Aaron Delani's Photo Blog

Alvord Desert

2021-09-10T08:00:00.003-07:00

July 4th weekend, got to spend some time with my bud Eric. It has definitely been quite a while since I've been able to get out into the wilderness, moreover the desert... in +100°F daytime weather, we were prepared to have a small ass camp fire (in the middle of the playa), but as it turns out, it didn't go below 64°F at night, so, it was quite pleasant and we didn't end up using my firepit.

I really want to get out more often the rest of this year... ironically, that's happening right now with all the wildfires. I'm working for a company that provides mapping facilities for CalFire and Federal Firefighting efforts. It is very much looking to be hot fire season.

If you have the luxury to be out there, please follow the fire restrictions and warnings of your state and local forrestry organizations.

Anyways, be safe out there.

Amber

2014-07-11T16:45:00.000-07:00

This is Amber, I can't even begin to share how wonderful this woman is.

She's a found art curator, writer, inventor, artist, collaborator, catalist, and dear friend.

Follow her on Twitter, @ambermeetsrobot and Instagram, @ambermeetsrobot

Lining Ducks Up

2014-04-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

Or should I say, ducks lining up? I haven't shot in film for about a year, and recently, I came to acquire a new (old) camera, a Zeiss Ikon Contaflex, that's gotten me excited about film again. Since shooting with this camera, I've scanned 2 rolls of film, that I'm really excited about. I have over 16 rolls of 120mm film that need to be processed, scanned, and cataloged. So aside from my regular 8-10hr job, I will continue to work on the film I have at hand.

I almost forgot, I have over 20 rolls of 35mm film that has already been scanned but still needs to be cataloged. This is my life now.

Here's a few shots from a roll I scanned recently:

The last image of your's truly was taken by Michelle Corvino, I'm taking a photo of her with her 35mm Minolta SLR.

Camping in Leo Carrillo

2014-03-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

The following photos were taken in 2012; I should have posted these a long time ago.

Chess Players in Portland Oregon

2014-01-26T00:10:00.001-08:00

Chanelle's Senior Photos

2013-06-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

Earlier in May, I had the honor of taking another series of senior portraits for a good friend, Chanelle.

These photos were taken in California State University Fullerton.

In a Moving Transition

2013-04-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

I've been taking a haitus on taking and processing photos lately. Its been a little tough from taking photos everyday to not taking any at all. For the past month, I've been in a moving transition and its been quite difficult to imagine taking photos right now. This time has been a good opportunity for growth in other areas and wrapping my mind around other projects. Anyway, in the meantime, here are a some random photos I've taken from the past few months.

In a month or so, I'll get back to it, I still need to get about eight rolls of 120mm, most of which are probably going to cost a pretty penny (C-41 Process). I have a few other images that still need to be uploaded and re-scanned. My scanner isn't doing the best job at scanning color film the moment... so I probably should work on a budget for that.

In anycase, that's it for now I guess... until I can move and get everything back together.

Cheers.

Trip to Nashville

2013-03-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

Last year I took a trip to Nashville Tennessee to see miss Laura Partain. I brought a few cameras with me and some film. But I realize that I didn't take as many pictures as I hoped.

American Airlines

A view from Above

The shaky landing... the interesting thing about landing was that it was late in the afternoon when the airplane I was in had come gliding above Tennessee, however, by the time I landed it was dark.

This is a view off Laura's street.

This is a vase in the garage turned patio that leads to the backyard. After a few days in Nashville, we embarked on a road trip to Knoxville TN and we met this nice lady at The Waffle House:

At Kean Coffee

2013-03-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been thinking about taking less photos and being more intentional about shooting film. I mean, film is relatively expensive and it takes time to aquire, use, process, and scan. I still carry about 2 cameras with me at all times, I just don't hold it up to my eye everyday.

The following photos were taken a month or two ago on a weekend. With the Mamiya RB67. I've been shooting Ilford FP4.

Kat and I at the coffee shop.

Strangers at the coffee shop. (Actually, they're married.)

Having a camera around is always going to be fun. I'm just going to be taking less photos for now. Things in my life are moving around and I need to catch up first.

Film Palettes

2013-03-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

Food, I love food... I think everyone loves food. Its a means to its own end, it sustains and nourishes me. It can be pretty delicious, sometimes even so delectable that I'll crave certain foods every now and again. I've known a few friends who take this fondness for food to another level, becoming somewhat a connoisseur of sorts of a particular variety of beer, coffee, burger, or what have you. I tend to ask them the most about what would be an enjoyable place to eat those particular foods. After having a meal or a drink with them and figure out relatively, what their palette preference is, I begin to build my own.

I've started the same process with film. Lately I've been shooting Fuji and Ilford trying to develop a “taste”, a palette for my film preferences. I'm still getting to know these films, this is one of them:

Fuji 400H

I've heard some people describe Fuji 400H as being comparable to Kodak's Portra 400ISO. Portra is known for its pastel hues while maintaining saturation, bright highlights, clarity, grain, and ability to capture great detail. In this image, we see a structure being lit by a setting sun. It is brighter and has higher contrast values than what I would expect in Portra.

In shadows, Fuji's 400H has a decent amount of detail. I love how less saturated the mid-tones can be.

I think a few kids rolled these two snowballs up.

Portrait of Jason Slavin

2013-03-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

A picture of Jason Slavin in Fullerton California.

Echeverias

2013-03-08T22:22:00.001-08:00

Here are a few pictures of echeverias:

An Accident in the Neighborhood

2013-02-25T21:12:00.000-08:00

This is another set of photos from the first roll I processed myself.

I was sitting at a coffee shop, my friends and I were telling stories when all of a sudden, a “THUMP.” The sound was startling, we all looked over. I stood up and saw a silver car with a dent in the hood. The driver's face was pale with disbelief and expressed such shock. Her eyes were wide with terror. I could only imagine what she was thinking, “did I just hit someone?!” She did.

I loaded my Mamiya RB67, took out my light meter and began taking pictures.

Shortly after the accident, the police, fire department, and an ambulance arrived. The kid laid there with his eyes closed, unconscious. They were trying to get his attention.

Then in a moment, his eyes opened... Sudden consciousness came upon him. “Do you know where you are? Do you know what happened? You were hit by a car...”

Less than twenty minutes before these photos were taken, this boy was darting through the alley way. A car was slowly passing though the street, safely, approaching the stoplight. The boy darted through the alley way and was hit by the car. He bounced off the hood like a ham on a tin roof.

Eventually he was okay.

Photos From the First Roll I Processed

2013-02-23T01:02:00.000-08:00

This is the first post of two... The next ones are a better series.

In and Out Lunch; I think missed two frames... I need to go back and scan them.

New York and Washington DC

2013-02-16T13:08:00.000-08:00

Here's a few photos from a recent trip to New York and Washington DC.

All photos were taken with my Yashica A using Kodak Ektar 100iso.

A double exposure of New York Firemen with John F. Kennedy's gravesite.

Of course, this would not have been possible without my fantastic friend, Jess!

Leaves

2013-02-13T22:58:00.000-08:00

This shot is from the first roll I ever developed myself at home.
Mamiya RB67
90mm f/3.8
Kodak TMax 100iso

Erica

2013-02-12T23:38:00.000-08:00

Mamiya RB67
90mm f/3.5
Kodak TMax 120mm, 100iso

This is from my first roll on my Mamiya RB67. I was so excited to use it as soon as I got it.

“Ode to Fall ”

2013-02-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Yashica A
f/3.5 1/125s
Kodak TMax 100iso

When I took this photo, the leaves were somewhat disorienting. They were almost at a point of being brittle. The yellow leaves swayed gently in the wind, as though they knew of their eminent demise with the passing of the season; all the while the other leaves and branches framed main leaves just fine.

“The Light Falling on the Leaves”

2013-02-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Yashica A
f/3.5 1/250s
Kodak TMax 100iso

Les Rorick Headshots in the Morning

2013-02-06T00:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning, did some headshots for a good friend Les Rorick.

He's a great actor, he actually went from one facial expression to the next. It was a fun shoot because he was really easy to work with. Here's a quick animation of part of the shoot.

Don't stare at it for too long... its in a loop. :-)

Ghostly Bamboo

2013-02-05T11:38:00.000-08:00

I've been inadvertently taking a series of photos on plants. These two bamboo plants were taken a few weeks apart in different locations; they both came out somewhat ghostly. The first image was taken in Costa Mesa CA...

As much as I like portraiture, I've found myself taking many pictures of plants. I take their photos like I would someone's portrait. The process is the same. I look at my subject, see if the light is right; see if the subject would cooperate; observe the subject's movements, however, in this case the subject has no free will and is easily pursuaded by the wind.

When I see these images, it evokes a certain longing to be free. The irony for me is that these plants don't have a sense of freedom. They can't feel it, nor are they content in one form or another. I don't believe that plants think for themselves. Maybe it was the breeze and their movement, an illusion to their somewhat passive stance, they chose to be swayed by the wind.

This last image was taken in Fullerton CA.

Pholkraphy Exerpt 4

2012-10-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

Another series of photos from last year's Pholkraphy. I'm really thinking about restarting this group.

Man dancing to the beat of a drum circle

part of the drum circle

Woman on scooter

Holly with a flower

Street Performer getting everyone pumped

Street performer jumps over the crowd of volunteers...

Successfully

Katrina

2012-03-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

Aaron

2012-03-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

Aaron and I picking up some pizza for ministry.

Jess

2012-03-09T09:33:00.000-08:00

Probably my favorite picture of her.