The 40-Year-Old Recruit

In late August 07, the Washington Post Magazine commissioned me to shoot a documentary on Clayton Beaver, a 40-year-old Waianae resident who was joining the Army. Last year, the army raised its age limit for new recruits allowing Beaver to join. Hardship and a sense of patriotism drove Beaver to follow this path the military attractively sold. Large bonuses and increased benefits also enticed Beaver, along with many others to consider the path of the military.

I covered the Hawaii side of the story examining Beaver, his background, and his family. Another photographer met Beaver at boot camp and covered his initial training. My documentation found what I describe as "Island hardships." Whether this term makes sense, I find it descriptive of how live in Hawaii can be so far away from the advertisements in the travel magazines and tourism boards present.

With a very high cost of living including sky rocketing real estate prices, below national average salaries don't allow for a comfortable living. Affordable housing costs can be found in Hawaii but sadly many of these neighborhoods are plagued with socials ills and bad schools. Hawaii is a trap for many...anchoring many locals here with family, friends, and as Michael Leahy described, aloha.

So many here are trapped by large families, low pay, and sadly, drugs. What most tourist encounter on the beaches of Waikiki and Maui are fantasies that a majority of local people will never afford.


Here is the link to the Honolulu Advertiser from November 23, 2007. The story was syndicated locally and is easily accessed.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Nov/22/ln/hawaii711220356.html

The Advertiser published the powerful story along with my photos. The other photographer could not be reached by publication.

The Washington Post Magazine link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/14/AR2007111401447.html

You have to register to see the original story and images from both myself and photographer Brett Flashnick.

Morgan Montana

I was at Kewalos today trying to shoot more of my surfer project when I was confronted by Morgan Montana. Morgan saw my camera (which he declared was worth over $50,000...how wrong he was) and wanted me to grace him with a photograph. Oh the power of a 4x5 camera.

Morgan, who aura wiffed of tall boys and Mickeys, recounted a story of history, celebrities and fame, which very few could be capable of obtaining.

As I spoke with Morgan, who I slowly found his real name was Lenny, I was told of a sailboat of great girth which entertained local prostitutes, Lost celebs, and the female undergarments which flew freely from the masts of his vessel. Morgan/Lenny spoke of engagements on the mainland with Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow and others details too interesting not to believe.

He recalled a bar in Colorado where he slugged the Kid for mouthy behavior and watching Mt St. Helen's trumpet around his life.

He also spoke, with glassy eyes, about time spent in Vietnam (he did say he was 57 which actually makes him of proper age) and lives lost and taken. He described life as a tunnel rat, of women's screams and lives lost at his hands...of Agent Orange, of snakes, and friends who still remain hidden within the bush.

He told me of "gook" heads skewered on bamboo as warnings, of life taken with no regret. Of mothers holding their children and his M-16. He chattered about life and death with candor. As if nothing was worth but his eyes felt it was...

But back to those bars he so quickly returned to, his boat, his pose, and his scrap with Kid Rock.

Life for Morgan consisted of cheap drinks, long hair, and a history full of fun, death, sailing, and living. Is a far existence away from jungle rot, cans of MREs, and killing someone you don't know.



At the end of the afternoon, Morgan hit me up for some dough. I coughed up $5.00. I got a polaroid out of it.

You be the judge...was it worth it?

Surfer girls

I met Karin the other day at Kewalo Basin. I approached her and her friends to ask if I could take a photo of them. I was working with my 4x5 camera so they figured I was for real. She agreed but as I started to pose her, the Hawaiian sprinkle rain came down and I had to close shop.

I gave Karin my business card and told her to look at my site to see what I do hoping I would run into her again. I hate to approach anyone, especially women, and ask to photograph them without identification or something of the sort. People weird out and think I'm a perv but with a 45 camera and the likes, I look like I know what I am doing. It actually takes a bit of nerve for me to get the guts to approach anyone. You just never know how people will react when you ask to take their picture.

About a week later, Karin calls me telling me she'd be out at Kewalo and asks me to come out to photograph her. She saw my site and loved work and wanted to be part of my project.

I was very happy to have a chance to meet and shoot her again as she has a strong surfer chic's body (as do most real surfers...all that swimming, balance, and the likes really makes you tough!) and wanted to do my best to capture her. She was positive, strong, and definitely has that "je ne sais quoi."

As I was taking the photos, i quipped to her that her natural pose reminded me of Venus de Milo or Botticelli's Venus.

Art as an archetype becomes apparent when I do this type of work. I didn't pose Karin or ask her to do anything other than move her surfboard around a bit. She naturally fell into this pose, whether it was intentional or not, she fell into a beauty archetype that is as long as history.



As Karin posed throughout the four sheets of Tri-X and one polaroid, she pulled it all together. Her pose, her body language, all of it, really says something. The curve of her hips, the slight of her legs, the length of her arm..it all created a part of history, this archetype. She really put it all together and in a way, became a part of a long traditional history of beauty.

It was a great moment.




This image was made on Polaroid T 55 positive negative film. This film is probably destined to be discontinued as Polaroid has stop making lots of their products. They stop making 665 PN. I would buy loads of that film if they still made it. Its hard to get film developed here in Honolulu as labs here just aren't making money in development. Digital is king.

The next images is shot on 45 color film...Kodak 160NC to be exact.

I forgot the name of the English girl but she was fairly keen to be photographed. That afternoon, I set up at Diamond Head beach and waited for surfers to exit the water and walk off towards the showers. I had been setting up around sunset just to get that golden light and shadow play on the figures. It works really well.

Alina and Mina had just finished a surf session when they walked up the beach. I convinced them to pose but sadly, Mina shifted during the shoot and was out of focus. Alina stood rock solid still. Her image came out really nice. She has another type of sexiness and strength in her pose and her face really carries loads of power.



The pommy made for a great picture. The curve of her hip, the slight scowl on her forehead, the shadow play on her figure. Another shot for the series...

The Dog!

UPDATE! NOV 9: Dog was caught saying the "N" word in a private conversation. The recording was sold to the National Enquirer by his son (and possibly by the black girl-who is the son's girlfriend) and played everywhere. Now the black girl is suing the Dog for slander. Sooo...can it be said the son and this girlfriend set up the Dog?
-------------------------------
Poor poor Dwayne Dog the Bounty Hunter...a victim to the hysteria of political correctness yet a fool unto himself.

My shot of Dog is from his release from prison last year for jumping bail in Mexico City. The Mexican government wanted to extradite him to put him on trial for kidnapping the Factor guy. As a real life bounty hunter, the rules do not seem to apply to him.

Suvive

Today I spoke with a verteran who was one of the first American soldiers to enter Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped in August 1945. He spoke with passion and fear and dismay of what he saw and the future of what will happen if the world goes nuclear against Iran or some group detonates a dirty bomb in a populated area. I was struck by his passion, his fear, his life. He is sick. Radiation is a killer. He said out of 10 soldiers that marched through Nagasaki, 9 are now dead.

I was thinking of Aceh. Of tsunamis of turmoil. Japan, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, atomic testing...we only have to blame ourselves. Who do we blamb for nature? God?



This Aceh man rode his bike thorugh a destroyed city. The destruction lingered after the tsunami. It still lingers in me.

Smokie

The same day I shot Josh and his friends at Kewalo Basin, I met Smokie who was part of the click that was hanging out at the park.

Smokie was a green eyed Mexican kid from California who claimed pure blood Azteca blood and spirits of Cuahtemoc. The wool had obscured his good looks but his physique canvased his body like a piece of artwork. An almond eyed woman outfitted as a beautiful Pancho Villa graced a thick shoulder and other various histories and dramas played out across his chest and back.

He showed me scars and pains and allowed me a hint into his life.

Very interesting man. I will probably run into Smokie again.

Gracias hombre!

Joys of a new format.

Kramer after a surf.

Diving in head first into something isn't always the wisest or prudent choice in life but I decided to move forward with a 4x5 camera. As digital is by far surpassing all that is film, one must think about why anyone would choose to use a nitrocellulose coated with a type of emulsion over a "somewhat" superior image created by a CCD with a Bayer filter. Digicams are so easy! Point, shoot, transfer, publsh! Done. A fact found on wikipedia points out that the first filmless analogue cameras were designed in the early 1970's. Unbelievable.

Ah but with film and a 4x5, you gotta drag out the tripod, you have to compose, focus, think, and put forward a good image. It takes time, effort, and thought. Something digicams are allowing the photographer to forget about.

As far as this new toy, its Toyo View cream colored 4x5. It has a Nikor 210mm lens and its allowing me to make magic. Why go through this struggle, you might ask? Well, there is a psychology to the portrait. A true psychology the subject feels when he is placed behind this monstrosity, an accordion with an upside down image that can only be seen with a dark cloth placed over the head.

People take you seriously...oh this guy knows what he is doing. they pose, the take themselves serious. you won't see stupid grins, hand signs, etc...but the serious "I am being preserved" attitudes.

At the same park where I shot that surfer, a gang of guys drinking beer called me over and asked me to photograph them. None shied away from saying they were from the other side of the tracks...jail time, stab wounds, gunshot scars, etc...they shared beer, time and stories. I, not the type to shy away from life, embraced these guys, who in many ways, would have probably sneered at me if I had a 35mm camera, but coddled me as one of their own. They were the nicest kindest, friendliest people you could ever image. If I had been on the other side of the island (you know...the rich side) I never would have been allowed a rich world party. Those types are snotty and pretentious. What did Josh and his friends have to loose?

We shared polaroids, family snaps, etc...they loved it. I loved it. Here is Josh. What a guy.




That is what makes them so interesting...
And makes us so boring.

ah, the joy of cameras.


Thank you Yong Yoo for your efforts and support. You are never far from my thoughts.

The Lakers

I hate sports. I really do...only because there is no way to really control anything about what happens. You spend your photo time hoping the star will do a slam dunk, run in a touchdown, or score that winning goal. If you line up on left side of the field or net, the pass will go the right side and you won't get the shot.

Nathaniel Welch told me once he wanted to be a pro surf photographer and spend hours shooting barrels at Pipeline. He never made a dime shooting sports action. Nathaniel now kicks butt in New York and still claims he makes nothing! He is one of the more successful guys in New York but you'd never know it. Yet he told me never to shoot sports as you'll spend your career waiting for that sport star to run your way or catch that ball perfectly in your eye piece. If he doesn't, you're done.


You can't control fate or chance...no matter how good you are with a camera.

Many pro sports guys will tell you that you can control many of the aspects of chance but most of what takes place is random. And many of those pro photographers have strobes set up in the rafters and make their lives shooting NBA or whatnot. They also have exclusive relations with sport stars and they learn to know how these athletes will move or run.

As But the...POW! Kobe Bryant runs at the basket for a lay up and pow! I get a shot.

Made TOPIX at AP...best in show for the day or something like that. I did good for someone who hates sports. Then...

Bam!



Ronny Turiaf slams one in the bucket. Either I got good or just lucky...

Headline News

I made CNN on 22 September with my well worn Superferry image. I recall the Superferry sailing into port and feeling there was a huge hesitation as local shipping monopoly scheduled a ship to sail at roughly the same time. The superferry had to sit out in the channel for some time...almost foreboding as the Superferry has received so much gruff from the locals not only on Kauai but Maui, and the rest of the state. Seems locals just don't want change and that suits those in power.

We do seem like a backwater...



as far as the photo goes, it was big surf on the south side of Oahu so all the surfers were out. Kakaako was full of people and this guy just so happen to jump out into the picture.

I must say that I envisioned this photo. There is much to say on thinking forward and projecting the image you are looking to capture. I am learning that a pre focused idea will and does work in most cases. I did see this surfer and boat but just couldn't get the stars to line up. I was caught off guard as the Superferry sailed quickly into port. I was on the other side of the park and had to book to the other side. Autofocus and foresight got the image in line. A burst on the trusty ol 1D MII and voila!

My Laotian monk series

May 2007
www.marcpix.com

New views

WTC was replaced by...

WTC

Its almost anniversary time for 9/11.

Here is my homage to the view from our side... the Jersey City side. The late summer sun sinking into the West. A cross processed look of a city summer with blown highlights, aqua water, and gushing winds across the Hudson. Such a view from the dock near Pavonia Newport. A little dutched but a view none the less.

I think this image was from 1999 or so. I remember thinking how New York and photography and life was so far away from me. It was one of those days. Remembering the first few days. A cold February day...walking down 9th Ave to meet Yukako at a share. My luggage and a Texas winter coat. The coat didn't last. Subways, Times Square, pizza, taxis, strange aggressive people. What a time. Its still far away but the distance isn't so bad. Life changes. The view is gone.

Michele

Michele.
August 2007
on the North Shore at sunset.

These are the fun days.

Toilet

Only in New York can you come across a sight like this? I think I found this image near Washington Square Park in November 2000. Everyone seem to have election sickness from the problems at hand. Courts deciding the outcome was just wearing on the public.

You could find just about anything on the streets of New York. Garbage was just a matter of public discourse. Where else in the world can you find a toilet with headlines as such?

Fall in New York

I think this was in 2001. We were in Westchester.
The fall is so nice.

Mamiya RZ
110mm
Fuji RDP III

Golf

Here are some of the best images from golf from last season. Getty Images purchased Wire Image and their sports department. No one seems to realize the writing is on the wall. Wake up, the freelance world just got smaller.

I really like these two pictures. I am a good golf photographer.

Gun play

Around 1998 or 1999 when I was still living in NYC, I tested three models and decided to do something different. I wanted to do a sort of action spy type of photo. So I borrowed a bunch of suits from a stylists, painted a water gun black, and created a fairly interesting shot.

the police came soon afterwards. I got in trouble. This was before 9-11. I am glad I didn't get shot.

It was a good shot.

Tri X
Nikon F4s
35mm 2.0

Mexican wall

I came across a great poster up against a wall in Oaxaca.

The lyrics are "...take another piece of my heart...Break It...Another piece of my heart..."

I am not sure what the poster means but its something I couldn't pass up.

June, 2007
Oaxaca
RZ 140mm
Tri X

4th of July

I think this is an appropriate image for the day...

I photographed several veterans from the 100th Infantry Battalion a few days ago as the group celebrated their 6th anniversary. The Battalion, activated in 1942, was made up of a majority of second generation Japanese Americans. Its said that many of the members joined the Army in order to prove their loyalty after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Born in America, they faced a racism because of the Pacific War. I wonder if the US could make a battalion made up of second generation Arab/Persian/Muslim Americans?

Would the lawyers, ACLU, and the public allow it?

Shizuya Hayashi was the first individual I photographed of the day. This is the last frame.

Mr Hayashi received the Medal of Honor for actions in Cerasuolo, Italy.

From the official citation:

"Private Shizuya Hayashi distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 29 November 1943, near Cerasuolo, Italy. During a flank assault on high ground held by the enemy, Private Hayashi rose alone in the face of grenade, rifle, and machine gun fire. Firing his automatic rifle from the hip, he charged and overtook an enemy machine gun position, killing seven men in the nest and two more as they fled. After his platoon advanced 200 yards from this point, an enemy antiaircraft gun opened fire on the men. Private Hayashi returned fire at the hostile position, killing nine of the enemy, taking four prisoners, and forcing the remainder of the force to withdraw from the hill. Private Hayashi’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army."

Thank you.

Carrie

1992--I think this photo was taken. I took it with an old Mamiya 645--a camera I purchased for $475 from a guy in Austin. I really loved that camera. I should buy another...

The model's name is Carrie. I remember I was taking photos for this young fashion designer. I didn't know what I was doing. I just wanted to take pictures. Little did I know I would have this image. Carrie had such flair, I don't remember much more about her. I really like this photo. I will revisit images from the past every so often.