The LINE: COMMERCIAL VS FINE ART

I'm still half asleep and delirious from staying up all night cleaning my pad and organizing my office since a friend was arriving from out of town wicked early last night......only to find out the plane would be oversold. BLAST! Well at least everything is clean now. Amazing the mental clarity you have when things are organized. ANYWHO, I'm trying to work but can't seem to get my head in the game. So I will write.

There has been this huge debate in my mind that I have been researching everything under the sun to find where the line is between commercial photography and fine art. To say I have completely solved this riddle would be a little deceiving....but I'm getting close to describing it...HERE's what I found.

My work is by far mostly commercial....but a huge amount of comm work (not just mine) has become art for people. Fine-Art does not transfer over that gray quite so easy...though it has happened. Question....How would you categorize these images? All of these are mine but the Last one....Mr Warhols.




OK so what do you think?? Trick question...both! All of these have been displayed and used as commercial work and Fine-Art.....SEE THE CONFUSION! Ok so your probably saying....BRAUN we are back where we started. I don't claim to be an "artist" ...Creative?...yes....but I am rarely on that level of THIS IS ME AND THIS THE MESSAGE I AM SENDING TO THE WORLD.....though I am working on this view.

So after a lifetime of awesome conversations with REAL artists, reps, gallery owners...it seems that real "in your face, Legendary status" artists all have something in common....They all communicate their message and vision. This vision is not the same their entire life...that would be boring right? But it (like us....or atleast we should) mature and grow as life goes on. But the vision and message makes the difference between an Artists and a technically skilled individual.

Know that you don't have to be an artist, I'm still trying to weigh if I am one.....Just because you can sell your prints individually doesn't make you an "Artist"

So a couple of questions....How are you changing the world?

-If you are DIRT in the next 3 years....What is your legacy? (I just realized the danger of asking that questions for fearing the consequence of everybody throwing me under the magnifying glass for my message).....Lets just say I am starting at the bottom....probably most of you are ahead of me in this respect.

My Opinion.....don't kill yourself from putting so much pressure on yourself to BE an artist if that's what you want (or think you want) to do....it should come naturally right?.....isn't that what art is? Showing the world YOU....it's not your job to make sure everybody likes it....but don't misunderstand me...there is a business side to it.

"Art is what you can get away with" Andy Warhol

What do you think?

BRAUN....and Patton

Governors, Gun Wielders, and Granada Rock Stars

SALUTATIONS! Random fun times lately.....A good friend John Harris asked me if I wanted to have some fun and go shoot some photos downtown of the Governor (of Texas) Rick Perry while he was in town for the Glen Beck Show. Totally not my style of shooting...but it's good to get out and do something out of the ordinary....keeps you sharp. BUT can I just say something...I am oh so proud to know that we have a Governor that could have the option of a career after his time in office of being an actor....maybe a soap star! GEEZE! I throw out a challenge....anybody have a better looking governor I dare you to challenge this man's rugged Tom Berenger level good looks! wow! hahahaa



TEXAS RANGERS....and not the baseball team.....Like WALKER!!!! (but the real deal) These guys are bad! FYI there are only 133 Texas Rangers in the entire state....pretty elite...Photo by John Harris


2nd Latest Adventure.....My very good friend Austin Lewter plays drums for Kevin Deal.....A great Texas Country musician. They let me come and hang out during their gig at the Granada. Austin and I used to play together so the music scene means a lot to me...brought back memories. Definitely check these guys out! Good people.




NOTE: Shooting this concert I kept my D300 at ISO 1000 and tried to keep it at a shutter speed of 1/60ths of a second.

QUOTE of the week! Don't be afraid to see what you see. Ronald Reagan

Here are a few shots more shots lately....Don't stop believin!


Til Next Time...

BRAUN...and Patton

Exciting Days to Come

Well I know you guys are all out there sweating the moments until the new faster, lighter, smarter, CHEAPER.....IPhone comes out...(July 11....Hope you are watching the potatoe crates)...and I pray everybody still has all your fingers from the firework celebrations this past 4th (for those USA'ers) .......So I thought I would throw some interesting and fun things at ya'll (Texas slang) to keep you going through the week!

Included a variety of stuff that tickles my fancy from photography, green technology, architecture design.....I am pretty jazzed about saving the Earth after looking at some of these things. Let me know what you think!

TITLE'S ARE LINKS TO THE FULL LOW DOWN (more photos)....DOOOO ITTT, DOOO ITTTT!

The Green Megalopolis: An eco-savvy blueprint for tomorrow's megacity
(I have already begun shopping for my Bubble House at Ikea...SERIOUSLY CHECK IT...you'll see!)


The Sun-Powered Sailboat
Ordered mine in Lambo Yellow...call it The Streak

ICON A5
This is up on the top of the list....For REAL



Nike:Take It To The Next Level - Directors Cut
GREAT POV (Point of View) film...brings me back to my Manchester days (just kidding), if anybody would have showed me this I would never have quit the Silver Bullets when I was 6. DANGIT!


Clothes! Shoes! Synchronized Swimming! (cool interview)
Jill Greenberg simultaneously showcase clothes and shoes and the U.S. Olympic Synchronized Swimming Team......I was lifeguarding.....one of the best photographer's you will find!

King Abdulaziz Centre for Knowledge and Culture
That's a lot of chrome......We ask ourselves....What do those guys do with the money from rising gas prices?.........hmmm I wonder!

Eleven Women House
My dream house....as long as I remember the right way to the bathroom at night! (DEF Check this out!)


The Democratic Party in 8 minutes
(this is no endorsement or put down....but it makes me laugh pretty hard.)



OK, so that should keep you crazy kids busy and entertained like a bowl full of cheerio's and a good Disney movie. Here is some good tunes for the morning to jam out in the shower.....PEACE, LOVE, JOY

BRAUN....and Patton