day 13: reflections

Taken while shopping for clothes for COACHELLA!

day 12: swift

12, originally uploaded by Lannys Photos.

So here's the sky on my way home. It was a long day, I had no where else to go but home to decompress and the sun was setting.

I can't promise that there won't be more sky pictures.

And that's that.

day 11: just keep running

Instead of going to the gym I chose to drive down to the beach to run. It was such a beautiful day and I was able to finish my run as the sun was setting.

This was the beach that made me fall in love with Orange County and it is still beautiful to me.

Running outside is always more challenging with the wind blowing against you, but it's a challenge I welcome.

Now that the sun is setting later, I will be making more of an effort to run down by the beach and breathe with nature.

Day 9: Santa Monica

9, originally uploaded by Lannys Photos.

Spent the day in Santa Monica. It was an overcast and COLD morning, but by 3pm the clouds finally broke away and the sun came through and it warmed up.

The pier was packed with families and couples eating boardwalk food and playing games. I haven't had a chance to upload the other photos, but I did snap this with my iPhone. I ate a veggie dog from the original Hot Dog On The Stick stand.

Hot Dog on The Stick holds a special place in my heart. Whenever my cousins and I all went to the mall, my oldest cousin always bought us lemonade to sip on. I miss those times. We were sisters.

day 8: surprise

I need to get a filter so that when I shoot the sky and ground, there would be a balance. Post processed this in photoshop to balance out the light. It looks so majestic and I usually don't favor photoshop, but I can live with this.

This was cropped down. I took this at a farm off the 5 fwy.

It's been a rough few days getting this project off the ground. My pictures have been disappointing to me and they haven't been that great. But I suppose it's like when you start training for a half marathon, the first few miles are always the worst, but as training goes on, it gets easier. I just need to get back into the groove of it and I'm glad I'm taking pictures again, even if I'm forcing myself. Practice. Practice. Practice. Then... you practice some more.

So, keep going. Keep shooting. Grimace when you post so-so pictures, but know that it will get better.

Day 7

Sky

And the sky opened, and there was hope.

What is it about clouds that I adore so much?

day six: dead christmas trees

OC has very random plots of land in every city for faming. This is behind the Christmas tree farm where they chop up the wood for bonfires and firewood.

I think I'll try to work on getting more of the small farms photographed.

day 4: bill cunningham

Tonight I escaped to a world of a man whom many of us may never have heard of him until recently, his name is Bill Cunningham.


Bill Cunningham is responsible for photographing (only in colored film!) and laying out the photos of street style for the New York Times Style section on Sunday. A man who is well into his 80's (?!?!?!) but has more spunk and charmisma than any 20 something I've ever met.



After enjoying a dinner and catching up, my friend Erin and I headed to the theater to watch the documentary of Bill Cunningham; I already want to head right back into the theater and watch it again.


This was one of the most enjoyable biographies I have ever seen. I have never smiled and laugh so much watching a person in action. My emotions went from highs of the highs, to sinking low while holding back tears.


Bill's life is extraordinarily simple and so fulfilling. Coming from a background of middle class Americans who were Catholic (a part of Bill that is sensitive and meaningful to him), Bill chose to dive into the world of fashion, even when his family frowned upon it. On the verge of designing a major line of hats for the fashionable elite, he received a draft, and showing his character, he answered to the call of duty and walked away from the life of potential money and fame.


After serving our country, Bill came back and continued designing and immersing himself into the world of fashion. But it was when he received his first camera as a gift did Bill truly shine. Being there from the beginning of personal street fashion, and capturing every moment, he has become a legend. A title he laughs off. He has captured the essence of the street, bringing the world fashion that was unpretentious and unattainable.


In the film, we follow Bill through several weeks of his daily life and some parts can bring tears to your eyes as it did to mine. He was modest in his appearance, the same colored pants, street sweeper's blue jacket, a hat and a rain pancho he'd tape up if it ripped. He ate simple breakfast sandwiches and unknown diners and drank his cup of coffee. He was the man of the streets.


But then we also see the other side of Bill. The man who is welcomed into the upper society of New York city with open arms and kisses. He does all this with the sweetest smile you would ever see. His toothy grin was all the same with whomever he photographed, because to him, it is always about the clothes.


He is far from a paparazzi, he is an artist who captures true genuine style. While other photographers are busy chasing celebrities with their "free dresses," he's on the sideline photographing attendees or street people who chose to dress in their own unique way.


His work ethics and moral code are so rare to find these days, and perhaps that's why I felt tears welling up because genuineness and true passion are so hard to come by these days. He truly loves his work and it is in everything he does.



He in particular, but never too pushy to the point of being unlikeable. I'm sure those who work with him sometimes felt like shaking him for being unwavering in some choices, but respected him enough to not do so. How could you, when the man gives you that toothy grin?


Very few people know about Bill, even though he has captured their photos for the past 20+ years. All anyone can really recall is his habits, his Schwin bike and his tiny apartment in the legendary Carnige Hall.


When doing fashion shows, Bill wasn't part of the fancy photographers who were lost in the sea of lenses at the end of the runway, he was on the side, capturing what was truly important, the essence of fashion with one question in mind, "Was it wearable for regular people?" If the answer was no, then it was no good to Bill. For he was the man of the people, an advocate for personal fashion, not models or celebrities.


As I've mentioned before, I couldn't help but continue smiling throughout this film. It was upbeat, and funny, because Bill is a funny guy who leaves everyone he's talked to with a smile on their face. Only two parts did he break away from that smile. One was when Paris awarded him with a prestigious art & design award pinned to his workmen's jacket and the other when asking about his religion.



Here was a man who was selfless when it came to this world. He never created a family or had relationships because his love and life was in all this. A world in which he lived in a tiny studio with walls of file cabinets filled with every negative he's taken. A man who never asked for more, nor accepted anything from anyone. He believed in being free, and to him, "Once they pay you, they own you."


I don't know why I want to laugh and cry for or with Bill. Bill is an example of what it truly means to live a simple life. So many of us say we want that, but we are far from even being this close. Possessions and accessories hold little value to Bill, and that is admirable. And perhaps I want to cry because the level of genuineness that exudes from him is something that is so hard to come by these days.


Please watch this wonderful movie about a man, his camera and bicycle and how he's captured New York City, one roll of film at a time.

day 3: B I N G O

Jimmy and I spent the day together and it was so nice to transition from one activity to the next. We started with a quick breakfast at home the headed to a trail in Laguna Beach and after we went to one of my favorite flea markets, the Irvine Vintage Flea Market. 


We browsed around to see what I could find and after seeing the perfect small shelf I could use for all my wooden stamps, I found this table of vintage BINGO cards. The sliding cards on the right hand side are the first I've ever seen of this kind and I had to get one immediately. To see a few more pics of the market, check out my flickr. 


The day progressed to lunch, tapioca, a mountain of my laundry and reading in the sun. I love easy weekends. What did you do for your weekend?

day 2: night life

This strip of street is located in a small city that is close to mine. It is a completely different environment, even if it's so close.

It is notorious for crimes such as prostitution & drug trafficking. Really scary consider we're about a few miles apart.

day 1: cloud maker

Took a detour from my usual route home today to drive up PCH. The sun was setting and I got to see my favorite Cloud Maker.