• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Shop
Menu

Nick Tauro Jr.

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Shop

2019:52 (Turning A Page)

December 28, 2019

At the beginning of 2019, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish in the coming year. Most folks make resolutions, but I realized that that was too firm of a demand on my own accountability. The word “goals” was much more palatable for me, and though some goals went unrealized, I was able to reach a few on my list. One of my goals is being fully realized with the writing of this specific post. 

I wanted to post to my blog, once a week, every week, for the entire year. I do see the degree of absurdity in maintaining a blog of any sort in the last year of this crazy decade. I cut my internet teeth in decades past, and was consumed by the great blogging crazy of the mid-aughts. But as the years flew by, and I began to take my photographic work more seriously (which included creating this website about five years ago) I realized the value of having a repository for my thoughts here, as opposed to succumbing completely to the whims of the social media platforms I detest but can’t seem to ignore or abandon completely.

Speaking of social media… I keep coming close to deleting my Facebook account, but I realize that it is the only way I stay connected with a certain number of important people in my life. I also admit that I would not be as culturally, politically, or social aware of broad trends if I was not on the privacy and soul sucking entity that is Facebook. However, with the demise of the Latent Image Collective, I had one less excuse to jump on the platform. Still, out of boredom, mostly, I still find myself scrolling through the virtual lives of people that I only virtually know, peppering my feed with “likes” or “loves.” I don’t know what the value is, really. I convince myself that it is a necessary evil, and that I need to be on Facebook in order to bring my creative work to as wide an audience as possible, including those rare but appreciated folks who opened their wallets to financial support my books and exhibits this past year. But I still drift away and back again, and I suspect that at some point I may take the drastic step of having my wife change my password so I can’t log in every freaking day. I also continue to wrestle with Instagram, but somehow rationalize it’s use because it is a photo-based platform. But the chasing of ‘likes” gets so tiring after a while, and I need to be able to see the value in my own work without the need of constant, external validation, most of which means nothing more than catching the eye of a few dozen scrollers. Resolution of this issue is TBD.

One of the benefits of a weekly posting on my blog has been that I can remember where my brain was at different points in the year. It was a nice exercise in pondering my work, my interests, my travel, my book purchases, my book publishing, my exhibitions, my health, my successes, my failures, my moments of joy, my moments of pain and sadness. There’s been plenty of all of it. Such is life. It also gives me a sense of achievement to know I was able to keep up this challenge for a full year… though some weeks were a struggle to come up with something relevant to share. Other weeks I felt like I was sharing too much of myself, but I wanted to take this exercise seriously. And I wanted to be honest, truthful, earnest when I posted. I fear the world lacks this kind of revealing of one’s real thoughts and feelings. The perfectly curated life on social media is damaging to our collective psyche, and I hope that some of ramblings here have shown someone (anyone) else that it’s ok to share your thoughts in this manner. Which leads me to yet another question. Who actually reads these posts of mine? I do see that there has been an uptick in traffic to my website via this blog, but I have no idea who you are, what you think, or even why you came to this site to begin with. I am grateful for any attention given to my photos and my words, but this exercise is still a selfish one, and I think regardless of who sets their eyes on it, I must continue to try to find a way to express myself. This blog will most likely continue into 2020… I’m not sure if it will be weekly, I’m not sure if it will be a quasi-diary, or what else it might entail.

I am happy to have had the opportunity to show my photos in several exhibitions this year. I am especially proud of sharing the walls at UNM with my four compatriots from the Tuesday Night Photobook Nerds hangout that happens every week at the High and Dry Brewery. The friendship and support I get from these gatherings have sustained me through some rocky moments over the past twelve months. I was also very proud of the “River, Ocean, Sea” exhibition that I shared with Fabio and Hean Kuan in the late summer here in Albuquerque. It was a fitting swansong for my time in the Latent Image Collective, and it was a true manifestation of the collaborative spirit that brought the group together in the first place. Lastly, my year was bookended by having my photos shown in Naples, Italy, at the Magazzini Fotografici. It was a dream of mine to have my work shown internationally, and it was so satisfying to have that dream realized.

The year is ending, and so is the decade. There has been so much tumult in the world, I can only hope that sanity and love can overcome the wave after wave of pain, hatred, war, division and death that seems to be in abundance lately. I am also aware that the world will continue on its path regardless of my input or concern, but that will not prevent me from trying to bring goodness, joy, love and art into it. I’ve embraced the existential aspects of my personality with gusto this year. I’ve experienced moments of transcendence, and also moments of extreme darkness. But I also learned lessons that will carry me forward, to enlighten my path, and to inspire me to keep creating. While I breathe, there is hope. 

Thank you for spending time with me here over the past twelve months.

 

 

In thoughts Tags thoughts, 2020, 2019, reflections, words
2 Comments
Syracusa_Friends.jpg

2019: 51 (Thank You)

December 21, 2019

Things are winding down, and the holidays are upon us. I am nearing the end of one full year of weekly blog posting, and realize that next week will be the big wrap up for the year (and the decade.) In the meantime, in no particular order, I’d like to thank a bunch of people, places and things that had a positive influence on my life and my work over the past twelve months.

Thank you Jesse. Thank you to my family. Thank you Tuesday Night Photobook Nerds: Justin, Brian, Dan, Roberto and Tyler. Thank you (and r.i.p.) Latent Image Collective: Karen, Fabio, Francesco, JM, Jeff, Connie, Shelly, Jola, Negar, Hean Kuan and Eden. Thank you Kent. Thank you Clarke. Thank you Magazzini Fotografici: Yvonne, Roberta, Valeria, and Rosella. Thank you Mauro. Thank you UNMH. Thank you Dr. Nir. Thank you Tom. Thank you Deborah. Thank you Fluoxotine. Thank you Lisinopril. Thank you CBD oil. Thank you Kristina. Thank you Luz. Thank you Adriene. Thank you pilates and yoga. Thank you YouTube. Thank you RK Venture: Richard, Dianne, Rachel, Becky, Mario, Mario, Lee, Nichole and Pablo. Thank you The Infirmary: Katy, Emily, Jill, Jenae, Hayden, Robb and Charles. Thank you Santa Fe Improv: Kita, Scott, Kirste, Rachel, Eric, John, Katrina, David, Pamela, Grace, Patrick, Adam, Evan, Michael, Brian, Benjamin and Gabe. Thank you Lindsay. Thank you Sean. Thank you Akash. Thank you Alice. Thank you Jeff. Thank you Cliff. Thank you Andy. Thank you Alan and Larry. Thank you Andrew and Stephanie. Thank you Yosh and Rebecca. Thank you Luciano. Thank you Gerhardt. Thank you Rocky. Thank you George. Thank you Matt. Thank you Sean. Thank you Dan. Thank you David. Thank you David and Nikelle. Thank you Phil.  Thank you A Small Voice. Thank you WTF. Thank you This American Life. Thank you A Candid Frame. Thank you Anthropocene Reviewed. Thank you B&H Photography podcast. Thank you Nick Cave. Thank you Big Thief. Thank you Netflix. Thank you Great British Baking Show. Thank you Silicon Valley. Thank you John Oliver. Thank you Magcloud. Thank you Adobe Lightroom. Thank you Spotify. Thank you Sirius XMU. Thank you Fellini. Thank you Japan. Thank you Kodak, Ilford and Fujifilm. Thank you Canon, Ricoh and Leica. Thank you Olympus Pen EE-S. Thank you Apple. Thank you Upslope Brewing. Thank you Dogfish Head. Thank you Marble Double White. Thank you rye, sake and eau de vie. Thank you Ruthie’s Bagels, and Zabar’s. Thank you pizza. Thank you Taco Tuesday. Thank you Roto Rooter. Thank you Just Sprinklers. Thank you Lyft. Thank you struffoli. Thank you Mary and Tito’s, Duran’s, Garcia’s, Farina, Thai 2, Golden Pride, Twisters, Jersey Mike’s, Ta Lin, Cafe Da Lat, Naruto Ramen, Freestyle Photo, Picture Perfect, Whole Foods, Jubilations, High and Dry, Humble Coffee. Goodbye Robert and Bob.

In thoughts Tags thank you, thoughts, 2019
Comment
IMG_5485.JPG

2019: 49 (Observations)

December 7, 2019

I don’t know why, but it took me far too long to realize we are coming to the end of a decade. Ten years seems to have gone by so fast, as it does when you get older. Maybe when you’re younger, too? Once you slip from the bonds of the regimented seasonal / annual scheduling that school provides, and the ‘real world’ in all its shapes and forms throws you onto a treadmill… days, weeks, years seem to go by at a more rapid clip.

We’re at that time of year to reflect upon what has come, where we are, where we want to go. I’ve been dancing around these thoughts more deeply lately… I guess my existentialism is growing, fully developing into my modus operandi. I’ve been working on being present, feeling the here and now. The past is gone, the future is the future, all we have is now. All we ever have is now. Which feels at odds with my life as a photographer. I seize moments with our cameras, but what do they become? Tangible manifestations of past moments, memories caught in proverbial amber (or pixels, or grains of silver halide.) We gaze at our pasts through photos, equally as much as we do with actual memories. And what about the future? We plan, we prepare, we gird ourselves for an unknowable future, for me, with a camera in my hand. I plan trips to come. Locations to shoot. Projects to undertake and complete. Or not. Books to create. Photos to post. Website to update. Dreams to dream. Fantasies to entertain. Scenarios to imagine. Fears to avoid. Or face. Anxiety to dive deep into. Joys to find. Love to give, and to receive. What a mix we make in our minds. What a stew simmering in my own mind.

I know that over the next few weeks, when the holidays kick into overdrive, my melancholy will most likely shift to a more peaceful, middle ground, (a neutral gray) punctuated by moments of joy, of laughter. I know this to be true because even in my darkest moments, these gifts have somehow always arrived. Small bottles of hope that somehow wash up on the shore. This is a natural time of reflection, of course. A double whammy this year as we bid the “Teens” their farewell. 2020 is coming. The metaphor of perfect vision that looms on the horizon. What will I focus on? What will you? For me, this: It is today. It is now.

In thoughts Tags existentialism, late autumn, winter, 2019, 2020, observations, film photography
View fullsize Justin.jpg
View fullsize Fuji690.jpg
View fullsize NathanLyons.jpg
View fullsize LeeFriedlander.jpg

2019: 14 (Inspiration)

April 6, 2019

Busy week for me photographically. The sales of my latest self-publishing projects are going well. I made a vow that any money brought in BY my photography can only be spent on things FOR my photography. With the income from book sales, as well and a photo shoot I recently completed for a local musician (more about that project will emerge sometime soon) I was able to purchase some tools and treats.

The behemoth film camera above, affectionately known as a “Texas Leica” now has a place in my arsenal. The Fuji 6x9 will be my non-digital toy for the foreseeable future. I am using it to shoot 35mm panoramic, and my early tests look promising.I’ll share some scans soon.

I also bought a couple of photo books. Nathan Lyons has been a huge influence on me, ever since I saw work from his groundbreaking book “Notations in Passing” when I was back in college. Lyons died in 2016, and recently was the focus of a retrospective exhibit at the George Eastman House. The catalog from the show is the book titled “In Pursuit of Magic” and is a recent addition to my personal library. I plan on studying this work deeply and thoroughly.

Lee Friedlander’s “The American Monument” is another book I have coveted for some time. Originally released in 1976, it has been out of print for decades, and either ridiculously expensive or downright impossible to find. Until now. A recent re-issue made my wish for a copy finally come true. And what a beautiful piece it is. A huge (nearly 11” x 17”) format, with each page printed on one side. The book is flat bound with side grommets. The image reproduction is absolutely beautiful. This is one of 2000 printed, and I will treasure it for years to come.

Finally, a tip of the hat to my photographic compatriot Justin Thor Simenson. We have been mutually supporting each other’s work for some time now. I was recently presented with a very exclusive edition of his “El Burque” zines, compiled and bound in an 8.5 x 11” magazine format. The work is great, and the presentation in this format really befits the long term nature of his series. Justin has a Patreon page, which you should consider supporting. It’s how I received this exclusive magazine, and the guy is so prolific, you’ll be excited to be receiving new work from him on a frequent basis.

In thoughts Tags 2019, thoughts, books, lee friedlander, nathan lyons
Comment
1HudsonCounty_NJ_1990.jpg

2019: 8 (Scanning Through The Past)

February 23, 2019

Digitizing my old contact sheets is like taking a walk through a life I don’t even recognize anymore. At the same time, deep down in the recesses of my mind I can remember being in those exact places, taking those exact photos.

2HudsonCounty_NJ_1990.jpg

What are we losing when we only shooting digital photographs? What will be left behind when that hard drive with our entire library of photos finally kicks the bucket? What happens when your phone breaks (or is stolen) and you never thought to back it up? What happens when that file format is no longer recognized by your desktop device 10 years from now?

3HudsonCounty_NJ_1990.jpg

I can honestly admit that most of the images I’m seeing on my old contact sheets leave a lot to be desired, but they are evidence of my creative development… for better or worse. And that alone imbues them with some value, probably only to me. It is good to be reminded where I’ve come from, and how far I’ve progressed.

To that end, the self-publishing bug that has bit me over the past few years has brought some sense of permanence to the fleeting stream of digital images I’ve been creating. And I hope I’ll pull one of my books off a shelf in ten or twenty years from now and see how much further I’ve gone.

In film photography, thoughts Tags 2019, thoughts, weekly diary, shoot film, contact sheets
FilmScan_AgfaClack_35mm 1.jpg

2019: 3 (Film)

January 19, 2019

I spent some time this week experimenting with a combination of 35mm film shot inside a few medium format cameras. The Agfa Clack is a 6x9 film camera that is about as low tech as you can get, but still having the benefit of a glass lens. I ran a roll of black and white film through this camera, but the results were below my expectations, even for something I would consider an “experiment.” I also ran a roll of 35mm film through my Russian tank, a Kiev 6C. Have not gotten that roll developed yet, but should be interesting to see the result of a wide angle Jena lens and a 6cm wide frame throwing imagery onto 35mm film.

I’m glad to have a lab in the city that still processes film, a big thanks to Picture Perfect Photo Lab for helping to feed my need for film based photography in 2019. Besides the 35mm / medium format rolls, I also had them process a roll of film I shot in the bosque along the Rio Grande sometime in 2018, a strip of which you can see above. These images will be part of a big project that will be revealed later this year… tease…. tease. Man, I am happy my scanner still works.

IMG_3313 2.jpg
In film photography, thoughts Tags 2019, thoughts, film photography
SayNo.jpg

2019: 2 (Riding For The Feeling)

January 12, 2019

Trying to do one good thing a day to further along my creative practices.

This week included doing a small architectural photo shoot for a friend, which I found surprisingly enjoyable. Put my ultra-wide angle lens to good use.

Trying to bring my recent trip to Naples into tangible focus by working on a layout for my next self-publishing venture. Can’t stop, won’t stop.

On a related note, improv classes up in Santa Fe resumed this week. It’s a joy to play with nothing but thoughts in my head. I know there are correlations between my photography and my improv; I see it in my layouts for sure. I also see the irony of writing about improv (yes, and…) and posting a photo that blatantly speaks the opposite. Such is life, always opposing viewpoints, so often at the same time.

In thoughts Tags thoughts, improvisation, 2019
Grazie, Magazzini Fotografici!

Grazie, Magazzini Fotografici!

Arrivederci, 2018

December 31, 2018

Like most people, I like to take a moment on New Year’s Eve to reflect back upon the year as it comes to an end. This has been a very rewarding year for me creatively, and it feels appropriate that I spend some time sharing my gratitude. Even though the world seems like it’s often teetering towards chaos and confusion, there is still hope for good things to happen, for real connections to be made with other people, for celebrating our commonalities, and for some brazen optimism in the face of doubt and uncertainty.

So, in no order of importance:

Gratitude towards my good friend, David Garcia. We spend an amazing weekend at the Sundance Film Festival, where we hatched the idea of collaborating on a music / photography project, released in the early months of 2018 as The Cabin Sessions.

Gratitude towards all the guys at the Tuesday Night Photo Book Geek Club, spearheaded by my photo compatriot Justin Thor Simenson, whose prolific self-publishing efforts remained a constant inspiration for me.

Grateful for the opportunity to spend time on an extended work assignment in New York City, even though they were dark days for me emotionally, they were productive and rewarding photographically.

Grateful for the Albuquerque chamber music organization Chatter, for allowing me to collaborate on a musical performance by Flutebot at the Albuquerque Museum in August. The resulting zine and projections were a challenging and satisfying experience for me.

Grateful for the three weeks traveling through Italy with my incredible wife, eating and photographing from Rome to Naples, from Puglia to Sicily.

Grateful for the following for sharing my photography with their audiences this year: Edge of Humanity, Click Magazine, Photo/Foto Magazine, Shifter Media, Funzilla Zine Fest, Lux the Zine, and the Photographic Mercadillo.

My deepest, heartfelt thanks to the wonderful ladies at the Magazzini Fotografici in Naples, Italy. They literally made a dream come true for me by presenting my work “Rodeo Nights” as a solo show. I was thrilled to be able to attend the opening, and spend a week in their great city. It was an incredible way to finish off the year.

View fullsize Opening.jpg
View fullsize Opening-2.jpg
View fullsize Opening-3.jpg
View fullsize DSCF0041-2.jpg
View fullsize Opening-4.jpg

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone who has visited this website, purchased a print, book or zine from me, shared words of encouragement, collaborated with me, challenged me creatively, or inspired me through their own work. I am deeply, deeply grateful to all of you.


2019 is already shaping up to be a great one, as I’ve got a couple of long-term projects that will finally see the light of day. I look forwarding to sharing it with all of you. I wish you health, happiness and creativity in the coming year.

In thoughts Tags thoughts, 2018, 2019, thank you