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 :,]

Thriller Bark III was a blast! I always look forward to seeing live music whenever I can, so having an annual show to look forward to is a neat thing to have in Bakersfield. This time was a bit different too; they had vendors selling their wares, which is something never done before! RollerRama also holds many memories for me, as I went there multiple times as a kid, so going there as an adult and for a completely different reason other than actually skating is kinda surreal.

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! I went to Riverwalk park and simply walked the bike path up and down and found many nature-esque subjects to capture. 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 Bakerfield is that you can really get a tast 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 acustom to these areas and I sometimes feel as if they are my own world, but those feelings quickly dissapate 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 coverd!

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 that 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 to 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 paretal 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 everytime 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 its 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 activites 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, and encapsulating myself within my own. 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.