Wednesday, July 6, 2011

I'm back

I have not been posting for a longggg time...been transitioning and working on a couple of new websites... http://www.raaphoto.com this will be the main website and http://500px.com/raaphoto will be the porfolio site with new images. I will be focusing more on commercial work and some photojournalist work here too..

raul

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

REPTILE ROOM!!!!!!!!!!!

If you ever come down to Hayward, California....you definetly need to check out the -REPTILE ROOM. I shot these images about two weeks ago very quickly.... I had my kids with me so, I was not able to shoot that many images. But, I really like the post-production that I did. Their prices are very affordable and the place is very clean. What I really enjoyed was the customer service. Mike, was very helpful and informative regarding the animals they have. Check them out. 1223 A St. Hayward, Ca, 510-727-9702

ps. Currently, I'm working on a couple projects the will be posted in the following weeks.

















Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Solo Exhibition

I know, I have neglected this blog for a while....This year, I will definetly try to keep up much more with social media.

This past Saturday, 8th of January, the San Mateo History Museum had an opening reception
showing some of my work I did on the last days of the famous and historical Bay Meadows Racetrack. This exhibition is at the Lower Rotunda until April 30, 2011.
It was a great experience and thanks to the people that helped put this together..
without their help and support this would not have happen.

First, of all I would like to thank My heavenly Father for making this project come alive. Without him, nothing is possible.

Dana, Thank you for the opportunity of viewing my work and being able to show these historical pieces to the public. Thank you once again for all your hard work that you put into this project.

Tom Farrell, Thank You for providing the captioning and thanks for the times I called and bugged you on the phone...and still helped.

Jim, thank you for being part of this project, Your help was greatly appreciated.

For my wife Silvia, my lovely kids, Rodrigo, Roberto, Lea and Lydia...Gracias for supporting papi's crazy ideas. And my dear Mother....Gracias, for Always supporting your son.
I love you all.

And to my dear Pastor...thank you for your spiritual guidance and patience you have with me.
Without that Guidance....my Christian morals and decisions would be non-existence. Gracias.

For all the rest of the supporters....thank you for your private financial support.

There were a couple stories that ran regarding the exhibition. I have link them below...

Here's the Museum address:
2200 Broadway
Redwood City, CA 94063
650-299-0104


http://www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county/ci_17052035?source=rss&nclick_check=1

http://www.americantowns.com/ca/redwoodcity/events/bay-meadows-the-race-is-over-1



Monday, November 15, 2010

New postings coming up soon..

I am currently working on new projects....so, folks...I know I haven't posted anything for a few months..but, please be patient...


I will be having a photo exhibition on the former Bay Meadows Racetrack on January 2011. You can view a few of the images clicking here. Will keep you posted more on this soon..

raul

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Pro-Mehserle Rally, Walnut Creek, July 19, 2010


A Oscar Grant supporter holds a sign at the entrance of the Walnut Creek BART station during a pro-Mehserle rally held at the Contra Costa County Superior Court Building in Walnut Creek, California on Monday July 19, 2010. Johannes Mehserle, a BART police officer was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter earlier this month in the shooting death of Oscar Grant.


Law enforcement in riot gear from various police departments assist the Walnut Creek Police during a pro-Mehserle rally in Walnut Creek, California on Monday July 19, 2010. Johannes Mehserle, a BART police officer was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter earlier this month in the shooting death of Oscar Grant.
The rest of the photos can be found at http://www.raaphoto.com/p228006988

Monday, July 12, 2010

"bomb" scare at the Hayward Bart Station, July 7.

I got the call on the scanner about the streets being closed near where I was parked this passed Wednesday. It's funny how being a photojournalist some stories just come to your footsteps. I was actually half a block away when the call came. At the end, the bomb squad did blow something up. But, it sound it more like a firecracker than a "bomb".


Bart Police blocking the entrance to the Hayward Bart Station, after a "bomb" was found on Wednesday July 7, 2010.



Alameda County Sherrifs Department Bomb Technician in full suit walks away after checking a reported "bomb" found by a bus shelter at the Hayward Bart Station on Wednesday July 7, 2010.



Alameda County Sherriff Department Bomb Technician gets assistance with his suit at the Hayward Bart Station, after a suspecious packagage (bomb) was found near a bus station on Wednesday July 7, 2010.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

San Lorenzo Community Park

This is San Lorenzo Community Park. I really enjoy coming here and watch how many ducks and geese are here...
http://vimeo.com/11314799


Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Sulphur Creek Nature Center



I found Sulphur Creek Nature Center a few weeks ago on the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District website and took a trip with my son. I have lived all my life here in the San Leandro, Hayward area and did not know this place was here. This place is not a zoo. It is a place where they take in animals that would not be able to survive back in the wild. I really enjoyed the Golden Eagle and for some reason I like seeing vultures, they're very interesting creatures. They also have foxes, coyotes, reptiles and more. I really like the atmosphere and most of all is free. I suggest to take a jacket if you're going to visit because it can get pretty chilli.

They're hours of operations can be found here.




This guy gets feed around 3pm



I didn't see another rooster there...He must feel real good being the only male there.




A fox




I waited over 15 minutes to get a shot of his tongue and......nothing.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

"Young Lives....taken...too ealy"


A San Leandro Police Officer crosses the street while the k-9 unit awaits directions, after receiving a call of a possible armed suspect.

I have not posted any stories for a very long..long...time. The media for Independent/Freelance photojournalists is changing. I will post some videos also. The technology in our cameras have changed... now we are able to shoot stills and hd video..

I will be working on a story of how family's are affected by juvenile violence. I will try my best to cover the personal lives of the victim as well as the suspects...
Alameda County Sherriff Officer stands guard while assisting the San Leandro Police Department on a call of a possible armed suspect.

Monday, October 26, 2009

RONALD'S STORY-Part II-End





Martha tends her son Ronald....


. “I give him massages with ointments" saids Martha, while putting a cap on Ronald


Ronald was born October 15, 1980. It will be eight years from this tragic accident. His mother and his aunt, Juanita have adjusted their lives to help Ronald with his care. He needs special meals that need to be fed through a feeding tube attached to his stomach. They need to keep him warm or cool, it all depends on the weather, so, he can be comfortable. But, someone always needs to be with him all the time.


Ronald has been in a comatose stage since 2001

His mother works at the radiology department in a hospital in the next town over, a 30 minute drive. Sometimes she has to work weekends and graveyard shifts and this makes it hard for her to care for Ronald. But, luckily she has her sister Juanita that helps. These two women have practically dedicated their lives on taking care of the younger of two boys. Ronald’s oldest brother, Billy, left persuading the American dream to Los Angeles almost three years ago to try to help his family.



This is the feeding tube that is connected to Ronald's stomach.

At Martha Romero’s house stands a wooden table with multiple awards for the athletes in the family. Medals, and photographs of teams displaying on their shirt “La colonia 9 de Noviembre” (9th of November neighborhood) that’s the name of the neighborhood were Martha and Ronald’s house is. All this are just memories of Ronald’s childhood and teenage years. Also, the time spent with his family.

“Life took a turn, for Martha’s family. Being a single mother is really hard on her” said Sandra Elizabeth, Ronald’s friend. “His friends in town remember Ronald on the basketball court, he was a talented player”

“He was very active before the accident. He kept himself active in sports, organizing basketball teams with the neighborhood kids” said his Martha. “He enjoyed being a referee and led teams to the nearby town of Usulután for games” Folks and people from different towns have come to visit him.

When Ronald needs his feeding tube changed, Martha has to rent a taxi minivan to transport him to the country’s capital, San Salvador, a two hour drive from Santiago de Maria. This procedure is done once a year…occasionally every February. He gets his feeding tube replaced and an endoscopy is made to check if his stomach is free from any damage caused by the feeding tube. He developed gastritis erosive a couple years ago, but, was treated for it. Only a gastroenterology doctor sees Ronald during this visitation.

“I can’t afford a neurologist” said Martha. In his hometown, Ronald is treated by a family doctor for minor things as a cold or light complications with his feeding tube.


“I can’t let my son deteriorate” said Martha, a single mother…caring

Epilogue

I called Martha to find out how much it costs her to take Ronald for his yearly check up and change his feeding tube. She told me that from the rental of the taxi minivan to the whole process, it costs her about $500 dollars. Now, that’s a lot of money for a single mother to pay in a small country. Martha has to call the gastroenterology doctor in the capital before she can bring Ronald over, because the feeding tube has to be specially ordered in Guatemala. She also mentioned that her son Billy, who left almost three years ago to California, is not working due to the economy. So, with the little money he used once a while…there’s no help from him at all.

Sonia is also having a hard time. She got laid off from her job and is not teaching anymore. Now, she has to struggle herself, raising two beautiful daughters. If, in the United States, being a single mother is hard…imagine in El Salvador.

Credits

Story written by Sonia Bernal (El Salvador)

Story translated by Raul A. Alvarez (United States)

Photos by Sonia Bernal (El Salvador)

Preface and Epilogue by Raul A. Alvarez

Produced by Raul A. Alvarez

Reporters Note: This story has taken almost two years to publish online. I have not talk to Martha since this story was produced or written. Hopefully, her son Billy, has found some work..

I will post more information in a couple of weeks how the General Public can be part of this project of helping Ronald..

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

RONALD'S STORY-Part 1

Acknowledment
This story has taken me almost 2 years to publish online. I would like to thank Sonia Bernal for being such a blessing and help with this story., that if it wasn't for her, this would have never happened. All I did was produced the story, translated into English and did some final editing...But, Sonia did all the work, interviews, photographs, traveling and volunteering her time without pay. Hopefully, Ronald's Story will get him and his mother some kind of help.
Thank You
Raul


Preface:

Santiago de Maria is a small city approximately 85 kilometers from the capital of San Salvador in El Salvador, Central America. . It’s a beautiful small city filled with tropical and humid weather. Everywhere you look is green. Green trees, green plants, green mountains, everything is green. Folks walk from their homes to their jobs. Sometimes cars are not a necessity. This place has perfect weather at all times of the year. I was raised in Santiago de Maria up to the age of 7, when my mother brought me up to California. My mother had known Martha (Ronald’s mother) for years. I didn’t know her. I met her in when I took my first trip to Santiago de Maria in 1992. Ronald was 12 years old. But, I never had any kind of contact with them, until Ronald’s situation touched my heart.

The internet is a wonderful tool to meet and find lost friends. Just like Myspace, Facebook and HI5. My uncle had told me that in HI5 there was a page with people from Santiago de Maria. I am not a fan of internet communities. But, I did want to get hold of some friends of mine that I had made during a vacationing trip by myself in the summer of 1994. One more thing that he mentioned was that there was a reporter there. I have no idea why he mentioned that, but, I guess because I’m a photojournalist, he probably figured I should get in touch with her if I ever needed anything. So, I did.

My mother had traveled to Santiago de Maria in January of 2008 to see her ill father. She stayed there about three weeks and came back to the states. A month later my mother's father passed away. It was during this trip that she went to see her old friend Martha., and Ronald. She was touched my Ronald’s situation and Martha’s willing to keep caring for her son. When she told me about this with tears on her eyes, this triggered something in my heart, that somehow I wanted to help them. But, I was here in the states and I can’t travel to El Salvador. Because of financial situation, but, also I have a wife and 4 children to care for.

When I got in touch with Sonia, it was usually only through emails. Our email conversation always had to do about photography and news. She enjoyed my photos and my son’s photos too, but, nothing personal. She told me that she taught photography in one of the universities there and worked in a radio station as a host on a regular show. I asked her one day if she knew my uncle, she, mentioned that when she was in high school, he was one of her professors in Santiago de Maria. At, that moment I remembered Ronald. I told her that I had a human story that needed to be told. I also mentioned that there was no money involved, and if she was going to collaborate, it would be on her spare time. She agreed. Still, I didn’t tell her what it was about until a email I sent her weeks later telling the story about a young man that had been in an automotive accident and that his single mother was carrying for him with little medical care and no financial help.

I mentioned his name. She sent me back an email with a single question…is his mother’s name Martha? I answered yes. I decided that it was time to talk on the phone, so, that night we did. Sonia, was broken hearted to here this story. When folks leave their hometown to the capital, rarely they go back. She told me that her mother lives in Santiago de Maria and once in a while she goes over there and visit her. But, to my surprise, she said that she knew Martha. They had been friends during high school. And yes, she had heard about Ronald, but, she thought, because of the injuries, he was dead.

She was willing to collaborate with this story. But, it was going to take time. She would have to juggle her job, her teaching at the university and also taking care of her two daughters. Sonia is also a single mother. I was going to tell email her the questions I wanted asked and also the angles of photos that I wanted shot. I basically was going to produce this story. I sent her a shot list and a list of questions she had to asked. She was going to do my footwork for me. And she did.

This is Ronald’s story and also a story about a how a single mother in a small town of Santiago de Maria in El Salvador struggles everyday to keep her son alive. Also, the story of how this came to be told. From a photojournalist 3500 miles away in California with the heart of doing something for this family and a reporter willing to put her time and juggling so many things in her life, so this can be told.




Ronald's Story-Part 1




Ronald has been in this stage since 2001.

A patient lies on a hospital stretcher waiting to be rescued by First Aid workers. Due to not being able to pay for his private hospital bills, he is being kept in the hospital with out service. Usually, people are taken into hospitals, not being rescued from there. But, this was a different situation. “Stop! put the stretcher on the floor” said a hospital guardwhile he aims his weapon at Ronald and his rescuers. Ronald is in a vegetative state.The rescuers settled the stretcher on the floor leading to the exit of Nuestra Señora de la Paz Hospital in the City of San Miguel, East of the Capital of El Salvador. Mario, one of the rescuers took courage and told the guard, “shoot then, if you want”. Then, Mario took the young comatose man into his arms and carried him to the waiting ambulance outside of the hospital. They headed home to Santiago de Maria. This was August 2001.



Ronald before the Accident

It was a scene from a Hollywood movie that was part of a cruel beginning that Martha Romero and her son Ronald Alexander Romero had to endure. Five days had passed from a tragic automotive accident and not being able to pay the hospital for their medical services, Ronald was left with no medical attention and “neither, were we able to take him out of the hospital” saids Martha, remembering this painful event. Ronald, was injured in a automotive accident on the way home on highway 140 of the Panamericana State Road on August 7, 2001. He was seriously injured and taken to the closest private hospital from the accident site. He was taken to Nuestra Señora de la Paz which gave him the maximum urgent care.

Martha prepares Ronald's foods.

“Cranioencephailic Traumatism Severe” (head injury) said Dr. Julio Quan Martinez the attending Doctor that saw Ronald. X-rays were taken and various exams were taken to determined how serious his injuries were for this young man. His brain got so swollen due to the accident that they had to take part of his skull to relieve the pressure, so, it would not become a contusion. Ronald had a gastrointestinal endoscopy and a tracheotomy done. He never spoke again.


Ronald's mother..Martha holds her son's head.

In celebration of the nation’s patriot saint “El Salvador del Mundo” (The Divine Savior of the the world”), during these times students are in vacation from schools across thecountry. They celebrate in fairs and take the party into the streets. Ronald was coming back home around 9 o’clock at night from a funeral viewing across town, when a group of friends that had arrived from the United States to celebrate the festivities ran into him and invited him to join them to go to another city called San Miguel (about a 30 minute drive) to party. This is a regular custom for young people that come from the United States visiting their small hometowns. Travelling to other towns with better clubs or party venues is always a choice if their hometown doesn’t have any. Usually, mixing friendship, alcohol and intoxicated drivers is always the end of the story. In other words the Salvadoran spring break. On the way back from San Miguel on the early hours of the morning after a night of partying and drinking, the driver being intoxicated and carrying people on the pick up bed with no seats at all, lost control of the vehicle tossing all the passengers out, including Ronald. The pick up landed side ways. “Most of the injuries were minor bruises and scratches., except Ronald” saids Martha. Through out the panic and confusion that rises in these situations, the young people were able to asked passerby drivers for a ride to transport Ronald to the nearest hospital. Ronald, was sober.


Martha feeds Ronald, custom food through a feeding tube.

Due, to the accident, Ronald’s plans were cut short of being one of the best basketball players in his hometown of Santiago de Maria, 22 kilometers of the Capital of San Salvador, El Salvador, Central America. His mothers’ dream of him being a college student just like his brother Billy, stopped for ever. While Ronald lays on a therapeutic bed in a vegetative state, she feeds him through a feeding tube attached to his stomach. It takes an emotional toll each time she has to remember the event that paralyzed her sons life.



Ronald's hands...

His foods are specially processed for his feeding tube. “I try to always have milk and not be out of it, this kind of milk is made specially for him” saids Martha. He has to be feed every 4 hours. There’s three types of milk fed to him, ensure, soy milk and a specialty milk. Also, fruits and juices that include orange juice and carrot juice.His bed was given to him by his friends. Ronald lays on a water mattress that helps his back from getting bed sores. Usually, he can only lay on his right side. “I give him massages with ointments, so, he won’t scald. But, most of all we are always paying attention to his stomach” saids Martha.



Martha shows the various powered milks she feeds Ronald.




Friday, October 2, 2009

I'm BACK!!!

I believe I lost about 30 pounds due to having problems with my gall bladder and other things that got complicated...I have never been in a hospital as a patient in my whole life....I had surgery on July 10....and on July....my stories were going to debut.....but everything changed....And my work STOPPED.....I will try again.....to work on fresh stories.....I've had a few emails about Ronald Story.....So, tomorrow....Ronald will debut....

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Preview of Story

I will put an excerpt from the kind of story that we will focus on this site. Also, I would like to thank our new Contributer....Diaz Painting. If you ever need someone to paint your house or business, Diaz Painting does a great professional job. Their prices are great, but, most of all their professionalism and neatness. (cont. after ad)






Excerpt:

----A patient lies on a hospital stretcher waiting to be rescued by First Aid workers. Due to not being able to pay for his private hospital bills, he is being kept in the hospital with out service. Usually, people are taken into hospitals, not being rescued from there. But, this was a different situation. “Stop! Put the stretcher on the floor” said a hospital guard while he aims his weapon at Ronald and his rescuers. Ronald is in a vegetative state. The rescuers settled the stretcher on the floor leading to the exit of Nuestra Señora de la Paz Hospital in the City of San Miguel, East of the Capital of El Salvador. Mario, one of the rescuers took courage and told the guard, “shoot then, if you want”. Then, Mario took the young comatose man into his arms and carried him to the waiting ambulance outside of the hospital. They headed home to Santiago de Maria. This was August 2001. ----
----Ronald was injured in an automotive accident on the way home on highway 140 of the Pan-American State Road on August 7, 2001. He was seriously injured and taken to the closest private hospital from the accident site. He was taken to Nuestra Señora de la Paz which gave him the maximum urgent care.-----

---While Ronald lies on a therapeutic bed in a vegetative state, she feeds him through a feeding tube attached to his stomach. It takes an emotional toll each time she has to remember the event that paralyzed her son’s life.----
So, these are the stories that we will focus on......This story is very heartbreaking. For those who have started to contribute.....thank you for making these stories to come alive.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

July 1, 2009.....This will be when we will go live..

I want to thank our first contributor "Rabboni Mechanical" for making a contribution possible. If you are in need of any kind of heating or air conditioning, now, that summer is coming, I suggest to give them a call. Rabboni Mechanical replaced our
50 year old heater and their work was clean and very professional. (cont. after ad)



I have had emails and calls asking for the lenghts of the ads who will see them. First, the goal of this site is to help others. Secondly, the site will go everywhere.....if it's possible, all over the world. I will give you an example who will see your ad "If you have a Mexican Restaurant and someone from New York is traveling to San Francisco or the East Bay, either as business or personal trip......and they have visited the site.....they will have an idea where to go."
Also on my regular blogs.....you will get my recommedation to your business.
Please email raaphoto@ymail.com for a pricing list.
We will go live on Monday, July 1, 2009. I will also add a personal Disclaimer regarding ads on this website. I will not endorse or be part of advertisements that reflect in a negative way, why this site exists.
I will also write on my daily blogs to keep you posted on the story that I am working on. And, once again, if I use any kind of service from a contributor on this site during the week....that's another free, worth of mouth promotion for you.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

human stories


I have taken a new roll on photojournalism. Due, to the fact that photojournalists and journalist are getting laid off everywhere and stories not being told, I have decided that I will focus my time and energy on human impact stories. I will focus full time on getting stories out to the public. For these stories and issues to be told it takes support and funding from you. Time, food, transportation, accommodations and equipment cost time and money.

I will try to put at least two stories a week. Things sometimes go wrong, like they usually go. If the investigation or the story is not complete and only one shows up.....your ad will still show on that story. In the next few days, I will put the sizes of the advertising spots. These spots will go inside the story, so the viewer will see them directly. Your donation and sponsorship in a spot is not just simple advertising, but, also a contributor for each story.















Monday, April 20, 2009

Oakland Police Officers Memorial Service

When a police officers gets killed....it's a very hard impact for the department they work for. But, the impact is everlasting for the family...wife, sons, daughters....especially.

I don't have words to explain......when four lives are taken, while defending....society and the justice they believe in. For the families of these men.....may God comfort your hearts......

God Bless the men/women....that everyday put on a uniform and kiss their wives/husband and their children without knowing if they will ever see them again.......with the trust that was put on theirs hearts.....to serve and protect......

(this video has sound)

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Reuters Recognition.....

I haven't posted anything in a couple months. I've had a few emails asking when I was going to blog again. Specially, when I was going to post some of my son's picture taking photos. (I guess people enjoys his photos instead of mine). On January 14, there was a small protest in oakland regarding Oscard Grant. I covered the gathering of speakers, but, not the small riot that occured that evening. You can see some of those photos here... http://www.flickr.com/photos/raaphoto/sets/72157622374745669/detail/
A few days later, I sent about 4 images to Reuters in Britain. They actually picked up 2 of the photos for their weekly showcase of images. Reuters is the European Associated Press...(both seperated News Agencies). They have thousands of submissions daily from all over the globe.
So, for them to showcase 2 of mine....is a great recognition as a photojournalist. Below, are screenshots of the actual photos during the weekly showcase.
Due to the economy.....I have a Campaign going for small business that need Commercial Photography. It's all a production based pricing that includes...., photography, graphic design and banner printing (also, car magnet designs). I've came up with this concept, so, I may help them lower their advertising cost and at the same time produce some great images to attract potential clients....

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Veterans Day.........

Today is veterans day......... This is Tony Lewis a World War II veteran. I had a brief talk with him today at the Annual Veterans Parade. He told me that the uniform he is wearing is the original uniform he wore when he served in the US Army. This is a 62 year old uniform....and still looks good.

US Army Sergeant First Class, Dwayne M. Hutchinson passes out "buddy poppys" to the crowd during Hayward's Veterans Day Parade on Tuesday.


It's true, some photographs are stronger than words. I just had to take this shot of this lady wearing this strong, and impacted image on her shirt. The rest of the photos are here..... http://www.flickr.com/photos/raaphoto/sets/72157622519588062/detail/

I have no idea what these things are called. All I know is that through those holes water will come out during hot days, so, the kids in the park can get wet and play. These bars are stationed in some park playgrounds. They never had these things when I used to be a kid.

One of the things I tell folks all the time when they get into photography is to take images in different perspective and angles. I shot this laying on the ground, pointing the camera up to the sky..

This is a "test" shot that I took of an old cemetery that is basically an historical site now. I like very much this version instead of the color one.


Once again, my son is getting a step ahead in his subjects and compositions. He is learning quite well to photograph with patience. This is frog in a our front porch and my son used his point and shoot camera on his tripod to get real good sharpness from this. And he did.

Monday, October 20, 2008

16 days of no posting.....alot to write and show..

I never thought I was going to delay my blog for this long. I will start off with an image Roberto shot while he was riding with me early this year on february. Even though this is a few months old....it is still an image that I go "wow". This was a fire that started in a garage due to a faulty dryer. No one was hurt...and yes, my son got published the next day. (not this photo, though) they printed another from this same fire. (They didn't choose mine at all). You can see the rest of his stuff on ...... http://www.flickr.com/photos/raaphoto/sets/72157622499151614/detail/



This here is one of my favorite images that I took of Cannery Park on the B st. side in Hayward. even though this was taken in a very bright day.....I managed to darken everything lowering my f stop and using the flash for the plate.....http://www.raaphoto.com/p643162678The Hayward City Hall and the surrounding buildings were built in a lot where I have alot of memories of my teenage years. I used to walk everyday on these streets going and coming from school. It's really amazing how buildings are built and demolished....and built again.
I really wanted to capture different composite angles of this place. I actually shot them being on the waterfall that they have. I got just a little bit wet. But, it was worth it.

This must be one of my favorite shots of this series. Blue sky, rock, and water.......

.

Friday, October 3, 2008

History of Bay Meadows...

I guess this is a litte necessary to post. But, I am not going to write about it....you can look up the story of Bay Meadows Racetrack in this link.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_Meadows_Racetrack. One key note...about the above photo...isn't making bets on horses gambling??... The rest of these photos can be viewed here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/raaphoto/sets/72157615049791181/detail/