Its not that often I’ll snap a shot of a rainbow but this one stood out? Why? Well, I don’t know. Rainbows are those things anyone can shoot. Anyone with half a brain and a point and shoot cam can make magic. Yet, I turned, like all the tourist standing in Ala Moana that afternoon, and snapped away.
Beyond that…its just a rainbow.
Every so often, I have to blog about something non photo related.
Today’s subject…futbol and the world cup!
Nationalism is good.
And its even better when you follow the World Cup! Only a global event event like this can bring dark feelings of patriotic song, memories of past wars, and historic games in which your country revenged a past debt from decades ago. As for the US, our collective soccer history really starts in the 1990’s when the US held the ’94 World Cup but it still gives many Americans the chance to paint the flag on the face, drink loads of beer early in the afternoon, and hoot the ol’ war chant U-S-A! U-S-A! We really can’t lay claim to a North vs South game where slavery is on the line or even a USA vs whom every we’ve gone to war with in the past. Imagine the game strategy against Vietnam…carpet bomb the backfield, bomb the neighbors, try to win the hearts-and-minds of the opposing fans, and then have the US soccer federation tell the team to lose the game because the rating are low on ESPN. We have played games like US vs Iran (or as I recall the Great Satan vs the Ayatollah’s rock and rollahs) but they just don’t have that historical feeling like watching England vs Argentina where memories of the Faulkland Islands ring clear. Yet US soccer is still fun to watch regardless of their historic shortcomings and past. No I take that back, that Iran game at the ’98 WC was pretty heavy. I recall all the Iranians having heavy mustaches.
For the past few weeks, I’ve drank loads of coffee as the games start as early as 4 AM in HNL, and I have wrapped myself in the feel good Americanism of Team USA. Forget about our failing financial woes, our pointless war in Afghanistan, our leaderless nation not doing enough to clean up the Gulf oil spill…ITS WORLD CUP TIME! Its time to wave the flag! Sing at the top of our lungs: WE ARE PROUD TO BE AMERICANS! (where at least we know we’re free at this point from VAT taxes, a forced national health care, etc…) We are free right NOW and we should paint our faces in red-white-and blue and sing the joys of the athletic nationalism.
I can’t say most Americans are always proud to be American. Hell, Michelle Obama stated not too long ago…” For the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m proud of my country.” I guess she’s not watching enough soccer. But we should all feel proud when our national athletes take the field and do battle for our collective pride. Billy Clinton was down at one of the USA games and when interviewed after the game, he was hoarse and teary eyed. Bill did America proud!
Sadly, the US is out. The mediocre Americans lost to a slightly stronger Ghana whose many players all work in the top leagues in Europe. Only a few Americans play near the pinnacle of top flight European football but most still play for second and third tier teams or work in the MLS in the States. By far the best and brightest (?) athletes converge at the big three sports in the US leaving soccer for moms, SUV’s and suburban white kids. We can’t say the US is out for a lack of trying. I mean some of the best games were played by the US. Just listen to Spanish announcer Andres Cantor call the game for the US against Algeria in the first round. Landon Donovan scored an overtime winner that still puts chills down my spine where I see that last second golazo. You can listen to it here in espanol from youtube.com.
But the US team just isn’t good enough to compete beyond the first round and knock out stages. Criticism has come from all sides stating we have a average domestic coach, players are not good enough, etc. I’m also reading the US soccer federation will now create better outreach programs to pull kids from the greater American gene pool. What does that mean? It means soccer will try to move into the ghetto and el barrio and pull kids who would normally go to football, basketball and baseball. Good. Imagine if soccer were to steal an Eli Manning, a Kobe Bryant, or an Oscar Dela Hoya? We’d, like most other sports, dominate. My friend David has always said why not get a 6’6 center from a basketball team and train him just to stand in front of the opponent’s net and jump up and hit the ball with his head? That’s more or less what Peter Crouch does for England?
And besides with all the immigration that floods legally and illegally into our country, we’re bound to have some Diego Milito from Argentina or a some other Latin, Eastern Europe or African star show up.
Alas, most of my teams are out. From America, to the country of my heritage (Mexico) the the country of my language (England) and now the country of my wife (Japan.) I’ve got nothing. I could start to dwell in the roots of my background (Portugal and Spain) but now Portugal is out leaving Spain with the only thread to really cling. I could never really pull myself to cheer for a national team that wasn’t mine or I didn’t have some connection to but at this point, the world cup is over. I’ll still wake up and watch the Germany Argentina game or the Brazil Netherlands game but in reality, its no fun. The nationalism is gone. No more chanting yes we can as we did and we found out we really couldn’t.
Besides, I miffed at the poor handling of major mistakes by FIFA for not allowing goal line technology to be employed. England had a goal taken away and Argentina was clearly off sides against Mexico causing the Mexicans to return to a game where an obvious injustice had been done. The US had a game winning goal taken away by a ref from Mali. Did anyone ask if the ref might have anti US bias? The US doesn’t have the best image in the third world. And besides, might that ref have Al Qaida sympathies?
Either way, another World Cup is just about done and I’m feeling depressed and blue. So much emotion goes into each game and it hurts to see “my” team loose. Eh–enough of this because soon enough, English Premier League will start in August and the drama will begin all over at the club level. All the big stars will go back to their multi-ethnic teams and makes loads of money again. Christano Ronaldo, who did absolutely terrible in this Cup, will go back to his millions in Spain and loads of screaming fans.
One sad note, the English, who were absolutely terrible in this world cup, were missing Beckham. What fun he would have brought to the atmosphere of a dying English side. 
A last minute call came in from Golf Digest/World Magazine for a last minute job to shoot an ex LPGA golfer for their “Where are they Now?” section. The job, which came via my agent, Wonderful Machine, needed to be done quickly over the weekend with a super fast turnaround. Of course, this type of job is just down my alley. I love the pressure, the over-the-phone art direction, the uncertainty, and the challenge to make an image as quick as possible.
So after a few hurried txt msg, a few emails, and a phone call, I got in touch with my subject, Lori Castillo, and set an 8 AM call time on Kahala Beach this past Saturday. I begged my number one assistant, Jamm, or Jacques, as his real name is much more interesting than his nickname, to wake up early and come with me. The lure of fast cash and a dim sum breakfast got him on my team.
So come Saturday morning, Jacques and I drove out to Kahala, quickly scouted the beach and found the right place and parking to make the job happen. Lori showed up and, with lights and cameras in hand, we walked out to the spot where we’d shoot her in a couple of set ups. I talked with Lori for a bit while Jacques set up a beauty dish on a Profoto 7B pack. Lori, who was a great sport, brought along a sand wedge as a prop as we were standing on the beach. She took a few whacks at the sand for a few shots but it proved to be a better prop than an action tool.
As usual Jacques showed me up by being more interesting and talkative than me which was a great as he broke the ice with Lori as she was a bit nervous about the whole picture thing and I have a hard time talking when I’m thinking about f-stops and light ratios. She and Jacques had the conversation going which allowed me to get her laughing and smiling naturally making a for a great portrait. There is nothing better than having a good first assistant.
Our photo shoot, which lasted under an hour, did have its problems (as if you can call standing on a sunny Hawaiian beach a problem.) As the beaches are public, beach goers walk up and down while swimmers and surfers splash around the surf. At times I had to shift Lori into a different positions to avoid a walker on the shore or a swimmer in the water. Its tough to get that clean background.
And out of nowhere, we had had an uninvited guest walk onto our set. A little wet dog decided he wanted to be part of shot and saunter over to where Lori was standing and preened for the camera. The dog, a mix of some terrier and God knows what else, sat at my feet staring at Lori as I took pictures of her but the little mutt decided he rather be part of the picture plopped down right in the middle of the set. The dog, whose calm energy was so apparent, felt we were part of his pack and real never had much to do with us other than show he would be the one to have his picture taken. Now talk about being upstaged! The owner came and apologized for her dog’s obvious boorish manner but none of us cared. We all scratched and tugged on the salty little mutt and it was more than obvious he enjoyed the attention from the three strangers that we were.
The dog, with his wiry hair and under bite, really stole the show. He was the best little thing. Too bad we couldn’t pack him up and take him with us.
I received my tearsheet from the recent edition of American Way Magazine which should be on all American Airline flights. As I mentioned in my previous post, Hawaiian Cowboy…err girl, the photo editor’s art direction was very straight forward as she wanted the subjects on a gray seamless background. It would be up to my discretion on any secondary shots. Luckily, everything presented itself visually…the sunny weather, the blue sky green grass background, and the big Hawaiian belt buckles both Troy and Shelby wore on the day of the shoot. I’m glad I got to see it all and happy the magazine ran worked with my creativity from the shoot. It goes to show, no matter what a client claims they want, its always best to ensure you have backup plan and surely to think out of the box. Creativity pays off.
Shelby Rita is a real cowboy…but I’m not sure if she’d call herself a boy, though. Shelby is a Hawaiian rodeo star on the North Shore of Oahu. You ask…cowboys (girls) in Hawaii? Well…yes. Cowboys, or the paniolo, were first introduced from Mexico in the old days to help develop the cattle industry in Hawaii. The culture and clothing stayed and now small pockets of ranchers ride around the range on horseback in the beautiful Hawaiian sun. Shelby comes from a long line of ranchers so naturally she grew up riding horses, raising cattle, and competing in state and national rodeo events.
American Airlines Magazine commissioned me to shoot her along with her riding partner Troy Gomes for an upcoming article featuring the two young riders. The catch is they wanted a shot on a seamless gray background. Its not often I get to shoot in a “studio” as Hawaii is its own beautiful background; however, my assistant extraordiniare Tammy and I were given the task of setting up a seamless in the great wide open. We succeeded in finding a nook in Shelby’s garage where we carefully set up the background, flew an Octabank and snapped away. Luckily, the windy North Shore didn’t spoil our “Studio 59” and we were able to capture some wonderful pictures. Shelby’s a beauty and our images came out fantastic!
Though, Shelby upstaged her partner Troy (am I bias?) Troy held his own. He naturally would stand with that cowboy swagger, thumbs hooked into his big belt buckle. A real classic image.
Funny enough, the mag chose a secondary shot out on the range. I somewhat argued with the editor about the background as an outdoor Hawaiian blue sky beats any gray seamless any day but the art direction called for a seamless. How surprised they must have been when they got the secondary shots of Shelby and Troy on horseback with the green Hawaiian mountains and blue sky in the back. The ed fell over backwards! Nonetheless, the seamless were not chosen. The American Way issue will be on planes sometime soon. If you happen to fly, please take a look.
Now on the issue of Shelby calling herself a girl…I saw her ride off on the back of a horse at full speed. She controlled the beast with grace and power. I’ll let her tell you if she’d prefer to be called a girl.
