Extended family

Last weekend, Gabe, our friend Bonnie, and I went down to L.A. to visit some of our oldest and dearest friends. Becky and Nick just had a baby four months ago and this was our first time meeting him. We also were excited to see Deirdre, who is in the Peace Corps and has been living on the island of St. Lucia for the past year and a half. I love all these people so much, and I really do consider them family, so we thought it would be great to do a family portrait as we don't all get to be together that much. We went to Griffith park first and were forced out by the grumpy carousel man who accused me of being a commercial photographer and trying to steal from him (?!&%@!!! I almost hit him over the head with my tripod.), but then settled on Echo Park instead.

Top to bottom, left to right we are: Gabe, Bonnie, Me, Becky, Nick, Deirdre, baby Ari, Shaughn, Kevin, and Geralyn.





I also took some portraits of the happy new family. Here's one of pretty Becky by herself.
And the whole family.






How could you not love this baby?

Proud papa.
I know this one is a little out of focus, but I had to include it. Bonnie is notoriously uncomfortable with babies, but look at her smiling! Ari has that effect on everyone.

Extension tube test

When I got my Mamiya medium format, it came with three extension tubes. They are just these rings that you attach to the lens that basically extends the focal length of the lens allowing for closer than normal (or "macro") focusing. The results can be pretty cool, but they didn't come with instructions and I still don't really understand how I have to adjust the exposure. My photos keep coming out kinda dark. I think I am getting a little better, though. These are the results of my latest test.

My lemon tree finally has lemons on it!
I love how the light comes through our office window just before sunset.

A few days ago Gabe and I spent the day with my Mom, her brother Peter, his son (my cousin) Jon, and his wife Marina. Peter was visiting from Des Moines and it's been awhile, so it was nice to see him. We went to Petaluma where my Mom lives and spent the afternoon having lunch, looking at boats, and visiting the Dia de los Muertos exhibit at the local museum. All of those things sound great, right? Did I take pictures of any of them? Nope. Instead I took pictures of pretty floweres and succulents. Give me a break, I was sick. And the photos came out pretty well:

Treasure Island Day Two

Here's what you've been waiting for! The rest of the Treasure Island photos. Before I get to the bands, check out the new bay bridge. It looks like it is half done already! I am just in awe of bridge construction in general, and the bay bridge in particular. How do people do it?

So, here's the music from day two (emphasis on indie rock). M. Ward. Good, mellow singer songwriter. I really like him.

I believe his high school music teacher plays guitar in his band (at least that is what I have been told and I choose to believe it cause I think that is awesome).
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (my second favorite rock album of the last two years, right behind The Arcade Fire).


This super cute baby girl was dancing onstage the whole time they played. I assume she was the daughter of one of them.
Built To Spill. Still good, after all these years.




Modest Mouse. I have not seen this band since 1995, the year they played in my living room and got us all evicted. They are super famous now and boy do they know it. They did a sound check and then kept the audience waiting for a half hour before they started playing. I had just drunk a beer and was stuck in the photo pit about to pee my pants the whole time. Then they would only let us shoot for one and a half songs with no flash (it was dark by now). I really hated them by the time I got out of the pit, but I have to admit that they are still a good band. And they have Johnny Marr (one of the original members of The Smiths) in the band now, so that is pretty rad.




Here's just some photos of the grounds and the people.








Man, that was a lot of photos to sort through!