I’ve been trying to find a way to have an online presence that I actually like again. I don’t want to put my photos on Instagram or Twitter or Substack for many reasons, the main one being that I personally hate being on those websites. I thought about just sending mass emails without an intermediary service but I think it’s important to have an “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of the email so maybe I will move to Ghost or something eventually. I’m just tired of non-chronological feeds and suspended accounts and comments and clickbait and optimization and slop, so I am returning to my original online incarnation, which is “blog.” So far I have really enjoyed gathering emails for this email list and seeing the results for “how do you know me”:
Thanks everyone. Feeling very loved. Hi Enzo.
First things first, I have a show tomorrow (Friday October 2)! It’s stand-up comedy at the Philosophical Research Society. Perhaps because comedians are the modern day philosophical researchers......
I took photos of the drag artist MONSTER ADULT X getting a play piercing at Boartooth Tattoo here in LA. A play piercing is when you put a bunch of needles in and then take them out, no permanent jewelry is installed. This play piercing involved around 80 needles. If you don’t want to see needles or blood, scroll past quick. This was my second big test of my recently-acquired medium format camera (Mamiya 645 1000S) and I love it so so much. The photos below are in a variety of sizes and formats (120, 35, color, bnw) but they’re all right out of the camera, no digital editing. Developed and scanned at LA Film Lab.
My first big test of the Mamiya 645 was a few weeks earlier. My dear friend Austin asked me to secretly film his marriage proposal. He is an excellent production coordinator so he sent me a detailed parking map and reference pictures titled OPERATION MARGO PROPOSAL. I was worried that Margo would see me in my car with the windows rolled down so I hid under a tarp and poked my phone camera lens up just over the edge of the window. The result was very creepy! Then I got some golden hour portraits with the Mamiya that I think are gorgeous. Mobarak to you my friends!!!!
The Paper season 2 is out on Peacock and NBC. Here’s a zine I made about working on it:
MYLA’S CORNER!
Myla continues to be just as cute and perfect as the day I brought her home. 🧿🧿🧿 She is in excellent health for a lady who is now sweet 16 (!!!) 🧿🧿🧿 Adopt don’t shop.In the interest of getting this out in time, I’ll end it here. Next one in a few weeks. If you like it, send it to a friend or send me a note at sarasabzimail@proton.me! Signup link here.