One morning a friend, Dan Dedrick, recommended the idea of photographing Chinatown, Oakland in the morning.  It was a cool December morning and it seemed like a great way to start off the weekend.  The mood and energy of Chinatown is captivating, electric.  There is a constant commerce that rings through the air, but with that, notes of quiet, patience, and almost longing.  I can’t really explain that staring out into space that you tend to see there.  These are both zen moments at the same time they are glimmers of fatigue, or maybe frustration, or just pure solemn reflection.

The following is a series of photographs that are post processed into high contrast black and white.  Some reveal light, some harbor dark.  With those tones are also contrasting movements, some quick – some graniticly intentional.  They all are part of the Chinatown scene.  Happy year of the Dragon! Continue reading →