Self Portraits March 2010

Here is a new set of self portraits in my studio space (garage)! These were taken with my Hassy and my Fuji 645, one strobe bounced out of an umbrella, no reflector just whatever props i had around me. Stay tuned...

new photos

here are some new photos i shot. Some b/w some are e-6 cross processed. I have been shooting self portraits for 6 years or so. It is where my artwork has gravitated. Most of these are shot in my house or garage (studio space) some are shot at my workplaces. I find the environmental portrait works best for what i want the image to convey. I dont have to set up a scene or create a tableau, i can show myself in my space.

Self Portrait

Photo updates. Sort of old but got lost in the shuffle...

Im Back Baby!

So here we go with the excuses...It has been several months since a post. Grad school apps are sent out. I still haven't worked with my sewing machine, and my etsy is stagnant. But i am full bore with my photography and hope to pick up the pace with the other stuff soon! I am hoping to post new pics at least once a week and keep this blog fresh and current

Turning a new leaf....

Hello all...To my few loyal followers and any new I apologize for my absence. 5 months have come and gone. I have been working on going back to school for my MFA. So i have been shooting tons of photos and creating collages, blah, blah, blah. I am going to start some new etsy pieces so I'm back baby. Stay tuned for new posts and updates and all things Velo and Mellow!

Thanks,

JCD.

Busy Busy Busy

Sorry to post after 17 days...I suck i know!  But life has been getting in the way of my other responsibilities.  I realize work, wife, and family should come first.  There are very little consequences for not creating work, crafting, working on my bike, etc. just the self-sense that i will explode and that i am a complete failure to myself and everyone that breathes the air around me...Enough self-loathing, lets move on shall we!

I am posting pics of the updated steed.  I have received my saddle, toshi straps, and crankarms...Still waiting on my rims though!  I think this is the longest I have taken to finish a bike.  Most of that thanks to bills, school loans, general comforts, and gas money ( I commute over 120 miles a day!) boo me again!

In any case, i read that Kashima(x) saddles were uncomfortable, but for the sake of sounding like a fool, i wanted the bike to stay as true as i could muster to being a Japanese track bike.  I think my friend Ian or someone he knew coined the name "butt knife" for his Fizik Arione saddle, but it most definitely fits the bill here too!  I got a really good deal on the butt knife though when i bought my Sugino Mighty seatpost, couldn't pass it up.  To look at it is to fear for the life of my 'taint' but such is life!  

I also purchased a used set of Toshi straps...I figured used Toshi's are better than anything new i could buy in the store short of new Toshi's.  When i can afford it i will be getting some brand spanking new ones!  I also purchased some steel NJS toe clips to fit the bill.  I won a set of Sugino AS Mighty crank arms to go with my Sugino 75 chainring.  They mated just lovely together.  I wanted a pair of Grand Mighty Champagne cranks but of current economic crisis didn't allow for it just yet!  

What i have left is to receive my rims to build up to my Dura Ace hubs.  I pined for a long time on this subject and of course the obvious choices were Mavic Open Pro, CXP33's, Velo Deep V, etc.  I sometimes choose to go the other way with such things.  Yes Mavics are great, Deep V's look the business and so forth, but i went with the Sun CR-18 high polish in 36 hole offering...I know the logic doesn't seem to be there but hear me out:  First off i wanted to go outside of where most would choose to go.  I also wanted a high polish set of rims to go with my high polish Nitto Jaguar stem and drop bars.  I like that the CR-18's are a box style rim, nice and flat and wide.  I know, i should have stuck with tubbies and gotten a pair of Araya Gold 36 hole rims and some Soyo tubular tires...I wanted some practical aspects of the bike, i know a track bike on the streets is not practical but the trade off is the clincher wheelset.  That said though, i am looking into tubular clinchers for my rubber. 

If i decide to stay clincher i would go with a Gomitalia tire, very similar to tubulars or the Veloflex clincher.  Another option is to go with the Tufo tubular clincher but i will try my friend Tim's Tufo out and see how it fits on my rim...The saga continues...

Bridgestone Build!

     To begin with, i would just like to say that i have the coolest and most understanding wife in the world...She purchased the frame and build kit for me as an early V-day/birthday gift from NJS export.  She bought me a Bridgestone frame 54cm with Hatta Super Swan headset and Sugino 75 bb.  If you buy the frame you can also purchase a "build kit" for the bike for an extra $30: it consists of a Sugino 75 144bcd chain ring, DA cog, DA lockring, super v chain,Nitto bars, Nitto stem, etc. No wheels or cranks though... but a good deal none the less!  I also purchased a Kashimax seat and Nitto seatpost, as well as NJS single straps.  Along with that purchase i bid on and won a set of DA 7600 NJS 36 hole hubs...very pretty!  

Along with those things i have a set of clear champ grips i have had forever, and a set of clean and polished velotech by Mavic bronzed 36 hole rims.  What little i have found on the rims they were made for peugeot and came on some of their mid-range bikes. I like the thin profile they are non machined walled and look the part!  

All that is left is to find some Sugino 75 crank arms and not get burned on the price, and get the wheels built up...This build is costing a pretty penny but i think will be well worth it.  I might do the rear wheel build first as my Aerospoke fits up front and that would be fine till pay day comes around next month and i can finish the rest!  

Here are some pics and hope to update the build as it comes along.