shutter to think

Innovation tackles truancy

For the New York Times and Bay Citizen...what a great assignment and program for these kids. I shot this in early December. I hope that more schools will develop hands-on, creative and innovative programs to help give disadvantage kids opportunities such as this. I'll just let you read the story by Trey Bundy, whom I've worked with a few times, and is a fantastic reporter. Here's the lede of the story, "For decades, teachers and school districts have battled truancy, struggling to engage students who cope with economic hardship, community strife, domestic violence and drug abuse. Some students avoid school because they are not interested or because they are being bullied. But since 2008, in part because of programs like those at Downtown, the San Francisco district’s chronic truancy has dropped by 31 percent."

Read the story here: On Land and in the Bay, Innovaction Tackles Truancy

San Francisco's new minimum wage for the WSJ

An assignment for the Wall Street Journal about San Francisco becoming the first big city in the U.S. with a minimum wage topping $10 an hour, on Jan. 1, 2012. I was assigned to photograph a clothing manufacturing factory in downtown San Francisco in an area that most folks don't go. In fact one construction worked asked if I was lost because I was trying to find the backdoor of this building. But inside the seamstresses were busy. It was a bit challenging because first the lighting was awful. The women were also really shy, and didnt speak english, but they were all sweet and we had many laughs as I'm sure I looked really silly to them trying to photography inconspicuously.

Here's the story: Minimum Wage

Tugboats in the San Francisco Bay

Last month's assignment for the New York Times and Bay Citizen....was so fun to be out on the water.

The tugboat was a state-of-the art two-year-old boat that cost about $50m. I had first envisioned the old classic tugboat, being out in the elements, the wind whiplashing my hair and seawater spraying on my face..hahaha none of the really happened. But it was still a fun assignment! The captain did let me drive for a bit too...

That day's job entailed assisting a cargo ship coming in from Singapore to the Oakland docks. The ship was incredibly huge. I often see them off the coast of San Francisco from Ocean Beach or from the window of my flat. You really have no idea how enormous these ships are until you are next to it. Really interesting experience, and of course I love any kind of water assignment.

Here's my clip and following outtakes:

Catch the story here: tugboats

 

Out of the Rolling Ocean

With the last six frames left of a roll, I headed down to the beach to capture this amazing blue glow I saw from my yard. My favorite time to shoot and it lasts only minutes. The earth, sky and ocean in the same blue color palette. This day was the last of a weekend-long the bluegrass festival...it was summery fall...surf was good that day as was the music from the park.

the devilettes

A few months ago I photographed a friend's dance troupe in San Francisco, the Devilettes, during one of their last shows of the year...it was something i had been meaning to photograph for awhile and finally got around to doing it...and what fun! Shooting small events or mini projects is a good way to give myself a break from "the work," to shoot and wander freely without thinking of the storyline. Now i want to go back and shoot more! Thanks Melissa, and the Devilettes, for having me there!! {music by Link Wray: Ace of Spades}

Foodspotting goodness for Inc Magazine

Here's a recent webclip and outtakes of a shoot I did in San Francisco for this July's issue of Inc Magazine. The image ran about a half of a page in the magazine, but since I'll be on the road for the next couple weeks, Im posting this web clip.

I recieved a call to photograph three of the top 30 under 30 entreprenuers, for a smartphone app they've created called, Foodspotting, as they ate their way through 18th St in the Mission. It was there I had my first taste of Bi-Rite Creamery's salted caramel and toasted coconut ice cream deliciousness. From there, I photographed them photographing tarts and cappucinos at Tartine Bakery, pizzas and pasta at Deflinas as they sampled their way with iphones. 

Below are the outtakes....

Foodspotting for Inc Magazine - Images by Lianne Milton

Issues regarding Juvenile Justice for the New York Times

Here's a recent assignment I shot for The Bay Citizen and New York Times about the juvenile court proceedings. Because juveniles are minors I wasn't able to photography any court trials, or youth at the Juvenile Justice Center, so I was assigned to photography a family judge and the lobby of the Center.

Please read the story, "Legal Tactic Raises Issues for Juveniles."

Chinatown, SF

Some gems I scanned from a roll I shot in Chinatown, San Francisco.

sunday, downtown

Here are some snaps from a quick visit to chinatown/north beach last sunday. I ventured out of my neighborhood to test an old folding camera i've had for years, Agfa Billy Record. The roll is currently being processed and will share whatever gems come out of it...

Bicycle Coffee Company for the Wall Street Journal

Earlier this week, I spent the better half of my Monday morning photographing the guys at the Bicycle Coffee Company bagging roasted coffee beans and following their delivery on the back of a dirt bike through the streets of San Francisco. It was a fun assignment and it gave me a chance to photograph a variety of images that you'll see in my outtakes slideshow.

To read the story: bicycle

There's also a fun video portion, though too bad that they've stopped with the cart because it would have been great for pictures!

And be sure to check out the Bicycle Coffee Company's website.

If you're a local SF-based company (or even Oakland and Berkeley), inquire with them about having delicious organic and fair trade coffee delivered to your business!

Bicycle Coffee Company for the Wall Street Journal - Images by Lianne Milton

Improved Communication for First Responders, for the New York Times / Bay Citizen

Last week I received a call for an assignment from The Bay Citizen, a local non-profit news organization that provides local content for the New York Times Bay Area section. The assignment was for the NYT and they needed pictures of a communications tower and first responders using devices responding to emergency calls. At first look, the assignment appears to have very little visual interest. But fortunately I was lucky that day. I took off from SF to Albany Fire Station during rush hour. It only took me an hour to get there (i've been in much worse drive time during rush hour). I met with a paramedic who showed me some of the communication devices for the story. Not very interesting since they weren't using them. I photographed some details, but never did I think I would be so lucky to go on a ride along during call to photograph a much needed image of a firefighter using these devices. Although it was tricky to photograph, I did manage to get some good frames. Afterwards, I headed back over the Bay Bridge and up to Bernal Heights for some of the best views of the city, and to photograph this tower. To read the story: Two Emergency Plans Gone Off Course

and the view from Bernal Heights:

listening...

Last night, I headed out with a friend and fellow photographer, Annie Tritt, to an interesting event called The UnObserved, an online radio magazine, which in collaboration with the Guardian UK, launched their first sound series. It showcases "innovative and thought-provoking audio pieces, with an emphasis on works that examine the more uncommon facets of art, culture, and daily life". Naturally I was curious, because as compelling written stories are visual, so too is radio. And being a photographer, with a curiousity to see, decided to check out their launch party and listening event. it was, as you would expect, a room full of folks listening to very interesting selected works of sound, such as hearing chuckles of the Dali Lama during an interview (that made us all smile).

Growing Diversity at Chinese American Schools for the Wall Street Journal

  The other day I spent a few hours at Chinese American International School in San Francisco for the Wall Street Journal . The story was to illustrate how non-Asian parents are seeking Mandarin skills for their children during a time of rapid economic growth in China. The interest has caused an increase in enrollment at this private school, which maintains a competitive wait list making it one of the most difficult schools to get into. The student perspective was particulary interesting. One eighth grader said she didn't noticed she was any different until she began growing taller then her classmates. But other then that, its middle school life as usual.

At the school, I saw incredible Chinese paintings by students on the walls, I heard Mandarin and French (the school is shared with the French American students) in the hallways, and many half-Asian students that resembled myself. I grew up speaking Cantonese Chinese, which didn't last long once I entered grade school. My parents put my brother and I through Saturday School, which is like a Chinese cultural day program. We hated it. We missed our Saturday cartoons for a cold classroom. We also weren't completely fluent in Chinese, in addition to being painfully shy. But it was my mother's way of trying to integrate her culture into our American lives.

To read the story: Growing Diversity Fuels Chinese School

For outtakes:

Growing Diversity in Chinese School for WSJ - Images by Lianne Milton

archive: winter bbq

well this isn't so much from the archive as its only been a month, but, i just wanted to post something different...inpromtu bbq at a favorite spot near the beach. the boys gathered the usual meats, and the "sauce" was beer. whats with guys pouring their beer over the meat? anyway, it was chilly to say the least. while the teriyaki glazed steak and spicey chicken, with tasty margaritas, filled our tummy's, we pretty much stayed huddled around the grill until dark...

Please feel free to add your comments or thoughts!

its wonderful...

I'm thrilled to announce that i am the newest member of Wonderful Machine for the San Francsico location! WM is a boutique agency/photographer's representation which helps connect commercial art buyers with specialized photographers.