This is my second adventure into the heart of Oakland, my hood. Oakland doesn't get much love for picture locations, because compared to San Francisco, it's considered ghetto. Well, I've always been about finding contrast in pictures. I think that a beautiful subject comes off the page when it's surrounded by something that's not inherently beautiful. Like, for say a freeway underpass versus a tree. I think that's why we see so many fashion adds with models in a dingy alleyway.
It's also important for my creative juices to get recharged in an environment where it forces me to find the right spot to shoot in. Jeanine and Tommy are from Oakland, so they fit right into the mix. I love these guys for so many reasons. They've got the heart of lions in the midst of some of the hardest times that they are facing. Some highlights of us galavanting around town.
