Image, I shot of the beautiful Esther Hanuka for King of the Cage.

SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS - 2012

2012-02-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

So, if you were like me, yesterday during the Super Bowl than you might have been pre-occupied with the party, and missed some of the commercials. The commercials, are truly one of the best things about Super Bowl Sunday. For that reason I bring you.

MY TOP 10 FAVORITE SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS 2012

1. CHRYSLER - Clint Eastwood.
What can you say, with the economic issues facing this country today. This commercial really was something different, from the funny catchy typical half time ads. I think for myself, and a lot it was......inspiring.

2. BEST BUY - Phone Innovators
I really love this commercial, and getting to put a face with some of the most inventive people who have made our lives easier in the advancement of so many little gadgets that we now so take for granted in our cell phone.

3. CHEVY 2012

4. HONDA CRV - Matthews day off.

5. AUDI - Vampire Party

6. E-TRADE - Speed Dating

7. SKETCHERS - Mr Quiggly

8. BUDLIGHT - Herewego

9. Volkswagon - Dog is funnier than the Vader Kid.
This one may have confused some if you haven't seen the Volkswagon commercial with the kid in the Darth Vader costume. If you haven't seen it I will include a link here. The Force - click here
I personally think The Vader Kid is epic, and a lot funnier than the dog, but that's just me.

10. H&M - David Beckham
This one def was marketed to the females Super Bowl audience, as I found it pretty gay, but as an artist I can appreciate the art aspect of it. I know, gay as well.

Playboy Model, and Easy Rider Cover Girl - Melissa Jean posing with my three girls. - Rav Holly

2012-01-30T19:12:00.001-08:00

Wedding teasers from this past weekend.

2012-01-30T11:09:00.000-08:00

Brides Flowers

The Brides Shoes

From the front door, shoes on the floor, all the way to the Bride, and Groom.

Why, Ron Paul?

2012-01-11T13:41:00.000-08:00

I haven't written a blog in almost a year. Since March of last year to be exact. I went on new endeavors, and this just kinda got put on the back burner.

So, why am I back now...well, I am sure a few of you who keep up with my facebook page, are probably by now pretty annoyed with my political agenda, and support for Ron Paul. I will be honest. I actually feel like a total douchebag, for getting up on a soap box, and supporting any candidate for President. It's really not what I want to do, or my thing...BUT, my friend, Kristy Otts created a monster. She told me, if I understand our countries economic situation, than I should stop just telling her, and get the word out to others, of something that seriously looks to be on the horizon. I watched when the Tea Party movement started off, and I watched as it grew momentum....and, I was like Hell, to the Yeah..finally someone is standing up from BIG Government which is what the foundation of Conservative Republicans are suppose to be based on.

Then, you had the Occupy Wall Street movement take off...and, again I was like HELL to the yeah!! Now, here comes the left. Then I started hearing some rhetoric coming up, and trash talk from the left, and the right. So, here is why neither movement succeeded in full. Because this country is truly divided between party lines. I mean there is a line drawn in the sand. If you are a Far Right Conservative, and Republican, then the left are a bunch of Liberal Communist, trying to turn this country into a Socialist Nation. If you are a far left Liberal Democrat, than to you, the right, and Tea Party members are a bunch of redkneck good ole boy, Tea Baggers.

There lies the problem as a whole. A divided Nation. When, common sense would tell you by the demonstrations....BOTH MOVEMENTS were standing up against the Establishment. It's the Establishment that is the enemy of this country, not your liberal, or conservative neighbor you don't really like next door. Until the American people, can set aside their petty issues, and see the forest for the trees, and use a little common sense, that it is a United States Corrupt, Government, and banking system that is ruining this country, and really threatens our way of life...until a majority of both sides wake up, and educate themselves on what our National Debt really means, what the collapse of the dollar would do to our economy. WAKE UP PEOPLE.

TEA PARTY - OCCUPY WALL STREET. I SUPPORT BOTH OF YOU, AND SO SHOULD YOU!!!

The United States Government are taking away your Freedom, and Civil Liberties decade, by decade, George Bush Jr, and company the Patriot Act, President Obama Signs Indefinite Detention Into Law. Let me guess, you really don't have a clue about either one of these. As a United States Citizen, you should be SCARED, and MORTIFIED. The last country, to sign such a bill into affect, and basically steps on your rights, and the Constitution of a countries citizens,was Hitler, and Nazi Germany. That isn't paranoid delusion, that is a fact. Look it up.

Yeah, I'm sorry, but I've been talking about the collapse of the American dollar since the mid-90's when I saw a documentary on how the Federal Reserve worked. Then in 2003, I saw another Documentary about the IRS, and the Federal Reserve, called America- Freedom to Fascism, that had Ron Paul in it talking about the Federal Reserve, and the IRS.

I completely understand, you, and most of Americans want to burry their head in the sand, and pretend everything is Disneyland, but, I just want people to understand how precarious our national debt makes us, as a Nation. The only thing in the world right now that is keeping the dollar a float is the Petro-dollar. The Petrodollar is our dollar which all nations involved in OPEC use to purchase, and sell oil.

As long as foreign nations in the global oil market still agree to use the the dollar for their oil transactions the dollar will hold some value on the world market even with our National Debt, but if because of our debt rising, and becoming to high countries will start to look at getting away from using the dollar. Our national gross GDP is 14.5 Trillion, so our debt has almost tied every penny we produce, and the interest alone is set to double it by the year 2018. China, and Russia have already said on the world stage they want to get away from the petrodollar for oil purchasing....The last country that did that was Iraq, they started using the Euro, and not long after we invaded Iraq. We are not going to want to invade China, or Russia, so if these two stop using the dollar it more than likely would collapse, and call it Biblical Prophecy, call it whatever you want...the America today would quickly become a thing of the past. Some economist say the collapse of the dollar is a math matical, and economic certainty, because we have let our debt run out of control.

We the American people, have no one to blame but ourselves because we stood idioly by, and let our corrupt politicians, and banking system ruin our country.

Do, I think, Ron Paul can save us, and be our savoir...NO, that would honestly be delusions of grander...we, are already in way over our heads....but, I think he could give us enough cuts, to at least give us a fighting chance, if, and when the full collapse does come. A war with Iran, pushes us over the cliff, where right now, we are holding onto the edge with both hands, and we have been hanging there for awhile. We might not have the strength to pull ourselves up, but a war with Iran, and it's over. The Christian right, want the war, the Muslim Extremest of the world want the war, so they both can take their books out, and show everyone their Holy War talked about in their books is now verifiable, and Religious Prophecy....and, both sides will kill us all, and end the world as we know it. Just to prove their Holy War, and Rapture is here, and upon us. Even if it was created, and carried out by two sides of Religious extremist (HUMANS). Click Link to watch Christians are being preached Sunday Morning in San Antonio, Texas

THERE ARE 7 VIDEOS FROM CHURCH IN SAN ANTONIO - IF YOU ARE CHRISTIAN, OR ATHEIST, YOU SHOULD SEE THESE VIDEOS TO GET A MIND SET OF CHRISTIANS IN AMERICA.

I HOPE EVERYONE OF YOU WILL TAKE THE TIME TO WATCH ALL THESE VIDEO'S. I HOPE NONE OF THESE THINGS EVER HAPPEN, BUT IF, AND WHEN THEY DO. YOU WILL KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. USE YOUR MIND PEOPLE PLEASE.

HOW MUCH IS A TRILLION DOLLARS - OUR NATIONAL DEBT IS 14 TRILLION TODAY!!!

WHY THE DOLLAR WILL FAIL.

NO WAY TO PAY OFF THE NATIONAL DEBT

TOTALLY COLLAPSE OF ECONOMY

The Economic Collapse of America : The New Normal

DONALD TRUMP ON US ECONOMIC COLLAPSE - If we put a 25% teriff on China, our prices go way up.

WORLD WAR 3

The Tsunami of DEATH!

2011-03-11T08:31:00.001-08:00

So, I just added the most amazing Tsunami of death video to the blog, that I actually think has ever been captured to date.

If you would like a first hand account of the terror us, Southern Californian's were faced with as we were waiting on the wave of death to over take us, then watch this entire video.

Be warned this is a first hand account of myself, and my friend, Chris real, first hand account, and experience, of what we endured the morning of Friday, March 11, 2011, so, we say F'K & SH** a lot!

WARNING: Extremely Graphic,...please watch at your own risk. Don't say I didn't warn you. Now, without further ado, get a grip, and hold on tight!...........that's what she said!!

Yeah, so Red picked me up, and we are setting here with a handful of other locals who think it won't even make a ripple!

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Open workout for Razor Rob, and the Heavy Weights.

2011-03-10T09:17:00.000-08:00

I ventured out to Huntington Beach the other day to catch, Mixed Martial Arts, Sports Agent, Ken Pavia, having one of the Trainers "Ben Moreland" from HB Ultimate Training Center putting my old HB room-mate, and good friend, Razor Rob McCullough, who will be fighting this Saturday night on MTV2 in his Bellator debut at Bellator 36, through an open workout session along with Ken's, group of his BIG guy's, and HEAVY WEIGHT'S. I captured still images for a featured article for MMAjunkie.com - Click Here for article.

Here is the video from the days workout session, including heavyweights Neil Grove, James Thompson, Jimmy Ambriz, Thomas Bunbury .

Really?

2011-03-09T15:51:00.001-08:00

Getting gas this morning in Brentwood it looks as if we are getting ready to cross that $4.00 mark for the cheapstuff. I read one article that said, we will possibly cross the $5 dollar a gallon mark this summer, and to that I say. That's FKEN BULLSH**!!!

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What's your favorite show?

2011-03-01T18:53:00.000-08:00

I pose this question, because most of you will automatically think of a show that is on network, TV.

With me it's different. I don't do much TV any longer. When I moved about a year ago. I decided against hooking up, and moving my Charter TV cable. I come to the realization some time before I moved I was just waisting money. I had about a $140.00 dollar a month cable bill, and I sometimes went 2 weeks without setting down, and watching TV. So, when I moved I moved the TV, but not the cable.

I myself really don't miss it at all, like I thought I would to begin with. It's such a waste of time. There is a reason why they call it an idiot box. How'ever like all human beings from time, to time. I do like to be entertained, and I find I can find more entertainment on the web than I can ever have time to look at.

As far as talk shows I was always a fan of Conan, and Chelsey Handler, so, sometimes I missed those shows, but being a long time reader of Joe Rogans's blog on his website. I was ecstatic when I found out he was going to be doing a live Podcast, and I watch, and catch up on his podcast shows when I have time.

Podcasting is the new medium, it is the new media. I have actually bought a new High Definition video camera, and putting stuff together to start my own Podcast show, that will be called Rav's World, it will stream live on Ustream, and possibly JustinTV, and then recorded segments will be uploaded to Itunes, so if you miss a show, you will be able to download it, and watch it anytime you want later. Anyway, there is a lot of work, and thought that goes into putting a podcast together, so I'm not 100% that I will get this off the ground, but I am seriously thinking about it.

Anyway, back to Rogan....I have enjoyed reading Rogans, blog way back before I ever even moved to California. Joe Rogan is a very progressive thinker like myself, and I find a lot of what he is putting out there pretty facinating. So, with this whole Charlie Sheen deal, I really couldn't wait for the podcast to get Joe's whole take on this whole issue.

Podcast's are long, but if you have the time...watch a show. The Joe Rogan Experience is my favorite show. I love listening to other progressive thinkers like myself who have the same take on the world in general that I do myself. Keep in mind it is kind of a Man Show with lots of profanity, so if that offends you, than you probably don't want to click the link.

Click here for his latest Podcast

Damn, I had to come back, and edit, because I forgot to include this video which actually I wanted to be the main theme of the blog post, but because of Charlie Sheen it got trumped. This is the performance artist video talked about it the show..

Melissa Molinaro

2011-02-24T16:47:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard the name, or don't know who she is. I have been predicting since seeing her on the reality show *The Pussycat Dolls: The Search for the next doll*, that this girl would be the next big thing. It has honestly taken her longer than I thought it would when seeing her on the show, but she is really coming into her own, and starting to really break out. There is a LOT of talk about her in, and around LA.

Pretty much seeing her in everything now. The name is confusing though, when I first saw this girl she went by the last name Smith, Melissa Smith, or Melissa S. I knew that name was WAY to Vanilla for her looks, and career, and wouldn't last long in this town. I mean what artist in LA, actually goes by their really, real, name? Some, but a lot don't. Especially, if your name is boring, like Smith.

Example: Carmen Electra's real name is Tara Leigh Patrick

Anyway, so their is a lot of buzz over Melissa's new Old Navy commercial, and people who have seen it are getting her confused with Kim K., none other than Kim Kardashian. She is a beautiful brunette, that is for sure, but I personally don't think she looks anything like Kim K. In the Old Navy Video, every now, and then I see a likeness, and see how people could confuse the too, but this girl actually has real raw talent, something Kim K, doesn't have.

If you haven't see her new Old Navy Video..check it out.

I really think this girl has what it takes to really make a run for super stardom, so, I guess we will just have to wait, and see, but now you know who she is. I very seldom go after anyone known to work with them, but I would honestly love to work with, and shoot this girl. She is for lack of a better word. Amazing!

Visit her website: http://www.melissamolinaro.com/

Just wondering

2011-02-23T17:19:00.001-08:00

Well, this really isn't on the normal side of a very important blog post. I'm actually making it from my cell phone. I've been up editing photos since 9am trying to get caught up, an its a little after 5pm an I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I was just wondering what your work space looks like. Here is a few pictures of mine. I will be doing a serious blog post hopefully by next week, or as soon as I'm caught up on editing. I have no idea how to space on my cell. I've tried hitting space an double space but everything is still one run on paragraph. Now for the pix of my work cave. Feel free to post a link to a picture of yours in the comments section.

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Iphone 4 coming to Verizon

2011-01-13T20:09:00.000-08:00

Verizon Wireless customers.....the wait is finally over. On Feb. 10th, 2011 the Iphone4 will be made available to all Verizon Wireless Customers.

The Verizon Iphone4 is already listed on the Verizon Wireless Site.

I cannot tell you how happy I am to finally hear that. The only problem for me, as probably most Verizon Customers. I finally got tired of waiting, and upgraded my cell to an Android based phone. There have been Verizon Iphone rumors, longer than there has been an Iphone4...I finally give up on them, and upgraded to the The HTC Droid Incredible. I am almost completely happy with my Android based phone except for two problems. The battery life is truly horrible. The other being after months of use it encounters lots of glitches.

Just this morning after months of working around different problems with my phone. I decided to finally just do a hard reset. I am happy to say, that my phone is now working like brand new again. One major problem I am having with my phone is ever six months, or, so, I am getting the dreaded low phone memory on my Droid Incredible. The phone has 8gigs of internal storage, so I know it is not even close to full, but still I continue to get this error ever six months, or so of use. The problem getting a low memory error, is you are now stuck as the phone wont let you do any downloads of applications, songs, or anything. You can go into application manager, and erase cache from programs like the HTC Peep program. This seems to actually be an HTC based program problem with the HTC Sense software, and not the Android software. The biggest problem it seems is no one knows how to actually fix it.

Once the hard reset is done, the thing that sucks the most is having to go through, and totally reset up the phone again, as it is reset to the factory settings just like it was the day you pulled it out of the box. Worse is you lose all your paid apps. That really blows....all your downloaded apps are wiped clean. I am sure there is probably a way to move all your apps to the SD card, and I will probably be looking to do that in the near future, but back to the Iphone4.

It is going to be tricky for us customers wanting the new Verizon Iphone4 when it hasn't been that long since we did our contract upgrade for a new Android phone. The Iphone4 on Verizon will come in two different models the 16gb version for $199.99, and $299.99 for the 32gb device.

If your going to dump your Adroid based phone on Craigslist, or Ebay, and look at getting the new Iphone4. I suggest you do it soon, because I predict once the Iphone4 hits the Verizon store the price of Android phones will fall through the floor.

Here are a couple of videos introducing the new Verizon Iphone4

Cycles of Life

2011-01-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

Honestly there probably isn't anyone on the face of the planet that was any happier to see the year 2010 finally go. When I break it down, and say it was truly the worst year of my life. That is honestly without a doubt exactly what it was, and what I mean.

In all honesty I am not a Spring Chicken anymore, one thing I have always learned in this journey of life, is wisdom with age. The older you get, the wiser you should become. After all my years on this planet when I rang in the new year last year. I had a very unsettled feeling, but on the surface I had been telling myself, it was going to be my break out year. Ever since moving to California I have just had that feeling that a true banner year is on the horizon. As an artist I guess that is maybe something that keeps us motivated. We work to create, and there really isn't no pay raises, or promotions. It's just all judged it seems by where you are on the spectrum in your career. I was un-nerved last year as the new year began, I couldn't put my finger on it, and couldn't figure out why, but I just had some underlying feeling that something in my universe was about to turn, and turn for the worse. a six sense if you will.

As the new year approached, and I could see my Texas Longhorns bound to play in the National Championship game I knew all wasn't going to be bad, even though I myself didn't give them much chance at all of beating Alabama, at least they were there, and would get a chance to play for the National Championship on Jan 7, 2010. A pivotal day in my life, not because of a football game, but that is the day I got the dreaded call, that my beautiful 21yr old son, had shot himself, and was dead. Up to that moment I had been through a lot of bullshit in my life. My life has always run in cycles, which I guess probably in all honesty all of our lives do, in one way, or another. My life has always been the true lapidemy of a roller coaster ride. Meaning when it's up, it is WAY up, but when it is down, it is WAY down. When I was younger I truly wished for just a happy medium, the truth is I LOVE the ride when it's up, but man when it is down, has been some times, I've wondered if I would make it. Especially, when I was younger, and ill equipped to handle the pit falls of life. Some people turn to the Bible, God, the Secret, Tony Robbins, Self Help Books. Me, I have always turned to myself in my time of crisis. Doing so has made me, I feel about as tough as nails. When I was younger it was my ex-wife, wife at the time. She was my rock. I knew when things went wrong, and bad. She would be there to help me see through it, and I was a man, and didn't want to fall apart, but there were times in my weakness that is exactly what I did, and she was always there to tell me she believed in me to get back up on the horse, and ride again. Even when all seemed defeated in my eye's. Looking back at those day's now, actually seems kinda comical, that something like losing a job, or some other life inconvenience seemed so devastating. So, the day before that dreaded phone call, with all the little hurdles in life I had actually jumped without tripping, and skinning my knees. I really thought I was prepaired for anything. Any curve ball life could throw me, wouldn't take me to my knees. WRONG!

I had been through a relationship ending after 19yrs...I mean really what could be worse than that I always assured myself, and as devastating as the end of that relationship would have been to a lot of people. Like always I turned, and looked at myself in the mirror, and I didn't say God, why, what, or how. I looked dead at myself in the mirror, and I said to myself. It's times like these that build character, it's times like these that show you what your made of. So, lets pick up move to California, start a new life, a new chapter, and see what your made of. I had not been on my own single since I was seventeen years old. So, to say at times I wasn't a little worried, anxious would be a lie, but the longer I live the more resolve, and confident I become in my own abilities to handle what ever life decides to throw at me. My Grandmother always told me *Behind every dark cloud is a silver liner*, so I have learned to ride out the storm, awaiting beautiful, and brighter days. Cycles of Life.

As heart wrenching, depressing, life changing, a single event like that is in ones life, it is the most profound strength builder of all. Making it through 2010, had doubled my resolve, my inner strength. I know now, I am very well equipped to handle what life decides to throw at me, because other than losing my other son, there really isn't anything in life, that could bring me back to that low again, and I survived my most dreaded cursed year. I really, and honestly feel like that is what 2010 was for me. It was some off the wall year, that was going to challenge my very being, and exactly what I was made of. So, when the day after Christmas I become deathly ill, even though I have always been a fairly healthy person. I knew it was my dreaded year letting me know I wasn't going to get out of the year that easy. So, sure enough I ended up in emergency surgery from a ruptured appendix....at my age? I mean my age is out of the spectrum to have to go under the knife to have a ruptured Appendix removed, but that is exactly what it was, and exactly what happened. So, never ever having any type of surgery in my life, I found myself going under the knife before I could get out of my dreaded year 2010.

I spent New Years Eve, and New Years in the hospital re-cooping. One thing I will say though, is when I was being wheeled out of that hospital I actually felt like my year of paying the worse dues of my life had come to and end. The low, was over, and now, it's time for some highs again. One thing about my life, is my cycles of life run in sequence. Meaning the lower the lows, the higher the highs, and the more opportunity presents itself to me from out of know where. So, if that rings true for me like it has in years past, than I am truly optimistic about what highs are in store for me this year, but things so far really seem to be starting out right.

I just picked up a new client which is the type of client I have been wanting every since I can remember. I am now one of the exclusive Photographers of the Millionaire's Club. Yes, the same Millionaires Club from the show on the Bravo Channel on Cable TV. I did my first shoot for them yesterday, and things went really well. I was working with a girl, who had never modeled a day in her life, and was really nervous when we started, but that is one of my specialties is taking everyday people, and making them look like models. So, I am pleased with the results.

Here are a couple pictures from the shoot & a short video of me doing my thing.

There really is nothing more satisfying to the soul than creating something you can be proud of, that you love to do, and getting paid for it.

So, even before this new year began, I had already started taking steps, to put myself where I want to be this year, 2011. Ever since moving to California I have worked jay-oh-bees *JOBS*. Just because I thought I had too. Getting over the culture shock of how expensive the cost of living is here isn't easy for a boy from Texas, so I thought no matter what I needed to have some other job to make sure the bills are paid, and I had the money to spend without worrying to much about a budget. So, I've worked a few different little gigs in bars, and what knot since moving from Huntington Beach to Long Beach. The last J-O-B I worked though wasn't a part time gig. It was very much full time. I worked as a Security Officer at the Westin LAX. Big Hotel. This job actually gave new meaning to dead end job. One, the pay was $10 an hour. Which for LA would be comical if it wasn't for the fact that, that's what I actually made. There were more than one time I went in for my regular shift which was from 2pm to 10pm, only to end up working a double from 2pm until 6am in the morning. The job however was absolutely as simple as it got. They provided you with very nice suits, and a cooked meal per shift. They didn't pay much, so they didn't expect that much out of you. So, I actually kinda felt lucky at times to work there.

I actually worked for an outside Security Firm that had a contract with Westin, so I actually wasn't an in house employ which kinda made us feel more like Mavericks than the in house guy's. I actually adore my old boss though from the outside firm. He is a Turk, Muslim, two things I didn't have much experience with when I met the guy. I stereo-typically thought he was a Russian because of his accent, today I can tell you he is by far one of my favorite people on the planet. He is good people, cut from the same cloth as myself. We are hard noise fun guy's who are young for our age who like young hot women, a little booze, and no bs, and no apologies to anyone for the way we are, or our behavior, good, or bad.

On the other hand though was his boss the in House Westin Guest Services Security Supervisor, that was a fat little pudgy man, unhappy with life itself who was the quintessential Westin THAT GUY who thought because you were working for Westin Hotels you should get down on the ground, and thank your lucky stars. It didn't matter how much they paid you, or what they asked you to do for $10 bucks an hour, you should again be so happy to be apart of the Westin family, you would never question anything they ask. You just do it!....anyone who knows me, knows I don't feed off bullshit. So, after much thought I basically told him one day after he was hounding me about some Fed-X packages to go fk himself. It wasn't in those exact words, but by the look on my face, and the sheer terror I saw in his, as I actually wanted nothing more in that moment than to punch him square in the face....He got the message, and I got the boot.

At first I was in panic mode thinking, oh, man it's back to looking for a job for me. Man, I hate beating the pavement doing job interviews worse than anything in the world, but after some soul searching, and looking at the pay from my part time job as Security for Tantalum two nights a week, on Friday, and Sat night. That's right when I had the Westin gig, I had two *JOBS* the difference with the Tantalum job is they pay me VERY well, I can order a gourmet meal off the menu, set down, and eat it. Go in at 10pm, and get off at 1:30am, and make almost twice what I would make in an eight hour shift at Westin., and they literally thank me for my service I provide them.

So, after really putting a pen to my bills, and coming up with a budget, I thought what am I doing. I don't actually need another *JOB*. I need to concentrate 100% on my photography. Instead of using it as backup, and extra income when I book shoots, I need to spend time working, and really making photography my full time job. The one thing about Westin is it drained me. I was off on weekends, but I was so sick of working by the end of the week, the last thing I wanted to do was line up photoshoots, so I actually turned a lot of people away, and made excuses why I couldn't shoot.

When I did shoot on weekends, then I was drained Monday going back to work at Westin because I had worked all damn weekend. So, losing that job was actually a blessing in disguise, and the eye opener I needed. I know more than anyone I have all the tools it takes to be self sufficient, and self employed. I have worked for myself off, and on my whole life. The one thing about having a JOB is no worrying about where your money is going to be coming from, because you show up, and you get a steady pay check. I like most people fall into that comfort zone as well at times.

This year is gonna be different. I am going to depend on me, I am getting back to basics. I have gotten set in a mode as a photographer, that I wouldn't pull my camera out of my bag unless someone was paying me. WTF, that is not why I picked up a camera in the first place. I picked up a camera, because I love taking pictures. This is going to be a year in reflection to me, a year where I put my heart an soul into my art, and share it with you for free. I am going to work on this blog, and my website making it more visually stimulating by capturing, and sharing random images of things I find interesting.

I've been doing a lot of homework, been keeping up with what a lot of other full time successful photographers are doing this day, and time. I had kinda gotten stuck in a rut, lost my inspiration, and was a little bitter, about how easy it is this day, and time to pick up a camera, and launch a photography business, but after reading, and listening to one of my favorite photographers, Chase Jarvis (chasejarvis.com) he truly inspired me with these words. Right now is the most exciting time in the history of the world to be a Creative, to be a Photographer. There are so many things we can do, we can take an image, and send it though thin air to another phone, website, blog. This is honestly the best time, to be a Photographer. That little speech, and those words truly made me reevaluate myself as a photographer, being a real working full time photographer again, and making a living doing what I love.

I've been reading Chase Jarvis blog for a few years, now, and he never ceases to amaze, and inspire me. What he has done for the Photographic community in a whole, is just priceless. So, with that being said I actually got a call late last night about a new little gig I will be starting this Sunday for a very well known celebrity. I will get to hang out at his crib for 14 day's, and I am not getting my hopes up because I have no idea where this will lead, but the possibilities sound imaginable, and I am stoked about the opportunity, and so continues the cycles of life.

If you have an hour to spare, and want some Chase Jarvis inspiration. I really suggest you watch this video. I really don't think you have to be a photographer to watch this, and find it inspirational.

Life is what happens when your making other plans.

2011-01-01T04:22:00.001-08:00

That qoute is a quote by John Lennon, an I had posted it on my Facebook page a couple of weeks ago. Laying here in this Hospital bed at 5am on New Years this quote is now very surreal to me. I woke an am in pain an can't go back to sleep,.so, I thought I would try to give an update:.....first Appendicitis is suppose to be a very minor surgery an condition. Nothing really to get to worried about if usually caught in the first 48hrs an very soon if your Appendix busts....or it actually could be fatal. My further problems is probably due to the fact I got seriously ill late Sunday night....I went to bed Sunday night became ill through the night with cold sweats an severe abdominal pain, so, I literally stayed in bed asleep until Wed, when I managed to get up an shower an visit with my kid a little who came by to see me. Anyone who knows me, knows when I'm in pain, or sick I just sleep. The problem is I was asleep, went to bed Sunday an during that time my appendix burst....one sign of Appendicitis is you can have severe abdominal pain, an then it goes away an your just sore, but you feel better just sick. Usually that is a good sign with Appendicitis its not....because it means your Appendix actually burst releasing life threating toxins into your body, that if not treated in time can be fatal. After all the Great Harry Houdini died of a ruptured appendix. Usually one of the signs of Appendicitis though is extreme nausea an vomiting, but I didn't have that at all. My only symptoms were again non-stop cold sweats, an initial severe abdominal pain. When I decided to come to Texas for the holidays I planned everything out very carefully to make sure I was back in town Thursday the 30th, because I had to work at Tantalum on Friday New Years Eve, an bring in the New Year. I picked flight an flight times very careful an everything was set in stone for me to be back in SoCal by Thursday night, confirm on Friday with my extra guys was bringing in for the chaotic night to be. So, needless to say when I got sick Sunday that wasn't at all in my plans, but I very rarely get sick...maybe once a year with the flu, or something. Since I been over here, staying at my sisters pad I had been stuffing my face non stop because of all the Holiday food that was cooked, pies, cookies, you name it, an I decided to just indulge, so, when I first felt the signs of an upset stomach it didn't surprise me that much. So, I thought I might have a touch of food poisoning, or, something with sleep an a few days rest would cure, so I went to bed Sunday an didn't get up until Wed for a few hours, went back to bed early Wed night around 10pm knowing Thursday I would catch my flight back to LA. However I awoke feeling really sick again around 3am, so this time I busted my laptop out, an hit WebMD, an a bunch of other medical sites an sit there until 7am reading...after searching, an reading for a few hours around 5:30 the word Appendicitis came up with my symptoms....first things came up were Galstones, Hepatitis, an some others I read about that didn't match, but not really even considering it could be my Appendix, but as soon as the word come up, an I read the symptoms knowing I had a plane to catch that day....I went "oh no" I just got that instinctive feeling an at 7am text my ex-wife who still had been helping with possibly getting me a Dr's appointment if I needed one....an I said I think I have Appendicitis. That was a very hard text to send because I had been setting there debating in my head what should I do....should I just suck it up, not say anything an fly home an work at Tantalum Friday night an then if I didn't get to feeling better go to the Dr. in Cali, but I knew if it was Appendicitis flying on a plane with high cabin pressure could burst my appendix, but the thing that really set me up in bed while reading a medical forum was a guys post about how his burst appendix almost killed him. I read his entire story his symptoms, an I got chills knowing my case an symptoms were exactly like his, an there was a good chance my appendix has already burst an had been a few days already why my severe abdominal pain had went away....an I really realised I had to make the right choice because the wrong one could kill me. So, I decided to see a Dr before I would get on the plane just to be sure I was OK enough to fly an that it wasn't what I expected it was Appendicitis. So, my sister called Harmony who works for a Dr at Baylor Medical Center.....she pulled some strings an within an hour I was setting in front of the Dr being examined to where as soon as he examined my abdominal area said when did this start again, an I said Sunday ....where he kinda turned white an repeated his question. When? I said Sunday...an, its now Thursday....an he said....we have to get you to the ER right now you may have Appendicitis, an was gonna call an Ambulance to transport me from his office in Baylor to the ER in Baylor, but I insisted I was fine to walk an it would be faster, so he called had me set up as soon as I hit the ER I was back in the ER where as you know sure enough it was my appendix they scheduled emergency surgery to remove it. If everything had of gone as planned I should have been out by noon Friday, but do to severe chronic pain an the fact I had waited so long to seek treatment. I'm still here, but hopefully things will turn around today an I can get out of here. I just wanted to say thank you all so much for the calls, txt messages an support it truly means a lot. Please keep in mind I had a moment of boredom an my pain had subsided enough that I could set up an type all this blog post out on my phone, but I have really no idea how its gonna look, so if its all jacked up just chalk it up to pain meds, an cell phone posting. Happy New Years!

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most amazing Christmas gift Eva!!

2010-12-24T17:00:00.001-08:00

So, my sister got me the best Christmas gift eva! No, coal in my stocking this year!

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Never trust a girl!

2010-12-22T19:52:00.001-08:00

Never trust a girl to dog sit, or this might happen. Poor Charley Warley!

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Rosalie Mona - Parts of her life

2010-12-06T09:40:00.000-08:00

Behind the Scenes Video Shoot of singing artist Rosalie Mona.

A few months ago, I was invited to be on the set of a new upcoming artist from across the pond's music video shoot. I'm a still's photographer, but watching so many really good still photographers, these day's making the leap to film production, to doing Music Video's really had me curious to just what all goes into making a music video.

Since moving to Los Angeles in 2006, actually I moved to the OC, and Huntington Beach when first moving to Cali, and that is the difference between night at day from LA, but that is another story, back to music video production. Anyway, where was I, oh yeah, since moving to Southern California in 2006, I have been lucky enough to land some pretty interesting gigs. I have been on the set of an episode of CSI-Miami being shot, where I took stills, and was able to take stills of CSI-Miami star Emily Proctor. I ended up on set the entire day, and got to actually sit, and eat with the entire crew at lunch back on the production crew lot. It was an eye opener, of what a slow process making moving images is, and how many people, it actually takes to produce what we take for granted to watch on TV for an hour.

I also, was able to do stills for an ABC Pilot of a show that was called Life on Mars. I actually shot stills for the initial pilot episode, but anyway back to Music Video. Rosalie Mona is an up and coming music Artist who believe it, or not was actually discovered on her Youtube page, crazy I know, but the honest truth. See a video of her on her youtube page Click Here. Anyway, she actually lives in France, or somewhere over sea's, and upon getting to her video shoot, and talking to the producer, Fabio Lo Cascio he tells me she actually speaks very little English, so needless to say I was really mesmerized by how well she actually sang in a language that was all but foreign to her. After sitting, and watching multiple takes, over, and over, and over of the same 15 sec clip, it really occurred to me, what a slow paint drying process it is to create music video's. I was actually very intrigued but bored out of my mind at the same time. It gave me a whole new profound respect for the people who create moving images, or film, and the artist themselves who have to stand there, and do take, after take.

Anyway, with out further ah do here is the short 3 min clip of the behind the scenes I shot with my cell phone. I just put the video together and considering I shot it on my cell phone. I don't think it came out to bad. I am in the process of trying to find the right, and buy new video editing software, so I put this vid together with the trial version of Cyberlink Movie Director. I had been using Sony Vegas Video Pro for years, but I have a very old edition, and it was on my computer that crashed, and the hard drive died, so I have been shopping around for new video editing software, and not settled on any one yet, but anyway here is the video of the behind the scenes footage I shot.
I also have to apologize for misspelling Rosalie's first name in the video. DOH!

Anyway, I know it is a little slow, and a little boring, but you get the idea. Now, here is the finished product, and the end of the video is the footage I got. Enjoy

To check out any other music from Rosalie Mona feel free to visit her website at: Partsofherlife.com

Twitter Whore's Galore!

2010-11-23T01:02:00.000-08:00

So, I have had a twitter page since signing up March of 2009. I think I actually had another account at one time, but abandoned it. Anyway, so first I will say this. I was all onboard when I first signed up for Twitter. I had read an article saying that it was going to be the next BiG thing, so, after reading the article I went back, and re-created a new account because I couldn't remember anything about the first one I did.

Anyway, so I got all signed back up, and was just kinda confused by setting there looking at my account home screen. I was like hmm, not impressed, I just kinda don't get what is so cool about this site. Anyway, I decided to really give it a try for a week, or two. I had no followers, and had no idea who to follow, or really what to do, but a couple day's after signing up. I went to a celebs Myspace page, yeah myspace, and she had a twitter link on her page. It was Brooke Burke, so, I clicked the link, and clicked follow. I still had no idea how the twitter thing really even worked. Anyway, long story short, through the first couple weeks trying to use it, it was pleuged with problems. I would continue to get error messages that it was over capacity etc. So, finally I just got frustrated with the whole thing, and kinda left it dormant. I had really about that time really started doing a lot of facebooking, and making the total transition over to facebook from myspace. Yeah, I was a dedicated myspace user. I spent lots of time, on doing my own professionally designed myspace site, and I had close to 10,000 friends, and just like twitter, I wasn't impressed at all with facebook when I first saw it. I thought it was totally lame. I eneded up starting a facebook page, after a debate at the offices of my old job. MMAagents one of the interns there, and myself along with the owner, and my still good friend, Ken Pavia was discussing which social media site was the most popular, and one of the interns was saying that facebook had just caught up to myspace, and passed it by Alexa web traffic ratings. I was like no way, that will never happen. My youngest son was actually in town and visiting at the time, and he was just laughing because neither of us could ever immagine facebook taking out mypace.

Anyway, I went home, and decided to sign up for a facebook account just to keep, an open mind, and I realized it would be perfect to keep up with everyday people I actually know, family, and friends. Keep my myspace for networking, and my photography use my facebook as a personal page. So, once my facebook was created I started getting some friends request from people I did not know, and I declined them all. My myspace page had become this monster, that I had a hard time keeping up with, and it had become impossible almost to keep up with anyone I actually knew using that site. As matter fact just checking my myspace earlier I have close to 800 unread messages on there, 799 which is spam, but who wants to sift through to find the needle in the haystack. Anyway, so, I would not accept anyone on my facebook page unless I actually knew you. So, once myspace really started to just get annoying because of all the new site design, and updates, and spam central. I actually started using my facebook all the time, and finally moved over like everyone else, but I didn't pay much attention to my twitter account, because I was all about facebook now. Then a friend insisted a start a fan page, and I was like damn another page to manage. Anyway, I've gotten way off track, but I just kinda forgot about twitter all together. I had enough on my plate already. Anyway, when I got my new HTC Droid Incredible it came with a sync program called friendster that linked your facebook, and twitter feed. I set it up, but was annoyed by all the twitter feed clogging up the screen, and couldn't find my actual facebook status updates by friends, so I quickly just got rid of the twitter feed. I had never promoted my twitter page really, but some how had come up with a little over 130 followers, and I wasn't even ever tweeting at all, but like a week ago a friend of mine suggested on my facebook, for me to download, and try TweetDeck for my phone. So, he is a game programmer, plus he is Asian which makes him really smart, so I decided to try the app, so I downloaded it, and it kinda looked weird at first, but on initial setup, it had a sync setup for all my accounts. So, I decided to setup my facebook, and actually set up my twitter. I got it all setup, and it looked pretty complicated at first because it really isn't at all like the facebook site, or the twitter site, so I kinda didn't know what I was looking at for the first few minutes, but after playing with it for about 5 minutes I was astounded that I could update my facebook status, and twitter status at the same time, by just pressing the fb icon, and twitter icon, or I could just do one, or the other. The other thing I noticed was the tweet feed which I had never even checked really on the twitter website. All the sudden I could see exactly what the people I was following were tweeting.

The coolest thing was when I lived in Huntington Beach. I actually shared a house with Razor Rob McCullough , and Ken Pavia. We all lived under one roof in downtown Huntington Beach. I also continually, hung out with one of Robs best friends, and owner of Huntington Beach Ultimate Training Center Tiki Ghosn, but after moving to Long Beach about 20 miles from HB, I kinda fell out of talking to any of these guy's any longer. We were all facebook buddies, but I tried posting on their pages a few times, an never got a response. So, I was like well, I guess these guy's stardom has all taken off, and they probably don't have time to respond to me any longer. So, I just stopped posting, and left it at that, but back to twitter, I actually saw a tweet from Tiki on my feed, so him, and Rob are like a freaking comedy show with their overly gay overtone jokes to one another, and I saw a tweet Tiki made, and I responded @tikighosn Hey, that Razor Rob guy is really built. He must workout...and within like two minutes I received a tweet back from Rob saying @ravholly Hey what are you wearing? Where, I responded @RaZoRob why, I'm wearing my sexy, Sailor outfit, Sailor! and that was it. We have all been tweeting pretty much non-stop since. It was really cool to also be able to keep up with exactly what was going on with the lead up to UFC123. I knew Tiki was going to be heading to Detroit to either corner Rampage, or be their for support, since they are training partners, and such good friends. So, I got up Thursday morning, and see a tweet by Tiki saying he had missed his plane, and he wasn't happy about it at all. It was so weird because after all this time, I consider myself very tech savy, all of these guys use to ask me how to use this, and that when it came to computers, and they have all been on twitter using it for some time now.

I all the sudden had a real epiphany, and felt like an real idiot, but I was really proud I had downloaded the tweetdeck, because that is what it took to open my eye's, an really get me into and excited about twitter. So, I was so into the twitter thing now I was laying on my couch the other night, and I saw a tweet from Dana White who anyone who is fan of MMA knows is the President of the UFC. I have been in an around Dana serveral times, but never really myself approach him to talk. I'm just a fly on the wall taking pictures of events etc when he is around, but I saw a tweet from him saying he was in LA for the Premier of the new movie with Mark Wahlberg The Fighter. I had seen the trailer already, but really didn't look very entertaining to me, plus it's a boxing movie, and I am way more into MMA these days, even though I still love a good boxing match, but after the movie I saw a tweet from Dana saying the movie was amazing at that Christian Bales performance was Oscar worthy. So, I was a intrigued, so I got up, went to the computer because I was using twitter on my phone reading tweets, but I went to he computer, and looked up, and watched the trailer for the movie, with a new found interest. I mean if Dana Fking White loved it, then I will probably like it too. So, I sent Dana a tweet saying, @danawhite Wow, I wasn't impressed with the trailer initially, but if you liked it. I now look forward to seeing it. It's on my must see list. To where he sent me a direct tweet saying the movie was amazing, and Christian Bale is seriously the best actor of our generation. Which, don't get me wrong Bale is a pretty good Bat Man, and I thought he was pretty amazing in American Psycho, but I have yet to see the Machinist which he lost all the weight for, but in my opinion Bale isn't even close to in the same league as who I think the best actor of our generation is, which is Daniel Day Lewis.

Daniel Day Lewis performance in My Left Foot, Gangs of New York, The Last of the Mohicans, and then he totally blew my mind with Their will be Blood. Are you kidding me, Bale doesn't make an acting pimple on Lewis backside in my opinion. So, I sent Dana a tweet, saying I beg to differ, Sir..Daniel Day Lewis is the actor of our generation. To where Dana, again tweeted back to me. click here to read response So, Dana, and I returned a few more tweets, and then he said he was boarding a plane headed back to Vegas I believe. After our tweet conversation. I was back again laying on my couch looking at tweets on my cell phone, and I stopped for a second, and thought to myself. How fking crazy is that... I am laying on my damn couch basically having a text message conversation with he President of the UFC, and all because of twitter. I am like this site is freaking amazing.

So, the next morning I woke up, and thought well if I like the mobile version of tweetdeck so much, there has to be a version for your desktop. I did a quick google search, and found the website, and sure enough, there was a desktop version. So, I immediately downloaded it, and then spent a few hours linking all my social networking sites together on it. Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Foursquare, Linkin, GoogleBuzz. Out of all of those I only really now use Twitter, Facebook, and Foursquare, but have the option to post to any of those sites by via just pressing a button. I will say since I have been on twitter. I have been able to contact several old friends, and people I had lost contact with. I hadn't talked to my good friend Erin Tietsort @erintietsort since her days as one of the stars on Sunset Tan. I met Erin right before, because she was friends with some of the guys I knew, and hung around, so, we got to be friends, and when I met her, she told me she was on the show Sunset Tan, and I had no idea, but she also told me she was from Oklahoma, so me being from Texas, and had actually just moved from Texas when I met her, and was brand new to Los Angeles, and she actually was too, we had an immediate kinship for one another, and had been staying in touch with one another mostly on myspace back then, but then Sunset Tan the show blew up on E, and I lost contact with her, and hadn't talk to her in probably a couple of years at least. Needless to say, I saw I had her as one of her tweets, as I was following her, and I tweeted her, and sure enough got an immediate response, and we chatted, an got caught up on what we have been up too, etc.

So, the long of it, is twitter is absolutely amazing, it is like txt messaging for the web, is the best way I can explain it. I use to think why do you need to be on twitter because isn't a facebook status just the same thing as twitter, why post to twitter. It is but not really, because you are sending a message, or status directly at someone, just like a txt message on a phone, and you can have 1000's of people following you, and you can be following a 1000 people, and you get all their messages immediately, no, wait, no haggling or having to go to individual friends pages to see what's up. Also, following different news sites, you know what is happening right now, without having to go to their website, to see, what's going on, because if your following them, it will be in your feed.

So, I am twitter crazy now, and have the fever bad, and have been reading online info to learn how to really use twitter, and implement into my business social media marketing plan for my photography, and am super excited about the possibilities.

So, if your on Facebook, and your not using twitter, because you think, I have facebook, why do I need twitter, I'm telling you to at least give it a shot, you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain,

If you have twitter, and you're not, please follow me Click Here

Things that make you go, hmmmm.

2010-09-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

So, I am sitting here on the plane at thirty thousand feet, kinda bored and decided it was a perfect time to blog, or do something with my time instead of just sitting here doing nothing. I am on my way back to LA from Dallas, and even though it was a super short trip, it was really a good trip. Living so far away from my family is something at one point in my life I never dreamed I would experience.

This day, and time it is really my youngest son, I really treasure getting to see and spend some time with. I have other family in the area, but never seem to be able to find the right amount of time, to get to see them all, and that sucks, but the main person I want to see is my kid, and as long as I get to spend any amount of time at all with him, I feel my trip is complete. It’s always a very bitter sweet journey returning to Dallas, since my oldest son passed away. It’s funny because when he was alive I never took the time, to take off and fly back to Dallas. I just always assumed he would be there when ever I decided to return. My previous part time job was a place I worked for three years, and I worked every single weekend for the entire duration I worked there. I never asked for a weekend day off unless I was actually working doing a shoot for the UFC, or I once asked off when I was shooting a wedding. I was raised to be responsible and loyal to your employer. So, I always felt totally guilty if I asked for a day off, because I actually believed in my feeble little mind this employer would be loyal to me, and take care of me if I were loyal to them. Looking back now, I was a real idiot, but it really set one thing in stone in my mind. Never again will I EVER give up any personal time, with family, or important personal time for just a Jay Oh Bee, screw that. When it comes down to it, they really don’t give a crap about you, and you’re expendable in their eyes. So, I live my life now, and I will take any time off I want too. That’s why I actually like working for myself though. I work nonstop when I am doing my own thing, but at least I know my clients really appreciate the job I am doing for them, which makes it all totally worthwhile.

I recently did a shoot, where we were doing a calendar, and that consisted of shooting fifteen different looks, and we started shooting at 1:30pm, and shot until 3am first day, 2^nd day 7pm to 12am, but we knocked out all the looks, and got a really great product, which I was totally stoked about. When I initially met with the client, I told her it was really going to be a lot of work to pull that off. A normal shoot consist of about four looks, taking about 4-5hrs, and it’s still a lot of work, but to do different backgrounds. Different hair, and make up, for 15 looks, it was a real challenge, but we pulled it off. I actually wasn’t sure we could, but I love a challenge, and to be able to do something and complete it in that time duration, really makes me happy.

So, another reason I decided to blog is I decided to share something that was happening to me last week that was really kinda wigging me out. I don’t get freaked out over much, scary movies etc. I guess I should start by saying I ride a lot of elevators. I ride them all the time, almost every single day of my life, so last week there is a specific set of elevators I ride a lot. Let me see if I can’t paint the picture here…anyway this certain set of elevators I walked up to them and stuck out my finger to push the button to call the elevator. I was standing in the basement of an employee area only, anyway as I reach my hand out to push the elevator button to go up. About a second before my finger touches the elevator button it dings, and the door just opens up, as if it had been sitting there awaiting my arrival. I was by myself, so I kind of just said…WOW, well thanks elevator; you know who I am, as I stepped on. The door closed, and up I went.

I didn’t really think much about it, thought it was kinda weird, but stranger things have happened. Anyway a few days went by when I was repeating the same scenario. I walked into the exact same place and elevator bank, had actually already forgotten about the weird scene from a few days before. I was day dreaming to myself, and just going through the motions, when I reached out to touch the elevator button to call the elevator, and again about a second before my finger touched the button again it DINGED, and opened for me. Keep in mind there are a set of three elevators, and again it was the exact same one to the far left of the three. The call button is in the middle, this time it really kinda freaked me out, and I just stood there for a minute looking at the elevator, but said to myself, it’s just a coincidence, and I approached the elevator, and as I stepped on, the elevator this time, does a really fast bounce up and down motion. Now, I am standing there with the doors still open thinking should I get the F**** off this thing? Being the Daredevil I am though, I decided to take the elevator challenge and see where, or what else might happen here. I was like shit maybe this is some crazy ass sign from the Universe, so I am going to ride it out, and see what exactly happens here. Keep in mind one of the useless pieces of information I have stored in my brain is that an average of 27 people are killed in elevator accidents every year, but I still firmly believe when it is your time to go, well, you go. So, I had a feeling there for a second like I was in the movie Final Destination, and maybe this elevator was trying to warn me of some impending doom, as I knew I had a flight in the next few days. Anyway, the door closed, and the elevator paused for a good 15-20 seconds and about the time I thought wow, I am stuck on here, it clicked in and up I went. I reached my floor, it opened up without a hitch, and I stepped off on my floor.

Looked back at the elevator, now like it was actually some living creature, and said…*Thanks* and walked away. It actually wigged me out enough, that I actually took a whole other set of elevators the rest of the night. The next day, I just went through my daily routine as normal and no more strange occurrences when I used the same bank of elevators. They simply worked like they always do, but I still didn’t forget about it at this point. I actually thought about how weird that was, and what were the odds of that happening twice. Anyway, a day later I was working with a good friend of mine, Michael, and I hadn’t told a soul about this up to this point, but I was still kinda intrigued by the whole incident. So, I told him about it, and as soon as I finished the story it was like a little kid going, WOW, that’s crazy, let’s go down there now and see if it will do it. I was like yeah sure, he was all about it like it was some kind of crazy ghost story, so I was like sure I’ll play along. I know it won’t happen, because that’s the way things always go, if you want something to happen it never will. So, we proceed down to the elevator bank, are standing there looking at them, and I am reenacting out exactly what happened, and what I did.

He is smiling, and totally into the story, and I am like dude, what are the odds of that happening twice? About that time…..DING! This time the middle elevator I am standing right in front of opens up. Both of our faces probably turned really white, and Michael looked at me, and immediately turned and speed walked away, freaking out. We got down the hall, and I said…see dude, you thought I was making shit up. I told you dude. He was like, man that is just too freaky. The thing that makes it freaky is the door on these elevators will not open unless you touch the button to call it. If it is setting there as soon as you touch the button it will open for you, but it will set there for hours until someone comes a long touches the button for it to open. These elevators were there…it wasn’t like someone had maybe ridden them, and touched a button on another floor, and then got off so it would open the next floor down it went. No, these elevators were setting dormant at the basement level, and the doors do not open unless you push the button to tell them someone wants to get on to go up. Anyway, the moral of this story, is like I said, it was such a weird occurrence that I thought maybe e it was a warning that maybe one of my flights from LA to Dallas, or Dallas to LA, might not make it to the airport, but the flight to Dallas I was a little nervous getting on the plane, but I have flown so much that as soon as the plane started down the runway, and was airborne I was totally over it, and in airplane mode. So, then I thought well maybe it could be the flight back, and the flight over was super smooth, this one has been a little bumpy to the point the Captain has never turned the seat belt sign off. Setting here blogging about it though I am at complete peace that this plane is gonna make the end of the runway, and I will get off, and go back to my everyday life.

Doing the damn thing!

If your waiting for my answer about the crazy elevator occurrence. I actually have no idea, just some weird coincidence that we all experience at some point in our lives, but I ain’t skeered!

Just FYI

2010-08-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

What camera do I use?

This is a question I have gotten a few times this past month, and to many times to count over the years.
So, I thought I would finally just address it here. I actually always find it amusing the look on a budding photographers face when they want to know what equipment I use.
Here is the thing.....once you are a more experienced photographer, and have some years under your belt you will learn the same thing. DRUM ROLL PLEASE:

YOUR ANSWER FROM THE HOLY GRAIL.........READY?

It doesn't really matter what camera you use, as long as you have a decent mid-level to pro-slr, or dslr. Who really cares what brand, or size camera you use.

NEWS FLASH!

Comparing Nikon & Canon is about like comparing Ford & Chevy, Toyota vs Nissan....the truth is anyone of them will get you from point A to point B it just depends on which one is really your preference. New inexperienced photographers, or *Newbies*, really think if they go out and spend as much money as they possibly can afford on the latest, and greatest camera they will instantly become a GREAT photographer. Where did this mentality come from?...I don't get it...that's like saying you just turned 18, passed your driving test, and you go out, and buy a Lamborghini as your first car. The scary part is you might find out after the Lambo purchase that it's manual 6 speed gear box, and suspension, and clutch might all be a little much for you. You might actually be better off in like a used Nissan Altima with an automatic transmission, or something to really learn to drive and feel comfortable.

HEAR THIS AN FKING LISTEN.....the camera you hold in your hand, does not make the photographer, good, or bad. It's mearly a tool. So, Nikon, Canon, who cares....I'm loyal to Nikon not because it's a better camera than Canon, because it's what I know, it's what I started with. Nikon right after Kodak was the first company to produce a Digital Single Reflex camera. Kodak did it first with the Kodak DCS-720 & 760 but those camera's were huge, were like 2 megapixels and cost right at 10grand, and were actually built around the Nikon F5 35mm film body. Meaning Kodak put their own guts in a Nikon shell to produce a digital camera.

Don't get down on yourself, or your art because you don't have the budget for the latest, and greatest DSLR that Nikon, or Canon just rolled out. If you are so concerned about keeping up with the Jone's with what gear you have in your bag, than that tells me you're really not that serious about your art, you just like to look cool to other photographers because your camera is newer, bigger, better than his.

Truth is that's one main reason I don't hang out with a lot of photographers, because instead of standing around, and really comparing images, and pictures they have shot. No, they want to stand around, and do the my Di** is bigger than your Di** while comparing how many thousands of dollars they spent on gear, to get the latest, and greatest of what is hot on the market now camera wise.

I'm not going to say having the latest, and greatest camera isn't beneficial in some aspects, but it definitely isn't the most important. A lot of times all the newer camera does though is makes things more difficult with more wasteful bells, and whistles that you really don't need that overloads the menu, and just makes things more complicated.

I don't know about you, but the last thing I want is to be in the middle of a shoot when I push a button on my new awesome camera, and turn on graph, or something that I can't figure out how to turn off, so I have to set down with a manual for 30 minutes to read, and figure out how to turn it off.

With the new explosion of modern technology, and web 2.0 today it actually seems like everyone is either a Photographer, Model, DJ, or Club Promoter. My opinion they have all lost their luster....back in the day to tell someone you were a photographer even a moderately successful one really meant something. Today, in my opinion unless you have a really decent body of work to back it up,...it's a joke.

This day, and time their really isn't anything special about being a photographer, there is a gazillion out there because every kid who can rake up a grand can hit Best Buy, and buy a standard prosumer DSLR, and put a I'm a photographer Facebook page, and bam, their in business, and I'm not saying that's a bad thing. It just really waters down the market, making it harder to really stand out, so you better have some skill level.

I'm not going to lie, I am a techie dork. I LOVE CAMERA GEAR......I would honestly like to own probably about $20,000 dollars worth of more gear, just because I love gear, and stuff, but do I really need it....umm, no. Most photographers who take out a 2nd mortgage on their home to buy all the top notch gear love to talk down to any other budding photographer who just got into photography by acting like he isn't a really real photographer because he doesn't have a studio, and $1000's of dollars worth of equipment. The truth is if the kid with the new entry prosumer DSLR, has a better creative eye, and vision, he may in a very short time, put the ole pro with all his $1000's of dollars in equipment out to pasture. Doesn't matter how much you spend on gear, it doesn't make for a great photographer.

You want to be a great photographer buy a decent camera, and stick with that camera, and learn it, when that camera becomes an extension of your hand, when you don't even have to think to make it operate, you can just concentrate on the subject in front of you....that's when the magic starts to really happen.

The truth is, if you want to impress me with your photography skills....break out an old full manual Leica, Pentax, Minolta 35mm, set it up, and shoot some film, and come out with some great images. I know I can do it...can you? The truth is compared to today, photography was hard back in the day, but I know because of my skill level I can still take a great image on one of those ole 35mm camera's. So, I know for myself it really doesn't matter what camera I have I can take some decent pictures with it, because I understand the aspect of how a camera really works, and I make it work for me, as a tool not a show, and tell peace to make other pro photographers go ewww and awwww over.

The newer camera's just makes photography easier, but if you have complete confidence in your photography skills, and camera operation.

Any ole camera will do.

Back to Blogging

2010-08-03T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hmm,

Looking at the date from my last blog it's been almost a whole friggen year since I have written a blog. Sometimes I don't even know why I even attempt to even have a blog on my website. I say things to myself, like really who the F*** am I that anyone is really gonna be interested in reading one of my blogs, but then I am out searching the net, and come across some person's dope ass blog who lives in the corner of B.F.W which stands for Bum Fuck Egypt definition the middle of fuggen nowhere.

I read their blog and get a major case of blog envy, and I think...way can't I have a cool, interesting blog like that, so any way here I am again. I use to be a very avid reader of A LOT of blogs, from photographers to comedians to just random nobodies who are good blogger's, now, not so much. I just don't have the time, to keep up with a lot of blogs. I can't even keep my own updated, so how do I aspect to read, and keep up with others.

Anyway, I guess the most important thing in my life which I have pretty much kept to myself, and kept quite about is something some of you know. I lost my oldest 21yr old son Jan. 7th, 2010. I'm not going to go into details, it's just to painful, but that day will always be so surreal in my mind. I was setting on my couch so excited waiting on the National Championship Football game to come on with my team the Texas Long Horns playing Alabama, the game had just gotten underway, and Texas was off to a very impressive start. I really didn't have much hope of them winning this game, but their my team, and I would be rooting my ass off, jumping up and down screaming at the TV.......then came the dreaded phone call that turned my world totally upside down.....forever. It's a weird thing, a life changing experience like that, losing one of your kids, is just something incompressible. It's just something that can't really be explained to you in words, so I won't try. What it does to your life, can't be explained so I won't try. What I will say is that it's like one of those snow globes that you pick up and shake, and then watch all the snow settle back down. Well, that's your life shaken up...things that were so important to you yesterday...paying bills on time, your job, your life in general everything just kinda loses that luster especially the good.

Life can be challenging enough as is it...how many of us are stressed about our lives in general, add in the death of one of your kids, and it's just overkill, so in short I will say. I kinda was off kilter, I guess maybe I still am, I just deal with it, you know, and the longer time passes the better I deal, but it never goes away, and it never really gets easier, it just gets easier to deal. So, that January day my passion, my drive for a lot of things died with my son. My creative side went totally dormant, into hibernation. I was actually beginning to think it would never come back. Being a self employed freelance photographer with no motivation, and no creative drive. Well, you might has well forget about it. So, a lot of shit fell apart. I lost my secondary job, I lost my luxury photography studio, and live/work loft. I lost a lot of things, but none of them really compared in general to losing my son.

It's like I didn't even really care. They say time heals all wounds, and I use to be a very strong believer in that saying. Now, not so much. I have a wound embedded in my soul, that I know is there for the rest of my life, and I have to deal with that. Anyway, I've gotten off track, but the moral of this story is I had stopped my photography...everything, all the marketing I had done, all the time setting in front of a computer screen networking, all the time spent came to a screeching halt. I actually thought about just selling off everything, and giving it up entirely. I decided against that, and decided to give myself some time, to see if I could get it back *IT* what ever it was. My drive, my creative nature that's embedded in my soul, it just seemed to have died when my son died. It's been eight months since Patrick passed away, and even though the thought of losing him never leaves my mind a second. My mojo is starting to come back. On top of losing Patrick, add in being in a complicated relationship with a women I now refer to ass the Devil, and I had some major obstacles to overcome, but I'm getting there, getting my swag back, trying to heal myself, and in doing that I am starting to get my motivation back, wanting to line up and book shoots, which a couple months ago to me sounded like trying to climb Mnt. Everest.

I never really let anyone know I wasn't shooting, I just didn't book anything. If someone asked about a shoot, I would just give an excuse of why I couldn't do it. I honestly just didn't have it in me. I just kinda let everything I had built up fall to peaces around me, and putting all those peaces back together was just something I didn't have the energy for. I am back, back in the saddle. I did my first shoot, and head shots which is posted on my fb fan page, and they came pretty good, so now I am actively booking again, and looking forward to really getting some new rocking shoots under my belt. I've been doing this for a minute, so once I was able to flip the switch to on again, it's just kinda like I never missed a beat. There are always people wanting to work with me, if I am available. So, I have already lined up 4 shoots in the next couple weeks. I really am excited to feel that excitement returning about my work, and my passion which is the Art of Photography. I'm really looking forward to the shoots. I know it's what Patrick would want. He wouldn't want me to stop doing what I love, because of him, so for me to quit and give up because of losing him, it would almost be dishonoring his memory. So, I am back at it...I've moved into a new LOT bigger space, but it needs some paint, and a lot of work, but I think it will be a lot better setup then the loft I had once I have it where it needs to be. It's around 2k square foot of open space which is perfect for photography.

Please if you read this blog, acknowledge it and let me know on my fb page, or something. It pretty much feels like you're writing something that no one is gonna read, you never really know if anyone reads it, so you think, hmm, why waste time to write it...no one is gonna read it anyway. So, if you do read my blog, please subscribe or let me know on my fb fan page. In the mean time I am going to start answering, and talking about photography some in general on this blog, something in the beginning I never intended to do, there are tons, and tons of Photographers on the web that specialise their blog, and websites about photography in general, but I get a LOT of messages from everyday friends, and other budding photographers asking this, or that about photography, so I am going to start putting in my 2cents on some subjects, but this blog will never become just a photography tech blog. I will still post events I attend, to you name it. What ever is on my mind that has peaked my interest that I think maybe you might be interested in.

I have a VERY good friend of mine, and if you read this you know who you are, that had told me to write months ago even before I lost my son. She said she wrote all the time, but never let anyone read it. She just threw it away after writing. I ask her...well, whats the point then, she said it's therapy. It's her therapy, and since I'm on the Freelance Photographer Health Plan I can't really afford really, real therapy so I guess this form will have to do.

I dedicate this blog post in memory of my son Patrick Dwain Holly

March 17, 1988 - January 7, 2010 - FOREVER 21

This is a picture I took of Patrick for his Prom
in 2006. It's my favorite picture of him.

MMAagents Ryan Bennett Golf Tournament

2009-09-10T19:56:00.001-07:00

OK, I have come to the conclusion that I really need to start trying to keep up with this blog. It's just kinda weird because you take the time out of your day to set down here and write stuff out, and you actually have no idea if anyone at all even reads it.

Hopefully someone is, if not oh well, I guess I can chalk it up to self help therapy or something. It's been a really long time since i have blogged, and when I started this blog I didn't actually have much booked as far as photoshoots, or didn't have stuff I thought was worth sharing, but man how that all changed. I have been really busy with shoots. I have done several...just all kinds of cool things going on right now. Just had some new business cards designed and ordered today, then some redesign done on the main page of my website. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think ravholly.com

Since my last blog I was invited out by my old previous boss, and still good friend Ken Pavia, who owns one of the top Mixed Martial Arts Sports Agencies in the country mmaagents.com to the first Annual Ryan Bennett Memorial Golf Tournament. I shot a lot of photos and I have to say this event really touched my heart and many, many props to Ken and his crew for pulling this off. There were over 30 of today's top mixed martial arts stars that showed up for this cause, including Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, Kimo, just to name a few. Yes, the rumors can be put to bed, I saw Kimo, and he is still very much alive, although I can't say the same about his golf game. The whole day was just truly kinda magical in my book...but the end of the day and the lunch event was the most special as there was a special memorial video played of Ryan Bennett, and I ended up setting at the table with Ryan's wife and daughter who is about nine, or ten. The video presentation starts and it's just some news clips, nothing special, but then it actually turns to the news clip from the accident that took Ryan's life.

So, I know this is going to stir some raw emotion in Ryan's wife, so I turn to look at her, and her daughter are dealing with massive amounts of tears. I can watch pretty much anything without even thinking about crying, accept, other people crying...especially women. So, now here I am setting there with a whole room full of professional fighters, doing my damnedest not to start boo-hooing myself. I ended up with some teary eye's and the sniffles, but I was able to pull it off with a fake cough, and then a quick pull myself together bit.

The whole thing though was just one of those special day's of your life, that you know you will remember forever, and one of those day's that truly make you feel blessed to be alive. My only thought is if their is a Heaven up there that Ryan was looking down and got to see what a special day it was in honor of his name and legacy.

Here is a picture of myself from the day with Tito Ortiz, and Randy Couture

Testing...is this thing on?

2009-04-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

OK, SOOO

I have very much realized and come to the conclusion that I truly suck at blogging.

I don't think it is really because I am lazy, but I think, I feel like I need to have something important to write, but that can't really be the case because I have done some things that were important to my career in the last couple weeks and I am just now setting down and blogging about it.

When I decided to start this new blog page my goal was to set down no matter what every Monday morning and do a blog update. Well, I missed a couple Mondays, but I am here signed in to blog at about 11:54 Monday Morning 4-20.....2009.

Yeah, it is 420, so all you stoners blaze it up today. It is your holiday, so enjoy it to the max.

Now, to what I have been working on. I have had a couple really great shoots this month. One for my really good friend Razor Rob McCullough http://www.razorrob.tv/

I've known Razor ever since I moved to California and use to actually be roomies with him and Ken Pavia in Huntington Beach. They let me room have their spare bedroom for a few months until I could get settled in, in California.

So, Rob called me up out of the blue the other morning and said he needed some images for one of his major sponsors. I said sure no problem dude, I'm on it. I had no idea what sponsor we would be shooting for, but I was stoked to find out the images would be for Famous Stars & Straps.

Shooting for clothing lines is one of my favorite and higher profile clothing lines is icing on the cake when trying to market yourself in the Dog eat Dog world of commercial photography.

I was even more pleasantly surprised when he told me he was filming for a reality show on VH1 and they wanted to film me doing the whole shoot. That is the kind of marketing that kills it.
So, I broke all my lights and equipment down in the studio, packed everything up and headed to the gym and shoot location in Huntington Beach. The shoot location was the Huntington Beach Ultimate Training Center http://hbutc.com/ which is one of the premier Mixed Martial Arts gyms in Southern California.

I've personally been in the gym when Tito, Rampage, Razor, and a whole list of other top mma stars are there training. I arrived at the gym, and had my assistant Dave do the unloading while I did all the set up. Razor wasn't there yet, so we had plenty of time.

I got everything set up and Razor and his girl Lexxi Tyler rolled in with the VH1 film Crew. I met all the shows producers, camera guy's, and got mic'ed up for the show. Everything was being filmed from them driving into the gym to them getting out of the car and walking in, so I had to just roll with that.

I have to admit it was cool to see how everything is broken down and done for the filming of these reality shows. We proceeded with the set up of all the clothing, and then I thought I would have some cue as to when they would start filming me and getting ready to film the shoot. You know like... OK guys lets get ready ACTION!

NOT!

I wasn't even quite completely set up and BAM they just start rolling, so I had that second of panic, but then was like wtf I know they can edit, so I just jumped into my groove, finished tweeking my lighting, and started doing what I do best. Activating the shutter.The entire shoot lasted for a couple hours. I blew out about 300 images, and in all and all it was a total success. We wrapped the shoot.

Razor let me know they were having a party at Beachfront that night that the VH1 crew would be there filming.I already had plans and some where I needed to be that night, but me being an ego maniac I quickly cancelled my plans, wiped my slate and made plans to attend the party.

I went home and got ready and then headed back to HB, arrived about 10pm. I rode my Harley, so I just decided to park it at Razor's house. He lived in downtown Huntington so everything is just right there to walk too. I parked, walked around to the front of the house to see they were filming one of the interview parts, so I just hung outside and waited for them to wrap. Then proceeded into the house and we all rolled out to Beachfront. The place was packed...we had the VIP area back in the corner, and one there I saw Ryan Locco, and Jason Mayhem Miller who is the host on the new number one show on MTV (Bully Beatdown) was already there.

They had a crazy pink fisheye camera that they were taking some crazy images with.

The night was a blast and I had a really good time. I think I rolled into my house about 4am, so I will end this novel by saying. I had fun

2009-04-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

BLOGGER WORLD!

OK, so, I am not sure really where to begin. I started a blog a few years ago for a Land Rover site I own that was moderately popular at the time, and I soon realized I was WAY to lazy, my spelling, and sentence structure, just wasn't good enough for me to keep an updated blog.

but here I am again......I have a feeling about 99% of you reading this opening blog statement has no idea who the hell, or what Rav Holly is, and that is ok. Maybe through this blog I can change that. That is my goal anyway.

In a nutshell I am a photographer, and a huge mixed martial arts fan. An industry insider to a very moderate level. I do hang out with people in the know.

I will be honest because me writing a blog is a dangerous thing in itself, because I often just say what's on my mind with out thinking and that can offend a lot of people, or put a lot of people off. So, if I offend anyone it is not my intention. I just write as I think, and I think I can type faster than I can think.

So, the topic of this initial post is regarding the Vblog that UFC President Dana White posted that is all the buzz in the MMA world. I was out at a sports bar last night, and ESPN is on and I notice the bottom ticker says something about UFC President Dana White on Tirade in video blog.

So, when I got home I did some googeling to see what all he fuss was about, and I realized it was in reference to a article I had read a couple days before written by Sherdog Columnist Loretta Hunt. Loretta has gotten a lot of publicity the last couple years, billing herself as the *First women MMA sports writer. Never actually met her, been in the same room with her, but that is about as far as that goes.

If you want to read the article here is a direct link to it on Sherdog. Click Here

I read the entire article a couple days ago, and remember thinking...wow, I wonder what Dana White is going to have to say about this. From watching a lot of Dana's Vblogs, and knowing how outspoken Dana is. I knew he might really have something to say about this. Boy was I right...here is Dana Whites video blog in response to her article.

Dana, take's a lot of flack, and there is a lot of people who disprove, and talk about how unprofessional he carries himself, and his over use of profanity in the public eye. So, what is my take on this whole firestorm? Well, first of all Ken Pavia, who is mentioned in the article is a VERY good friend of mine, and actually my former employer. My Old Boss Man...his company MMAagents.com actually paid to move me from Texas, to California a couple years ago, and offered me a job after we met through a mutual girl---friend, on myspace. In a nutsell, that is how, and why I came to California in the first place from Dallas. I had an almost 20yr marraige ending, and I needed a new start. Ken could see that, and I had some knowledge, and talent he could use to help take his company to the next level. So, I moved out here and went to work for him. I have been to many events, and I know exactly how it all pretty much works. I can tell you this....Ken, always has a few key people, one, or two key employ's he takes to almost every state side event.

I use to be one of those employees, and I know just how expensive it is for an Agent manager to make these events. Lets just take one in Vegas for example. You have the hotel room, you need to book close to the venue. Meals, and other added expenses, than on top of that because Zuffa is so guarded on media creditials you could have to purchase two or three tickets to get yourself in with your support staff.

Ken, took us to the events as a treat for our efforts, and the hard work we put in getting the sponsors for fighters, doing the promoting, and marketing, to get sponsorships for the fighters. Media Packs, Pictures for the sponsors. There is a LOT of coordinating, and getting all your ducks in a row for an event. Like anything else in life things don't always go according to plan. I know one time for a WEC event the screen printer flaked, or didn't meet our deadline, and we were in Vegas with no shorts, and shirt for one of our fighters. The fighters make as much, or more money sometimes off the sponsors listed on their shorts and shirts as they actually make in purse for the fight. Can you imagine if you had to send a fighter into the cage without his key sponsor gear, which is all added money for his pay day. Money for his sacrifice for the two months he literally puts his life on hold and lives in a gym everyday to get in shape for a fight.

Ken, had a friend that was coming to the event, that owned a private plane. Ken, got a hold of this friend and got him to go by the screen printers to pick up the shirt and shorts and bring it with him to Vegas, because it wasn't done when we had left. So, someone would have had to stay behind and get the items and then try to make a public fight and get the items there on time for the event. Ken's friend picked up the items and brought them to Vegas with him. Ken called me and asked me to run over to his buddies hotel and pick up the items once he had arrived. I was goofing around because I thought my work was all done, so I was just waiting around for the event to start. Once Ken called me I went out got in the rental car and headed out for the hotel on the strip to pick up the items. I'm very familiar with the strip but this guy was staying at the Luxor, or the other part of the Luxor, which I wasn't familiar with at all. Long story short, I could not find exactly where I needed to go, or get to. So, I knew when I left the Hard Rock where we were staying I had plenty of time to get the clothing and be back at the HR give them to the fighter, way before his match, since I wasn't having any luck finding were I needed to be going and then once I did find it could not find parking anywhere close. I look at my watch and I have about 30 minutes to be back before the event starts...and I am just gettin out of the car heading up to the room to pick up the stuff.

I am starting to panic, now...so I go from speed walking to a light jog...through the hotel up to the room, get the stuff haul ass back down to the car, and back to the Hardrock...checking the time every couple minutes. I'm so freaked out I pull into the Hardrock parking lot, park illegally just basically leaving the car. Run, into the hotel, then the venue, which was being held at the Joint in the Hardrock, make my way back to the back where the fightes are...and right before I get there. I get stopped by security. I only have a ticket but no media, or any other pass. So, I am trying to explain to the security I have the clothes for one of our fighters.....he didn't care, so now I am on my phone trying to call Razor Rob who is one of the corner guys for our fighter to come out and get the items. Razor is helping the fighter warm up, so he doesn't hear the phone...finally out of luck another fighter corner man see's me as he is walking in and tells the security gaurd I am with him, and I get in and the fighter gets his sponsor shorts and shirt.

I know some would say we should have had the shirts and shorts done way before we left for Vegas, but the truth is you hold off until the last minute trying to get every fighter every sponsor you possibly can, so they make as much money off the fight as they possibly can. Once you lock it down, then you are at the mercy of the screen printers who are printing and putting all the sponsor logos on the shirt and shorts to keep his word on time frame. Sometimes things just go wrong.

So, with what Dana said in the video about having all the work done, and just buying his own ticket and setting in the stands and watching the fight is understandable and probably true, but things are totally different now, then from when he was managing Tito and Chuck.

There is and still can be a lot of work and preparation being done by a fighters management behind the scenes right up until an event, and it can make it really hard for a fighters management to do their job when they don't have the right creditials to move around the venue, and have access to their fighter in the back.

With all that being said I totally understand Dana's side of the coin too. The back of a lot of venues are very limited to space, and it seems you get every Tom, Dick and Harry wanting to have a backstage VIP pass...which is basically what it boils down too. Same as a rock concert...if you have access to the back, then wow, you really think you are somebody. I actually use despise Dana some what because of the whole Tito feud, but I see both perspectives, but I still did not really like Dana White until he started doing his Video Blogs on Youtube. I gained a lot of respect for watching his day to day routine and honesty on his Vblogs.

Word on the street is he will do one more vblog and pull the plug. I hope not, I really enjoyed watching them. I do think he needs to take a chill pill, and calm down when it comes to running the business and probably being the most powerful person in the MMA World today, I think sometimes he lets the power go to his head.

Dana is very into loyalty, and I myself am too, but if someone, fighter, teeshirt company, or anyone crosses him, he gets all up on his blackball horse to burn them down. This is how he conducts business...whether it is a fighter like Tito Ortiz who speaks out against him, a clothing company like Affliction that pisses him off, so he bans their entire brand from every Zuffa LLC event. Are you kidding me?...That would be like the NFL saying...we are now only supporting Nike. Reebok is never allowed back into any of our venue's and none of our players under contract are ever allowed to wear Reebok again while playing at any event in the NFL. I mean really? We all really want to take MMA to the next level, and it is actually really almost getting there, but what head of a major sports organization does that?

Ending this novel I will say this on behalf of my friend Ken Pavia, an Athlete needs his agent/manager...and that agent/manager should have total access at all times to his client, especially at a venue. To not give a manager/agent credititals is shady, wrong and makes me go hmmmm, .

If the speculation is right that Dana White, and Zuffa are out to try to monopolize their promotion, cut out all the middle men....getting the sponsorships for all the fighters themselves and pushing agents/managers out....that is a very scrary thing. Especially for the fighters.

Some fighters have college degrees and great business sense. I would say they are a minority. For most fighters who just want to fight and have an agent deal with the business side of their pay day it is crucial for them to have someone on their behalf looking out for their behalf so they don't get ripped off and taken avantage of. It is worth the percentage they give a agent to make sure they make as much money as they possible can, and they can just concentrate on getting in shape and the fight.