Kids and Literalism

Kids are great because not only do they do great things spontaneously but they also tend to follow directions (when they want to) very literally.

When I met Brandon, 3, and his mom at a Mc Donald's Play Place, Brandon kept coming over and looking at the camera. I told him to not look at me (so I could have a nonposed shot), so he did, then looked right at his mom with his face up against the glass.

I took more photos of him, playing, sliding, etc., but still like this one the best.

Jana and Chris' Engagement Part Two

I told Jana and Chris that I like using things that I just happen to find with couples on engagement portrait sessions, like the walls with the unique textures, and the camera from the tourist.

As we were leaving the Palace of Fine Arts we found this trolley and as no one was in it "stole" a few shots.


I kept telling them the group would come back, then finally realized the puzzled group next to us, WAS made up of the people who had taken the trolley.

They were nice, but we knew it was time to move on to the location of where Jana and Chris met, City Tavern. In the spirit of finding things, it was open at a time we were certain they would be closed.


This shot was taken at the actual shot the two met, however, these aren't the clothes they were wearing that night. I love their "look like you're really strangers" looks on their faces.


I had them just hang out and have fun at this place.



Since Chris' shirt reads (Game Over) with a bride and groom, I had Jana tie him up with some caution tape outside as well. (It's funny he wore this shirt she bought him, the day before Colleen and I had been shopping and saw a shirt with the same message and she jokingly suggested I buy it and wear it to engagement sessions).



Jana and Chris, I had a great time discovering things with you on your session, looking forward to your big day in September.

Jana and Chris' Engagement Photos (Part One)

When Jana and Chris showed up with coffee cups for their engagement session, I found out they had stopped off at a place they go to every day. I decided they would make a great prop for some unique ring shots.


We did their first shots at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. It's a place with many beautiful features, birds and tourists.


Usually I get asked to take people's pictures with their cameras when the see mine around my neck. A stranger asked Chris though, and after she shot them, I borrowed the camera and had Chris appear he was taking a photo of Jana. I think the tourists may still be puzzled over why I did this.


Inside are many great architecture structures. On the way to the more typically appreciated and photographed structures, I found these.

Time for a quick portrait with some of the more familiar arches inside.


Tomorrow some shots from the place these two met years ago.

Rats and Image

Several years ago I had a silver hamster named Lightning. He was fast and often escaped out of his cage. I had to go looking for him a few times, and he lived to about two. I never had a mouse, but thought they were pretty cute as well.

Last week when I had to photograph some rats for a story for our paper, I was picturing huge menacing creatures. To my surprise the rats, especially these baby ones were pretty cute.



As the story was about how these rats are not a threat, I showed them being held by Sara (who has two of her own) at a pet store. I think they look adorable, even the hairless one, and the hand makes them look vulnerable, too. The other photographer at the paper must have thought so, too, he thought these guys were our pet of the week, which we definitely try to make cute (and adoptable).

Photos of the Week (ending 03/16/07)

It's theme week for me with both of these pictures having to do with having pride in your work. In this photo, Raul makes beds at the homeless shelter where he has been staying for the season. I was really touched by his unbreakable spirit, which I think comes out here even as he makes his bunk bead.


Next is Larry Otis, who co-owns the soon to open bar, The Broken Wing, with his wife, Julia Smith Otis. The name comes from the honorary title given to people who have survived a motorcycle accident as Larry has. As you can see, the bar has a second chance in life itself, it used to be a bank and its old vault doors add to the charm.

Happy Birthday Johnnie!

Happy Birthday to Johnnie, owner of JJ's Blues. He's been great to work for this year and two months and a great friend.

As his passion as music, how better to celebrate than to have his employees sing to him.
From left, Luna, Gina and Dave.


After singing they brought him a cake that he brought over to the bar. Since it's chocolate (my favorite), I won't list his age. ;)

Improv Night at the Local High School

One of the best things about shooting for a small town newspaper is that often I find fun activities just driving around looking for things and people to photograph. Last week, I saw a sign that it was freshman improv night. In addition to being hysterical, it made for some great shots.

These folks are playing hitchhiker, where the hitcher displays some quirk (in this case being in a car with no shocks) and the rest copy it, when they stop laughing themselves, that is.



In improv, the actors surprise the audience, and sometimes each other. You can really tell the girl had no idea, the boy was going to lift up his sock for her inspection here.



Even without props and costumes, so much emotion and action comes out with this type of acting. High emotions, be ready for anything, just like another great day at the job as a photojournalist.

Little Drummer Girls

This is my good friend Stephanie. I once photographed her as a T-shirt model for JJ's Blues. Here she is in the blue version at the bar.


Stephanie and I have a bunch of things in common. One of which is that neither of us can really play the drums. That didn't stop me from having her pose with them for the shoot, though.


Actually I think she looks pretty convincing.


Last week my friend Paul brought me to his studio and tired of using a synthesizer for backup, gave me my first drum lesson. Part one, rock drums happen in fours, drum in fours.....still I needed more guidance, so he had me do a routine of cymbal, bass, cymbal, snare.


Here's an aerial shot of me.


Really getting into it as I find my groove.

Lindsey and Jim Engagement Photos Part Two

First another shot of the beautiful background that awaits Jim and Lindsey on their wedding day.


As part of their session we walked around town, near water and rocks and just had fun.

They both really wanted to go to the park with its fountains.


While I was photographing them a kid came up near them. They both wanted me to keep shooting and get one with him, so I did. I did wonder if he would start splashing, though.


Actually, he was well behaved. However, Lindsey took matters (and water) into her own hands. If you look closely you can see drops ready to splash Jim.


Looking great, you two. Looking forward to shooting your big day this September.

Lindsey and Jim Engagement Photos Part One

Lindsey and Jim chose a great spot to have their engagement shots done, Sausalito, where they will be having their September wedding. Here is one showing just one of the many beautiful backgrounds the town has to offer.


When I went to take a ring shot Lindsey wanted one without fingernails and with showing Jim's watch. Here you go.


They were both so comfortable in front of the camera that Jim would kiss Lindsey throughout the session, without any prompting.


I found a wall with an interesting texture, so I suggested they pose there. Jim had the idea for them to look tough to match the wall.

When we went to park we saw a row of great bikes. I had them stand next to them, Lindsey looks like she wants to go for a ride, but as we don't know whose bikes these are, this is the closest they got to them.

Tomorrow: Some more great shots from the session.

Daylight savings time and exercise

The earlier hour/extra light coming in through my windows helped me wake up today before the alarm, still having had a good night's sleep.

I like daylight savings time, the extra light to shoot with and also just helps start the day off in such a positive way.

Yesterday, I went to the laugher yoga club meeting in Hollister (as I'd had to be there on a Saturday, I thought it might be fun to check out), perhaps with the light I'll try it again on Tuesdays.

It also reminded me of the kid's yoga session I covered for the paper at R. O. Hardin. The kids had fun with poses like this, called dragon. I really like the reactions of the teachers in the background, both encouraging and getting into it themselves.


The kids really enjoyed the excercises. I love how this boy, Axel, really seems to be connecting with his inner self in this meditation excercise.

I also wrote a story on the kids and their yoga program.

All in a Day's work: Gearing up

Whenever the fire departments have reporters come out, one of the first questions they ask us is, do you want us to put you in the gear so you know what it's like. I'd already had this done to me once this year, but decided to put on the gear again when offered.


Here the batallion chief is making sure I can't see with the label still on (to simulate smoke conditions.


Then of course, the department has you crawl around on the ground. Here I'm trying to find "the victim" (Anthony) who is taking the photos in real life, but stopped because he thought I might follow the sounds of the shutter to him.

Finally here are some of the real heroes. I took this one. Their masks are much more realistic, they really can't see whereas I could a little out of the mask I was given.

I love that my job allows me to research and get into the shoes (or in the this case the full gear) of the people I am learning about.

Photos of the Week (ending 03/09/07)

With Dr. Seuss' birthday last Friday, I got some great colorful shots including librarian Cindy Brown reading dressed as cat in the hat

to Nicole eating, after carefully considering green eggs and ham.

Also this week, Lou Bettencourt, was reported as retiring (at the end of the month) from being director of the YMCA, but that doesn't stop him from enjoying pick up games with the kids.

Man and nature combine to form beauty

I drive a lot. I commute from my home in San Jose to Hollister where I work for the paper at least five days a week. At my job I drive a lot also, though I don't always notice the scenery.

Last week's story, where I did a drive to King City from Hollister as the story inspired a lot of images for me to capture, but this one really stands out the most. Rows of wine trees, not ready to bloom, but precisely planted as they grow, seeming to stretch for miles.



Though mankind does not always enhance the earth, in this case, I really think the winery contributes to the overall landscape of the area.

Musicians in Studio: Paul (and me, sort of)

In between photographing Hoofbeat on Sunday, I watched my friend Paul play in his studio and got some shots of him playing several instruments (none simultaneously though). He's pretty talented as he can play the guitar, sax, drums and keyboard (the latter not pictured.

Here's some of my favorites. I love the bits of padding on the ceiling in this one.


This really shows how small the studio is on one side.


and finally him on the instrument he tried to get me to play all day, the drums.

Before Sunday I'd tried to play drums exactly once before, while at JJ's Blues during the day, and I had no idea what I was doing and so didn't try for too long.

Paul really needed a beat though, and didnt' want to use the synthesizer. Finally he just gave me a really set rhythym to play (cymbal, bass, cymbal, snare), and while even that was harder than I thought, trying to keep the beat up, I did get a few good runs in, I think.

I don't yet have the pics of this, but Paul said he will send them soon, so I will update this when he does.

Musicians in Studio: Hoofbeat

On Sunday I got together with my friend Paul who is also in the newspaper business (layout). He's a serious amateur photographer, so when I spontaneously suggested breakfast and that we go shoot something he was all for it.

After stopping at The Original Pancake House, we weighed our options and decided to go to the studio space Paul is renting. It's in a place that rents out to many different musicians, and first I was just going to shoot Paul in studio.

From the second we got in, the walls were shaking from this great band who I would soon learn was called Hoofbeat. In long, loud pullsating songs, the band rocked the place, and when they finally rested, Paul took me over to meet them and see if they would let me shoot a few pics of them.

It turns out that I had already met the drummer, Keith, at JJ's and he was familiar with my work from the club. Keith, left, and Troy, right, posed for me. They look really mean here, but they aren't, I think they were going for edgy, which they are.

Some individual shots.

Troy, whose, screaming filled the room, and the hallway.


Joe, who looked so serious throughout.

Jason kept his eyes closed for most of it, he knew I was there, but barely in his concentration.

and finally Keith. Since there was no stage, I just got up and under the drums to shoot, which didn't phase him a bit.


The studio layout space was small, so I couldn't get all the guys in one shot, but here are two with two each in it.


Hoofbeat, you guys were great, I look forward to seeing you playing out of the studio sometime.