Archive for April, 2010

Baby Camille.  If she looks familiar to you, it’s because she’s been on the blog before.  I shot portraits for Camille and her family last year for Christmas. This year it was going to be in celebration of her 1st birthday.  No matter how many children I document, I’m always amazed by how quickly their personalities grow.  It had only been five months since the last time I saw Camille but I could quickly see the differences.  The obvious one- she was now walking but she was also exploring more, listening more, and reacting more.  I tried to discuss politics with her but immediately realized she wasn’t quite ready for that one.  So we had an analytical discussion about her toys instead.

And this is why being a los angeles portrait photographer is so grueling . . . are you kidding me?!  Look at that face!  I love my job.

We took five at this point for an emergency snack.  She was a little tired here but I loved it just the same.  It’s who she is and I record it all.

Then it was off to the beach where she kept walking and staring out toward the waves, a look of serenity consistently sweeping over her face.

Happy one-year Camille!  I so look forward to our next discussion. ;o)

Recently Joe and I purchased a new scanner- the Epson Artisan 810 and, long to the short, . . . I love it.  It’s a fantastic scanner.  So I thought I would try it out on some of my old film photography and got excited when I saw the first image come up onto my screen.  It wasn’t perfect but it was pretty darn close to the original.  Finally, I thought,  I can share some of my film prints with you!  The few that I chose are some of my favorites from my one-year adventure throughout Europe.

The story begins after graduating UCLA. I had a diploma but was left with no idea of what to do next.  So I used the remainder of my school loans to run away to Europe.  In between living and working in London, I  traveled.  At this time, photography was not my business.  It was however, a cherished hobby.  Everywhere that I travelled, my camera was close by my side.

I travelled everywhere by train.  If I wasn’t taking the train, I walked.  I walked with a giant pack attached to my back at all times.  Yes, I was in great shape.  I travelled to Italy, France, Denmark, Amsterdam, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Turkey, and Egypt.  I slept in hostels, B & B’s, and five star hotels.  It was a very romantic year for me of learning, socializing and simply being an artist.

The Louvre at night . . . I so miss the Louvre.

This was taken during my first trip to Turkey.  I was mesmerized by this man, watching him gather the silk from hundreds of cocoons that would later be used to create some of the most beautiful Turkish rugs I had ever seen.

This little girl caught me in the act.  I was trying to get a candid shot of her but she laughed and posed instead, for a few minutes anyway, before running back inside to her worried mother.

One of my favorite memories from this year, was my 2 week stay in Egypt.  Within that stay, I traveled for 3 nights and 4 days by faluka (a type of sail-boat) that carried us down the Nile.  Every night I fell asleep beneath a blanket of stars, listening to the distant beat of Nubian drums.

This cracks me up every time I see it.  What the hell is happening here?  What exactly is the story?  I never did find out but I think that’s why it’s so interesting.  I can tell you that I was in Amsterdam for this one, on my way to the Anne Frank house, when I noticed these legs in what appeared to be an ice-cream cart . . . ?  It was so strange and so fantastic, I had to get a shot of it.

Yes I decided to throw in a self-portrait, sue me.  Here I am posing (that’s me on the right) with my then “flat-mate.” I had asked her to pose with me, amongst the Ruins of Ephesus.  We felt very regal, as you can see.  I always had a lot of fun with that girl.  Not sure where she is at the moment but when last we spoke she was living happily in Germany with the love of her life.

It truly is amazing to me how fast life can pass you by, which is exactly why I always cherish reflecting over pictures from my past.  They remind me of who I once was, who I have become, and who I long to be.  It also reminds me to always enjoy the journey.  I am so thankful to have had photography as a hobby then and as a career now.  My journey has truly been a blessing.

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”   -Don Williams, Jr. (American Novelist and Poet, b.1968)

So yesterday afternoon, I get this text-

“you guys want to go to a pillow fight downtown tomorrow from 3-4pm?”

It was from my friend Em.  I laughed out loud and then responded-

“You have got to be kidding me! . . . I’m in.”

See, ever since I saw the movie “Yes Man,” (as cheesy as that sounds) I’ve tried to take on the same agreeable approach towards my own life.  If someone presents me with an opportunity, I now try to say yes as much as possible.

So it didn’t surprise me one bit, when I immediately agreed to go on Em’s new found adventure.  Though I think it may have surprised her a little.  Soon after our texting, she sent me a link, which allowed me to see exactly what it was that I had signed up for.  It was International Pillow Fight Day!  International Pillow Fight Day?  I was intrigued and the 8-year old, living deep within my psyche, couldn’t wait to partake.

Apparently this is celebrated, all over the world- Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Argentina, Amsterdam; the list goes on and on.  The ritual is always the same- bring your pillow, count down the seconds, raise your pillows, and then … madness.  So there we were, Em and I, standing nervously in the middle of Pershing square; on the edge of cohesive chaos.  5, 4, 3, 2, 1, . . . it had begun.  Em and I were trapped in the middle of a feathered mosh-pit.  There were hundreds of people all around us and as far as the eye could see, thousands upon thousands of feathers.

It was truly unbelievable.  So many turned out for this event.  Avid fans announced that they’d been doing it since 2001.  Yet this was the largest turnout they had ever seen.  And why not?  With such a bad year in the economy, I think it was understandable that the public needed to let off a little steam and what better way to do that then with a ginormous pillow fight.

I found this to be an interesting juxtaposition- a little girl watches on as the adults play.

This girl was all set, matching socks, shirt, and pillow!

These two watched on, took pictures, and laughed.  It was a good time no matter where you were, whether you were a voyeur or a soldier positioned within the fray.  My hat goes off to the team of calaborators that invented this movement.  It is simply a good time, no strings attached.  There is no cost, catch, fine print, or paperwork.  This day was created strictly for the art of letting go and is celebrated all over the world.  I’m rooting for it to be a new National holiday, it may take a few years but I think it could happen.  At the very least, I hope to see you all there next year.  I’ll definitely be there again . . . camera in one hand and a soft feathered pillow in the other!