SPORKETTE GAZETTE
http://www.sporkettegazette.com/
January 2, 2010 – Volume 5, Issue 1
Patricia Spork (aka Sporkette), Publisher
Contact Sporkette!
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IN THIS ISSUE
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Ramblings
Alina Oswald (Photographer) Interview
Valentine Writing Contest
Share! Giveaway! Freely Distribute!
End Ramblings
Notice
Copyright Information
Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
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Ramblings
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Happy New Year, Ya’ll!
To let you know, this issue was to have been published as the last issue in 2009, but I got distracted throughout the holiday season, so now it’s the first issue for 2010. Sporkette Hatchette is not in this issue. May not appear again; then again, it may.
Imagine a few of you woke with hangovers yesterday morning. Awww…too bad! <snicker, snicker> Not me, for I woke with indigestion from gobbling down too much yummy food at the church Chili Cook-off. Daughter and grandkids were with us. We brought the New Year in together. Real blessing! Oh yah!
So, you fools make resolutions you won’t be keeping this year? I did, main one being to clean my office, which may take until next year to do. If you saw my office, you’d understand why such a chore. LOL!
Anyhoo, “Soldier” – my wild turkey short story – formatted into an e-book available for members only at PS site. Also added to the site is my first blog theme design, “Winter Storm” – a free download.
Let’s see…wrote a poem (“Nine Years“) and created funky artwork (“SoulMusic“), then published them at Sporkette. And I added Thanksgiving and Christmas pages to Digital Frolic.
I decided not to use Resell Ebooks Buzz just for health and self-improvement digital products. I’ll let you know what I do with that site, if ever I make time to work on it. And I’m still planning on using eBookMouse for plant and animal e-books and graphics…one of these days.
Three Western saddles – one, a child’s saddle – added to Sorrel Sunflower. Although made in Mexico, they are decent leather saddles for those who can’t afford higher-priced saddles. We mainly use these type, ’cause we’re po’ folks. LOL!
SporkBinge – now my Texas musician interview site – is relaunched. Whoo-hoo! Man, I’ve had a blast listening to music tracks! And…met some nice, talented folks! So far, three interviews published and another to be published soon. I’ll try to publish at least one or two interviews there a month.
Well, babbled on long enough. Ya’ll have a great year!
Sporkette
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Alina Oswald (Photographer) Interview
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Alina Oswald
Alina Oswald is a freelance writer and photographer, whom I’ve known for several years. When we first met online in 2002, she was a blossoming writer. Writing endeavors led Alina into the realm of photography. In the last couple of years, Alina has taken many photography courses and advanced in photography skills and equipment. This year, she self-published several photography books, her first being Backbone. Congratulations, Alina!
Being friend to Alina, she has gifted me an assortment of her published works, including photo calendars and photography books. Lucky me! And since I am always supportive of close friends and enjoy promoting their creative works, I requested a “photographer” interview with Alina. She, of course, agreed. :0) Thank you, dear friend!
You may have noticed I’ve interviewed Alina before, about her book, Journeys Through Darkness. I’m hoping that by reading this newest interview, you’ll view Alina Oswald not only as a writer, but also as the professional photographer she is now.
SPORKETTE: What caused you to become a serious photographer?
ALINA OSWALD: Writing articles. In general, editors are more prone to consider article ideas, and also to assign a writing project if they know the related photography is also covered. Not every article may need a photo, but most of them do, especially those covering interviews (especially interviews with celebrities), events, or even book or show reviews. Also, I lost a few writing assignments because the editor couldn’t find a photographer to take the adjacent pictures; therefore, I decided to write the article and take the pictures myself. Yet, to add photography to my writing, I first had to learn how to take (actually photographers ‘make’ don’t ‘take’) good, quality images. Otherwise, the editors would not accept them for publication.
SPORKETTE: What type of photography equipment do you use?
ALINA OSWALD: I’m a Nikon™ shooter. For lighting, I use available light (when… well, available), and also strobes for studio photography. I also like to paint with light – I use a variety of flashlights, iPhone ™ applications, etc. (after all, ‘photography’ means ‘painting with light’ or ‘writing with light.’)
SPORKETTE: What is your favorite photography ‘tool’ and why?
ALINA OSWALD: I actually have two favorites. I love using my 70-200mm lens. It’s heavy and pricey, but this low-light lens is truly awesome. Wonderful for portraits! In my opinion…totally worth carrying to photo assignments. Also, a fun ‘tool’ to use is the Lensbaby Composer®. Personally, I love it because it allows me to add special effects to the image. I’m not sure if the effects can be created in Photoshop™. (Experts say ‘No.’) If possible to recreate…the task would cost a photographer lots of hours in front of the computer and not behind the camera, shooting.
SPORKETTE: Do you prefer color or B&W photography, and why?
ALINA OSWALD: It depends on the mood, subject, and others. Color can give a vivid, more…alive tone to the image. B&W or sepia offer more of a sombre character to the image. Lately, I’ve been into B&W and sepia, while working on a series of self-portraits…still a work-in-progress.
SPORKETTE: Why did you choose Backbone as the title for your first photography book?
ALINA OSWALD: The book is a second incarnation of my solo show from 2008. I initially wanted to call the show ‘Chasing Rainbows‘–first, because the rainbow flag is the flag of the LGBT community and my show celebrated the courage of its unsung heroes; second, because I actually do chase rainbows, with my camera. I love rainbows because of what they represent–hope–and the glimpse of the universe surrounding us that they offer. Yet, I didn’t have any good enough rainbow pictures to use as feature image for cards and, therefore, for the book cover. So, while browsing through literally hundreds of pictures I had, I stumbled upon ‘Backbone.’ I thought it was just perfect for the show, a symbol of the core (the spine) of any community, really, representing individuals whose names may not be recognized, yet whose dedication and strength surpass any obstacles.
In the case of LGBT and AIDS, I’ve covered the two communities in writing and photography for almost a decade now (it’s sometimes hard to believe). During this time I’ve discovered wonderful people who’ve accepted me, and allowed me to hear their voices and also make my voice heard. Like in any community, it is because of these unsung heroes that the community flourishes. Backbone is for them, because they represent the… well, ‘backbone‘ that supports us all.
SPORKETTE: What prompted you to implement a wood cross necklace draped down the spine tattoo gracing a human spine for your ‘Backbone‘ photograph, which is the cover image for your book, Backbone, and what is the cross’ significance?
ALINA OSWALD: Actually, I tried to shoot for two topics during the same photo shoot: for ‘Backbone,’ and also for a photography group I’ve belonged to for some time now. The topic for the group was ‘Solitude‘. I was aware of the model’s spine tattoo (I once saw the tip of it coming out of his t-shirt) and wanted to photograph it. I told him to bring a cross because of the idea of integrating a cross in my Solitude assignment, since people usually pray and meditate in solitude. Yet, at the beginning of the photo shoot, I didn’t really know what to do with the model, the cross and Solitude. That was until the model starting slapping his back (slightly, playfully) with the cross at the rhythm of ‘We Will Rock You.’ I just happened to notice the image possibility and told the model to stay put. I hopped on a chair (he was on the floor) and took the picture of his back. Only later that day I had the time to start to grasp the details in the image (like the wood cross aligned with the tattoo).
SPORKETTE: Why did you choose to self-publish Backbone?
ALINA OSWALD: I chose to self-publish because I just wanted a few copies of the book for those who’ve modeled for me, those who’ve been supportive of my work, and also those who couldn’t make it to the show. Self-publishing is pretty fast compared to traditional publishing. Also, the book is only a small ‘extra’ to the photographs in the show, nothing else.
SPORKETTE: Of the over 30 photographs in the Backbone book, which was the most difficult to create…and why?
ALINA OSWALD: There are a few of them, actually: ‘Fashion Statement‘ (the Speedo™ rainbow) took quite some time to create, because I had to shoot quite a lot of ‘Speedos,’ and then to choose the right ones for the rainbow and, finally, to make the rainbow image in Photoshop™. ‘Backbone in B&W‘ is one of my first images in which I experimented with painting with light (I took the picture in total darkness, in a very tight and tiny dark room, by painting with a tiny flashlight).
I think my favorite is ‘The Awakening,’ which is also an example of literally painting with light in total darkness. The image almost didn’t happen. The photo shoot was a test shoot, one that allowed me to experiment and try out new things. Looking through the images, my first impression was that I didn’t have any one worth using. Then I converted two of the images in B&W and made the composite that’s now ‘The Awakening‘. I think the title is perfect, capturing the essence of the book with the same name containing a collection of my older poems and newer pictures.
SPORKETTE: What is your favorite subject to photograph, and why?
ALINA OSWALD: Again, it depends of the mood, and includes sunrises and sunsets, light paintings, and also fantastic individuals, not necessarily in fabulous outfits.
SPORKETTE: You recently self-published The Awakening and The Best of MJ – both, photography books – so, in your opinion, what do they reveal about you as a photographer?
ALINA OSWALD: I think the two books reveal the two sides of my work, thus far. The Awakening is more sombre, with sombre tones of B&W and sepia, with poetry to match those tones (or the other way around). The Best of MJ is about gorgeous, fantastic and fabulous individuals; it’s about color (but not only), male beauty and fabulous outfits; it’s about fashion and fashion statements. I loved putting together this collection. I’m thinking of making a calendar of fantastic and fabulous guys. Anybody interested?
Talking about fantastic and fabulous people, I have to give many thanks to my wonderful model, MJ. The guy is a godsend to a photographer. I captured only a small sample of his outfits in The Best of MJ.
SPORKETTE: As a photographer, what do you want your over-all body of works to express to others, now and in the future?
ALINA OSWALD: Reality. As a journalist and photojournalist, I have to capture reality at its core. Many times reality morphs into works of art. I believe that any art form should reflect at least a version of reality, but reality nonetheless; hopefully, without sugar coating or ‘happy bubbles‘ that isolate us from the wide and wild world outside.
Although it may be easier to live in a happy bubble, we cannot escape reality because life is real, as is our mortality. And while we may be able to escape life, we can’t escape our mortality. Therefore, we do have to deal with reality, to understand it and make the best of it. We can do that by learning about the lives of those who’ve come before us. One way to do that is through the artifacts they’ve left behind. If we fake reality in our artwork, then the generations to come will have an askew perspective of our lives, of what defines us as human beings, living in this day and age.
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Alina Oswald Alina Oswald is a freelance writer and photographer living in New York City area. Her latest books include Journeys Through Darkness, a biography, and two photography books: The Awakening and “The Best of MJ. To contact her, please visit Alina’s site.
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Valentine Writing Contest
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To enter the Valentine Writing Contest, write 100 words about why Sporkette can’t be your Valentine. My grandkids (teenagers, unaware they are to be the judges) will vote on what they think is the most creative and interesting reason why you don’t want me for your Valentine. Oh, they should enjoy this! LOL!
Submission Guidelines:
Word Count: 100 (max.), includes title.
Format: Black, Times New Roman 12 pt., Plain Text Only, Single Space, No Indents.
Include: Short bio and relevant URLs.
Deadline: Midnight – January 31, 2010.
Prize: Let’s see…what should the winner get as a prize? Me? Hahahahh. No, not cool. Hmm, okay, I think I’ll be sweet and pay $5.00 to the winner. Maybe the winner will use the dough to buy a Valentine card for a special, special someone, like…me. Heehee.
Enter this contest by embedding your work in the body of an email with Subject Heading “Valentine Sporkette” and send to sporkettegazette-AT-sporkettegazette.com.
Response Time: 24-72 hours, or longer depending on circumstances.
By submitting any work to enter this contest, you assure that you are the original creator of the work and grant Patricia Spork (aka Sporkette) the right to publish the work (unedited) and your name in the next online issue of Sporkette Gazette (www.sporkettegazette.com). You will be notified if you are the contest winner, prior to publication. You also grant Patricia Spork One-Time Electronic Serial Publication Rights – Internet Use Only and Online Archive Rights.
Contest winner announced in next issue of Sporkette Gazette (expected publication date of 2/5/10, but could be sooner; then again, could be later.)
To help inspire you, five reasons why Sporkette should be your Valentine:
- She’s filled with love (for herself).
- She bakes great cakes (just ask the grandkids sputtering out dry crumbs).
- She’ll wear your heart (gold or silver).
- She writes poetry (no romantic inklings).
- She shares her chocolates (if you can find them).
Okay, Lil’ Valentines, did that help? Hope so. I guess I’ll find out by next month. So should you! Haha!
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Share! Giveaway! Freely Distribute!
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The e-books available as free downloads further below are by other authors. I don’t endorse the authors or their e-books, or any content within the e-books. All of the e-books are free to give away, so I do because I like sharing free stuff with others. To be honest, some of the e-books, I don’t fully read, either because the subject matter does not interest me or because I get turned off by the excessive advertising blatantly displayed in some of them. But that’s me, hard to please. LOL!
Anyway, you might find one or more of the e-books to your liking (advertisements or not), as I have done by scanning through many over time. You will need a ZIP utility program and PDF reader to extract files and read the e-books. Click on the titles below to download the zipped e-book folders to your computer.
Christmas Coloring for Children (Yes, this e-book should have been made available last month, but hey, coloring is a good activity for any time of the year.)
How to Successfully Organize Your Home
Starting Your Internet Business Right
Super Affiliate Marketing Secrets
Any inquiries or download problems, contact me.
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End Ramblings
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2010
New Year Sphere
Sun shines
- a chandelier -
cupping world…
our sphere’s brassier.
Little trinkets, souvenirs –
we are great imagineers;
so persevering, we appeared,
seeing last year disappear.
We meet New Year as summiteers,
climbing heights, for hopes premier;
and though our course, at times may veer,
our thoughts are true…our paths sincere.
~Sporkette
(aka Patricia Spork)
P.S. “Summiteer” – to me, someone who climbs to highest peaks.
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NOTICE:
Sporkette Gazette is published by Patricia Spork (aka Sporkette) at www.sporkettegazette.com.
READ: Terms, Policy and Disclaimer on this site (www.sporkettegazette.com).
I hope to heck all content in this Online Newsletter is legal and not too defamatory or libelous and that I’m not infringing on anyone’s rights. I’m willing to be held accountable for any wrongdoing, but please know, everything published in this newsletter is done so in good faith and with as much integrity as is possible for a southern hick that doesn’t have much knowledge about law.
January 2009 – Patricia Spork
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Copyright Information
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Sporkette Gazette is copyright of Patricia Spork. Some content may be copyright of other respective authors. Copying any portion and publishing any of the content elsewhere is not permitted without express written permission from Patricia Spork or any respective authors.
If you would like to share any portion of Sporkette Gazette with a friend or family member, please do so by sending someone the URL for this issue. Thank you.
Sporkette Gazette Copyright 2003-2010 Patricia Spork,
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
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