January 6th - 16:08

Title: January 6th - 16:08 Medium: Super-8 film Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Resolution: 2880 x 2160 File Type: H.264 Codec / MP4. Comments: Instead of heading to Southeast Asia as planned I hopped over to the southern island of New Zealand to a city called, Christchurch. A photographer named Richie came to pick me up at the airport then we drove into the middle of his home city. He showed me around the artsy part of town and walked me through parts that were destroyed by a devastating earthquake years ago. There was a set of stairs wrapped up by a shabby chain link fence that was easy to climb over, and he did. This was the remnants of the building that once stood there. Covered in Graffiti it is now an archeological site of the force of mother nature when her heart beats onto the land through tectonic plates shifting under us. Richie climbed the stairway to heaven and I recorded him as passersby walked their dogs across my lens. He hopped back over the fence when we wrapped up his portrait and headed to the parking garage. I hopped in his car again and we took a ride to the beach house that my shaman and her witchy friend were staying at for the month on their healing quest. On the ride to the mystic home he was telling me stories about his photography and indigenous community and rituals. Once we arrived at my healers house, we all walked barefoot by the water and hung out on the beach for sunset. When the sun rested beneath the sky Richie drove on home to meet with his son for supper. The magic of photography not only freezes the moment we live and see, but forges friendships you never knew you'd meet. We became buds instantly. Starting with camera conversations, and simply bonding over stories and common life experiences. It's easy to make friends when you love the same things and come from the same cloth. Art and music; Culture and traditions.