5.31.2008

the beginnings of summer

it is starting to really feel like summer here in colorado. and i love it. summer is by far my favorite season and the absolute best time for taking polaroids. no worries about it being too cold for proper development or the wind blowing so hard that the images get distorted. and here in colorado the sun shines so bright and the sky is so blue that it's almost impossible to take a terrible photo. so ive got some random shots to share. ive made a habit out of carrying my polaroid with me at all times so i am always ready when a moment strikes me. enjoy!


rainbow's end thrift store on main street here in alamosa. i always have good luck there. so far this year ive found a number of tshirts, button up shirts, a pair of boots, a pair of shades and an electric typewriter.


la puente has its own team in the alamosa adult softball league. seanna's dad, chris, is on the team so seanna is always there with her fam. last wednesday seanna decided she wanted to try on my shades. i think they look swell.


a workgroup from fordham university came for the week and got a lot of planting down in the garden. here they get their hands dirty.

5.29.2008

portraits of dre

when i was in atlanta my mom gave me a very early birthday present (four months early, to be exact) of polaroid film. while in the atl i got some shots of my little bro, a recent high school grad. check em out:





thanks mom!

land 100

last summer my brother gave me a vintage land 100 polaroid camera that he had acquired during a play he was a part of. there was still film in the camera and it wasn't until this past weekend in atlanta that i decided to give it a try. unfortunately, because the film was pretty old, i wasn't able to take clear photographs. but the images that did appear were still pretty cool meshes of color:



5.27.2008

rewind

two weekends ago i made a quick trip to california for my s.f. state orientation and some quality time with my dear friends ruby and mandi. it was a great trip, but way too short. the weekend flew by so fast that i hardly took any photos. so here are the few i have from my little trip down memory lane:


mandi and i went to my very first school, thornhill elementary where i attended kindergarten through third grade before moving from california to louisiana. it was strange going back to the place where i spent so much time as a youngin. everything felt smaller than i had remembered it. isn't that funny, how everything looks bigger when you're little and how your mind will always remember it that way?


here i pose in front of the playground.


my kindergarten classroom - i remember it so well!


mandi points out - 'we all belong here!'


we then ventured to my old hood - edgewood avenue.


and saw my old house. this is the second house i ever lived in. it was surreal to be there after over ten years.

i regret not taking more photos as many more adventures occurred. i think i was too overwhelmed by the city, my memories, my friends and the image of my near future to document. i am very excited about moving back to california and living in and going to school in san francisco. and you can bet i'll have many photos as well as polaroids to post when i make the move.

5.14.2008

commodities



every six weeks or so the alamosa foodbank receives a large shipment of commodities from the u.s. government. commodities consist mostly of canned goods as well as other food items. many of these items are far enough past their expiration date that grocery stores can't sell them but not so far past that they can't still be consumed. so the usda collects these left over goods, gives them to us to that we can put them together and give them out to individuals and families who need it.

last week a group of seventh and eighth graders from mackintosh academy in littleton, co came down to la puente for a service learning trip. i lead the group in all their activities and discussions (that's pretty much what my job is, in case you were wondering) and one of our biggest projects was to put together boxes of commodities for muck, our foodbank director, to give out this week. it was hard work but a lot of fun. here are some highlight photos:


i was on tomato juice duty, the first item on the assembly line.


the assembly line was a fast moving process. we had to get as many cans out of their original boxes as we could so that when a commodities box came down the line we were ready to fill it.


muck, our amazing foodbank director, handles the many empty cardboard boxes.


this long, hard, and mostly repetitive job requires that jams be playing nonstop. i brought my little radio from home so we could listen to some classic rock gems.

5.06.2008

sunday at penitente canyon



on sunday annie, debi, kate, will, michael, montrose and i all went to penitente canyon. it was a beautiful day for a short hike and the view of the valley is incredible. it also turns out montrose is an amazing climber.

here are some highlight shots:


william the conqueror.


michael the pensive.




lounging on the rocks.


michael and montrose.

5.05.2008

may day polaroids


these 'roids come to you courtesy of my great friend jojo who sent me a surprise roll of polaroid film last week! if it weren't for him i would not have been able to take these lovely photos.
thanks jojo!


a very pregnant allison looks off in the distance as the fun of the fiesta begins.


the guests arrive.


seanna mackey, my favorite four year old, climbs the may pole before the dance begins.


the may pole dance, one of my new favorite traditions. it was so beautiful to see so many people of all ages dance around, weaving around each other to celebrate spring!

may day party



on friday afternoon allison and aaron threw the most wonderful may day celebration in honor of spring and the coming of may. the party was complete with music, food, facepainting (run by yours truly) and the ceremonious may pole dance. it was such a beautiful afternoon.
here are some highlight photos of the event. i have some great polaroids coming up, too.




eric smiles as the may pole comes together.


allison looks off as the may pole dance comes to an end. notice her magical face paint.


erin & kate.


friends weave amongst each other as the sun sets over alamosa.


the completed may pole.


ben and kendra admire the may pole in the last moments of daylight.