casablanca/

For some reason this image has always reminded me of the film Casablanca. "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." haha...you have to admit, a great line.
This was actually shot in a restaurant on the lower east side. Gone long ago and shot even longer ago, but it popped up in my image foraging lately and I keep looking at it. Haven't figured out why yet. nostalgia maybe.

remembrance of things past/

Places that used be the height of luxury but have descended into some kind of sad, dilapidated state make me wistful. I shot this years ago in and old hotel in downtown LA. Back in the day (and by that I mean at the beginning of moviemaking and into the 1930's), it used to be where all the stars stayed for movie premiers. By the time I shot there it was a pretty seedy residential hotel. The kind where you go up and talk to a guy through glass and can get a room for an hour. They had kept a few of the rooms as they once were and film crews would shoot here often - I think lots of music videos were shot here in the 90's. But I got a room and stayed the night. I was (and still am) fascinated with early Hollywood so I guess that is why - I can't remember my thinking at the time.

The geographic carpet mixed with odd modernizations made the room even more melancholy. A feeble attempt to step into the modern era when it clearly didn't want to and shouldn't. The night I stayed there was slightly harrowing (big understatement) but in the morning, when the light shone in, I saw a glimpse of her past beauty. Certainly an amazing place in it's glory days.

Have a lovely weekend friends.

los angeles/neutra

Spending this week in LA shooting and visiting a few Neutra's has had an odd effect on me. I used to live in LA for about 10 years and I have inadvertently visited all my old neighborhoods and haunts this week. This Neutra is one of the Strathmore apartments in Westwood. Apparently I lived about 5 blocks away from this when I was 19 and had no idea. Of course, my interest in architecture was not what it is now. In fact I was not even a photographer at that time. I was studying French. But through this experience in Westwood as well as speaking to the graduating class at my alma mater Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, I have not only visited places where I used to live, I have visited the girl I used to be at those times. I am happy to say it has not made me at all nostalgic (a shocker) it has only made me appreciate where I am. I loved my years in LA and wouldn't trade them for the world. They have gotten me to where I am now. A deeply happy place.

Have a beautiful weekend friends.

classroom/pennsylvania

I know, I know...this is a little blurry, but I ran across it yesterday as I was clearing images off my phone (it won't take anymore pictures til I do!) and I had to share. Years ago, when I was well off the beaten path in Pennsylvania looking for locations for a job I was on someone told me about this old school house. It was the most beautiful building in this town (whose name I cannot remember). So I head up to the hill it was on hoping to find an great place for a portrait. A software company had taken over and one of the guys that ran the company used to go to school in this building! the amazing thing was, the lower floors were like an office building. But he offered to show me the upstairs. The attic floor was left exactly like this. I swear my heart skipped a beat. LOOK AT THE WALLS!!!! and chalkboards! My goodness...I almost started to cry this place made me so happy. I would have loved to photograph the portraits I was scouting for here, but the client would never have gone for it. Alas, I have these images...and I think if I look back in my job file I can find the name of the town. I wonder if it is still there...

love letter to my grandmother/

I had dinner with a friend the other night and when I was driving home, I just started thinking about my grandma. I think it was because I didn't have dessert - she was definitely a dessert person. My Grandma used to make the best chocolate sauce and when she was making it, she would always stick her finger in it, give it a taste and say, "mmm, good!"

The whole drive home that night I could hear her saying that in my head and it made me feel so happy. I even left the radio off so I could hear it more clearly in the dark of the drive. I still miss her (she passed a few years ago), but I am finally to a place where the thoughts I have of her just make me happy. Isn't she the cutest thing ever? And super sexy shoulders at 91 years old!!!

happy 2011/remembrance of things past

Happy New Year everyone!!
Hope you all enjoyed a little rest and relaxation this past week.
To start off the new year, I thought I would acknowledge my past a little bit. I have been printing in the darkroom for friends over the holidays and I found myself working on this image. I shot this image a long time ago for the Surface Avant Guardian issue. I think it was the first ever Avant Guardian issue and it was not like it is run now. I was asked to participate, which was completely flattering, and a first for me at that point in my career. Anyhow, the other day in the darkroom, I found it very satisfying to realize I still really like this picture. It holds up, even after what...10 years? It puts me back in touch with the wistful, romantic girl I was at the very beginning of my career. I am still that girl today in a lot of ways, but the work evolves as it is supposed to.