A walk around the world...

Hollywood, Ca c.2009

Outside of the Kodak Theatre, near Hollywood and Highland, the Oscar winners of the best picture award are chronologically listed on lit pillars. Looking at some of the film titles reminded me of the time when I went through a classic film phase in my late teens and made a silly little goal that I’d watch every “Best picture”. Well, that still hasn’t been accomplished but I would like to pick up where I left off. A film on that exclusive list is Jules Verne’s adaptation of Around the World in 80 days. Although I’ve never seen the film (either versions) I must say it is my favorite book of all time.

Film versions of classic literature are almost always different than their written counterparts and rarely get it right…if your definition of “right” means keeping the original story the same. Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The curious case of Benjamin Button and The Count of Monte Cristo are a few of my exceptions in which I enjoyed the movie just as much as the book even if the original stories underwent some serious “Hollywood editing”. So why haven’t I seen Around the world in 80 days? I just don’t want to. I picked up the book at Borders one day and read it cover to cover in a very short time. I can’t remember the exact time but I do remember loving the charm of the story, and the way the contemporary technologies were written in. I even caught myself laughing out loud which is something I don’t do often while reading. I loved this book so much that I decided to take a train trip that follows a similar route through the western states as described in the book. The Amtrak California Zephyr definitely left me with a memorable experience. I would love to see more of this country by rail.

I can’t recommend a film I haven’t seen but I can definitely recommend this book for any lover of travel and history. As a matter of fact I’m going to dust off my copy and read it again…

A walk I should remember

I forgot, Los Angeles, Ca c.2010

The text in this image embodies what photography means to me and to so many other enthusiasts and professionals alike. I honestly cannot remember where I took this, but it obviously had enough of an impact that I had to take it home with me somehow.

Although I suspect it was taken at the Central Library, I can’t be certain. Not remembering where I walked isn’t very characteristic of me. “Citing your source” is something that was etched in my mind as an undergrad. I also have a freaky memory for the mundane things. Or maybe remembering the mundane things is just part of being a female.

Either way I can’t remember. But I do remember why I liked it so much. I credit the selected quote by Edward Steichen. I was a fan of Steichen before I even knew who he was. I remember checking out a book from the Central library popular culture in the 1930s when I was about 16 or 17 . There were several old Hollywood portraits I loved, especially one of George Gershwin at his piano smoking a cigar. I photocopied it and placed it in a sheet protector in my school binder.

George Gershwin, c. 1927 Edward Steichen

This particular book (which I also can’t remember the title of) and photography pretty much solidified my interest in history, which would later lead into a serious interest in photography. I didn’t know Steichen was to credit until I saw a traveling exhibit at LACMA back in 2008 titled ‘Vanity Fair Portraits’. This is where I saw and recognized so many of the photographs I had seen in that book nearly a decade ago, including that George Gershwin portrait that I had photocopied. By default, he already was one of my favorite studio portrait photographers. All it took was a single quote to remind me of that fact.

Premeditated walks

Most people that grow up in big cities are exposed to graffiti along with other forms of public defacing. I remember one of the reasons my family moved out of East LA in the late 90s was because the gang graffiti had leaked onto our block and a little too close for comfort. It wasn’t all bad. Some of which could be considered art was ugly and rushed, and other times it would consist of elaborate designs. It always got painted over, but it stayed up long enough where the neighborhood would have had a chance to see it.

During my time in the artists’ district in downtown, I noticed homemade stickers and spray painted stencils were the norm on street posts and signs. This didn’t bother me since I usually stop to read what the perpetrators want us to read. Most of them aren’t worth the time but like the occasional personalized license plate, some do make me laugh or chuckle or provoke thought.

Some of the things I've chosen to capture have deteriorated or got painted over. I guess the universal hope is that someone will notice your mark before it disappears.