Monday, July 27, 2015

Souls of Miami {Pretty in Pink}


 In December 2013, while looking for a picture for La Vuelta al Mundo (LVM) a group led by Jackie Rueda, I saw this lovely pretty woman totally dress in pink sitting at a bus stop.
 I couldn’t resist stealing  her picture from the car. The followed instant I realized I had to do it right, ask her for permission to take a better photo; one where I could see all the details that show she took great care in dressing up that day in the  Christmas spirit but in pink.
My “cuñi” was driving , she stopped and I jumped to the street to catch her before she left.
“you look so pretty, may I take a picture of you?” 
SOM “Do you work for The Miami Herald?”
“noooooo” I said, in order to break the ice I told her, my mom is 79 years old, how about you? she thought for a bit and smiling replied 

“I have exactly the opposite”.


En Diciembre 2013, buscando el color rosado para La Vuelta al Mundo (LVM) grupo dirigido por Jackie Rueda venía de tomar fotos con mi cuñada en un colegio, cuando vi a esta cuchitura de señora sentada en una parada de autobús.
No dude en tomarle mi típica foto robadita desde el carro. 
Pero se veía tan bella , toda rosadita y con todos los accesorios de navidad ,que quería tomarle más fotos, de cerca, para que se pudieran ver todos los detalles que tenía en su vestimenta.
Así que casi que salte del carro para llegar antes que el autobús,  le pregunté si le podía tomar una foto, contesto "tu trabajas para el Miami Herald?"
me reí y le dije noooooooo, para cortar un poquito el hielo le dije que mi mama tenia 79 años, que cuantos tenia ella.
Se me quedó viendo, sonrió y al ratico me dijo
"Tengo exactamente al revés"







Tuesday, July 21, 2015

SOULS of MIAMI

I was in New York on April 2010, in a plaza don’t even know the name, I saw among a lot of people this cute, old, white hair and long beard man, which I photographed for a while and he smiled back when he caught me .
I was happy with that , I loved the guy and the picture 

Years later, while looking through the photography book  “Humans of New York” by Brandon Stanton, I found MY same guy and I learned …
My wife’s name was Barbara, I used to call her Ba.
My name was Lawrence, she used to call me La.
When she died, I changed my name to Bala”
I felt completely different about this kindhearted man, I connected with him.
That was the turning point, inspiring me  to start my personal project.
In Spanish I would say “salvando las distancias” =)  I decided I would get over my shyness, and instead of stealing people’s photos ( like I usually do), I will talk to them adding that piece of life to my images while showing the soul of the city that I am in love with, MIAMI


I waited until I had the picture of this South Beach icon, to start this 52 week project titled Souls of Miami (SOM)
I have seen him for MANY years, wearing those shoes and a skirt, singing, smiling, talking with people and dancing….
 “why are you always this happy?” 
 “because I have Jesus and my music. When I’ll die I will be up here (pointing finger to the sky) dancing for you”

He asks passers by, to tell him the title of a song they like, and he immediately tells them the author and its release date... 
This is the mystery That I have  been watching every Saturday I pass by Lincoln Rd .