This is a film series of an old Dairy Farm outside of Pala, CA. I drive by the farm every day, and it has been a subject of an image or two for the Diurnal Affair project, yet I had not captured a full sequence of images.

The movements of color and action draws attention to the arena floor – the dancers, the drum groups, the MC. The goal for this project was to capture the motion of action that is generally not the subject of the viewers and cameras; the action outside the arena.

I had set out to use long exposure to document the movements and to maintain the anonymity of the subjects. Often art documents indigenous people in a stoic and mythical manner as we become tokens or living museum exhibits. I wanted to document the existence while preserving the natural interaction between the people.

(Note: Some dust was left on the scanned images for random aesthetic purposes. Plus, I need to pick up glass cleaner.)

The weather was too tempting to not be outside and enjoy it. It had been over a month or two since I had shot film and I felt I was neglecting my Canon AE-1 Program.

I have been wanting to do a series capturing the structures and people at Belmont Park in the Mission Beach area of San Diego. Eventually, I would like to do a night series capturing the trails of lights and movements. For now, this is what I captured during the day.

A collection of images captured through the airplane window on my flight from Temecula, CA to Washington, DC.

Last year for the Thanksgiving holiday my travels landed me in St. Paul, Minnesota and on down the road two hours northeast to the land of the Leach Lake Ojibwa. We hit the road on the eve of Thanksgiving and I had the luxury to ride shotgun while my good friend, Elizabeth Day, was my tour guide.

I was taking in the scenery and I noticed all the empty parking lots of the major box stores. I thought it would be an interesting series to capture – no cars, no people, no consuming.

This year I made a plan to get out and capture the moment. Other than possibly a natural distaster when you can capture scenes of abandonment? Not even on Christmas Eve will you experience such as there are always last minute shoppers.

It was an interesting experience to drive freely through the streets and parkings lots.

For this project I excluded the obvious smaller stores and restaurants and focused on the larger chains – where most of the consuming would occur. More so this year, there was only a few hour window to capture the images, as we are now being exposed to pre-Black Friday advertisement and the major stores are closing only for a few hours.

My observations led me to an uneasy feeling and at least one good chuckle. Of course, Walmart never closes and there were the campers at the electronic stores. At around 3:00 p.m. Target had a handful of campers, Toys-R-Us had one guy with his cell phone and an extra chair, while Best Buy and Fry’s had a dozen or so people in tents and lawn chairs by the front door.

The sun was about to set and I knew I would have to call it a day. I made my way to the last shopping mall area and this is where I got a good laugh. Of all the stores you would expect for there to be a congregate of eager shoppers, Michael’s had the most people waiting outside. Michael’s?!?! There must be some serious crafters out there.

Feel free to download and print the 11×17 poster. Put it up on your office. Tape it to your bedroom wall. Pass it along. Email it to your friends.

Click on American Regress to open the poster into a new window.

In case you don’t already know, you can read this article in Indian Country Today:
Gap ‘Manifest Destiny’ T-Shirt Sparks Outrage in Indian Country

October 1, 2012 is the date that the daily photo blog, Diurnal Affair, is reborn.

Canon S100

After a short visit to San Jose and San Francisco it was time to make my way back to Southern California. The returned trip was planned to experience a train ride.

That weekend I had purchased the Canon S100 for the Diurnal Affair project and I was eager to document the backside of the country – the views you can only get from a train ride.

This is Part I.

After a short visit to San Jose and San Francisco it was time to make my way back to Southern California. The returned trip was planned to experience a train ride.

That weekend I had purchased the Canon S100 for the Diurnal Affair project and I was eager to document the backside of the country – the views you can only get from a train ride.

This is Part II.

What better than friends, dialogue, food and nature – along with a camera loaded with film.

It was a getaway to Twin Peaks, CA near Lake Arrowhead. I have to thank the Barbanell’s for the wonderful weekend.

A series of images of a garage on the Barbanell Ranch.

What do you do when friends have a large ranch full of “toys” to play with? Maybe an old fire truck in the yard? Grab your camera and a rolls of film and explore!

I had passed the San Diego Lawn Bowling Club many times before, yet it was either later in the day or at night. I did not have the pleasure of seeing San Diego lawn bowling in action.

It was a Saturday and I was making my way to Balboa Park. I had my camera with me and several rolls of film. Low and behold there was some serious lawn bowling photos to be had!

After a few decent Goodwill finds, and shooting several rolls of film on the Ricoh KR5 Super & the Minolta XG-A, I was left wanting quality glass for the cameras. I will continue to search for lenses for the Ricoh and Minolta, however, perusing Craigslist I found a good deal on a beautiful Nikon FE. I could not pass it up – a great camera body and a very nice lens.

The camera appeared to be in good running order. Yet, the true test would be to load her with a roll of film and have fun. It wasn’t the weekend yet, and I was itching to take her out and get a good feel of how she works. I made my way down to Carlsbad. I previously walked the beaches of Carlsbad, and had several photo shoots there in the past, yet I had not captured the beach with all that it offers. It was well-suited place to document with the newly-acquired Nikon FE.

The film advance lever was still “functioning” after it had passed shot 36. Most levers stop at the end of the roll. For that moment, I was worried that the film had not caught properly on the spool. Thinking about it, I recalled that it had advanced properly when I loaded the film. In several of the images there is light flare from when I opened the back of the camera (under my shirt). Now that I have more confidence in how the camera works, I wont make that same mistake again. However, I do like the uniqueness and randomness that the over exposures offer.

A short series of people fishing at the Oceanside Pier.

A short series of Petco Park with the Diana Mini. The Los Angeles Angels were playing the San Diego Padres.

A few weeks back, I searched far and near for any rolls of film that I needed to get developed. I found a few in the car, and there were several tucked away in a pocket of my messenger bag. This roll happened to be one of the newly found and reclaimed.

I had the Mini Diani tucked away in the glove compartment of my car for several months, as the Ricoh KR-5 Super and Minolta XG-A were being given the majority of my attention.

Enough time had passed that I had forgotten what was the subject of my captures. All that was written on the canister was the date – where was I on October 29, 2011? It was a pleasant surprise and a reminder to reconnect with my Mini Diani and to save her from the caverns that is my glove compartment.

This series brought a child-like smile to my face. The giddy of surprise of discovery and the delight of pride in what was created. I am drawn to the haunting (minus the creepy) and aged feel of these images.

This a series of images of the Nob Hill neighborhood in Albuquerque, NM.

Every trip to Albuquerque requires a visit to Nob Hill – be it a coffee/tea trip or to experience some good eats.

It is a nice little neighborhood to document and I had brought my Ricoh KR-5 Super with me on my trip. A roll of film, a camera, and my stomach guiding me to find a treat, and it was a good roll of captures.

Gathering of Nations 2012.

Grand Entry of the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow 2012.

The last day of Gathering Weekend and if you are not catching an early flight, or having to drive back home, you find yourself checking out the UNM Pow Wow. I had film in my camera that was waiting to be used.

I would like to introduce you to Mr. John Rath.

You will learn more of him in a few as for now I will set-up the story.

In moments where the situation brings forth set-backs and you appreciate that you still have your well-being and good health, there is the delight of the most interesting experiences that occur.

Maybe you have exhausted all your financial resources, with your car running on fumes, and stranded in a town that is fifty miles from where you need to be. You have no phone. You have no one to contact. It is just you and the world (and your dogs).

Maybe you are starting out on your road trip, you park your car to run into the store to purchase a few items, and when you get back the car – of which is suppose to get you twelve hours down the road – and it won’t start.

These two “maybes” met one day in Aberdeen, WA on March 16, 2012 in the parking lot of a craptastic stale-blue big-box store.

Again everyone, meet Mr. John Rath who was parked next to us.

The gentleman who is maybe #1, travels with five small dogs, a bag of dog food, an old trusty guitar, and in a very late model Civic. Meet Mr. John Rath who for the hours we were stranded sang several blue-grass and folk songs – and the worn voice was pleasantly good. Meet Mr. John Rath who with all of the randomness seemed fitting to raise everyone’s spirits.

The word was that we were stranded in Abderdeen for the night and the car would not be fixed until the next day. We had the option of getting a hotel room, seeking warm food and laughing over our experiences. Mr. John Rath did not have that luxury.

I thought I would write a song inspired by him. If I only had the ability to draft an appropriate sonnet.

We were about to leave when I felt responsible for this man who was down on his luck. After all, he kept us company while he offered advice, sang us songs and shared stories of his life. Who hasn’t been in those shoes of needing help. If we had parked in another row, or the car had started we would have not had experienced the entertainment of Mr. John Rath.

I told Mr. John Rath to meet me at the gas station that was a few hundred feet away. With the most humble expression of words and the look in his eyes offered a good feeling to give. I paid the cashier as Mr. John Rath proceeded to pump a full tank of gas into his car. An offer of paying back the gesture was given, however, I told the weary voice and weary guitar playing new friend to pay it forward.

I proceeded to walk back to the tow truck and Mr. John Rath hit the road.

I wonder how he is doing? Maybe one day I will pen that song.

A short film series of the Art District in Phoenix, Arizona.

Director: Elizabeth Day
Camera Operators: Sunshine Day, Elizabeth Day, and David Bernie.
Date: November 27, 2011.

Swami’s Beach is a favorite of mine when it comes to SoCal beaches. I brought the Yashica Mat 124G with me and here are the results.

Portrait sessions with Beau Manley (former FMX/Motocross Pro).

I was asked if I could shoot portraits and was given a basic background of who I would be shooting. I was interested.

You can’t predict the outcome and you try to go into a shoot with an idea in mind. Little did I know that the shoot would turn out to be one of my favorites.