Christmas was great. I know it's a little late to be talking about Christmas but I was really happy that my family was able to get together and really enjoy ourselves. Even though I was sick I still felt the warmth of family and love. It's not easy getting my dad's side together but this year we made an effort and it was a success! The best part of it all was on Christmas day when the voices and laughter of everyone filled the table with happiness.

Aside from my Christmas, I was able to finally meet one our newest members to the family. This little guy is only 5 months and already a stud! I couldn't resist taking some shots of him! Then again, how could I when he's my lil' cousin!

Last Friday I received a very unexpected and pleasant call from a new friend of mine. After hanging up I turned to my mom, with whom I was having lunch with, and told her that a friend of mine had asked me to take some headshots of him. I was really excited because I had recently bought a new 50mm f1.8 lens and this would be the first time I'd get to use it.

So, yesterday I show up and Salim is still getting ready. It was cold and every time I exhaled, I could see my breath. We went to a park near my house and got to work. Salim, here's your sneak peek!




Thanks for the pink lemonade!

**On a side note. I'm offering $50.00 head shots for the month of January. All month long. You'll get 20 of the best exposures on CD and unlimited clothing changes. One location.

When my professor announced that we were going to be able to choose whatever subject we wanted for our last photo story, I was excited. The first topic that popped into my head was the dump. But it really wasn't the dump that I was thinking of, it was a transfer station in Riverside that I had once gone to with my dad. We went once to unload a truck full of trash from one of my dad's construction sites. It was the most amazing place I had seen because I never really wondered where my trash went. I threw my trash away and didn't think twice. But what was more interesting was the recycling center on the other side of the trash section. A series of conveyor belts and employees at the side of them cleaning up the recyclables.

Burrtec is California's largest waste company. Here are the pictures from my photo story.

This is where the residential trash enters. This is also where Burrtec loads up trucks and sends them to the city dump.


The conveyor belts...very noisy and very scary.

These people separate anything that isn't paper from the paper. It's a fast and physical job and most of the employees have been at Burrtec since they opened the recycling center in 2004.
The final product of the recycled paper. This is the paper that you put into your blue bins at home. Burrtec makes these cubes weighing some 10,000 pounds. They ship these out to Asia and other parts of the world that use recycled material to make products. This station ships no less than 200 tons a day of these paper cubes.

Randy Mills is the operations manager at Burrtec's Agua Mansa station in Riverside, CA. He makes sure that all the state and city regulations concerning recycling and health are met every day. Work begins at 5 am and clean up can sometimes run until 10pm.
A nice pictorial...
This machine separates the 3-D items from the paper.
That's all trash-not recyclables.
This is a new division of Burrtec at the Agua Mansa station. The green waste section. The ending product of this green waste is made into soil and sod that can be resold to the public. Burrtec tries to recycle and reuse all the waste they can so that they minimize the amount of trash that goes out to the landfills.

I was amazed when I first saw this place and even more astounded at how much Burrtec strives to recycle and reuse, and we should try to do the same as much as we possibly can.

A few months ago my sister asked if I could shoot some stuff for her make up portfolio. She is an awesome make up artist and also does hair. She works at weddings and other special events.

I knew she was talented and always had an eye for what looks good on certain people, but she definitely blew me away. Since then first couple of shoots, we've decided to set up mini make over sessions to get more work into both of our portfolios.

If you are interested in being a part of the sessions, just shoot me an email and send me your name, phone number, and a picture of what you look like. We'll keep it on file for our next session.

Here are some shots from our sessions:

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time to really sit and be grateful for all the things that are right and good in life. Here's my list:

~ My family. They have always been there for me through everything. The thick and thin.

~My close friends. They are my support system and are always there to listen and give me their honest opinions.

~The fact that I get to do my photography and really enjoy what I do. Even if the photos are just for me.

~My photojournalism class which has taught me to get outside my own box and really get out there and not only get the assignment done, but really enjoy it and really learn from it. To walk away with more than a picture.

~That Crazy 8 hired me as a part timer so that I can have some money while I start getting my biz going. You can't have a business with out investment. So, I have to work to invest.

~To all the people whom I have photographed...you are truly great and thank you for letting me shoot you.

Those are all my thank yous and I wish everyone reading this a very happy thanksgiving. And remember, there is always someone to thank.



***UPDATE: I no longer work at Crazy 8; but they have killer deals on their clothes [kids sizes 7 lbs-14]. Wish they fit me...oh well. :o)

Halloween was so great. All these little 1 and 2 yo in cute costumes. I saw a ducky, a chick, and even a skunk. So cute! However, none seemed to top my neighbor's daughter who will be turning 2 yo in March of next year. She is just adorable and was so excited to go trick or treating she kept jumping around and smiling so big! It was just too cute!

Isn't she super cute! I can't get enough!

A couple of years ago, some new people in the house to the left of ours, moved in. Not too long after did we start finding a little girl no more than 3 years old coming into our yard playing in the dirt (back then we didn't have grass). We would shoo her away because we didn't know her and she should really not be unsupervised. As time passed, she started coming over and befriended my mom. She would be over for hours playing and keeping herself entertained and playing with our golden retriever, Honey.

Two years later, L, 5 years old now, spends her days here at my house. Lets just say she rather be at our house than her own. She colors and watches Alice in Wonderland twice, eats and helps us clean up sometimes. L
fits right in and we have been watching her grow.

Lately, she's been coming over and hanging out with me, she colors mostly. Today, I thought, why not take some cute photos of her. The sun was going down and I thought it'd be perfect lighting. It most certainly was. She loves to pose in front of the camera too, with big huge smiles, and I couldn't have asked for more.

A few weeks ago I was able to convince my cousin to take some maternity photos of her. She's 8 months and doesn't show one bit! My sister was so great when she said we could use her bedroom-there's a huge window and the lighting was to die for. I just can't wait to see what he'll look like...and hopefully I'll convince her to let me take his newborn photos!



and this wonderful black and white of her...shown with her permission of course!


Can't wait for little Julian (another thing I'm trying to convince her on) to be here!

***HUGE Edit: The reason my cousin didn't have a belly was because the doctor was two months off! Crazy huh? So here she is only 6 months and little Eugene is still on his way. :o)

When I see the homeless people at the on-ramps or off-ramps on freeways, I usually smile and nod my head in acknowledgment. I have to admit that I used to be one of those people who silently thought "Get a job." But today my perspective was completely changed and for the better.

I met some amazing people today and learned about their story. The streets are very difficult to live in and I am very honored to have met the strongest people I am now fortunate to know.

My story isn't done, tomorrow I'm attending a "Feeding" at a local church. I am looking forward to the more people I will meet and the more stories I will get to hear.

Off ramp on the 14 Street exit of the 91 West. From what they told me, they're not supposed to be less than 500 feet away from the ramps of any freeway or they get ticketed. But they are allowed to purchase a license, however, many take the tickets the police hand out because they don't have enough for a license to solicit. All they have money for is food.

This is Diane. She has been homeless for 4 years. Came out from Arizona where her children currently reside. When I asked her why she doesn't seek help from them she simply answered, "Because mama can take care of herself, they don't need me to hold them down." She and her boyfriend, Brian, whom I didn't meet, live in a campsite and clean apartments from time to time to earn extra money. She normally doesn't "fly" (holding the sign) on weekends because she leaves that time to her boyfriend, her kitten, and her dog. "We take care of the animals better than people with homes, that's why we always have them." When I asked if it was worth it to "fly" she replied, "Well I don't normally fly on the weekend but you never know. Some days are good and I'll get my $15 and other days I don't nothing. Once I got a $200 hit and I said to myself, 'I'm going home, there is no reason for me to be greedy.' On Tuesdays, as soon as I have enough I'll walk to Jack in the Box and get those taco Tuesdays and take like 40 of them home. Once I get enough for food. I'm done for the day."

She and I talked for about 2 hours and as cars passed by they would look and stare. Some even thought I was homeless too. She explained that after her house burnt down, she ended up on the streets; until her and her boyfriend acquired a tent. "We can't get a job because we can't get I.D.'s and we can't get an I.D. with out our Social Security Card. So yeah, it's hard out here. If I could get a job, I would."

This is another person in the group, she became homeless because of domestic violence. She was thrown out and since then been on the street. She was a very sweet person. When I asked to take photos, she quickly combed her hair and began smiling for me.

Here is Diane's friend Maurice. His mother lives in Santa Ana and "flies" only when he's out in Riverside. Originally from Jamaica, he's been in Riverside for 17 years of which a large part has been on the streets.

"I'm not picky, or rude, I take whatever people give me. If I don't like it, then I leave it here for the next person who comes. There is no reason to be rude, because there are good people out there." -Diane.

This is Gerry. He didn't speak much and was actually the first person I photographed. He came to Riverside over 30 years ago from Oklahoma. His story I have yet to hear.

This man, who I promised I wouldn't release his name, was the most alluring person I met today. He had this personality where the kid inside comes out. He was drunk and full of laughter. "And leave all this? Why? The street is all comedy. Why leave." I also promised not to tell his story. As a journalist I aim to keep that promise.

To all who I met today: Thank you for letting me have a piece of what you live everyday. Thank you for allowing me to change perspective and find the story behind the story. Thank you for sharing all that you did with me today and hope that one day we will cross paths again. Thank you. Oh and thank you to the woman who gave Diane Carl's Jr. and offering me to have some (she thought I was homeless too), you are a kind person.

To everyone reading this: You never know what happens to people. The stories and why they choose this life are all different and amazing. If you criticize the homeless and honk or yell as you drive by, just try to think, Would you make it out there with nothing? Could you survive a day with out food or shelter and no one to keep you company? Could you do what they do everyday? There are no weekends for these people. There is no "time-off" from homelessness. Just everyday life and trying to survive in a world that never seems to help. So you with your nice pillow and comfy mattress, think tonight of giving, even if its in a smile.

"Anything helps. I once got 13 cents from someone and I said 'Thank You' and 'God Bless'. I take all I can and put it together. Not all of us are dope heads or drunks, we're just trying to get some food and survive." -Diane.

Would you consider these two homeless? I was driving up to the drive thru at McDonald's to get some late lunch the other day and I saw these two men walking. At first I thought "No, it's to late to get their photo." But then I saw them at the pay phone and well, I took out my camera. I felt nervous because I didn't know if they would see me and react or just keep being themselves...well, they were oblivious to me with my lens sticking out of the window.

But here's my question: Would you consider them homeless?