A photo journal comprised of my thoughts on motherhood and other life happenings, as well as some of professional work as a photographer. Southern California is home.
Can’t say the sign didn’t warn them | Baja, Mexico
Janet gave me a copy of Hamburger Eyes for Christmas and the collection of everyday, totally random, gritty images has yet to leave my mind. It prompted me, in fact, to go through several of my own photos; photos I snapped years ago, with a fresh eye and a comparatively shitty camera. The result has been falling in love with images I had totally forgotten I took and others I knew I had but never really knew what I’d do with; images I snapped for the same reason the folks at Hamburger Eyes select the images to print that they do: to document and record “the continuing story of life on earth”; the tragic, the comedic, the ironic. And so, I’ve spent much of my morning sifting through several of my images from Nicaragua, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Thailand, India, Egypt, and more. And now, I just can’t stop.
When I was a teenager, I used to always buy Jones soda at this little grocery store on PCH near Zuma Beach. I bought it because I liked their Root Beer, but more than that, I was always drawn to the photos they picked to put on their custom labels. They had information on the bottle about how you could submit your own photos to potentially end up on one of their labels. And they’d pick the most random, awesome, images. Hamburger Eyes, for me, is reminiscent of Jones Soda labels only with more edge and grit, because – well – not many supermarkets will carry a soda with an image of a bride sniffing cocaine. But in a world where anything would go, I have no doubt Jones Soda would have gone for it.
So grateful to Hamburger Eyes for having a place for these kinds of photos to potentially breath and live. Even if they look at my submission and tell me to eat dirt, the time I’ve spent sorting through them has been a walk down memory line and just the reminder I needed as we kick off this new year that life is short and experiences are everything.
And just like that, I sent my first (in what I hope will be many) emails to the lady who hooks us up with information on how to get back to Cuba. Let’s do this, 2015.
Ronald’s Play Place (a standalone structure, not connected to a McDonalds) | Panama
Protect yo’ lady | San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua
He’s got party confetti spilling out of his right pocket | San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua
Words for the wise | Nicaragua
Remember when Brittany Spears got a lot of shit for driving with her kid on her lap? Me too | Granada, Nicaragua
Piss happens | Granada, Nicaragua
Juxtaposition | Granada, Nicaragua
Juxtaposition, part II | Granada, Nicaragua
Street style | Dominican Republic
Stickball | Dominican Republic
Beach style | Dominican Republic
The birds and the bees, and the dogs too | Dominican Republic
Prey | Bayahibe, Dominican Republic
Childhood | Bayahibe, Dominican Republic
What Hooper looks like when carrying all his shit to bed | Dominican Republic
Caution: water may be shallow | Baja, Mexico
If the man in the painting came to life and if the scooter was moving | New Orleans, Louisiana
See no evil | Casablanca, Morocco
The tooth fairy’s recycling center | Marrakech, Morocco
A couple somewhere in middle America
Marrakech, Morocco
Don’t worry, it’s fake — I think | Malta
Did you know that VW’s trunks are in the front? | Alexandria, Egypt
Merman | Alexandria, Egypt
Move over bicyclists, share the road | Delhi, India
You can help by getting me out of here | Kashmir, Pakistan
“Fancy” ice cream is the best ice cream in town. You can find it just behind the piles of rubble and trash | Kashmir, Pakistan
Giving Santa Monica street performers a run for their money | Kashmir, Pakistan
Hopefully the little guy has a Wu-Tang sword | Kashmir, Pakistan
When shade is limited | Jaipur, India
Shop ’til you drop | Bangkok, Thailand
Men will always find pussy | Bangkok, Thailand
When American culture meets Thai religion | Bangkok, Thailand
The sign in our hostel that basically says no bringing Thai hookers upstairs, or up stays… you decide | Bangkok, Thailand
The Salton Sea, where the locals are always prepared | Bombay Beach, California
You can read more about Hamburger Eyes by clicking here and check out their Instagram feed by clicking here.
16 Responses
Ha. Loved this post. Real, authentic images. Your captions gave me a good laugh, too.
Love the captions, especially the one about what Hooper looks like carrying his shit to bed. Ha! I don’t know if I’ve seen all of these. Most of them, yes, but not all. What adventures you’ve had!
I think I said “oh my!” for every picture. Oh my, I love this collection. I’m very glad you shared it! And I have a question. When you are out and about and come across a captivating person, how do you go about asking to take their photo? I always chicken out, myself. Anyhoo, thank you again for your shares!
Oh I used to be SO nervous about approaching people. I’d get the worst butterflies and I’d choke on my words and appear so awkward. But I’d do it. And I think I finally got to the point where I had done it enough that it didn’t make me so nervous anymore. I was in AZ last summer and saw a couple that totally caught my eye. I didn’t even ask, I just walked right up and grabbed the girl by the shoulders and turned her the direction I wanted her to stand. Ha. So I guess I just got over it at some point. Paying people compliments also helps… “I love the light is hitting you” is one I use often because it makes it more about the light and less about them so they’re less self conscious (more of a you’re in the right spot at the right time approach)… or I’ll tell them exactly why I want to photograph them (which is usually something flattering) — like the couple in AZ, I think I said something like, “I’m not even going to ask your permission because you’re so beautiful that I won’t take no for an answer — and I’ll email you these images” – ha. Be like Nike and just do it — it gets easier in time and you’ll find your footing.
Shiiiiiiiieeet¡¡¡ Not a single picture from Guatemala?????? pero señorita, que pasó???? You and J were very blessed and lucky to experience in a few years, what some people do not achieve during a whole life. There is enough material from your experiences around the world that even your grandchildren will be amazed¡ Got to write a book. You guys are total celebreties to my eyes. Thanks.
I don’t think I even owned a camera when we went to Guatemala. Actually, I did, but they were all film shots… that I printed somewhere and sadly live in some box tucked away in some corner of some closet. You know what that means, right? We need to go back. All of us.
Ha. Loved this post. Real, authentic images. Your captions gave me a good laugh, too.
Thanks, Marin.
Yep. Perfect. All of it.
Aw, thanks Kate.
Love the captions, especially the one about what Hooper looks like carrying his shit to bed. Ha! I don’t know if I’ve seen all of these. Most of them, yes, but not all. What adventures you’ve had!
I think I said “oh my!” for every picture. Oh my, I love this collection. I’m very glad you shared it! And I have a question. When you are out and about and come across a captivating person, how do you go about asking to take their photo? I always chicken out, myself. Anyhoo, thank you again for your shares!
Oh I used to be SO nervous about approaching people. I’d get the worst butterflies and I’d choke on my words and appear so awkward. But I’d do it. And I think I finally got to the point where I had done it enough that it didn’t make me so nervous anymore. I was in AZ last summer and saw a couple that totally caught my eye. I didn’t even ask, I just walked right up and grabbed the girl by the shoulders and turned her the direction I wanted her to stand. Ha. So I guess I just got over it at some point. Paying people compliments also helps… “I love the light is hitting you” is one I use often because it makes it more about the light and less about them so they’re less self conscious (more of a you’re in the right spot at the right time approach)… or I’ll tell them exactly why I want to photograph them (which is usually something flattering) — like the couple in AZ, I think I said something like, “I’m not even going to ask your permission because you’re so beautiful that I won’t take no for an answer — and I’ll email you these images” – ha. Be like Nike and just do it — it gets easier in time and you’ll find your footing.
love the juxtaposition b/w this post and your previous one. pretty versatile.
Merman, See no evil. GREAT SHOTS!
Thanks, Ama.
Every single one of these photos is amazing! You could make your own book!
I’m sayiinnnnnn…
Aw, thanks Anne.
And J…
Shiiiiiiiieeet¡¡¡ Not a single picture from Guatemala?????? pero señorita, que pasó???? You and J were very blessed and lucky to experience in a few years, what some people do not achieve during a whole life. There is enough material from your experiences around the world that even your grandchildren will be amazed¡ Got to write a book. You guys are total celebreties to my eyes. Thanks.
I don’t think I even owned a camera when we went to Guatemala. Actually, I did, but they were all film shots… that I printed somewhere and sadly live in some box tucked away in some corner of some closet. You know what that means, right? We need to go back. All of us.