Yesterday 4.13.08

Kore
On Mine
On Her's
Em
On Mine
On Her's

Yesterday 4.10.08

Kore
On Mine
On Her's
Em
On Mine
This picture is actually, what I would consider a tried and true portrait of Charles. He is quite social Liberal, a vegetarian, pro-choice, supporter of the separation of church and state etc. But there is a distinct hatred of people and the state of this world that blasts through his personality like an atom bomb. The idea of the world blowing up around him, while he sits peacefully, eyes closed almost smiling, is not a far throw from reality.
On Her's
I would imagine that one was his and the other hers, that somehow a love story was being written between two baskets of laundry in this laundry-mart. They will be separated, whites, colors, then mixed, then folded to never see each other again. But for now, they are close and awaiting their cleansing. The colors are great as well.

Self Portrait

Kore
On mine
On her's
Em
On mine
I took this picture by setting up Charles' projector in the office and walking toward the camera while my camera was set on timer. I wanted to illustrate my longing to be in New York through a photograph. My struggle with my living situation can be directly attributed to how much I moved when I was a young child. I have never fully felt like I was a resident, living out of boxes, suitcases and always making and loosing friends. The only place I feel truly at home was in New York or in New York City. The only problem is, that I a still, in my own mind, there. I have not been able to completely remove myself from what I still consider my true home, and place myself fully, in San Diego. And in truth? I don't really want to.
On her's
I had chosen a similar picture to this one for a "Yesterday post". I think that Karina's affinity with water shows through in this picture. Maybe it's the Pices in her, or maybe it's just that she enjoys a good bath, but she looks comfortable, relaxed and strangely youthful in this photo. I love the contrast between that which is under the water and her not yet submerged face. Like part of her is hidden somewhere below the surface, we all conceal something. I await her description so I can learn further as to what this portrait portrays to her, of her.

Yesterday 4.8.08

Kore
On Mine
Andrew came home from his month and change in India. He went out to visit his now ex-girlfriend who is at school in Bangalore. He regaled us with tales of ear infection scams, possible typhoid, and bank robbery. The Kali statue that is sitting on his lap is the gift he brought home for me. I'm definitely thrilled that Andrew is back. Woot to the return of a close compatriot!
On Her's
I really like the texture in this shot. The grain of the black and white implies this creepy aged feeling that is fantastic. I think it's really funny that I immediately knew exactly where this in em's mama casa.
Em
On Mine
I suppose my last few pictures have been a little lazy. I took this picture bored at my mothers house. She has a bunch of antiques there from when we shipped my Grandmother out from NY. The empty chairs and the unused room where all of these things reside remind me that she is gone. My Grandmother was the matriarch of our small family, and although I had quite the troubled relationship for most of my life, toward the end of hers we mended many of those hurts. The darkness of this picture also lends to a nostalgic feeling that pairs well with the empty chair.
On Her's
I love Andrew's smile in this picture. Like usual, Karina gets some amazing candid shots of people. Andrew's goofy kind personality rings true in this photograph. At first glance, it looked like he was knitting in this picture, causing me to take a second look and clarify that he was, from my now studied perception, rolling a cigarette.

Yesterday 4.6.08

Kore
On Mine
Yay bathtime! I've been trying to improve my self poratraiture skills lately, in conjunction with the upcoming Self-Portrait theme. This shoot resulted in almost 100 fabulous photos of yours truly. I decided to draw the line between those photos which I felt represented some aspect of myself (thus making them true self portraits,) and those which were just simply well taken photos of me. The self portraits are saved for the theme, and this was em's choice of the best of my "pretty me" photos.
On Her's
This photo looks like something straight out of Gourmet magazine, or any other prestigious foodie publication. Everytime I look at this photo, It makes me hungry. On a purely visceral level, I adore the arc created by the placement of the food. It leads the eye to more and more delicious delights! ok now I really need to eat something...
Em
On Mine
Well. Charles and I both love to cook, and my mother loves when we cook for her. We spent a lot of the day watching Food Network and later Charles mentioned that he really wanted to eat polenta for dinner. We ran out to the store after agreeing that I would cook and grabbed pre-made polenta and honey for the two parts of the recipe I needed. (If you would like to give it a shot go here!) I was very proud of the taste tangy, sweet and savory! Good texture to me as well. The spinach was crispy as it only wilts a bit from the heat, the goat cheese was creamy and the polenta was, well, polenta-y! On top of all of that it LOOKED good! I thought it was so colorful and vibrant that I snapped a picture!
On Her's
I am not really sure if words can describe how much I love this picture. Karina looks straight out of some fantasy novel, ethereal and nymph like. She could be gliding through the water or floating past the photographer suspended in the air (of course we all know she is the photographer lol). Tendrils of hair purposely kiss her lightly pursed lips. Very evocative. You can't see her eyes which gives this photograph the feeling that this window contains only a brief glimpse into a singular moment of the subject. I don't think I can go on any more about this one, I could just simply dote on this picture for a few more paragraphs, but I am sure that my adoration would get sickening. So yes, big fan of this portrait of Karina.

Yesterday 4.5.08

Kore
On Mine
Bill and I met Luis and Travis for a drink at Lucky's. It was good times, though Bill and I weren't there for very long. After almost two years of living in Park Slope, I think its safe to say that Lucky 13's is my local watering hole. A 711 opened just down the street recently, which leads me to believe that they opened it solely to assist in regaining sobriety post-Lucky's. I cannot wait to bring em and Chaz there when they visit. In fact, I think about that every time I go.
On Her's
The road to Julian is so gorgeous! This photo looks like a film still from an old western. The gnarled branches and the cross, against the mountainous California sprawl give off this feeling of endless barren that I adore. I keep expecting John Wayne to swagger through the frame.
Em
On Mine
Charles and I took a drive up to Julian in East County, a popular tourist destination. I am not sure why the actual town is a tourist trap, there are no historical places to visit, no museums no nothing! Just pies and shops for old ladys who like cats and hippy clothing. However, the surrounding scenery is absoloutly stunning. On the way there, we drove up he 78, detoured through orange farm country because the road was closed. We actually found A CAMEL FARM! Once we arrived we decided to drive out a different way, the same way that Karina, Bill and myself drove the first time I went up there. The drive down is far more beautiful. The rolling hills home rows of burnt oak and regrowing shrubs. We stopped at a vantage point (vista points they are called here) and found a row of crosses looking out on a mural of purple and green flowing hills as far as the horizon gave up. The clawed branches reaching toward the cross and out toward the sky were doleful and wanting, inspiring me to take this photograph. I don't know why the crosses were there, but those along with the recent wreckage that the Southern California wild fires caused, I felt that this picture was quite symbolic of the mood in the surrounding areas of Julian.
On Hers
I love Lucky's. Every time I see a picture of that bar I can almost feel myself standing outside with Karina and Bill smoking a cigarette, drinks left abandoned at one of the small tables in the dimly lit establishment. There is something so endearing about neon nights, basement grate doors and little sandwich boards outside of a bar for me. It's so New York that it hurts my brain. Bill is standing smoking a cigarette, I can only assume first two fingers pressed on the top of his smoke and thumb pinching the butt together. Everyone has unique ways of smoking a cigarette, but Bill has always had a very distinct habit. This is totally a photo of "your local bar, your local hang out, where everybody knows your name."

Yesterday 4.3.08

Kore
On Mine
Luis again! This time with many faces. I love the hallucinogenic blur, and the distict stages of movement in his face and arms. Its as if I caught a second, between animated explanations, wherein Luis' soul attempted to jump ship and evaporate into collective conciousness. Good thing it didnt succeed. I'd be sad without my bunkie Cyclona.
On Her's
Truly, I cannot resist a piggie face. That said, I did not choose this photo because it features a porcine companion. I love the sharpness of his snout. How you can see each and every whisker of his mustache. I also really like how the black pig is juxtaposed against the white, grey, and parched yellow of his cage. I so desperatly want to reach into this photo and feed this guy some oats, probably a sign that I need to stop staring at his face.
Em
On Mine
Charles and I drove my mother up to her friend's house in Orange county so that she could go to Yosemite. The boy and I decided that since San Juan Capistrano was right down the street we would go to the Mission there and investigate, you know do some touristy stuff. So we hung out at the mission and museum and took pictures. We walked around the local streets and visited the antique shops. Grabbing a map we decided to go to the O'Neill Museum (Charles' last name) and check out the history. Interesting, but not as Irish as we had suspected we walked along the side streets some more and found a petting zoo with bunnies, alpaca, emus, cows, chickens and most importantly pigs. We did not go in but we did get to see some of the animals. This pig was quite friendly and incredibly adorable! To see the rest of the pictures go here.
On Her's
I love the motion in this picture, how animated Luis looks. The colors, like usual are just amazing. The last time I was at Karina's house I was in shock at the bright green of the walls. Well, it was the first time I was there, so second to last time. But anyway I am truly confusing the issue. So Karina's pictures are just perfect, especially her candid portraits. I know that I recently chose another picture of Luis as her picture for the day, but well, he is just so all over the place, so dramatic and not to reiterate, but animated, that his pictures tend to be quite captivating.

Yesterday 3.27.08

Kore
On Mine
To say that Bill loves audio equipment is a vast understatement. He sells high end hi-fi all day and then comes home a relaxes to the workings of his snazzy stereo system. Last night, Bill met some friends at Lucky 13's and brought them home with him. Upon being asked about his record player, he proceeded to dismantle the thing in explanation of exactly how it works. This went on for about an hour. Bill gets very much into his detailed descriptions of those wires and blinkie lights he loves so much.
On Her's
To me, this photo looks like it belongs in a comic book. I love how it almost looks painted. The way Charles is sitting on the rack, especially the positioning of his legs, seems very whimsical to me. I know I keep choosing photos of Charles, and maybe you, dear reader, are tired of seeing his face. To that I counter that em takes amazing photos of her love, and you should all be happy to see so many different faces of the great and powerful Chazwell.
Em
On Mine
I do take a lot of pictures of Charles it's true. I liked this picture because him and my mother were currently immersed in a powerful discussion on religion. Charles is a staunch atheist and my mother is a Christian, yet extremaly open minded. As you can see, it was a relaxed conversation. I only wish I had a picture of my mom, flailing her arms to pair with this.
On Her's
I think that once again our wondertwin brain powers matched up again. I love this picture of Bill, it's pseudo vintage looking and well, Bill is straight out of a page of the past. I like the way he is holding the record, my eye zoned in on that right away. I don't know who the other person it though, but it looks like Bill is probably explaining something from his vast knowledge of audio equipment.

Yesterday 3.25.08

Kore
On Mine
Its very strange to me that, since em and I have started this blog, I've been taking so many non-portrait photos. I used to think that the only things I could photograph effectively were people, though now I'm starting to disbelieve that. This photo was taken on 17th street, on my way to the grocery store. The crosses pictured in this post are still up. They're a few houses down the hill from where I was standing. And yes, they still inspire giggles everytime I see them.
On Her's
Jack and I have a weird relationship. We used to not be friends at all. This was due to his constant attempts at attacking me, much like a ninja. It all began when em was still living in her one bedroom in Astoria. I had a huge duffel bag filled with clothes (when upright, the bag is almost as tall as me) which em and I were going to use for picture-taking-dress up. The bag was angled diagonally on top of em's bed. I was digging through the bag, when suddenly I felt something sharp against my hand. I let go as the bag fell backwards, and realized that Jack was attempting to scale the bag, probably in an effort to claw my eyes out. The last time I was in SD, Jack was really nice to me. Maybe he's left his ninja-ing days behind. So now I guess we're friends. Or are we?
Em
On Mine
Jack has always been a pretty photogenic cat. I found him lounging on top of a foam mattress topper in the living room right in front of a large painting of a fish that me and my little cousin are working on. I just thought it was cute the whole cat/fish relationship. This time, the fish is huge and ominous whereas jack is tiny in comparison. I have also been spending a lot of time at home, so I suppose you should all see pictures of things other than Charles and myself.
On Her's
This street photo really made me miss New York. A lot. I guess that there was some emotion behind me choosing this picture for the diptych. Those brownstones are just so incredibly Brooklyn to me that I just wanted to be there walking up the street with her. The sidewalk looks like it goes on forever and just kinda sputters out on the horizon.

Yesterday 3.22.08

Kore
On Mine
Last night was crazy, in a way that reaffirmed my desire to get the hell out of here. This photo has nothing to do with that though, so ill just leave it at that. I took it at Lucky 13, a metal bar a few blocks from my apartment. I think its like a visual manifestation of beer goggles. I love the effect of looking half through the pint glass.
On Her's
I think em takes incredible posed portraits. Charles oozes cool through the frame. Its contrasty and dramatic and I love it. Somehow, em always knows exactly what to tell you to do to make you look fabulous. I especially like how the black of his tattoos looks against the white of his beater.
Em
On Mine
Kore and I used to get bored a lot in NY and take pictures. Not just candid pictures, but silly dressed up, make up-ed pictures. I think everyone does this. But the results were most often surprising and became some of my favorite photographs of mine and hers. I have not had the chance to take pictures like this since I moved from NY, so when Charles said he was fine with me fiddling around and snapping some slightly more posed shots of him I jumped at the chance. I love when he has this slightly 50's era look, the pork pie, beater, studded belt and boot cut cuffed pants over a pair of jump boots. I wanted to create a more timeless feel to this photo while still retaining a bit of a candid look. I suppose the reality also is that I just wanted to take a sexy picture of my boyfriend. I tend to take darker pictures with dramatic lighting when I go through the trouble. I am happy with the result.
On Her's
I think that we both see our boyfriends as these amazingly wonderful, beautiful creatures that should be constantly documented. I remember Bill being slightly hesitant about getting his picture taken when they first started dating. It seems as though this aversion to having his soul stolen has lessened greatly, which is awesome because Karina's pictures of Bill tend to be amazing. I think it's because she tries to capture him how she sees him, in all his wonderfulness.

Yesterday 3.20.08

Kore
On Mine
Being as yesterday was the first day of spring, I took a lot of photos of my fire escape garden. The pots and plants are just starting to sprout green (even though they're mostly weeds that must be pulled) and the sun was shining in that way it only seems to shine at the break of spring. The photo above is of my downstairs neighbor's backyard, shot from out my kitchen window. I thought the bright green eating into the white and gray of the concrete was exactly like the winter-to-spring transition I've (happily) been seeing in the last week or so. I'm really excited to start planting again. Its so nice to have fresh herbs and veggies whenever you want them!
On Her's
I love the texture of this shot. Its like you can reach into the frame and feel the crinkles of the paper and the smooth tape around it. I also really like how graphic and bright the colors are, passing along a sense of urgency. Secretly, I hope someone sees this poster on our blog and it helps them find the missing pup.
Em
On Mine
Every time I take my dog for a walk up Elm Street I see a new missing dog sign up. It makes me sad that people so easily loose their dogs around this neighborhood. I remember being little and our dog Setka would run away on a semi-consistent basis. We would put signs up EVERYWHERE and be so frightened that we would never see him again. We would always find him, but still the idea of these little animals having so much impact on someones life. I see these and I know that that person is freaking out about their dog, and I always hope that suddenly, immediately after seeing the sign, their dog will run out of a bush and I will victoriously bring the puppy home to it's owners. This, does not really ever happen.
On Her's
Oddly enough, (well when living in wondertwin land, these things just stop seeming odd) during this dog walk yesterday I was thinking about how in California, spring rips out of the ground, bears it's teeth and shoots burning hot rays of sun down on your back. In New York, as is shown in this picture, spring is more covert. You know it's coming, and the beginning is filled with mud and rain. But you can see little green shoots sticking out everywhere, flowers begin to bloom, they don't just, explode in color around you. I chose this picture because I felt as though the contrast between the pavement and the natural earth was very telling of this creeping spring. I liked the composition a lot as well as the colors and texture of the photo.

Yesterday 3.19.08

Kore
On Mine
Behold my Bilfus! Bill wasn't feeling well, so he called in sick to work. THIS NEVER HAPPENS. Bill is the kinda guy who would go to work even if his legs just got chopped off. I'm a very light sleeper, so I always wake up when Bill gets ready to go to work. This picture really captured that first 20 minutes of every day, the fuzzy sleepy warmness that we both start our days with.
On Her's
I love how alive this photo is. Raeven has an amazing smile. Hamilton's is a really fun bar, and I have some really nice memories associated with it. I'm finding that more and more of em's pics are doing that for me. I look at this picture, as well as many others I've chosen, and I feel like I'm there. In a wierd way, I feel like I'm living a pseudolife with em, and she is with me, just by the constant updating of this blog.
Em
On Mine
Charles' best friend Raeven is going on vacation and then moving to Vegas, so we have been trying to see her more than usual. Both her and Charles are bad at making plans, but she has been down in San Diego (she lives about a half an hour a way) hanging out with a friend of hers, so they decided to meet us at the bar down the street. THEY SERVE FOOD NOW! It's not bad bar food. Anyway, Charles and Rae were at one point sharing some secret best friend thing and I snapped this pic. I loved that it shows that Charles really makes Raeven laugh and that they are super close. They are a funny pairing and I definitely enjoy getting my drink on with the two of them.
On Her's
Oh man. This was a really hard choice as far as the three pictures that Kore took. I loved two of them so much (the other was a picture of just Bill) that I had to just go with my gut instinct. Kore looks so soft in this picture, if you knew her like I did you would know that as much as she can be a hard edged, NYC, firecrackin, bad ass girl, there is also a really genuinely sweet vulnerable side. This picture shows that side to me, it's a snapshot into a more intimate moment of her life. The black and white and soft lighting highlights this horribly adorable moment.

Yesterday: 3.17.08

Kore
On Mine
Bill, Luis, and I went to Eagle Provisions to buy beer for St.Patrick's day. Eagle Provisions has the largest beer section I've ever seen in a grocery store in my life. Their beer section is larger than the entirety of my apartment. Bill is a proud beer nerd, and seeing him go through the isles of obscure brews is really like watching a kid in a candy store. I bought some Dogfishhead ApriHop, Rogue's Shakespeare Stout, and Stone's Double Bastard. They were all exquisite.
Oh Her's
I'm a sucker for skulls. I really like the perspective in this shot. The camera is so close in that you can see the texture of the ashtray. The effect gives a gritty-starkness that I love. I also like how much the skull looks like a Neanderthal Skeletor.
Em
On Mine
I had a rather subdued St. Patricks day. It involved Charles cooking some amazing portabello burgers as well as a visit from Raeven and her friend Dan. I just shot a few pictures, one of them being a close up of Charles' skull ashtray. We have a thing for skulls.
On Her's
I hate not being able to drink beer. LOOK AT ALL THAT BEER! My jealousy meter is through the roof. I enjoyed this simple portrait of Bill gazing longingly, reading scrupulously and pondering his choices.

Yesterday 3.16.08

Kore
On Mine
Ben and I came upon this scene while walking to the supermarket. Someone set up the crosses, scarf, and sign in the patch of green in front of their brownstone. It was too creepy to pass by. After I took this photo, Ben climbed into the green patch and had me take a photo of him brandishing his Jew-horns while mocking the gentiles.
On Her's
I love religious kitsch. I have many of these candles (or ones like it) myself. Being that I've gone to buy candles at the Food Bowl with em before, this photo struck a nostalgic cord. I also love the effect that the rows of bright colors give this picture. Any saint you want for $1 each? What deified icon is any different?
Em
On Mine
So on a normal mundane day I visit The Food Bowl, a grocery store a little over a block from our apartment. When I first moved to South Park I refused to go there because it was not an extremely clean bright Ralph's or a cheap and gluten free possible Trader Joe's, but now, I have discovered the wonder that is this Mexican market. The produce is SO inexpensive and there are different specialty foods that Charles can get there to make really awesome Mexican food. Another photographer once took pictures of like, every single isle in a grocery store once and I thought they were quite interesting. All that was contained within the photos were rows of food stuffs or other grocery related items. So, I decided to take a picture of my favorite isle at Food Bowl, the religious candle section (which we also have a ton of in our bathroom as part of the Mexican kitsch theme.) I liked the expanse of them in the picture, one could imagine the selection of saints glued onto the brightly colored candles going on forever. Also, I totally got yelled at by store security whom I believe thought I was casing the joint.
On Her's
I find it strange when our pictures match up like this. This diptych is one of the stronger examples of our wonder twin brain fusion. Sensing that we would choose out of the six pictures for the day, the ones that were so close in theme, we made our choices without conferencing the other. I love the random crap you can find wandering around Brooklyn. The picture almost felt like a picture out of a newspaper that would head up some article on Christian wingnutts in New York, or at least something along those lines.

Yesterday 3.14.08

Kore
On Mine
I found the recipe for these muffins while stumbling and I had to make them. They were so so so delicious! I've been baking alot recently. I figure, if I'm gonna start a catering company, I need to be able to bake at least as well as I can cook. Anyway, the point is: tea muffins are fantastic. I set up this picture so that it would look similar to a photo em once took of her cats in my bathtub. I also just really wanted at those muffins.
On Her's
I love how strong em's arms are in this picture. Women in art are so frequently depicted with flimsy weightless arms dangling somewhere stupid. She has this incredible intensity in her eyes, which directly address the viewer. Its so graphically emotional its almost intimidating.
Em
On Mine
Charles and I had been fighting a little recently and this is most assuredly a picture of him and I making up. I really love that the picture was taken in the bathroom and you can see the day of the dead pictures on the back wall.
On Her's
I... just adore this picture. I barely had to think about which picture I wanted to use for this diptych. I also really want to eat these muffins. Kore is quite the good chef, so I liked that there were some pictures of her cooking something.