Monday, March 29, 2010

Urban Farmer


Smack dab between a whirring freeway and a public housing development lies one of San Francisco's laragest urban farms. I've been going over to Alemany Farm for inspiration and to understand the nature of the volunteer. The Wall Street Journal just profiled them as an example of how urban farms can not make up the difference for land lost to development. Praise to those that gotta try.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Dr. Edgar Wayburn: Rest in Peace


Ed Wayburn passed away this weekend. This monster conservationist preserved 100 million acres of land in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Think of him next time you walk along Ocean Beach, Tennessee Valley, Crissy Field... pretty much over any hill or valley in the Bay Area. Our divine spot on this planet would look very different without his lifelong efforts.

I took this photo of Dr. Wayburn for the cover of his memoir,  "Your Land and Mine: Evolution of a Conservationist." He liked the spot on top of Mt. Tamalpais where I took him. Looking out over the land he said, "This is where it all began; the drive to save the land started here and we just kept moving South."

Hats off to you, Dr. Wayburn.  We thank you kindly.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Givers Gain


The Walter and Elise Haas Fund asked me to create a piece for their office space and I decided to document their philanthropic work.  Easy to say, but because they support so many amazing efforts here in the Bay Area, it was challenging to settle on which threads to pick up and follow.

Speaking of process, last night at an ASMP gathering, Geri Meiglicz of Story4 talked about how the time spent with any nonprofit client, determining which subject best illustrates their storyline, is very likely the most important aspect of making successful multimedia collaborations. Journalism 101 meets Journalism 901.

The great folks at JFCS-EB, SFNCT, RISL, SFCMC, ANA helped me find the people that told their particular storylines. A shout out to all of you. And another shout out to Frances Phillips and everyone at Haas, Sr. for your support in making this all happen. Thank you.

Cantilever Project has been up on the west wall of the fund's San Francisco headquarters for the past two years. If you are near the San Francisco embarcadero this month, pop into One Lombard and take a look. The piece is coming down this month and the prints will be donated to each of the nonprofits.

Full circle. Givers gain.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Farm Together Now, Oakland


First stop in the Farm Together Now odyssey: over the Bay Bridge, into West Oakland. City Slicker Farms. They collaboratively build backyard gardens and distribute fresh produce for free throughout their cash-strapped neighborhood.

Serendipity happens: I craved a high vantage point to shoot the corner where City Slicker was born, et voila! Here comes a gentleman with a dump truck he is donating to the cause. Up I go with two cameras and a big load o' gratitude.