Portrait of Michael-3

Michael was the (Information Technology) IT Consultant for California State University Bakersfield at the Antelope Valley College campus. He said that his title was, “a fancy way of saying I’m a geek…My multitude of obsessions include comics and role playing games, such as Dungeons & Dragons, which I’ve been playing that since the first edition, back in the seventies.”

StarWars was not Michael’s favorite, although he understood all Star Wars references I made. He did love A Song of Ice and Fire series and when Michael first started reading the series, he thought to himself, “Like, Yay. No one going on a random quest to save the universe or whatever…Don’t get attached cuz they’re going to die…That’s great.”

Michael believed A Song of Ice and Fire was a breath of fresh air after all the The Lord of the Rings Trilogy template/knockoff-type fantasy series, “And of course there’s all the political skulduggery, which makes it entertaining.”

Michael only watched Game of Thrones, the show, one season and was not impressed. I can only imagine what he would have thought of season seven. Let’s not talk about that.

Michael had various employees under him and he was a complete Tyrant. Please see his wanted poster below whence he seeks new work study employees. I’m kidding. He wasn’t a Tyrant at all. He was a really nice guy, laid back, with a sense of humor, and a humorous bulletin board.

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21~I by Daphne

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And the neighborhood goes wild!!

 

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Netty

Netty and I met at  Antelope Valley Hospital, Lancaster, California, USA. Netty started talking to me about my shorts, of all things; she liked the pockets in my cargo shorts.

I realized right away, by how colorfully she appeared and spoke, she was an artist. Then I perused a fashion magazine and I saw someone wearing an outfit that I thought she might want to wear, so, I showed it to her. This prompted a conversation about photography and art. I showed her some of my portrait work which she admired.

I requested to include her in my portrait project. She didn’t want me to make her picture because she didn’t like how she looked in pictures, but she consented after I promised her I would make a wonderful picture of her.

We were outside, in front of the hospital’s volunteer office, by the memorial garden for the pet therapy program dogs that passed away. My dog, Hector, had participated in the pet therapy program until four years prior to this posting, when he died. Netty mentioned that she herself had two therapy dogs at some time in her life, so it meant a lot to both of us to be there.

I brought out a little stool and a Netty sat among the Roses. She felt very spiritual and suddenly put her hands in Namaste position. I asked her to keep her hands in that position and to look up.  I snapped a few shots like that and ended up with what we both agreed was a perfect portrait of her spirituality, colorfulness and hopefulness.

Netty was originally from Dillonvale, Jefferson County, Ohio, USA, which was very close to West Virginia, “in the sticks.” Netty said she was a Coal Miner’s granddaughter. Her family was the first and only black family in the town. She learned how to love everybody for just who they were and “I’m never going to change that.”

Artist Netty was a spiritual being who was, “trying to spread hope and love to everyone I touch. That’s what I’m doing here.” Netty’s art often had a message to it. “I don’t name my pieces because I want the pieces to bring out their own power.” Most of her work was recycled art, that is, things that “already passed” and needed to be “re-purposed.”

Netty said she did show her art “way up North,” but didn’t show anywhere in the Antelope Valley area. She was not sure if it was simply not important to show her work or she just didn’t have courage.

It was an honor and a pleasure to meet someone with as wonderful a spirit and heart as Netty.

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21-N is for No

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My favorite thing about fall!!

 

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Dave-3

At the time of our meeting, Dave was an officer with California Highway Patrol for eight years, and started motorcycle patrol duty about six years prior.

Dave always had a loved motorcycles and had been riding motorcycles since he was ten years old, “I have a passion for riding motorcycles…I absolutely love my job and the fact that I can drive a motorcycle all day is a cherry on top.”

Dave was originally from Central Valley/Bakersfield area.

When I was shooting his portrait, I noticed that Dave didn’t have his helmet. His helmet was attached via a safety lock on to the frame of his motorcycle. Below is a picture of that lock. I thought it was robust looking, and very pragmatic.

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21-H by Melody

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Sending thoughts and prayers to Texas

 

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Greg-2

Greg was the owner of Voodoo Vinyl New and Used Records which was a “newer used record store” with guitars, 33’s, 45’s, and clothing. It was “a piece of the past.” Voodo Vinyl was located in Lancaster, California, USA on The Blvd.

“It was a lifelong dream to open a store like this,” Greg stated. “I was collecting records for 35 years. Music has always been my life.”

I asked Greg to pick two albums so he could pose with them. When he showed me the albums, I was enthralled because  Let It Be  was my favorite album, ever.  It was like he read my mind.

Greg chose those two albums because Let It Be was made by  The Beatles, “the greatest rock band ever” and he thought that was perfect. The other album was Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables  which was “a perfect punk style record by the  Dead Kennedys.”

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21-G by Roger

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Wait, what? It’s Wednesday?

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Filippo

In this picture, Filippo uses a tamper shank plate with a jackhammer to soften up the soil, readying it for Landscaping.

In Antelope Valley, California, USA, the land is very hard and impacted, especially on a construction site where nothing had been erected for a very long time.

Filippo was softening the soil so that the perimeter of this site could be beautiful someday.

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Round 21 – ABC Wednesday – D

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Wait, what? It’s Wednesday?

 

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Dave-2

Dave was from just north of Houston, Texas, USA and played bass for Sundance Head, which he had been doing for a little over 6 years.

Dave had played bass for at least 25 years and didn’t play any other instruments, nor did he sing. Dave thought maybe he should be singing.

His band generally played original music with a bluesy, country sound, with a bit of soul . His favorite song was Darling Don’t Go because “it was a really strong song.”

I’m generally not into country music, but I have to admit, that their sound was really good.

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Round 21 – ABC Wednesday – D

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August 2

 

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Elana

Elena lived in Santa Barbara, California, USA. She was an assistant interior designer who worked for Hélène Aumont, the interior designer.

Elena’s favorite volleyball position was opposite. She played volleyball since high school, having played for Ventura High School for two years. She stopped to participate in running.

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21-V by Melody

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And now it’s December!!

 

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Todd

I heard Todd and his band play at the 4th of July event at Edwards Air Force Base. I didn’t know who they were, but thought to myself that they really played some good Beatles. After, their performance, Todd let me interview him, and I found out that he was part of The Cast of Beatlemania. Evidently, the band was kind enough to come and play for free for the military troops at Edwards Air Force Base as they celebrated our Independence Day.

Beatlemania is a professional group that plays Beatles songs for over two hours in a performance spanning their history together. The concept has been around since 1980. I saw Beatlemania in Seattle, Washington, USA in the mid-1990’s. It is a fantastically fun experience. I highly recommend it if you have the opportunity (not necessarily in Seattle.)

When I met Todd, he had been playing Paul McCartney in the The Los Angeles Cast of Beatlemania for about eight years. He got started because somebody saw him play with another group at another event and told him “we think you’d be able to do it.” They had him play Paul because he looked like Paul and was a bass player. He always loved the Beatles.

The first time Todd heard the Beatles was when he was little, but he didn’t remember exactly when. I told Todd that I remembered the first time I heard the Beatles; it was when they were on The Ed Sullivan Show and I was very, very little. Todd said “that’s a good one to remember.”

This was shot in 100% natural lighting conditions, during sunset, no reflectors. I added the sky in Photoshop, though, for dramatic effect.

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Round 21 – B for Beasties

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Back from my family “vacation”…

 

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Andrea-2

Andrea was a military wife who was originally from Franklinville, New Jersey, USA and had studied at Camden County College. At the time of this interview, she lived on Edwards Air Force Base, California and “was representing” Rosamond Health and Fitness (RHF) in Rosamond, California.

Andrea had been in the fitness business for six years and specialized in teaching an Urban Boot Camp which blended Hip Hop in a boot camp environment. She created this style and was also an instructor trainer. She hoped that one day her style could be taught to people via videos.

Andrea was also a personal trainer and noted that RHF offered one free boot camp class as a trial.

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Round 21 – A

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It’s family time, it’s a reunion…

 

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Captain Jack

Captain Jack was a pirate who loved rum and Moon Mermaid.

He was an actor with Pirates For Hire who attended events such as the Ventura Pirate Festival at Ventura Harbor. He was a performer who entertained all over America, including Alaska, and various countries around the world.

During events, he was a Master of Ceremonies in the costume contests and was very inspirational to children who were fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series and were motivated to dress like pirates.

Captain Jack said I could write anything I wanted to write as long as it made him sound good. But I think you could find out more about him on @captainjacklive.

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J is for Journey

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Must be that fall is right around the corner!!

 

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.