What’s up ShiftedCrew? I’m back after a short hiatus. Summer 2010 was absolutely insane, and as the season is coming to an end I just want to thank our followers for keeping up with the site and maintaining your interest in Shifted and illantic while we have been quiet. We are going through all the e-mails and facebook messages and working hard to deliver some really good things in the near future – but I wanted to post some new photos and do a little blogging (or is it “logging” with a soft ‘b’?) in the meantime.

I was talking to friend of mine who does a lot of branding and web design a while ago about the frustrations of his work. He kept saying “design is not a democracy,” in response to feedback he had been receiving from clients who seemed to prefer fundamentally poor logos and site layouts.

It got me thinking about my own “work,” in photography and graphic design in relation to the basic principal my friend had been preaching… Art is not a democracy. But that raised another question.. is this even art? My friends and facebook fans seem to think so, but I know others would argue the contrary.

The more I thought about it, the more I came to the conclusion that it was only art because I believed it was art. I visualized it, I captured it the way I saw it, and I put my eyes, my mood, and my passion into it. Since then, I started taking a lot more liberties with the way I take my shots and post-process them.

I’ve never been happier with my work, and I have never cared less if anyone liked it or not. Funny that since I grabbed my camera by the balls and started to shoot the way I wanted, my stuff has been more well-received than ever before.

Is it art? Decide for yourself… but here are some more pictures to help you make up your mind.

Big things on the way soon, check back for an update from illantic as well.