Prom… that word brings up a lot of different emotions for people.  I was informed through the grapevine that my photo services had been requested for May12 at 4pm.  The week before, I stumbled across a little photo blurb about Mary Ellen Mark’s new photo book all about proms.  Needless to say, proms were on my radar. The girls were getting ready, dresses hadn’t arrived, dates forgot belts and bow ties needed modification.  Parents started to arrive, I introduced myself and waited a bit more.  Five minutes later I see a heavily tattooed man with a Anti-Hero shirt walk into the backyard.

Patterson?

Jasif…What are you doing here?

My daughter is getting ready in there

What?

Damn, I used to take skate photos of Jasif and apparently he has a daughter in high school.  She made her dress out of paper mache and her boyfriend reminded me of a super Weezer fan.  It was a whirlwind of a shoot and then all the kids left to catch the bus to prom.  No, not a rented party bus, but the public bus…apparently high school kids don’t bother with licenses anymore.

If you happen to be in Norway be sure to stop by.  I will be part of FilmPorVidas group show at the Rake Gallery, opening is tomorrow.

Topaz Ca, along the 395.  One of my favorite highways in the good ol US of A.

Vegas to Death Valley via the 95.  This is an open highway to say the least…long stretches with nothing but hills, valleys and military bases.
Whenever I am driving I often see images. I should clarify, I see images all the time…sometimes I stop and take them.  Whenever I don’t I am haunted by them.  I see it in my head over and over.  I tend to beat myself up over it.  ”why didn’t I stop”.  I remember the one’s that got away more then the one’s that I caught.  I have a whole shot list of the misses…just last week at the Oakland Art Walk there was a guy with a brown bag in one hand and a Chihuahua in the other.  I didn’t take it because I thought the flash would be blinding…Just reading that makes me ill.

What you see here is one that didn’t get away.

Happy Easter folks.  I must say that I am a bit disgusted with the church this fine day.  I went to church this morning and the pastor brought up all the kids and went through a little game about trying to identify Easter symbols and what they meant.  There was teenager in a flannel up there who I thought looked a bit out of place.  As all the other kids were playing along I noticed that he opened up his laptop.  Wow ! This kid is so pissed about being up there that he just decided to check his e-mail? A few moments later the pastor was having difficulty placing eggs and jelly beans in the Easter story.

“Maybe Johnny can help us out here…Johnny can you google it for us”?

This brings us to Salvation Mountain which is located just East of Niland Ca, by the Salton Sea.  Apparently, an older gentleman decided to show his love for the almighty with a mountain that he constructed with tires, hay bales, and stucco all topped off in bright colors with scriptures.  Casey and I showed up as the sun was high and bright.  Not the best conditions for photos but hey shoot it while you can.

I just got back from a road trip to Tucson, Sedona, Flagstaff, Vegas, Death Valley and a few other choice places.  ≈.  My folks and I had just parted ways…I was about to leave as well when  a cute blonde caught my attention and I thought I should give the town a once over.  I spotted another tall creepy photo guy lurking in the shadows.  I gave him a knowing smile as he waited for something to unfold.  I walked past him and headed down an alley and was confronted with the first image you see here.  Is it a photo? drawing? painting? I am still not sure.  Intense none the less.

the next few posts will be from this latest trip…see ya soon!

Chinatown is as close as you can get to boarding a jet plane without actually leaving the city.  I love how these little moments seem to happen when I am there.  I was focusing on this painters umbrella when I noticed the little kid having a sword fight…as he turned the shutter clicked.

“No Photos”

My Mom used to take me to this restaurant when I was a kid.  I went back…the food was terrible but it offered up a photo.

Casey stands in front of a museum in Dublin, if I am not mistaken.

Galway life preserver.

Both of these were shot in Ireland in 2002.  Just found them today in an old box in the attic….ahhh lost treasures.

I always liked this shot.                    Val in her room                                     Oakland, Ca. 2011.