Wanderlust

Morning Light, Winter

2012-02-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

Grace, Kitchen Sink

Morning Light, Blue Sheets

California in the Winter, Orange Tree

Super Bowl Sunday at Ocean Beach

2012-02-05T21:09:00.000-08:00

Low tide, 70 and sunny, Super Bowl Suday

Graffiti wall, Ocean Beach, San Francisco

Japanese tourists, Ocean Beach, San Francisco

American tourists, Ocean Beach, San Francisco

Tourists overlooking the beach, Cliff House, San Francisco

Presidio, San Francisco

2012-02-02T16:00:00.000-08:00

Presidio Theater, Presidio, San Francisco

Palm Shadow, Presidio, San Francisco

Window Reflections, Presidio, San Francisco

Presidio Cemetery, Presidio, San Francisco

Chinatown SF

2012-01-28T22:35:00.000-08:00

Disco Imports, Chinatown, San Francisco

American flag on brick wall, Chinatown

Empty street, Chinese lanterns, Chinatown, San Francisco

Peace + Love, Chinatown, San Francisco

Radio TV, Old neon sign, Chinatown, San Francisco

Hard Rock, Las Vegas

2012-01-28T21:38:00.000-08:00

Palms on frosted window, Hard Rock Casino, Las Vegas

Child playing in empty casino, Hard Rock Casino, Las Vegas

Iggy Pop, Hard Rock Casino, Las Vegas

Downtown

2012-01-28T00:12:00.001-08:00

California Street, San Francisco

Orange Ballet Slippers, San Francisco

Overlooking Bush Street, San Francisco

Office Building, Sansome Street, San Francisco

Sunset Over Civic Center, San Franciso

Arrivals & Power Lines

2012-01-24T22:03:00.000-08:00

Sculpture and power lines, San Mateo

Flight approaching, San Mateo

Power lines, San Mateo

I love airplanes

2012-01-21T18:53:00.000-08:00

Plane flying over Annie's house

Watching planes through Annie's window

Annie & Dubu

2012-01-21T16:59:00.000-08:00

Annie looking out window

Annie and Dubu looking out window

Dubu's a ham

Random Night Photography

2012-01-18T01:14:00.000-08:00

Portrait of King Mohammed VI, Meknes Morocco

Hotel Room, Las Vegas, 2009

Thirteen

2012-01-15T10:59:00.000-08:00

Sameer, San Francisco

Sameer and friend, San Francisco

Sameer the Defender, San Francisco

Night Window, Friday the 13th

2012-01-13T20:56:00.000-08:00

Night window, Friday the 13th

San Francisco Presidio

2012-01-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

Golden Gate Bridge, Presidio, San Francisco

Tress, Eco Trail. Presidio, San Francisco

Trees, Eco Trail, Presidio, San Francisco

Leaves Against Bedroom Window

2012-01-09T18:01:00.000-08:00

Leaves against bedroom window at sunset.

Birthday & New Years Eve 2011

2011-12-31T17:11:00.000-08:00

Sunset, New Years Eve 2011

Paper Whites, New Years Eve 2011

Coit Tower, Sausalito Ferry, 12/30/11

Port of San Francisco, Sausalito Ferry, 12/30/11

Sausalito 12/30/11

Birthday Ice Cream, 12/30/11

Mobile Diary Diptychs

2011-12-08T12:25:00.000-08:00

Birds, La Playa Street, San Francisco

Sticker & Moon Rising, Embarcadero, San Francisco

Heritage Project, Black & White 2

2011-11-24T22:51:00.000-08:00

Barn, Pole Line Road Home, St. Anthony ID

Laundry Drying, Pole Line Road Home, St. Anthony ID

Lean Two, Pole Line Road Home, St. Anthony ID

Approaching School Bus, Squirrel ID

Sand Dunes, St. Anthony ID

Wheat Field, St, Anthony ID

Heritage Project, Black & White

2011-11-22T00:13:00.000-08:00

Ford, Pole Line Road House, St. Anthony ID

Corral, Pole Line Road House, St. Anthony ID

Driveway to Farm House, St. Anthony ID

Great Aunt's Abandon Home, Squirrel ID

Detail of Great Aunts Home, Squirrel ID

Tree, Pole Line Road Home, St. Anthony ID

More from the Heritage Project

2011-11-18T12:10:00.000-08:00

Lodge Pole Pines, Yellowstone

Detail of my Great Great Grandparents Home, St Anthony ID

Hay, St. Anthony ID

Small Roadside Church, Montana

Trailer Home, St. Anthony ID

Heritage Project

2011-11-13T19:37:00.000-08:00

Heritage Project - Images by Amanda Blanton

What does ancestry say about who you are? What about ancestral land? What can we come to know about ourselves from our living relatives? These are questions I'm trying to answer for myself. Below is a slideshow of some of the initial images from my Heritage Project.

Rising Moons and Sunsets

2011-11-05T00:12:00.000-07:00

Moon Rising, Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Sunset, Ocean Beach, San Francico

Sunset, Marana AZ

Boyd's House, Sunset, Marana AZ

Sunset, Picacho Peak, Marana AZ

Moon Rising, Marana AZ

Arizona: 10.23.11

2011-11-02T21:24:00.000-07:00

Chicken Coop, Marana AZ

Chickens, Marana AZ

Connie, Marana AZ

Carl, Marana Az

Danica, Marana AZ

Michael and Big Mac, Marana AZ

Carl's Motorcycle, Marana AZ

Arizona 10.22.11

2011-10-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Connie's Piano, Marana AZ

Cowgirl Poster, Bisbee AZ

88, Bisbee AZ

American Flag, Tombstone AZ

Early Morning, Marana AZ

Old Western Movie Poster, Tombstone AZ

Roadside Memorial, Bisbee AZ

Thread, Marana AZ

Yarn, Marana AZ

Tin Cut Outs, Tombstone AZ

Arizona 10.21.11

2011-10-28T00:26:00.000-07:00

Rustic Door, Arizona

Iron Horse & Power Lines, Arizona

Catholic Deities, San Xavier Mission, Arizona

Lion and Cross, San Xavier Mission, Arizona

San Xavier Mission, Arizona

Quails, San Xavier, Arizona

Kitschy Restaurant, Arizona

San Xavier Mission, Arizona

Succulent, Arizona

Vietnam 2003

2011-10-17T22:23:00.001-07:00

Bamboo Garden, Hanoi, Vietnam

Chairs, Hanoi, Vietnam

Fanta Poster, Hanoi, Vietnam

Hotel Room Clock, Hue, Vietnam

Small Roadside Restaurant, outside Hue, Vietnam

Sea Horse Ranch

2011-10-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

Saddles, Sea Horse Ranch, Los Osos

Deep sand arena, Sea Horse Ranch, Los Osos

Julie and Nautic, Sea Horse Ranch, Los Osos

In the arena, Julie and Nautic, Sea Horse Ranch, Los Osos

Yellowstone and Teton Mountains

2011-09-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

Artist Clay Pots, Yellowstone, Montana

Artist Clay Pots. Yellowstone, Montana

Artist Clay Pots, Yellowstone, Montana

Artist Clay Pots. Yellowstone, Montana

Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone, Montana

Small Optic Pool, Yellowstone, Montana

Optic Pool, Yellowstone, Montana

Jenny Lake, Teton National Park, Wyoming

Optic Pool, Yellowstone, Montana

Pine Trees, Yellowstone, Montana

Artist Clay Pots, Yellowstone, Montana

Teton Mountains, Wyoming

Tetons at Sunset, Wyoming

Tetons. Wyoming

Boiling Mud, Yellowstone, Montana

Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone, Montana

Big Sky, Yellowstone, Montana

Geyser Valley, Yellowstone, Montana

Idaho- more out takes

2011-09-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

Abandon Drive-in, St. Anthony ID

Bookstore, St. Anthony ID

Corral at my childhood home, St. Anthony ID

Dandelion, Squirrel ID

Farm, Squirrel ID

Quiet Road, Squirrel ID

Sand Dunes, St. Anthony ID

Downtown St. Anthony, ID

Home on the River, St. Anthony ID

Hotel, St. Anthony ID

Happy Birthday Eid Mubarak

2011-09-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

Teton Mountains, Wyoming

Back on August 30th, I celebrated Eid al-Fitr and the end of Ramadan with millions of other Muslims in North America. In honor of the holiday a good friend of mine hosted a celebration at her home. Eid al-Fitr, for my readers who don't know, is kind of similar Christmas in that everyone gets dressed up, goes to the mosque for special prayers, and you buy gifts for the kids.

Because there were going to be loads of kids at my friends celebration, she went to Cost-Co and ordered a white sheet cake with balloons on it. She asked the baker to frost the phrase "Eid Mubarak!" in-between the balloons. For added clarification she wrote the phase on a piece of paper with the correct spelling. Awhile later, the baker came out with a cake that read "Happy Birthday Eid Mubarak!"

While this is quite funny and gave everyone a good laugh, its also a little disheartening that Islam is still so foreign to the general public. Its this ignorance that left me a bit trepidatious about going to Idaho, Montana and Wyoming with my sister for a week. While the basic understanding of Islam is not great in the Bay Area, I can still get that warm fuzzy feeling seeing a Muslima in full hijab discuss what Greek yogurt is best with a Philippino transvesite at my local grocery store. I felt pretty sure this is not a scene that would be played out in Idaho.

On September 13th my sister and I began our trip. We joked in the car that we, she a lesbian and me a Muslim, heading into red state, small town territory, were like the beginning of a bad joke that may not end well. I am happy to report back that it ended well. And I was pleasantly surprised along the way.

Some of the highlights included meeting the woman who now lives in the home my dad built when I was a child. She invited us inside and showed us how she and her family had renovated the space and made it their own. We were also invited into the home my great-great grandparents built and grandparents once live in. At one of the cemeteries we met the caretaker who knew my grandfather and still "owed him a world of thanks" for showing him how to solve his irrigation issues. The abandoned home shown in the entry below is my great aunts home and was built by my great uncle. We met a couple from Pocatello who graciously drove us around the sand dunes on their ATV's one afternoon after towing my sisters car out of the sand. And probably most surprisingly, we saw a small Islamic center in Twin Falls Idaho.

The view of the Tetons on the drive to Jackson Hole Wyoming was one of breathtakingly gorgeous places I've ever seen. The drive down the backside of the Rocky Mountains heading into Idaho one of the most terrifying drive I've ever experienced.

The most surprising part of this trip is this... I want to go back. I guess my mind was opened a bit and I learned a little about myself. So, Happy Birthday Eid Mubarak. Its a big country and there is, indeed, a lot to see and a lot to learn.

Idaho Day Two

2011-09-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

Abandon Home, Squirrel ID

Wheat Field, Squirrel ID

Large Wheat Field, Squirrel ID

Tree from my childhood home, St. Anthony ID

Idaho Day One

2011-09-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

Grain Tower, St. Anthony ID

Grass, Wilford Cemetery, Wilford ID

"Notice" Hair Cuts, St. Anthony ID

Porter Park, Rexburg ID

Silver Horseshoe, St. Anthony ID

Us

2011-05-23T22:52:00.000-07:00

Wedding photo, January 1, 2011

Ocean Beach

2011-05-22T19:23:00.000-07:00

Crow taking flight, Ocean Beach, San Francisco

Sand, Ocean Beach, San Francisco

Seaweed, Ocean Beach, San Francisco

Getting ready for a bonfire, Ocean Beach, San Francisco

Apartments, Ocean Beach. San Francisco

Morocco Images Part 2, Marrakech

2011-03-08T21:45:00.000-08:00

Marrakech, 2009

Marrakech is one of my all time favorite cities. It has incredible energy, a large and diverse population, incredible history and it never seems to close down.

In July 2009 the temperatures reached as high as 135 degrees. When its that hot out, the streets are nearly empty- you feel like you have the city to yourself. When the sun set, the city transforms into a bustling metropolis. All the images in this selection were taken during the day- you can see how empty the streets are! The final image is of the Djemaa el F'na- one of the most popular public squares and market in the city.

Morocco: Home away from home

2011-03-01T11:25:00.000-08:00

Me and Hajja relaxing at Aicha's house.

Summer 2009. I stepped off the plane in Casablanca. The air was smoggy, hot and dry. There was the distinct smell of diesel fuel, stale perfume and ocean air in the distance. I visited Morocco once before in 2006 to meet my husband’s family for the first time. They threw an amazing three day wedding celebration for us. This visit there would be no major celebrations, just time to visit and see more of the country.

Hajja (my mother in law), Omar (my brother in law) and Aziz (the mister) met me at the airport. It was wonderful to see them again. My mother in law has a fantastic sense of humor always smells faintly of orange blossoms. Omar is kind and gentle- he is a devout Muslim and has the dark marks from regular prayer on his forehead. It had been six weeks since I had seen Aziz. he looked strong, tan, rested and refreshed.

We packed my luggage into Omar's Fiat and headed to Aziz's sisters house. When we arrived, Aïcha had dates and milk scented with orange blossom water. She and her daughters had prepared a feast- a welcome treat after 17 hours of travel. They had prepared mint tea, msemmen bread with honey and butter, an array of cookies, olives, flat bread with cheese, a variety of tapas like salads, roasted chicken and piles of the sweetest, freshest tree ripe fruits. Several family members had also purchased some clothing for me. Mostly brightly colored, long gauzy dresses with embroidery and bead work adorning the neck and sleeves. Coming from San Francisco, the heat of Morocco in the summer can take some getting used to. A cool shower and slipping into one of the climate appropriate dresses is a luxury I greatly look forward to.

I’ve had the privilege of taking two trips - a total of 2 ½ months in Morocco. I’ve spent time in Casablanca, Marrakesh, Tangier, Fez and Meknes as well as smaller cities and towns like Essaouira, Agadir, Chefchaouen, Tetouan, Ifrane, and Imouzzer to name a few. Of all the places I’ve been, Marrakesh and Tangier are my favorite large cities, and Chefchaouen for small towns. Over the next few weeks, I will be dedicating blog entries and sharing images from most of these areas.

Each city has such a different feel- from the people to the architecture to the food. Each location could have a novel dedicated to it. I have a few acquaintances traveling to Morocco this month. I hope they enjoy their time there and come to love it as much as I do.

Morocco Images Part 1

2011-02-18T00:11:00.000-08:00

Finally getting my images from Morocco edited and up.
More thoughts on Morocco later, just a handful of images for now.

Musée de Mécanique

2011-02-16T23:58:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I headed out with a group of local photographers to Pier 45 to check out the Musée de Mécanique. Its an interesting place- good to check out this time of year when the pier is not overrun with tourists. Not too many other thoughts on the shoot- photos below.

Going Mobile, a New Perspective

2011-02-13T21:56:00.000-08:00

Having spent the past 10 years striving to use the best camera I could afford, best film I could buy and best printing materials possible it has been refreshing, even liberating, to create images with a low quality cell phone camera. And I am not the only one. Talking to other photographers and reading through other blogs, image making with a mobile phone cameras is gaining popularity. Even carrying the potential to win awards.

When I graduated from art school in 2004 I started using a Mamiya RZ67. Its a sexy camera. I loved it when I first got it, and I still love it today. The first time I ever questioned using it was during a trip to Morocco in 2006. Regardless of where I was- in the medina, hiking through the Sahara or at home with family- it drew way too much attention.

The presence of the camera changed peoples reaction to me. The amount of attention I received in public places made me very uncomfortable, family members became stiff and awkward, and weight of the camera plus the tripod and other equipment was hell to trek with though the Saharan sand in the middle of summer.

In 2009 I went back to Morocco, this time with the Canon G10. I've been impressed with the image quality and versatility of the camera. Its small, light, unobtrusive, sturdy, and offers a great deal of control. I take with me every where I go. Despite the ease of use, small size and image quality, I still felt the desire to downsize, to lighten up and get away form relatively traditional image making- but to what?

In January of this year I committed to photographing every day. I found that at times it was easier and faster to snap a photo on my cell phone than with the camera. After downloading the cell phone photos onto my computer, I realized how much I enjoyed the images. I really like the small files, the lack of control, and making a seemingly pedestrian image special. Its a different perspective- and isn't that what all photographers are looking for?

The 415

2011-02-01T00:13:00.000-08:00

San Francisco has been my home for the past 15 years. I love this city. She has been good to me. I've met some amazing people, eaten incredible food, and seen some unforgettable things.
Despite all this, I've grown a little tired of the old 7x7. I've even considered moving to (gulp) L.A. But every time one of these fleeting thoughts becomes a remote reality, I cling to SF like a familiar lover I never want to leave.

I spent this past weekend walking around the city with fresh eyes and remembered again why I love it here. Chinatown has always been one of my favorite neighborhoods to photograph. All the colors and old architecture never fail to be visually stimulating. Saturday afternoon Grant Street was closed down for the Chinese New Year Flower market.

Check out all the pictures on Flickr- http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandablanton/