anythingapplies

• Lovely people, Day of Decision, and Olvera Street

  July 3rd, 2009

  Excuse the terrible scan, I was too lazy to rescan this frame. Went to A&I to get the roll of Porta 160 NC featured in the last post developed. They instituted a $20 minimum. :|

  

  Graduation time at my college. I didn't attend any of the actual ceremonies, but was on campus when everything was being set up.

  

  Random self portrait using my boa's cage. Came out interesting, was simply curious what it'd look like.

  

  My mural on my wall.

  

  My cousin was in her school's dance team, which had a performance at my college. They had a mini red carpet thing outside the doors to the theater, with members of the dance team parodying crazed fan girls. I think I was the only one that made a photo of them. Love the expressions (and the eye contact).

  

  At Union Station. We were going to try and see this exhibit thing for a film my Mom's friend worked on. The wait was way too long...

  

  ...so we had lunch at Olvera St. instead (after spending close to an hour trying to find parking).

  

  In a backyard.

  

  Her backyard:

  

  Frontyard

  

  Found myself at a lovely house with lovely people.

  

  Made my summicron flair.

  

  

  

  Spilt candle.

  

  Doorway.

  

  And, now, Day of Decision coverage. (Day CA supreme court ruled to uphold prop 8, stating marriage is only between a man and a woman... for anyone that doesn't/didn't know). People met up in west hollywood earlier in the day. They then marched from weho to hollywood and highland. I made the decision to go too late and I didn't want to try and find parking over in weho so I just took the subway to hollywood and highland, which is where I was assuming a lot of "action" would be.

  I took a stroll down highland because I was early, still.

  Every corner had at least 3 cop cars at it. This is the first I encountered. Were at least 10 cops in a lil meeting.

  

  Smiling protesters.

  

  Zombie protesters?

  

  I guess I'll just post everything. To show that I'm not perfect and I make mistakes and yea..

  Damn tv cameras and their little headlights messin' up my exposure.

  

  This is Sister Unity. Makeup looks infinitely better in color and in person.

  

  Some more sisters.

  

  Her name is Sister Mary Fucking Poppins.

  

  Horsies! (and a dinosaur, and mcdonalds..)

  

  Hey, it reads correctly this time around.

  

  

  I'm not sure I understand the pose. Is it supposed to be more intimidating when you hold your belt?

  

  Sister's passed out "weapons of free speech" (chalk).

  

  

  I want this frame mural sized.

  

  

  

  

  I quite enjoy this frame.

  

  

  The marchers arrive! (again, stupid tv cameras overexposing the person's face. :|)

  

  

  

  

  Attached to a shopping cart were speakers. She was leading a chant: "I said what do we want? Equal rights! When do we want it? Now!"

  Never heard her stop. I applaud her stamina.

  

  Lt. Dan Choi. I was too busy trying to frame the lady holding up her hands in the shape of a heart to pay attention to what part of Dan Choi I captured. Would have preferred to see more of his face, but oh well. Live and learn..

  

  That's quite a bit of people.

  

  

  Ran down to the street again once I saw that people were beginning to move.

  

  I marched with them for a little, just so I can say I was part of the actual march. But I turned around after a little bit so I could catch the subway home.

  

  

  Buying my ticket I discovered that the terminals are powered by Windows 2000.

  

  Here you can see my ridiculous hair (grows way too fast).

  

  At the grove. Inspired by a HCB shot. I'll just flat out say my rendition sucks and I'll have to try again.

  

  With a lovely lady.

  

  Talking animatedly about... (I'll give you a quarter if you guess correctly).

  

  Empty street.

  

  Farmer's market. I keep surprising myself when people don't notice I've taken their photo.

  

  This lady did look at me, but she looked away a moment later. (the fiber print of this frame looks infinitely better, i underexposed the shot by like 3 stops, but was able to print it well, scan just sucks).

  

  Hip shot that's terrible. She transfixed me but I was a coward and didn't do her justice.

  

  

  In step.

  

  My cousin was here from Sacramento for like <1 hour.

  

  Replacing the switch in the bathroom. It sparked a couple times because my mom didn't turn off the power.

  

  Photos of black cats don't work! At least, somewhat candid, non-posed or lit shots don't. I still take them. =/

  When there's a ladder out, he loves to sit atop it.

  

  He somehow managed to get up inside the closet.

  

  

  

  Candlelight.

  

  Oh, hey, it's Brian Aubert (of the Silversun Pickups).

  Ran into him at a listening party for the release of Sonic Youth's new album (which is amazing, btw). Coincidentally, I was listening to them when I drove there. There being Origami Vinyl in Echo Park.

  I took this at f/1.4. It's horribly overexposed, but I was able to recover it in PS as well as make a very nice print of it.

  

  I took one at a smaller aperture once I realized my mistake, but I like the first one I took much more.

  

  Then I had a picture taken with him.

  

  Found my first dead bird on the street. I've seen them in many other people's photo blogs but never encountered one myself, until now.

  

  Overgrown squash plants.

  

  Teddy and Scamper.

  

  

  

  We (well, my mom per my suggestion) made tofu lasagna. The tofu was pressed (to get rid of water) then marinated in spaghetti sauce. It was delicious.

  The tofu's under all that, I swear. :p

  

  This wasn't when I showed her Dustin Lance Black's naughty pictures, but let's just say it is.

  

  I honestly have no clue why I took this frame.

  

  I thought this was hilarious. The text on the back of the van says, "Esteban! Thanks God 4 Ur Graduation!"

  

  Thought the light was cool.

  

  Sunset. Really underexposed it (with regards to what I wanted it to look like) but I like the look of this.

  

  

  Her eye was red, so she was inspecting it. I'll leave it at that.

  

  Scamper!

  

  And I got a haircut. This time really short.

  

  Attempted to split my reflection up. Didn't quite work.

  

  I should stop taking self portraits.

  

  Sheku (art store guy in love with my leica) took this.

  

  And, Sheku himself:

  

  This cafe had a nice feel to it.

  (and the caramel macchiato I bought was perfect)

  

  Oh. MJ died.

  

  Cops are assholes.

  

  

  

  On the way to the lovely house to spend time with lovely people again I encountered a Delorean.

  

  Even had its own flux capacitor.

  

  Party was for her 18th birthday. She's, uh, actually not in this shot.

  

  Sister took this one. I think she said she wanted to focus on the two in the back.

  

  Chillaxin

  

  Parasol

  

  Wine and nice conversation.

  

  Asparagus doused in olive oil and sprinkled with lemon.

  

  It was amazing.

  

  

  

  Birdy.

  

  Table.

  

  Preparing a platter full of treats (including chocolate éclairs to die for).

  

  

  The award for best dressed goes to...

  

  

  

  Outside.

  

  

  

  I may or may not have an obsession with taking pictures of people while they're eating.

  

  

  

  

  

  Beer pong without the beer and with raspberries and blackberries instead.

  

  

  

  

  

  Inspecting our present.

  

  It's a bunny.

  

  (the bunny was not harmed)

  

  Mother and daughter.

  

  Last self I promise!

  

  We ended up in the kitchen and began digging into this grapefruit ice thing. It was so good.

  

  Ok, I lied.

  

  Shit on my car's windshield.

  

  Probably would have looked infinitely better in color. I did take almost 2 rolls of color film at the place where I was heading (college of the canyons).

  

  Olvera street again.

  

  An old fire station.

  

  

  My shoes.

  

  Really wish I hadn't underexposed this one :(

  

  Food was delicious.

  

  

  

  Her eyes were striking.

  

  

  Unused space.

  

  

  

  

  I really don't like how HP5 scans. I know I can print all of the above (olvera st. shots) just fine, but the scans look horrible. =/

  

  Had to do it...

  

  Unintended, but I like it.

  

  And, I'll end this (think this is my longest post to date [149 photos]) with the first portrait I've taken of someone in a subway that I'm ok with.

  

  Good night.

  Tags: brian aubert, day of decision, dogs, hollywood, leica m6, los angeles, prop 8, silversun pickups, squash, stinky, street, subway, summicron, summilux, trix, xtol