The road to repeal

In the past week and a half, coming out and talking to people openly has brought something into sharp focus: most people really don’t understand the significance of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal on Sept. 20. While it’s true nothing really changed about who we are and what we do in the military, it still makes a world of difference for those of us who had to hide under the old policy.

So, here’s the story of my life – the hidden story that might explain exuberance of those liberated by the DADT repeal, myself included.

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Finding your own style

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Many books and websites have been devoted to the topic of photography. Dozens of people claiming their way is best fill communication channels with what they perceive to be “the magic formula” for photography. The very concept is laughable. The idea of photography is vastly different from one photographer to the next, much like the concept of music is vastly different from one musician to the next. Each musician has their own instrument of choice, medium, and style in which they create their masterpieces. Photography is much the same.

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What is bisexuality?

I’ve found over the years that bisexuality is something not widely understood, even within the LGBT community. American pop culture certainly hasn’t helped things with its fascination of two straight girls making out. There are a lot of misconceptions, such as the ever-so-popular “bisexuality is just the stepping stone to being gay,” or that true bisexuality doesn’t even exist.

Well, I’ve considered myself to be bisexual for roughly eight years now, so I don’t think it’s necessarily a “stepping stone,” and I’d say it certainly exists. So what is bisexuality really? I’m not a psychology major and don’t hold any degrees, but I will do my best to explain what bisexuality means for me. Continue reading

The Camera Kit

From left to right, Nikon’s AF-S 24mm f/1.4, AF-S 50mm f/1.4, AF-S 85mm f/1.4 and AF 135mm f/2 DC. Photo by Samuel Morse

So, I’ve had several times where people ask me what camera gear I have and why I use it. I had to compile this list for the Air Force Public Affairs Agency to recommend equipment for their pre-assembled kits they send out to the field, so here’s more of that information. All gear is Nikon brand unless otherwise specified. Feel free to ask me about any of this gear. I’ve also included my shooting combos I most frequently use, so you can see how I assemble my kit to go on a shoot.

You can see additional camera purchasing advice here. Continue reading

Embracing a new future

DADT repealed

Chains are cut from the mouth of a gay Airman as the policy commonly known as "Don't Ask Don't Tell" is repealed. DADT prohibited gay, bisexual and lesbian servicemembers from serving openly. Photo by Samuel Morse

To quote singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, “The times, they are a-changing.” We are in a position where the military paradigm is in a constant state of flux and the recent repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is no different. Independent voices have been raised that this uncertain new element in our military will ultimately hurt our readiness and cohesion.

To that argument, I must disagree whole-heartedly. It is, and has always been, the greatest strength of the American military to adapt to change and capitalize on new capabilities provided by those changes. Continue reading