Down Town, LA _Project 09 #7

While I was walking through the street of Down Town LA on my photo adventure I passed this alley my friend Jordon and we stopped dead in our tracks. We both were in awe of the scene that was unfolding down this alley. There were three young kids playing soccer it looked like a scene from a movie shoot in a third world country. The sun had set and light was amazing.

We walked down this alley and I started shooting photos. Thing I like about shooting sports is it gives people an escape form every day life. You can feel the fun in this photo even the mom on the side is smiling as her kid play in the street.

I live in Santa Monica for five years. Santa Monica is a beach town in los Angles for the most part I considered it to be white yuppie area. I never saw any kids playing in the streets. As a matter of fact I never saw people out side of the houses. It was strange to me. I think this is why I got so stoked on this scene it reminded me of how my friends I use to play in the street as kids growing up.

I had to put up my hand to stop the ball from hitting the camera in this shoot.This is the alley were these kid call home. Their house is tucked back in there I would of look at this as a soccer filed in tell now.

This is the alley were these kid call home. Their house is tucked back in there I would of never look at this as a soccer filed in tell now.

Down Town, LA _Project 09 #6

Life is a roller costar of events some good some bad. I always think about how that one decision you make can affect the rest of your life. Some how I met my friend Cary Perez and since then it has opened up so many doors for me. The entire Down Town LA Project is a direct effect of this. There is no way I would have got the asses to shoot all these people in such a short time. I would of ever been able to even bring my camera it to this club. Cary has a way with people that you rarely see it is amazing. People trust him from the moment they meet him. He is the type of person that all was makes time to help people out. His range of friend goes from CEO’ s at Apple computers to a bum living on the streets. My point is after meeting him this project was born I just wanted to say thanks homie!

Cary (the guy in the hat) is giving me direction as if an art director would. The funny thing is his direction is better that a lot of the art directors I have worked with. My friend Chris Sanchez shot this while we were taking a brake from shooting. I don’t often see my self in photos as I'm working by looking at this image I can see how intense this shoot was for me. I feel like there is a switch were I go in to another mode when I put a camera in my hands. This was interesting for me to see from an out side prospective.

Down Town, LA _Project 09 #5

As I was walking the streets of Down Town LA looking for this club that my friends had been telling I would love to shoot at I was thinking there is no way there is any there is thing on this street. The street was dark and there were just a few people sleeping on the sidewalks. We arrive at a random door there is a guy out front and my friend tells him a password. He opens the door. As we walked up the stairs this was the first person I saw. I was like dam were are my friends taking me. We got to the top of the stairs and a few words were exchanged and he let us pass we were in. I told my friend Jordan we got to go shoot that guy. He worked it out and I went back down the stairs and I recreated what it was like my first time coming up these stair.

I wanted to get a portrait of him after seeing the Jordon’s on his feet come on how could I not. We talked for a few after I shoot he was telling me how he lost his job because of the economy and how he was going to start up his own business in stead of working for these companies that will just let you go at any time. We got in to a deep conversation. He even gave me some tips on my business my thoughts were this is one very intelligent person. One of the last things he said was how god was taking care of him in these hard times. I felt the same way. Its amazes me how photography can open up doors and allows you to get to know people that you may never have talked with other wise.

This is my friend Kyley she is all ways full of energy and dancing every were I see here. I was not sure what to think of here when I first met her within minutes her personality won me over. She is awesome. All the photo labeled (Down Town LA project 1-5) were shoot in this club check it out.

Down Town, LA _Project 09 #4

Can any one tell me what is going on in this photo? If you were to create a story that went with this photo what would it be? I’m so stoke on this image when I look at it there are so many different scenarios that play out in my head. I can’t really figure out what is going on. Photography is amazing you can isolate pieces of a big picture and create a whole new story.

Keep in mind these photos came from in side busy a nightclub. I was trying to grab some moments out side of the big picture.

When I was shooting this picture I thought this is the last thing I would see if this guy knocked me out. That’s an interesting thought.

Down Town, LA _Project 09 #4

Right as I walked in to this club this band was playing they had a supper good vibe and started scrambling to get my camera set up. It is a woman singer, which is my favorite so I was supper stoke. She sounded like Peaches a bit. I wish I knew their band name. I will figure it out so I can add a link.

Home girl rocking the join.

There was amazing light all around me I basically just turned around and shoot this photo of the crowd.

This was the second band that played they were awesome as well. The red and blue light make this photo. For some reason people started clearing out a path so I could get this shoot from the crowd. That was a trip random people started helping me capture these images. That is some thing that dose not happen that often it was amazing.

Down Town, LA _Project 09 #3

Her are some more shot from the club. I love to capture images from a driftnet perspective them what eye would normally see. To me these shoes are sizing up the dance floor and preparing to tear it apart.

I all was wonder if I can tell what the person look likes by there shoes? In this case it would be how bad are they going to break you heat. Here are two the of tree heart barkers dancing the night away.

I love this one. Look at how much fun these guys are having. Then there is the white guy on the side covering his face to try to stay out of the photo. My friend Jordan asked him to move and he would not. I was bummed to have him in it at first. I figured I would crop him out later. Now I look at it and its perfect I love the contrast it gives the photo.

Down Town, LA _Project 09 #2

The guy in this photo did not want me to show his face but was cool with me shooting his tattoo. When he took off his shirt my friend Chris pointed out a big scar down the front of his stomach. He asked me if I saw the bullet holes as well. I did and started thinking this is not what you would see on the rooftop of the Stander. I would tell you the name of this place but you need a password to get in. It’s not the type of place they advertize for like some trendy place in Hollywood.

Here is a photo of a famous guy that lives Down Town. I was told .He was a bum on the streets and a photographer had shoot photos of him and liked he so much he bought him a house. Ever one loves Ricky The Pirate!