La Vida es Arte

las nubes

2012-01-11T21:28:00.000-08:00

Long time, no post... so here's a little something from December 30th, 2011,on my way back to Lima after spending Christmas time in Cali.

Back to my new life in Lima, where another chapter begins as I delve into my new visual communications job with a great NGO, MEDLIFE, and into a new relationship that makes me feel like I'm endlessly floating in the clouds...

Escape from the Ordinary

2011-10-19T15:09:00.000-07:00

Oct. 7th, 2011:
For my 26th birthday, we left the grey Lima weather behind and escaped for a weekend to the magnificent desert oasis of Huacachina.

The greatest part about traveling during the off-season is that there are hardly any tourists and hardly ANYBODY near the lagoon after midnight. And this was on a Friday night. It was nice to find complete peace and quiet.

Damn, I am getting older...

^ Our hostal, The Silva House, was 20 soles (about $7) a head per night in a big shared room with 5 beds.

Everything was going fine until the second night when someone flooded the bathroom near our room and they blamed us and tried to give us shit about it... the service for food is painfully slow too. I love that it's so empty and spacious but I won't be going back there next time. The sisters who manage the place are immature and unprofessional... and just plain bitchy.

ahhh... and then it was finally time for buggy rides and sand-boarding

I love my friends. It's always good to get-away with a drama-free bunch.

taking a break during Pisco-tasting in Ica on Sunday

^ pre-Columbian clay pots, called "pisqueras", that are used to ferment pisco grapes

^ a yummy veggie omelet with rice for lunch

^ Lomo saltado

Alvaro and I were the last two to leave and spent our last relaxing afternoon in Huacachina eating good food, listening to tunes and hangin' out with some talented artisan vagabonds near the lagoon.

And then it was time to say farewell to our desert paradise and head back to Lima...

I gave the bus-attendant a copy of Fear and Loathing to pop in and the whole bus watched it during our drive back...
I passed out within the first half hour, but I'm sure it would've been hilarious to watch the Peruvian passengers' faces as they watched the twisted flick.
Good times.

sneak peak: Tupe-Yauyos

2011-08-18T04:47:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I shared a cab with a new friend- Gabriela Sialer, an anthropology major in her final year at Universidad Católica del Perú. She told me about a little rural town on top of a mountain she had visited several times, called Tupe, where they have their own language, traditional clothing, rituals, and ceremonies completely distinct from any other part of Peru. Needless to say, it didn't take long to convince me to join in a week-long adventure to explore this cultural gem and really get in touch with another side of my beautiful heritage.

Three days later, we packed our bags and hopped on a bus for a few hours to Cañete.
Thus began our wondrous adventure to document the rare "cultural island" of Tupe in the Andean region of Lima.

Several buses, and one dodgy hotel in Imperial later...

we finally haggled a taxi-driver down to 80 soles to drive us an hour up the mountain to a town called Aiza about 2,500 ft above sea level- where the road ends and the 2.5 hour hike up to Tupe begins...

we decided to stay in Aiza for the night to enjoy the scenery, meet some new people, and join in the festivities there.

Tito, our taxi-driver-turned-friend wearing my jacket a little too well.

drinking rum by the moonlight

After a delicious fire-cooked dinner of yuca and beef stew , it was time for music and dancing- "Vaca Tacqui"

the dancing was never-ending

The typical local liqueur, "quemadito" and "chamiscol", (made from surrounding herbs and pisco or rum), was hot and delicious

sum good shit

9AM the next day, we were ready to tackle 2.5-hour climb up the mountain to Tupe strapped with about 20 kilos of weight on our backs. (cameras, laptop, etc) It was tough, but a truly amazing hike.

Took a break under the waterfall to relax, wash up and sun-bathe for an hour. Ah, the joys of travelling with someone who's not in a rush.

sweet relief when we saw this sign.

Some shots from the Haerranza, "branding" of the cows- very interesting ritual, stay tuned for the real pics

a lil bit of cow blood to decorate my face...

some singing, dancing, drinking and eating after we climbed back down the mountain and the party still rages on!

It was cold, but the chamiscol and dancing made our scarves fly off in no time.

then it was time to leave... it was hard to let go.

stay tuned for the real pics. Like I said, you ain't seen nothin' yet...

Milonga

2011-08-15T22:56:00.000-07:00

The soulful experience of witnessing my first tango event (milonga) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Pulpos

2011-07-14T01:11:00.000-07:00

Going through my library, looking for pictures to update my newly designed website (that I'm currently working on) and I've come across a lot of goodies that are posted on my Facebook but not on here, so excuse the repetitiveness FB friends.... here it is again:

Photos taken in April, 2011- Pulpos beach in Lima, Peru

Carnaval de Barranco

2011-07-11T03:14:00.000-07:00

I moved to the tiny, bohemian district of Barranco on March 5th of this year.

The following day, I was greeted by hundreds of painted Peruvians wandering the streets of my neighborhood armed with water balloons, buckets, and bottles of cerveza, ready to celebrate the annual Carnaval de Barranco:

Every girl deserves a tiara...

2011-06-28T01:47:00.000-07:00

except when it comes to beauty pageants.

Here are some of my photos from this weekend at the Miss Perú 2011 pageant held in the city of Callao.

(left to right) Miss Amazonas, Miss Cuidad de Lima, and Miss Trujillo

21-year-old Natalie Vertiz, Miss USA Perú, represents the Peruvian community in the US, where she was raised. Here she is explaining what she learned from being in the pageant, which included her growing love and pride for her native country.

Miss Loreto won the title of Miss Elegance.

Miss Amazonas won Miss Bikini International

A rather sad turn-out for the final phase of the competition. Blame it on the economy? I personally think it was because people have a lot more pressing concerns than attending this beauty pageant; it wasn't even mentioned in any reputable publications.

Miss Perú Universe and Miss Perú World 2010

Crowning the new Miss Perú Universe, formerly Miss USA Perú

Miss Junín and Miss USA Perú- the new Miss Perú World 2011 and Miss Perú Universe

Odilla Garcia will go to compete this November in the Miss World 2011 pageant this year in Trinidad and Tobago (yet to be confirmed)

Natalie will go on to compete in Sao Paulo, Brazil for the title of Miss Universe 2011.

In with the new...

out with the old.

That's all folks!

Rooftop

2011-05-24T01:01:00.000-07:00

bumpin' Biggie Smalls on a rooftop somewhere in Barranco...

El Valle Sagrado

2011-05-24T00:22:00.000-07:00

Cusco and the Sacred Valley of Peru

Surgery of the Sea

2011-04-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

This poem was brought to my attention by a fellow reflective soul and humanitarian photojournalist Ying Ang:

The surgery of the sea by Erica Jong

At the furthermost reach of the sea
Where Atlantis sinks under the wake of the waves,
I have come to heal my life.

I knit together like a broken arm.
The salt fills in the crevices of bone.
The sea takes all fragments of my lives
& grinds them home.

I wake up in a waterbed with you,
The sea is singing & my skin
sings against your skin.
The waves are all around us & within.
We sleep stuck to each other's salt.

I am healing in your arms.
I am learning to write without the loss of love.
I am growing deeper lungs here by the sea.
The waves are knives; they glitter & cut clean.

This is the sea's surgery.
This is the cutting & the healing both.
This is where bright sunlight warms the bone,
& fog erases us, then makes us whole.

El Norte: Road Trip to Huacho

2011-03-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Photos from a pleasantly sunny drive up the Pan-American Highway, 148 km north of Lima, Peru, one Saturday afternoon.

The charming, provincial port town of Haucho!

Hotel La Villa

My cousin's mom is the cook at the sweetest lil seafood spot right along the waterfront.

36 eventful hours later (our semi-trying tale will be told in my FB album), and it was time to drive back down to Lima... through the most amazing progression of colors and clouds as the sun set behind us and our lil mini-van that could.

hair today, paycheck tomorrow

2011-02-24T14:03:00.000-08:00

Each year, the International Spa & Salon Expo (ISSE) at the Long Beach Convention Center brings over 40,000 buzzing beauty professionals swarming to get schooled on the latest and greatest in all things hair, nail, and skin related. The discounts on products are pretty damn good too!

And each year, I get paid to be a "hair model". In other words, I agree to let a master stylist from some big name hair company chop my tresses on stage for educational purposes in exchange for a few benjamins. Not a bad gig, if ya ask me.

This year it was Clairol Professional.

I was a lil perturbed about the 6AM call time when I found out my show time wasn't until 2PM... but we weren't allowed to leave. Bastards.

So, that meant A LOT of waiting around, brief naps on small corners of the carpet outside of the make-up room, watching Vanilla Sky on my laptop, and getting acquainted with the other models who turned out to be really cool chicks and are now my Facebook friends :)

Luckily, I brought my lil Canon Rebel XT to keep me entertained as well.

Cutting demonstration at the Wella booth

^ My stylist! Whose name escapes me... Fernando?? He was awesome.

^ one of the lovely presentation models. That means she stands around and lets people touch her hair while we, demo models, get our hair cut on stage. I'm sure they wanna touch more than her hair though... she's enticing, no?

^ walking around the expo, always fun finds. I didn't have much time to walk around this year though.

^ Freshly dyed hair, ready to get my cut on stage!

^ Walking around after my show was done, collecting as many free samples as my hands could grab!

^ Good Hair.

New hair = narcissistic tendencies and new self-portraits.

Life's tough.

Laguna Beach

2011-01-28T00:32:00.000-08:00

Off of the South Coast Highway and 9th street in Laguna, there is a small entrance that leads you down a long, steep flight of stairs and onto Thousand Steps beach.

Jennifer and I spent a few hours there earlier this week taking photographs and getting chased by the current.

Fell in love with this pooch instantly. His name is Kingston and he's a German Shepherd/Husky mix. He plopped down on top of my foot and didn't want us to leave. So we stayed and swooned over him for about fifteen minutes until we managed to painfully peel ourselves away... Heartbreak.

Walked past some dudes randomly building a fort and starting a fire. I thought it was kind of awesome, in a Lord of the Flies sort of way.

I convinced Jenn to take off her bikini top for our photo session. She felt so comfortable after a few minutes, she started frolicking around (the beach was pleasantly empty by this time) and left her top on a rock that got devoured by some waves shortly after. bye bye bikini! Didn't seem to bother her much though.

This is my favorite beach in southern California. I use it as my personal gym for running, stair climbing, swimming, and yoga. After all that, meditating with the ebb and flow of the ocean is just icing on the cake.

If you enjoy my photographs and envision them hanging nicely in your humble abode or office space, matte or metallic prints are available for sale and at a discount for a limited time (until March, that's when I leave to Peru!). I can sign them for you too, if you'd like. :)

For more info, please visit my flickr and send an email to brenda@bravoimage.com

Thanks!

get-away

2011-01-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

I booked a gig in Oxnard last week and decided to make the trip even more worthwhile by getting acquainted with the beaches of Ventura county.

My childhood friend and amazing, sexy woman, Stacy, made the two-hour drive through treacherous LA traffic to join me for a late lunch on the pier. Gotta give it up to her for being one of the few crazy asses, like me, that drives long distances solely for the thrill of delving into unknown territory and admiring beach sunsets.

It was Tapas Tuesdays at Eric Ericcsons. She got the veggie rolls and I ordered some delicious white fish ceviche. It was probably the best ceviche I've ever had in the states- and I love me some ceviche.

I could only take a cell phone pic before I devoured it.

The sun set behind the Channel Islands as we enjoyed our food and wine and caught up on much needed girl talk. It was the perfect girl date.

After dinner, we drove down about a mile to Main St. to park and walk around. Noticed these Simpsonsesque looking donuts when we stopped into Starbucks to grab some hot tea.

^ Sounds like a winning combo to me!

^ My hot date. We walked arm in arm down the street and I think everyone considered us lesbians. Passersby seemed extra friendly and greeted us with a smile, it was delightful. :)

We walked into a little posh-looking boutique with a sign outside that read Le Monde. Before even stepping foot in the store, we had already come to terms with the fact that we probably didn't have the means to shop here in good conscience, but just wanted to sniff around anyway.

But, we were wrong! so wrong. I looked at the price-tag and thought it was a joke... I had an O in the middle of the clothing racks!

But the store attendent was trying to close up shop and it was a bit of a struggle to pry myself away from the beautifully crafted garments and the kind of sexy/comfy shirts I needed. But alas, it was time to go...

although we vowed to return again. It would be worth the drive, it was just too good.

Stacy and I felt instantly at home that night in downtown Ventura; it reminded us of being in an extended version of our own tiny downtown back home and the locals even had a certain "charm" similar to our Elsinorian transients... super friendly, just a couple of screws loose.

Goodbye, my loooooooove!

2011-01-21T11:49:00.000-08:00

A drizzly, cold San Francisco greeted my gnarly hangover on Sunday morning.

It was time for everyone, except me, to leave back home that day. So after several failed attempts and a bunch of waiting around, we finally wrangled everyone up for a group photo in the lobby of the Westin around 2 o'clock.

^Handed my camera off to someone else to take this shot.
I was still out of it from all the sake I had guzzled down the night prior at the karaoke bar, or else I would've suggested we all do something a lil more fun and less formal.

We said our goodbyes to the half that were driving back down south in the huge rental van. Then the girls and I went for a walk through Union Square. They went to shop. I just snapped photos relentlessly, as usual.

Many believe that the bums in Frisco are frightening. Apparently, even M&M's are apprehensive to make friends with 'em.

An amazing vegan salad for dinner.

Last stop back at the Westin to grab my stuff from the bell desk and then head over to Jessica's pad again for the night.

Had a lazy day in bed watching Grey Gardens and Good Hair with Jess the next day and then later caught the reflection of the sunset through her window.

Walking down to the BART station on Powell St.

My last day in the bay was sunny and beautiful... 'twas a bittersweet departure.

Snapping photos from the passenger side while Babak drove, we passed by this mosque and it made me long to hear the call to prayer and eat baklava again. How I miss you, Istanbul.

1.1.11

2011-01-18T00:05:00.000-08:00

Dim sum in Chinatown and an impromptu pub crawl through Union Square, followed by the most epic karaoke session at YamaSho and a few games of midnight bowling to round out day one of 2011.

New Years Eve 2011 in Frisco: WE ON A BOAT!

2011-01-16T18:48:00.000-08:00

Photos from a beautiful evening aboard a 400-person filled yacht in the San Francisco Bay Harbor

I love these asians more than "rife" itself.

Full-on ass grab at 10 o'clock

Midnight!

a frenzy of a bathroom line

an almost-cat fight

cleaning my cocktail-splashed foot off

Some of my posse, the ones responsible for throwing this fabulous event: Blended Events

Shoot Day Specials!

2011-01-12T20:51:00.000-08:00

Beginning this Saturday, January 15th at Prado Regional Park in Chino, CA, it's:

PHOTOSHOOT DAY SPECIALS!!!

There are only 4 between now and February 26th, so take advantage of this wonderful opportunity!

For only $50 you will receive:

* Half-hour photo session (up to 35 exposures)

*Up to 4 people can be in the shoot ($15 per add. person)

* 1-CD with all high-resolution images

*1- Complimentary professionally retouched image

Extras:

*Prints: $25-100 for basic packages (ask for details)

*Additional shoot time: $50 per half hour

*Retouching: $40 per hour, or $15 per image

*Additional CDs with images: $20

Reserve your spot today with $20 deposit towards your shoot:

Scroll down for more photos on location!

As of March 4th, 2011, I will no longer be able to offer these awesome deals on photo-shoots because I'll be living in Lima, Peru until autumn of 2012! So utilize me while I'm still here!

Photo shoot days are a great way to get quality photos of you and your family or loved ones, have a beautiful day in a gorgeous park, enjoy the scenery and get some fresh air. The shoot itself is a lot of fun too. I'm easy to work with and I work fast, so don't worry about the short amount of time... half an hour is plenty, but you can always book more time if you want to get some more personalized shots for each family member or change outfits for more looks.

Depending on how many families we get out there, we might just have to stay and barbecue afterwards. Check out some pictures I took of this delightful bunch, the Aguilar family, on my last shoot:

Come out and enjoy a day by the lake with us this Saturday...

Reserve your spot with only $20 deposit through PayPal:

24 hours in the bay

2010-12-31T13:02:00.000-08:00

I'm lucky to have generous friends with awesome digs who let me couch-surf during my nomadic wanderings.

This is the view from CT and Jessica's place in downtown San Fran.

"Your glaze hits the side of my face"

Phó Ga at Turtle Tower and too much technology.

CT and Jessica's building

Snapped my 50mm lens back on my 5D and hopped on the BART to Ashby in Berkeley for a hot, sweaty session of Bikram Yoga with my friend, Babak.

After yoga, we had some deliciously nourishing food at Café Gratitude. We both had the Grateful bowl, which is a pay-by-donation plate with quinoa, black beans and kale. uh-mazing.

From Phoenix to Frisco

2010-12-31T02:06:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, December 29:

I woke up in the desert and laid my head to rest in the SF bay that night.

I Love Reflective Buildings.

Some random guy on a corner in Phoenix belting out melancholy tunes while playing his keyboard. Bless his heart... and that fabulous light.

back on the Interstate-10 to head home and pack for NYE in Frisco

Stopped off for gas and spotted this oddly-placed military museum.

Hello Frisco!

And now I'm here in San Francisco until Tuesday, taking it all in while I can. The air is crisp and wonderful and I'm feeling at home again in one of my favorite cities in the world.

I captured a lot of fun shots with my friend's wide-angle lens today, stay tuned for those...

Once...

2010-12-09T01:10:00.000-08:00

we took a drive up the coast.

Wu-Tang Clan: The Rebirth Tour

2010-12-07T02:27:00.000-08:00

Here are some shots I took for Skinnie at the packed, ganja smoke-filled Nokia Center in LA on Dec. 5th of the one and only, WU-TANG CLAN!

It was their first time performing at a venue rather than a festival in a very long time. The intimacy and energy of it all was AMAZING! Seven of the nine original members had the house jumpin' from start to finish. RZA was on a movie set in New York and ODB was definitely there in his spirit.

Below is a short video I captured from the balcony of Method starting to get in the crowd moments before he unsuccessfully attempts to crowd-surf. Luckily, people were way too high to feel or care about any injuries. Could've really used a spotlight on him though... oh well.

Still dope!

Shiny lights and trippy music

2010-11-14T22:56:00.000-08:00

My buddy and I had pit tickets for a fantastic concert, LA 101, thrown by LA Weekly at the Gibson Theater in Universal City last week.

Thievery Corporation came on around 7:30 PM

They immediately had the whole crowd movin' on their feet.

During the hour-and-a-half that they had us eating out of their hands, they brought on several different singers. It felt like a new band came on every 10 minutes, each equally enticing in their own unique way.

Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction came out to sing Revolution Solution

This security guard in the front kept getting in the way of my pictures and he later ended up being the butt of the band's joke...

The singer used his head as a human scratch record during a corresponding part of the track. It was pretty damn funny, he had absolutely no idea that hundreds of people were laughing at him for about 2 minutes. Until I told him later and showed him the photos, of course. He laughed and took my business card to have 'em emailed.

Thievery's set was so incredibly satisfying, we were damn near spent. "I need a cigarette and a nap," is what we muttered in our after-glow... and we still had Massive Attack to endure!

We stretched, crouched down to talk with some friendly strangers in the pit and got ready for the second half of the show....

The lighting effects only added to the intriguing peculiarity of Massive Attack's music.

And they continually displayed various sociopolitical messages during their performance.

United Kingdom Military Expenditure 2006 is written in the upper left corner

This video was taken by another attendee in the mezzanine section.

Watch it to get a gist of how the show went.

Taking the plunge

2010-10-12T00:32:00.000-07:00

Flying through the air at 120 mph, 13,000 feet above the ground with nothing but a chick carrying a huge backpack strapped to you kind of puts things in perspective.

For those few precious moments when all I could hear was the air whizzing past and feel gravity pulling me towards the Earth... I felt completely alone. Completely aware. Completely silent and utterly blissful.

I've never found that level of peace before. And believe me, I try daily. Brief moments of my own perceived nirvana are nothing in comparison to that feeling I felt the moment I flew through the air for the first time.

I was eerily calm as the thirteen of us sat closely packed on the small plane we were about to jump out of. I looked down at San Diego and Tijuana from my window with child-like fascination as we steadily climbed up into the air at a speed of about 100 knots.

Someone busted ass mid-way up, causing my tandem instructor, Vanessa, to gag loudly and hold her handkerchief over her mouth in complete disgust. She vowed to quit her job if she had to endure another "stink bomb" again. It was pretty damn revolting, yet still a minor downside to such an amazing job, in my opinion. But who was I to judge the person who would literally have a weighty hand on my fate in the next few minutes? I learned quickly that she was a hard-ass and had well over 500 jumps under her belt. She knew her shit. I felt safe. And then It was time to go.

I sat on her lap as she strapped me in and I pulled my goggles around my face tightly, almost robotically, without thinking… like I had done this all before, in a dream, or another life, and was just going through the motions again. Time slowed down. We neared the open door, I could hardly focus enough to hear anything she said. I just wanted to jump already. All I remember thinking was: WOW, it's incredibly beautiful, looks like a photograph… is this real?

I exhaled.

For most of the sixty-something seconds that I was soaring through the air I felt completely silent inside and extremely powerful. I felt like fuckin' Superwoman. It was a wonderful sense of inner solitude… it was just me- apart from the plaguing thoughts and concerns that I seek to escape through meditation, self-talk, and exercise. I was just a tiny speck, floating through the air… being sucked down by gravity to the vast earth below. This beautiful, perfect Earth that we treat horribly and take for granted. My beautiful soul appreciating it. Nothing else mattered, I just existed and everything was immaculate. I don't know how else to describe it. I guess you could call it a form of enlightenment. Whatever it was, it was incredible and I was instantly addicted.

I'm glad I got the photo package but I wouldn't get videotaped/photographed next time… at least once, I'd want to go completely alone and fully enjoy it without needing to "put on a show" for the camera. I was hootin' and hollerin' for a few moments just so that I wouldn't bore future viewers, but inside…inside, I didn't want to do anything but enjoy that feeling, quietly with just a huge grin, I wanted to take it all in.

I was slightly disappointed when it was time to pull the 'chute already.

There will definitely be a next time and many times after that, if all goes well.

All other sports pale in comparison now… how could I go back to just snowboarding when I felt what it was like to dive off a plane and fly like a bird? I mean, of course, I will snowboard, ride quads, and drive dangerously fast again. BUT my heart has fallen for skydiving now. I've had a taste… and I want more!!!

In case you're considering it, JUST DO IT! Life's too short not to. Hands down- it's the best high money can buy.

Hell yeah.

The other side

2010-10-07T16:29:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to edit these pictures and compile a multimedia piece on the SB-1070 protests in Phoenix ever since my educational and very sweaty experience covering them this past July alongside John Moore, Don Bartletti, Carlos J. Ortiz and several other award-winning beasts in news photography. Nightly dinners and rooftop gazing and lots of great stories ... It was amazing.

For now, here are some of my shots from the rally held on July 31st by supporters of the bill which requires police to stop anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant among other strict enforcements, such as criminalizing anyone hiring or harboring "unlawful aliens".

Opponents of SB-1070 crashed the rally with a strong message for supporters. They chanted "MURDER! RAPE ! INJUSTICE! RACISTS!" as they spray painted and marched over a large American flag in front of the Capitol building, where the rally was held. Many were Native American citizens.

As you can imagine, this didn't sit well with the white folks.

The flag reads: Impeach Brewer! Deport Arpaio

One of the small handful of non-White SB-1070 supporters

The arguing between the two groups continued well on into the night, and it was extremely exhausting just watching them.

The irrational and immature yelling at one another heavily outweighed any reasonable debates that took places... it was mainly a mess of profanity, childish name-calling, and of course, obscenely racists remarks.

It shook me to see how much we haven't evolved from the dark, intolerant days our parents and grandparents witnessed during their time.

Then again, I think people just get off on the drama of mob mentality. I saw a few people chuckle to themselves and heard one even say, "This is fun!" to the person next to them.

What a damn shame...

For a recent update on the heated issue, click here: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43199.html

2nd Sunday

2010-09-18T02:27:00.000-07:00

Attended a fabulous day-to-night event at Kelly's Mission Rock in San Francisco last weekend and fed my soul some tasty house music and dance dance danced to my lil heart's content.

more hike than we bargained for...

2010-09-15T01:54:00.000-07:00

Monday afternoon, our intended two to three mile scenic stroll through Muir Woods turned into a six or seven mile, four-hour ordeal involving strenuous wooden stair climbing about 1,000+ feet up Mt. Talmapais and later running a little over a mile down a narrow highway to get back to my Jetta before dark.

The weather and the scenery were well worth the unexpected work-out.

We probably should've listened to these friendly Asians who posed for their iPhone picture like it was an album cover. They warned us that the paved trail ended ahead, but we thought they were just being lazy.

They were right. They're freakin' Asian! We should've known!!

At this point, we began to regret racing each other up so many flights of stairs and realized that we were pretty damn lost.

Partial view from the top... can't wait to see the panoramic frames he captured.

Running for our dear lives down the highway.

Well-earned New England Clam Chowder and Ale to end another spontaneous and wonderful day.

Tucson

2010-09-07T00:54:00.000-07:00

After all the turmoil surrounding SB-1070 and the uncomfortably hot weather in Phoenix, it was nice to cool down for a few days down south in good ol' Tucson, Arizona.

My old buddy, Josh, was an excellent host and drove me to a lookout point near Summerhaven, a village atop Mount Lemmon north of Tucson, for breath-taking views and tupperware dinners by twilight.

During my three-day stay, I drove down to cross the border into Mexico with an NGO called No More Deaths that provides humanitarian aid to migrants crossing the desert in the US and to people in Mexico who have recently been deported. The pictures and audio I recorded are still on my hard drive waiting among a few other projects to be constructed, but this is definitely one worth re-visiting and delving into a bit more.

Til then, one more shot from Tucson at dusk:

Kadıköy's Underground Puppetry

2010-08-05T23:35:00.000-07:00

June 20-26th, 2010:

I attended my first Foundry Workshop this year in the big, beautiful, transcontinental city of Istanbul, Turkey.

During that time, I shot many, many frames, ate tons of döner, took a multimedia class with the great Tewfic El-Sawy, and made friends with a lot of good people.

I even met some Anarchist puppeteers at a cafe across the way from the Cultural Center where the workshop was held. Yes, Anarchist puppeteers. They call themselves MaskIstanbul and are all about making art with a positive message and performing for the people, not "the man".

Check out the multimedia piece I presented on the final day of our workshop. And yes, that is my congested, monotone voice you hear. Turn it up for the best effect.

Enjoy.

Hotter than hell, but the sights are heavenly

2010-07-31T16:10:00.000-07:00

Aside from tailing protesters and sweating balls in the hot Phoenix sun, I kept a steady finger on the shutter release and captured some of the days findings and yummy things I put in my belly.

These pupusas were incredible. I had one made of queso con loroco. Loroco is a vine flower bud from Central America and quite delicious.

I'm officially addicted to these. I've devoured one of these nearly every day. Maple yogurt with organic granola, almonds, and cranberries. yum.

Appetizers and iPhones

These pork tacos were the tits.

John Moore is the man. So lovely hanging out with him and other legends these past few days.

Rooftop at the Clarendon Hotel.

Like I said, heavenly.

Boiling Point for Phoenix

2010-07-30T17:02:00.000-07:00

Over the past few days, I've been documenting rallies and other events by groups in opposition of the new immigration law, SB1070, in Arizona.

Manuela Robles, 9, wrote this poem at school in response to the new law.


Prayer services were held nightly at the State Capitol lawn in the days leading up to the Judge's ruling.

Woman cries out in fear as she prays in front of the Capitol on July 28th.


Tom Horne, candidate for Attorney General, talks to media in front of the Capitol after the Judge's ruling is released.

Overnight vigil begins with Mass on the Capitol lawn on July 28th.


Vigil Procession from State Capitol to St. Matthew Catholic Church begins at sunrise, 4:30 AM on July 29th.

Interfaith Service at St. Matthew's.


Protesters gather in front of the Maricopa County Courthouse.

One of many who nearly fainted from the heat.

One of 50 protesters who were arrested during a civil disobedience act that took place in front of the courthouse. Seconds later, he is crying hysterically and dragged off by police. (video coming soon)
Kinda sad, but come on buddy... you signed up for it. Grow some huevos.

Vigil Procession from St. Matthews Church to State Capitol, where hundreds of Californians joined in the anti-SB1070 rally.

Storm rolls in just before Californians leave back home.

The rain started falling and we fled with our cameras for some Mexican comfort food after a very long, hard day's work.

I will be editing the audio and video I captured throughout the days as well. Still some more events going on tonight and tomorrow, but just thought I'd upload these to give you a sneak peek at what I'm seeing on my side of the lens.

More coming soon. Peace and blessings- B

The journey continues...

2010-07-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

I'm really terrible at updating this thing. So, excuse my tardiness, but I'm happy to say that things have been going very well.

Between working as a promotional rep for marketing agencies around Southern California, finally publishing my wedding photography site, and planning out my next adventures, I've been one busy little bee.

Now, I've managed to trek my way across the desert to lovely Phoenix, Arizona to get some coverage of the immigration law frenzy that's about to ensue over the course of this week and next. A good photographer friend of mine invited me to come and shoot with the big boys. I'm grateful to be here and excited to finally apply the knowledge I've recently gained at workshops. Hoping to create some good photos and multimedia pieces.

The drive here was quick and relatively painless. I was a little astonished at how long my thermostat stayed above 100 degrees during the moonlit drive through the desert. The views were something quite beautiful to gaze up at, I wish I could've taken pictures the whole time. I did manage to stop once and get a few shots in, but I saw so many more great ones as I maneuvered (safely) down the highway with the cruise control on.

Don't worry guys- I wasn't driving and shooting (like I usually do).

This morning, we stopped down at Lux Cafe to grab some free wi-fi and delicious, organic eats for breakfast.

I'll try to keep this updated as much as possible... but I always say that. So, keep bugging me. I like it.

In-flight

2010-07-02T04:10:00.000-07:00

Some thoughts I jotted down on my iTouch while on board some flights leaving Istanbul and London:

Transfer from Zurich to London straight from Istanbul, and then it's back to LA.

The past two weeks feel like a dream. Not only for the quirks of the metropolis, but for the fascinating people I met in the workshop. So many different nationalities, walks of life, interesting stories, impressive work.

I was feeling melancholy as the plane ascended into the sky.

The calm after the storm brings forth feelings of longing to re-live it all again.

Being around fellow loners (photographers) makes me feel less alone-- we get each other.

Waves of gratitude and giggling to myself as I reminisce. If I could just go back ... just one more day... or maybe just one little month, that's all I need.

Reflecting on the surreality of it all:
... beers and cameras scattered along cafe tables, alley cats in every corner, walking around in circles searching for food we hadn't already tried, discovering hidden treasures and crazy characters to photograph around the huge city, tram tokens, ferry rides at sunset, dancing in the rain; becoming less frustrated with the language barrier and poking fun at awkward situations; becoming more acquainted with like-minded, passionate photographers and sharing some unforgettable memories with them. Swimming in the Bosphorus.

It's almost difficult to recall everything that happened... all of the days sort of run together in a beautiful haze. Hard to fathom I was there for only ten days because of the huge imprint it left on me.

Traveling can change you in many ways.
You get outside of your bubble. Trek into the unknown... force yourself into uncomfortable situations. Shake things up, maybe fall in love. Find out how short your patience is, find out how brilliant you really are. Get serenaded on a moonlit roof. Fall and eat shit in the middle of a crowded plaza... jus' saying... anything can happen.

The more different types of people you meet along the way, the more you realize how much we are all the same. We all laugh, cry, fight, complain, love, and fear alike. Some people smell funny, walk too slow, or talk way too loud, but they might be thinking the same thing about you.
No matter how different on the outside, at the core, we are all the same-- Love permeates through all. A smile means the same in every language, and holds virtually the same power as well; it can change almost any situation in your favor, when used correctly.

As a fellow Foundry alumnus, Christian Bobst, once told me, "It's not just the city we will miss, it's the people that made the experience what it was... and that's what we will miss the most, and makes it nearly impossible to re-create" - 'tis the beautiful tragedy of it all.

It's over.. and life resumes it's course.

But, we'll always have next year... a new adventure in a new country.

And luckily, in a place where I can communicate with the natives!

Hope to see you all again in Argentina for Foundry 2011.

Hasta luego queridos amigos!

Un abrazo fuerte - B

Amar y vivir

2010-07-02T00:51:00.000-07:00

Diego El Cigala & Bebo Valdés

There's something about that raspy, Spanish voice and saucy piano that puts me in a sultry mood and thirst for red wine and soft kisses.

on the other side of the pond

2010-06-17T17:45:00.000-07:00

Ten hours in the air, Two hours lugging my stuff all around London, and One 5-Hour Energy drink later... I've finally arrived.

I'm back in Europe, once again, since I last studied photography for a summer in Barcelona and toured through Italy back in '07. This is my first time visiting the UK though, and soon, I'll be in Istanbul, Turkey!!

What brought me here? you might ask...

Well, I first heard about the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop last June when I attended the Look3 workshop and festival in Charlottesville, Virginia. I made friends with former students of Foundry and they highly recommended it to me. It's a low-cost tuition (relatively speaking) workshop comprised of amazing, award-winning instructors that takes place in a different part of the world each year. Last year it was India, the year prior to that it was Mexico City, and this year- ISTANBUL! I signed up and paid in full months ago... and now I'm here. Staying in London for one more night, then off to Turkey for ten days.

London is beautiful. The fashions, the crisp air, the old ass buildings, the new ones- it's just EUROPE. Damn it's good to be back.

I really need to go to sleep, I have a jam-packed day ahead of me tomorrow. I'm too tired to even stay up and watch the Lakers win the championship, but I will definitely catch the highlights tomorrow. Have fun celebrating on the other side of the pond. Premature for me to say already, but it's called faith. Got loads of it... my boys are golden.

I leave with you a little tid-bit of London, a picture I took this evening on London Bridge.

Ta for now!

Mi Corazón es Peruano

2010-05-26T18:12:00.001-07:00

I slip on a light jacket and throw my camera bag over my shoulder.

One wave goodbye to my humbly adorable grandmother...

and I'm off to explore the colorful, bohemian streets of Barranco, one of the 43 districts that comprise the capitol city of Lima, Peru.

With one headphone in ear, I step out onto Avenida Grau.

The air is thick with moisture and the pungent, salty aroma of the sea unavoidably brings a smile to my lips. Not only am I back in my favorite city in the world, but my grandmother's house is a mere two blocks away from the cliffs that overlook the ocean.

I walk further down the street... past street merchants, small shops, and bakeries. My nostrils are greeted by smells of fresh breads, pionono con majarblanco, alfajores,rosquitas, and other sinfully good pastries.

I'm instantly salivating.

It’s a beautiful day and I feel very fortunate to be with my Peruvian friends and family once again and so proud of my fascinating heritage.

....

TO BE CONTINUED!

(Sorry folks, come back soon!)

Hope for Perú

2010-05-26T18:12:00.000-07:00

Despite its vast kaleidoscope of geographic, historic, and cultural richness, Peru still remains one of the poorest countries in the world with 44.5% of the population below the poverty line and 13.7% living in extreme poverty, in which Peruvians survive on less than $35.50 per month, based on a report by the National Statistics Institute in 2007.

The education system in Peru is another troubling disparity; public schools are truly inadequate, having been ranked second worst in Latin America (above only Haiti) by the United Nations Development Program.

I recently returned from a 3-week-long trip to Lima, Perú to visit family and find non-profit organizations to document for my own personal experience and to do what I can to help out some of the many people in need.

Before arriving, I made a very important connection with a woman who works for the U.S. Embassy in Lima. She provided me with the names and contact numbers of some incredible non-profit organizations that I was then later granted access to report on.

Here's a first rough edit of my documentary on Hogar de la Esperanza (House of Hope), a shelter for battered women and their children located in Chorrillos.

My aim with this video and the ones I filmed on two other organizations, soon to be completed as well, is to create awareness for noble causes in Lima that have little or no exposure.

These shelters are meagerly self-sustained and lack basic services, such as running water and drainage systems.

You can help make a difference with just the smallest amount.

$5 can feed an entire family for a week, help pay wages to teachers, or aid in the construction of the new daycare center.

Donations may be made through PayPal with the button below:

El Más Bravo: An Ode to Papa

2010-04-06T03:37:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their story.

Some a lot more interesting than others.

My dad is one of those who never misses an opportunity to re-create tales of his rambunctious youth: hitch-hiking in South American countries, partying at rock concerts in D.C. during the 60s and 70s when his hair was nearly as long as mine, and getting into squabbles with guys twice his size just to win the heart of some lassie.

Which stories were true or just an exaggeration, I will never know, but it's beside the point. He always made it a point to live life to the fullest-- To see the world, set big goals, and always have confidence.

He was the one who helped me overcome being teased for my last name. Kids can be such assholes.

I used to come home crying when I was 5 because they'd taunt me and start clapping around me in a circle, "Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!" ... or at least I remember it like that in my head. Pops told me to not let them know it got to me. "Just be cool," he advised me. "Simply bow and thank your audience for their praise." And that I did. The teasing died off ... and my dad became my hero.

Some of my favorite memories with him are of us just leaning against his old, white Pontiac gazing up at the stars in front of our home in Torrance. I was about 7 years old, or that was the the earliest age I can remember him telling me to "always remember this date: ______, 1992 ... You were with your dad talking about life and looking at the stars." He would say this on several occasions, because we did it fairly often. Or we'd go to Ave C in Hermosa Beach after sunset when he'd get home from work and just listen to the waves break and enjoy the salty air-- a good explanation as to why I'm so fascinated with the ocean and always feel at home as soon as my feet touch the sand. He's been taking me to the beach since I was 3 months old.

One of the coolest things my dad ever did for me was teach me how to read in Spanish. I was raised in a Spanglish household, so my first phrases were some strange concoction of bilingual gibberish- nonetheless, I knew how to speak Spanish fairly well growing up. But what really helped me "master" the language was, what I thought was just quality time with Pops, reading his Spanish newspaper every weekend. La Opinión had replaced my Bernstein Bears on these days, but I didn't complain; I liked the challenge. I learned about sports and Spanish all in one sitting, and I really did love having his attention. I think reading with kids is one of the most effective ways to make them love learning and feel loved at the same time. I'll elaborate more on a non-profit I'm working with later (www.readingtokids.org)... now back to Pops.

Today was his 58th birthday.

I just wanted to dedicate this blog to him as a small token of my appreciation for all his years of unconditional love, support, and downright awesomeness.

Here's to many more years of good memories and to the adventures that await us next month when we return together once more to the motherland. Que Viva El Peru, Carajo!

Love you so much Papa.

- Chi

a quick turn-around

2010-03-08T03:49:00.000-08:00

I usually take about 2 weeks minimum to process and upload my photos, unless I have an inpatient friend or client who simply CANNOT wait to see their pictures, but tonight I felt inspired to just put up this weekend's pics right away.

Saturday, March 6th:

My lovely niece, Antonella.

The coolest birthday cake ever for my aunt, Rosa.

Sunday, March 7th:

Two of my favorites, CT & Jessica, are moving up to San Francisco next week, so a bunch of us got together for some afternoon KTV Karaoke in Hacienda Heights and threw them a surprise going-away party.

^ The "Fobby" version of "My Cherie Amour" by Stevie Wonder

Shortly after, around 6 PM, I was treated by a handsome, young fella to dinner at a fabulous little Tapas restaurant called Cobras & Matadors on Beverly Blvd. in Mid-City West LA.

I regrettably left my camera in the car and this is the only picture I could pull up on Google to show the place. I couldn't find ONE decent photograph of the food or the restaurant, but at least I have a good excuse to go back. Although, it'd be worth to return regardless: the food was decadent and reasonably priced; the background music was just right- I heard a good eclectic mix while I was there, including some down-tempo and electro-alternative; and the ambiance was perfectly charming. You're even allowed to bring your own wine bottle, fancy that!

We ordered the roasted tomato soup, bacon-wrapped dates, and jamon serrano (served with feta cheese, walnuts, apple slices, and honey pesto over a bed of spinach). HELLA good.

After tapas, we drove a mile down the road to the Hollywood Improv to catch a live taping of "Last Comic Standing" that I received free tickets for.

Unfortunately, a lot of other free ticket-holders got to the line before we did and the small venue reached maximum capacity before we could make it to the front entrance.

Our hour-long wait wasn't a total loss; we received VIP admittance tickets for a future taping and had enjoyed our time in line cracking each other up and people-watching through some wooden panels behind us that blocked the front window of a cigar tavern.

We took advantage of the rain-less weather and walked down La Brea Avenue for a few blocks in search of a good cup of tea.

We ended our evening chatting over some Chai Soy Lattes at Sante La Brea's. A great ending to another good weekend. San Francisco will always have my heart, but I can't help that LA is growing on me.

Oldies

2010-03-06T14:27:00.000-08:00

The Valley, 2009.

Barcelona, 2007.

Producer Damion Elliot at The Village Recorder, West Hollywood 2009.

Floyd's Barbershop in Santa Monica, 2009.

Casa Battló by Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona 2007.

Sistene Chapel at The Vatican in Rome, Italy 2007.

The Vatican, 2007.

Outside of our hostel in Venice, Italy 2007.

Rockin out in Hollywood

2010-03-05T23:50:00.000-08:00

The majority of my life's awesomeness has stemmed from spontaneity.
It usually begins with a phone call that opens like this: "Hey! What are you doing tonight?"
I received one of these promising phone calls from my friend, Quinn, on a beautifully grey Friday afternoon on the 19th of February. I hadn't a clue to who The Red Paintings were, let alone how great their music was until I got the heads up from Quinn about a free show they were performing at the Key Club that very night.
Based on the pictures from their previous shows, it looked like a damn good time and $Free-ninety-free was just within my price range ;)
I invited my fellow camera-happy friend, Victor, to tag along with me and we met up with the band's manager (Quinn's previous employer and good friend) prior to the show for backstage access to get some pictures of the band prepping for the performance.
Here's a slideshow of the pictures from that night, it includes some of the other bands that opened for them, Paper Zoo and Ironheel:

The Red Paintings' performance was an amazing, multi-layered art experience. There were so many elements that captivated the eyes and ears...
At one moment I was entranced by the emotional melody of the violin and cello, and the next I was head-bangin' to some heavy guitar thrashing.
It was a blast. Such a great treat and a break from the ordinary.
I shot this show with my lil Rebel XT before I bought my Canon 5-D MkII last week so I wasn't able to record video, like I can now, but will do so at the next show coming up on March 19th in LA. Check out their myspace page: www.myspace.com/theredpaintings for more information about the band and to see them for yourselves. You won't be disappointed! Unless you're dead inside.... otherwise, Rock on!
Hasta pronto, B

The Red Paintings

2010-02-20T15:55:00.001-08:00

redP
Originally uploaded by Bravo Image

I had the privilege of photographing an enormously talented music group called The Red Paintings in West Hollywood at the Key Club last night.

Here's a little sneak peek of many pics to come from that show... they were truly a sight and sound to behold. Check out their stuff: www.myspace.com/theredpaintings.

catchin' up

2010-02-20T13:19:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

It's been a hot minute since I've posted anything up on here that I felt was worth sharing. I just took down a previous entry that I had created about the Nike Human Race I ran back in October because I didn't feel that it was authentically written- it didn't feel like "me".

I've been getting a better sense of what is me recently and, as a result, I am confident my photography and writing will reflect that.

My life has been continually filled with amazing opportunities, inspiring individuals and conversations, self-revelations, and an overall uplift in spirit and energy. Basically, I feel like I'm on top of the fuckin' world! Pardon me, but only the F bomb could suffice in describing my enthusiasm- life is pretty damn good.

I will be updating this blog regularly, so please follow me on here if you haven't done so already and leave comments if you feel ever so inclined. I greatly appreciate any constructive criticism or insights you may have.

I'm off to the gym for now, but I leave you with a couple recent shots that you may have seen on my Facebook already, but am pleased to post once more (excuse the low resolution, future posts will be better).

^ Tattoo shop in West Hollywood

^ Destinee, a very close friend of mine

^ UCLA Hammer Museum

^ Santa Monica Pier

^ still Santa Monica, pretty much my 2nd home.

^ The Getty Center

Love & Blessings, B

Charlotte's story

2009-06-20T01:55:00.000-07:00

While in Virginia, I had the pleasure of meeting Kelly Adcock (pictured above), a 41-year-old resident of Charlottesville that spoke warmly about his sick mother who he lived with and cared for. Kelly's best friend, Al Jensen, kept claiming that Kelly was such a southern gentleman and a loving son. "He takes good care of his mama! That's how you know he'll treat any lady right!"

When Kelly's mom called and he spoke to her with such affection and sincerity, amidst the drunken chaos of my classmates and I laughing hysterically in the back of a pick-up truck at a party, it made me smile to see the love he had for her. "She's an awesome lady," Kelly said after hanging up. "She's on an oxygen machine and can't leave the house 'cause she's had pneumonia 4 times in less than a year."

This made me think of my grandmother, Sara, who passed away from pancreatic cancer 6 weeks after being diagnosed about 3 years ago. She had so much loving support from family during her final weeks and it was truly a blessing for all of us to go through it together. My dad's mother, Luzmila, is 93 years old and currently lives in Peru suffering from senile dementia along with several physical ailments after having a stroke about 20 years ago. Her daughter, son-in-law, and a live-in nurse care for her now, ever since my dad decided to stay in the U.S. to work and raise me; he sends money monthly for her medical bills and visits whenever he can.

Because of my grandmothers and the values instilled by my parents, I've always had a soft spot for elderly people- especially sick ones. This is what prompted me to get Kelly and Al's phone numbers and follow up with them the next day... but there was no answer on Kelly's cell phone, so I called Al. I told him that I was interested in doing a photo story on Kelly and his mom and he told me to just swing by their house. I stopped by the following day and was greeted by a friend of the family who informed me that Kelly was taken to jail on charges of illegal distribution of marijuana on the morning after the party.

Luckily, Kelly was on the phone with his mother when I came over and he gave her the O.K. to let me in and take photos for my workshop class.

Charlotte was distraught by Kelly's absence, yet still kindly let me into her home to sit and talk with her about her situation, which was a lot worse than I had expected.

At age 66, Charlotte has a plethora of medical issues, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), a pinched sciatic nerve, and a brain aneurism to top it off.

Mel Gibson, a family friend, takes care of Charlotte when he can while Kelly is locked up.

I spent several hours with Charlotte over the span of four visits during my week in Charlottesville and in that time I realized something about myself and about why I love photojournalism: lending an ear to Charlotte and sharing her story through my photos helped not only me but also helped her a lot as well. I used to want to be a counselor before switching over to photojournalism in college, but I still feel like those skills are very useful to me in helping people feel understood and be comfortable with letting me take their pictures.

I plan on keeping in contact with Charlotte and possibly following up with her after Kelly returns home from Jail, which I hope will be soon.

Liberating the intuitive

2009-06-09T01:08:00.000-07:00

It's almost 4 A.M. over here on the East coast and I'm a little too wired to go to bed after the abundance of fortunate events that comprised my day. Basically- today was awesome.

As you all should know by now, I'm here in Charlottesville, Virginia taking a 5-day photography workshop followed by a 3-day Festival of the Photograph. The second year of the workshop which is sponsored by National Geographic, Canon, Apple, Adobe, Leica, Getty Images, and others. That means that in addition to almost a week long of learning from some of the most amazing photographers alive today, we get to borrow the latest Canon and Leica gear and have one-on-one lessons from experts on Aperture and Photoshop in a lab of MacBook Pros... so sick.

On Saturday, after the first session of the workshops, our local liaison suggested we hit up an annual block party to meet the townspeople and throw back some brews with 'em. This was the perfect opportunity for us to really get a feel for Charlottesville and we came to find that C'Ville is pretty damn chill and very welcoming. People immediately warmed up to us and we met many fellow artists, filmmakers, and documentary photographers with much insight and suggestions for sight-seeing and local hot spots.

We also met Kelly and Al, self-proclaimed "new Southern" gentlemen.

^ This is a photo of Kelly on the left and that's not Al on my right, that's Jeff- a fellow student. I unfortunately didn't photograph Al but I will get some pictures from the other photographers. What I love about it here is that I'm not the only one madly clicking away and making other people uncomfortable. The other photographers are making ME camera shy, it's a great change.

Anyhow, Kelly is an integral part of my story because his story touched me. As we're sitting in the back of a broke down pick-up truck behind a house at the block party, Kelly and Al are talking about Kelly's mama and how much Kelly loves her and takes care of her. His mom is on an oxygen machine and has suffered from pneumonia 4 times in the past year. Kelly stays home with his mother everyday taking care of her and he had nothing but lovely things to say about her. She even called him on his cell while we were laughing about some ridiculous joke and got her in on it. Call me a softy, but I loved how much he loved his mama. It made me think about my grandma and taking care of her while she was dying from pancreatic cancer two years ago. It also made me think that he would be a great subject for a photo story. So I got his and Al's phone numbers and called them up on Sunday to see what they thought about it, but there was no answer on Kelly's phone. I left a voicemail and tried calling Al. He told me where Kelly lived and said to just stop by.

So that's what I did today- but Kelly wasn't there... he had gone to jail the night I met him for distribution of illegal drugs (which he's fighting against and will hopefully be out by next week).

Instead, I was warmly welcomed by another family friend who brought me inside to introduce me to Kelly's mama, Charlotte.

Charlotte was on the phone with Kelly in jail and he gave her the O.K. when she wonderingly told him, "some young girl with a camera is on the front porch saying she met you at a party."

She was caught off-guard by my arrival but was incredibly warm to me and invited me into her home, allowing me to photograph her while she told me stories about her life and especially her love for Kelly.

^ Mel pointing to the BB gun shot hole some kids put through their front window on the same night Kelly got taken to jail.

I spent about two hours at Charlotte's home this afternoon. She really made my day and Mel had some great stories as well. They both have sad lives now (he helps take care of his dying mother in addition to Charlotte) but that wasn't always the case.

I have about 150 pictures that I need to sort through and I'm definitely going back for a couple more hours in the next few days before I make my final presentation of the story at the festival on Thursday. Should be exciting =)

Around 7:30 P.M. we attended a backyard BBQ and photo presentation at one of the staffs' residence right near our convention center.

^ The architecture was the most modern I had seen in Virginia and reminded me of that cold L.A. warehouse motif.

^ John Heng, fellow student, is an outstanding photographer from Singapore and such a riot to hang out with. He teaches me something new and technically savvy about photography everyday.

After the breath-taking and extremely humbling presentations by the instructors:(look 'em up, seriously)

James Nachtwey, David Alan Harvey, Eugene Richards and Larry Fink, we went off around midnight to help Jessica shoot her project in some creepy woods area.

I seriously have not been that bone-chillingly scared in a really long time. I felt the presence of spirits or some wild animals were lurking in the bushes, 'cause I swear, WE WERE NOT ALONE!!

At the second location, Jessica was photographing tombstones (yes, tombstones) on the opposite side of the street while I was snapping away at this eery looking building.. and then suddenly I heard the sound of someone playing the piano from inside.

It was 1 A.M. and the place looked deserted!! I was completely freaked out, such a baby! But I almost screamed like a schoolgirl as we ran back to the car... ok maybe I did.. just a little.

Something about Virginia at night that just does not sit right with me... it's haunting. Really, it is.

But nevertheless, I really do like it here a lot and I look forward to getting to know Charlotte more and meeting other people with similar stories here and everywhere I go.

It's all about love for the people who gave you life and love you unconditionally.

I love you mama!! Have a great day everyone... tell 'em you love 'em.

Floyd's Barbershop

2009-04-28T02:59:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago, my friend James and I went to Santa Monica to look for an interesting barber shop to photograph for a scholarship submission I'm working on (more details on that later)... and when we walked into Floyd's, I was instantly elated by the poster-plastered walls and rock 'n' roll ambiance of the place.

The shop was buzzing with clientele and a great mix of new and classic hits playing over the speakers.

^ This is a mural covering a wall in the back room of the shop.

^ Every stylist's station had a tool box covered with "colorful" bumper stickers.

^ You can't see but there is a small gap through the hot towel left for the customer to breathe in the invigorating tea tree oil scent from the shampoo rinse.

^ James with his child-like "I can see you" smirk while patiently waiting for me (and checking his Facebook) to shoot for almost 2 hours.

^ Loved the posters . I guess that's why I had to call the corporate office to get clearance to shoot here. It was well worth it.

^ Co-workers/friends watchin' the boob tube.

^ Even his pooch has a stylish mane.

This gal intrigued me. She seemed so distracted the whole time... kept looking around...

^ and lookin' at herself while deep in thought.

It was a great time; the workers and clients received me well and helped make it a very enjoyable experience. I don't think I'm going to use these for my scholarship submission since I need 10 shots of one event and I think I might have more Coachella shots that I prefer. But nonetheless, a great excuse to take pics and grab some bomb Thai food at Toi's afterward.

The Pad Ciw is scrum-diddly-umptious. I highly recommend.