My Religious Day

I think that there is a time in every life of every artist where there is a struggle. Actually, I'm quite sure that there are many of them. However, I'm talking about that very first one. The one that if the artist doesn't make it through it that he isn't going to make it as an artist at all. I think that it's a general struggle to find out what there is to communicate about and how he is going to do it. If there is a time to give up, I think that it is now. I know that I have reached this point in my photo career. Somehow, it is comforting to me to know that I have made it this far. I have actually done a very, very good job doing what I do here, but the problem is that when you run into a really big struggle with something, generally people feel that they should just quit. I'm at that point with traditional photography. It's aided even more by the fact that the art form that I have loved so much and tried to hard to work in is losing it's spot in the world to the world of megapixels. I know that it's OK, and I even agree with it, but I need to work on the mastery of my own art before I can move onto the megapixel world. I've alluded to this many times before and I'll probably talk about it many more times again, but I'm just talking about breakthroughs that I have had.

Today was incredibly interesting in that world. I had a lot of things go wrong (for example, I washed my memory card and batteries in the washing machine, I accidentally ruined a roll of film and I had some other general problems). I came back to the office quite upset and frazzled about what had happened. I ran into John Pack, and he told me that I should just keep going. I knew that, but it was reassuring to hear it.

So, rather than get upset about any of it, I decided to push through it all and make it work. I dried off the memory card and put it in my camera to find out that it worked perfectly. The batteries only need to be recharged, and I went out and took photos with the roll of film. I now have about four or five more rolls of film planned out to take before the end of the day. I went for a long walk to a Byzantine chapel that has been carved into the side of the mountain.

It was just lovely. I took some photos, and really cooled off enough to get something done. I realized that I didn't not know as much as I thought. I was working very hard thinking that I didn't know much when I found out that I really knew a lot. Go figure! I'm all revved up and ready to actually get some photos taken. I went back out with my camera and got some good shots of things around me. I decided that the only way to do things was to just take photos of whatever I enjoyed. I did that, and It really made me happy.

Today, I was able to go to Byzantine churches for the first time ever. It made me so incredibly excited because I went around to the Church of a Hundred Doors. It is just an amazing church here that is the oldest church in Christianity (that has been continually used). It was built by Helen, the mother of Constantine. It was so amazing.

My friend, Ageliki took me there and bought two candles and we lit them and looked around. I had a really good time. I completely enjoyed it there. I really had an experience in the building. It is really amazing to me how a place can be holy. I loved it.

When I was taking photos, I went to a little chapel. I had to walk down the side of a cliff next to a very secluded beach spot to get there, but I did it, and it was really nice. It was a chapel that was build over the spot that Athena used to be worshiped on the island. It was beautiful and half of it was made out of the cliff actually and the other half of it was actually made out of marble. It was incredible. No one was in there, but I watched the candle burn and I took some photos and left. The whole chapel was surrounded by flowers. What a beautiful scene. I am looking at where to take my portfolio here, and I really think that I am going to do things that remind me of Greek life. Marble and churches and doors and people. I'll tell you more when it gets more and more concrete!
\ I had a figure drawing breakthrough today. I was having a hard time with it, just didn't want to be there, but I stayed. At the end, the model did a pose for 15 minutes, and I drew and drew away, and it was just neat at the end. I'm starting to get better and better. It is making me happy that I can do it!

And…tonight I did a drama class that was nice. We acted out scenes from Greek mythology. It's only a workshop for 4 hours, but I'm really loving it! I've got to get some photography and painting done here. Lots of love Chris