My GPS Said To Go Straight

Tags:   www.mikejonesphoto.com Smith-Southwestern Mike Jones photo professionalphotographer landscape scenic nature professional photographer Arizona AZ Gilbert road Mesa The bridge is out! another one bites the dust HUGE DUMBASS!! MIKE EATS DIRT

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It is with great excitement that I announce to all my flickr friends the start of the next chapter in my life. I have been a self employed, freelance photographer for nearly 7 years now. I shoot landscapes and interiors and have always struggled to make enough money to survive. If you've read my profile, you know that nearly 2 years ago now, I sold my house, and now live in a motorhome, shooting scenery as I travel around the country. When I did this, I accepted the fact that I was giving up any kind of stability, and steady income in trade for my insane love of travel. Well, through a most unexpected turn of events, I have stumbled upon the perfect, dream job, that I have been searching for for the 17 years that I have been a professional photographer. Smith-Southwestern, a very large company in Arizona, produces hundreds of calendars, postcards, picture books, as well as various different souvenirs, all with a southwestern theme. The company owner was telling a friend of mine who I have done some work for, that he is tired of seeing all the same photos, of the same places year after year from all his freelance photographers. He said he would like to hire a homeless photographer who can drift around from state to state and shoot photos specifically for them. My friend said... "Really... I know a homeless photographer who would be perfect." So, less than 2 weeks after my first phone call, I'm on a plane to Phoenix Arizona for an official meeting/job interview. And... Now it's official. I am Smith-Southwestern's new full time staff photographer. What this means is that I will still be doing... Exactly what I have been doing, only now, I will be making a full time salary, with benefits for drifting around from state to state in a motorhome, shooting scenery. They will be paying for my gas, and have the connections to help me to get into some places that would have otherwise thrown me out. This is just so perfect, I really can't believe the whole thing is happening. They got talking about vacation time and I had to laugh when I realized that, my job will for the most part, will be, hiking around national parks with my dogs, taking photos. For most of my life... That WAS my vacation! They were talking about working 5 days a week, and I had to say "Honestly, I will probably be working 7 days a week for you, because, exploring around and taking photos is pretty much what I do anyway." They cover a gigantic area from St Louis, to California. My first official assignment will be the huge balloon festival in Albuquerque in early October. My main issue was that I didn't want to lose all rights to MY work, as I did in all my years at the newspaper. We came up with a contract that allows me to retain rights to sell my work to any market that doesn't compete with them. So, I can't sell my stuff to any other calendar/postcard companies. That's fine. Most importantly, I can still put everything up on flickr for all to enjoy. Thank you all for your wonderful support and comments. You all helped to get me this job! They loved my flickr photostream! I'm westward bound!

Tags:   Mike Jones photo professional photographer landscape scenic nature A message for my friend BamaWester THIS PHOTO IS A COMPOSITE I wasn't actually standing up there I did this in Photoshop I just don't want you to think I am trying to deceive you I know you southern folk are a little slow Once again... It's not real! Glad it's not real--Have to get the animal welfare people after you I was actually thinking, that dumbass got up there and can't get down. Mike has his wireless antenna, his two dogs and his Mac....all still on top of that rock. He hasn't left in days.

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Hey, sorry I've gotten so lazy about updating the map.

I used to update this thing about once a week. Now it's like once a year. Oh well. Here it is. THE MAP!

I just finally returned from another seven months on the road. Follow the purple line starting at "I Am Here" and ending back at "I Am Here" and that is where I have been in the past seven months.

Tags:   map

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Here's a few more from the infamous, Cadillac Ranch, in Amarillo, Texas.

Why are the titles under the photo? It looks stupid that way.

Tags:   7-10 5127 www.mikejonesphoto.com Smith-Southwestern MikeJonesphoto Mike Jones landscape scenic nature professional photographer TX texas

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So... I'm a little late. I've been busy. I finally got around to doing my motorhome, Christmas photo. Ho, Ho, Ho... Merry freakin Christmas.

Tags:   Is it real? Or, is it Photoshopped? Hmmmmmm... Gee, I wonder Of course it's Photoshopped, you moron! I just drove like 500 miles this week How the hell am I supposed to drive with all this crap on there? DUMBASS Happy Boxing Day Forgot,...it's a Canadian thing The Perfect Photographer GoldStarAward AnAwesomeShot BlueRibbonWinner

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