Some things are meant to be compared...

Today’s post is one of those Preach To Myself posts.  It’s one of those lessons that, while I know it well, I still have to continue to live out well.  So if you think I’m writing about you, you’re wrong.  This is one of those talking to myself, but out loud to the world kind of moments.

There’s nothing more suffocating, more soul-sucking, more poisonous than comparing yourself to others.  It’s pretty easy to get caught up in the web of looking at what everyone else is doing.  ”Hey, look at what Photographer X is shooting!” “Look at how much money Photographer Y is making.”  ”What great opportunities always come up for Photographer Z!” Meanwhile, you’re stuck there thinking, “Wait…why am I not there?”  That’s around the start of what I like to call “The Cycle of Suck”.  We all know that cycle, right?  It’s the one where you start looking at what one photographer is doing, and you get depressed that that’s not you.  Then you keep looking at other photographers until you realize everyone that you just stalked is doing something that you’d like to be doing but you’re not.  And you get more depressed.  Then you find yourself laying on the couch with no lights on, drinking cheap red wine out of the box with an almost empty bag of Cheeto’s, while watching some old 80′s kung fu flick.  You’ve done that before, right?  No?  Yeah, me either.

Anyways, for some reason, I got that feeling today.  I started thinking about what other photographers were doing, and I got a little bit jealous, then a bit down on myself.  This time, however, didn’t lead to any orange cheese stains on the couch.  I reminded myself that I’m not necessarily in the same fields as Photographer X, Y, and Z (and I may not even want to be).  But the old adage that says something like “Great work will get noticed” provided me an opportunity.  If I’m not where I want to be, then I sure as hell better get back to producing as much Awesome as I can manage.  When you’re working your tail off to capture great images and telling amazing stories, there’s not a lot of time to sit around and mope and complain about how you’re not this or that.  Whiners and complainers and self-deprecating Eeyore’s are wasting their time griping when they could be working on being better than they are or at least seeing the world better than they do.

So there you have it Self.  Get off the couch, stop drinking crappy wine, and get busy producing Awesome.

Today I head to Zambia. 10 years ago I was in Zimbabwe for my first time on that side of the Atlantic. I remember thinking about how awesome it was to be on this once in a lifetime trip. Ten years later this will now be my 5th time in Africa in as many countries. Even if we zoom in on the timeframe, just last year I made it a goal to get out of the country twice a year. This will be my 3rd of potentially 4 trips this year. Who would’ve ever imagined that I would be where I am? Definitely not me. I count it a blessing and am eager to see what may come in the next year.

But for now, I depart for Zambia to produce a video on the amazing work that CLASP International is doing.

I’ll see you guys when I get back!

Cheers!
Paul Go

It’s been a couple years since I’ve shot a concert.  It’s been even longer since I’ve been to a show from anyone in the 116 Clique.  When I got back from Ethiopia, I found out that Tedashii was playing in Ft. Worth and thought that I’d try out some concert photography.  Can I just tell you how much has changed in the past few years, both in the 116 and in my photography?   It was awesome to see Lecrae and Tedashii again since the old days of them driving in a van that random catches on fire.  But more than that, it’s cool to see them working with younger rappers like JPaul, Pro and KB as well as collaborating outside of their genre with guys like Shane B and Shane E.  All that to say that I’m really looking forward to shooting more musicians/concerts.

The Ferenji Abasha

You might recall Danny’s Story that I wrote a little while ago.  For those of you who don’t remember or haven’t read it, Danny is a friend of mine that was homeless for a season of his life.  He was mugged one day and crossed paths with a couple of modern day Good Samaritans that would eventually take him into their home and call him family.  Fast forward two and a half years from that fateful encounter, and you will find Danny boarding a plane that would take him across the world and into Ethiopia on a mission trip with The Village Church.

I was fortunate enough to lead another team of medical and construction folks on a care trip to visit the Smiths in Langano, Ethiopia.  After coming home from last year’s trip, Justin, Melanie, and I all agreed that Danny needed to make a visit to this place.  So when I was asked to lead this trip, I already knew who would be coming with me.  Unfortunately, Melanie was tied up with work, so Danny and Justin were able to come with me and 7 others to love on the Smith’s.

We spent 4 months preparing for the trip, getting a good theological background to misional living and bonding as a team.  It was such an encouragement for me to watch as Danny grew and was able to share his life experiences with us.  When the time came to head to Ethiopia, Danny only had to overcome a slight bit of anxiety in boarding his first international flight.

A little bit of needed rain put a damper on the construction for a few days

The really cool part about having this 47-yr old, former homeless man on the trip is that he spent the better part of the last decade walking around and learning how to communicate with just about anyone.  So when we finally hit the ground in Ethiopia, he had no problem adapting.  Because of the color of his skin, he was even integrated into the society more easily than any of us ever could have.  At the Langano station, Danny spent most of the time “stupervising” (as he called it) a team of hired hands working on extending a staff member’s house.  During his down time, Danny walked around the forested grounds and talked with the guards, many of whom hadn’t gotten to know any ‘ferenjis’ (foreigners) in the past.  It was awesome to see him trying to explain how he and Justin, the white ferenji, were brothers.  And by the end of our visit, he was being called the Ferenji Abasha (the Foreign Ethiopian).

Danny walking with some local children and Moses

As we returned home, Danny really wrestled with, “Why me?”.  He was able to talk to a homeless man in Addis Abeba, the capital city of Ethiopia, and struggled, knowing that he wasn’t in a very different situation almost 3 years prior.  Why did he get to be the one travelling across the world?  Why was he the one that came off the streets?  Why did he get to have a family and a community that loves him and that he loves just as much if not more?  The answer is the same thing for all of us: Grace.

So thankful for Danny's life and story...

So I just got back from Ethiopia, which is why there wasn’t a post last week (also partly due to my laziness in not writing something before I left other than my packing list).  I am wrapping up the photo edits and will begin on the stories in the coming weeks.  But for now, here are a few previews for some of the stories.  By the way, the Kata HB-207 was great on the flights that weren’t United Express airplanes.  It is slightly too big for the overheads, but I made it work.

Ethiopian workers find cover from the much needed rain, wondering why I'm getting drenched along with my nice camera.

Pre-Match warm ups for the community soccer leagues, led by Sports Friends

We were driving down a dirt road in a beat up Land Rover when I turned around to see this. Mind-Blown

By the time this posts, I’ll be on a flight from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa with a team of 9 others from The Village Church.  We will be doing medical and construction work, as well as visiting with the locals.  However, our primary focus will be to encourage, care for, and love on the Smith family, the missionary family that lives there from our church.  Given that little piece of information, here’s a listing of photo gear (and a few miscellaneous items) that I’ll be bringing with me, linked via Amazon Affilliates.

1 Canon 5D Mk II – I’m leaving my 2nd body at home to conserve space/weight as well as in case somehow or another I break this one, I’ll have one to come home to.  If my sole (paid) purpose would be to be a visual story teller, I’d be bringing another camera.
Canon 16-35 mm f/2.8L – One of my favorite zooms.  It works well for my style of photography.
Canon 50mm f/1.4 – Not L-series, but it’s light and compact and I’m ok if it gets a little beat up.  I would say this is a best buy for anyone starting up in the photography world.
Canon 85mm f/1.8 – Again, no L-Series, but it’s cheap, small and compact, and takes great pictures.
Canon 580 EX II
Paul C Buff CyberSync Radio Triggers
Gary Fong Flash Diffuser
Gaff Tape – Of Course
Ball Bungees – You’d be surprised how useful these little guys are!
100′ Parachord
Canon Selphy Printer – Dye Sublimation printer for good 4×6 prints (plus ink and paper)
Polaroid Pogo Printer – So I can hand out some pictures for the locals
MacBook Pro 17″ – Unfortunately, as much as I love this MBP, it’s the only laptop I have to use.  I can’t wait for a 15″ MacBook Air….if that ever happens.
Sennheiser HD-280 Pro headphones
Kata HB-207
Lowepro Exchange Messenger – For when I’m just walking around the compound
ExOfficio Underwear – Yes, this may be too much information.  But Ex Officio makes the best travel undies every.  Anti-everything, quick dry, and comfortable as I’ll get out.

Then there’re plenty of other items I’m bringing.  But that should suffice for now.  I hope you’re all enjoying yourselves.  Feel free to keep me and my team in your prayers.

God Speed.

Moses and His Tonka Truck

On Thursday, I’m leading a team of medical staff and construction type folks to Ethiopia for a couple weeks to work with the Smith family (check out their story at www.smithsinethiopia.com).  This will be my second trip out there.  Feel free to keep us in your prayers, if you’re the praying type.  We’ll definitely need all the help we can get.  I’m taking out my new Kata HB-207 photo backpack for this one.  Stuffed with my gear (post coming soon) as well as some gifts and clothing, it’s weighing in at a nice 32lbs.  That’s only more than double the allowed carry-on weight of Lufthansa, which we’re flying.  Hopefully, they won’t be too much of a stickler and will allow me to carry my gear on board.  Otherwise…I’ve got my gear insured and I hope I won’t have to use it.  If anyone has any tips on getting this bag on the plane as my carry on, please leave a comment.  I’ll try to keep this guy updated while we’re over there, but no promises.

See you on the other side!

For those of you that didn’t know, Skynet, the robotic force that takes over the world in the Terminator movie and television series, was supposed to have gone live yesterday, April 21st.  The beginning of the end is at hand!  While most of us have been stocking up on our rations and ammo, a small inner-city school for kids that haven’t succeeded in the public school system actually contributed to human kind’s own demise.  Cornerstone Crossroads Academy has been part of the FIRST Robotics Competition for the past couple of years.  With the help of Mr. Justin (which you’ve read about in Danny’s Story as well as others), these South Dallas teens have been designing, constructing, operating and competing small robots in a soccer-style game against other high schools around the nation.  I wasn’t able to attend this year’s competition, but last year, I was able to see the fruits of their labor as they finished in the top 10.  It’s amazing what these youths were able to accomplish with a little bit of committed effort from teachers and volunteers who just wanted to see them succeed.  Great job to these past 2 years’ participants.  Thank you for helping usher in our new robotic overlords:

There aren’t very many opportunities for me to feel both very proud of my heritage and yet horribly ashamed of my lack of understanding.  So when Chinese New Year rolls around, I prepare myself for both occurrences.  Thankfully, this year I was able to be in the Philippines during the New Year where there is a very strong Chinese population.  Score one for Paul.  When I got back stateside, fellow photog, Andrew Shepherd (don’t click that link unless you want your face melted off, or until you’ve finished reading this post), referred the Crow Collection to me for their After Dark series which happened to be the Chinese New Year event!  Score two for Paul!

Chinese New Year celebrations often involve Dragon Dances, Greedy Lions begging/scaring you for money, and martial arts.  There’s also always family time and LOTS of eating.  Fireworks are also a big part of the celebration.  For this event, we had the dragons, traditional Chinese music, bubble tea, martial arts, Chinese calligraphy, fortune telling, face painting, and of course, karaoke.  Below are shots from the evening, including the main event of the evening: the Dragon & Lion Dances and the Martial Arts Exhibition from the J.K. Wong Academy (their instructor, a cute girl, could seriously kick my tail…making her that much more attractive).  This year is the Year of the Rabbit, so live it up all your long-eared cottontails!

During the Christmas Season, we had a couple fire pits and hay bales in our courtyard that the neighbors and I used on a regular babis.  Our landlord paid us a visit once and just stood in the courtyard staring at our set up.  He wasn’t a fan.  In fact, he was concerned that the homeless folks around our area would come and invade our courtyard and start fires in our courtyard.  Oh My!  He eventually would go on these 30 minute monologues with each of us individually about how our courtyard looked like a Hee Haw Christmas.  But he conveniently ignored the old school antenna that has been hanging on to our roof for years as well as the hole in the exterior wall that he made but has yet to patch up.

Fast forward to the past month.  We’ve now had a kitchen sink and a fridge lying around our courtyard in various locations, put there by our lovely landlord.  Every day they would each be in a new place, but still on the property.  As one neighbor beautifully put it: “Some places have a roaming gnome, the #glasgowghetto has a roaming refrigerator. Who knows where it will be next?”

So as the neighbors gathered around the dinner table for our weekly Sunday Dinner, we decided to truly capture the ‘hee haw-ness’ that is the Glasgow Ghetto.  Within a few minutes, the courtyard was arranged with traffic cones, a travelling refrigerator, cut off american flag shirts, alcohol, a sink, a grill, and who knows what else.  I couldn’t have been prouder to be a part of the community that I’ve found myself in at that moment.  But really, who doesn’t want to have a kitchen sitting in their courtyard for months at a time?!