About two weeks ago I flew to LA. My little brother just made the big move from MN out west, I wanted to go make sure he was feeling calm, and also to shoot as many photos as possible (duh). I carry a film camera around with me nearly all the time. On this camera I feel the images I capture are more raw, more real, less invasive. I've noticed if you put a person in front of a little film camera, they feel less pressure than with my bulky, intimidating DSLR. I like this about the film camera, it's my most powerful creative tool. I like to get to know a person through the lens, not watch them perform what they think they should be. While visiting, one of my friends said "Mattie YOU WOULD take us out of the city to the weirdest place on earth while you are here." I liked that. I didn't spend too much time in the city, it's not really for me, but I fell in LOVE with Joshua Tree. I loved the warm air, the mute and calm colors, the incredible sun up and sun down that filled our trailer with hot pink and brilliant orange. We stayed at a secret location that has really strict rules about sharing their exact location, and what kind of photos you can post, so I won't share too much about that. (E-mail me if you want to know more.) We danced underneath the sun, shot guns, attempted archery, smoked in a teepee, gazed at the stars in a rooftop hot tub that we squeezed wayyy to many people into, sipped on whiskey, photographed until we had no more light, and woke with the sunrise. Here's my images from these magical few days. I will post more digital images later.
