Summer

It is Summer in Los Angeles. Swimming pools look very inviting when the weather is hot.

I Love L.A.

I have been photographing at Low Rider Car Shows for the past

several years, here in L.A. It is a real art form and lifestyle.

"Low Rider Lifestyle" San Fernando Valley High School

at the Low Rider Car Show, 2010

Low Rider Luncheon, San Fernando High School, CA

at LowRider Car Show, 2011
"I Love L.A." graffiti walls,Venice Beach, CA

Julia Dean's Silent Auction Last Night

I helped out at Julia Dean's Silent Auction last night at the Steven Cohen Gallery in Los Angeles. Julia is raising money to fund documentary photography projects about child labor in the world. Wow, what a good cause. 108 well known photographers contributed images. I also helped Liv hang the show, on Wednesday and Thursday, so I was fortunate enough to see all the pictures ahead of time. Last night, i helped set up the place for the opening, which was a star studded V.I.P. event. After the doors opened, I sat at the bidding table with 3 other volunteers, and we helped people fill out their silent auction bids. I took some Flip Camera video...gotta figure out how to post...

Attended the Grand Opening of the new Lomography Store in Los Angeles tonight. A big crowd, a gorgeous store in West Hollywood, mariachis, free liquor and tacos and tamales... it was amazing to see all the people so interested in toy cameras!
I saw some people that I knew..it was a fun evening. Also helped hang a show today, at the Steven Cohen Gallery, for Julia Dean's Silent Auction this weekend. It is a busy week.

Venice

Above, 'Venice Graffiti Walls", part of my Urban Landscape series... I spent today working on getting my framed print ready to send to the Krapppy Kamera show in N.Y.C. Went to Bowhaus, in Culver City, to pick up a print I had made there. Fantastic customer service, great print- very happy. The print was my "Venice Boardwalk Panorama". Went to Venice to get it framed and matted and ready to ship. It has to be there by next Wednesday.
It is expensive to make, frame, and ship photos to exhibitions, but I am very glad to be in this show.

Around the Block

I sometimes walk around my block or go out by my pool to take photos when I son't want to drive anywhere. The photo with the clouds was taken while on a walk aroudn the block. The pool photo is indeed by my apartment pool.. My block is not particularly picturesque, but I attempt to make pictures here, in all it's glory..

Life in Valley Village

As I sit in my bedroom letting my hair dry after washing it.. I am distracted from my thoughts by a series of noises. It is Monday afternoon, a typical day at my apartment building... My room is on the courtyard (ala Melrose Place, some people say when they see the building) The "valley" in Valley Village refers to the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. Valley Village is in between upscale Studio City and downscale North Hollywood, which is on the verge of gentrification. Noho,the Arts District, is the new nickname for North Hollywood.
My 2 cats are stretched out in the sun on the bed, soaking up the late afternoon warmth on this cool California day. Spoiled California cats.
As I try to sit and write this is the series of sounds I hear, some louder, some softer, with perhaps 2-20 seconds breaks in between sounds...

Kids talking in the courtyard
Truck beeping LOUDLY as it backs up
Helicopter overhead passes by
Airplane.. slowly fades into the distance
Someone putiing the key into a lock and opening a door
Airplane
kids
Someone honking a car horn 10 times
a voice
a knock
dog barking
small distant plane
guys talking in Spanish
The kids are quiet now.. must have gone inside..
10 seconds of quiet
helicopter close- rattling things in the room
Oh- it is Monday, time for the leaf blower guy...wave the white flag, give up any thought of quiet...
Time to shut the windows and give up listening for now.
I make some noise clacking the keyboard...
And on and on the sounds continue...a basketball bouncing, the sound of T.V.s and conversations through the walls...
Is it any wonder that I go to the beach where I can hear the soothing sound of waves?
Thank God-the ice cream truck did not come down the block today, with it's ear piercing nursery rhyme musak.
Attention to anything just creates more of it. When Kevin comes home, he can plug in his electric guitar or play his electric piano...usually he goes through the headphones, but not always. We make noise, too. Welcome to the neighborhood.