Palm Springs Modernism Week Vintage Trailer Show 2012

Once again, the vintage trailer show at the Palm Springs modernism week did not disappoint!  This is my second year attending and touring these mint vintage trailers including the one of a kind "Decoliner" built from scratch in twenty months.

When you enter the show, you don't quite know where to head first.  All of the trailers lined up had their own distinctive look and feel to them inside and out.  It's hard to choose a favorite, but the crowd seemed to be drawn to the decoliner.

The show was held last weekend in Palm Springs at the end of their annual, "Modernism Week" which includes festivities throughout the week that is sure to please the mid century modern design fan.  This past Saturday, I wandered around the trailer show and photographed some of the trailers, but mostly I enjoyed picking people out of the crowd to photograph.

A big thank you to all who agreed to pose for me as well as "Airstream Life" for coordinating another successful event.  If you're an Airstream owner, be sure to put Alumapalooza on your list of things to do in June.

Here are some photos from the day.  To see more, click HERE.

Rich And Brett, the two behind the magic...

Bingo Culture Featured In F8 Magazine

It's exciting to me that F8 Magazine partnered with me to feature my series, "Bingo Culture" on their website.

If you're a follower, you already know about my series.  I this article, I explain a little bit more in detail on why I started and continue to work on this series.  Thank you to all who support this effort with me.

You can click on the link HERE to see the entire article, or continue reading...

Beginning in 2008, I hit the road for three years to photograph America solo; living out of a tent and bringing along my dog for the ride. While traveling in Maine, I discovered a Bingo hall and it provoked a curiosity about a subculture that I was unaware of. What I discovered was a community of dedicated players who travel to the same place, set up in the same spot, and bring along the same good luck charms with the hopes that this will be the night that they win big. 

As I continued my travels across America, I also kept on my quest to find hidden or otherwise unknown bingo halls. When I found a location of one, I also found a sense of community that wasn’t expected.  Although many of the dedicated players may be aging, it’s something that they look forward to each week.  You might feel bad or sorry for some players because they come and leave alone but as I was talking to “B” in a hall in Fort Collins Colorado, she made a point to remind me that it, “beats sitting in front of the boob tube at home!”  

Each time I walked into an unknown bingo hall, I would try and find the most interesting person and introduce myself. After our initial introductions, we would start chatting away and I would listen to them talk about their family and friends throughout the night.  They would tell me about their kids, grandkids, great grandkids and sometimes, about the other players and their families.  Often, friends would come up and thank them for the “wonderful dip” or “delicious cake” that they brought to a party a week before. Early on, the topic of conversation would be about the game.  I often asked how to play, how many cards to buy, how many games will be played, etc. Since it’s something I know they already enjoy, it would be a bonding moment to gain their trust in order to take their photograph throughout the night.  Usually if I asked right away, they would be wary and say no but if I talked to them first, they would say yes. I would always get permission with the caller and people in charge first.  Most often than not, they would be flattered that I would stop to document their little corner of the country.  Sometimes, the caller would announce my name on the speaker and introduce me to the crowd.

Towards the back of the halls, you will find one of the locals making and serving treats behind the counter at the snack shack.  Lots of hot dogs and sometimes home made deviled eggs will be for sale.  If that’s the case, I always make sure I try the deviled eggs.  If the players are not eating the food that is being served, they will come with snacks and drinks of their own choosing and place them on the table with the rows and rows of good luck charms that many bring religiously each week including photos, troll dolls, baby dolls, animals made of wood, religious trinkets, and any other thing that they feel with bring them luck that night.  Most players come to the halls an hour early to stake their claim on table space.  I’ve seen players buy so many cards for one game that it usually takes up an entire eight foot table of space. I found that this is not uncommon.  What is uncommon would be a player like me that would play with just one card each game.

Beyond the initial attraction of going to a place I’ve never been, as the case of the bingo hall in Maine, it has turned out to be much more meaningful to me. I truly care about each person I meet and I enjoy listening to their stories.  I was lucky enough to be extremely close to my grandparents growing up and now that they are gone, this experience makes me feel close to them again in a way. I may never again see or hear from the players I meet, but by taking photographs, I will always have record of the people that dedicate themselves to the game and experience. Itʼs a place where hope and despair come hand in hand throughout the course of the night. Every location I encountered brought in a true sense of community, each with their unique set of personalities and characters. As I continued my travels and visits to traditional bingo halls across America, I realized I was looking at a cultural phenomenon that will be lost in order to make way for new technologies in gaming and social interaction. Once these dedicated players pass on, so will the bingo halls as we see them today.

Studio Shoot With Beautiful Models

The subjects of all of my photos are not models, but everyday Americans living their life.  I am drawn to individuals that don't blend in with crowds.  If I've taken your photograph and I have never met you, it's because there is something about you that I want to remember and capture in a photograph.  I was asked recently about how I know when I find someone that meets my personal aesthetic and it really has to do with their presence and the energy I get from them.  Once I see and feel it, I know.

I was interviewed by gallery owner, Kat Kiernan for the Kiernan Gallery blog  since "Brothers" was chosen as "Juror's Choice" by judge, Henry Horenstein.  I talked a little bit about why I choose the people I do to photograph as I wander around the country.

Last week, I photographed two models in a studio for the first time.  Most every portrait I take is an environmental portrait where people seem belong exactly where I found them, or you get a sense of place in the shot.  Being in a studio is a make believe atmosphere where the models will give you any emotion and mock up any situation you suggest to them.  On top of that, they are pretty.  Really pretty... Not that I have anything against beautiful models, but to me, it's not as interesting as someone I would find on the street.  It's almost like I am cheating because the image will already be easy on the eyes from the get go, although that's not what I am drawn to when I see a photograph I like.  I did enjoy the experience and both models were great sports doing what everyone asked of them.  My male model, Michael was right at home with his dog, Shilo.  They are so attached to each other that their expressions seems to look the same in each shot.

I can see why photographers like working in a studio.  The atmosphere is controlled and you can almost bring to life what you envisioned in your head.  I had a great time playing around so now I can check off working with models and working in a studio off of my list of things to do.  Thank you Michael and Charito for being great sports and excellent models!

PDN Emerging Photographer and F Stop Magazine

This morning I found out that one of my images in my "Bingo Culture" series was chosen by the editors of PDN to be the photograph of the week and month on their website!  The photograph they featured is one I took while I was in Fort Collins, Colorado last December.

Also, this morning I learned that five of my images were selected to be in the Portraits Exhibit Group Show featured on F Stop Magazine. I have screen shots from both.  My five images selected for F Stop Magazine are the bottom five on the left.

You can see PDN's site by clicking HERE and F Stop magazine by clicking HERE.

Meeting My Neighbors and Taking Their Portrait

I've lived in the same place for nine years...as far as I remember. I mean, I'm pretty sure it's been nine years.  When I travel, I rent my home out, but I have been living here the majority of the nine years.  Besides a few select neighbors, I have no idea who my neighbors are or what their life is like.  I see interesting people walk by and sometimes I wonder about who they are.  There are a few who walk by everyday like clockwork and I have a nickname for them, based on their style. I always look forward to "pirate" walking by and I hope to get his portrait one day.

When I'm on the road, I don't mind approaching strangers since they will never see me again most likely but when I'm in my own neighborhood, I tend to avoid meeting anyone that is within viewing distance.  It could be that I am pretty shy or might not have the energy to talk to anyone, or perhaps both.

One of my photography instructors told me in front of the class that I spend too much time in my head.  He is right.  Then I thought..."How does he know this?"

I tend to think and think about things and ideas until it drives me crazy and the only way to get it out is to do it.  Most likely this isn't the brightest of ways to motivate but it seems to have served me well for the most part.  I have to admit that sometimes it takes someone saying something to get me to take action.

I decided that it's time to talk to people that live around me.  The other night I went for a walk and smiled and said hello to everyone I passed by.  It's a fact, smiling is contagious.  For someone who usually puts her earphones in for a walk, I was surprised on how easy it is to meet people.  Not only meet them, but each person I met allowed me to take their portrait.  Sometimes I would start with a smile and a compliment while other times I didn't know what to say so I just blurted out, "may I take your portrait?" Not only did they say yes but many were flattered I asked and one woman was so thankful that I talked to her and said hello.  How could you have a bad day after an experience like that?

Do you know your neighbors?  I challenge you to say hello and introduce yourself.  I bet you will be glad you did.  Here are some of my neighbors I met on my walk yesterday.  I intend to continue to meet as many neighbors as I can in the next few months.

Day 3 - Sick at Disney

The next morning, we woke up early to go to EMH at MK.

I got up... and it was unbearable to swallow, my throat hurt so bad. My head was stuffed up, as well. This was the worst I had felt, yet.

I continued to get ready. Then my parents asked me if I really thought I should go. That's when.... I broke down and cried. I couldn't talk because my throat hurt so bad, which was a sign that going to MK this morning was a bad idea. So I got back in bed.

Mom said she would stay with me. I told her that I would be okay by myself and that she should go on and have fun. But I don't think a mother could have fun knowing that her daughter was sick back at the hotel. Mom told me that she was worried that if I stayed by myself that I would get sad, so she decided to stay with me.

I slept for awhile, then I woke up, and Mom and I watched a show about how cruise ships make their money. It was especially interesting, considering that we had just come from a cruise.

Meanwhile, Dad and Rachel had fun at MK.

Day 2 - Battling the New Year's Eve Crowds

We took the boat to Epcot and went in through the back.

We were shocked by the crowds. Epcot was PACKED.... with DRUNKS!!!

There were some people in cocktail dresses stumbling around... they must've come from bluezoo.





Idk how long it took us to navigate our way through the crowds and get to the American Pavilion. Lines there for food weren't that bad, but the table situation was terrible. There were tons of empty tables.... with no chairs!!! Finally, we spotted a family getting up and managed to grab that table. Ugg, the crowds were insane.

Okay, so after we ate our hotdogs in America, we decided to navigate our way back through the crowd and out of Epcot. It was much easier to leave than it was to get in.

We took the resort boat to DHS. We still had RnRC and ToT FPs to use.

So, our RnRC FPs were good to use, so we headed over there. They were no longer testing queueless waiting, and they had actually extended the queue area to accommodate bigger holiday crowds.


Dad enjoys the thrill of trying to sneak a photo of the ride photos before they disappear. Nice work, Dad.

So, it was 10:00. Our ToT FPs weren't good until 10:30. We were tired and didn't know what to do to kill half an hour (I realized later that we should've gone to Osborne Lights, but at the time, I was about to pass out. So we decided to leave DHS, head back to the Dolphin, then go back to our resort.



Dad paid the valet fee. And the valet guy ran away before my dad could tip him, so that saved us some money. I didn't feel quite so terrible... even though the whole parking situation was a bit of an inconvenience, as well as an extra expense. Eventually, I might get over this embarassment. Not now, though.



We got back to the resort, and my Dad wanted to know where we could watch the fireworks over the lagoon from. So, he asked a young CM working the Concierge desk what options there were. Now, this guy was probably in CP... probably new on this job... he had obviously never gotten this question before. ("Fireworks? Disney has fireworks???") He suggested that we stand out in the parking lot. Actually, we probably could've seen the fireworks from there, but that wasn't the answer we were expecting.

So we get back to the room, and Dad is wondering if we should head over to the GF or Poly to watch the New Year's fireworks. I was tired and really just needed to go to bed. Rachel told Dad that she didn't really care to see any fireworks if he'd let her ring in the New Year in an adult way. And he went for it. So Dad went to buy Rachel a New Year's Eve gift, and I took a shower and went to bed.

Happy New Year!