Hollister Rally 2014

My pal Jason and I rode down to Hollister, CA and went to the rally yesterday. It's more or less a showcase for Harley-Davidson bikes with enormous credit lines taken out to fund the work on. But it's an amazing people-watching spot and was a great way to escape the fog and explore some killer back roads..

I'd thought the history included a Hollister Harley manufacturing site, but it turn out that it's all based on a riot that happened after the AMA's Gypsy Tour rally, the weekend of July 3-6, 1947. Reportedly a minor scuffle, the small riot was sensationalized by the press and began the stereotype image of bikers being violent, drug-addled sex freaks. It's actually a cool story that you can visit here. The movie the Wild One was based on these reports and has added to the drama and popularity of the event.

Today it's more or less a place to show off your bike, your girlfriend, and buy stuff, hang with your bros and watch bands and drink beer. All in all a fun place to ride to on a vintage bike with a camera:

Jason and Jesse are totally missing the pink-shirt hottie to the left

hangin' out. literally.

no idea.. father and son?

heading to Jawbone Canyon store

 my favorite photo of the day

hella damn teenage boys

"If you can read this the bitch fell off" describes these two. Drunk-kicking the hand sanitizer....

Crüella (obviously an all-girl Mötley Crüe cover band..)

these went on for table after table...

this guy was sweet and wanted a copy of this.. I think his wife was maybe done with Hollister

best custom bike there

your photographer at the Vest Fest 2014!

Skylock for Velo-Labs

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a local company interested in having me shoot their new bicycle lock. Velo-Labs turned out to be a really small company with a great vision: create a bicycle lock that has remote, phone app-operated entry.

It was a pleasure working with them. We collaborated on ideas for shots, based on some tear sheets, but for the most part they were willing to give me creative freedom to illustrate their lock. I truly enjoyed working with Velo-Labs on their Skylock and wish them the best!

the lock, a bike / the lock on a bike 

Killer Reviews:

- a review by C-Net here
- a review by Wired here
- a review by Gizmodo here
- a review by NPR here

- an awesome introductory video here 

Proof that a Toyota Matrix can do it all! 

(note the two 9' seamless paper rolls at top left)

Hike through the railroad tunnel at Donner Pass

On a rather balmy afternoon last week we hiked through an abandoned railroad tunnel at Donner Pass, look at graffiti and some artists at work, and saw a view of the mountain we'd never seen before.

Tony at the Oddfellow's Hall, Reno

Today I woke up early, intent on making a photo at this mural in Reno. 

One can see it from Interstate 80, and it turns out that it decorates the outer wall of the Reno Oddfellows Hall. It was rather hard to find, due to it being a private parking lot to a private building.

The rock and the tree peeking over the top are all I feel like saying about the rest of the space..

 

The colors tell a bit maybe of what hellfire might do to the sky, and what a flood might do to the desert, but are really cool and make for a great mural.

Looking westward from Sugarbowl's Mount Disney, this is a bit of what you actually see up in the mountains. The only orange is in a big warning not to make ski patrol have to come find you if you go beyond the sign.

standing in under the tree..

Babes in the Wood: Francesca

MacLaren Park

I've lived in San Francisco for 16 years, yet only been to this park three times now. And all within the last five months.

Francesca lives very near this park and has recently been introduced to dirtbiking. She took to it pretty passionately, so we decided to have her wear her gear and make a portrait in this park next to a pretty amazing tree.

I set up loving the little patches of sunlight coming through the background, but eventually they disappeared and I followed the light up the hill. Up here I had her climb a tree and hang, inspired a bit by the Katniss pictured in a Hunger Games poster she has in her room.

Portrait / Not a Portrait

Ski Season 2014. 

Again, seasons passes to the slopes, and time to push the boundary of what's mundane and challenge myself to make some new photos while on the road.

The added knowledge of learning that my portrait subject is beginning to dread this ritual, I am trying to learn to make quick decisions on what will be photogenic and what will be worth the set-up and standing-around time. Deciding to poke around more in the tilt-up warehouse region of suburban Sparks, we drove until I found this play of light and shadow.

 

There is something interesting to me in taking a portrait of someone, but making them a minor element. As this project progresses I find that I'm more drawn to the photos with less of Tony and more of a setting Tony happens to be in.

The wall without artificial lighting and without human.

poor little snow-barren Sugar Bowl

some miscellaneous notes for next time:

ate brekke here

learn to ski moguls better

gas was $3.35 at Arco in Auburn

Raider Nation

A few weeks ago I drove south on 880, and passed O.Co Coliseum. At first I thought there was a hardcore industrial fire happening there, but then realized it was game day and the smoke of 5000 BBQs was coloring the sky a hazy blue.

Realizing this was the heart of the wildest fan base in the NFL, I decided I'd visit the next home game with my camera and check it out close-up:

Absolutely a secular ritual involving a most-devout congregation, the Oakland Raiders tailgate party was one of the more amazingly passionate gatherings of people I've ever experienced. I feel now that one is not a true resident of the Bay Area until experiencing it... and I will be returning!

more photos here