Grandpas Camera

Why the story? (see below)Because a few months ago I bought this 100% mint Pentax SP2 from a guy on ebay...I paid $30.00 for this. The lens alone is worth 4 times this price. Anyway, turns out the kids Grandfather left him the camera after he passed away and the kid sold me his grandpas camera....He had this listed in the antiques section or it would have sold for hundreds I am sure...At least I will appreciate it and use it. According to the kid, it had a total of 4 rolls shot through it...Anyway, I was using it today and that girls Polaroid reminded me of the history of this sp2...

Pentax K20D, Tamron 28-75F/2.8

Grandmas camera

Hi folks.
Got done early at work today, so I went to Griffith park to see if I can capture an image on film or two. I have been working on a roll of tri-x for a few weeks already...
My favorite image of the day is this one....I asked the girl if I could take a picture of her beauty (the camera) and she was all for it. Wish she would have smiled, but I think I got her off guard. She went on to tell me that her grandmother left it to her and how much she cherished it....How many of you remember these?

Pentax K20D, Tamron 28-75F/2.8

To be young again

As I was walking down the street, I saw this couple. My guess is high school...This reminded me back to when my wife and I where dating through JR high and high school..The difference was I was on a Mongoose BMX bike, not on a skate board..I started to think of all the things I would have done differently if I knew then what I know now...There is much I would have changed in my life, but my wife is not one them...She is still my precious bride even when she makes me mad.. :)

K20D, Tamron 17-35F/2.8-4.0

Coping with life

My favorite picture in the last week...There is a certain calm about it.

K20D. Tamron 17-35f/2.8-4.0

Kira...

15 years old and living in the streets....I wish I could do more than a care package...

K20D, Tamron 17-35F/2.8-4.0

Sad looking clown

Yep, this image sums up my weekend...

Fresh fruit

I love fresh fruit and if you find the right fruit vendor, you have hit gold... Here is a tip that my wife brought to my attention...Always buy from the ladies...Why? Because they are clean and understand that for the most part...Not true with many of the men I see..Notice how this lady is wearing a nice clean glove..I have yet to see a man wear a glove..Instead they handle money with the same hands they prepare your food with..I have literally seen men sweat on the food itself...Be careful and look at the surrounding context.....I have made it a point to let the ladies know that I appreciate them wearing gloves and that is why I bought from them...When I have suggested this to men, they look at me like if I am joking...Yea, buddy..The laugh is on you as I take my business some place else...

Pentax ME-F, Tokina 17 F/3.5, Ilford XP2

Street vendors. Should we buy from them?

Over the past few years I have seen the police confiscate these fellows ice cream carts...In the past few months the police have really intensified this ''harrasment'' ..Now I understand the Laws on this and understand that in order to run a business you must must have a business license and resale permit..I understand this very well as I have been running my own business for the past 20 years and have always paid the piper....What I don't understand is why the police are bothering these good folks who are simply trying to make a living as honest as they know how? Should not the police spend their time and efforts by chasing dope dealers as an example? I have supported these street vendors by buying from them and frankly, Have got to know many of them personally...Great group of folks....I will continue to support them by buying from them....

PENTAX ME SUPER, M40F/2.8, Ilford XP2

A little love will go a long way

Hi folks..These images I made last year and have cherished them...What strikes me about these is the compassion and love the street performer showed this Downs syndrome treasure...
He danced with her and then handed her the microphone and she told her mother how much she loved her the best she could and her mother broke down and started to cry...Pretty soon you could see the eyes tearing up on many who where there including myself....May the God of everything bless them....

Pentax K10D with Tamron 18-250mm lens.

A buck will go a long way.

Hi Folks...As a person who loves street photography, I sure do appreciate all the street performers. I run into all kinds...But here is the deal. They are out there to make a living. They work on tips... A buck will go a long way with them. When shooting them, leave them a buck or two...They will appreciate it and you will get a better photograph....

Canon G10

Emotion

Hi Folks, Having felt like this many times, I can relate. Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all....Simply Praying for the person is the best thing to do.

Pentax K20D with Tamron 28-75F/2.8

The Soloist

Living in Los Angeles, I run into many people. Some very famous people and some not so famous people. It is not often I get excited about meeting someone new. Yet on this day, I was....First if you have not seen the movie ''The Soloist'' I suggest you do...It is based on the true story of Nathaniel Ayers...Jamie Foxx WAS amazing in the roll...In truth I did not appreciate the job Jamie Foxx did until I met the real Nathaniel Ayers...Simply amazing...I spent a few hours with him hearing him play a variety of instruments, just taking in the sweet music he was making....

Pentax K20D with Tamron 17-35 F/2.8-4.0

The Barber shop

This picture I made while my wife was driving. We where on our way to china town when we got to a light. I spotted the picture and quickly reached for my camera bag, pulled out the camera and ''click''...It turns out to be one of my favorite images I ever made...

Canon AE-1, FD50F/1.8, Fuji xtra 400 film

Meet Julian

Hi Folks...Meet Julian..Julian is one of many regulars here. He has corner staked out and pretty clean. He is organized and getting better every time I see him...There are other folks who help many of these people and that is encouraging...He got the first care package of the day and he lit up like a Christmas tree...He then asked me if I had any ''socks''? I said, not on me, but will see what I can do. I did happen to have a pair in my truck. Some nice thick wool socks..I gave them to him and he said he would now be warm at night...I had many people ask me for socks, so I will start to shop and look for some good deals on good socks....May God bless him...

Image made with Canon G10

Meet Pokahantas

Hi folks...Meet Pokahantas...Perhaps the sweetest and most appreciative of all the folks I ran into today...She had no hands and yet managed to get the food open and really she loved the kerns juice...She really appreciated the toilet paper as well...I told her she was every bit as pretty as the Indian Pokanahtas and that brought out a smile that I happened to catch... May God bless her...
Image made with Canon G10

Meet Tap

Hi folks...Meet Tap..Tap had just got in from out of town Trying to make a new life in L.A. As I was getting to know him, it turns out he had not eaten for a few days...After I gave him the care package, he quickly opened up the can of corn and was wolfing it down when I slowed him down..''Tap, eat slow and eat a little bit so you don't throw it up and get a stomach ache''...Make it last through tomorrow....As I was leaving, he asked me to take his picture...May God bless him...

Image made with Canon G10

Meet Steven

Hi Folks...Meet Steven..I ran across him with a few other fellows. We talked for a bit, I handed out three care packages and was on my way...Again, they where stoked over the tooth brushes....May God bless them

Image made with Canon G10

Meet John

Meet John...As my day was coming to and end, I passed this fellow by. He asked me for some money for food..Instead I went to my truck to see what I could put together. I had enough left over to put together one more care package...I gave it to him and talked with him for a little bit. When I was leaving, I asked him If I could take his picture. He said, yes, yes..I asked him to smile and he said he does not know how to smile. He forgot how too...I was crushed and again wished I could do more....May God bless John...

Picture made with Pentax K-7

Meet Warlock

Meet Warlock...It is amazing to see folks light up with a little compassion and caring...I kept running into him through out the day and he had a smile..May God bless him.
Boy, do I have hairy arms. :)

Image made with Canon G10

Meet ET

As I was making my way around, this gal caught my eye. I went up to her and asked her what her name is. She said her name was ET because she had no home. I then gave her a care package and told her she was not junk...She told me she appreciated the tooth brush because she could brush her tongue as she had no teeth..The food she got was perfect because it was soft food, so no teeth, no problem... We spoke for a little while and as I left, she said to me, that she thought nobody loved her...I wish I could have done more...May the Lord Jesus bless her...

Image made with Canon G10

Meet Danielle

I met Danielle this day in Venice. Her sign pretty much says it all. I gave her a care package and said she especially appreciated the tooth brush and tooth paste. May God bless her.

Canon G10

Street shooting in Venice at the beach

Today I decided to go do some street shooting. I had other plans but changed my mind. I put together 12 care packages consisting of toilet paper, tooth brush and tooth paste, can foods, some candy and peach juice..
I had my son Daniel help me put them together and I was off to Venice beach. Since Daniel is not feeling well, I went by myself...

Images taken with Canon G10

Makes me mad

I can really appreciate good art work and photography, so when I see how some people can write graffiti and essentially destroy someone hard work, it angers me....

Canon G10

A picture that grabs me

Pentax K20D, with Tamron 17-35F/2.8-4.0

Thank God it is Friday

Finally Friday. In truth, I had a good week. Still life many times is not like a bowl of cherries.

Pentax ME-F, Cosina 55F/1.2 wide open, Fuji X-tra400 film

Food for thought!

Photo taken with the Canon G9

Hi folks. Normally this is not something I talk about. I am mentioning it now in the hopes that if even one person helps one person, that will make a huge difference in one persons life.....
Today I put 5 meals or care packages together. They usually consist of enough food to get a person by for a day along with a tooth brush, tooth paste and toilet paper..With some careful shopping I can get quite a bit done for very little money. I then put everything in a paper bag and hand them out....

My intention today was to head over to china town and shoot a roll of film and pass out the care packages. I never even made it there today. Never fired of a single frame today...Well, I did shoot one picture of the Los Angeles River and a train going by. Anyway, back to my trip...On the way there I came across this fellow on a corner. He was looking like a crazy man and people where just flat scared of him...I went around the block and pulled out a care package, got out and handed it to him. He lit up like a Christmas tree and said God bless you to me...Go figure...I then watched him drink the beverage and open up the can of corn and I was on my way...God indeed blessed me!!!

The second person I came across had his shopping cart well organized..He had a broom and had his corner all swept and cleaned. It was a clean home or what he had made a home...As I approached him, he was a little guarded at first, but as I made eye contact with him, he quickly relaxed. I handed him a care package and the smile this man gave me was again priceless...It took all I had not to cry...Again he said to me...God bless you and I went away feeling blessed!!!!

The third fellow I came across was so broken that as I handed him the care package he simply looked at me as he took it and kept on going. This was the second time I gave this fellow one...I will keep trying as I run into him...I walked away again and just said...O LORD help him..

The 4Th and 5Th people I came across where just as broken...As I saw the sores on their feet and filth they where living in, again, all I could say is Lord help them..As I handed them each a care package, I told them to brush their teeth and eat and they said, Thank you with a smile that was forced...These folks where not used to smiling.....

I never did make it to china town and by that time, I was in no mood to shoot...On my way home I ran into another person who could have used a care package and I was out...That really bothered me...I thought If I had just one more, but then there will always be a need for one more...So more that help, the better...:)

Better to be lucky than good...

This is perhaps one of my favorite pictures I have ever made. It was also an after thought. One day while out at Long Beach after what I would call a dull day of shooting, I was packing up my gear to go home. As I looked out the back window of my truck, I saw this couple perfectly framed...I took the out my Pentax Spotmatic with its 35mm F/3.5 lens and loaded with Ilford XP-2 and went click....Sometimes the best pictures are the ones you don't plan for.

Pictures that move me, part 5 ''life..''

As I was walking over by the Olvera St mission, I saw a bulletin board with these images of babies in the womb. They where accompanied by prayers asking God to take care of them...I sat there for a minute and pondered and began also to pray for these precious babies...keep reading to find out why....May God indeed bless these mamas and their babies...

Pentax K20, 28mm lens

This is my daughter Krisanie and Grand son Adam.
The reason this image is speaks to me is because had my wife and I
listened to the doctors to kill the ''fetus'' (yes, it was no longer a baby according to the doctors) even up to the 8Th month, neither would be here...
Yes, we where told we had a down syndrome baby and the ultrasound confirmed it...Against the advice of the experts, we chose the path of prayer and with our church behind us holding up our arms...The day came when it was time to give birth and the look on the doctors faces when a perfectly healthy baby girl came out was priceless....It has to make one wonder......

Pentax K1000, M40F/1.4 and Tri-x 400

9 year old shutterbug

As I am going through my bookmarks to clean them out, I came across this one.
Daniel will soon be 10...How time flies.

http://pentaxdslrs.blogspot.com/2008/11/daniel-gutierrez-9-years-old-and.html

Pictures that move me, part 4

I made this picture in Hollywood this past year...Again, this image really brings sadness to me...for too long I simply walked by and pretended nobody was there...It was not until I started shooting street images, that I started to see...These days I find myself doing more and more for these folks. My means are very limited, but God still finds a way to provide in a tangible way. Even if I could help one person with one meal, it is something...I would encourage all street shutter bugs or all folks in general to help if you can. One meal for one person makes a difference...

Pentax ME SUPER, M40F/2.8, UltraMax 800

Pictures that move me, part 3

This one broke my heart...As I was walking the pier, I heard a thump and splash...As I looked over there was a man in the water...People where saying that he took a bottle of pills and threw himself over....I do not know, but I got to thinking again...Not good!

Pentax ME SUPER, M40F/2.8, 99 cents film

Tuesday afternoon and I am looking forward to a date with my hot tamale...my wife :)...Our dates usually consist of a movie, dinner and great conversation....I can't wait :)

Pictures that move me, part 2

I remember the day I made this picture. I was out with my son shooting graffiti when we came across this old rail road. As we walked down, I noticed the house to the right. Daniel noticed it also and asked me about it. Now I have seen these types of homes many times before, but this was the first time I actually ''saw'' one...There was signs of life, but nobody home. Still, it was some ones home... I got to thinking about this the rest of the day. I got to thinking that this could be my home one day. You never know. I got to thinking, what can I do to help? More on this later...needless to say, this picture had a profound effect on the way I see life...

Pentax ME SUPER, M40F/2.8 and 99 cents film....

Pictures that move me, part 1

This is a picture I made earlier this year. It is my most precious wife and son. There is something very special about a boy and his mom.

This picture was made with my K1000, M50F/1.4 and 99 cents film

Phone booths

I don't know what it is about phone booths that make it hard for me to pass with out taking a picture. Of course there has to be some character to it so it catches my eye. What I do not understand is how phone booths get to be like this? After all, these are there to serve the public...

Here is my final post for this day...As I walk the streets and see more and more folks like this, I confess it breaks my heart. In my own little way, I try and help the best I can through a variety of ways from buying some or one of them food or drink or providing clothing or what ever I can with in my means...I am working on some things to try and do just a little bit more and hopefully will be writing about that soon....
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

There is something about tunnels that have me taking pictures through them every chance I get...Often I will wait and wait until someone walks through it to try and get a silhouette...It is not often I take one I like, but this is my favorite one....

I have been playing chess since the age of about 10 or so. I so love the game and now I have taught it to my Son who is quite good at the age of 9. As we where walking MacArthur park, we stood and watched these folks play for a little while.

There is something about umbrellas that I find very photogenic Usually, I look for the shadows that come with them...
Here in L.A., They are used to blot out the sun, not rain..

Here are a couple more images I took in the WestLake district.

My first blog

I have no idea why at this time I have decided to blog. Perhaps I am that bored or have much to say. Likely, I am bored....I have spent much of the day going through photographs I made on Saturday during my walk in Westlake Village. What a dirty and ugly place it is.. It was hard to shoot as people where giving me the evil eye as if I was the Police...Of course, there was plenty of illegal activity going on all around from selling bootleg dvd's to music cd's to everything else you can image.....