During the last night in Singapore my friend Chris and I explored the back streets of Chinatown. It was interesting to see the side of the city that so few tourists see, yet walk by every day. We expected to find it completely deserted. The more we wandered we realized there were actually tons of things going on. Restaurants open all night, people stumbling to or from a bar, and workers restocking hundreds of shops. We stayed out shooting till 5am. The best way to discover a city is by seeing it at night! I will be posting lots more all month from the trip!
The night started off with a random drive, not quite sure where we were headed. We found ourselves at the docks in Long Beach. Peaceful and calm... except for feeling paranoid of having the tripod fall into the water off the narrow dock... or my backpack smelling like barnacles... It was a unique challenge trying to avoid rocking the dock and making waves.
In celebration of the premiere of the hour long documentary "Sou Da Bahia" on BYUtv nationally and internationally, there will be a conjoining multi-media art exhibit this september 16-30th at Brigham Young university. Paintings, photos, sculptures and film will explore six themes that are uniquely Brazilian. I should be in town for the opening social on the 18th. Come eat Brazilian food and celebrate everything that is Bahia! I have six photographs in the show.
This is crew 071. (minus one member) Last summer in Brazil this graffiti crew took part in a documentary that I was working on called "Sou Da Bahia". In a very short amount of time we became good friends and learned so much from each other. It was difficult leaving them, unsure if we would ever cross paths again. Strange that a year has passed. More recently, however, I have made some amazing local friends - despite that my days in Provo are numbered few. At times it makes me sad to meet such wonderful people and leave so soon afterward. Was the investment worth it? Become attached only to leave? The answer is yes. Every day is absolutely worth it.
I miss Brazil so much, and Bahia even more. This photo is a year old. Shame on me for not sharing. However, I will admit something...I envy this guy today. I'm graduating a week from friday. Two majors, internships, ridiculous general education classes, and some insane part time jobs have left me a little tired. I have no regrets though. Friday, after I get that fake diploma (they send the real one in the mail) and before I head off to LA to start all over again in grad school, I am going to lie in my hammock (perhaps the most neglected thing in my life right now) and take the most carefree 20 min nap of my life.
I promised some time ago to post more from my seven deadly sins still life series. Here is sloth. Ever feel like you are stuck with a mess that you didn't make, yet it becomes your problem? The most disgusting roommate I have ever had moved out about 5 months ago...It took Christine and I about 4 hours to clean out the fridge...imagine two bags of rotten ingredients for japanese food. As of late I realize that there are different types of messes that can be left for you to clean up and sort through - not just physical but emotional, social or something much more complicated. We should do like our mothers tell us and leave rooms better than we found them.
I had overlooked these two portraits for sometime now, until i randomly saw them side by side. Something struck me about them. I think it is more than just their confidence, but that both of their countenances radiate total honesty. They hide nothing and exude no shame. I hope that one day I can embody similar traits to such an extent.
I took these two photos at very different times in my life this summer. It occurred to me that I approached the same subject differently in very subtle ways... What does it mean? Perhaps it reflects my state of mind? Represents the start and end of a journey? A new outlook on life?And if so, have the trees been placed on the wrong sides? What could it be? perhaps...just maybe...the light was different...you decide.
We taught the kids in this small Lugazi school how to play the game hangman on the chalkboard. I really enjoyed the energy in the room against the beautiful texture of the wall.
I shot this on my Dad's old 135 prime lens for his Pentex. Vintage lens = very cool. This is one of those magic candid shots that isn't perfect in the technical sense, but has some nice light and a very interesting feel. I have a few more good shots from this day that I will have to add to this post in the coming days.
This picture was taken at a small school on the top of a hill about 30 min from Lugazi. I had just gotten stung from a strange African bee on my thumb. Of course my natural reaction was to get out my camera and shoot until I forgot about the pain, not to mention thoughts that my thumb might fall off. Again, I framed this photo up candid and waited until the second the boy noticed me and snapped before he could react.
Another in my portrait series. The night I spent with the kids at Gulu I was impressed by their firm focus on religion. Their time in the Lord's Resistance Army seems to have been quite coupled with very interesting beliefs. I have heard stories were soldiers were conditioned to think that holy water could make them impervious to bullets or that they could throw rocks that would function as grenades. I saw a much less fanatical version of them, I was invited to sing songs of worship and pray with them before we slept.
During the last 6 months or so I have fallen in love with night photography. She is a shy mistress and takes time. But she doesn't sass me and will never leave me or cheat. So I promise to start sharing with everyone more of our romantic nights. Here she is...
More fisheye happiness...
Some of these exposures were as quick as 5 seconds, others closer to 30. The noise does not build up that badly for digital. Although I hope to be shooting on some 35mm later this week for a tight grain structure. The best part of night photography is how peaceful it can be alone in the forest at night. I was reminded of dear Stan Brackage (film theoretician) this weekend. He claims the medium of film allows us to see through new eyes as we wouldn't normally see - for instance, as a baby or a bee might see. In a round about way, night photography validates some of his ideas.
Out of all my experiences in Uganda, the time I spent in Gulu was my favorite. We spent the weekend with formerly abducted child soldiers at the Laro boarding school. I was invited to spend the night in one of the boy's dormitories. The kids shared experiences of the atrocities that they have witnessed and were forced to take part in. I shot portraits of them with the physical objects that they treasure the most. The boy above said his most prized possession was his Bed - his only personal space.
