Impromptu

Invited to a small gathering with some friends in Venice Beach on a holiday weekend. The family of four decided to walk along the boardwalk and to the beach. I tagged along, one camera, one lens, one roll of delta 3200 black and white film. Impromptu family session. Gritty, grainy, fun.

Flipped

When a couple or more photographers get together you can be relatively sure that photos of each other will be taken. Not just of each other but of each other taking the photo of the other. Why? Because that’s what we do. Because we’re insecure and we like to hide behind our cameras. Because, like you, we’re uncomfortable when someone points a camera at us. So we duck behind our cameras and fire back. Plus, it’s our way of flipping the other photographer off. Photographer Daniel Milnor photographed photographing me with his Flip.

Whatever

I met up with Leonard at a bus stop here in Pasadena. He was headed east.

Thought interrupted: “Oh man, there goes the 31 bus.”

Great for me, bad for Leonard. I get to make a few pictures. He is a captive subject. So he tells me this story about his tattoos: Once I get to the tat store, the guy asks, “you know what you want?” and I say, “whatever.”

Grey

Ruta's new dress.

Those Eyes

You may have seen this little one before. But this shot didn't make my website (yet). I was out waiting at the bus stop (I enjoy using public transportation when possible) when one of my clients spotted me. Turns out my bus stop is located at the same place Alexandra goes to school. I got this email from mom a short time later: "Alexandra seems to think of you often too since she is convinced we should ALWAYS see you at the bus stop :)". Now this may not seem like such a big deal to you parents but I don't have kids of my own so it really warms my heart that little ones remember me... and seem to look forward to seeing me at the bus stop.

I also like that mom liked this unsmiling photo. Sure there were plenty of Alexandra smiling and laughing. But how can you argue with those eyes?

Banned

I enjoy photographing writers. More accurately, I love listening to writers as they discuss their work and their lives… and then I occasionally snap a photograph or two after the interview. This is a portrait of Rudolfo Anaya, a Mexican American writer from New Mexico. He writes both fiction and nonfiction and has written many books for children. Yesterday he was part of a story in the Los Angeles Times. His novel “Bless me, Ultima” was recently banned from Orestimba High School’s required reading list in Stanislaus County, California. A parent complained that among other things the book’s theme would “undermine the conservative family values in our homes” and that it was “anti-Catholic.” Never mind that the book has been part of the school's curriculum for more than a decade. Other interesting points from the Los Angeles Times’ article: The book is a critically acclaimed piece of literature, is required reading in many English courses and was spotlighted on former First Lady Laura Bush’s must-read list.

There’s plenty of discussion going on various forums on the internet including at the site of the American Library Association, host of the “Banned Books Week.” But I will just say that I find it sadly interesting that books like “Bless me, Ultima” are banned while the mindless drivel that is on TV every night goes on.

The portrait session with Mr Anaya was short, probably about five minutes, and came at the end of a 45-minute interview. I set a chair in the middle of a long hallway near a bank of windows and made several standard mug shots with Mr. Anaya looking directly into the lens. I sometimes fiddle with my camera gear in the middle of a session to give myself a few seconds to think about what I might be able to do that would be different. When I glanced back up, Mr. Anaya was staring out of the window. I quickly brought the camera up and squeezed off a frame and captured the writer as I remembered him -- a warm, quiet and thoughtful gentleman.

A month or so after the session I received a package in the mail containing a copy of "Bless me, Ultima" inscribed with a note of thanks and signed by the author.

Side note/shameless plug: Late last year, the University of Oklahoma Press requested permission to use this photo on the cover of a book of essays by Rudolfo Anaya. I feel it a great compliment that Mr. Anaya liked the photograph enough to consider it for the cover of one of his books. You can find it here.

Woman in Hat

Anna

I almost always shoot on location. But I still like the controlled environment of the studio every now and then. The backdrops, the big banks of lights....or just the beautiful light that comes in through the windows.

What's your story?

“My friends say I take myself seriously....I may look organized and calm” but “I’m really zany, I have a lot of energy” I take after my mom who “…is an eccentric, free-spirit dedicated to her art.”

Anna is a voice-over artist and starting her own voice-over business in Los Angeles.

“I love technology. I’m an inner-geek”

Suki Ann 2

A few months ago I posted pictures of the newly born Suki Ann. Continuing the documentary of Suki's 1st year are these photographs of her at three months old.

Paul and the Cello

What's your story?

"I was visiting my aunts in LA, trying to escape the East Coast and feel sunny again. Most things I left in Maryland, but I took with me music. While we rented a cello out in LA, there was continuity to continuing to play.
Right now, I study music and religion in school, but whether or not I'll be working with either one directly, not sure just yet. In the meantime, on hot afternoons in So Cal, it's nice to play the cello and watch people walk by.
Study at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania."

What's Your Story?

I had set up a photo studio in the dance studio of the Colburn Dance Institute which is located in Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles. I was waiting for the arrival of a couple of dancers when Atsuko sort of shuffled by. She was on her way home after a class where she was studying the Japanese Tea ceremony. She was wearing a beautiful kimono and she graciously agreed to be photographed. During the course of this little impromptu session she told me that when she was first learning to put on the kimono properly it took her over two hours just to tie the obi (sash). Now that she’s had practice, it only takes her 30 minutes. And in her own words:

“I am happy that I was able to share with people about a part of my culture through the Kimono….The kimono strikes body movement, and I have to watch my movement, but I believe it brings a beauty of the Kimono....

Anyway, I am happy that people can enjoy the Kimono, too.”

Suki Ann

A while back I posted a few maternity pictures of Nobi. Well, Suki Ann was born just three days after that shoot. And these photographs were taken four weeks later.

What's Your Story?

Pianist Michael Roberts was born in Sussex, England and started playing the piano when he was four. Later he became an accompanist for the Royal Ballet School in London. Today Michael’s home is Pasadena, California. He is the faculty and music coordinator for the Colburn Dance Institute in downtown Los Angeles as well as a faculty member of the American Ballet Theater summer intensives. There are several albums of his original compositions for dance and his music was featured in the documentary film, “Divertissements. Every Day Dancers”

What's Your Story?

As I was on another walk in my neighborhood I passed a gentleman who greeted me with a big smile and friendly "Buenas dias". Without thinking I responded with a Buenos dias back and we took steps in opposite directions. I stopped and shouted back "wait wait"...and here, between my bad spanish and Roberto's broken english, we pieced together Roberto's story: Roberto was trained as a welder but is currently unemployed and is working as a day laborer. As I worked, he seemed very interested in my old mamiya twin lens reflex and he seemed to understand my little project. As we chatted he finally confessed that he was an artist. That his passion was painting and that he loved to paint large canvases. Since he was out of work he wasn't able to buy supplies for his art but he hoped that soon he would be back at the canvas.

Maternity and Remodeling

As I walked up to the house I could hear the power tools, I could see the dust and debris and I could hear this really loud ranchero music...oh and it was about 100 degrees out.

Maternity and a complete remodel? Nesting instinct gone awry? I don't know.

I do know that contrary to what you might assume, Nobi was calm, peaceful and, of course, beautiful.

Shara

The return of Cafe Girl.

Semara

I'm on the phone with one of my new clients and in the background I hear a tiny voice: "we want to see the pictures." Or something to that effect. Normally I would not capitulate to such a plaintive request...but hey it's Bastille Day (just wanted to throw that in there for all you Francophiles.) This was obviously shot slightly before the fourth of July.

Grace

I've photographed Grace a couple of times so here are a few more from the sessions.




You may have seen a couple of pictures of Grace on my website.

What's Your Story?

I was walking my neighborhood when I spotted James. He had just finished a 5 mile run in the evening. The temperature during the day was over 100 degrees and it was still hot out.

Thought Interrupted: “I was wondering if this woman I met online had left a message.”

-James Bergstrom, designer/drafter for an engineering and consulting firm.

“My story is I am a single guy trying to find my place in the world and figure out what my calling is…and trying to have some fun along the way.”