DEAC 2.0

Plans are underway for the Detroit Erotic Arts Collaborative on February 7-8, 2009. I'm planning to be there and setting up my schedule of photo sessions now. Please do not wait to contact me if interested in shooting during the event. There will be MANY photographers and MANY models. it will be somewhat chaotic and planning too late will just add to the chaos.

Granted there will be some reading this post whom are not interested. THIS IS AN 18+ EVENT. You will be required to have legal photo documents at sign-in for the event certifying you are at least 18 years of age.

DEAC is a group shoot that is focused on Artistic Nude, Figure Nude, Implied Nude, Fetish Nude, and Bondage Nude content. I am open to shooting all genres and discussing compensation with those I shoot with for work sold.

Yes there is an entrance fee for the group shoot. I do not collect the fee - it is being handled through the DEAC website via Paypal or contacting DVS. The entrance fees vary according to the days you'll be attending and if you are a past participant in DEAC shoots. I participated in DEAC 1.5, which was held in Pontiac at Clutch Cargo and MONA earlier this year.

If you are interested in booking time with me at DEAC, please call me at 248-632-6156 and discuss. You can also send an email to request(at)fuzzytek.com with websize (no bigger than 300kb each) photos of yourself, your measurements (height, weight, bust, waist, hips, shoe, dress, and age), the type of shoot you desire, what clothing/equipment you have for the shoot (it doesn't all rest on you to provide). You will also be required to register for the event as noted above. I will be filling my schedule the next few weeks in a tentative manner because scheduling around so many people can be a nightmare. There will be rare instances I will tell you that we are locked in on our appointed time when we first speak. I will be working through a shared Google document and calendar events with talent I'm shooting with. This is so I can keep on track in planning for the event. I have the ability to bring in an assistant (additional fee) so I'm considering who will work best with me in this environment and assist in keeping things on-track.

Please understand I am attending to create MARKETABLE CONTENT, not simply to grow my portfolio - especially in areas that I have plenty of photos. Be creative and bring something more than a pretty face / body to the shoot. We can discuss that when planning the session.

Location and Scheduling

Location will be the Leland Hotel, 400 Bagley, Detroit 48226 which is the intersection of Cass and Bagley, just south of Grand River and west of the Times Square People Mover station. Hours will begin at noon both Saturday and Sunday. Last time slot Saturday ends 8:00pm, and Sunday at 6:00pm. Hourly slots are planned, however if you contact me to hold a bondage session I would like to book that as a double.

There are certain areas at the location which are booked in advance, so I'm looking to pre-pay ASAP and arrange the locations desired most.

Merry Christmas - Hey Santa video

Merry Christmas everyone!

World AIDS Day - 14 yrs old w 3 kids living in a shelter

From Facebook 14 years old with 3 kids living in a shelter infected w/AIDS!!!!! To fuzzyteknews.blogspot.com Read, be aware, be active - do something in the world that is uplifting and positive. If you do nothing more than share a story, make it one that counts. The following story was post on Facebook by Felicia Tolbert. Click here to view on Facebook. Imagine: Being 14 years old with 3 children living in a shelter and infected with the AIDS Virus! I volunteer for an organization every year on World AIDS Day and several times during the year to help raise awareness about the disease! Well, about 3 years ago, a young lady walked up to my table to get information and to be tested! During the 20 min wait for her results she explained that had just turned 14 (looked 22) and that she had 3 children, and living in a shelter! I gave her information to help her get out of her circumstance and she broke down in tears! When I asked her why she was crying, she stated that I reminded her of her mother until she was about 8 yrs old! She said that her mom got hooked on drugs when she around 9 and that she didn't have a father in the house so it was up to her (@ 9) to help take care of her 6 brothers and sisters! So she became mom and at the age of 11 social services cut them off, and no money was coming in! So since she was always tall for her age, she decided to dress herself up and turn to men for the cash! NOBODY ever taught this young woman how to protect herself, and now she has 3 children and a history of STD's! Then the results came back and the counselor pulled the young lady into a small room, in which she emerged 15min later in tears! Because of privacy laws I couldn't see her results, but it was obvious! The young lady clutched the handle of the stroller, looked at her babies and burst out in tears again for about 2min and then walked out the door! I was devastated, for the next several days because as a woman and mother, my heart bled for her and her children! I am passing this story along, because the statistics don't lie and as African Americans the odds are stacked against us! We continue to complain and ignore the problem, when it is right here continuously slapping our community in the face! Blacks are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. While making up only 13 percent of the U.S. population, we account for more than 49 percent of AIDS cases. AIDS is now the leading cause of death for Black women ages 25 to 34, and the second leading cause of death for Black men ages 35 to 44. Young people in the United States continue to be at risk for HIV and AIDS. At the end of 2007, in 45 states with reporting, almost 46,000 young people ages 13-24 were living with HIV, comprising about sixteen percent of all HIV infections. 62% of these new cases in the youth group were African America. GET TESTED AND IF YOU HAVE A SEXUALLY ACTIVE CHILD, GET THEM TESTED! TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT SEX EDUCATION....ARM THEM WITH KNOWLEDGE! WISHING, HOPING, AND PRAYING IS NOT GOING TO PROTECT US OR OUR CHILDREN!!! Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. -- MLK HERE ARE SOME MORE STATS: From 2001-2004, 62 percent of HIV/AIDS diagnoses in young people aged 13-24 were in males, and 32 percent were in females. In 2005, blacks and Latinos accounted for 84 percent of all new HIV infections among 13- to 19-year-olds and 76 percent of HIV infections among 20- to 24-year-olds in the United States even though, together, they represent only about 32 percent of people these ages. Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs) and American Indians and Alaska Natives account for about one percent of new HIV infections among women ages 13-24. Young women of color suffer disproportionate rates - in 2004, black women and Latinas accounted for 83 percent of new infections in 13- to 24-year-old women in the United States, even though, together, they represent only about 26 percent of U.S. women these ages. In addition, black women account for 62 percent and Latinas for 19 percent of cumulative AIDS cases among women ages 13-24.

Ultimate Open Mic - High School Edition

I'm assisting the organizers for the first round of Ultimate Open Mic, High School Edition. We are seeking sponsors interested in promoting their goods and services in front of a teen audience ages 13-18 performing with their friends and family present supporting.

Bundled Sponsor Option

I'm willing to offer package pricing as your connection into both Christmas In Style and the Ultimate Open Mic. For under $200 you can present your company within two weeks into a very valuable market sector. Call me AS SOON AS POSSIBLE at 248-632-6156 to find out more.

Christmas In Style

Christmas In Style,
uploaded by Fuzzytek

Christmas In Style is a well-rounded family oriented holiday celebration. The night begins at 6:00pm with dinner and vendors will be open.

• 7:30pm Christmas Play
• 8:00pm Music Performance
• 8:30pm Fashion Show featuring clothing from N'Kesh, AYV Worldwide, God's Label, Navaeh Sky, & PoppinTags.com (additional designers possible).

Note this is a church setting, as such there are no bar drinks to bring your our of pocket expense for the event up. Enjoy a family-oriented holiday celebration. You don't have to bring your family to enjoy the event.

Location
Venue: Greater Faith For Deliverance
Address: 8240 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48204
Tickets: $20 adults, $7 children click to purchase online
Vendors and Sponsors: Contact Stephen at 248-632-6156 or email fuzzytek(at)313fad.com

Arts In The City

IMG_0607,
uploaded by pipercarter.

I made a visit to Arts In The City, held at Willy's Overland Lofts by Fusion Detroit. It was an artists' fair that was brought together quickly. Piper's photostream on Flickr has a lot of nice photos of the work shown. I took a few photos and they can be found through this link to Flickr.com. I was doing a lot of talking with vendors seeking their interest in exhibiting for Christmas In Style coming December 21. It was great to meet people and I have to thank Hope for taking me there, enjoying the show, and returning me home.

313FAD, Detroit's Fashion Movement

I was busy posting items on 313FAD, modifying the interface a bit, and updating the software this morning. This is going to be a busy afternoon with a fashion focus into the evening. While the Detroit Docs Film Festival is wrapping up today, there simply isn't time to put that into my day. The closing party is at 1515 Broadway and begins at 7pm. I'll be around the Cultural Center at that time.

My original plans were to be working around the film RAISED ALONE, however the recently published shoot schedule doesn't have me on set this weekend.

My plans are:

• Completion of a CD of photos for a client to be delivered this afternoon
• Website design work
• Catwalk 08, a benefit fashion show with donations to HIV/AIDS awareness and treatment. The 7th annual Catwalk show is presented by Rodney Howell, Hairshion and Silver Lining Management. Several models I have worked with will be walking and designers whom I've shot their shows will be present as well. Check the post on 313FAD.com.
  
• The Black Party being held at the Detroit Historical Museum hosted by Mr CHicks. I know Gina has been gathering talent to appear in that show for the past month.
  

So I'll be out visiting the Cultural Center around 4pm, checking into what is going on with various fashion talent I know.

Why T. Boone Pickens' 'Clean Energy' Plan Is a Ponzi Scheme

Well written article that digs into the personal motives behind this plan which has an oh-so-good sound. Wind produced electric sounds great. Switching vehicles to another fossil fuel is just a "shell game" as the article puts it.

read more | digg story

Detroit Erotica Ball 2

I tried to get photos for the art exhibition printed at a print shop... seems the adult content has them shy. Sucks because I really really want to show some large format work. All that we'll have from that printer are copies of this poster. I'll have 3 copies put on 16x20 foamcore, plus additional prints in 12x18 format.

I am VERY thankful to have the Epson R1900 here at the Submissive Tales studio, which can handle up to 13x19 paper. Photo paper and ink comes at a cost... sometimes I wonder if the artwork that I've seen sold for $50 in a frame takes into account the cost of supplies to create it. I mean net profit on that has to be perhaps $5-10. So you get a couple drinks at the bar for every piece you sell?? Please understand the expense of creation, plus do something to acknowledge the talent of the photographer, model, makeup artist, wardrobe and so forth that went into creating the image seen.

The Ball starts in 32.5 hours, so I've got to get back to selecting, printing, framing activities. Quite a bit to do before showtime, and obviously I'll have to cut that time down more when it comes to being there before the show starts, decorating, and still have to select clothing to wear (that's another 2 hour block out of tomorrow).

I did buy some sweet masks for MCing the event. Hope you'll be there to see the spectacle of several months of work. What has transpired in the past year since the first ball is quite different than the rush of three weeks put into 2007's FIRST Detroit Erotica Ball.

Camera comparison for film projects

Comparing the two cameras I have for shooting at this time. This comparison is written with a target audience of film makers. Images are from www.dpreview.com - highly recommended for comparisons and reviews of cameras.

Sony DSC-F828

Review with specs at DPreview.com.
This is a FIXED lens camera - F2.0-3.5; 28-200mm. Zoom is 7x with 2x digital enhancement. Shutter noise on this camera is extremely quiet. The pivoting body allows for photos around corners, off the floor, and from overhead. Autofocus can be joystick controlled to select any point in the frame.

Olympus E500

Review with specs at DPreview.com.
I have the following lens available for this camera, generally using the F2.8 which is best quality lens.

• F2.8-3.5; 14-54mm
• F4-5.6; 40-150mm (kit lens)

Note: ISO range for this camera runs very high with ISO boost, up to 1600 enabling better quality low-light images.

ISO noise: If using the Olympus F2.8 lens with the body's ISO boost feature it can take crisper photos than the Sony F2.0 lens. Noise with ISO is a factor. At ISO 400 the Sony's images become questionable. The range for ISO selection on the Olympus is very wide. Digital correction through editing can interpolate noise, and smooth noise out of photo through manual editting of selected photos. Automated processes can deliver good results, although manual adjustment on each photo produces best results.

I hope this comparison hits on the points that you would be interested in having addressed. If you have questions please post a comment and I will update the comparison or leave a follow-up comment. Make sure your email identity is entered so I can send you notice of the update. Thanks!

DETROIT EROTICA BALL 2008: Call For Erotic Art Exhibition

DETROIT EROTICA BALL 2008: Call For Erotic Art Exhibition

Thank you for Soldier

Promotional photo at Freedom Hill,
uploaded by Photastic Images.

I'd like to say thank you to everyone that participated in creating The American Soldier Rock Fash Tribute Concert on Sunday, August 31. You stood the test of reason at times and chose to be unreasonable. For that you stand to be inspiring in the eyes of many.

I've post on the event website a link to the gallery of photos I took on my website. The key photo on this post is from Photastic Images who did excellent work creating promotional images and assisting in documenting the event. Thank you to all the photographers, videographers, crew, and staff around the event.

We went into this to serve those whom have served our country. We can honestly stand in the space of thanks from them and commit to creating our next event for the cause on August 29, 2009. It will be a year of preparation. We are seeking sponsors immediately that are interested in being mentioned throughout the year as we prepare.

The American Soldier Rock Fash Tribute Concert

IMG_0029,
uploaded by Photastic Images.

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Tomorrow is the big day. I'm sitting here creating the program booklet, final alterations then rush to print. So much to do and it has been great seeing our team come together over time. Sure there has been stress, people not getting what they want along the way. People from outside causing issues. Failed follow-ups and missed opportunities. These things are part of the growth cycle. You have to identify them as you move FORWARD and allow them to be what they are, stepping stones to a greater opportunity the next time.

We have a next opportunity in the works - The Detroit Erotica Ball. On Monday we'll be preparing how to handle the results from Soldier, but we'll also bring renewed attention to production of DEB, scheduled for October 25, 2008. Just a week before Halloween - there is a lot on the calendar during those two weeks. We have to carve our way into the forefront. Last year we had 750 people. This year we anticipate as a 2nd annual event higher attendance and better performance.

Silent Partners and 313FAD are cutting teeth and preparing some great productions.

Detroit Make it Here-EVENT: Soldier Rock Fash Bash

The American Soldier Rock Fash Tribute Concert will be held Aug 31. Check the official website at http://www.SoldierRockFashBash.com for full details.

read more | digg story

"Fed Up With Violence" march

Repost from www.TellUsDetroit.com

On Saturday, June 7th, 2008 a collective of Detroiters, motivational speakers and organizations will unite to March and Rally against violence. This will be a direct address to the recent increases in gang behavior, school closings, youth dropout rate and violence-involving Detroit’s youth.

On the heels of the Stop the Violence Weekend in May, the City of Detroit humanitarians are continuing to move in numbers and at high velocity to bring change and solutions for our youth.

With the closing of schools, recreation centers, after school programs and budget restraints, the youth are finding it difficult to stay involved in positive activities. The March and rally will culminate in the activists addressing the City of Detroit youth and spreading the word to unite with churches, organizations, human services, and political figures.

Event organizer and Founder of Fed Up with Violence, Baby Gee Joshua stated, “ We are losing our next generation to senseless acts of violence. The arrival of unity is at hand and we will continue to move forward and bridge the gaps until we can silence the violence in our community. We will reestablish the village.” The March is being presented as a joint venture between Fed up with Violence, Raphael Johnson, Kimberly Howard, Pioneers for Peace, COCO of FM98 WJLB, MADD, BAG-Brothers Against Guns, The Better Detroit Youth Movement, Tellusdetroit.com, True Infinity Solutionz, The City of Detroit, and a host of other organizations and sponsors, all united in this effort to reach the youth.

The March will begin at 11:00am at Hart Plaza and will proceed down Woodward to the Fox Theatre and return to Hart Plaza concluding at 12:30pm. The rally, which will follow the march, will commence at 1:00pm and will include speakers, an informational, and networking before concluding at 3:00pm.

Fed Up with Violence is in its third year of assisting the Detroit youth in making better choices, channeling aggression into positive efforts and community activism.

A Journalist's Perspective on the Raid On CAID

by Stephen Boyle, Fuzzytek Photography
written June 5, 2008
originally post to Facebook - my profile on Facebook

The "Raid at CAID" is an interesting incident that I had not heard of prior to today. I understand the police raided the art gallery at 2:20am and served 130 misdemeanor tickets and impounded 44 vehicles. My regrets and consolation to those who have been grossly mistreated by law enforcers who don't understand civil rights and act against the belief that in America you are innocent until proven guilty. THEY are our internal terrorists and I hope homeland security starts acting to take away the 'priviledge' of being law enforcers when they are found guilty.

Explaining My Absence from CAID
I wasn't there and I have to say that it has been months since I have been there. It isn't that I have been avoiding the place or anything of that manner. Transportation as it is for me via bus, makes CAID a difficult spot to get to on my own without some odd paths to take. I have to admit that while I'm a resolute believer that mass-transit requires support and use by the public to make it viable in the eyes of officials for funding. Sadly there are routes for the bus that I'm a bit leery about since I've not traveled them much. Funny how taking a route a few times has you feeling easy though. The bus is simply not the best spot to be messing with people -- the drivers and passengers do look out for each other. The only altercations I've ever witnessed were common-place quarrels likely between people that know each other. That is in keeping with statistics that cases of crime are most commonly acted out between people who know each other prior to the act of crime.

So yes the reason why I haven't been to CAID, and for that matter quite a few other places is a matter of our mass-transit system grossly under-serving our citizens. Your tax dollars go into a system where you can make a trip to the airport from nearly anyplace in the metro Detroit area for at most $2.00. AND you don't have to pay for parking, insurance, gasoline, maintenance on the vehicle, and the stress of driving!

AND IF YOU HAVE BEEN DRINKING - The BUS is a great way to avoid driving under the influence!! Now why is it we don't have MORE buses running between 1am and 3am?? I'm stll confused as to why the lack of support and scheduling for mass-transit CONDONES DRUNK DRIVING!

Enough transportation rant, back to the story about the raid at CAID ...

Are We In A Police State?
I hate to hear when the police act as if we live in a 'police-state', that 'they are the law'. I have heard stories about a police mafia of sorts - SWAT behaviour with taped over badges, masks, and inappropriate brutality. If you don't know the stories, they are being collected in the group for Raid at CAID. If you are a law enforcer that is hazed into being a member of these activities please report it to internal affairs or homeland security. That is your responsible action supporting the public which you are serving. Nobility is a matter of personal integrity. Can you stand proud in your job with your nobility and integrity in tact? It is a personal matter and it offers insight into why the world appears to be so "messed up". Your perception comes from a personal space... think about it and more importantly DO SOMETHING. The world has so many great THOUGHTS and few people acting on them.

Are you BORED, WHY?

I Am A Journalist
I can't condone illegal activities such as sale of alchol after-hours, or use/possession of illegal substances. My activities as a photographer become precarious at best when covering establishments after 2am, because any photos taken may contain evidence. That evidence can lead to suspicion and further action. I am a neutral party as an agent of the press would be by oath to the trade. My activity when at a function which I'm covering is that of an observer and employed person. You don't find me getting drunk when working. As an 'employed person' that can blur the lines of my responsibility on events. I would highly recommend to any host of an event that has issue with me capturing photos at an after-hours event please consider whether you want me doing that when employing me. Sadly the public can be the ones that mess up what you've intended to be a clean after-hours. There is a lot of risk when extending hours, and if you bring this up when insuring your event you'll find the price of insurance skyrockets. Sadly we can't trust the public to act in our best interest.

If you are a firm believer that what you do is your responsibility then take the after-hours drinking and illegal substance activities HOME and LEAVE THEM THERE. Realize that you are not safe and you jeopardize those around you by failing to comply with the law. Act as an adult, act responsibly.

The ART pARTY - May 31

The Art Party (preliminary flyer),
uploaded by Fuzzytek.

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Come out and participate in the celebration of Life IS Art at The ART pARTy next Saturday, May 31.

I'm busy setting up the fashion segments for the show, sending out sponsor/vendor packages, and providing publicity through the many channels I have access to.

MOVEMENT FESTIVAL

This weekend I'll be covering the techno music festival at Hart Plaza. MOVEMENT is the evolution of DEMF as it carries forward into the NINETH year of bringing world renowned electronic music back to and through Detroit. Detroit is considered home-base for the "techno" genre. We have people travel annually from Australia, Japan, Netherlands, England, Brazil, and all points around the globe.

So while I'm out at Movement shooting for various media publications I'll also be passing out flyers for The ART pARTy, Diva TV, and other organizations that are partnering with me on publicity. If you want your t-shirt / hat / pants / other item worn and shown off let me know and we'll discuss use of Fuzzytek as advertising space ;)

ART pARTy PREPARATION

The next two weeks I'll be communicating with various talent around the Abandoned In Detroit project about being part of the show. We have 4 fashion segments to fill. They aren't long but I would like to make them breath-taking and full of life. We are representing the ART of FASHION. Are you a participant in Abandoned In Detroit that would be interested? Send an email to TheArtParty(at)AbandonedInDetroit(dot)com.

Sponsor and vendor documents are available via email. Just send me a note to TheArtParty(at)AbandonedInDetroit(dot)com. That is my 'official' email address for this event.

Want to get a watermarked image advertising you'll be at The ART pARTy? Send an email to fuzzytek(at)email(dot)smugmug(dot)com with the subject artparty2008 and a photo at least 600 pixels wide attached.

Sorry about the cryptic spelling on the email address. I get TOO MUCH SPAM sent to email addresses posted to the public.

Abandoned In Detroit - May 18 photoshoot 17

Abandoned In Detroit - photoshoot 17 flyer,
uploaded by Fuzzytek.

The 17th photoshoot for the Abandoned In Detroit fashion showcase project is coming next Sunday, May 18. Please review the link to the Abandoned In Detroit blog post and contact me if interested in participating. We have a special email address setup for communications with the talent on the shoot -- aid17 (at) abandonedindetroit (dot) com.

RA-Movement 08 Group photo at Underground Railroad Memorial (Hart Plaza)

Underground Railroad Memorial,
uploaded by pinehurst19475.

I've been taking photos for ResidentAdvisor for three years, primarily at the techno music festival "Movement: Detroit's Electronic Music Festival", or DEMF. I'd like to organize a group photo opportunity for the members of ResidentAdvisor whom are at the festival.

Scheduled time for the photo will be 3:00pm on Sunday, May 25, 2008. The location will be near the Underground Railroad Memorial statue at Hart Plaza on the steps leading down to the Detroit River. Please look for people holding black RA business cards.

Please be on time since our schedule for covering the event is quite hectic bouncing between four stages of activity. The gathering for the photo opportunity will begin at 3:00pm and the photo will be taken at 3:20pm.

Bunarchy

Bunarchy 027,
uploaded by Fuzzytek.

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You mean after 5 years you STILL haven't heard of Bunarchy? Actually I hadn't either until I finally attended my first Santanarchy (which was the 9th annual event).

I've post the Bunarchy photos to a Flickr set, but the Santanarchy shots are on Fuzzytek.com still.

Katana restaurant sign

Katana,
uploaded by Fuzzytek.

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I just got an inquiry from www.wherethelocalseat.com to run this photo for their placement of the restaurant on their website. I suppose I need to point out more restaurant signage that I've shot. There's a set on Flickr for 43 Places to check out. If you haven't been to 43 Places, check it out.