a few more from Singapore

Some more random night shots... the first is a slightly abstract one of the water in the harbor, the second a backstreet in Chinatown and the last was near the business district.

Singapore Portrait

While shooting around the harbor one night I had the opportunity to take a picture of my friend Alvin. He is a producing student at the Chapman campus in Singapore. He was one of the many gracious hosts who showed us around and helped on the documentaries we shot.

Formalism in Singapore

I thoroughly enjoyed Singapore from an architectural standpoint. I found leading lines and geometric patterns everywhere. This is proof that I still take pictures during the day! 

Vertical is the new horizontal

I suspect that what few people we did run into during our night photography adventures in Singapore already thought we were crazy before I started taking pictures of the underside of a freeway. Sacrifice sanity for art is my motto! I always find it very fascinating that every location I shoot begs to either be almost completely composed horizontally or vertically. I have wondered if it depends on my mood that day or the subject matter. Singapore however is without a doubt, a vertical city. The looming architecture, beautiful trees and always changing sky make vertical shooting seem almost mandatory in every set up. See what I mean!?

Singapore Chinatown at Night

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!

Meteor Shower in the Fog

Hit up Laguna (top of the world) for this view. Its quite difficult trying to nail the right moment to capture a shooting star. Lots of luck. This would be one of my favorites from the night. The fog was rolling in and we saw quite the etherial show.

Long Beach - Los Alamitos Night Photography

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.    

Little Carona Night Photography

There are many advantages to shooting the beach at night...no people in your shots...experimenting with the moving water...and no coyotes! This was shot a bit after 2am, the tide was coming back in from its lowest point. Once again my friend Mike came along as an awesome guide to the area and help with any "light painting" that was needed.  I will post more of the images from the night soon!

Joshua Tree Night Photography

This last weekend my friend Mike and I took a random trip in the middle of the night to Joshua Tree National Park. It was my first time there and his first time doing night photography. After the 2 and a half hour drive, seeing the landscape and amazing stars, I knew it was worth the drive. It is possibly my new fav place to do night shots. We also were surrounded by coyotes... 4 or 5... really close...Mike asked in a panic if he could run to the car...I appreciated that he didn't just up and leave me without asking...such a gentleman. But we were brave enough to keep shooting through the night...just in a place down the road a bit.

Sou Da Bahia! Multi-Media Art exhibit at BYU

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.

Graffiti, old and new friends

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.

Chasing Light...

Over the last 24 hours I have spent the majority of time outside in nature. I suspect I am subconsciously soaking it up, anticipating the concrete heat from the city to shock my system. Perhaps thats why urbanites flee to the beach, crowding the sand for a chance to be close to the earth. Photography is light, and photographers have been famously referred to as chasers of light. What else could keep me out until 3am this morn and have me back on the road for the sunrise at 5am? There is a sense of anticipation that comes with the hunt. And I feel like I have been chasing light all my life. But today was odd, I remembered that sometimes you can't control everything. There were clouds, rain, hail, wind, harsh sun and many obstacles bringing frustration. But sometimes when you have gone as far as you can go on your own, the clouds part and the rising moon gently illuminates the scene before you. Last night, the photo above brought back thoughts of all the happy accidents, tender mercies, and moments when the light just comes to you. Thank you if you have ever brought light into my life with your presence.

Restful Brazil

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.

Still Life - Messy 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.

Uganda and more fun with juxtapositions.

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.

Catharsis and Introspection Through Photoshop

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.

Now for something a little different...

Lately I have been posting only Uganda and Night photography. I felt like it  was time to throw in a random portrait. This is without a doubt editorial in style. Perhaps a pseudo old school Annie Leibowitz with a bit of Diane Arbus thrown into the mix for good measure...and what better subject than the defunct ex-poster boy of Provo's counter culture movement: Byron. 

Student Portraits

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.

Uganda Portraits

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.

Night Photography

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.