Recently I was asked to help out on a PSA for the pro-gun control Brady Campaign as a production stills photographer, capturing behind the scenes, candids, and portraits for the day. The campaign slogan was “We Are Better Than This” and I couldn’t agree more. Why our country is so much more obsessed with guns than most other countries is a testament to the increasing statistics of violence, especially the horrific mass homicide shootings that has shaken the communities of Colorado in recent years. The campaign interviewed several families, mostly mothers and fathers, who had lost children to such tragic events. Most interviewed were from the Aurora theater shootings, but also from Columbine. For 12 hours, we sat and listened to their unbelievable soul wrenching stories as they recounted their experiences and insurmountable sorrow into a camera. There wasn’t a dry eye in the studio, and at times many of us had to walk away and take a moment to compose ourselves. Its really hard to hear pro-gun activists arguments rationality when you listen to a grandmother explain that she received a call on her birthday at 6am informing her that her granddaughter was murdered by a lunatic and his AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle that had previously been banned under the Assault Weapon Ban that expired in 1995 (Congress didn’t renew the prohibition). Or how a daughter survived a previous mall shooting 6 weeks prior only to be gunned down in a theater minutes after texting her mom telling her how excited she was for her to come and visit. Some of these families are active members in the NRA, but even they understand the completely obvious.
America has a gun problem. People kill people…with guns. It’s that simple. And there are conservative gun enthusiasts who are so afraid of losing their 2nd amendment rights that they are willing to fight tooth and nail to protect their precious guns, even if it means more people dying.
These issues are never black and white but one thing is for certain, there needs to be change. There needs to be REASONABLE gun control laws in place, and we need to pressure our elected officials into making these changes so that families like these don’t have to lose loved ones.
On a side note, the Director, Griffin Dunne was incredibly heartwarming, gentle, and inspiring to work with. His professionalism was only bested by his compassion for the families involved.
San Francisco is like a second home to me. Many of my best friends live there and every time I visit I never want to leave. The city and surrounding area has so much to offer in respect to art, music, cuisine, and outdoor activities, that the city never lends a dull moment.
This post is really a double post, but due to proximity of their locations and their connection to each other, they really go hand in hand. I was invited up to Ram’s Gate Winery in Sonoma Valley by my friend Jason Rose, who served as their Executive Chef, to sample their wine and food pairings prepared by him.
Mindblowing.
Any words written here cannot truly justify what really transpired in those few hours, but needless to say, hyperbole is warranted & deserved. I’m not a food or wine critic, but its not hard to judge that Ram’s Gate and Jason Rose created culinary combinations that transcend excellence. If there’s one chef to follow in SF, it’s Mr. Rose: he had a heavy hand as the Project Manager for Delfina Restaurant Group including the opening of Locanda restaurant and before that he was the Culinary Director with the Tyler Florence Group & Culinary Director for La Cocina, a kitchen incubator for restaurant entrepreneurs.
Yup. The dude is gifted.
While at Ram’s Gate, it was a rainy day, but I managed to walk around and capture a few shots during Jason’s tour of the vineyard complex. Afterwards, it turned out that Jason had another surprise.
As any self respectable chef should do, he likes to reach out and support local farmers for organic natural ingredients. Turns out, he had struck a deal with a ranch hand across the street for some cage free eggs on a weekly basis.
Also turns out that the ranch hand works on the famous Donnell Gardens ranch across the street. Designed in the late 1940s by famous landscape architect Thomas Church, Lawrence Halprin, & George Rockrise, it’s a cultural iconic landmark for it’s modernist architecture that has been featured in countless architecture & landscaping magazines.
I’ve been told that the ranch encompasses about 15,000 sq acres in Sonoma Valley. Basically as far as the eye can see. And the best part is that the land and the ranch have been left untouched since it was created.
The pool was the first item to be built on the property, even before the main house. Near the pool are two building structures, one setup as the bar & entertainment area with floor to ceiling sliding glass windows and doors opening up to the pool. The other structure was the changing area, but seemingly was much more than that, as there were several rooms available for guests to relax in.
A short distance away was the main house that overlooked Sonoma Valley from on top the hill they built it on. The best part about this ranch is how EVERYTHING is original artwork, furniture, wallpaper, books…down to the bathroom tiles.
It’s a timewarp back to the 1950s, and walking around this place in awe, you can only imagine the social gatherings that have transpired here during its prime years. It’s like a cross between the Brady Bunch and The Playboy Mansion. Crazy stuff. Enjoy.
YACHT rocks.
or rather, Electro-rocks. Band members Jona Bechtolt, Claire Evans, Rob “Bobby Birdman” Kieswetter, Jeffrey Brodsky and Katy Davidson turn the stage into fire and burns it down during their shows. They are one of those bands you just need to see LIVE as their studio albums (while also highly energetic) just doesn’t do the justice to witnessing them firsthand in front of your face. Rolling Stone mag declared on their new album “Shangri-La” that they “split the difference between Talking Heads and electro pop, and make a breakthrough album of digital ear candy.? Well said.
They performed a sold out show at the Larimer Lounge in Denver, CO on 3/3/12, a small intimate venue known for its incredible roster of underground bands. After the show, I managed to patiently wait for lead vocalist Claire Evans to let me steal her for a minute long portrait session. Well worth the wait. Love shooting subjects who have a natural stage presence. Translates nicely to photography.
Also added a video performance of their track “Psychic City” from the album See Mystery Lights. Its shaky and distorted (no mono on me that night or rode mic) but it really shows off the band’s incredible stage presence.
