Comments on The Online Photographer: The Worst Photographic Mistake I Ever Made

It is probably just as well that you didn't go. H...

2008-02-02T23:05:00.000-06:00

It is probably just as well that you didn't go. Have you ever seen how many clowns they put into one of those tiny cars? Must be uncomfortable as hell for a cross country trip.

Nice story...and great lesson for the young one li...

2007-04-16T10:29:00.000-05:00

Nice story...and great lesson for the young one like me...

Nice piece of writing Ctein! It's like a "prose-po...

2007-04-14T09:21:00.000-05:00

Nice piece of writing Ctein! It's like a "prose-poem."

Well, if you can't ride it you may as well photogr...

2007-04-13T23:16:00.000-05:00

Well, if you can't ride it you may as well photograph it. ;-)

http://homepage.mac.com/drjohn/Galleries/General/Images/circus-train.jpgx

Dear Jeff,Yup, the same Freff.The idea that there ...

2007-04-13T19:05:00.000-05:00

Dear Jeff,

Yup, the same Freff.

The idea that there might be two freffs in the world is nearly as terrifying as the idea there might be two cteins.

pax / whathisface

Ctein!The day ain't over, so to speak. Trains come...

2007-04-13T18:35:00.000-05:00

Ctein!

The day ain't over, so to speak. Trains come through all the time, I like to think, if we're observant enough to pay attention. Each caravan is unique.

A short anecdote: As a reporter, I once did a story on a local ad agency exec who learned how to fly planes in his midlife crisis. He got good enough for small jets and co-piloted charters on weekends just for fun (and to log hours).

This was in 1979 or so. Some of those weekends were rented by Willie Nelson for gigs in Midwestern cities. One day Willie said he was going to buy a jet and wondered if the exec might want to join the Outlaw band...

p.s. The journalist gig got me on the Goodyear Blimp in Pompano Beach one time. It was cool.

Carpe Diem!!!!Life is uncertain, eat dessert first...

2007-04-13T15:27:00.000-05:00

Carpe Diem!!!!

Life is uncertain, eat dessert first!

Adults do not live in the present; this is why it ...

2007-04-13T12:53:00.000-05:00

Adults do not live in the present; this is why it is so rewarding to spend time around small children, who have no interest in anything but the present. Adults are always either brooding about the past or planning/anticipating/worrying/dreading the future; a good basic measure of mental health is how much more time you spend in the future rather than the past.

It's not surprising that you blew the circus train thing. But a five-year old would have been THERE, man.

much wisdom in this anecdote. worth reflecting up...

2007-04-13T10:08:00.000-05:00

much wisdom in this anecdote. worth reflecting upon. Joel

Reminds me of my own similarly stupid trick many y...

2007-04-13T05:58:00.000-05:00

Reminds me of my own similarly stupid trick many years ago. I was working in a store when a man in a pilot's uniform came in.
During the conversation, I asked who he flew for. He replied "Goodyear".
I, of course replied that I had always wanted to up in the blimp.
He replied that if I came to the airport the next day, he'd be glad to take me for a ride.
I said I had to work.
I've never forgiven myself for that, although I've tried hard to not repeat the mistake.

When you get invited to ride in the clown car, you...

2007-04-12T21:34:00.000-05:00

When you get invited to ride in the clown car, you ride in the clown car!

Great story.

Point taken... but, sorry, all due respect, no pun...

2007-04-12T17:41:00.000-05:00

Point taken... but, sorry, all due respect, no pun intended- I'd do just about anything to avoid being stuck with a bunch of clowns. The very thought makes me wince.

Is this the same Freff that used to write a column...

2007-04-12T17:04:00.000-05:00

Is this the same Freff that used to write a column for (if I remember correctly) Keyboard magazine? I loved those columns. They had nothing specific to do with keyboards and everything to do with creativity.

-- Jeff

Circus clowns?Are they very funny when off duty?

2007-04-12T15:50:00.000-05:00

Circus clowns?
Are they very funny when off duty?

Well, if you think it was a mistake, it's presumpt...

2007-04-12T15:11:00.000-05:00

Well, if you think it was a mistake, it's presumptuous of me to differ. And yet, I will. I think a young professional ought to keep his commitments, as you did, especially when there's no better reason to break your promise than to ride a train with a bunch of guys who would be out of costume, out of makeup, looking like every other collection of weary travelers.

But congratulations. If that's the worst photographic mistake you ever made, you must have led a blessed life.

They'd have just beaten you up, taken your money a...

2007-04-12T14:57:00.000-05:00

They'd have just beaten you up, taken your money and left you by the side of the road. You know how clowns are.

That's what I would prefer to think, anyway, were I in your shoes.

Missed opportunities? Three different times in my ...

2007-04-12T14:35:00.000-05:00

Missed opportunities?

Three different times in my life, someone pointed out (after the fact) that 3 different females had wanted me, something that I had completely missed at the time.

Clowns!?! Big deal...

thanks for the story. I feel your pain.

2007-04-12T13:42:00.000-05:00

thanks for the story. I feel your pain.

When we are very young, or just young, those thing...

2007-04-12T13:32:00.000-05:00

When we are very young, or just young, those things happen.
But, when we grow old, they do happen also:)

It's life, it's life.

I am Portuguese and I spoiled 2 years of my youth in Timor.

Do you think I shot many pictures there ?
No, I did not shoot many pictures. Just some.

I had hollidays in Bali.
Do you think I shot many pictures ? No, I did not shoot many pictures.

Just some.
Well, you are not alone.

May this be of any consolation to you.

Cheers.

CTEIN that is a great story and wonderful advice. ...

2007-04-12T11:33:00.000-05:00

CTEIN that is a great story and wonderful advice. I will be watching for my train. Ernie

"April 32, 2007, New YorkAnother photographic auct...

2007-04-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

"April 32, 2007, New York
Another photographic auction record was set last night at Motheby's auction house. Ctein's "Circus Clowns #12" sold to an anonymous bidder for $4.2 million. This breaks the previous record for the price of a photographic work, set in March when Andreas Gursky's "99 Cent" sold for $3.34 million. This also surpasses the sales of Ctein's previous "Circus Clowns" works which have reportedly sold variously for between $750,000 and $2.46 million.

It is not known how many works are in Ctein's "Circus Clowns" series. The #12 print is the highest in the series that has been publicly shown, although it is rumored that many more exist."

Buzz...buzz...buzz...buzz.... Time to wake up.

That's quite a story, Ctein. But don't lament it. Thirty years ago I climbed on the "circus train" in a non-photographic and non-circus sense. It was a terrific ride. But now, having disembarked from the train several years ago, I cannot help wondering what life would have beeen like if I'd gone to Illinois.

Life's path is full of forks. Shrug and walk on.

Is this a subtle admission that you have a fear fo...

2007-04-12T11:09:00.000-05:00

Is this a subtle admission that you have a fear for clowns? :)

This is wonderful!...and terrible. Thanks

2007-04-12T10:20:00.000-05:00

This is wonderful!...and terrible.

Thanks

Why is passage through one's twenties a requiremen...

2007-04-12T09:44:00.000-05:00

Why is passage through one's twenties a requirement to rid oneself of the stupidity of youth? I can't tell you how many times I've done things like this.

Gads...sometimes I think I'm actually glad I'm on the downhill slide to my thirties! ;-)

Great article, Ctein.

Great story. Great post!

2007-04-12T09:42:00.000-05:00

Great story. Great post!