documentary photography

people of the orange county fair

in ,

I spent a saturday at the orange county fair recently – walking around & people watching. I think fairs are the most quintessentially american experience: a place full of fried foods, sensory overload, sticky sweets, alcohol, over-consumption, price gouging, questionable fashion choices, screaming children, & farm animals.

 
 

all shot on my fujifilm x30.

meet the hollywoods

in , ,

film half frame photos from ciclavia’s meet the hollywoods event in august.

kodak gold 200 / kodak ektar h35 half frame camera

dc in 2011

in , ,

in 2011 I took an early bus from port authority bus terminal in new york city for a day trip to washington dc with my friend & my film camera. I recently found these images from the excursion.

elmer's bottle tree ranch

in , , , ,

off route 66 outside of victorville you’ll find an incredible art installation called elmer’s bottle tree ranch. elmer long built this unique forest using recycled & found materials, constructing trees out of everything from rebar & glass to old typewriters & even a missile. one of my favourite things about the desert are these types of places, the spots where someone’s creativity shows up in unexpected ways. wandering through the trees under the bright blue spring desert sky was a perfect way to spend a route 66 pit stop.

elmer passed away in 2019, so the ranch is no longer expanding, but the existing structures are well worth a visit.

the ranch is open daily sunrise to sunset, it’s free to enter but donations are gladly accepted.

shot on a vintage lubitel 2 with kodak porta 400

big snow

in ,

while living in brooklyn I experienced my first blizzard. recently I found some of the photos I took walking around the silent streets the day after the snowfall.

what I wish they wrote about protests

in
thousands of protestors take a knee in the street near beverly center. los angeles 30 may 2020.

thousands of protestors take a knee in the street near beverly center. los angeles 30 may 2020.

I wish when they reported about protests they reported on the people with first aid kits in their backpacks. I wish they reported about the teenagers snaking through the crowd offering water & snacks. I wish they reported about the two young white women sharing their bottle of sunscreen with two young black women they'd just met. I wish they reported on the people spraying hand sanitizer on the palms of all who stretched their arms out as they passed. I wish they reported on the five black teenagers who chased away a young white man who tried to set a dumpster on fire. I wish they reported on the young black man begging us to tell everyone we know that they didn't start this shit. I wish they reported on people helping to direct traffic away from police. I wish they reported on how the crowd parted & cheered for an ambulance that needed to get through. I wish they reported about how the march paused at a senior care facility to applaud the workers who had gathered at the doorway, thanking them. I wish they reported about how over a thousand people took a silent knee in the middle of the street. I wish they reported about the bus driver who stepped out of her bus as it was being vandalized & thanked protesters for being out in the streets. I wish they reported about the parents with their children. I wish they reported on people handing out masks to help keep others safe. I wish they reported on the drum line. I wish they reported on the singing.

signs

in ,

women’s march la, 2020.

very dissapointed that the women’s march la organization refused to work with black lives matter los angeles. none of us are free until all of us are free.

a few more photos>>

mermaids

in , ,

going through old photos & came across these film shots from the coney island mermaid parade. I’m not certain of the date, but I estimate it’s 2010, if the bp oil spill reference is any indicator. I didn’t attend the parade every year I lived in brooklyn, but I did go several times. always a highlight of my new york summer season.

the coney island mermaid parade began in 1983 as a launching of the summer season. it is now the largest art parade in the united states—attracting thousands of participants & even more spectators from around new york city & the world. nautical themed costumes are encouraged for viewers & required for participants. a range of contests & other festivities surround the event, including the annual crowing of a king neptune & queen mermaid. in 2019, arlo & nora guthrie received the honors.

learn more about the parade on its website.

shot on 35mm film with a vintage nikon fe.