Life Behind the Lens

When I was a little kid growing up in Trinity, North Carolina, I would sit on the front porch and wonder what the world was like beyond my neighborhood. Surrounded by old cars, failing home structures and loving people, it was there that my imagination began to take shape. There was an old air field that we would ride past sometimes to get home and I remember wondering what it would be like to see my house from the sky. Fast forward to now and I stay in the sky and can't see my rooftop at all, lol.

As I get further a long in my career my friends and family often ask me how do I see the things that I see... How do I process the images in front of me? After I clear the air with a joke or two, I pause to give the proper perspective on the question. I share with them the feelings/emotion of what I see vs the visual side of what I see. In every environment most of us use all of our senses to survive. The same goes for capturing important moments in life. You listen, you see, you smell and you feel everything around you. It's much like sitting on the front porch when I was a kid. It took for me to sit still to absorb my surroundings. I guess it's safe to say that I've been in training to do this my entire life.

Life behind the lens requires a different type of focus. Every camera has "buttons" but no camera carries the emotion or the ability to capture images. As we move thru the last quarter of 2012, I want to thank all of you that have supported me throughout this journey.

Enjoying Life Behind the Lens

-J.J. McQueen-

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The Players That You Never Knew

With the opening Friday Night of the 2014 high school football season on the horizon, every barbershop in every small-town in America is probably buzzing with the conversation of who are greatest high school football players of all time. It's a valid question considering the pool of talent that passes through most small towns. People often wonder where these guys end up long after their playing days are over. I've often asked the same question about many of my ex-teammates. Two in particular, Darius Brewnington and Kenny Shaw. If you were an athlete in the early 1990's they were arguably considered two of the most influential athletes in North Carolina's rich high school football history. Unfortunately, like many other high profile athletes life happens. However, even with the growing pains of life every man has his day of redemption. With Darius and Kenny being former teammates of mine I wanted to see for myself who they are 20 years removed fr...

Fences

Several days ago I stopped to talk to one of my neighbors about a vacant private pool property in our neighborhood. We briefly shard our perspectives on the what if's of the property, and the countless possibilities for the local children if it were open. Needless to say many of the residents where we live share the same vision. Ironically days after that conversation, I had the pleasure of witnessing two middle school aged girls jumping the fence to play basketball at the property. Usually I wouldn't think much of this observation but being a father with two daughters, I couldn't help but notice. Especially when they're no trespassing signs posted everywhere. However, me thinking like a rational adult, I had to quickly remind myself to think like a kid and note that the fence obstacle wasn't going to be the girls end all for getting some shots up. On the heels of the conversation with my neighbor it was confirmation that we're all on one accord. So, ...

My Why!

Not long ago Sean "P. Diddy" Combs played the leading role in the television movie, " A Raisin in the Sun". I posted a blog on my myspace page in response to his characters', character. I talked about his drive and determination to succeed. It was amazing to watch the movie in 2008 after having read the original screenplay from the 50's. I'm often asked what is it that motivates me to do what I do besides money. If you look below at the photos the story tells itself. Trinity, NC is where I lived until I was about 9 0r 10 years old. Most of the homes there are still like the ones in the photos below. I took these stills about 5 years ago, I'm glad I did. They are a constant reminder of how important it is to stay humble. They remind of the importance of a sound education. They remind me to always respect hard work. They remind me of what strong families can do with little to no resources. These photos are my moti...

Vision Beyond The Lens by -J.J. McQueen-

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