Hello Everyone, I am a regular reader of this group and several others. I occasionally post when I feel that I have something worthwhile to contribute. After giving it much thought, I have decided to make you all aware of something that I think may be of interest to you. First I'll tell you a little about myself, and then I'll explain what I have to offer. My name is Gavyn Aaron. I am a professional photographer specializing in photojournalism, street/urban shooting, and stills of lands, buildings and cultures of the southwest and western United States represented in both color and black & white. I also incorporate videography into my work. My projects are both independent and assigned. I do maintain a large stock collection for my relationships with editorial and commercial stock agencies and photobuyers. I also create works in mediums such as oil, watercolor, acrylic and sketches, all of which I consider to be more relaxing hobbies. What I do is hardly unique and certainly does not qualify as something different to share with anyone. It is the "how" and not the "what" of my work and lifestyle that I think will pique the interest of those who wish to follow along. Me and Buddy (a rat terrier mix) live in my suburban and travel all of the areas mentioned above and then some. We sleep in the truck in travel plazas such as Love's and Flying J, where it's lighted and relatively safe. We have been known many times to park for the night in somewhat more remote areas in hills, mountains, back woods and the Mojave to name a few. Rest stops are out of the question unless I'm extraordinarily sleepy and to continue would be dangerous. For some reason, violent crimes on the road tend to hit rest areas a lot and it's actually on the rise. Many nights we relax as I play the guitar and then drift to sleep with crisp night air flowing through the truck, and some mornings we wake up to the Grand Canyon as our back yard. We can get to a newsworthy event in reasonable time if it's ongoing, and we've found ourselves in the middle of one before by simply being where we were (we were in San Francisco when the anti-war riots got pretty ugly out there). My stock collection grows daily as there is never a lack of material. This lifestyle affords me a sense of freedom greater than any I have ever felt. Though many folks think I'm out of my mind, I wouldn't have it any other way. I have decided to share my experiences with those who are interested in knowing what it's like to live this kind of lifestyle. It's not always easy. In fact, sometimes it's more harsh than words can describe. But I treasure every bit of it and wouldn't trade it for the world. I will have a web site on which photos, writings, musings and more will be available to all visitors as well as forums. I have a lot of ideas about how to go about this, but of course I'm always open to suggestions as well. I have received quite a bit of feedback from people asking a lot of questions about what this is like and wanting to know more. This is the best way to provide that information in one tidy place on a web site (under construction at the moment), as well as a newsletter I'm putting together to send out on a regular basis to anyone who wants to receive it. I'll make one more post here about all this when the web site is complete for anyone who wishes to visit it. I'm kind of struggling with a couple of minor things. I had a web site at one point under the name OutBC Productions. It was just a small e-zine for Houston- area people. That has long since disappeared, but I still have the domain name and I still use OutBC Productions as my business name. BC stands for Bayou City, a nickname for Houston. I'm itchy to come up with a new domain name for this, and I've been wanting to change my business name for quite some time anyway. I just don't want something as bland as Gavyn Aaron Photography. I just might keep OutBC if I could figure out new words for the acronym! It's not that big of a deal as all of my clients, editors, and others that I work with don't care one way or the other what my business name is, but I'd like to have it solidified before I get a new domain or decide to keep the one I have now. So any suggestions along those lines would be happily considered. I hope there is a lot of reception in terms of the newsletter if not the web site (web forums are very hard to get going). I have a lot of fun living the way I do, and I learn more than my brain can sometimes assimilate in a day. I am truly blessed in my life to be able to do this. As a freelancer, I am not tied down to any one area, and the technological age allows me to make a living by providing an avenue for me to submit my work from practically anywhere. All of my personal necessities, laptop, desktop, monitor, scanner, printers, photographic and videographic gear including light kit, and much more fit in the truck and it is still surprisingly comfortable for living purposes for both me and Buddy. Not everyone can drop everything and pick up this type of life, but I've come across many who do enjoy hearing about it. Believe it or not, there is a small subculture of "car livers" out there. We even have regular gatherings. The newsletter won't really run on any sort of regular schedule for the time being as it just depends on what I have to get done when I am at a Starbucks or Flying J using their Internet connection. Real work (the paying kind) has to come first. I am at a Flying J at least once per morning when I'm not off in a mountain somewhere or parked out in the middle of nowhere. After all, showers are necessary and I am keen on maintaining good personal hygiene! I will keep the web site updated very regularly with new photos, information and what not, and there will be a subsection for the car- living folks out there providing resources and information (even for those who may be considering becoming "one of us"). It will also serve as my online business presence. My clients are constantly asking when the new site will be up. I make many sales from agencies and buyers searching my stock list or needing estimates for assignments. So if you keep up with the newsletter or visit the web site and see that I'll be in your area, drop me a line and let's have a cup of coffee! Meeting new people and making new friends is one of the biggest rewards I get from all of this. I really am addicted to venti white chocolate mochas at Starbucks. It's truly pathetic. Buddy doesn't mind though because he always gets a cookie when I get my coffee. In fact, all I have to do is say the word Starbucks or McDonald's (he loves their happy meals) and he starts bouncing around the truck light a ball of lightning. Well, this has run on long enough. If you wish to receive the newsletter when it starts going out, just drop me a line at GavynAaron@xxxxxxxxx and I will add you to the list. All e-mail addresses and contact information will remain STRICTLY confidential. No eyes other than mine will ever see it. I also welcome any suggestions or ideas anyone may have. I will be online quite a bit for the next few days as I am "grounded" in Houston until my truck gets out of the shop on Tuesday or Wednesday. The engine is currently being replaced. It's time for that though. She (the truck - her name is Bertha, I've named practically every piece of equipment I own because I'm just kooky that way I guess) serves me wonderfully. The body is in fantastic condition, and she made it 140,000 miles before needing this enigne replacement. Not too shabby! There is absolutely no fee whatsoever to access my web site or sign up for the newsletter. I do have a button on the web site and a link in each newsletter that allows folks to donate if they wish. It does require extra hosting space, bandwidth transfer and time to add the newsletter and this portion of the web site to my work (not to mention vehicle maintenance and repair), but I refuse to require fees for access. I make a good enough living to provide for myself and this lifestyle, but there always seem to be unexpected expenses. Please don't let the donate button chase you away. If you can, it is greatly appreciated. If you cannot, you are just as valued and important to me as any of my many current readers and visitors. I don't want to be considered a "spammer" or "advertiser" on lists on which I am a participant. This is just something I wanted to tell everyone about to give them the chance to know about it and learn more if they wish. No expectations, no requirements .... just an invitation to see through the eyes of someone who is a colleague and lives a little differently from the "norm", and even to be a part of it in small interactive ways via the newsletter, web site and feedback. And seriously, any ideas for new words to go with the letters "OUTBC" or an appropriate name would be cool. I've gone and gotten "namer's block"! Kind of unprofessional and silly to request suggestions for something like that, to live the way I do and even to put out a newsletter and a section of a web site about it? Probably. Maybe. Who knows. But if I lived my life with my nose stuck in the air in constant concern about appearances, then I wouldn't be doing what I am right now. Besides, it certainly hasn't stopped sales or hindered business growth. If my work can't speak for itself absent all of that, then I've been in the wrong field for far too long! This has all actually intrigued enough buyers to actually increase business and sales! Regards, Gavyn Aaron Photographer/Artist OutBC Productions (Ph) 832-794-1671 (E-Mail) GavynAaron@xxxxxxxxx (Web Site) http://www.OutBC.com
