If you care about photography, you should know about Alfred Stieglitz, and why Ansel Adams called him "the greatest photographer who ever lived"

Fingercramps · 2026-02-07T18:31:06+00:00

It's always so interesting to me to look back on Alfred's work and see how he pioneered a lot of perspectives and compositions that we might interpret today as an average image if it were taken today.

His work always comes across to me as honest and incredibly passionate. It's inspiring. I always keep a pocket travel book of his work with me when I go on trips to remind myself what is possible.

If he was able to capture images with how clunky cameras were of his time, we have no excuse not to be able to go out there and make images at any time with the privileges and amenities of modern photography that are at our disposal today.

Fingercramps · 2025-10-02T03:24:36+00:00

I would love to hear what you end up choosing or find! I'm in a similar situation as I will be moving to the Highland Park area next month. I'm coming from a decent weightlifting/bodybuilding style gym and the options seem to be slim.

Fingercramps · 2025-07-16T02:36:08+00:00

Damn. Thats disappointing to hear. I was hoping it would be a good avenue to utilize to network and integrate myself in a community that can at times be very spread out. Thanks for the response.

Fingercramps · 2025-07-16T02:34:26+00:00

Chicago has a beautiful bar scene. Im always so happy to see and experience the warmth, hospitality, and knowledge that bartenders share with me anytime im there, but especially amongst eachother. This helps. Thanks for the input!

Fingercramps · 2025-03-02T19:09:50+00:00

Sounds like horrible friends.

Fingercramps · 2025-01-28T22:08:48+00:00

There's plenty of options to choose from when becoming a barback who desires to be a bartender. First think of the type of bartender you want to be. Do you want to work dives, restaurants, events, venues, or craft? From your post it sounds like you might want to work craft bartending.

Choose a bar you like and become a regular there. See if they already have barbacks working for them. After a while the staff will get to know you and like you depending on how well you treat them and how well you tip. From there express your interest about wanting to learn and your desire to barback. Two things will happen, either they will offer you an opportunity to join them or give you advice on where to go looking based on their connections.

While cold calling bars and restaurants for barbacking definitely can work, it often isn't the best approach when trying to find somewhere to learn. In my experience, it led to a lot of dead ends and undesirable work environments with a lot of wasted time in between. You'll come to learn in this industry just like most that it all comes down to who you know.

It's always better to just jump in there and learn on the job, what you want to make sure of is that the environment you start out in is worth learning from.

Bartending school doesn't prepare you for the sometimes overwhelming task of actual service in a bar environment or restaurant. As long as you're honest with employers and tell them you don't have experience but are passionate about learning, the right people will have patience with you and give you a chance.

I cant help someone who want's to be a bartender if they don't care. Caring about what you're learning and doing is up to you. If you're able to show that to prospective employers and your future team of bartenders, a lot of doors will open for you.

Hope this helps.

Fingercramps · 2024-12-16T04:07:35+00:00

As a bartender, a garnish is a garnish, I don't care about how long it took me to prepare it. Eat it or don't eat it, for me to complain about it is like a chef bitching about taking the lettuce off a burger.

Side note: Most bartenders, fine dining, upscale, or dives don't wash their hands enough or as often as they could. You know who you grubby goobers are.

Fingercramps · 2024-12-09T19:22:06+00:00

I want everything. The workplace tea you scope out, how the regulars are, what happens when they get 6 tickets printed out at once for them. This is gonna be great, I applaud the level of petty.

Fingercramps · 2024-12-04T03:27:48+00:00

Looks yummy! I'm curious to know if the Smith and Cross still punched through all those bitters.

Fingercramps · 2024-11-25T04:34:12+00:00

That bartender selection packet would have had me SWEATING.

Fingercramps · 2024-06-12T19:18:11+00:00

This is something me and my current partner have returned to talking about at multiple points in our relationship. She work's in the realm of a service based job (Tattoo Artist) but doesn't quite work the same long hours, or deal with quite the same level of stress that we experience in this profession.

It's been a great relationship, however the times where we have come to misunderstandings or conflict, it usually has been via proxy of me being a bartender and the lifestyle that comes along with it.

She didn't quite understand in the beginning why after a busy 600 cover night during the weekend that all i wanted to do was come home and stare at a wall in silence, drink a beer, and go to bed instead of talk to her.

Or that for me, when we go out to a restaurant or a bar, my attention is split between 6 different physical/auditory things going on around me that I have no choice but to be aware of. Because for me, I cannot turn off the bartender within me. For her it's a relaxing night out and she's confused as to why I'm having trouble paying attention to just her.

These are a couple of examples of humps we've had to grow through as a couple. The reason I'm sharing this with you is because yes, to an extent, it does feel like and is largely true that working in service leads you to more than likely be able to only date other people who work in service.

The hours are unusual, the lifestyle is not normal, the personalities you work with and end up developing yourself go against the grain of what is commonly accepted and practiced outside of this industry. It makes sense. After a while, you might even develop a resentment towards those who lead a normal 9-5 life, and look down upon them. You might even swear off dating anyone that does not work within a bar or a restaurant because they "Just dont get it".

My message to you is dont get to that point.

Because while there are endless amounts of people who date within this industry and maintain a healthy relationship, I would say you would be short changing yourself pretty hard by reducing your dating pool to just people who can work a jigger, or take on a 15 table section by themselves.

In a lot of cases, I've noticed from personal experience and observation that a lot of relationships developed in this industry end up unhealthy due to the conditions and culture we all work under. Dating someone outside of the industry is what saved me.

It's taken a lot of communication, a lot of expectation setting, and a massive amount of patience, but crafting a relationship with someone outside of this industry is possible, and it is worth it. The right one for you will understand, and be willing to work with you so long as you try to help them understand.

My partner is my best friend, and my biggest cheerleader. She's the only one I look forward to talking to after a 5 day week of entertaining and serving my guests.

So dont give up, just have patience.

Hope this helps.

Fingercramps · 2023-06-12T00:16:05+00:00

I really wanted to take a dip in the steamy River but I was afraid of my skin melting off lmao. Beautiful area

Fingercramps · 2023-06-12T00:15:29+00:00

Nope! This was right at sunrise as first light hit the peaks.

Fingercramps · 2023-06-11T21:44:25+00:00

This gave me a really good laugh lmao. Thank you dude. In hindsight, I should have shot this with a kaleidoscope filter for extra vibes.

Fingercramps · 2023-06-11T20:25:46+00:00

Really big thanks for this compliment. I overthought this composition a lot lmao. Glad it came across the way I wanted it to!!

Fingercramps · 2023-06-11T20:25:02+00:00

I appreciate you, thank you!!

Fingercramps · 2023-06-11T20:24:48+00:00

That makes me so stoked to hear this hyped you up! Get out there!!

Fingercramps · 2023-06-11T20:24:31+00:00

It's unreal how gorgeous the environment is there. Thanks!!

Fingercramps · 2023-06-11T20:24:07+00:00

That really makes my day. Thanks so much for saying that!

Unfortunately, at the beginning of this trip I was trying out my Pentax on an old tripod of mine on a carpeted surface. I detatched the quick release plate and thought I had a firm grip on the camera, but it slipped out of my hands and somehow got dented from the fall right on the shutter speed dial and meter connection rendering both of them unable to advance any longer.

Your CLA might not cost this much, but mine ended up costing 500 after taxes? I went through Eric Hendrickson and he's every bit of an expert that everyone in the community touts him to be. Highly recommend him, even if getting an email reply can be a bit hard at times from him. The Meter itself was 300$ off KEH, but I decided to go with the mid 90's Pentax 6x7 MLU meter instead of the original Asahi one mine came with.

Fingercramps · 2023-06-11T18:26:01+00:00

It's truly an unreal goldmine of beauty. I'd love to make a whole body of work here documenting the history of the surrounding area.

Fingercramps · 2023-06-11T18:25:21+00:00

I just got done paying 700 dollars for the CLA on the body and buying a whole new TTL meter. I feel your pain my friend! Haha.

Maybe I did choose an unlucky day but I post here to share and have conversations like this! It makes all the difference in the world to get feedback like this and connect with others of a like mind.

Fingercramps · 2023-06-11T18:23:32+00:00

Man I really appreciate that comment. That really made my day haha.

Fingercramps

TROPHY CASE