New York

I was called to New York City about a week and a half ago for a family emergency, which has yet to resolve itself. One of the ways that I keep my sanity is to talk long walks in the morning and make lot of photographs. I love photographing in this city because I don't need my car and I walk for miles with so much to see and inspire me to make photographs.

I've been hunting the light, rather than specific subject and amazing things have been revealed to be as a result. This scene is one of them. The shaft of early morning light in mid-town is a beauty to see. Because of the tall building throughout mid-tone, you have to keep an eye out for such shaft of light as well as reflected light off the surface of the buildings themselves. Otherwise, everything is in shade, which involves a very different kind of image.

Gated Window

Don’t tell me about the pictures you didn’t get. Just show me the good ones you got. - Edward K. Thompson

Camera Phone

Though I have it with me every day, I don't make many images with my camera phone. However, while walking to dinner a couple of weeks ago, I saw the light hitting this apartment building and had to make a shot and I'd left my camera at home, something I don't usually do. Though I knew the image wouldn't be as a high quality as I would have typically preferred, I wanted the shot anyway. I'm glad that I was able to make it.

Red & Blue

Sometimes, it's all about color and keeping it simple.

Light Triangle

I ran across the street when I saw this light triangle against a garage door in Hollywood. I was thrilled at the relationship between the shapes and made several images. I think Cynthia that I was a little nuts, but she's used to it. Anyway, by the time I walked back to the car and looked back, the light was gone as was the triangle. There is a point to my madness sometimes.

Silverlake Taco Stand

I was driving through Silverlake one rainy morning when I saw this parking lot. At first, I didn't intend to stop, but then thought, "Why shouldn't I?" I wasn't in a rush and had plenty of time to get to my destination. I didn't get out of the car though and just took a couple of snaps before I headed off. I didn't think I got anything special and so I just created 3 frames.

I wasn't particularly excited by what I captured and it was only when I pulled it up in Photoshop this morning that I started thinking about what I had responded to in the first place. It was obviously the color and the tones. It wasn't obvious in the original image which was rather flat. So, I cropped it and increased the contrast and saturation and this comes closer to what drew me in the first place. Is it an accurate reflection of what was there. No. But it certainly provides you a sense at what my gut was reacting to, which I think is the whole point.

Quote of the Week

Shoot a lot of pictures. Experiment. Don’t go out with preconceptions of what a picture will look like. That will block you from being receptive to something new and exciting. - Mason Resnick

Old Rusty Van

After having lunch in Hollywood, I saw this old rusty van and made some snaps of it. I love the tones and shapes here.

Tlan

This is Tlan, one of my partners here at Alas Media. I was working all day here at the office and took a moment to make a portrait of him. Now, back to work.

After-School Program at John Muir H.S.

These are some portraits that my students from the after-school program which I teach made of each other. I brought in a professional lighting kit and had them using my DSLR to make a series of images of each other. Considering that this was the first time they had ever used the gear, I think they produced some great results.