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Wandering/Vagando

We will be in California in January!

BBI workshops are about the project.
Limited to 14 participants
Hope you can join us.
REGISTRATION

LOCATIONS and DATES

Guadalajara, December 13, 2009
Black Boots Ink Last Sunday Collaborative
The project begins in Guadalajara, with the participation of local writers and photographers.

San Francisco, January 22 -24, 2010
Special Guest Presenter: Ray Potes
The first California workshop will be hosted by Hamburgereyes in San Francisco. An exhibit in the Mission District will include the work from Guadalajara and San Francisco.

Los Angeles, January 29 – 31, 2010
Special Guest Presenter: Armando Arorizo
The Perfect Exposure Gallery will host the final California workshop. A public exhibition will include the portraits from Guadalajara, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Guadalajara, February, 2010
Special Guest Presenter: Ricardo Guzman
We will conclude the project hosted by Casa Escorza in Februry in Guadalajara, Mexico. The final exhibit will be a culmination of work from San Francisco, Los Angeles and Guadalajara.

An edit of the final images will also be published as a book and online www.blackbootsink.com as Wandering in the Company of Strangers with literary portraits by Angie Zuno, J. Eduardo Barragan, Ibarionex Perello.

for more information, please write blackbootsink@gmail.com

Vagando en Compañía de Desconocidos: El Retrato (Sub)Urbano

BBI: Vagando en Compañía de Desconocidos: El Retrato (Sub)Urbano

Black Boots Ink te invita a pasear con nosotros en el primer informe anual viajero, un taller basado en los proyectos y exposiciónes, que te presentan a tus vecinos.

El retrato (sub)urbano es la base de la serie de talleres Vagando en Compañía de Desconocidos. El énfasis de este taller es la creación de un ambiente para que los participantes puedan aprender y practicar las tecnicas para documentar su comunidad. Las sesiones del taller están diseñadas para su utilización práctica con críticas de trabajo personalizadas, centradas en sus imágenes, con instrucción para fotografiar como vive y existe la gente en sus comunidades.

Vamos a discutir las maneras de darle voz a la gente al acercarse a ella, construir una relación, y crear retratos de las personas en su entorno natural. También se discutirá ética y responsabilidades, la luz, composición y las opciones de equipo. El propósito de esta serie de talleres es ayudarte a entender los aspectos narrativos, estéticos, y emocionales de la fotografía.

Cada día se divide entre la enseñanza en clase, trabajo de campo, críticas personales y en grupo. Los participantes pueden trabajar en película C-41 blanco y negro, color o digitales. La inscripción está abierta a todos los fotógrafos aficionados y profesionales.

Nuestra visión es hacer retratos urbanos como medio de presentaciones visuales de personas de una ciudad a personas en diferentes ciudades. Nuestra meta es devolver los retratos del público a el público, para hacer arte en lugares accesibles al combinar el trabajo de cada taller en las exposiciones, un libro, internet y en las calles, algunos lugares publicos donde las personas se reúnen para vivir.

para mas información blackbootsink@gmail.com

Wandering in the Company of Strangers

Wandering in the Company of Stangers: The (Sub)Urban Portrait
Black Boots Ink invites you to wander with us on the first annual, traveling, project-based workshop and exhibit introducing you to your neighbor.

The (Sub)Urban Portait is the focus of the workshop series Wandering in the Company of Strangers. The emphasis of this workshop is on creating an opportunity for people to learn and practice skills that will help them document their own communities. Workshop sessions are designed for practical use with personalized working critiques centering on the work you create and instruction for photographing how people inhabit, use and exist within their communities. It's often how life is lived, particularly in very public venues, be it a market, a church, a park.

We will discuss ways to use the camera to give voice to a community by approaching people, building relationships, and making insightful images in their natural environment. We will also discuss ethics and responsibilities, light and composition and equipment choices. The purpose of this workshop series is to help you understand the narrative, aesthetic, and emotional aspects of photography.

Each day is divided between classroom instruction, discussions, personal and group critiques and fieldwork. Participants may work in black and white or color c-41 film or digital. Enrollment is open to amateur and professional photographers.

Our vision is to make urban portraits as a means of visual introductions of people from one city to people in different cities. Our goal is to return the portraits of the public, to the public; to make art accessible in comfortable venues by combining the work from each workshop in a book, exhibitions, online, and on the streets and other places where people gather to live.

for more information email us at blackbootsink@gmail.com

Introductions/Introducciones- Jennifer Ahn

I Introduce Jennifer Ahn
www.jenniferahn.com

1) What is your photography about?
There really isn't anything I like to target. In most cases, I just have my camera and shoot something that is interesting to me at that moment. I like to photograph a little bit of everything...people afar and close up, places with character and things that sometimes may seem unusual to me.






2) When did you start taking pictures/Why?
I really started back in high school with a point and shoot. I photographed everything my friends and I did, family activities and Charlie, our family golden retriever back then. I miss him.






3)What has been most challenging for you?
Walking right up to people and taking their portrait...especially in vulnerable situations. I don't do well at funerals, hospitals for example...as a photographer, I want to capture the moment but as a human being, I want to respect people's privacy.

4) what has been most rewarding for you?
Working in the darkroom. Most photographers are in the digital world but I'm old school like that...I love the smell of chemicals, film and photo paper!

Introductions/Introducciones- Ibarionex Perello

I Introduce
Ibarionex Perello
www.ibarionex.com

1) What motivates you to teach, photograph and host The Candid Frame?

I have a deep love and passion for photography. The way that I see the world and the images that result from that are a big part of who I am. For me photography is more than just equipment and visual trophies, it's really about how I explore and discover the world and have the opportunity to share it with others. For me, it's one of the ways that I hold on to that sense of wonder that I had as a child and that so many of us lose as adults. My teaching and my podcast are extensions of that. As well as keeping me jacked into the photo community in a unique way, it also provides me a way of inspiring others to tap into their own unique ways of seeing and expressing that in photographs. No one sees the world in the same way and photographs provides one of the means for doing that and I think that part of the price I pay for being a photographer is creating opportunities for others to discover that passion and wonder for themselves.

2) Tell me about your new work on the trains of LA.

This was actually work I did some years ago when I was still working near Santa Monica. I live in Altadena, CA just north of Pasadena and I was in round-trip gridlock on the freeways for anywhere between 2.5 - 3 hours, five days a week. I finally got burnt out and began taking the train and bus to work. I did it for about six months and during that time I began photographing my commute. It began more to create something for me to do rather than thinking of it as a photo project. Nevertheless, I wanted to focus on the community that exists in the train cars and the buses which is mostly immigrant workers who are shuttled from the east side to west side to serve as the workers for the Westside community. I think it's also about the way human behavior changes in respect to what's considered personal space in such confinement. Some faces become very familiar, recognizable over time, but it isn't about relationships but rather a shared experience, that happens mostly in silence and anonymity.



3) Tell me about your experience in Guadalajara, Mexico ?
As soon as I found out about the workshop, I knew I had to be there. The moment it was possible, I signed up. I had a great respect for the work that Emilio and Elena had done previously and I wanted to have the opportunity to immerse myself in a project. It's difficult to find or create such opportunities and I felt that this would provide an chance to challenge myself. I'm primarily a street photographer, but I was hoping to make images that weren’t merely documenting of a place, but that used light and the juxtaposition of people and space to convey a sense of connectedness. I wanted to a sense of intimacy with my photographs, which I sometimes felt was missing from my work and I think I succeeded in many ways with that. It's definitely informed the way I create images since then.


4) What are you looking forward to?
I'm looking forward to being reconnected with an amazing group of talented photographers. The talent of the photographers both from Mexico and the States was really incredible. I think we learned so much from each other, not as a result of lectures or presentations, but just by having the opportunity to see each other work and seeing the results. It really shakes things up and opens my eyes to the greater possibilities that are out there. I think I'm most looking forward to discovering new things about myself and my work, while having a wonderful time with some amazing, talented photographers.

Introductions/Introduccion- Nancy Ahn

I Introduce
Nancy Ahn
www.nancyahn.com

1) Tell me about your interest in photographing animals and people.

I enjoy photographing animals and people because I'm capturing a little glimpse into who they are. One image won't define them, but shows a brief moment in their life, whether it be good or bad. There's an honesty about it...like "this is who I am".

I used to be weary of photographing people, scared to approach them, thinking I may offend or impose upon them. It wasn't until shooting the SF march protesting the war years ago (thanks Elena & Emilio for the invitation!!!) that I realized as long as I keep it real people don't mind being photographed. Most times they have something to say and want to have their voices heard. I feel it's my duty as an artist to do just that.

2) Are you also a painter? How do you feel about mixed media?

I don't consider myself a painter, but I do dabble in it here and there. When I do, I like clean lines and solid color blocks, very graphic and technical. If you asked me to paint something expressive, I'd have a panic attack and run in the opposite direction.

I enjoy seeing other artists' mixed media pieces, depending upon the subject and execution. I haven't worked much in it myself because I like to focus on one technique at a time, putting all my energy and thought into it. I get bored much too easily so the simpler the procedure, the more likely I'll finish the project.






3) What/who inspires you?

I get inspiration from just about anything...a good example of this is a recent "sister date day" I had with Jenny. We set off to SF to check out the Richard Avedon show at the MOMA. My nose tingled with the onset of tears, seeing one of my favorite photogs' work.

It was incredibly inspiring to look eye to eye with the endless amount of portraits he had taken over the years. I experienced all over again, the reason WHY I am a photographer. Leaving the SFMOMA, Jenny and I giggled with delight, when we noticed the sidewalk pavement was sparkly as if someone had dusted glitter all over it. The sun was hitting it at just the right angle, making it glisten and us turn into two little girls again. Sometimes it's the subtleties in everyday life that keep me inspired.

4)What else are you working on?

Most recently, I've gone back to my roots in drawing. I started as soon as I was old enough to pick up a marker. Originally intending to major in illustration, I switched gears after taking my first photo class. (It was love at first "i processed my own film!")

Last month, Jenny and I had a show at Black & Brown, showcasing my drawings and her paintings. I was really nervous. Since starting photography in college, I haven't drawn much, and my confidence in doing so has dwindled dramatically. The show was a success and everyone that came out was stoked!

I also just tackled my first attempt at creating apparel. For Halloween, I was "Max" from "Where the Wild Things Are" and created the entire getup from scratch. It was scary and exciting all at the same time. :)

I constantly have project ideas running through my head, but am an extremely lazy procrastinator (bad combo) so a lot of times, my projects may not be executed for years. Other times, I'll start a project and not finish it. I have a good collection of those...maybe I can propose a show: "unfinished works" by nancy ahn. hmmmmmm...

New Issue

New Black Boots Ink Issue
Guadalajara, Mexico 2008
www.blackbootsink.com

© 2008 Ibarionex Perello

images by: IAC PARTICIPANTS 2008

Emilio Bañuelos, San Francisco | Antonio Cardenas, Guadalajara | Elena Carrasco, San Francisco | Alexcia DeVásquez, Malaga, Spain | Gina Esposito, San Francisco | Noemi Flores-Zepeda, Guadalajara | James Gilmore, Mount Shasta | Jorge Luis Gomez, Guadalajara | Aimee Guymon, Berkeley | Kija Lucas , Oakland | Carl Mogerley, San Francisco | Alfonso Nafarrate, Guadalajara | Rika Noda, Dunsmuir | Ibarionex Perello, Altadena | Unni Raveendranathen, San Francisco | John Rickard , Dunsmuir | Theo Slavin, San Francisco | Linda Vazquez, Guadalajara

Black Boots ink

Welcome to Black Boots Ink
a publication about the rituals of life in the pursuit of happiness.