12.30.14 Julie. Downtown LA.

So much of this project became a look into my personal life in a way that I didn’t quite expect. It became a vehicle to show my life, and, the most surprising part for me, a place to write about my life. I didn’t think what I wrote would become such and fundamental part the project; but somehow it did. So to that regard I take this final chance to write about Julie.

It may seem that by looking at my photos Julie is a passive physical muse to which I point my camera and snap pictures of her beauty and glorious booty; for those of you that follow me closely you know I hate that term “muse.” She is far more than that. What Ive learned this year, and in this project, is that the saying “behind every great man is a great woman,” although my greatness I would question, is a fundamental truth for me.

We as human beings depend on the love and affection of other things; like it or not, thats why we all have social networking. No matter how strong, independent, stoic, you think you are (and I think I am), we need support. Men often focus on being the strength in a relationship, but the true strength comes from the woman that intuitively know when their love and support will make all the difference. The comfort in knowing if you let down your guard your partner will be there to hold up theirs, liberates you from the fear of failure. Julie and I started dating as I began my photography again, and she has been the largest driving force in pushing my work and developing it. She’s the support that gets me through the times when I look at my work and think “fuck! what am I doing.”

The truth of the matter is we accomplish nothing in a vacuum. Those around us friends, family, social networking, all push us, inspire us and shape us. Julie is the woman behind the curtain helping this “Oz” keep moving forward and looking like I know what Im doing. For me age has shown me that this is what I need from a relationship. Sex, music taste, fashion, politics, and everything else is meaningless in a relationship if you don’t have the support structure in place. Ive said it before, and Ill always say it: relationships only make sense when both people are made bigger, better and stronger by being with one another; and so let me say here an now, I am who I am because Julie rights the ship this is my mind, guides me when Im lost in my thoughts, and is my strength when I didn’t even know I was weak.

Julie you’re my everything, I couldn’t be who I am without you and I love you madly for it. You’re the best partner, co-conspirtor, trouble maker I could ever asked to be paired with and I can only hope I bring you a fraction of the joy you bring me.

I love you!