shutter to think

For GreenSource Magazine

Parklets have become incredibly popular in San Francisco over the past two years, and there is one design company called Rebar Art & Design Studio that has taken the lead. Read all about John Bela in an interview, called Free Parking.

The Reverend for CNN.com

Back in October I was called to photograph a civil rights activist right here in my own city of San Francisco. It was a great honor to spend a day with him. Rev. Amos Brown studied under Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and was just only one of very few students to do so. Read story here: Civil Rights Crusader takes on Election by Jen Christensen. 

 

For Dickinson Alumni Magazine

Last month I photographed Michael Lanz, who was such a fabulous person to photograph and really brought his personality out in the shoot, at San Francisco's Google location. Here's a web clip of the magazine. 

A Veteran helping veterans return to civilian life

Last month I photographed a man who is making a mark on the lives of vets returning to civilian life. Not only does he help young soldiers but he's brightening the days of older vets as well. Touching profile story for The Bay Citizen:

Veteran establishes support for others returning from war

Maria and education reform for Mother Jones Magazine

A very compelling story about Maria, a bright teenage immigrant from El Salvador, and a year in the life of a low-performing school by writer Kristina Rizga. This is certainly a story that a documentary photographer would love to work on longer than an afternoon's portrait shoot but I'm thankful to receive the opportunity to photograph the assignment and to meet Maria and Kristina. The challenge was not to show the face and personality of Maria. But to protect her identity, I gladly accepted challenge. We spent time walking the halls of her school at Mission High in San Francisco, photographing in various places, including in one of her classrooms, pictured here.

Everything You've Heard About Failing Schools is Wrong is an in-depth article about education reform, stereotypes and dedication. 

Portrait of a Survivor

I recently met and photographed Kevin Hines, who survived a suicide off the Golden Gate Bridge, and was very touched by his story and his efforts on suicide prevention. Please read more about Kevin's story written by Louise Rafkin: Survivor of bridge jump advocates for mental healthy, safety barrier

San Francisco for Afisha, a Russian travel & lifestyle magazine

Had a really fun shoot several months ago for a gorgeous Russian travel magazine. I really wish I could read the magazine but my Russian is limited to...my name is and nice to meet you. A big gracious thank you to picture editor Dana Rakhimbekova for assigning me, and writer Xenia Grubstein for a great shoot!

I look foward to photographing more stories for them whether in San Francisco, or maybe....Brazil? Wherever I will be... :0)

The story is told through a San Francisco resident. Over three days, the writer and I followed wherever he lead, showing us The City through his eyes. If you live in San Franciso, try & guess where some of these places are. 

Can someone translate what my bio says! And this is my dog! Reese. We often do photo shoots together (clearly he's far more photogenic then I) but this is the first time he's been published! 

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.