PCH Trip

Kate and I hadn't driven up the PCH beyond Malibu yet so we decided to take a few days last week and drive up to at least Big Sur. We weren't booked on any gigs so we said screw it, lets just go.







Kate walking Shug somewhere along the PCH around Santa Barbara.






My friend Luke Dickey had gone up to Morro Bay a few months ago, said it was amazing so Kate and I decided to stay there for a night. The trip was pretty spur of the moment so we didn't make any reservations the first campsite was full but the second had some openings. It was right on the ocean, we fell asleep that night listening to waves crashing.


A view of Morro Rock from our campsite
Morro Bay, CA




Morro Bay, CA





We took one of the longest walks along a beach I've taken in years. This stretch is friendly with no leash law and was walking distance from our camp site, pretty much perfect.

Kate
Morro Bay, CA







Some details from our walk
Morro Bay, CA





The neighbors decided to run their generator during sunset. So after we ate we walked down to the beach again to watch the sun go down.








Next morning we drove up the coast, so amazing, I made other pictures but these two are my favorite.

Somewhere on the PCH




Kate at an outlook on the PCH






We drove up to Big Sur and the only first come first serve campground we found didn't allow dogs. We drove up to Carmel but along the way found on our map Pinnacles National Monument about an hour and a half inland from Carmel. The drive there was beautiful as well. Pinnacles had a great campground, we found out when checking in that it is rated in the top 50 in CA by Sunset Magazine. We slept that night without the fly on our tent and had an amazing view of the stars.




Kate
Pinnacles National Monument, CA





On our drive back home we stopped for gas and some water at what claims to be James Dean's last stop before he died in a car accident. Here's the memorial they've built.

James Dean's Last Stop, Blackwell's Corner
Hwy 46, Lost Hills, CA









Kate on our drive home
Hwy 5



For being pretty spur of the moment the whole trip went really well, we're definitely looking forward to doing it again sometime.

Elysian

Elysian Park has become kind of a little retreat from downtown for us. Short "hikes" with Shug or just going there to read for a bit.


Kate
Elysian Park
Los Angeles, CA

Some fun with the GF1

Here's some snaps from my first week with the camera.



Downtown Los Angeles, CA







Downtown Los Angeles, CA







Downtown Los Angeles, CA







A view from Elysian Park
Los Angeles, CA







Downtown Los Angeles, CA








Downtown Los Angeles, CA








Downtown Los Angeles, CA








Downtown Los Angeles, CA









Kate
Downtown Los Angeles, CA







Kate sleeping
Downtown Los Angeles, CA









Downtown Los Angeles, CA

Audible Mainframe.

Shot some old friends' from Boston band Audible Mainframe. I used to shoot them back in Bean a bit, I think I shot them for the first time around seven years ago, its kind of crazy to think of it like that.
I went to see them play a few months ago and was blown away at how great of a show they put on now, it had been around 4 years since I last saw them play a gig. They were fun back in the day but now its super tight.
This is a little contact sheet I threw together from a show they did recently at the Maloof Cup, a big skate competition here in So Cal. I don't get to shoot in a reportage style too often and it was a lot of fun. Now that we're all on the same coast I'm sure I'll get to shoot these guys a lot more.

Click on this image to see it big on Flickr or you can see the album they posted on facebook here.

Pretty much all caught up...

So this is my last catch up post, another roadside memorial. This one was in Malibu as well.


Malibu, CA





I just recently traded in my Contax G2 for a Lumix GF1. I know some people would cringe at that idea but I made the realization that the Contax is an amazing camera, but it was the size and low key-ness of it that I had enjoyed most. I still have rolls to process, never mind if I ever get around to scanning them. For a while now I've been trying to find a digital equivalent that wasn't thousands of dollars like the Leica M9. I love shooting 4x5 and I will always keep my Hasselblad but with the Contax I just had a real hard time justifying the price of film and processing for 35mm.
A couple of photographers I assist had got the GF1 but I hadn't seen any photos from it until my friend and fellow assistant/photographer Nik Jung showed me some images of his shot on it and I was sold. Check out Nik's website and blog. He just started a solo motorcycle cross country trip that should be pretty rad to follow along with.

4th O' July

I made almost no photos compared to last year's trip, but what we did do was shoot a ton more video. We also filmed sit down interviews with almost everyone that came this year. It was amazing to see everyone be so candid with us on how special this place and annual trip has become. I'm so happy we made it this year.

I think they are due in the next week or so! Super excited for them.

Nick & Naomi




I guess I was really into details this year.







Looking forward to 2011...

Some more catch up...

In June I got to go to back to NYC for the first time since we moved to LA. It was fun to be back. I worked a bit and saw a bunch of friends. I enjoyed getting into the grove there. Subways, sweaty days and nights. I had quickly forgotten the summer grimy grind of it all.




Jeronimo, great guy, one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. He got married this weekend, really wish I could have been there. Big congrats to him and Abigail.


Jeronimo
NY, NY








Jon & Sandy on their way to Marion's
Brooklyn, NY









Fence & Weeds
Brooklyn, NY





And back to Cali...

Starting a little series of these. I've always been really drawn to them.

Roadside Memorial
Malibu, CA








Stormy Sunset
Outside Sequoia National Forrest, CA

Long over due...

I've been so infrequent this year with the blog. I am going to really try to stay consistent after the next couple of "catch up" posts. I also just did a little re-design. I might still tweak it a bit but I dig that I can post larger photos.

These images are from April/May:



I never get to really explore like I used to. You kind of take it for granted living in NY how you can just stumble upon things. Here in LA it seems your 99% of the time going from A to B and miss some things in between. I came across this picture on a rare opportunity I had to walk to work.

Downtown Los Angeles, CA






But on the other hand you don't these kind of scapes back east...

Mammoth Lakes area, California





My grandfather died a few months ago. Great guy, I honestly could not have asked for more in a grandfather. Kate and I got a flight into Ft. Lauderdale and then drove up to Brooksville, where my grandmother lives.

Somewhere outside Ft. Lauderdale, FL








Abandoned Strip Mall
Somewhere in Florida







Guest Bedroom
Brooksville, FL








My Grandfather's Urn
Brooksville, FL








Here's Alex, Michel Comte's 1st.

Alex Jaras
Downtown, LA