The Art Of The Daily Things

London - European Tour 2006

2006-05-31T09:39:00.000-06:00

I had to be in Europe in April because of a new project I'm working on with my company. Got to visit London for a couple of days on crazy lighting trips and took my camera along. It was fun! London is a very cosmopolitan city and has a magical quality to it. Here's a set of pics I took while roaming the streets of london in the Big Red Bus. Those double deckers are the coolest thing!

Just keep in mind that most of the pics were taken while I was on top of the bus and they don't have the quality I was shooting for... but what can you do, it was the most efficient way to see the most of London when all you get is a day off, so I had to work with what I had. I gotta go get back there and tour my wife around, those double deckers are the coolest thing!

Last one standing

2006-03-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

Juarez is a very strange city. You can be driving in the middle of a neighborhood and then turn the corner and find corn and cotton fields in the middle of the city. This is a lone tree that sits in the middle of one of these fields.

Weeping Willow

2006-03-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

This is a very spooky willow that lives near my house. I took this picture using a pinhole effect using a piece of cardboard with a tiny hole in front on the camera, I like the final effect, looks like it came from a horror movie.

Una para el camino...

2006-03-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

A very popular saying in Mexico... It means "One last one before we hit the road". I don't drink, so I don't know how true is that one.

Like a rock

2006-03-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

I'm not a truck person and I really don't understand the fight between Chevy and Ford about who's building a better truck, and never been able to recognize one or the other. What I can recognize is a good photo op.

On my way back from the bus station I came across an empty piece of land with these two trucks in the middle of the city, stopped for a few minutes and took a couple of pics.

Danita & Danita

2006-03-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

My wife is now 27 and a half weeks pregnant from our first baby. I wanted to create a nice memento of this wonderful time in our lifes and she posed for a small photo shoot of her beautiful belly. Our OBGYN told us it's going to be a girl and I am very exited!! After waiting for 2 years, our dream of having a baby will come true real soon.

Danita Bonita

2006-01-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

An updated portrait of my wife, after some postprocessing to make it look more like it was shot on velvia film.

The Hand Of Fate

2006-01-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

I like this shot, seems like his hand is out to get you.

My Wife

2005-12-21T12:28:00.000-07:00

I caught my wife pondering about things over a glass of lemonade. I quicly grabbed my camera and snapped this pic.

My Old Man

2005-11-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

My parents came over to visit us this weekend and the day was nice, so I took them outside for a photo shoot. He's about to retire from his work as a speech pathologist and enjoy doing the things he likes doing the most.

Old English Sheepdog

2005-11-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

Yet another photo of one of my dogs. I like the way he looks like he's smiling. :)

Jungle Guardian

2005-11-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

My wife and I found this wooden jaguar in a national park in Costa Rica. I stopped cold when we saw it hidden behind a tree, from far away it looked real! We trew a stone to distract it and get ready to run to the hills, but when it didn't move, we realized it was a wooden figure... phew!

Dos Perros

2005-11-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the dogs stood still for this lucky shot.

Urban Skies

2005-11-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

These shots are from urban locations, one from a cotton field behind my house and the other one from the parking lot from my job. There's a lot of beauty around us, even in the city. We just have to open our eyes a little more to see it.

Day Of The Dead

2005-11-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

Day Of The Dead is a very big celebration in Mexico, people gather in the graveyards to clean tombs and have a nice picnic with the family, dead and alive alike in a candid celebration to honor our dead. These candid portraits were taken at a graveyard near my house, where I caught the different expression from the people who visit the graves. Some are happy to have a day off to spend with their family, some are mourning a loved one, but all of them celebrate the mexican tradition of the Day Of The Dead.

Master, where are thou?

2005-11-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

Another homeless dog. This little guy was very cooperative and played with me for a while while I took a few pics from him. His sad expression says everything... I bet he wonders why he does not have a master to follow and live with. If you have a dog, take a little time to play with him or her. We give our dogs our spare time, our spare space and food, and in return they give us everything they are.

Conchita

2005-11-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

There's a very sad story behind this picture. I like to go downtown Juarez to photograph the people and stray dogs in the street, and that's where I found this lady. Her name is Conchita, she's 94 years old and homeless. She lived with her sons in a town near the city of Juarez, until a flash flood wiped her house and killed her seven children and their families. She's the sole survivor of that tragedy and now she lives off the charity of others, asking for your spare change to live off every day, sleeping where she can and eating whatever she can afford. She allowed me to publish this picture if I made her story know to the world, she asked me to remind everyone to be nice to your elders and treat them with respect, so we can teach our children to be nice to us when we get older.

Candid Portrait

2005-11-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

Photography is not always about shooting beautiful pics, but of capturing a moment that has a special significance for someone and making sure it's frozen to be remembered forever. My wife and her dog were relaxing in the living room when I caught them on this image, it was a nice lazy afternoon and that's what this picture helps me remember.

Greed

2005-10-17T22:26:00.000-06:00

Not much to say about this shot, I think it speaks by itself. The light created an atmosphere and the way the girl is looking at some other gift with greed while she unwraps the present without paying attention to it says everthing. This is one of my favorite pictures.

Don Chava

2005-10-17T22:22:00.000-06:00

My wife's father, Don Salvador, or Chava as he likes to be called, took me to the farmer's market to get fresh produce for breakfast. What I like of this picture is how it captured his hard working man esscence as he was bargaining for a bunch of onions and some fruit with the farmer.

Jose

2005-10-17T22:16:00.000-06:00

Jose is a hard working construction guy who left his home in beautiful south Mexico to come to the harsh northern desert to see if he could sneak in the United States. La Migra caught him and returned him to Ciudad Juarez, where he has to earn his living working building houses. He was remembering the beautiful rainforests of his hometown in the state of Oaxaca when I caught his sad reminiscence on film.

Sleeping Sheepdog

2005-10-17T22:01:00.000-06:00

There's something I like about sleeping dogs... I like the way they look. I had to approach Lennon very slowly to be able to take this pic of him peacefully dreaming about bones and chew toys.

Fun At The Local Fair

2005-10-17T21:55:00.000-06:00

A long exposure excercise we were asked to do for the class. I like the way this shot came in the end.

Bolillo

2005-10-17T21:48:00.000-06:00

He's a stray dog I found peacefully sleeping in the town of Monteverde, Costa Rica. The culture is very different there than in Mexico, these guys treat all life forms with respect. Altough there are lots of stray dogs in the towns of Costa Rica, people do not harm them in any way, they are fed and allowed to sleep in your front porch as long as they do not bite anyone. Thumbs up to everyone who respects life in all it's expressions!

Perro Playero (Beach Dog)

2005-10-17T21:46:00.000-06:00

This cute golden retriver was having a lot of fun in the waves. Once he had enough of the ocean, he looked for a nice stick to chew on while his master enjoyed the sunset with her sons.

Rastabike

2005-10-17T21:42:00.000-06:00

This cool rastabike belongs to a cool rastaman who was selling coconuts on the beach. He's very proud of the way his paintjob looks!

Arbol Tortuga (Turtle Tree)

2005-10-17T21:39:00.000-06:00

This tree is in the road between the cities of Chihuahua and Juarez, next to the sign of kilometer 321. Trucks and trailers have trimmed it in the shape of a large turtle, complete with head, tail and shell.

MAGIO

2005-10-17T21:37:00.000-06:00

My friend Mario, who likes to be called MAGIO, who kindly posed for this portrait.

Good Ol' Boots

2005-10-17T21:35:00.000-06:00

My good ol' work boots. They've been with me for quite some time now, and I like the way they appeared all rugged in the pebbled floor.

El Negro

2005-10-17T21:33:00.000-06:00

El Negro is such a cute dog that I just had to take as many shots as I could while he was in a posing mood. I really like mixed breed dogs, specially when they have a Terrier in them.

El Negro

2005-10-17T21:30:00.000-06:00

Another shot from El Negro, My friend Mario's dog.

El Negro

2005-10-05T11:02:00.000-06:00

El Negro (Blacky) was rescued by friend Mario and his family. He's a cute dog that is happy of being given a second chance, but sometimes he wonders why he was given away by his former masters.

2 De Octubre No Se Olvida

2005-10-05T10:57:00.000-06:00

2 De Octubre marks a very sad chapter in mexican history, and after 30 years of that sad event may people still remembers the fate of the students in the 3 culture plaza on 1968. 2 de Octubre, No Se Olvida!!

Betsy Maria

2005-10-05T10:56:00.000-06:00

Betsy is my niece and goddaugther, and here she is on her fairy costume, ready for her birthday party.

Cows

2005-10-05T10:54:00.000-06:00

A herd of cows near the town of La Fortuna.

Cuidado Con El Perro!

2005-10-05T10:52:00.000-06:00

My wife found this cute "Beware Of Dog" sign and it gave her an idea for a sign for our home.

Danita

2005-10-05T10:50:00.000-06:00

This is my wife Danita, wondering what our dogs were up to that night while we were having dinner.

Traveling Dog

2005-10-05T10:48:00.000-06:00

This dog seems to be having a great time riding on the jeep with his master.

Choko

2005-10-05T10:43:00.000-06:00

Choko is a street dog. He has a hard life, always looking for food in the garbage and fighting for a good spot to sleep. I caught him taking a nap in the street in a rare moment of tranquility for him.

Cejas

2005-10-05T10:38:00.000-06:00

Cejas (Eyebrows) lives in the guard's booth in the college I go to classes. The guard and a teacher bring him food every day, and he helps out by being the "Canine Protection Unit" at night, where he barks to warn the guard that someone is approaching the door.

Children Of The Coffee

2005-10-05T10:34:00.000-06:00

This is a sad shot. Nicaraguan families move to Costa Rica to find work in coffee plantations, and their children often help in the harvesting to support their living.

Homeless Guy

2005-10-05T10:32:00.000-06:00

One of the many homeless people that live in downtowns on every city.

Arenal Volcano

2005-10-05T10:29:00.000-06:00

I had never been near an active volcano... It was an impressive view.

Big Tree

2005-10-05T10:26:00.000-06:00

I found this big tree in the road between Monteverde and Arenal, Costa Rica.

Oscar's Son

2005-10-05T10:23:00.000-06:00

Oscar is a stray dog that lives near my wife's office, his son became the leader of another pack of dogs that hangs nearby her office.

Sofa

2005-10-05T10:21:00.000-06:00

A closeup of my dear Sofita.

A Storm Is Coming

2005-10-05T10:18:00.000-06:00

I took this shot before a storm in the desert of Samalayuca, near Juarez.

Arenal Landscape

2005-10-05T10:15:00.000-06:00

This picture was taken in the vicinity of the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica.

Wood Shack

2005-10-05T10:10:00.000-06:00

My friend Mario took me wanderind in the poor hills of Chihuahua, where I found this poor shack, where a family come to sleep after a hard day of work in the maquiladoras and construction works.

Tortuguitas

2005-10-05T10:06:00.000-06:00

There was a guy selling these little balloon turtles downtown. Children like to drag them around as toys when their parents take them for an ice cream.

Crates

2005-10-05T10:03:00.000-06:00

It's amazing what you can find when you're looking around.

Don Eloy Arambula

2005-10-05T09:24:00.000-06:00

Don Eloy is a guy that likes to hang around the Downtonw Juarez Museum. He takes care of a dog Calle Titina, who is an former fighting champ he stole from the fighting pit in order to save her from a cruel destiny.

Street Musicians

2005-10-05T09:20:00.000-06:00

Many people come from South Mexico and Central America looking for a better life in the United States. Most of them end up stuck in the border, unable to cross and unwilling to return back to their towns, they are forced to make a living any way they can.

Longing For Freedom

2005-10-05T09:17:00.000-06:00

All dogs long for freedom, and a master to serve. This poor dog lives on abandoned land, crawling under the fence to go out and get something to eat. She sits from time to time to wait for a master that will never return.

A Las Muertas De Juarez

2005-10-05T09:12:00.000-06:00

A reminder of the crimes against women that have been happenning here in the border, may their deaths never be forgotten, and the perpetrators brought to justice, human and divine.

En El Cafe De Los Chinos

2005-10-05T09:06:00.000-06:00

Downtown Juarez there's a chinese coffe shop that's been in business forever. A lot of old people like to hang around there, drinking coffee and telling each other stories from better times. These guys were discussing the latest football game and playing with Titina, the dog.

Sofa

2005-10-05T08:58:00.000-06:00

Sofa is our first adopted dog. She came into our lives on April 2003, as her former owner knocked on our door asking if we could take in two old english sheepdogs she could no longer care for due a divorce. Sofa came to live with us, her sister Frida is living with our sister in law and remains under our watchful eye.

Sofa's personality is very laid back, she loves everyone and likes to give wet kisses to every one who's within the range of her tongue. She came to be Sofa because she loves to hang around one of the sofas in the living room, it's her castle, bed and watchtower for the neighborhood events.

Lennon

2005-10-04T18:38:00.000-06:00

Lennon is our first dog. He started my wife and me on the dog thing. His bubbly personality taught us about the love of DOG. He's the reason we got involved in rescuing dogs, teaching people about caring for their dogs and helping as much as we can.