CAT DAD

Thriller Bark III

10/13/23

My first ever excursion using my camera in the wild! There really is a first time for everything :,]

Bike Path

10/19/23

I did what most new photographers probably do and took a trip out to my local park and captured everything I could! My favorite is probably the crow in the tree!

CSUB - Night

10/27/23

My first excursion using my camera in a night setting! I'll admit, I secretly love being on CSUB's campus at night-time. The night-time Fall semester mood holds many core memories for me; I like to look back on those times to both reflect on who I was and see how far I've come. I surprisingly underestimated how different night-time shooting could be and this shoot helped in making me understand the different settings on my camera.

Downtown Bakersfield

11/04/23

Over the past couple of years, I have slowly become more accustomed with Downtown Bakersfield and I have fallen in love with just being there. I remember the times where I had to use my GPS almost every time I went and now I can sail to Going Underground Records or the Fox Theater without even thinking. One of the more peculiar things about Bakersfield is that you can really get a taste of multiple aspects of life, simply by driving down one street. One moment you are in the Northwest suburbs and the next, you are right by homes built in the 1950's.

Surroundings

11/11/23

I've been thinking about my inspirations lately and I noticed that I tend to surround myself with them. I can see this as being both ways, either an unhealthy obsession with things or things that have impacted me so much that I need to have them close to me at all times, as a measure to both remind myself and inspire myself.

Solitude

11/21/23

As I find myself visiting the same places over and over again for a multitude of reasons, I've picked up on locations that strike me as places where people frequent less. As a result, I've grown accustomed to these areas and I sometimes feel as if they are my own world, but those feelings quickly dissipate as soon as reality checks back in.

Cabin Fever

11/29/23

My backyard has quickly become a new haven for me if I ever find myself needing a tech break or an excuse to "relax". This shoot made me realize that fiddling around with techniques and colors is my favorite part about taking photos; it makes things seem so much more vibrant.

Leaves in December

12/07/23

Although I resent the weather here sometimes, the bright sun really helps the colorful leaves stand out and pop. As the Fall semester nears its end, I start to cherish the cold and windy days and get myself mentally prepared for the new year. You really do not get much of this weather when you live in a valley.

C.A.L.M.

12/17/23

The bright and immersive lights really aren't given justice when captured on a camera, but I like to think these set the mood just as well! C.A.L.M. is a staple in Bakersfield activities, so I made the trek out there to be immersed in the sights and sounds of the annual C.A.L.M. lights.

Downtown Bakersfield no. 2

12/16-17/23

Did back-to-back free roams of Downtown Bakersfield and I saw some things I have never seen before! I also visited the monthly Kern County Vintage Flea Market and bought some cool clothes!

Mobbing

Shout out to Joey, he always has the drinks covered!

It's really saying something when some of the most fun you can have in Bakersfield is walk around Target and point at things and laugh at things, but I'd argue that the company is more important than the surroundings.

Downtown Bakersfield no. 3

1/21/24

Since the Spring 2024 semester is on the horizon, I decided to head downtown again and meander through the streets and thrift shops. This specific one is the historic Merry Go Round Antique Mall, a popular thrift store in Downtown Bakersfield! I've bought a handful of items from here over the years but as I spend more hours shifting through old clothes and vinyl, I have a new appreciation for the "vintage".

CFA Strike

1/22/24

For the first time in history, CSU Professors, Librarians, Counselors, and Coaches at all 23 campuses across the state begin their 5-day strike demanding Chancellor Mildred Garcia settle on a fair contract that invests into the CSU students.

An excerpt from the California Faculty Association Union:

". . . CSU management has never taken seriously our proposals for desperately needed equity transformation for CSU students, faculty, and staff, including raising base salary for our lowest-paid, struggling faculty, manageable workloads for more student engagement, more mental health services for students, limits to police power, and humane and adequate parental leave . . ."

Park Expeditions

2/22/24

Went around River Walk park with the CSUB Photography club, and I found a surprising amount of both beautiful imagery and not so beautiful imagery. I think this just goes to show how juxtaposed Bakersfield can be at times. With that being said though, I do wish there was a nice place to look at the mountains, that wasn't so obstructed!

Spring Break

2024

I've been to Vegas many times over the years, but this was the first time I was actually of legal age to do all the adult things. I gambled, drank, and lost it all! This was also my first trip there with my camera! Each and every time we go, my family and I always find new things to do, on or off The Strip! What really caught my eye this time around was the mountains and the beauty of their scale. In Bakersfield, we're surrounded by mountains, but they are always obscured by smog or buildings. In Nevada, you can almost always see the mountains and it’s such a sight. It's a little strange that I would prefer to live in the literal desert rather than our concave one.

Beach Trips

July/August 2024

The ocean is one of my favorite places to visit. Something about either the chilly or hot atmosphere mixed with the nicest temperatures fills a hole in my heart that few things ever reach. Most of my activities consist of shell collecting, reading, and simply enjoying the ambience. I've always had this dream of owning a boat and just living on it while in the ocean, away from the busy nature of the world.

There's a Primus lyric that goes, ". . . before my days are done, I want to be a fisherman," and I don't think I've resonated with a lyric so hard before.