Where Are They Now....

Los Angeles, CA

The feature story for today's New York Times Magazine is about F2M college students.  I was happy to see a brief mention of Transgeneration - 

"The increasing number of trans college students has even given rise to a surprisingly deft reality television show, "Transgeneration", on Sundance Channel, which featured a transmale student at Smith College."

"Surprisinngly deft."  Of course, I like that.  Particularly since 3 years ago, when Transgeneration came out, it was surprisingly overlooked by the NYT.  anyway... it's nice to feel like I've worked on things that matter and people care about.  ...You get it where you can.

So, these are the promo photos I took of two of the subjects of the show, Raci and TJ.  I can remember taking these photos and it's, I guess, not surprising to think how much has changed since then.  You can find Raci on her myspace page, and if your lucky, she might add you to the thousands of friends she has there.  TJ can be found here.  He's back in the states, but only briefly.  Gabbie has been harder to keep in touch with, but Lucas has moved to LA.  We play racquetball every now and then.  Though not for long, as he just got accepted to Yale and will be moving there over the summer.  

Read more!

The End of the Bloom

Pretty spectacular, isn't it?.  I could have stayed here all day.

In 3 days, these trees will be green and the flowers will be gone...

Read more!

The Elephant Man

Best Western - Coalinga, CA

Never get stung in the eye. More pix after the jump

Read more!

In Memory of Polaroid

Tanzania and Rwanda

Since Polaroid announced it will no longer manufacture its cameras or its film, I thought it would be a good time to post some of my last polariod shots, which I took in Africa a couple years ago.  I brought along a Polariod, because I figured most of the people I would be taking pictures of were used to having their picture taken but not used to getting to keep the picture.   I thought it would be an equal exchange, and even give us a way to interact beyond the language barrier. 

It was somewhat successful.  Though, there were a few times when polaroids were not appreciated and almost seemed like an insult.  This was the case in the photo of the three women in front of the sand dune.  They had seen their fair share of tourists in their time, and were none too happy about engaging without monetary compensation.  You can see it on their faces.  Which is fair enough, I suppose.  Other times, like the Muslim girls in Zanzibar, people were only too happy to get a photo, or 2 or 3 from a tourist.  But either way, I liked watching it unfold.  I liked watching how people reacted, what they wanted photographed, what they were proud of, what they thought was beautiful.  Alot of times, I would get direction from them on how and what to photograph.  That whole experience was interesting to me.  Vanity is universal.

Too, I just liked the idea of taking pictures of these people with their Polaroid.  And I do really like these pictures....  

Particularly the last one.  She's hiding.

Read more!