shutter to think

from mexico

I recently spent two weeks in mexico researching a project and visiting old friends. i found myself mostly taking snapshots with my iphone then with my camera. at times, it just seemed easier. here's a dyptch of my travels in transit, hovering over Mexico City and on the road to Guanajuato.

A weekend in Mexico City

The first time I traveled to Mexico City was during the swine flu in 2009. The city was shut down. Streets and sidewalks empty, and all stores and restaurants closed. I was curious to know what the city was like on a normal day, and last weekend a friend and I had a chance to play tourists and see the sites, which also included the annual Gay Pride Parade and a Mexico vs USA soccer match.

Guanajuato, Mexico

I spent a couple days in Guanajuato researching a new project. This is one of the most precious towns I have ever been too. This old mining town is a labrynth of little alleyways and cobblestone streets, colorful buildings and music that echoes throughout this colonial and romantic city. here are a few snaps...

In the vineyards for The Bay Citizen / New York Times

Last week I found myself back in the vineyards for an assignment about vineyard workers. I had forgotten how beautiful it is up there and how i miss working in this area, particularly doing stories around the migrant population and winemaking.

I was up real early to beat the approaching rain storm that would have cancelled any work that morning. Luckily it was only sprinkling and the storm gave me a an hour and half before it began to dump big drops of rain.

To read the column, click here:

Napa takes Care of Migrant Workers

US immigration policy has become so complicated and upside down that politicians just can't figure out a more efficient system to allow migrants from Central America and Mexico work legally in the U.S. Although there is a work visa, H2A, the red tape and paper work make it very daunting and nearly impossible for any company to provide visas for their workers.

Many migrant workers would tell you simply that they would much rather work legally, although most from the Napa Valley pay income tax, and have a safer journey from Mexico then the dangerous crossing that they have been doing for decades. Many Americans complain that they take away jobs from citizens, but many of those same people refuse to work these jobs the migrants do. It is a complicated and emotional issue for both sides, but the Napa Valley has figured out a way to make it work for them and the multi-million dollar wine industry.

archive: horse

I have a big heart for horses. So i thought i share this poem that ive had for years, yellowed and torn from a sunday magazine.

 

In its stall stands the 19th century,

its hide a hot sudder of satin, head stony and willful,

an eye brown as a river and watchful:

of a hard, dirty army of hooves.

"Horse"

by Ted Kooser

 

 - 2009, Jaripeo: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico                                                                                                       

Lianne's weddings featured in SF Chronicle Magazine

Thanks to colleague Russell Yip at the San Francisco Chronicle my wedding work was featured among other amazingly talented wedding photographers in the San Francisco/Bay Area! Because I'm also an editorial photographer, i do a limited number of weddings per year. Most of my wedding income goes toward financing documentary projects. so know that when you hire me to shoot your wedding, you're also supporting independent, documentary photography! what a good feelin' right?! 

www.liannemiltonweddings.com

scanning negs

holga pic. i dunno what i did to make it look like this. i don't do art photography. but i looove it.

~ beach days, sayulita, mexico.

philanthropic love

Naomi Lawler, 34, an American expat living in San Miguel de Allende, originally from Wisconsin by way of San Diego, dedicates her weekends to two orphaned sisters, Angeles and Elena. She has been a host mother to the girls, whose ages are around 5 and 8-years-old, for nearly two years.

“I feel that everyday they are integrating and its complimentary because it expands their minds to understand various cultures,” said Madre Chuy, Mother Superior of Casa Hogar Santa Julia. There are four nuns who care for 40 girls at the San Julia de Hogar, where the sisters live during the week.

The city of San Miguel de Allende has a population of about 60,000 residents and is one of the wealthiest cities in Mexico. Nearly 8,ooo expats from mostly America, Canada, England, and Australia live in the city and boasts 130 non-profit organizations supported by grants and donations from the expat community. Virtually no funding comes from the Mexican government. 75% of expats are retired and live on fixed incomes.

Surfer Portraits

I'm working on a storyboard about a little surf town in Mexico and got distracted in making these images of local surfers for the blog to share. These guys have seen their little fishing village transform over the past 10 yrs to a tourist destination. And now, themselves have gained a little from the tourism, such as providing a business teaching surfing, or taking surfers out on charter boats, and family business of restaurants and bars.

Burro -

Tigre -

Jose Luis -

Chile -

Tarzan -

Sayulita Shaper

Rogelio Ramos is a long time shaper and surfer, and is from one of the five original families in this tiny fishing village turned surfer tourist town. He has seen the growth of tourism in his town evolve over the past 10 years. Here he works in his shop, creating and shaping a board from a blank.

la playa

i'm editing a little project on surfers in sayulita and i stumbled across these pictures that makes me miss the ocean and surfing so much. evening light...little rollers and longboarders. well okay, so its flat, but at least the environment was heavenly.

Cockfighter portraits

I forgot to post these from my portrait series on cockfighters.

Project Luz -- Friday, June 26, 2009 at 111 Minna, 5-9pm.

The last couple of months I have been helping facilitate a fundraiser for Project Luz, a photojournalism workshop program for marginalized youth in Mexico. The fundraising event takes place this Friday, June 26, at 111 Minna from 5-9 pm. Funds raised at this event will go directly to three workshops this summer in the states of Sonora, Mexico, and Oaxaca. We will have raffle prizes, silent print auction and live music. This will be a very fun event!! I hope to make it to one of the workshops to teach.

Mexico wedding in May

This wedding took place at beautiful Las Trancas hacienda. Thanks to the fabulous photographer Holly Wilmeth for having me there to photograph!

poblanos.....chiles!

Chile harvest outside of San Miguel de Allende. Not too colorful as the peppers were green, but it was a beautiful blue morning!