Everything was on fire and the sky was orange
The Weather Started Getting Rough
Llano Del Rio-Is happiness a state of mind or dependent upon affluent material conditions? Llano Del Rio was designed by a feminist for a communist (Named Job), and included many modern “feminist features” such as kitchen-less homes, communal childcare, and built in furniture, all designed to reduce the amount of domestic work done by women. Within the circular city plan, were designs for underground tunnels to deliver food to the families, but these and other plans were never actuated due to lack of funding. Workers initially were payed a good wage, but as the colony grew, the wage system was abandoned and workers needs were taken care of instead of paying them outright. It grew from five families to a thousand people from 1913 to 1917. In 1917, the colony relocated with their once Vice President of the United States and Los Angeles Mayor hopeful Job Harriman, to Stables Louisiana, called it New Llano, and stayed there, and became Americas last and oldest socialist colony ever. Many of their values once considered subversive, are now considered standards of American life, like the 8 hour workday, minimum wage and social security. Is happiness a state of mind or dependent upon affluent material conditions? Read more here : http://media.lpb.org/images/pdf/AmericanUtopia_LlanodelRioCooperativeColony.pdf (read it! Fascinating letters and period photos!) These images were shot on a cloudy night, with a combination of available light and flashlight, with exposure times ranging from 1 to 4 minutes. I primarily shot what was left of the assembly hall.
Four Aces
Four Aces is a movie rental set in the Mojave. On the last night of a three night trip, we went to three locations, and I really enjoyed this place. Not as cold as it had been in some of our previous locations, i was having a great shoot there. As I was setting up for one of my last shots at this spot, I opened the legs of my tripod,and it ripped right off, cutting my time there short. Luckily I was able to borrow a friends for the next location! Please enjoy these pictures, maybe take a moment to imagine your self on a lonely desert road in the middle of the night, the wind cutting through your jeans, clouds streaking by at a breakneck pace, and the very occasional car rumbling by, showing the passage of time and reminding you that its a long lonely road.
Howards Hodgepogde
The Waters Fine (If You Like It Cold)
Howard’s Hodgepodge, was an amazing night near the full moon, in Nevada. Shot in may 2010 with Troy Paiva and Joe Reifer, this was one of the most amazing junkyards Id ever been to. The variety was incredible, different forms cast about everywhere. It went on and on. I wont.
The black and white images are shot in full daylight with an IR filter.
The rest are shot at night, with different combination’s of moonlight, natural flashlight, gelled strobes, and sodium vapor lighting.
Junk yard dogs dont really care if you have permission!
June 2010: Wolf Ridge
I went with some good friends for a foggy night hike to wolf ridge, an abandoned radar and coastal defense station. It was dark, foggy and cold, a perfect setting for night photography! A wise olllddd photographer once told me “shoot with what you’re given” so that’s what I did. I really like how gloomy and dark these images feel, and they remind me of the feeling of being in the silent, wet blanket of fog. What a way to unwind and forget about my daily struggle!
August 2010: New Idria, after the fire
I’ve shot New Idria several times, and its always been an amazing experience. For me, its at least a 4 hr drive, The last hour being curvy, Ill maintained mountainous roads. You get there, and you feel completely isolated, minus the one family that still lives in town on the weekends. So you gotta be quiet, even though there might not be anybody around for 5 miles. I heard it had caught fire, and many structures were lost to the flames, so we made the trek again, to photograph the ever changing landscape of a historic Quicksilver mining town.
November 2010: Mare Island Part II
The second installment from this months moon also includes a few day images from The Vallejo Waterfront. While speaking with a “Dredger”, talking about the declining economy and lack of business etc (our dogs made out) I asked if I could take his photo. Just one and I like it!
( I totally forgot his name )
November 2010: Mare Island
For November’s full moon, I went to Mare Island, and some surrounding areas in Vallejo. It was raining off and on, which helps to enhance the solitude. The mist swallows up all the sounds, and gives you a chance to be alone with your thoughts. Some nights, I like to pretend what it might have been like for the people that frequented these places, but not on this night.
riki feldmann 