February

Point Lobos, CA - Portra 160

February is here. In a few (very few) days, I’ll be 33. And I:

- Still don’t have a clue about what to do with my life;
- Still pretty much hate this brazilian weather;
- Still underestimate my work;
- Still chose the most mentally weak players to root for;
- Still don’t feel safe in my own skin;
- Still can’t coordinate colors;
- Still dress like a crazy homeless person;
- Still listen to Etta James out loud on “those days”;
- Still feel safe when I’m in his arms;
- Still am broke;
- Still am glad january is over.

Last week I lost a really good friend. It was a stupid death. He had a giant headache from an insolation and people in the hospital gave him a medicine which he was allergic to. It was very, very sad. He was a couple months younger than me and had a beautiful 2yo daughter. 

RIP, my dear friend

California V - Muir Woods

I totally forgot to post about Muir Woods! It should have been posted before Yosemite, haha.

It happens, right?! Before late than never!

It is such a beautiful place. You’ll probably remember it from the new Planet of the Apes series. It is Ceasar’s home. But let me tell you, it didn’t remind me of the movie... One scene I remember clearly was James Franco’s character and the girlfriend having a picnic there. But there are MANY signs informing that is forbidden to eat anywhere in the park. Haha. I took a lot of food and a nice towel and all I did was eat an energy bar in the middle of the trail.

Anyway... I just wished we could have spent more time there. We were in a hurry to hit the road to Yosemite... The sun was setting at 5pm, and we didn’t wanna take the road in a complete darkness (which happened anyway). Even though, we had enough time to take one trail and enjoy what nature has to offer. :)

Funny story: I took this Velvia roll before the Wine Tour we did. By the time we were leaving the hotel I mistook this one, that was expired, thinking it was the other Velvia 100 that is not so expired. I only noticed what I did when I got back from the lab. Now I put a yellow mark in all very expired rolls, so I’ll never mistake them again. Haha, living and learning.

Nikon F100
35mm f1.4G
Fuji Velvia 100 (exp 2009)

Le chat

Boris Becker, always making my days happier...

Nikon F100
50mm f1.8D
Portra 160

Inspirational Wednesday

Anton Corbijn

If you don’t know his work yet, baby, you have to do it, NOW. He’s one of the best photographers of all time (in my modest opinion) and probably the reason why I decided to photograph. His work change the way we (or at least I) see photography in the music business. He started as a music photographer, being friends with the guys and then his talent introduce to new bands and then other bands, then he started to work for a lot of fashion magazines (because he was doing something totally new) and sort of mixed it all. The music shots were more fashion, and his fashion shots were totallly rock’n’roll. And, since he never settles, now he’s in Hollywood! I loved all of the films he directed and can’t wait for “Life” to be released (about the photographer who is assigned to shoot James Dean).

I have a bunch of favorite photos here, but the ones I really, really like are all of the Nirvana photos (I think nobody portrayed the band as good as he did) and the Metallica shots from 95 to 01, specially the Reload booklet photos. They are probably my all time favorite (unfortunately I didn’t find any throughout the web, and don’t have a scanner here to prove my point).

There’s an excellent documentary about his work called “Inside Out”. Sometimes it is on Youtube, sometimes they remove it. You can find it here, but I don’t know until when. Run. :) It is half english half dutch, but comprehensible. 

There’s also a film he did for Leica, with photography tips, which I find adorable! 

Hope you like it! 

California IV - Yosemite

I love mountains. Always did, since a little girl. So you can imagine how happy I was to visit Yosemite National Park for the fist time. The park was all autumn-yellow, like a painting. Cold (there were snow in a few higher points), but not too cold. For me, it was the perfect weather.

The bad thing was that, since it was autumn, and Califa is on a drought period, the biggest waterfall was almost dry, and so was the Mirror Lake. But other than that, it was a lovely time I spent there. When I think about Yosemite, a smile just show up in my face.

A (not so) fun fact: I almost didn’t shoot on film there. My fiancé took my digital and shot almost everything with it, I grabbed the camera whenever I saw something TRULY interesting. And since I was on vacation and didn’t wanna miss the moment, I kind of kept everything inside my head. It doesn’t sound like me, I’m always shooting everything and everybody, but I needed the rest. For the eyes, the mind and the body. Not mentioning the soul.

The half dome. My second favorite (the firt one was El Captain, which, funny enough, I don’t have on film)

Nikon F100
35mm f1.4G
Kodak Portra 160

Monday bubbles

Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.

Jane Austen 

Alcatraz in Colors - Chapter 2

Back to the Alcatraz in colors. I already told you I didn’t like the development and the colors of this particular film, right? But the only ones I did like were those from Alcatraz because, in a strange way, these tones remind me of the Clint Eastwood movie “Escape from Alcatraz”. Don’t you think they do? I’m not crazy, am I? Haha. Do you get what I’m saying?

Did I mention I miss San Francisco? California didn’t catch my heart they way Paris did, but it still one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visit. From up north in San Francisco to down, really down south in San Diego (I almost passed the Mexican border), California is the kind of trip everybody has to do at least once in their lives. There are tons of pictures yet to share with you, hope you’re not bored.

Nikon F100
35mmf1.4G
Portra 160

15 things

Mushrooms in a trail in Point Lobos, CA. One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.

There we are. 15 resolutions for 2015.

(Believe me, I could come up with 112, but I though it would be prettier like that, 15 things to do in 15)

1:: Get more exercises;

I thing this is in everybody lists, right? While I was traveling I felt my body complaining all the time. It was a very physical trip. Lots of trails and bike rides. I’m not 20 anymore, but sometimes my body feels like 80. Got to change that. 

2:: Eat healthier;

I eat well, don’t get me wrong. My weakness is chocolate. Always has. 

3:: Travel more;

2014 was a slow year in terms of traveling. It only got good in the end, with California calling. But the rest of the year was really all working. Maybe that something to balance more.

4:: Learn (decent) french;

I’ve had french lessons for 2 years, in 2010 and 2011. I learn to comunicate, and I still understand so much better than I speak. 

5:: Get more organized;

This item is on my list since I remember making lists. But I truly believe 2015 will be the year I’ll be organized. 

6:: Blog more;
I’ll try to be more present here. And to be less critical with my photos. And to feel less guilty when I post something that doesn’t feel like the next best thing.

7:: Photograph more for fun;
2014 I rarely photographed for fun. Work consumed me. This blog was, in a way, a means to that. So I think, technically, 6 and 7 are the same. haha.

8:: Volunteer;
I use to do that a lot through college. And it felt so good. Don’t know why I stop doing. 

9:: Read at least 2 books per month;
I tried to do 1 book a month in 2014 and failed! Haha, even though, I’ll try to do it better. 

10:: Get back on the tennis court and learn to serve;
I love watching tennis, you all know that. I use to play a bit, just for fun, but until this very day I can’t serve, can you believe it? 

11:: Save money;
The thing is: I can’t deal with money. I always spend more than I earn, I make loans, I miss deadlines and I regret nothing. 

12:: Worry a little bit more on what I wear;
I’m not so much of a fashion person. I would leave the house in my pajamas, if it was socially ok. 

13:: Buy less make up (or wear more the ones I already have);
I buy tons of makes, but usually just wear mascara and concealer. 

14:: Watch more movies;
Just because is something I love, it makes me happy and I wanna be a happier person. :)

15:: Last, but not least: STOP PROCRASTINATING.
No explanation needed. 

And you?

And, of course, Happy 2015 for y’all! May this be the best year of our lives so far.

Alcatraz in Colors - Chapter 1

Some appendix from the Californication series. For some reason I hadn’t developed this film yet! The first film I used in San Francisco, because it was already in my camera.

A bit of Alcatraz in colors.

I must say (and it hurts to say it), but after developing my films at Richard Photo Lab, I’m a bit spoiled. Didn’t like this development that much. I’ll try to scan again some other time, maybe it helps.

Leaving San Francisco. Did I mention I’m in love with this place? 

Alcatraz seen from the sea

When arriving at the island, this guys provides us a bit of Alcatraz history.

Nikon F100
35mm f1.4G
Portra 160

Things I like lately

I love this tag in other blogs so much that I decided to do something similar around here.

Things I like:

- Being engaged! After 15 years together. I thought it wouldn’t be much different, but I must say I enjoy saying to people “let me check with my fiancé first” even when I don’t need to check with him first. It feels good.
- Spend the 23rd anniversary of my father’s death walking around with my goddaughter. I had to leave a few films at the lab and she made me company. I walked by my grandma old house, where I spent the whole “day” crying, 23 years ago. The house belongs to someone else now, and it’s all different. And to walk by that sad place, with a new life, knowing some how his blood still runs through her veins also made me think of how big this all is. He is alive with me in so many ways.
- Listening to the new Foo Fighters album. Good music from the guys I have loved since forever always cheers me on. I’ve always been a huge Nirvana fan, even before Kurt die, and have been following Foo Fighters since the very beginning. And when “follow” was more than a button on a Twitter/Facebook page. It meant buying records, going to concerts, buy pirate (which at that point meant live shows recorded underhand), buying magazines, and all that. And Dave have never failed on me.
- That the tennis season is about to begin! Finally my days (and nights) will be filled with the little yellow ball and much tension. Hope 2015 will be Roger’s year again!
- The book I got from my sisters-in-law. I love french cooking, love to cook, and the book is so well done. Beautiful pictures (pictures capture me more than the recipes, I must confess), cute drawings and very nice approach.
- That I’m writing again! It’s not gonna be a best seller, I warn you, but I like to write, haven’t done in a while but one day I woke up and felt like doing it.


Things I don’t like

- My neighbors have a rooster and it crows everyday from 1am until noon. It’s impossible to have a decent sleep.
- The heat is unbearable. Last night it was 39C at 10pm. THIRTY NINE DEGREES. At TEN PM. I wonder how I’m going to survive until the end of the summer.
- The feeling post-amazing-trip: when everything seems so boring. I have to learn how to get back at reality.

From the archives: Boris Becker, a little out of focus, but very charming either way. 

California III

During that week we spent at San Francisco, we decided to take the wine tour through Napa and Sonoma. It was a really beautiful sunny day (I already shared one photo in this post). The wines there are soooo good. I end up buying a Chardonnay at the Sonoma Winery we visited (where the portrait from the other post was taken), I believe it’s called Richolson Nicholson Ranch or something. If you ever go there, buy their Chardonnay. It was the best I’ve ever tasted and I regret had bought only one.

And the food there is also amazing, we had lunch somewhere around Napa at a place called “Pacific Blue”. I ordered the Veggie Burger, and it was from out of this world! Seriously. 

The other thing I forgot to mention before: when in California, try to get your films developed at Richard Photo Lab. Their work is amazing, really (if the picture didn’t come out as I expect I’m the only one to blame, haha), and I don’t need to say that. From their giant client list you must know that. It was fun to know the place and the people working there. It is in LA, at North La Brea Av, 979 . and they have parking which is a plus considering you're in LA. I didn’t developed all my films in there, because they got lost in my luggage and when I find there wasn’t enough time, so if you’re organized and smart, try to develop all of them. You won’t be sorry. 

Entrance of one of the Wineries we visited.

I tell him all the time: if our kids don’t have his eyes, I will divorce him immediately! (it’s a joke, of course!)

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a wedding here? 

Nikon F100

35mm f1.4G

Velvia 100 (exp 2009)