IN CASE THE GUITAR THING DOESN’T PAN OUT ANYMORE…

Anyone who knows me (whether they admit to it or not) knows that I dabble in photography. But I am not a true photographer in that regard. I was always a point-and-shoot person, nothing fancy. Yet people who peruse my outdoor photos on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram all seem to say the same things: “You have a great eye for detail” (which is true) and “You have a new career if the music stops” (already plotting my early demise?)

I have friends who are way better photographers than myself. Again, it’s a hobby that I enjoy because it’s still something creative and relaxing (unlike the music world, which is all about stress and has little regard for creativity). I’ve been taking photos for quite some time, have had various cameras over the years. Always a learning curve and I enjoy it. It’s just me and nature, hand in hand. Some photos come out quite amazing, others are so-so. Am sure even the best photographers like Ross Halfin and Neil Zlozower took some duds in the early stages. But this is their career; for me it’s a break from obsessing over too many notes per square inch.

And many have seen musicians take amazing photos which leads me to believe that when you’re creative, you find inspiration in virtually anything. I was first hip to Wolf Hoffman’s work in the 90s. At first I was like “The guitarist from Accept takes pictures?!” Then it made sense. I think he did a book about Les Paul some years ago. Other musicians who do amazing work are Living Colour’s Vernon Reid, and Rush’s Geddy Lee. Different subject matters but the vibes are the same. Musicians like to tell stories with their songs and instruments, so maybe pictures are another window with which the fans can peer through and really get to know the person behind the music. Musicians are insular/isolated creatures and we let our work do the talking.

For anyone who wishes to see my works, you can check out these links:

facebook.com/steviehimself twitter.com/steviehimself instagram.com/stevebellomusic

Keep in mind, you will see photos of my cat Linus interspersed with outdoor works. Again, I am not a true photographer per se. It’s for fun. But to see really great pieces, check out Geddy Lee’s page and Vernon Reid’s as well.

I also have to mention my friend Gail, whom I went to high school with. She has been carving a nice niche with her pictures, and is making her services available so check her out at Gail Andreu Photography

Okay time to obsess over my songs again…