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I’m almost leaving Santa Barbara for the Christmas vacation, I have the bus to L.A. in less than an hour. I’ll be on a 24 hr trip! It’s gonna be long as it has been being away from home for this four months.

Studying at Brooks is a privilege but I really miss home, my love, my family, my one year old niece, and my friends. I’ve made a lot of new experiences, I’ve learned so much on photography, but right now I just want to have my old life back, and relax with the people I love and that matter to me.

Merry Christmas everybody! See you next year!

Digital Vs. Film

They say that digital have made photography so much easier. That in the old days with film you couldn’t see what you were taking pictures of, and since now you can do that, you can repair a bad shot instantly. Thus life is way easier nowadays… Or it should be…

I really don’t agree with this at all! I feel that not only life is not easier, but also you have to work much more! And part of this comes from the fact that shooting more doesn’t cost money. But the problem is not just “how much you shoot”. The problem is also “how much you work on a single file”. You can work for years on a single picture and always get a new one. I’ve found out that with the film pictures I already have, the 60% is “good as it is”. If you don’t process and develop the negative on your own, you already have the final picture, there’s not much you can do. And if you’ve been shooting that in black and white film, black and white will be. Maybe it’s also the fact that the beauty of film resides in its being imperfect, so you just go with it… And I love it!

Now you start from the original file, and you think “let me see thins in black and white”. Then “let me see this in black and white with more contrast”, “let me see this in black and white but with a washed out look”, “what about a sepia tone?”…. And so on…

Life is definitely not easier!

Fifteen virtual copies of Lexus Gallegos, talented photographer, painter, designer and friend

SF

I’ve been in San Francisco again for Thanksgiving. This is the second time that I’ve been there since August, and every time I leave the town thinking that I’ve got to see more of it. It’s an amazing place, one of the cities I like the most in the States, so far. Maybe it’s because it reminds me of Genova in some way… Big city on the sea, hills, going up and down, and no parking at all, and… I got a parking ticket… That’s why!

There’s a nice hostel on Clay street: it’s cheap, the food is good and you have a unique view of the town from the rooftop. The only problem with this place is that you have to live with this italian designer, Nicola Mondini, who is a pain in the ass when he’s busy (most of the time) and nervous (because he doesn’t have time!). But for the rest, he’s a cool guy. And a great car designer (maybe one day he’ll stop drawing micro machines…). Here he is on the roof of his house, on a rare moment of relax.

And then there is his landlord, and old man who owns two buildings in SF, and makes money by renting them to people. I caught him moving non paying tenant’s body parts from his garage to the trash, back and forth. Here’s the evidence. It’s a dirty job, but it has to be done…

My friend Nicola pays his rent regularly…

Anyway, since he was busy all the time, I’ve spent three days going around and shooting like mad, and going back home to download the pictures, work on them, and out again… But it was worth it!

And I had a great time with Nicola, photoshopping like two nerds and laughing like crazy with the daddy long legs video on youtube (“I don’t, I don’t…What??!). If you wonder what I’m talking about, just click here, you’ll understand…

Anyway… Here are some shots that I took. Enjoy!