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.”

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?

Paradise Found

Palm

Palm trees.... I just don't get it.

Neighbors

Cynthia (right) and Terry have been neighbors in Pasadena since Terry moved in next door in 1987. And it’s not unusual to find them chatting in their front yards.
Thought interrupted:
"My gardener had just lost his mother” that’s what I was telling Cynthia before you walked up.

Cynthia: My two kids are back home. I love to cook. It gives me pleasure.

Terry works as an entomologist.
Terry: “My favorite thing is mud. My license plate is ‘Baumud’”

Woman in Hat

Everlasting

True love vs Nature.

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."

43 Minutes

Some days I'm stuck behind my computer....actually that would be: often, I'm stuck behind my computer. Even when I shoot film, the film eventually is scanned and I have to work on the images on the computer. I'm basically doing what I used to do in the darkroom. Only now it's rare that I ruin my shirts. I'm not much for wild photoshop techniques, but I do spend a lot of time dodging, burning and working on the tones in the print. After a portrait session, I'll spend hours editing and working on the images until....until I can't stand it any longer! And I have to get out. These images were taken at the end of a long day indoors. I went out for walk. Out the driveway turn right, half a block turn right, snap a couple frames, a few more blocks, turn right...followed by a couple more rights. And 43 minutes later I'm back in my driveway.

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.

L'Absurd

Sisyphus meets the stairs.

Beads, Beads, Beads

No, these are not beads. I did shoot this picture in the parking lot of a bead store. Took about 2 seconds. Get out of car, lift camera, focus, press shutter. Is this an earth shattering picture? No. Is it one of my favorites? No, not by a long shot. I just think it’s amazing what you can find 6 inches from the tops of your shoes.

Here’s a question I’ve been contemplating for about 15 years, ever since I saw a store in San Diego called, “Beads, Beads, Beads”: how does a store that only sells beads stay in business? Well, it’s obvious now: beads are beautiful and lots of people buy beads.

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.

Surrealists

I’m quite fortunate that I live in a town that is home to one of the finest museums in the country. I wanted to see Maillol’s Miniatures and Marcel Duchamp Redux at the Norton Simon Museum. The museum often offers live concerts (what more can one ask for?). Violinist Armen Anassian, cellist Garik Terzian and flautist Salpy Kerkonian performed works by Satie, Ravel and Debussy to celebrate the Duchamp exhibit. The music was beautiful and at times intense. I glanced to my left and noticed that just about everyone in the hall was riveted by the performance.

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.

Path

I live in a lovely neighborhood in Pasadena. Majestic Oaks line the street their canopies shading the path.

Eagles