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Yashica Electro 35

Summer Travels, pt. I

Summer Travels, pt. I

New York

It's rare that I get to travel as much as I would like to.  Fortunately, I get to make up for it this month.  Having successfully completed my short film To Police, I'm off to Barcelona, New York, and Puerto Rico, in that order.  I guess you can say I kinda like Spanish food...

Anyway, Barcelona marks my first time ever setting foot in Europe, so naturally I shot a LOT of rolls there.  I'll be saving those for last.  New York was up next, and was actually a research trip for a new script I'll be writing so most of time was occupied with that, rather than photography.  But I did manage to get off a few quick shots here and there.

 

Up next...

Puerto Rico

This was my second time visiting Puerto Rico, and I gotta say, I love this island more and more with each visit.  This was the first time I was able to explore a little bit with a film camera in hand, and spent the majority of my time in Old San Juan.

To be continued...

Barany & Burnett

Barany & Burnett

Wedding Season

In the magic hour of February 15, 2015, Alexandra Barany and Adam Burnett took each other's hand in marriage after a wonderful Valentine's weekend of love, friendship, family, and beer. Lots of beer.  I was honored to be able to bring analogue photography to their wedding, shooting a wide range of film and Polaroid formats.

Barany&Burnett

But first, a little backstory...

It was January of 2013.  I had recently quit my job, sold my car, packed up my apartment, and moved to the opposite end of the country to begin the New Year in search of a life of fulfillment.  And so began an odyssey that would soon be filled with new inspirations, new opportunities, new friendships, and let’s be honest… a lot of beer. 

It was along this journey that I inevitably crossed paths with Adam Burnett and Alexandra Barany, two of the first people I would get to know in the city of Los Angeles.  Two of the most wonderful, sincere, and kind people I would get to know in the city of Los Angeles. 

Adam&Alex

I was soon to be invited into their home where I would meet who would become a wonderful group of new friends.  Together we’ve shared countless outings, birthday celebrations, holiday potlucks, Adam’s delicious homebrews, and Alex’s unbelievable baking skills, which by the way make Porto’s Bakery look like an Easy Bake playset.

After two years of such a great friendship, I was honored to be in attendance for the union of Adam and Alex, meet their lovely families, and photograph this wonderful occasion of love, friendship, family, and let’s be honest… a lot of beer.  

The event took place over Valentine's day weekend, spanning a total of four days of fun, culminating with a beautiful ceremony at the Stone Brewery in Liberty Station, San Diego.  Here are some of the highlights of the weekend....

Thursday - The Yacht

Friday - The Brewery Tour

Saturday - The Day Party

Sunday - Wedding Day 

Sunday - The Ceremony

Rainer Maria Rilke once said that a good marriage is that in which each appoints the other guardian of their soul.  If that’s true, then a great marriage is that in which each appoints the other a glass of 2004 Stone Old Guardian.  

Cheers and congratulations Adam and Alex! 

CheersAdam&Alex

The full photo book of the Barany & Burnett Wedding can be purchased here.

Life Is Beautiful

Life Is Beautiful

It Was A Memorable 26th Birthday To Say The Least...

Something always told me I wouldn't like Coachella very much.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but once I figure out what it is I'll let you know.  In the meantime, I got all the music festival I could ask for and then some at this year's Life Is Beautiful.  

AGoodSign

For those of you who haven't heard of it, which I can only imagine is most, Life Is Beautiful is a music, food, and arts festival in Downtown Vegas that's only in it's second year.  If you think that means it can't draw the lineup of some of the big boys, you'd be mistaken.  Greatly.

Kanye West, Outkast, Foo Fighters, Lionel Richie, The Weeknd, The Roots, Arctic Monkeys, Skrillex (who despite having never heard his music before, puts on one hell of a show), Little Dragon, Phantogram, and the list goes on.  Way on.  Needless to say, after a rather unspectacular 25th birthday last year, I certainly did 26 right.  Wasn't going to make that mistake again.  Just as the clock struck 12, Outkast reached the middle of their set.  

Now that's a birthday.

Of course, I couldn't leave Vegas or the festival grounds without getting in a few street photo sessions as well.  It's actually a great way to spend your time in Vegas if you plan on leaving there with the same amount of money you came with...

Summer in the City

Summer in the City

The time has come for my first writing assignment.

Upper West Side, Self Portrait, Summer 2014

Upper West Side, Self Portrait, Summer 2014

It's been just over a year and a half of grinding and networking in the Los Angeles film industry.  With one part preparation, one part talent, and one part being in the right place at the right time (read: luck), I have managed to land my first feature film writing assignment.  Never mind that there's no money involved.  Hey, we all have to start somewhere.  And for the feature film formerly known as The Spanish Harlem Project, my journey started in New York.

My subject: the gentrification of Spanish Harlem.  It's the neighborhood I was born in, but knew little to nothing about.  As this would be my first time writing (or rather, rewriting) someone else's material, I thought an important part of this process should be immersion in the culture that birthed the story to begin with.  I always have some wild tales of what state of mind lead me to write the scripts that I've written, but with this story, it was from someone else's mind.  The best I could do was try to understand it by seeing for myself.  Next stop, East Harlem.

Walking East Harlem, my goal was to get a feel for the culture whose heart would beat at the center of this story.  And more specifically, how this culture was being systematically eradicated in favor of Chase Banks and Domino's Pizzas.  "Cleaning up the neighborhood" they called it.

Overall the trip was very successful.  I spoke to quite a few people who had lived in the neighborhood for generations to hear their point of view on the recent changes.  It all made me rethink photojournalism as a career to be honest, but I soon got back on track.

One thing is for certain, no trip to Spanish Harlem would be complete without a meal at La Fonda Boricua, which also happens to be the backdrop of another one of my favorite photographs to date...

La Fonda, East Harlem, 2014

La Fonda, East Harlem, 2014

It's the sights you never expect that always seem to stand out the most.  I couldn't have tried to go shoot this image, I just had to be there.  Be there with a camera in hand.  And to that my friends, I say, "Stay strapped."

Now back to LA, I've got work to do.