shutter to think

"Mariachi Flair"

a gardener, the airport, and latin rock

My workload in last week of August was pretty varied. It usually isn't though as I work the late shift, and so I mostly shoot high school sports during the school season. At times its fun, and I shoot my best...but it usually feels awkward as I know its not my strength.  So here are -- a vineyard manager who planted a magnificent garden for the workers of the winery. I shot him in rows of corn. although the color of the leaves reflected off his skin color, so it was a little tricky to get the skin tone right.  i also realized that i had never been inside a corn field before...it was kinda neat (okay so im a nerd). like a jungle. at the Napa airport, i photographed their annual open house, showing off their new and old planes. i met a group of retired men who hang out in the hangers, their shops, and maybe every sunday they will take out their planes and fly out for breakfast! ha! the luxury! and finally, autographs and pictures form the spicey Voices of Latin Rock!

I'm So excited to shoot with a hasselblad tommorrow! I'm shooting food and maybe some portraits at the Ceja Winery while they cook up a feast for a wine club event. But its a great way for me to learn to see with a different format camera -- other than my holga.

goggles

yeeoow! So my friend and mentor keith jenkins posted my blog on facebook and I thought, dang I better spice up my blog. Aside from the usual picture posting, I do on occasion hold random discussions with myself, and in some instances, I somehow manage to loose the page like I did last night on my rant about the RNC protestors, and media for that matter, NOT wearing burning man goggles to protect their eyes against the sting of pepper spray. When looking at pictures from my friend Miss Chris's facebook page, I noticed the color coordination with goggles and wildly bizarre outfits that sort of fits this aurora of burning man meets...what the heck is that movie (i'm SO bad with actor names and movies)...you know the one made in the 80s sci-fi...ah! a colorful road warrior/mad max movie...without the leather and bondage gear. Anyway, I am deeply disturbed by St. Paul police dept's blatant disregard for the First Amendment, in particular, our freedom of press. Journalists should not be arrested for reporting the news on public streets. But really, if journalists gear up for war, then, why not gear up for a RNC demonstration with a helmet, goggles, football padding, and shin guards so that you don't get beat up by the police who don't care if you are a journalist. Not even in Latin America where demonstrations happen more often then in San Francisco do journalists get arrested for covering a protest! burning man goggles!

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Last week I photographed an assignment of a high school teacher receiving an award for Teacher of the Year. Slightly worried that it might be a worst case scenario -- teacher receive plaque on stage, shake hands, speech and eat cake, I was sweetly surprised with the spontenaity of students. Not only was the teacher in tears at the podium for receiving his award, but his choir students surprised him with a song. But the best part about the surprise was the group hug at the end, where over 30 students surrounded him.

aw! thank gawd for group hugs!!