Lifeguard Hero

BRWN BFLO

Had a few minute pre-show portrait session with the guys from BRWN BFLO, based in the East Bay for Oh Dang! Magazine.

Evicted. - [X]press Magazine Article

Wanted to post the article I wrote about Sacramento's tent city -- thought it turned out pretty decent.

CLICK HERE TO DOWLNLOAD PDF

Walked around a foggy Ocean Beach this afternoon and listened to music for awhile, liked this frame.

Lightstalkers & SportsShooter Update...

It had been awhile since I updated my Lightstalkers and SportsShooter accounts, so I toned a few of my favorites in black and white and tossed up on both sites. The people over at SS were nice enough to put my photo essay on the front page.

Thanks guys!

Tent City Multimedia & a few thoughts about it all...

As I'm finishing up my final semester at San Francisco State University, I decided to spend my spring break doing something a little bit different. With help from my girlfriend, I packed a hiking backpack full of the essentials; sleeping bag, air mattress, tent, and a few changes of clothes.

Soon thereafter, I boarded the Capitol Corridor train and headed to Sacramento. After a night's rest at a friend's place, I ventured into a city within California's state capitol.

A city of homeless, with a place to call home.

Some were directly affected by our current economic crisis, while many more were not. After getting to know the people of tent city, I found that drugs, alcohol, gambling, and mental disorders played a serious role in peoples lives landing along the banks of the American River.

Living in tent city only compounded the problem for people who may have been on the fringe of these issues their entire lives.

I returned to San Francisco after 5 days of living under the sun, in the shadow of the state's capitol -- but I couldn't stop thinking about everyone that I had met along the way.

So I returned. Twice.

And continued to try and understand how the entire situation would play out, where the men and women would go and how the city would help them out of this disaster.

I'm still wondering, and hoping the City of Sacramento finds a long term solution to a serious problem -- not just a short term patch.

This was the first time I had ever worked on a project and embedded myself, and in the end I'm really glad that I did it. Although I was a little nervous for my own well-being at times, the gratification of being able to tell the stories of a few people who otherwise wouldn't have been heard is well worth it.

This story is not over. And I'm not finished with it.

Thanks for looking.

Gavin Newsom enters the race...

Mayor Newsom announced the he will be running for California governor, reminded me of a photograph I snapped of him...they were running it on his site for awhile...

Take a look if you like.

Gavin Newsom

(This in no way means that I am endorsing the dude)

Wasteland Alcohol Abuse

I don't know if this photograph will find a home in any of the final work I'll do on Tent City, but it reminds me of an ongoing occurrence there. Some people would start their days with alcohol, and only stop after getting sick or passing out. The man pictured (Steve) had spent most of his Easter Sunday afternoon drinking vodka as I was told.

He turned up missing from Tent City on Wednesday, April 15th after "killing a bottle of vodka and falling asleep in the park", said his neighbor David Cuch.

My best bet is that he went to jail.

Solidarity.

Residents of Tent City gathered for a prayer circle with Sister Libby of Loaves and Fishes, moments before Sacramento Police Department arrived and gave final orders that everyone living in the area must vacate.

A Life After Sacramento's Tent City?

This is from the multimedia narrative I have been working on from Tent City...spending more time with her as she goes to the doctor next week and then hopefully she will find a place near the 1st of May.


Kathleen Walker, 49, has lived in Sacramento's Tent City for almost 4 months. Walker left Reno, NV after being stabbed by her husband during the holidays and fears that if she presses charges that her life may be in danger. While she once battled heroin addiction, Walker has managed to stay clean for almost 15 years -- but not without consequence. She now suffers from end stage cirrhosis and waits amongst a long line of others for a critical liver transplant.

Although her disability check allows her enough money to find housing in low-income areas of Sacramento, her eight-year-old dog 'Hustler' has made it nearly impossible for her to convince landlords to let her move in -- he's a 100 pound pitbull.

Bankrupt on Selling

Danny Valadez, 48, rests after splitting wood with railroad ties. He has lived in Sacramento all his life but moved to Tent City a year ago, shortly after his grandfather died and the family-owned painted business failed. "I also used to sell drugs," said Valadez. "But when my daughter started getting old enough, I didn't her to see me like that."

El Coyote

William "Coyote" Barnett, 62, lights a cigarette in the dark of night within Sacramento's Tent City. Barnett once traveled throughout the country grooming race horses, but his addiction to alcohol caused him to lose his job. He then ran an illegal operation guiding and transporting illegal immigrants from Mexico across the border. "I never charged people too much money," says Barnett. "...just enough so that I could survive and help my friends' families get to the United States.

Tent City

More to come soon.

Roller Derby

And one in color....



Always have a great time photographing the Bay Area Derby Girls, they're always really sweet about allowing me access outside of the basic shooting of the bout. Tried doing some funky stuff with direct flash on manual and powering it down--gonna try and perfect that next time around.

Thanks for looking!

Bridges & Boats

I woke up on Thursday morning, with no idea that I would get a chance to head out on a boat for the afternoon and make photographs of the Bay Bridge, it's unfinished retrofit replacement and the crane barge that is going to make it all happen.

Here's a few snaps, special thanks to CalTrans who helped me get on their boat.

If you're interested in seeing more, visit KQED

Proposition 8 Goes To Court

This was a shot that didn't make the slideshow...

Spent the day in Civic Center Plaza covering people and their reactions to the Proposition 8 hearing.

Was pretty awesome...managed to edit, tone and create a slide show in just under 2 hours.

KQED COVERAGE - Please click on the link on the left sidebar.



Thought it turned out decent.

Thanks for looking.

Noise Pop Portrait

More stuff from my week at Noise Pop to come.

Thanks for looking.

Flooded.

Went to the groundbreaking ceremony for an arts organization which I helped get going when I first moved to San Francisco in 2006. It's great to see that after all the hard work, a great group of people will be moving into an area of the city that desperately needs some revitalization.

Can't wait to see what wonderful artists will grace the walls of its new location.

Learn more about Gray Area Foundation for the Arts

Recognition at Last

The recent passing of the new economic stimulus bill will now give Filipino World War II Veterans benefits which they did not receive before, including a lump-sum payment of $15,000 for veterans who are US citizens.

More photos on The California Report soon.

Mud Wrasslin