Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Last post for the year...4x5

Not perfect but close, I could only take so much dust removal. If I get these printed I will have to do a bit more work with them. Color is pretty close, learning how to scan again.



I was on a gig in Palm Springs a few months ago and the house was 99% original to the first owner, a bit cool and a bit creepy, this is a picture of the master bedroom.
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William Cody House
Rancho Mirage, CA





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Kate on her 30th birthday
Sequoia National Forest, CA





In college you could always count on someone taking a picture of one of the following every semester of every intro class: self portrait (often nude), homeless person, cat, or a cemetery. I've covered two in the last two posts.
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Downed tree in a very old cemetery
Near Sequoia National Forest, CA






Here are a few road side memorials that I've shot 4x5 and hope to continue to.

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"Mary Nelson"


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"Unknown"

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"We Love You Bryan"




Also started a portrait project of a young Marine, named Ryan. Hope to do a second portrait soon.
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Ryan in front of his family's boat the "Sarah Jeanne"
Long Beach, CA




I have about a half dozen more sheets to either process or scan so I will slowly be putting that work out. The fashion stories I've shot recently is the next thing I will be working on as well as a little website update.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Last post before the New Year?

I'm going to still try to get to those 4x5 scans this week, but I am also trying to revamp/reedit/pump some life into the website. Maybe some blog images will make it over there. I've just been shooting a bunch again with my Lumix, got bored with it for a few weeks but I'm having fun with it again. It's been a crazy few weeks between moving and the holidays but I'm hoping that I can start keeping up the posts. We've been doing a ton of walks this week, most of these images are from them. Where we live now is next to a massive park, endless loops of trails in there. I've missed having relaxing walks right out my door. Happy that they are back.


Last few posts I made were so stretched out in the editing that I end up cutting a lot. I kind of like making more spontaneous posts. Just throwing up my favorites from the week. If I wait to long on posting the images I end up making way to hard of an edit and I think the blog looses some of journal qualities.


Did a job a little while ago with Mr. Embry Rucker down near his home turf in SD. I worked with him years ago in NYC and have started working him out here on a pretty regular basis. One of my favorite people I've got to know since moving out here, also one of my favorite photographers to work for and its not 'cause he likes guns, I promise.
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San Diego, CA



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Embry in his rad hat.
San Diego, CA






It rained for what seemed a week here just before Christmas. Got a fever of a 103.4 F at some point.
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Condensation on the front window.
Montecito Heights
Los Angeles, CA





We walked down to the "river" the day after the rained stopped. It was moving, can't imagine how dirty that water is.
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Arroyo Seco
Los Angeles, CA





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Cat on a leash
Arroyo Seco bike path
Los Angeles, CA







Took Shug for a walk the morning of Christmas fog was really lingering, and yes, thats fog, not smog. Well, maybe smog in the distance.
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View of the 110 Freeway
From Montecito Heights
Los Angeles, CA




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Christmas decorations
Montecito Heights
Los Angeles, CA




Here are a few random snaps from different walks over the past week around Montecito Heights.
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Flattened palms





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Bird on a wire




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Fallen pomegranates





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More birds, more wires





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Two plates of glass and some grass





Here's a compilation of pictures of Kate from the past week or so from our walks on Montecito Heights.


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And here are two from a trip up to Burbank.

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Kate driving
Burbank, CA




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Overpass
Burbank, CA

Sunday, December 05, 2010

Catching up...prt 2

For Kate's birthday we went camping up in Sequoia National Forest. We really loved it up there and can't wait for it to warm up again so we can go back. We went for an amazing hike on the Kern, swam in the river, picnic'd on the a rock, we felt we were the only ones out there that day besides a few fly fishermen we saw. One of the best trips we've done so far. We plan on camping on the river next time we go up there.



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Kate waking
Sequoia National Forest, CA






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After a swim in the Kern.
Sequoia National Forest, CA






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Kern River
Sequoia National Forest, CA






One of My favorite places on Earth.
This is where we had lunch and went for a swim. The water was pretty cold but it was warm once you were in the sun. This photo doesn't do the spot much justice. You can see here a little tributary that joined the Kern. We were so isolated there, I felt more peaceful there than any place I've ever been before.
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Kern River
Sequoia National Forest, CA





You could jump off the rock we picnic'd on into about 9 feet of water, it was freezing but felt amazing at the same time.
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Kate emerging from the river.
Kern River
Sequoia National Forest, CA






We almost bailed a night early, thought it was going to down pour (you can see my trenches from the night before) but we stayed and it didn't rain.
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Photo by Kate Amengual
Our campsite
Sequoia National Forest, CA







We also came across this crazy old cemetery, Kate took this picture of this old knocked over tombstone. I made a pretty cool 4x5 picture here I'll post this week.
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Photo by Kate Amengual
Out side Sequoia National Forest, CA

Catching up... prt 1

I was keeping it going pretty good for two months there and then I've fallen off pretty hard. Been shooting though, shot another fashion spec and just caught up on scanning a bunch of 4x5 negs from the past month or so. Stoked to be shooting that camera, looking forward to posting those.

Here are two from Oct. I shot while on a gig in Palm Springs.

Should have shot these kids with the 4x5...
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Skater kids
Palm Springs, CA







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Shrub in Joshua Tree

Saturday, October 09, 2010

Olivia

I've been trying to shoot a bit more outside of my usual stuff. I got together with this model named Olivia a week or so ago, kicked it for a few hours, talked about life and made a few pictures. I also shot a proper fashion test last week which came out great and will be getting it published in a new mag call Native Belle, then I guess technically its not considered a test anymore. So I will be holding of posting anything from that fashion story till the mag runs.



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Olivia's necklace
Venice Beach, CA







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Olivia I
Venice Beach, CA







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Olivia II
Venice Beach, CA








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Olivia III
Venice Beach, CA



Also added two pictures to the "people, places, and things" section of my site. Images #5 and #7.

Malibu...

Kate and I went over to Malibu twice last month. We really dig it over there, specifically Leo Carrillo State Beach. They allow dogs which isn't that common. The first trip was for a hike in Corral Canyon Park with a quick nap at Leo Carrillo, on the second trip we did just the beach, spent a whole afternoon just taking in the sun and reading till the sun set. It was one of the most relaxing days we had had in weeks. It was also one of those crazy hot days LA had a few weeks ago so we needed to escape Downtown.





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911 Memorial Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA







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Old reservoir in Corral Canyon Park
Malibu, CA









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Family watching wind and kite surfers
Leo Carrillo State Beach
Malibu, CA







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Kate and Shug off to the races
Leo Carrillo State Beach
Malibu, CA







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Kate at sunset
Leo Carrillo State Beach
Malibu, CA








Other random snap from some where in The Valley.
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Liquor, Lotto, Keys, Cigarettes, Keys
The Valley, CA

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Florida Part 3: Brooksville

I spent a total of three night's at my grandmother's. It was really great. We've never spent one on one time, to be honest I can't remember the last time I saw her and my grand father by myself. It had been at least 5 years. My grandfather passed away a few months ago and Kate and I flew to Florida for the funeral. I had posted a few pictures from that trip. Since the funeral I wanted to get back to Florida to see my grandmother sometime this fall, it worked out really well that I could work it into the backend of a job.
While there we really just talked a lot, reminiscing about the past and my grandfather. Looking at the photos now I didn't shoot anything that related to him. Kind of weird, I guess in a typical art school mentality the assignment you would give yourself would have been to shoot evidence of his past existence: his chair, photos of him, etc., but thats not what I did. I photographed my Nana, as much as she would let me anyway.



I assumed that she would have taken over my grandfather's chair, but she still uses hers. I can remember this chair for as long as I can think back.
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My Nana's chair
Brooksville, FL





The first day I was there I just did stuff around the house for her, change fire alarm batteries, replaced her doorbell, etc. On the second day we went to Pine Island, a small man made beach on The Gulf. The water is so shallow for such a far distance there, you would walk out for at least a mile and not go past your chest.
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Pine Island, Florida





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My grandmother, Nana
June Callahan
Pine Island, Florida








She's worn this necklace for years, its built up over time, started with one of the fish.
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My grandmother's necklace
Pine Island, FL







Normally I'd never throw something in the foreground like this but I dig it. Happy accident, I was setting up the camera for a self timer shot of the two of us and this was the test snap.
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June Callahan
Pine Island, FL



It was a great trip, I got to see my Aunt and Uncle as well. My whole time in Florida was really mellow and it was a good trip to clear my head a bit.




Supposedly you can get arrested for taking pictures like this now.
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Tampa Airport
Tampa, Florida







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Kate in elevator at LAX
Los Angeles, CA



This might be my last post for a week or so, I got some tests in the works and finally someone got back to me on a project idea I have. 4x5 camera is loaded and ready to go as well. I'm hoping to make a few pictures on Sunday with it.