"Surf Life Reprise"
It was the 4th-of-July weekend of 2008. Just a few months prior, I had purchased my first worthy camera, my Canon EOS 40D. I took it everywhere I went that summer, and really haven't given it a break ever since. That memorable weekend, my family and I braved the news and travelled north to Santa Barbara. That whole week, it seemed like the entire Santa Barbara County was suffering from forest fires. There was smoke everywhere, from the mountains all the way down to the beaches, and you can smell it! By Sunday afternoon, on our drive back to LA, the smoke had almost completely spread along the southern beaches. The hews of red, yellow, orange, grey and white were incredible! As we drove near Channel Islands, we spontaneously stopped by one of the beaches along the road parallel to the highway. There were recreational vehicles all along the road, with families from all over the west coast enjoying the California beach, sun, and the holiday weekend. We eventually found an open beach and stopped by for a rest and sight-seeing stop.
It never quite occurred to me that the sun was just about to go down. I really didn't think about getting out to take pictures of the sunset. The purpose of our stop was just to touch the waters of the Pacific Ocean. As it turned out, it was the perfect photography storm. I took a few pictures of the kids on the beach, as well as the sand. When I looked up, I saw this lone surfer slowly exiting the beach, as if coming out of nowhere. As he walked passed and away from us, I noticed the sunset beaming on the orange smoke above the coastal sky.
It was this amazing shade of orange that only this moment could produce. I took one picture of the moment, and suddenly my camera wouldn't take anymore shots. It said: CF FULL! I almost panicked! Then I realized that the compact flash film of my digital camera was simply full. So I went back and erased one picture and was able to take another one. I was very naive because I could have erased more pictures, but I didn't think of doing that at the time. When I took that second shot, I realized that the surfer was a bit further, so I thought I had lost the opportunity. When I looked at my camera screen, I was amazed at the shot. I immediately noticed the blue waters in the center of the screen. The mood of the moment, the way the surfer walked, the random car and house lights from the distance, the mountains, sunset, forest fires...they all conspired for this shot! The last shot of the day, and of the weekend.
I felt like a real photographer for the first time. It was an example of luck, timing, and perseverance. I honestly cannot remember why we decided to go to Santa Barbara that weekend, when everyone, especially the news people, told us not to.
I used the word "reprise" because that entire week I had the word wallowing in my head. I had been listening to a live cd of The Who, with Pete Townsend screaming, "Reprise!" at some amazing moment in the concert. I love the word. It means to repeat or reproach, or "let's do it again"! It is so musical, like life. I thought the second shot was a repeat of the first one, and also, I can picture this particular surfer constantly going back to this very same spot as often as possible, hence his "surf life reprise".
It never quite occurred to me that the sun was just about to go down. I really didn't think about getting out to take pictures of the sunset. The purpose of our stop was just to touch the waters of the Pacific Ocean. As it turned out, it was the perfect photography storm. I took a few pictures of the kids on the beach, as well as the sand. When I looked up, I saw this lone surfer slowly exiting the beach, as if coming out of nowhere. As he walked passed and away from us, I noticed the sunset beaming on the orange smoke above the coastal sky.
It was this amazing shade of orange that only this moment could produce. I took one picture of the moment, and suddenly my camera wouldn't take anymore shots. It said: CF FULL! I almost panicked! Then I realized that the compact flash film of my digital camera was simply full. So I went back and erased one picture and was able to take another one. I was very naive because I could have erased more pictures, but I didn't think of doing that at the time. When I took that second shot, I realized that the surfer was a bit further, so I thought I had lost the opportunity. When I looked at my camera screen, I was amazed at the shot. I immediately noticed the blue waters in the center of the screen. The mood of the moment, the way the surfer walked, the random car and house lights from the distance, the mountains, sunset, forest fires...they all conspired for this shot! The last shot of the day, and of the weekend.
I felt like a real photographer for the first time. It was an example of luck, timing, and perseverance. I honestly cannot remember why we decided to go to Santa Barbara that weekend, when everyone, especially the news people, told us not to.
I used the word "reprise" because that entire week I had the word wallowing in my head. I had been listening to a live cd of The Who, with Pete Townsend screaming, "Reprise!" at some amazing moment in the concert. I love the word. It means to repeat or reproach, or "let's do it again"! It is so musical, like life. I thought the second shot was a repeat of the first one, and also, I can picture this particular surfer constantly going back to this very same spot as often as possible, hence his "surf life reprise".
"Tatted Champion"
I've been a diehard Laker fan since I can remember. When we won the championship in 2009, I had a chance to make it to the parade in downtown Los Angeles. I had never been to any of these parades before, and since I was really into my new Canon EOS 40D, I thought this was the perfect time to play photojournalist. I shot this tatted woman with her cut-up Laker tshirt. I felt so much pride being an Angelino that day. Not only because of the Lakers winning it all, but I was home again, with all these very artistic Hollywood group. This Tatted Champion was one of my favorites. Here's was my entry on my Flicker set a few days after the parade:
At the 2009 NBA Champions Lakers Victory Parade. June 17, 2009.
I did the "photojournalist" thing at the Laker Parade this past Wednesday. I walked approximately five miles midday in the LA heat! I got to downtown at about 9 am. At about 7:30 am, there was already more than 20 thousand people waiting to get into the LA Coliseum. My plan was to walk from 7th and Figueroa, get close to the Coliseum, which is about a 2.5 mile walk from 7th St, wait for the parade, take many shots, then walk to the rally at the Coliseum. By about 10:30, a few blocks from the Coliseum, I found out that it was already full to capacity! So I walked back, circling the Coliseum, hoping there would be room to hang on the parade route on Figueroa. I found a good spot on Figueroa and Jefferson, where the Felix The Cat Chevy dealership is. I used the USC Gallen building as background, and got some decent pics of some of the Lakers on parade. They estimated that there were over a million people on the parade route. It was really hot this day, probably in the low nineties. It had been cool and foggy the last few days and of course, just my luck, the sun really came out this day!
Things I observed and found interesting:
--About 80% of the people wore Kobe shirts compare to other players. Really!
--Many #8 Kobe as well
--Many people made their own shirts!
--There were many, many cops! Great job!
--The same type of "guy" wears the "Fuck All Laker Haters" and "Fuck All Raider Haters" shirts
--Gail Anderson looks great in purple hair!
--LA people really crave a lot of attention!
--Magic Johnson is so beloved by Angelinos!
--The bacon-wrapped hot dog is now LA's street food of choice.
--What happened to tacos?
--The two Storm Troopers and the Transformer Bumblebee guy...soooo LA!
--LA is truly diverse in every way possible.
--Pau Gasol has many fans! Many wore his #!
--Some people still had Malone#11 and Payton#20 Laker shirts. Come on, man!!!!
--Figueroa is truly a great Los Angeles street!
--Culturally, LA is the polar opposite of Boston!
--Knowing who Felix The Cat is really dates me!
--Sadly, many unemployed in LA! (Hence my adventure.)
--If the economy was great, I would have made it inside the Coliseum.
--There are non-luting people in LA, contrary to what the rest of America thinks!
--Kobe is a true LA hero!
--Last, and most important...YOU CAN"T BEAT LA!!!
~Robert
To see the rest of the set, click on this: Lakers!!!
At the 2009 NBA Champions Lakers Victory Parade. June 17, 2009.
I did the "photojournalist" thing at the Laker Parade this past Wednesday. I walked approximately five miles midday in the LA heat! I got to downtown at about 9 am. At about 7:30 am, there was already more than 20 thousand people waiting to get into the LA Coliseum. My plan was to walk from 7th and Figueroa, get close to the Coliseum, which is about a 2.5 mile walk from 7th St, wait for the parade, take many shots, then walk to the rally at the Coliseum. By about 10:30, a few blocks from the Coliseum, I found out that it was already full to capacity! So I walked back, circling the Coliseum, hoping there would be room to hang on the parade route on Figueroa. I found a good spot on Figueroa and Jefferson, where the Felix The Cat Chevy dealership is. I used the USC Gallen building as background, and got some decent pics of some of the Lakers on parade. They estimated that there were over a million people on the parade route. It was really hot this day, probably in the low nineties. It had been cool and foggy the last few days and of course, just my luck, the sun really came out this day!
Things I observed and found interesting:
--About 80% of the people wore Kobe shirts compare to other players. Really!
--Many #8 Kobe as well
--Many people made their own shirts!
--There were many, many cops! Great job!
--The same type of "guy" wears the "Fuck All Laker Haters" and "Fuck All Raider Haters" shirts
--Gail Anderson looks great in purple hair!
--LA people really crave a lot of attention!
--Magic Johnson is so beloved by Angelinos!
--The bacon-wrapped hot dog is now LA's street food of choice.
--What happened to tacos?
--The two Storm Troopers and the Transformer Bumblebee guy...soooo LA!
--LA is truly diverse in every way possible.
--Pau Gasol has many fans! Many wore his #!
--Some people still had Malone#11 and Payton#20 Laker shirts. Come on, man!!!!
--Figueroa is truly a great Los Angeles street!
--Culturally, LA is the polar opposite of Boston!
--Knowing who Felix The Cat is really dates me!
--Sadly, many unemployed in LA! (Hence my adventure.)
--If the economy was great, I would have made it inside the Coliseum.
--There are non-luting people in LA, contrary to what the rest of America thinks!
--Kobe is a true LA hero!
--Last, and most important...YOU CAN"T BEAT LA!!!
~Robert
To see the rest of the set, click on this: Lakers!!!