They say that a picture is worth a thousand words.
Those words tell a story. Not just of what the picture is or means,
but of what happen right before and after it was taken and why it was important to show the world.


People

This is the first picture I ever took and posted. Accompanied by the caption "Summer. I long, I pine."
Due to a lack of a tripod I had my camera on a stack of empty cardboard boxes.
It got positive reviews and I was grateful, but come on...what kind of view is that?


Jeff and I were at Movin' On in State College, a free concert usually with good bands.
I took him because The Get Up Kids were playing. He likes them so much that he dressed up like them.
No one has really figured out what that mascot really is. I've narrowed it down to three things:
1. A Fruit Push-up
2. A taco or Wrapp.
3. A penis mascot warning kids that if they don't wear protection they risk vegetation.


Taken the same day. I have always wished I could go back and take this picture again.
I should have just taken my time and gotten closer. Instead of just doing a walk by.


Laura and I were at the Penn State/Altoona Campus for an Art Show/Festival.
It's the kind of things I really enjoy. Lots of people, things to do and look at and carnival food.


K.K.Keller took me along with him to Wildwood, NJ. It was one of the greatest times I've had.
Obviously, this was Vinny. He and his many fellow biker friends were on the main strip getting drunk.
After losing two other signs to the authorities, Vinny got the bright idea to tape two to himself.
He would stand on the double yellow line and spin till he got what he wanted.
At one point he stopped the local sherif and exclaimed,
"You ain't gettin' this coppa. This here's duct tape."


One morning after another sleepless night, I decided I wanted to see the sunrise.
The local baseball field is a personal favorite place to take pictures,
but honestly, I don't know why, there is nothing photogenic about it.


Andy, Tim, Ian and I went to Watkins Glen, NY. It was very nice and pretty empty.
Turns out we chose to go when they were working on it, so it was blocked off.
Luckily, this lady met us and told us that we could walk around and come in the back,
as long as we didn't tell anyone we talked to her. So we did.


This is my favorite picture of me. Taken in the Denny's crane machine.


My dad praying at the family reunion. Sometimes I wonder what it is he prays for.
Strength? Respect? Understanding? I wonder if he prays for the same things as me?
Maybe he just gives thanks, like every man should.


Andy "Yeah it's free" Cosnotti, Emily, Ali McNally and I went to the "free" Casualties*Mohawk*/Bouncing Souls show.
Although I didn't get to see the Bouncing Souls I must admit, the Casualties*Mohawk* kept me pretty entertained.


Strawberry Mall(Forever) in Harrisburg, PA. I like the picture as is,
but this was actually one of the first picture I took of someone I didn't know.
That was a huge step for me.


I see people like this and wonder. Where has she been? What was the last thing she said?
Where was her first kiss? Why is her favorite shirt her favorite shirt? Is she a great grandmother?
Does she go home to an empty house and cook for one? What was the funniest things she ever heard?
People are so beautiful. So beautiful. I call this "Lady Wonder".


I remember taking this picture at six in the morning. I think I have a sleeping problem. (It's 2:36am right now.)
This picture just reminds me of not sleeping. Who can sleep when there is so much to think about?




Places

Day Two of our Raystown trips. Horribly Photoshoped.
I really like when the sun shines through the clouds.
Makes me think the sky is pointing out something special.


Stoney Man in Virginia. Probably the most beautiful place I've been to.
It's a place I could go to day after day and think about nothing and everything.
It's true when they say you can be 'at peace' in nature. Life changing.


Blackwater Falls was the first waterfall I had seen. So it was something special for me.
Andy and I slid down on three feet of snow that was on a closed stairway to the falls.
I also say windmills for the first time that day. We ate at Smileys.


Andy and Tim at Ash Cave in Hocking Hills, OH. Our first over night camping trip together.
You really had to be there. Not just Ash Cave, but the whole trip. It was beautiful.
Just driving to the campsite is something I will remember forever.


This picture makes me think of the perfect day at the perfect time to be fishing with your friends.
The kind of day when you don't have to talk. The kind of time that the sun is going to set soon and that's ok.
The kind of day that not catching fish is fine, because you get to enjoy a worry free life just a while longer.


I wonder what he said right before he pointed. What is so important that he couldn't wait to tell?


We took our girlfriends to Niagara. Are we sweet or what?
Just a good picture of three of my favorite people.


I remember the fish at the bottom of the falls. I remember walking though the water for a picture.
I remember walking upstream in the water just because we wanted to do it differently.
I remember the snakes, the license plate in the parking lot and the "Stay this Side of Wall" we didn't listen to.


Compare yourself to a tree. Compare the tree to the Grand Canyon. Compare the Grand Canyon to Arizona.
Compare Arizona to the US. Compare the US to the world. Compare the world to the solar system and then space.
We are so insignificant. Yet someone cares about you and wants to know you. I think that's great.
This picture made me think of that.


Tim hates it when you write on his Jeep. So Andy wrote on his Jeep and leaned back.
Being none the wiser, Tim gives two thumbs up to homosexuality.
This was probably one of the funniest things we ever did.


This was probably one of the coolest things we ever did.


I failed to mention. Not only did I see my first waterfall and windmills,
I also saw the so called "Smallest Church in 48 States".
Here is some trivia for you. The record for the smallest church was dismissed,
because so many people claimed to have had it and it's hard to say who was right.


Tim, at Blackwater Falls, starts what was to become a great climbing career...


Appalachian Man at his finest.


It is rare for us to mind signs. We don't travel hours upon hours and spend our money
just to have some sign tell us we can't do what we want. This is a great example.


Day One of our Raystown trips. This is one of the few pictures from that day.
This was another great, great day. I can't really explain it, but it was something beautiful.
We could have walked across the entire lake. We instead had a picnic on the lake, as real men do.


This is a shelter atop the highest point in Shenandoah National Park.
There is an endangered species of birds to the left and an outlook to the right.
Not much to climb over, but the view is beautiful.


Andy, Jim, Timbo and Timmy silhouetted against one of the most beautiful sunset I've seen.
A silhouette is not only a beautiful thing, it's a very beautiful word.


This graveyard was above Watkins Glen in NY. I really like the idea,
but I could have done a lot better of a job at it.


Ohio was the shit.

Things


A hand drier in a bathroom in PA somewhere.
I know, I know. I'm being obvious,
but here is something you probably don't know.
The space in the brain between the Dendrite and Axon which the
Neurotransmitters fire across is called the Synapse.


Probably my favorite picture I've taken. I didn't crop it or mess with it or anything.
I didn't even use a tripod. It's the picture I'm the most proud of.


In a local store in Martinsburg. Just thought it looked nice for not knowing what I was doing.


The room is stayed in with Ryan in Wildwood, NJ. I liked it, Jones liked it, you should like it.


Also at the bowling alley. I take a lot of reflection shots.
I don't think I would change this picture. I like it blurry.


One of the first times we hung out, Andy, Justin, Ian and I went to see Brand New.
It was a great, great show and the ride home was very fun.
This picture isn't from that night. It is a homage to it.


Coming home from Lake Arthur the sky seemed to be following us


I called this "Skys End" from my rainy day post. I took a lot of good pictures that day.
This one was just my favorite. Probably because it's a reflection.


A sign in the graveyard above Watkins Glen. I thought it was really, really funny.


Friends


Dutch is fucking harsh. He shares my enthusiasm for Photography.
So every once and a while we'll go on picture taking frenzies.
This night was one of those frenzies. Remember him in a drier? Yeah, that was this night.


When it snows all of Lock Haven goes out and plays in it.
This was the second time we went out and we did it strictly to smear Josh.
So Mike got ready and I got this moment. One of my very favorites.


Tim preparing his world famous chicken. A camping tradition.
"Bad chicken" never tasted so good.


This was just last Thursday (5th) at Kane's house I believe.
I bet if I hadn't taken this picture he would have never remembered putting it on.
Afterward we all had a fun walk back to Dutch's and played find Dutch's phone...in the snow.


The usual group from McEntire 7th floor front.
Me, Justin, Mike, Steve, Josh and Andy.
We've dedicated most of our past week to Super Mario World, Super Nintendo style.
I'm actually having more fun this semester. Wow. Scrazy.


Jeff at his dad's house, where many of good night have been had.
Nobody does the Fourth of July like the Wendels. Nobody.
I have a new song you need to hear. You'll like it.


Josh and Pedro. One of three turtles I've caught fishing. This one was rescued from the Amish.
I've had a major jones for fishing lately. I can't for it to warm up.
I could probably type forever about fishing. Basicly, I wish I were fishing now.


Wes King co-owns a clothing company. I suggest you check them out.
This picture reminds me of high school and home room. Being a senior rules.
I think that is Matt Lewis' hand.


Mike was the first friend I made at college and almost every one else I met, I met through him.
I just like the moment in this picture.


Trevor and Whiney whom I've known for as long as I can remember. They had a toga party, this was post-party.
It's funny how alike they are and how different they are. I really enjoy hanging out with them and watching stupid movies.


The kid at the bottom had the idea of rolling this ball onto the street, but it was just too far.
So, instead, we rolled it to the top of a set of stairs so nobody could use them.
This made my feel a part of something important.


Wayne and I went to State College strictly to take pictures. He is one of the very coolest people I know.
I will actually be seeing him the 21st, if everything goes as planned. It's going to rock.
Something you didn't know, that is actually a film picture that I scanned. I was proud.


Girlfriends


Nicole was my first real girlfriend. My previous ones were wooden which made for splinters.
We went out for four veeerrryy loooooonngg years. I learned a lot, as I do with all of my girlfriends.
I hate to point this out, but we have the same teeth. And my haircut was somewhat of a retarded backwards mullet.


I have no idea who took this picture or where it was, but I like it.


After a weekend get away..for God...in State College, Emily and I starting going out.
Remember when you almost got hit by that car? That was fucking hilarious.
Sadly, it didn't last too long and that's because of me. Sorry.
She is one of my best friends and one of the coolest, smartest and sweetest girls I know.
I know you can barely see in the picture, but she is making a great face. I like that.


I know you hate this and I'm telling you now, I don't want to hear about it.
I put this picture in here for two reasons. I wanted to use pictures I took
and I really, really, really liked your hair long. It was so great.
Not that you're hair isn't awesome now, but I think I'm going to tell you that for the rest of my life. Deal.


You can't ignore the past forever. I liked her, but it was a fake her.
We had a quick falling out. Not quick enough it would seem.
There were good times and I learned a lot. She still holds a place in my life.
The other girl is Ashliegh.

Right about here I went out with Amy Pipetti. I'm not ignoring her, I don't have a picture. But she was tiny.


One thing you have to do in a relationship is weigh the good against the bad.
Once the good is outweighed, it's time to move on.
I had a lot of fun with Emma, but when we were apart I was miserable.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that is sweet. You should be every bit as happy together and apart.
I was constantly on the line of happy and depressed. She just made up my mind for me and left. For the best.
I will always remember what you said that day and the reason you gave me.
Grace could not save a jealous, boring soul.


After a six month depression, the light at the end of a long tunnel was Laura.
She had positive outlooks. Hopes and dreams. The kind of girl that likes to be out in the world.


We were just better off friends. Even though we haven't hung out since. I miss her dad.


She is with Jeff now and they are in love and will be together 'forever and a weekend'.
Hopefully this will not warrant me a desk to the face.



Manda


This is our first picture together. I think it will remain my favorite just because of that.
Even though it is a little fuzzy, but what's wrong with been a little fuzzy?


I can't quite explain it, but this is what I said to my mom.
My friends back home, I don't see. My friends at college, they don't know me.
My family, I don't talk to. And anybody else, I'm too shy to meet.
Amanda is the remedy. She brings things together and makes sense of them.
She is a perfect mix of my past, my present and my future.


She is sexy.


She is funny.


She is so, so beautiful.


And, of course, she is the cutest little thing ever.


You're the best part of life. You're beautiful, smart and funny. And you are missed when you are away.
Every song reminds me of you and how great things are together.
The things that are important to you are important to me.
Whether it's playing video games, Niagara Falls or a car crash,
I love any experience that brings us closer.
I could speak forever and not say anything deserving of your ears, so...
I love you. I love you. I love you.

Creative

My brother Sal and his high socks. It's kind of easy to balance when you can't fall either way.
The picture was actually portrait style, but it's stronger this way.


I had always wanted to make a mosaic...so I did. I added the boxes and lines to make it less boring...less like me.


The words are my favorite from any Shakespeare writings. Even though I haven't read that many.
The rest of the picture was just boredom and time, but I like it.


Like most of my Photoshop creations, this just grew from one thing to another.
It was originally supposed to be just me against a white wall and spray painted words saying something emo.
I'm glad you all liked this so much.


Whenever I feel like telling my girl how I feel, I do. You should too. Just let them know, I bet it's great to hear.


This might have been the funniest idea I ever had. The peak of my creativity.
I've always really enjoyed when you can see a historical figure, highly esteemed figure or just a bad guy in a movie,
with a sense of humor. Like the picture of Einstein with his tongue out. Classic cool.


I reach new levels of emo with this and I got made fun of for it, big time.
I think I said something like:
"I've done the math and it's a fact...there isn't a girl for me in all the world".
I could have done the background so much better. "Manda" is so easy to see.
To the far right, the addition problem, yeah that's supposed to be my phone number...
but it's not, because I'm a retard. I should have taken my time and used better formulas.


I like this because it doesn't looks obviously Photoshopped, but it has to be.
I said "Inside everyone of us is a child that wants to stop and look at the fish".
The other quote I wanted to use was "Don't leave yourself behind". I think I like that one better.


Me just being emo. I just remember making it and I think it's well done.
Nothing really fancy, but not entirely boring...not entirely me.


I was really proud with this. Man did I hate school. No I am not entirely naked.


My self portrait. Lame.

I guess that does it.
There will be one more, final post tomorrow.
I hope you've enjoyed yet another long picture post
with weak attempts to convey what I feel.


Yours,
Carlos A. Lamborn