Shook

Sometimes i wanna bang my head against the wall.It is 100% my fault for the investments i make in this life and i can't do anything else except learn from the good or bad ones.

I found myself walking the streets of berkeley till 2am tonight kicking fallen leaves around feeling this horrible feeling in my gut that most might go thru in thier lives.I felt that all too familiar emptiness surrounded by all these drunk & happy college kids and i hated it.I am very thankfull for the small amount of folks out there that actually make me feel wanted when they call me and want me to be a part of something but, still it's so hard being happy.

This is really gonna take a long time.

-j

Diversity

I told the woman at the east oakland youth center that i didn't want to participate in the ceremony.

because, there was no point cause nobody would be there i know and that would be excited for me.

she sat me down and gave me so much confidence that afterwards i couldn't believe i even said i didn't want to be a part!

She said i bring diversity to east oakland

i was like "i do..don't i ?"

anyone is welcome to come tonight at 6pm

here are some clicks i took in chinatown the other day

i'm hecka nervous

wish me luck

-j

DeFremery Park

Yesterday was enough to last me for weeks...

It started of pretty slow but, by the time i got to the park and mos def was doin his thing it was nothing less than one of the most memorable days i have had in a very long time.Never have i seen west oakland so alive than yesterday afternoon and between the kids at peoples skate park , the graf writers and the amazing weather i once again fell completely in love with oakland.I met up with my man wordup and also tripped over some people i haven't seen in over a year.I found myself imearsed in life and loving everystep along the way...

here are some shots and also some short video of my day.I am sliding over to doing more video and putting the bigger cameras aside temporarily just to feel it out and to document the cut life series i've picked up from my friends over in france.

 

I think imma treat myself to a nice dinner and a movie tonight!

hmm sirloin and Miracle at St. Anna

-j


Tragedy

So, Baja California was nice. The vacation factor was there and i enjoyed it to the best of my ability.I ate good and drank good and met some super nice "just married" couples and senior citizens who thought i got left at the alter since i was there by myself.I took the bus back and forth from cabo san jose to cabo san lucas a few days out of the week since they are about 20 minutes apart and got off a few decent shots.I don't think that the reason i went there actually helped at all ..knowing that the only way thats gonna happen is though time and not by taking some expensive trip to mexico.

here are some mixed digital/film from my olympus and holga 35mm

 

 

-j

Behavior

Been 3 years to the day.

I love & miss my family

recently i have been wondering about which tree i fell from and what the roots of that tree where really like.

Hope you liked the book pops

love you

-j

Talent Continued

So, i just got home tonight from my vacation in San Jose mx and i could not be any happier to be home sweet home.

I really can't even really post right now i'm so tired but, i wanted to drop some flicks from the hotel de arts show i scanned right before i left.

it will take some time to develop,edit and post the dozen rolls i shot this past week so, just stay tuned

-j

Tiempo cura

Cuando amas a alguien más que la luna y las estrellas
  Es imposible dejar pasar.
I lucha con mi corazón cada día más de cómo me siento y lo que sé.

Este amor que he no desaparecerá y, sin embargo, ya está pasado de mi vida.
Nunca antes me sentí de esta manera acerca de una sola persona y espero que un día alguien se siente de esta manera acerca de mí.

Mi corazón estaba en el lugar equivocado en el momento equivocado.

¿Por qué debo estar dejando a un hermoso lugar sin ella a mi lado.

Me perdí su

Hopefully this time away from things helps

till then

-jjc

I against I

I find it true in life that when we are faced with these heartbreaking situations and these gut wrenching experiences , we as humans tend rise to the occasion and excel in our dreams and love.

It's hard going thru the tough times but, in the end man o man is it worth it!

here are a few taken recently while bouncing from bart to bart over the weekend.

I'm almost finished packin for my trip tommorrow.

It's gonna be epic!

even though i might miss the first couple of rains here in months (i love the rain)

peace

-j

 


Thank you

You the most important piece to my puzzle.You are my creator , and you love me and guide me and give me the strength i need.

I am forever changed because of you in my life.



Thank you for everything

-j

Tell them

To the many photographers i know out there from Mumbai India to DOM France , from Tokyo Japan to The Netherlands and those from right here in the U.S.A reppin grounds from Philly to Kentucky , Texas to Colorado right back to the boogie down Bronx , i wanted to give my thanks to all ya'll for not only supporting me and my passion but , inspiring me with your art as well.

All of our work is so unique in every way and that's what makes us all so unique as photographers and how we capture our world.

I hope that no matter what may happen in our lives the love of the capture never fades and we all continue to inspire and motivate each other for many days to come.

 

We are all so blessed

sleep well

much love,

-j


Barefoot

"We are only as good as the people that we associate ourselves with"- jjc


that might have been said by someone else more prolific than john coyne and thats ok cause i have no record of it comming from some book or great speech or Nobel peace prize winner, either way i believe it to be true and am thankful that tonight i have decided to spend some time with the best company i could ask for....myself!

I have been working very hard this past week and studied even harder and even though i have eliminated alcohol from my diet very recently, Tonight i mos definitely deserve a bottle of my favorite peenot greegeo along side some terrific pasta and beats by Nicolay.

i'll leave you all tonight with a few snaps taken more than 2 years ago when everything in the bay was so new to me and love was something only in my dreams.

Don't ever let fear get in your way of your dreams...as long as you believe you can do anything!

till then

love,

-j



Talent

I wanted to post up something i should have a awhile ago after attending the Hotel De Arts show in San Francisco the 17th of this month. I went to pay homage to an incredibly talented AZ based artist that goes by DS3K Disposable Hero.

I met him back in 06' when i first moved out to the bay area and haven't had the chance to link back up with him since he invited me to the show last week.His art defines ill and i'm a huge fan of the talent and skill he brings to the table, He kills it every time he comes to the bay and he's great people to be around cause of his sense of whats important and his sense of humor as well.

The show that night was incredible to say the least...5 floors of wall to wall artists and photographers that had my mind goin crazy.

I also met a cat named Mark Wasyl who i had to buy a print from cause his pieces were so sick!

Very dope spot , very dope people and very blessed to be a part of it all!

Above is a Gift from Disposable hero

And below is the piece i picked up from Mark Wasyl

The weekends here!

Make the best of it and stay strong!

gbless

-j


Word up

I had the honor of meeting this dope cat who goes by word up at the dream/verse block party in oakland a few weeks ago and took some clicks of him performing in store that night but, said that we would link up again and we this just that yesterday.He's a down to earth true to the game east Oakland hip hop artist and i got much respect for him.

Many more opportunities ahead yo.

-j


Fall defines change

2 cups of high powered coffee, 1 english muffin ( with the strawberry jam), 1/2 cup of determination and  a tablespoon of willpower.

Fall of 08' will be the most monumental time in my life. Big progressions ahead, let nothing stand in my way.

these things i want in life i have always told others that i want but, constantly something has discouraged me or fear has gotten in my way.

so, this time it's not gonna be the same old start and stop..

i have the green light on dreams now and i'm going for it

-j


Ain't the same

So i say a little morning prayer before i get out of bed which is normally saved for evenings and before i eat. Today was an Oakland Sunday by any means and it's something that isn't easy and isn't as fun while doing it all stag but, i digress...

And there i am eating my cinnamon french toast with the scrambled eggs and coffee near the lake at rolling dunes. I finish up as quickly as possible cause it felt like they were trying to get me out since i was at a table for 2 and there was a line to sit and eat. The sun was begging me to get to the laney flea market and so i did and spent about 3 hours there stopping to enjoy some fresh fruit and picking up a new pair of socks all the find out i parked in a no parking zone which landed me a $50 ticket courtesy of the city of Oakland!

But, what once would have made me mad this time around didn't seem to bother me much so, i hopped in my car and decided to cut across town and return some stuff i got at the rock ridge mall in pleasanton and ran into E-40 signing autographs at the t-mobile stand which i thought was funny. After that i came home and decided on hopping on bart and riding my bike down telegraph for some pizza and beer at lanesplitters , it was so nice of them to give me the coldest slice in the place and the tip reflected my gratitude!...jerks!

then i rode down to the vibe lounge to see the owner about hanging my work there as she offered me to do so weeks ago.

and now here i am about to go to bed and all i have is this lousy photo of the mac aurthur bart to show for it!

enjoy ,

good night, good morning & godbless