“True presence is a sacred act.” ~Ferrell and Coyle
This is a quote from two nurses who have done extensive research on caring for patients at the end of life. It is meant to describe the act of deep observation and human connection that can occur in those final precious moments. I am a nurse specializing in oncology and end of life care, but am also trained as a painter and mixed media artist. It has been a long while since I’ve participated in anything I would call “art making” but it seems I’ve always managed to be making something. When I first began nursing I hard a hard time reconciling the two practices in my mind, but recently I’ve found they are not so different at all. They both require total engagement of the senses, and to do either reasonably well requires discipline and that “true presence” which these nurses are describing. Generally I enjoy photographing repeating forms, lines, and patterns I find in my environment. Only recently I have switched from an HTC Inspire to an i5 and I have been beside myself exploring apps like Snapseed, Picfx, and particularly the exercise in chaos theory which is Decim8. I’m constantly amazed by their intuitive interfaces, and by how expressive they can be (a LOT less clinical than I remember Photoshop being).
When Jess proposed a collaboration I was thrilled. To say I had been admiring her brilliant portraits (and eloquent narratives) for several months is an understatement. How Jess is able to achieve the richness and textures she does with her magic phone continues to escape me. Even more than this, she has an unbelievable and beautiful connection with each individual she photographs. Her images do not simply describe, they are really artifacts of the the true presence which she so easily achieves with everyone she meets.
We each exchanged a series of images leaving the selection and edit up to the other. I had been working on some Decim8ed street shots (with actual people!) and was really just blown away by the image at the temple. Clearly this is a BIG image with themes and subject matter which transcends time. I really wanted to see if it would be possible to explore this image via my decim8 experiments, while maintaining the dignity and sacredness of this moment.
My passion is simple, my passion is life and the photos I take are just that, life unfolding before my very eyes. As an American nomad living abroad in South Asia I’m exposed to different cultures, people, languages, faiths, music, architecture, surroundings and sights. I’m learning so much from my own experiences so I want to share what I learn with those in my life and I tried blogging but it just wasn’t effective for me so the best way I know how is through my photography and the narrative I include with each moment. I absolutely LOVE capturing people doing what they do, not posed, not acted, but living their daily life. Life is the old man gripping the bars of the local train as we chug south to Mysore. Life is the woman walking out of her hut to see the sun peeking out from the clouds. Life is a mother and daughter crouched in front of their house drawing the new Rangoli for the day. Life is hawks soaring between the buildings in the middle of downtown Mysore as the sun beats down on a hot afternoon. Life is a moped chillin inside the doorway of a concrete house. Life is men and women embracing the temple wall in devotion to their goddess after paying tribute to her figure. Sometimes I see life in black and white, sometimes I see it in color, sometimes I see it with a twist but to me, it’s all the same life and my goal is to share what I see while also honoring and respecting those whose lives I’ve captured.
I use my HTC One X exclusively and I am the newest member of @DroidEdit.
Favorite shots Crystal chose of Jessica’s work
Jessica Introduces the Collaboration
What I love about Crystal’s work is that there is a deep appreciation for the details, regardless of how small or large and she can make ANYTHING beautiful… seriously… ANYTHING, like baseball and fat, two things which I am very adverse!! We both shoot different subjects and tackle our images differently but that’s what I found most intriguing about working with her and why I wanted to work with her. WWCD?! ? Would she go all decim8’y with it? Will she pick out some obscure detail and twist the image in a way that I would never have even dreamed? The only thing I knew is that I trusted her 147% with my images and the vision she would have for my raw shots so I didn’t guide at all and I wanted her to have full artistic liberties over what the edits would look like. My contribution to this collaboration – I sneakily parked my butt next to this wall at the Chamundeshwari Temple on Chamundi Hill in Mysore, India and tried to snap a decent picture that I could possibly work with in the future… she did the rest 😉
Crystal sent me 2 separate edits and this one just grabbed my heart like a grappling hook! This edit was so powerful, the colors intense and the decim8 lines drawing you from one side of the mirror to the other. In a lot of the eastern religions and philosophies there are these external gods/goddesses/deities that are worshipped but when you break it down, what you pray for, when praying for them, is the quality those gods/goddesses/deities have that you want to possess and that you want to shine bright. Like when you pray to Buddha, you’re not praying to Gautama, you’re praying to the Buddha qualities within you. When you pray to Ganesha, you’re not praying Ganesha comes and saves you from all your woes but that the wisdom and the ability to overcome obstacles rises within you and that you have the strength to face your own challenges. In yoga, it’s said that the best teacher is the teacher you have within yourself. I’m by no means an expert in these philosophies, not even close, and there are so many complexities but this is what I’ve come to understand during my time here so forgive me if I’m missing the mark a bit. The way Crystal edited my original image portrays this understanding impeccably!! Yes this man is praying to Chamundeshwari but what he’s also praying for courage, strength and power within himself that Chamundeshwari was known for. I cannot envision capturing the act of honoring one’s faith and oneself any better than she has. I love this woman’s brain and heart so much!
Crystal Breaks it Down
1. I can’t begin to describe how excited I was when I saw this. I think all of the intensity and beauty of the moment Jess saw is conveyed so clearly here. Usually I crop the images I work with first, before taking them to other apps. I tried this method first but found I was losing some of the space and compositional strength when I went to Decim8. I decided to start over and take another approach.
2. I ran the whole image through a few versions of Veth in Decim8 before finding this.
3. I then took the image to Snapseed and decided on a crop which would leave as much of the texture of the shirt in combination with the lines describing the angle of the wall and decided on a 1/4 turn.
4. Decim8 produces some high key colors, so I fine tuned a little in VSCO Cam, adjusting fade, contrast, saturation, and grain.
5. Back to Decim8 one more time for a Beamrider filter. Then a trip to Picfx for one of the PFX Film filters.
The image was originally published to the “iDroid challenge” hosted by @AMPt, @DroidEdit and @WeAreJuxt (all on Instagram).
Interview with Siri Okland for the Breast Cancer Awareness Challenge 2012
Rae’s Introduction
…Until we have a cure, early detection is vital…
As most of you know, October was breast cancer awareness month. I was over the moon excited when I was asked to join hosting this years 2nd annual BCA challenge with Trinia (@trinia) Kris (@leftcoastadventures) Renee (@azulbandit) and Kelsey (@kelseyhope) This was my first challenge on the hosting end of things. I learned right away that there was a lot more work behind the scenes then I ever imagined but giving the challenge topic at hand, it didn’t matter. Seeing the support by everyone and hearing their stories, made it all worth it. When we first announced the challenge, we wanted to make sure we focused on raising awareness. Just knowing one person booked an appointment and/or did a self examination made us happy. I know each of my cohost and I were told on different occasions that our end of the day goal was affective. It was so moving to have people come together and share their stories on how cancer had affected them, their families and/or friends. Many just wanted to know how they could help (ie sponsoring, donating, promoting on their feeds or just asking others to join in.) Before we knew it, the challenge just kept growing. This is the community I love.
Our first place winner was Anna (@annacox) and Anna being the gracious women she is, kindly gifted this interview to our second place winner, Siri. . We couldnt be more pleased with this interview and who you are about to meet.
BP’s Introduction
First off, BIG thanks to Trinia, Kris, Renee, Kelsey, and Rae for pulling off such an important contest. I have been totally moved by the stories and the photos that was shared all in the name of awareness for breast cancer. I’ve opened my story on one of the photos on my feed and so for those of you who haven’t read it, this, THIS cancer shit, has affected too many lives – most notably one who I love so dearly. My ask to the organizers was to not only have the involvement of Juxt, but to carry the story past the contest win and continue the education. As you’ve read above in Rae’s introduction, there are so many great stories of how this contest, this month has reached many people. Those affected in the past, those affected currently, and those who may be affected in the future, took a stand against this horrid monster. Breast cancer is only one of its ugly heads. We must continue to find ways to help those who are working on the cure. October was a rough month. There were 3 diagnosis and 2 scares just within my circle. Cancer has spread viral as usual AND in this day and age, our fight should take the same position – we go viral in stories, in education, and in support for those we love affected by cancer.
BIG thanks again to Trinia, Kris, Renee, Kelsey, and Rae…BIG thanks to all of you who contributed and spread the awareness about breast cancer…and BIG thanks to Siri for opening up her art, story, and life to the world.
Below you will find questions that Rae and I asked Siri. She, like her photographs, is truly inspiring.
Folks meet Siri.
“Found this little scared and frozen cutie in the street today. Seemed to have given up life, but after warming up, he flew up to the lamp in my bathroom. Next step: Convince him that others than Mom can feed him.”
It’s not often you get this close to a wild bird, and certainly not often a bird looks like it’s posing for you like this. As all of my pictures on IG, this is shot with my phone.
Siri on mobile photography
What is it about mobile photography that has you hooked?
I fully discovered the fun of mobile photography when I joined Instagram. Of course I had used the phone as a camera earlier, but mostly to document things that happens, like birthdays and stuff. With IG I discovered editing, which was new for me. I got hooked right from the start. First it was like “Hey, look what I can do!”, which in fact was more of a “Hey, look what the IG filters can do!” But the initial fascination over the filters faded after some postings. The overall reason that I still am hooked, is that mobile photography has made me see my surroundings with new eyes. Or perhaps I should say sharpened eyes. I also like the instant about it. You see something and snap a shot as you go. Sometimes I post it immediately, sometimes I use more time to watch it over.
What do you love about the community of mobile photography? how has the community helped you in process?
The fun of mobile photography is the sharing part. I follow great photographers from nearly all over the world, and love the diversity in motives, styles and preferences they show. Moscow subways, Hawaiian flora, Canadian nature, Indonesian fishermen or Iranian creations – I like to get square glimpses from total different everyday lives, I like to get other’s local views, other’s personal or artistic colored perspectives of their country’s directly into my phone. And I like to share my own photos too. The communities on IG are great. I’ve only met supportive people who cheer and clap each other’s back. Subcommunities like @joshjohnson, @colorsofthewwek and @dailyphototopics are great examples of this.
“Into the courtyard.”
There’s a lot of doors and gates on IG, and I can understand why. They are inviting, colorful and often small pieces of art. When I passed this one, I fetched the phone from my purse immediately. The color tones in this picture are one of my favorite palettes.
“Going to need one soon.”
Another example of how common objects can turn into something else, something different, something more, when you put it into a square on Instagram.
“Going to pieces.”
I don’t know why so many of us like macros, but it might have something to do with an urge to reveal the mystery of objects or nature – in this case wood. Peeling paint and other textures amazes IGers in the same way as art do to the audience in an exhibition. Who hasn’t put the face up close to a painting in order to study the traces from the paintbrush?
“Delightful in a hot summer’s day in Lisbon.”
My family were on holiday in Lisbon, where it was extremely hot. Outside the aquarium we were drawn to this huge fountain. There was a wall of falling water, and we all were happy to get cooled under it. The waterfall was so noisy that we couldn’t hear each other, and we all screamed of joy. I like the dress in motion and the gesture my daughter is making when the cold water hits her neck.
When did you join IG? And how do you feel about the shift in how this app is being used?
I joined IG in April this year. I didn’t expect anything from it, just wanted to check what kind of app Facebook found it so important to buy. Despite this I got hooked immediately, as I told before. I understand that some people regret that IG has turned into more of a social community than an artistic arena. I haven’t been around long enough to observe this shift, but as far as I see, IG works well serving both those functions. There is space enough for everyone. Of course one can regret though, that great tags are being “polluted” by people who don’t have photos that fit the theme, but just want to get seen.
What are your go-to editing apps?
In about 7 out of 10 photos, I stick to the filters IG provide. On my way I’ve tried six or seven editing apps, but dismissed most of them. For my own photos, I don’t like too much edit, but Snapseed is my friend. If Snapseed can’t help me to get where I want to go, I check Photo fx. If I’m not satisfied, I simply don’t post. Along the way, I’ve improved in controlling (some of the) the factors before I shoot, and that’s a greater joy than heavy edit, I think.
Siri and Her Story
Were you surprised with how much positive feedback you received on the image posted of yourself? and how do you feel about it?
Yes, I was really surprised and overwhelmed by the support and positive feedback I got after I posted this self portrait (which – that is important for my to underline – my husband shot). A whole lot of IGers told me that the photo touched their heart. Cancer affects many people, directly or indirectly, so I guess it’s easy to draw some lines to one’s own life. I was deeply touched by the encouragement people gave me, and also touched by the stories some of them shared with me.
Can you provide stories of your journey (finding out about the diagnosis, your reaction, and/or family reaction)?
When I got the cancer diagnosis the first time, of course the world fell apart for me and my family of five. I didn’t see that one coming at all. Our three girls were 9 years, 4 years and 11 months, so my husband and I had no choice but manage the situation. Breaking down was not an option. I was breastfeeding the baby when I got the diagnosis. After the mastectomy a week later, it was quite weird: At one side the lifegiving milk were flooding. At the other there were nothing but potential death. My husband was great during this time (as always). To me, it was a great sorrow to lose a breast, but his humour helped a lot: To me, it doesn’t matter. You know I’m not good at thinking of two things at the same time anyway, he said. The nicest thing someone ever told me. Ever!
Having someone to care about is a good medicine and helps you through the days. When our youngest picked the day after I got the diagnosis to walk her first steps, it got clear to me that life goes on, and I was definitely going to fight to be a part of it! And here I am!
“Blue vases in silhouette”
This window is in my parents’ house and I’ve seen it for years, but after starting IG photography I SAW the beauty of it for the first time. That’s what thrills me here: It makes me see my surroundings differently. This picture is one of my earliest, and I keep coming back to it because it reminds me of this discovery.
“Broken angel and bulbs at wait.”
This photo is an example of the fun of challenges. The task was something like “still life with three objects”. I looked around in the house to find a still life that fitted, because I didn’t want to make it easy by putting something together myself. In this vase I had stored some used bulbs waiting to be recirculated and an angel waiting to be mended. Decorative leftovers.
“From the beach today.”
What can I say? Nothing trumps the nature.
As a cancer survivor, did you find the need to reprioritize things in your life and if so, what?
Actually, I never felt that I had to reprioritize any major directions in my life. My husband and I already had put family first, so there were no need to change something in that regard. It was a good feeling to be content over this. When it comes to minor insignificances, such as shining windows and stuff like that, I’ve learned to say to myself: Frankly, I don’t give a damn!
What are some words you would like to give to a woman and her support systems who are currently going through this horrible situation?
It’s not easy to give general advices to others, because there are no rights and wrongs when it comes to handling cancer and coping with the pain, the fear, the treatment, the existential loneliness. We are all different, and have different needs. But I can tell what helped me, though, and that was a couple of things: A lot of talking and practical help. The first one was a natural result of me being open about what had happened to me and my family. The second one was a natural result of the same.
If I shall give one advice to people who know someone who is ill, there is one thing I want to stress: Try to help and be there for them also after the initial shock and crisis. It’s a long run to recover, and they need someone at the later soup stations of this marathon run as well.
At last, I want to tell how grateful I am to live in the western part of the world, where we are lucky to have good health care. Not everyone in the world has drawn that winning ticket. I’m fully aware that I am healthy because of medical research that has been going on for decades in order to find cure for cancer. Therefore I’m thankful for every coin people generously donate to research and grateful for every pink ribbon I see.
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Thank you Siri. Thank you Rae.
This article is dedicated to all the survivors and supporters of cancer.
You are always in our thoughts and prayers.
God Speed. – We Are Juxt
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Below you will find the photos tagged to #BCA_Challenge2
This is the Seattle acapella group, A Moment in Time. Their music stopped me in my tracks. I write to you all about my bromance with my BFAM. These guys remind me of him. The videos are of this group. My video skills are no good but I wanted ya’ll to hear the soul and spirit of these guys. Hopefully it’ll touch you as it did in this moment in time.
I recently had the opportunity to work on a promo video for the DPReview Connect Contest and talked about the connection that mobile photography/arts is more in tuned to not just the art aspects (which I believe is fundamental) but also about the relationship building that happens on the social networks that are unparallel to anything else that has happened globally.
I remember my world was based on relationships and interactions. It really was about the vicinity. It was always an experience to travel across the Puget Sound to get to Seattle when I was younger. It was exciting to think about meeting people. Those were limited though. The vicinity still kept any relationships to grow. Don’t get me wrong, the telephone was cool but it wasn’t what it was now.
But the mobile…shit the mobile has made it a totally different story.
I have the opportunity to meet and interact with people on a daily basis. I get to see their world on a daily basis. I get to hear their stories on a daily basis.
This discussion is left out of a lot of the conversations I see on any site about mobile photography / mobile arts/ iphoneography / any type of mobile anything. AND when I do, it’s about analytics, its about likes, its about follows. This is where I am coming from for this post.
I have made dear friends, brothers and sisters, all virtual from these social networks. I met these artists, gain mutual respect for them, discussed surface stories, dug into deeper life stories, hear the tragedies and comedies that they encounter daily, weekly, so on and so forth. I get to view the art that they share with the world to communicate these tragedies and comedies. It’s a crazy world.
For many of you who interact with me on any of these networks, you know about my BFAM. BFAM stands for Brother From Another Mother. Before I go into more detail about this BFAM of mine, I’d be remissed to not mention the other folks who I have created nicknames for – mostly for my sanity – DB, Fam, BWF, LILB, Sista M…there’s so many…but it all started from BFAM.
BFAM and I connected on many avenues. Again it was all visual based right?
“Great shot my friend”
“Nice caption with that Brad”
“Brilliant lyrics on that shot, Ale”
This all grew from the visual to then the audible. We started the #LifeToMusic tag and IG Band with many other people who loved the idea of music captions to our photographs. We challenged each other on our art and I’ve always been proud when Ale was able to tell me my work is progressing.
Our first Life To Music challenge contest was The Beatles. A lot of you all didn’t know but I started this contest not just to bring the community together, but Ale was going through hard times and I wanted for him to log onto IG and see the beauty of some of the art that people would put together under LTM. That he as the “Axl Rose” and I as the “Slash”, was able to bring together a community of like-minded folks within a larger community of like-minded folks under not just visual but sound.
We were going to put each other “On the Couch” and present each other to all of you, only as BFAMs can.
I wanted to introduce you all to the man who many of us know already. He doesn’t need any introduction really.
BFAM.
Alessio Castaldo. Principle of the Minimals. Juxter. Life To Music DJ. AXL.
BP: Alessio Castaldo. Photographer. Lover of Music. Lover of life. Storyteller. Lover. Father. What are some of the things you feel people out in the virtual world would really want to know about Ale?
Ale: Personally I think I am the one in need of listening to others stories, not many others are interested in mine. I don’t think it would matter even with all the words I’ve used are boxes full of memories and images and perfumes to link to stories of my forty years of life. Maybe I am into any of that words, but I’m not specifically one of those. One of the stories of my life is just that, the being everything and nothing at the same time. Maybe that’s why I always was “the strange guy”, some times dark and romantic, other times the bright and contagious smiley kind of guy.
…Til we’re talking about it, not stepping around it
Maybe I don’t want to take advice from fools
I’ll just figure everything is cool
Until I hear it from you… (Gin Blossoms, TIL I HEAR IT FROM YOU)
Storyteller I think is the best definition I could possibly ask for my epitaph, like “sometimes, in his bright days, he was able to listen and to tell some good stories about Life…”
BP: In you’re art, you capture the tender side of life. A lot of things that many street photographers may miss when they shoot are the people. By this I mean, people are subjects or a part of the composition, yet in your work, the people are the composition. What do you see when you walk the streets? What captures your eye?
Ale: The tender side of life might be the perfect novel I am trying to write and the best definition possible for my curiosity over people. I am probably not a streetphotographer, or not only one. I am nothing more than a silent eye looking at people, the way they move the expressions on their faces, the poses and the expressiveness are my fav keys to profile persons. Yes, I am a profiler.
Do you remember when we talked about trying to get closer and closer? You seemed to be so attracted by people’s faces. Their big smiles or the mad and angry facial expressions around your world of characters. We were both tryin to catch a singular act of an extended play, and our characters were just entering the stage.
BP: You helped me greatly in the continuing development of my work. Recently our brother from The Minimals asked about our work when you and I connected. We were really heavy in color and yet I feel that color or not, we still captured the same photograph, whether highley edited or not, stripped down it was still the same photograph. What are the top 5 tips for up and coming photographers and fans of your work?
Ale: Exactly BFAM, the same desire to tell a story!
In colors or in black and white, with one or two apps, the touch remains the same. We are tryin to tell a story. Maybe many times we don’t even get close to that, maybe we lose on quality, maybe we can’t resist the multiple boosts we receive day by day. I mean the music, the social, the games and the fun might bring us from here to there sometimes. But i know that when we reach the score, it’s all about the story told. No “cool” or “you rock” count when we break the surface and reach the core of the story behind the photo.
No frills, less edits…
My tips are run away from the scientists, the big rockstars are so often full of themselves they are not worth your time. Interact with the kind souls, often a pic tells a lot about its author. Watch photography, eat photography, dream photography. look at books made of photography. Search for photography on the Web, look at all kinds of it, don’t get stuck on one “style”, there are many possibilities you need to explore and no fear in doin it. If you stop at one flavor, you will miss the best from life.
So now you know. My BFAM is the coolest ain’t he.
There are many of us out there in the world who love Ale. This post would contain thousands and thousands of names of people who have been touched by Alessio Castaldo. His art, his passion, his Italian romantic personality.
If you feel the same way, leave him a comment. Send him an email. Message him on Kik. Hit him up on all the dang social networks he is on and balancing.
So in hopes to continue to learn more about photography and the art of it, I’ve decided to study.
We, at Juxt, have interviewed a lot of amazing mobile photographers and artists over the last 9 months. A lot of these folks have inspired many of us in the style that we shoot or with the subject matter we choose. I have many who inspire me. Everyone has mention of their favorite photographers. Some folks have the background from school and can pinpoint who inspires them and what they look for when they shoot and take photos. I need to study. So I started in the beginning of the summer on this search for my connection outside of any of the social networks and outside of the big websites that show great photography.
I’ve spent more time away from Instagram and the other social networks including limiting how much I post and return comments. If you’re reading this then now you know why I’ve been real bad about getting back to you. I just felt that some of the social network platforms dictate what gets on their popular page or who’s on their suggested user list. I’ve been showcasing the shots from folks who I’ve seen on IG when I do go through and highlighting them every Sunday. That has been enriching because I get to see artist work that I may or may not get to see because of the way the networks are set up.
I thought to myself, “Self – outside of these folks, where else have you reached to find some inspiration?”
Again, I needed to research.
How can I narrow down my self-imposed lessons?
The world of photography is so immense.
I decided to spend some time with photographs that I can access by way of the internet, or MOHAI, or the local libraries. I mean why not. When I was in school I remember having to ask the librarian to help me break out the micro-fiche reader to look up old articles and old photos. Why not use some of my time and learn the craft that I am so passionate about right now. Also during all my down time (of which I don’t have – thank goodness I have a mobile smart phone huh) I would hit up the major news hubs – NY Times, Seattle Times, LA Times etc to see what their photographers shoot for.
How do I narrow it down?
Well I don’t and can’t. Plain and simple. I can handle only perusing so much and the truth – I have to be in that mood to look through. I’ll bookmark and jot down names and titles of photos when I come across them. I’d write down the reason why they got me and revisit. This process is definitely on-going.
So in doing so, let me set the stage for you:
How Much Things Cost Back Then
Average Cost of new house $32,500.00
Average Income per year $12,900.00
Average Monthly Rent $175.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas 40 cents
AMC Javelin car $2,900.00
A Dozen Eggs 45 cents
Some Historical Events That Year
The first handheld cellular phone call is made by Martin Cooper in NYC,
Ferdinand Marcos declares that he is “The President for Life” in the Philippines,
Elvis Presly performs on live TV from Hawaii,
Bruce Lee dies,
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries announce they will restrict flow of crude oil to countries supporting Israel,
Roe v Wade makes abortion a US constitutional right,
The Secretariat wins the Kentucky Derby,
US Troops are withdrawn from Vietnam and US involvement ends,
World Trade Center officially opens in NYC,
Miami Dolphins are the Superbowl Worlds Champ,
Watergate hearings begin and Nixon eventually impeached,
American Indian Movement siezes Wounded Knee in South Dakota,
The Sears Tower opens in Chicago and becomes the tallest building in the world,
The Exorcist and American Graffiti is out in theaters,
AND
1973 was the year I was born (along with Mario Lopez, Tyra Banks, and Kate Beckinsale). =)
So here are some photos that I found taken that year. I’ve found hundreds actually on the verge of finding thousands. These are the ones that I think influence my eye as well as subject matter in my work THUS far. There’s tons more I’d like to show. If I can make sure to find the photographer and give them credit, I will show them in future posts. I won’t show the photo if I don’t know who took it and can’t give credit.
I love these images because they are the ones I feel I can relate to.
What inspires you?
Interested in joining this project?
Research the year you were born. Find those images. Email me and let’s see what your born year in photography looked like and how it may have influenced you. If I get enough interest, then I’ll post up those photos with why they are those individual artists influences.
I have BIG love for the International District (ID).
Most recently, Boohi (@boohi_bronson) and I went to shoot the Dragon Festival before we had to start on the gallery for the upcoming fundraiser. I had the opportunity to roam the streets that Sunday afternoon and soak up the neighborhood that I know so well thru love and thru hate. There are many memories and learned lessons that come from being integrated into that community. I learned on so many aspects of my life; career, community organizing, arts, personal relationships, political…the gamut!
After I had graduated college, my first “real” job was in the ID. It was like one of my “dream jobs” actually. Once I decided to get my psych and comparative american cultures degrees, I told my self, “Self, one of the things you will have to do once you get out is work where you can utilize both these degrees.” Self then said to me, “Self, then you best brush up on your language.
You see, I wanted to provide social services to my community. A community that is typically underserved and forgotten until its time for a cultural performance or a specific dish at a party. So Self was right. I had to work real hard at brushing up my native tongue. Well, as native as it can get considering I was born in the states and learned from my parents.
Enter the “dream job.” I worked there for 12 years providing mental health, domestic violence, and youth services. I bounced between those 3 programs but there was LOTS of overlap. I remember my first appointment after I had completed “training.” It was an elder woman and her daughter. Her daugther was probably 2-3 years older than me at the time and she was enrolled in the mental health program. She suffered from a few diagnosis but paranoid schizophrenia was her main issue. At least the other diagnosis, were treatable and controllable. Unfortunately for the schizophrenia it wasn’t (I know I’m rambling again…trust me, theres a point in there). She was a pretty Filipina woman and if I didn’t have her chart and studied her history, I’d never have thought that these were issues she would suffer from the rest of her life. It was a hard first session. Actually, it was a hard first 6 months. My idealism definitely was brought to earth. After that meeting, I went straight home and balled my eyes out. Called my mom, talked to the girlfriend, called the boys…I tried everything to get it out of my head. I got to say though, it lead me to the love of the neighborhood.
I wrote a caption for my Liam’s Pet Shop Kite shot a few months ago for one of my IG photos:
Chinatown is like that. For me it wasn’t about the food or the boba tea. It was really about the people. The elders doing Tai Chi in the morning. The school kids on firld trips during the day. The addicts and pimps at night. The spoken word and art on Seventh and Jackson. The “just kickin it’s” crowd coming to eat after a night of clubbin’ and alcohol consumption, going to either Seagarden or Honey Court; ordering Honey Walnut Prawns, Special Fried Rice, Salt and Pepper Porkchops, and whatever else your table of 30 wanted to eat. Chinatown is the owner at Liem’s who took some time to warm up to you, but once he did, it became meaningful and lasting.
I’ve only missed a handful of ID Street Fairs aka Dragon Festivals. It’s pretty much the same thing every year, but it’s real nice to head back to the neighborhood and see the same folks there running the same but newly named festival. It was nice to see the security for the neighborhood, or as I dubbed them, the “Cherubs of Justice.” They were always in the know. Who’s the new crack addict posted at the Key Bank parking lot? Mrs. Hsu leaves work at XXYYZZ and we have to have someone there to watch her and walk her to her car. Those guys are great!
I loved and hated coming into the ID for work. It smelled of trash and garbage in the morning and by 11 Am, the aroma changes to the food smells atypical of any chinatown in the country. I always ran into past clients which is both good and bad, all depending on which client of course. I hated missing out on watching the elders Tai Chi at sunrise on a nice spring day with a tad bit of fog. I loved Kau Kau’s BBQ pork, boy. I hated watching riff raff running the corners of the street, some drugs, some prostitution, sometimes both. I loved talking story with the elder who fought in the 70’s and 80’s against the Marcos Regime. I hated hearing the police present to the community that they were going to help the ID, and toothpaste as analogy, “We will squeeze out these derelicts and scourge of society and squeeze them out of this neighborhood and into other neighborhoods so that we won’t have to deal with it.” I LOVED that the ID is one (if not the only one) neighborhood in the city where they’ve refused to open up a Mcdonald’s or a Starbucks. NOW thats strength right, keeping out arguably two of the LARGEST corporations in the world. I loved when at lunch I played ping pong against Cambodians, Vietnamese, Samoans, Caucasian, Africans, African Americans, Japanese…men and women…and we kept tally…and that they called me and my boy the Filipino Nightmares. I play a mean ping pong! I loved the arts kollective (the K is meant to be there). I loved the history/herstory that we carved into that world. I loved that everyone in the arts and hip hop community knew about this kollective. I hated watching it fall apart.
So…I wanted to tell you all that I have BIG love for this particualr neighborhood of Seattle. I want to tell you that my son will also love this neighborhood as I do. He was amazed last year by the amount of craziness and diversity. So much so that to this day, he still asks me about the ID and the people.
I was excited again to shoot the neighborhood as it is one of my go to places to shoot these days. It’s full of characters and culture and story. I hope these shots does the neighborhood justice. Peace.
This is the Seattle acapella group, A Moment in Time. Their music stopped me in my tracks. I write to you all about my bromance with my 
Ernie and Genevieve, 1973, Grover, Colorado by Jerry Downs 
Rick Griffin, 1973, San Francisco, California by Art Brewer 
Closed do to Gasonline Shortage, June 1973, Portland, Oregon by David Falconer
