(part 2 of 3 in my San Francisco series)

Street photography is very much like fishing. You pick a time and place, prep your gear, head out there, and just hope you are keen and lucky enough catch something...

I shoot the streets when I'm in need of a photographic rejuvination. I enjoy commercial work, but it can sometimes be strict in its creative opportunities. Rendered images or pre-conceived shoots of people or models often stimulate the "groins" of the Facebook generation more than anything - it's wonderful at drawing fans and exciting bunches of people, but sometimes it hides truth and honesty and throws viewers brains out of the window. I needed a change of pace.

When I first started, I shot the streets because I had nothing else. I did it to learn. I did it for the pure love of photography. Often times I have to remind myself: life and humanity have much to offer. And there is great thrill in what the unknown or unscripted provide - situations that are unparalleled in its beauty and far more wonderous that anything I could ever plan or set up. To shoot the street is to feel life's pulse. It is to feel MY pulse.

Unlike part 1 ("Alcatraz"), people living is very much the theme here. Where that post was almost entirely desolate, in this second series of images, I try to fill the frame with people... 

 

(part 1 of 3 in my San Francisco series)

Last Sunday, I took the first ferry out to Alcatraz. Why? Because I'm a cheap bastard and wanted to save a few bucks. But, thinking as photographer, I also wanted to beat the crowds - it would make more sense to shoot the former prison in a state of desolation and solitude and I thought the clouds over the bay would make for more drama. And besides that, the prison itself was my subject - not the people (as it would be later that morning at the Taylor Street restaurants at the Wharf) I wasn't entirely successful at keeping people out of my shots (the first ferry was already bursting at the seams) but I think there is enough "space" in these shots for meditation. Enjoy!

 

Now that the kids are older, we decided to participate in the 2012 Great Aloha Run. My wife is an active member of the Moms in Hawai'i internet community and they put a group together every year and we figured we'd join in on the fun. The kids didn't do too bad - there were a few points where I had to pick them up and put them on my shoulders so we could continue because the tears started streaming, but we finished. Perhaps the most rewarding part of the day was congratulating them on a job well done and applaudung their perserverance - life lessons that I am hoping they can take with them. We'll work on bettering our finish times next year, and the year after that. For now, enjoy the photos!

Went up to Maui for a funeral on Tuesday. Afterwards, I had some time to roam the island and take some photos. I have a soft spot for small towns and historic places and many of these spots spark nostalgia in me...

Christmas is definitely a time for the children. It is when their dreams come true and hearts are relenquished for the new year. And as the gifts and presents are unwrapped, we are reminded that the Holidays isn't about toys or candy or feasts, but about being grateful for what we have and that sharing a part of ourselves - the happiness, kindness and joy inside of us, is what really matters. With the new year, there is always hope and a chance for renewal and forgiveness. Let us march forward in good nature. The Hungry Eye hopes you had a wonderful holiday season!

 

This past week, I had the opportunity to take my hungry eyes over to the Disneyland Resort in California. As a frequent visitor, rather than just leisurely enjoying myself, I went with a mission this time. I went with purpose - to capture as many characters as I could with my cameras.

I decided to travel light. Most of my photos would be shot in the generous light of the SoCal sun, so fast, heavy lenses and strobes stayed home and wept.

Camera and lenses:

• Canon 5D Mark II
• 24-105L f4 - good all around lens,
• 70-200 f4-5.6 - great for parade closeups
• 85mm 1.8 - I don't think I used this even once
• 50mm 1.8 - Ideally, I would have a 35mm 1.4 but this would have to do. Great for nighttime or in the rides shots.
• 15mm 2.8 fisheye - something different
• Canon s95 - brought along this point-n-shoot so that I could give it to other people to take pics of me. Lending people my SLR often led to blurry useless shots and me sobbing buckets (and I look really stupid doing that, so no more).

Now, Most people who's been to a Disney park will tell you that getting a photo of or with a character is no easy feat. You've gotta wait in line, the character could leave at any time, regardless of HOW LONG you waited, or they may not show up or be substituted by some other character right as you are about to step up to the plate. (I noticed that this happens especially if you want a photo with someone in particular. Grr...)

Related story. I was waiting for the Tomorrowland Monorail the other day and overheard a woman griping "I haven't seen one Disney character the entire week that we've been here. Are we even at Disneyland?" I sort of chuckled inside.

They're here, dear, but you have to be lucky, a fortunate victim of happenstance, or... put in the energy to study a particular cahracters schedules and hunt them down.

 Luck was on my side and all three things happened on this visit. Happy, happy! :)

I took a while bunch of shots, but most would be reduntant to the stuff I posted last year. Instead, I'm just putting up the with Disney face characters (no masks). 

 

You can view the complete set here on Facebook.

If you follow my work, you'll see that I enjoy paying homage to particular scenes in movies. With Consuela and Ryan's maternity shoot it was no different. I didn't particularly enjoy "Armageddon," but there was this cute scene involving animal crackers:

I asked Consuela and Ryan to channel their inner Liv Tyler and Ben Afflecks so we could create our own version of what happened.

Congrats on the soon-to-be new addition! And thanks to Scotty for the lighting assist on this one!

I have to give myself a pat on the back. This is the first shoot I've ever styled and boy, was it a lot of work! I had gone to so many stores, trying to find the right things match that dress I had purchased off eBay. You know how hard it is to find gloves, locally? Yeesh. Anyway, I wanted a classical look on this. "Classical" meaning that there be a hint of vintage, yet, would pass for something more contemporary at the same time. Timeless, perhaps. That's probably why I went and color graded the photos in different ways. We've got your high-contrast Michael Bay shots with green sunlight, to faded, bright, high contrast almost platinum looking pics. A couple of them are processed after Deluxe Labs' color on "The Sound of Music."

This was a fun project. There were a ton of mosquitos and even more laughter on-site that day and I hope you enjoy the pics as much as we had making'em! 

Model: Lauren
Hair/Makeup: Lauren
Lighting Assistant: @J_Scotty
Photographer/Wardrobe: Myself 

I've always wanted to photograph "Little Red Riding Hood" (or "Little Red Cap," as it was originally). Not only is this story quite well known, but Grimm's classic fairy tales have always featured the macabre side of the human spirit with Freudian undertones, which, to put it simply, fascinates me.

The shoot style and processing here is inspired by Chiaroscuro, a painting technique which stormed Europe before the Renaissance. Channeling my inner Rembrandt, I chose to focus more on story and psychological intensity as opposed to technics. I used one source of overpowering light (mostly the sun, or when the clouds came, one hidden Speedlight flash) and contrasted it with the shadows and abrasions of the ruins. It's the contrast and shadows, I feel, that make this set more foreboding. Things that I would normally remove, like bags under the eyes, remain in to stay true to style. And without a real fill light, we achieve a flatness authentic to pre-Renaissance art.

DISCLAIMER: Now, the dark and light contrast doesn't work in ALL of the photos, and I'll be the first to admit the deviation. Or...evolution, as I should call it. (Google "chiaroscuro" for the real thing)  If you want real Either way, I hope you like what's posted here. :)

Thanks goes out to my model, Kayla (with makeup by her) and my assistant Troi. Great job, folks!