www.instagram.com/theleelaproject/
Earlier this year, I was asked by a friend to be apart of The Leela Project. They're a great non-profit organization that does a lot of community outreach. Recently they have been focusing on a community of group homes that houses teenage boys. They've done things such as donate backpacks and haircuts to taking them to USC for a tour of the football camp and the campus. There's lots of exciting projects coming up this year, and I can't wait to be apart of them. www.instagram.com/theleelaproject/
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I was lucky to photograph Vanessa in her beautiful First Communion dress. I was even more lucky that the girl who never smiles for pictures gave me ONE big smile!In 2012, my father was murdered. A few days later, my family arranged a car wash to help raise funds. At the car wash, I met a woman that asked if she could have a flier with my dad's picture for a walk she was participating in. The next day, I participated in my very first Walk for Kids. There I saw that same woman with a picture of my dad pinned to her back. I cried on the spot. I couldn't believe that a complete stranger took the time to help out my cause. Now the Ronald McDonald House Walk for Kids is not a charity for crime victims (although there are great ones out there), but it is a very special organization that comes together to help out families in need. Anytime I am asked what my favorite thing to photograph is, my answer is always the Ronald McDonald House Walk for Kids. I love capturing the energy of people's passion. I love seeing people coming together to do some good. Many of these people, like myself, have never had to use the services of the Ronald McDonald House, but they are still so excited to help out. I love seeing organizations such as Target, Wells Fargo, H&R Block take time on their day off to uplift the spirits of the families that are worn down by their current situation, much like I was uplifted by that woman's small act back in 2012. I love photographing the Walk for Kids because it reminds me every year that there is always time to do something good for someone else. Always. This is the town I grew up in. It's small, family oriented and well..not that fabulous, but it's home. A friend asked who wanted to capture the charm that our small town had to offer and I immediately jumped at the chance. We had a great time. We exchanged stories, showed each other our favorite spots, and even found things we've never seen before! Look what happens when you stop to observe. What a beautiful thing to be able to witness two souls finding each other. I'm so happy for my good friend (and kindred spirit) Juanita. She is engaged to the charming Daniel. I was more than honored to be able to capture this special moment in their lives. Best of luck to them! Code Red Airsoft Park is back in business and better than ever. These guys closed down their location in Colton last year. They've been working hard rebuilding and have finally opened back up. They have tons of new fields and great ideas to keep growing. The turnout out for the grand opening was great. Good food, great prizes and lots of fun. Proud of these guys. Check out their Facebook to keep up to date with their events! https://www.facebook.com/coderedairsoft/?fref=ts My favorite photo shoots are when people are completely themselves. I just follow them with my camera and capture it all. That's exactly what happened with these guys. We went on a daring adventure of bank robbers, fighting crime and saving the day. Their imaginations are huge and it was so much fun! I was really excited when my brother and his girlfriend asked me to take their holiday photos. Of all my siblings, my brother and I are the most alike. so I knew that he would be okay with tossing tradition aside and going along with my spontaneous adventure. They went along with everything and even waited for me to build a set just for them. Thanks Andy and Diana! Soles4Souls is this fantastic organization that collects and distributes shoes to communities that cannot afford them. They distribute gently used as well as brand new shoes all over the world. They hold events during Barefoot Week where they pick schools all across America to give shoes out. When I saw a posting for a photographer, I immediately applied to help. One of the schools that was picked was Bandini Elementary in San Diego, CA. Soles4Souls gave a pair of brand new shoes to every student there. It was so exciting to capture the happiness and gratitude that these students expressed. If you haven't heard of Sole4Souls, check them out and found a way to help them continue to spread goodness. I went to Barrio Art Crawl for the first time. It's near downtown San Diego. Not only does the art reflect the Chicano culture, but it also showcases unique art forms that really show the diversity of the city. We first went to The Glashaus. I got to meet this artist named Doreen Mellen. She's an 80 year old ceramic artist. All her work is 100% handmade! She also uses EVERY piece of clay she has. All leftovers are then created into other art pieces. La Bodega studio was by far my favorite. It was fresh and alive. It featured live artists painting on the scene and offered an interaction between artist and viewer. I'm a really big fan of glass art and wire art. They're art forms that I've attempted to work with back in college. Key word is attempted haha. These materials are hard for me to work with. I have great respect for the artists who have mastered these forms!
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AuthorThis blog is where I share my favorite things: favorite images from sessions, favorite places I've been, favorite foods..whatever makes me happy! ^-^ Archives
May 2016
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