best face, ever.

foto fun

bellamaven.com

took a ton of photos today, sooo many that i've haven't been able to get to all of 'em.
here are a few:


still feeling out my new 17-40mm lens, kinda frustrating, kinda fun.
we're getting acquainted.

brought to you by the letter C

cupcakes

& my sister, catherine.

ole!

over a very busy weekend, i took some time out to watch a friend perform at the long beach flamenco festival. it was my very first time to see flamenco dancing of any kind live, and i must admit, i was enchanted by it. 

the rythmic clapping, chanting, and strumming of the guitar held me, and the twirling, swirling, and stomping made me want to shout 'ole!'

the ladies were graceful, yet powerful and strong. 

 

second serving

bella maven landing page with my photography #2
the accessories are straight scrumptious!

:)

don't stop inspiring me

i've had an overload of ideas lately. it feels sooo good to be back in the flow, but before i jump off in to a number of various doings, i think it's good idea to step back and reflect on the things that inspire and influence me in th e first place.

i know that ideas are constantly changing, but i really wanted to take a look at some of the people/notions/ideas that have always been influential in my work.

i swoon at the following:

1. sofia coppola


2.Loretta Lux
3. Audrey Kawasaki

4. Mark Rothk0 (COLOR!)

5. Sabrina Ward Harrison

6. Yoshitomo Nara

7. Anais Nin (also Maria de Medeiros as Anais nin)
I pour over these images and feel like I am ready to let the color back into my life.

*sighs sweetly*

2 hours & numerous changes of clothing

www.bellamaven.com


i was fortunate to photograph my pal, loralei rose,
for bella maven,
a lovely handbag, jewelry & apparel company who's motto is:
"something beautiful everyday"

we hit the streets of the artist village in long beach;
we added some color, added some fun.

dtla

traded in the beach for concrete.

nick took amazing photos of the downtown skyline while i mainly concerned myself with what to buy at the central library and moca bookstores. typical.

i ended up shooting only one photo that i liked...


which is funny cos there was so many other opportunities to shoot all sorts of powerful, important things... and i only got really excited about this itty bit of signage.

MAP
{that's me!}
Marie Antoinette Padilla

:) i'm a dork, i know.

yesterday

i logged in 200+ miles driving about.
my truck took me from ananzah's oceanside bbq to san pedro for the festival of philippine arts and culture.

racing up the coast, i watched the marine layer roll in and out.

it was a very gray, but interesting day.

some snapshots:

what i did this summer

random images & color.

@ ayeda & jawad's wedding @ pickwick gardens, burbank, ca.

my first rose bowl flea market, pasadena, ca.

witnessed a desert sunset, palm springs, ca.

kicked up my feet, on vacation.

oh oranges and greens, and pinks and blues...

throwback

installation art, by yours truly.

down the rabbit hole - magic garage 3, march 2008


A close-up of the piece:
Photography.

Self-portraits, Magic Garage 4 (November, 2008)

this morning, for the first time since college, i took public transportation.

go metro!

in. spired

kettle chips and a monster energy drink.
so unlike me, it's inspiring.

these are the last days of summer and maybe that's whats making me lazy?
i'm kind of annoyed right now at 'getting that right shot', or taking that perfect picture.
i just want to snap and roll and see what happens. all these concerts, festivals and events i've attended this summer made me realize that.

i mean, here i am, trying almost in vain to document this awesome experience. but i'm too busy trying to figure out the right lighting, setting, etc on my camera to enjoy what's going on.

i'm trying to enjoy and be in the moment.

right now i'm not into anything contrived.

really, i think i took only one photo this weekend that i liked. it's the photo below of my 13 year old cousin, whom i haven't seen she she was 10. during that time, there was this growth spurt, braces, and that junior high awkwardness we all go through. i struggled to keep the conversation going, because, truly i had no idea what to say to a 13 year old. she's like, awkward silence, then... "um, the computer and music is pretty much my life"


adolescence.
interesting, right?
she does the hair over the eyes thing, and the self concious hand over the mouth while giggling. i love this photo beacuse she was absorbed in text messaging and there was this feeling of uncomfortableness happening. i loved how i captured that. i also loved how indifferent she was to it all... after she heard the camera click she just let out a soft "oh".

*

anyway, other things inspiring to me right now:

color. someone pointed out that i wear black too often that bugged me. i've always been told that i'm good with colors, and that my strong point is color, so that comment hit a nerve. going over my wardrobe, i realized that i was in dinial and vowed to get my colors back.

kinda nice that i am reading this book at this time:


also, after doing a bit of cleaning and clearing, i found my old polariod camera! i'm sooo excited to use it again! i like how it allows for spontanuity, mistakes and imperfections.


easing up on the photography and allowing myself to have fun...

that good ol' standby

i forgot (neglected, actually) to bring my camera with me the other day, though i knew there was a good chance for me to go around shooting photos. i don't know what to say, except that i got lazy (and this is just day two of my goal to snap photos on a daily basis!)

and when the photo opportunities passed, i booed and awh man-ed, but i had enough sense to pull out my cameraphone and snap fleeting ideas that i had. i'm not particularly proud of my photos, but i think the idea/inspiration was definitely there, so i took the photo anyway. in each instance we were driving about, whizzing by in a blur, which is sorta how i felt yesterday anyway.

that 'friendship' mural on temple:

the 110n/5n tunnel transition, with the new lane(?) lights:

on another note, I was at the bookstore and I came across this book about artists collaborating with a little boy's (mostly) watercolor dabbles/paintings. i loved the interaction, the collaboration and the different perspectives. what a wonderful idea/project/piece to come up with/offer.

gives me plenty to dream about...

today's score:
photos, not so impressive
ideas, explosive!

september remember

this september i hope to reclaim and remember.


i think my photos/ideas back in the day were somewhat promising. i've just got to keep exploring and developing.

sample portraits from previous years: