Buds & Bandos

Thanks for checking out the Bsombin' blog! As I mentioned in my last "A Weekend In Guatemala" post, flying back into Los Angeles, and seeing the city lights from the sky, made me want to explore and shoot my city more than ever! So, when my brother Jefroe called and asked if I wanted to go shoot in the hood, I was quick to say yes!

Being that it was 420, my brotha-from-anotha-motha wanted to stop and get some prize winning medication to celebrate the "holiday". So, after meeting up with my bro, we were on our way out to the spot... We ended up somewhere south of DTLA and drove around the area exploring for a while before getting to the dispensary. It was a long wait for the crowned cannabis, but it was worth the wait. Once we were stocked and ready to roll, we made tracks to a "bando" Jefroe knew was close by.

It was an old abandoned logistics company's shipping office and docks which had become home to some of the areas homeless. You could see that people had been living in the building and there were several make-shift tents and enclosures surrounding the building. Not gonna lie to you, at first, I was a little nervous. The place was not the kind of place where you can relax and let down your guard. But after being there for a little while and meeting some of the homeless tenants, I calmed down and was able to focus more on shooting. It was interesting shooting a bando for the first time. It really made me think a lot about a lot. The combination of the homeless people, the abandoned building, all the trash and graffiti everywhere, the tents, the traffic, and the surrounding area being so modern and industrial, made being there feel very surreal and disturbing. It just goes to show how much of a mess our society really is. And how fragile and unstable it is too. Being in a major metropolis and sitting in an abandoned make-shift homeless shelter / street art gallery, had me thinking and feeling all kinds of things. Mostly, though, it brought about feelings of sadness for the homeless, and a greater appreciation for the things in life that I am blessed with. After about 20 minutes of shooting, we decided to vacate and head home.

Along the way, Jefroe encouraged me to do some "drive by shooting", since I was sitting shotgun. He took the long way home so I could get some shots of the city from the freeway. Afterwards we went back to Froe's and celebrated the "holiday" with some more friends. Good times with good friends and great ganja... Great end to a very thought provoking 420. Thanks again for checkin' out the blog! Check back soon for more Bsombin' and for more adventures in the City of Angels.

Another Day Of #ValleyLife

Thanks for checkin' out the Bsombin' blog! So, as most of have to do at one point or another, I had to go to court last year. I won't get into the reasons, since it's a long and complicated explanation. ...Instead, I'll just share some of the architecture shots that the android captured while we were at the Van Nuys court house on that totally awesome fun filled day. 

Android in Riverside

Had some work to do out in Riverside, one hot sunny day. And, the android captured a few shots worth sharing, along the way...

 

ILUMN8 in Chinatown

Thanks for checkin' out the Bsombin' blog. I have a lot of catching up to do, as far as all the stuff I have to post from last year. So, with a few exceptions, I'm going to be writing less about the images and adventures, to help bring things up to speed. Some adventures have to be told. But, for those less exciting outings, I'll just let the images speak for themselves. With that being said...

Last year, ILUMN8 Co. shot sot a look book for the Spring Line in Chinatown. I road along for the fun, after my partner Tony setup  a crew and some locations for the shoot. As usual, I took some shots of my own, while observing the shoot...

A Weekend In Guatemala - Pt8. The Android's Trip Home

A Weekend In Guatemala - Pt7. The Flight Home

Thanks for checkin' out the blog! Have you ever have one of those weekends that take a week to recover from? ...My weekend in Guatemala was exactly that! I was exhausted when I woke up on Monday morning! There were still people to see and gifts to buy, though. So, despite might lack of energy, I got up early to pack all my things and clean up the room I was staying in.

After a few last minute visits with family, my dad took me to the "Mercado Central" (The Capital's central market place) to buy some gifts for the family back home. Unfortunately, the Mercado Central is not a good place to try and take pictures. When I told my dad that I wanted to shoot in the central market, he said I'd probably get mugged if I did. He then reminded me that we didn't have a lot of time either. I think we spent a total of about 15-20 minutes racing around the Mercado Central looking for gifts and treats to bring home. That was all the time we could afford to spend shopping, since the city's insane traffic was going to make getting to the airport on time a challenge.



When we arrived, my dad and I exchanged our awkward goodbyes and a hug, before I rushed off to check in for my flight. There was no line at the airline counter, Customs' line went quick, and by the time I got to the terminal the flight just started bording. On the way home, I had another long layover in Mexico. 4 hours after landing in D.F., my flight was up in the air and headed back to L.A. A few hours later we were flying over the sea of lights that is Los Angeles. I have no idea what time it was when I landed. I just know it was a little after 11 pm when I finally got in the car.



I think my brain just shifted into auto pilot, for the remainder of the night. I don't remember much after leaving the airport. I do remember being happy to be home, though. ...And the awesome welcome that I got from the family when we got back from the airport! It was the perfect way to end an amazing weekend and journey! A journey that inspired me to explore the great city I call home even more, after seeing it from the sky at night! As we flew into L.A. and past down town, it felt more like the start of another adventure than the end of one. Little did I know how right I was...

Thanks for checking out the blog and allowing me to share my journey with you! Check back soon for more stories, pictures from my adventures, and more Bsombin'!

A Weekend In Guatemala - Pt6. The Poem After The Pictures

"ANTIGUA"


First,
I found
Her's to be a timeless air
That robs you of your breath as it
Moves you back centuries

Then,
I found myself captivated,
While capturing her timeless antiquities and
Enjoying her sensual energy,
Hypnotic orchestration of vibrations, and
Majestic bouquet of hues and tones

Delighted by her"imperfections",
    In awe of all her "flaws",
        Highlighted by the vast selection
            Of moments given to me to pause...

...Her lines all instersected,
In the perfect places
                ...Her horizon flowed endlessly,
                Between the heaves and the earth

There was sunlight beaming
From her native's faces,
                Shining into my soul and proving
                Her's a priceless worth

Perfection was embraced by
Her arches and crowns,
    With blue heaves and green fire mountains
    Screaming as backgrounds

In the bat of an eye,
    Without any delays,
        Submerged in her beauty and
            Drowning in her display!

Consumed by her vision,
    held firm by her charms,
        I drank up all her beauty,
            & embraced her without arms,

In her windows
I saw sunshine shining on me
While I played as a child

On her streets
I saw pieces of me that I lost &
A future I might one day find again

I found myself
Lost in what she showed me
And realized that the captor had been captured by the captivating

...And this is why the pieces of me that I lost are still there




- Bsomb4