Iraq

Finally getting to upload some of my personal photos from Iraq. Didn't get to shoot as much for myself as I had wanted. Many many many rules there. Between shooting my assignment and the fact that most people there do not want to be photographed, it was pretty difficult. One of the most eye opening experiences I've ever had. It's been well over a month since I got back and it seems so long ago already. Almost surreal. Most of the photos here are from Kurdistan. I was in Baghdad for most of the trip but it wasn't till we hit the road and drove up to the city of Sulaymaniyah in Kurdistan (northern Iraq) that I was able to be a bit freer with my camera. Kurdistan is really mellow, comparatively speaking and has been since the war began. We didn't need any security while shooting there and there were many westerners around.

The main assignment was to produce photographs for the Iraqi Ministry of Energy. The idea is to encourage energy conservation and to ensue confidence that the Iraqi government was doing all they can to make the country's energy supply more stable. I will post links to the website and post some images from the brochure when they are published.

I have to say it was a great learning experience both as a human being and as a photographer. I go to go places that most senators, presidents, soldiers never get to go to and talk to the real people that this whole mess has affected. Its a sad sad place but as in most situations that you think no one can enjoy life, there are smiles and people trying to make the best of a bad situation.







Palms
Baghdad, Iraq 2010







Flower Garden
Baghdad, Iraq 2010







Palm Tree
Baghdad, Iraq 2010







Dust Storm
Somewhere in Iraq 2010







Fence with tire
Kurdistan region, Iraq 2010







Sheep
Kurdistan region, Iraq 2010






Tree in parking lot
Sulaymaniyah, Iraq 2010







Two Kurdish Men
Sulaymaniyah, Iraq 2010






Sunrise from my hotel room
Sulaymaniyah, Iraq 2010







Iraqi National part of my security team
Kurdistan region, Iraq 2010








Gas station office
Kurdistan region, Iraq 2010







Gas station attendant
Kurdistan region, Iraq 2010







Iraqi Nationals on my security team
Kurdistan region, Iraq 2010

Unfortunately the South Africans from our security team would not let me photograph them. They were super nice guys and really hospitable. Its complicated as to why they don't like to be photographed, some political and some personal reasons. Special thanks to Reed for taking such good care of us.

quote

My expenses are almost as high as my photography income and I have so little left at the end even when I am lucky. So, maybe I am not qualified to answer this question. Then why am I doing photography? I think it is a combination of passion and stupidity. For me, photography is intellectual, artistic, and curiosity fulfilling. I love making photographs.

–Hiroshi Watanabe

via Two Way Lens

Joshua Tree

Kate and I went to Joshua Tree National Forrest a weeks ago. We went just for a night but did a hike in the afternoon and then the following morning. Got to love California, now that its getting warmer we are going to start exploring up north of the city.


Kate
Ryan Mountain
Joshua Tree, CA 2010





From the top of Ryan Mountain
Joshua Tree, CA 2010







Cactus and other plants
Joshua Tree, CA 2010








49 Palms Oasis
Joshua Tree, CA 2010








Parking Lot
Joshua Tree, CA 2010

Website Update!

Take a virtual stroll down to www.adamengual.com. I've updated with a new section with a lot of new work. As always, any feedback is much appreciated.


Also, I've slowed up on the blog again with photo updates but once the dust settles in a week or so I will have some pictures up from my trip with Kate to Palm Spring, personal work from Iraq, and more photos from a little road trip down to Borrego Springs. Some motion stuff is starting to happen as well and our first short is in the beginning phases.

TRANSPLANTS SHOW OPENING 4.30.10

I am really excited to be apart of the upcoming group show at THIS Los Angeles. Its a pretty great line up, more info here.




Love to see you there.

Some stuff coming soon...

Pictures from my trip to the Middle East, decent size website update and I will be part of a group show opening on the 30th of April at THIS Los Angeles...

Eastside, Westside, Lancaster...

Its funny, living in LA you are so much closer to nature, your constantly reminded of it. On a fairly clear day, even from downtown you can see the mountains. If your on the west side its the ocean.




Stadium Way
Elysian Park
Los Angeles, CA 2010






Had to post this, its similar to this picture from a few weeks ago but I think its a bit more dynamic, I also spent more time on the color.

View from Elysian Park II
Los Angeles, CA 2010







Daniel Wiener
Venice Beach, CA 2010








Venice Beach, CA 2010





In the desert outside of LA there are these fake gas stations and fake motels that have way too much character. If you passed them you might think how quaint or how "americana" these places are. I guess thats what they are supposed to be.


Old Airstream
Lancaster, CA 2010








Abandoned old movie props
Lancaster, CA 2010







Old armchair
Lancaster, CA 2010








Corner of a bed
Lancaster, CA 2010







Two old pickup trucks
Lancaster, CA 2010





Trying to pick up the pace. Hoping to have a big update on the site soon and finally some video coming in a month or two.

Landscapes

I've been slow with posting my photos from my day to day. This should start picking up.



Griffith Park rock slide
Los Angeles, CA 2010







Remote control truck drivers
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
Los Angeles, CA 2010







Indoor tree and plants
Los Angeles Times Building
Downtown Los Angeles, CA 2010








Pleather Couch
Los Angeles Times Building
Downtown Los Angeles, CA 2010







Interior Hall
Los Angeles Times Building
Downtown Los Angeles, CA 2010








Two Trees and Two Crows
Elysian Park
Los Angles, CA 2010


Digging the on camera flash lately. My views on lighting these days is show it or hide it, in between doesn't work.

From Xmas to New Years and a little beyond

Catching up on some snaps from the past few weeks. New projects are in the works and I'm really stoked on the outlook of 2010.




Marion, one of my favorite people in my life.
Santa Monica, CA 2010









Kate, my amazing wife
Santa Monica, CA 2010







Santa Monica, CA 2010








Santa Monica, CA










Santa Monica, CA 2010









Goodbye to our Xmas tree.
Downtown LA, CA 2010











A view from Elysian Park
Los Angeles, CA 2010








Known from coast to coast, Daniel Wiener
Downtown LA, CA 2010

xmas

Little Tokyo
Los Angeles, CA

tungsten light tests/visitor portrait

J.S. Mildenberg
Downtown LA

a few snaps from the last few weeks

Trying to shoot everything everyday again. Not sure why I haven't been as motivated as I was in the last few months before I moved to LA. Might be the amount of assisting I've been doing or just getting settled in general. I feel the itch again so hopefully a lot of new stuff in the new year, a few cool projects in the works and a website update.




Kate on a short hike.
Somewhere near Altadena, CA










Griffith Park, CA








Yuma, AZ










Santa Monica, CA










Downtown Los Angeles, CA








Kate out for a walk
Downtown Los Angeles, CA








Alexandria Hotel
Downtown Los Angeles, CA









Valentino Suit, Alexandria Hotel
Downtown Los Angeles, CA









Danielle Atkins
Downtown Los Angeles, CA








Riverside, CA









Men setting up a tent wall.
Riverside, CA









Riverside, CA










Riverside, CA











Riverside, CA