Tom Clark Photography

Sundays in Laguna

For seven years I lived and worked in a quiet little neighborhood in the Backbay area of Newport Beach called Santa Ana Heights. Though I call the area a quiet little neighborhood it lies directly under the flight path of the Orange County Airport. Not a problem for me though since every time a jet took off I imagined myself in it and on my way to Italy, my childhood home. It was a beautiful way to turn the noise of a jet engine into a promising fantasy that more than a few times became my reality. Perhaps one of the best parts of living in Santa Ana Heights was the fact that it took me 13 minutes to get to Laguna Beach, the legendary beach town that to this day remains one of my favorite places on earth. I have loved Laguna since I first discovered it in early 1983 and Jed and I are currently in the planning phase of making it our permanent home.

All of that is to introduce you to a series of letters that I wrote to friends about my adventures in Laguna on Sunday mornings. I never intended it to be a thing but on its own it became one. I created the domain SundaysInLaguna.com and began to gather the essays and stories into one place. As we contemplate our new life there I’m certain that these essays will likely begin again with an updated perspective on a Southern California beach town that has seen a fascinating and unstoppable evolution over the past many decades. In that light I would like to begin where my original essays left off and share with you my thoughts on what it means to be a part of that evolution. This was written on Super Bowl Sunday 2016  

About 30 years ago I did some nudes on these same rocks on the shores north of Malibu. I had forgotten they were even there but in driving past them a few months ago my memory was stirred and Jed and I stopped to do some pictures. That's one of the advantages of being partnered with him - we can pretty much jump out of the truck and take pictures anytime we want to. For what it's worth this image is un-manipulated - to my eyes it's perfect just as it is. 

Solstice Dance

Today Prop 8 has been overturned by the US Supreme Court so here is a victory dance with Heather, Aaron and John under the light of the Solstice Sun. 

Pantheon: The Utah Collection 2...

 

It's finally here!

Pantheon picks up where The Utah Collection left off but by and large has a heart of its own. My great affection for the people I photograph is perhaps more apparent than ever here; the darker and more personal explorations left for other books at other times. This is an unbridled expression of love and fascination for those who are willing to step out in front of my camera and dance. It's a celebration of those who take off their clothes and wade out into the water naked, fearless and free. And maybe more than anything else it's just a way of saying look; look how beautiful we all are when we step back into our bodies and make them our own. Preview the entire book online by clicking below.

THE UTAH COLLECTION

A year in the making, THE UTAH COLLECTION is now in print and available to preview and/or purchase through Blurb.

The Utah Collection by Tom Clark

 

 
  

Not To Worry...

Don't give up hope guys. I'm still here and very much alive but been hunkered down in survival mode. Blogging is something I enjoy very much and have been completely committed to for four or five years now. I also realize that at times I've felt pressured to keep the posts coming regardless of my ability to do so or whether or not I had anything to share. I'm gradually getting over that now and balancing this wonderful thing called blogging with the demands of my everyday life. For most of my life I've been consumed with the desire to be accepted and loved. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why that might be the case. So I make beautiful music, I design gorgeous gardens, I take fabulously sexy and compelling pictures of people, I crochet luxurious beanie caps and I design business cards and brochures that get people's attention. Everything I do satisfies me at some level but I'm also aware that a lot of what I do generates compliments and praise and ultimately lots and lots of acceptance and approval.

When will I stop feeling the need to be validated? Perhaps never. But this continuous quest for the tiara of popularity is tiring. There has to be a point at which my own validation of self is enough. And I'm getting closer and closer to it as the days go by. One of the consequences of the catastrophic illness that nearly took my life three years ago is a reduction in energy. You'd never know it to look at me these days but I know it. Something inside of me has finally spoken up and said "Tom, you need to be careful."

Out of the darkness and struggle of the past three years has come some intensely bright light on the horizon. There are things in the works that are clearly what I fought so hard to come back from death for. I kind of knew they were there but on many occasions simply lost hope that they would ever surface. It's happening - the dreams that got shelved as a result of the illness are coming back into focus, both literally and metaphorically. There is a lot of road still ahead but I'm on it and the light is getting brighter by the day. Light at the end of the tunnel - such an overused but appropriate way to describe the feeling of what's going on.

Social Commentary - The Series 2

 

John and Mike have a partner in their relationship. His name is Leandro but he was out of the country when we did these pictures. He is no less a part of their relationship then either John or Mike, so I hesitated to use this image with Leandro missing from it. But I think the guys know well how much I honor the triad nature of their relationship. Using this loving image of John and Mike was simply the best way I knew how to illustrate my point using my one of my own original images. I love this picture of the guys - the beauty of what they share and the old shoe comfort that accompanies them everywhere is something quite wonderful to be around.

 

One of the most iconic pieces of music in the world is O Fortuna from the Carmina Burana. Carl Orff set many of the Carmina Burana poems to music and O Fortuna is of course the famous of them all. You likely first heard it in the movie Excalibur and since then it has gone on to international fame as one of the most recognizable pieces of music ever written.

Surfer Quiz...

 

Study this picture for a few seconds and then talk to me about it. Tell me what goes through your mind. There is no right or wrong answer so be frank. Or Gary. Or Bob. Or Matt.

Bringing In '09...

 

My friend Jim sent this to me and it made me laugh. There ain't no such thing as gay without YMCA and the hand motions to go along with it. Thank you Jim for helping me bring in the new year with a smile.

I bought a bottle of Italian Amarone earlier today and some wonderful Italian black truffle cheese to have with it. I also snagged a loaf of Italian bread and some French pork pate`  along with a half a pound of Prosciutto di Parma, all of which is sitting handsomely here on a plate next to me on the floor. The Amarone is such a deep ruby red that you can't see through it holding it up to the light. I've had it open for almost 45 minutes now and it's starting to show off its stuff. Wow. I've had Amarone before but it's nice to be reminded of how amazing these more precious Italian wines are. Show offs, just like Italian men.

And speaking of Italian men I went to see a little gay movie called Ciao this evening in which the lead character was a handsome Italian guy from Genova who came to America to meet somebody, met somebody else and kind of fell in love. Way too slowly paced, which is problematic because I usually get and enjoy slower paced movies. But whatever, it was gay and the leads were hunks I guess that should be enough, right? It's a good thing the wine is good - that's all I have to say about that.

Got my hair cut earlier today and took care of business stuff before that and have been enjoying my time here in Hollywood immensely. It's always good to be home. I know where I'm going, I know how long it takes to get there and I know when it's best to take Fountain across town and when it's best to avoid it. Everyone is beautiful in Hollywood and the men are all gay and the cars are all washed and everyone is as fucked up as I am. It's nice to come home and feel like I'm the sanest person around. I'm not of course but it's nice pretending. Tomorrow I'm going to the beach, probably Laguna, and I'm going to bury my toes in the sand and let the earth and the ocean do that thing they do to me.

I've had a good if not challenging year and '09 holds promise of even more wonder and contentment. I have tired feet and am looking to give them a rest. I'm healthier and happier than I've been in years so life is good and I'm thrilled to still be a part of it all.

I wish you lots and lots of whatever it is that makes you happiest.

ciao e buon anno,

Tom

The Muwekma Ohlone Indians...

The Muwekma Ohlone Indians are the original inhabitants of San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area. In the early part of the Twentieth Century the Department of the Interior recognized the Muwekma Tribe as an Indian tribe under the jurisdiction of the United States. In more recent times, however, and despite its steadfast efforts, the Muwekma Tribe has been unable to obtain federal recognition, a status vital to the Tribe and its members.

If you have a few minutes to visit their website you'll find a petition you can sign there that will help encourage federal recognition of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe.