This summer, I went on a road trip with my family and friend to Zion National Park in Utah, marking off a trip from my bucket list. Like many, my familiarity with the park was through pictures, and I always wanted to experience the expansive canyons firsthand. Zion is a beautiful, surreal national park that exceeded all expectations. I recommend fully seeing 229 square miles of rock landscape to enjoy the scenery and hike for multiple days.
For those interested in going, plan your day. Make sure to anticipate traffic and show up early to avoid parking issues. A season pass will save you money if you plan to go multiple days, and preplanning your hike sites will save you time. There are many people throughout the year, so you don't want to worry about these things, make an itinerary.
We rented electric bikes, which made the trip more exciting. Zion does not allow personal cars one and a half miles in, leaving the rest of the 5 miles open for shuttles and cyclists to ride the park. Cycling is the best way to experience Zion. You avoid the lines of people riding the shuttle and experience the park at your own pace.
I took the Leica SL2 S for this trip because of its versatility, weather resistance, and minimal features. I pair the camera with the 45mm 2.8 Sigma lens. The 45mm lens is the most straightforward focal length to frame. That said, it also challenges me to think about my composition. The camera is still young and holds its own. The viewfinder is one of the best, with exemplary images accurate to the Leica line. My settings were manual, only using ISO 100 throughout the day and an f8 or f22. I used the camera as a point-and-shoot with no neutral density filters or tripod throughout the day. This camera setup allowed me to enjoy cycling the canyon and picking out compositions.
My aesthetic goal was to create a series of images that did not feel touristy but would look good as a postcard. My actual intent was to display magnitude and use sharpness to emphasize the rock formation. The skylight also changed throughout the day, so I used a smaller aperture to illuminate those blue skies. Like Ansel Adams' landscape photography, I wanted to touch the spirit of this country's landscape.
By the end of the day, we were all exhausted. While cycling is the best way to experience the park, riding a bike and hiking can be a workout. We enjoyed a good cold beer at the Zion Canyon Brew Hub. My visit to Utah was memorable. I also spent time in Hurricane, a lovely town with state parks 10 min away. Aside from Zion, we also visited the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which I highly recommend. Check out my pictures below and sign up for my newsletter for future project announcements.
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I attended Hollywood Forever’s Day of the Day Celebration Press Day. My goal was to capture the community, artists, and directors who for 23 years have brought us cultural performances, art exhibitions, Danza Mexica, and the ability to display altars for loved ones who have transitioned for everyone to see. For the past 25 years, families from Michoacan and Oaxaca have taught the traditions of both these states of Mexico at the Hollywood Forever cemetery. The press event was festive and opened with the directors of altars, stage, Catrina stage, Aztec stage, and art exhibition describing the music lineup, art aesthetics, and folkloric direction. Significantly, the theme for this year is Mayahuel, in honor of the Mayahuel Goddess of love, sorrow, water, and the first maguey (agave) plant. This theme welcomes the festivities, art, drink, and dance.
Like many who hold this tradition dear, I had concerns. Dia de Los Muertos (DDLM) has brought many cultures together to honor our deceased. However, DDLM has also been a huge marketing opportunity. Stores like Target have found ways to market this sacred celebration with craft art during October. Skulls and the imagery associated with the Day of the Dead have become trendy. We will likely see people conflating the day of the dead with Halloween; It is why we must continue to teach people about the sacredness of the Day of the Dead and for people to receive this information with open ears. The organizers and community putting this event together are sensitive to the concern and provide context to the tradition. Hollywood might be a made-believe, but nothing is fake about the incredible work done at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
On October 29th, 2022, Hollywood Forever Dia de Los Muertos will have its biggest installment in Los Angeles with two separate events during the day and evening. Dia de Los Muertos will begin from 9 am-3 pm, followed by Noche de Los Muertos from 5 pm-12 am. I will be attending to capture how this event impacts the surrounding community. Stay in touch for that work. For more details about the event click here.
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truth, Master of the truth, he does not stop admonishing
He makes other people's faces wise, he makes others take on a face, he makes them develop it
He opens their ears, he enlightens them
He is a master of guides , gives them their way, one depends on him…
Part of Codice Florentino, book 10
I grew up during the Image Comic explosion of the 1990s, which attracted many young fans like myself into the world of antiheroes. Unlike other brands, Image introduced characters that were complex but lacked the heroic qualities of a Superman or Spiderman. This unique era sparked my ideals of moral character as a young boy, becoming a misfit with good intentions.
Through comics, I learned how our environment shaped and molded our experiences. Many kids growing up in my neighborhood joined gangs, leading to bad decisions and unfortunate events. Others, like myself, spent time trying to find our identity by rebelling against the established rules in the streets and by the government.
My project is inspired by the experience of rebellion, resilience, culture, and identity. Huehueteotl is an indigenous story of a generation of heroes. Unlike most superheroes' physical appearances and supernatural abilities, Huehueteotl is a story about ordinary people's phenomenal ability to withstand 500 years of colonization. The series narrates the passing of a Mesoamerican relic through three individuals. Through prayer and meditation, each character discovers their purpose in life, passing the knowledge and teaching to the next person. The setting takes place in our present time in a Chicano community. Huehueteotl is a deity that represents the elders and the fire, and it is thought to be the creator of life.
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The literal subject matter is portraits of people living in Los Angeles, photographed wearing a face mask, white background, and a personal note that explains their current thoughts. In addition to the fears of the virus, isolation is heavy on people and their mental health. By including their notes, we get a glimpse of their current state of mind. The project is documenting business owners, vendors, artists, the unemployed, and healers.
I simulated the polaroid frame because it gives an instant feel, similar to my photoshoots with the subjects. During my engagement with every subject, I have used gloves and a mask for my protection and theirs. I appreciate their vulnerability and trust, the process of photographing them has helped us cope with our own fears and thoughts for the future. By sharing our stories we begin to heal from the crisis that is affecting everyone in one way or another.
The intent is to communicate the new normal, their thoughts, and shared experiences. By using a white background, each image has a shared environment that is intended to look clinical. The subjects posed using a frontal position or a three-quarter shot to engage the viewer in a visual dialog. Clothing is important as it communicates class and culture. Through these elements, we know who these people are and reveal the essence of the subject. The pandemic has impacted every subject emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Body language is a key element that expresses their emotional state. In addition, their notes are a timestamp that is both reflective and provides context.
The intended outcome is for the viewer to connect and relate to a shared experience. While the pandemic has isolated and disconnected many people physically, individualizing our experiences; In the Times of the Rona humanizes our collective experience empowering us to stay connected and keep moving forward. While Covid19 might be something we will have to live with until there is a cure, we should admire our own resilience. Each subject has its own mechanism for self-care. The work is meant to tell a story and build from each other shared experience but most importantly for future generations to learn from.
As a first-generation immigrant of Mexico and someone who has embraced the term Chicano, my interest in exploring the intersectionality of Mexican Americans in the United States arise from textbooks regarding the Chicano Movement of the 1970s. The crux of the project is based on Chicano’s who embrace their indigenous makeup.
Each photograph is printed in a8x10 format. The size is unique, giving emphasis on the subject and environment. The project is photographed using a Fuji X100F camera because it is a lightweight camera that is ideal for environmental portraiture. Watch my video for more information on the project.
The inspiration for the project came to me after reading “City of Quartz” by Mike Davis. In the book, he vividly describes Los Angeles County through the history of the people that have shaped the city. In the project, I attempted to take a discovery investigative approach to history and document this iconic street. I intended to photograph the neighborhoods, by walking through one of the oldest streets in town (built in the 19th century) approximately 18 miles in length from north to south. In the process so far, one particular area of Broadway caught my attention, due to its demographics and characteristics; beginning my four-year documentation of the street.
Resident with a bluntSince the legalization of marijuana in California, Broadway has seen many dispensaries pop-up on every other corner. Many dispensary only last about a month before they are taken down or move.
Between north of Imperial and south of Florence on Broadway, is a community of black and brown residents in South Central District 9 and 8. These communities have created a vibrant multi-cultural environment that is purely black and brown, truly South Central. While black residents are moving out to the suburbs, others are being displaced due to anti-black policies such as gentrification. Equally important are the Latinos who migrated to South LA because of civil war in their homeland– they are economic refugees looking for a better place for their families, as they make Los Angeles their home. Regardless of the circumstances, both communities confront the same hardships– the homelessness crisis with a lack of initiatives from their city council members, there is a landscape of violence impacting students, commuters and residents and both black and brown residents live in the hub where heroin is accessible.
While these issues are not new to any U.S. city, the Broadway Project empowers the strength of residents who have not benefited from any community investment, yet continue to find the means to heal and grow. Through all the challenges these residents face, there is still resilience and beauty built through shared experience.
77th Street Area 1st Summer Carnival
Two cyclist, two pigeons.Cycling is a means for transportation in South Central.
Resident cyclingResident cycling on 83th street and Broadway with a Church Chickens bag.
Big Dee from Bikes of ColorBig Dee from Bikes of Color. Bikes of Color is a bike club with both Bloods and Crip gang members.
OGOG is a homeless veteran who does handyman work in the community. Before moving to Broadway he was cast in a Movie called Imperial Dreams. 2017
Two burn storage containers
Ghost Bike of James Findley.Ghost Bike of James Findley. Findley was killed in a hit in run on February 11th, 2019. He was 54 years old.
Fernando Fernando is the owner of Tacorin, a known restaurant for its hand made tortillas.
ChrisChris is an employee of AV Mini market.
EdwardEdward aka Hamburguesa making a slider. Edward recently set up shop after his grandmother passed away. His grandmother would go to church nearby, his hopes is to connect with the community she was a part of.
Ice MikeIce Mike is a veteran and original gangster. He daily helps his friends set up shop and vendor on the streets. 2017
Dog in a gardening truck
Dog peeing by a treeBroadway has a one mile street divider with trees. Resident use this place for walks and shelter.