Amy Nieto Photography + Design

So here are some images I snapped of Downtown and the adjacent Goose Hollow neighborhood.

My last stop was the Central Library to visit some of my old friends: Callahan, Lartrigue, Bresson, Carter. I have missed the old photo masters, their images, their brutal honesty, their delicate simplicity, their legacy. So I brought Keith Carter and Lartrigue home, along with a book of child photographs from the days of yore (I hope to find great inspiration in this book to apply to my portraiture).

Yeah I still miss him.

HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

So badly do I want to share these emotions. But pessimism made a late-year visit and DRAINED me. The rains have returned, slowly melting the last traces of a very unusual Winter. I am so glad. Have not had the energy to get my camera out and take advantage of this once in a lifetime occurrence (not to mention I've been working non stop for the past week and will continue to do so throughout the next week). I'm surprised I'm even blogging.

My dear friend Alyson asked me to watch over her two kitties while she is out of the country with her man. I've had this downtown apartment all to myself.. well, me and the kitties (which are very well behaved, mind you). It's been great, do not even miss my house. I am so ready to live on my own.

Above is a picture I love dearly. Nothing grand, it's just a Holga print of an abandoned lighthouse in Savannah I took back in 2004. One of my goals for 2009 is to re-introduce film back into my commercial work (heck, fine art, too). I miss it so, it was the canvas to some of my best work. Perhaps tomorrow I shall visit the Central Library to flip through books of the old photo masters. My Robert Capa... love him to death.

Also, I've been enamoured with downtown living, something I always dreamt of.

Nah, I love my Mt Tabor and Hawthorne too much :)

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I was stuck in downtown on Saturday following a very fun bar-hopping night with a new friend for a whole hour. At 2 AM. I boarded #15 bus only to be told (just as I was about to doze off) that it wouldn't continue its Eastbound route, but instead loop around downtown. The driver tells me my best bet would be to run over to the #14 stop to catch the LAST bus heading East. I swear. I felt I was running away from Post-apocalyptic Snow Zombies, for the streets were SO deserted. So I ran God knows how many blocks, but of course that bus was long gone, IF it ever passed. My friend texted me a bunch of taxi numbers, and after eight tries, one service finally answers me. And I am on my merry way home.

The fiasco drained all energies from me the next day, I even had to call in work. All this annoyance would have easily been avoided if it hadn't snowed NON STOP all weekend long and it was safe to drive my car.

But then again, I WAS pretty intoxicated.

So I guess it was a good thing I did not have my car. Hmm.....

Still. I decided to go for a brief walk today to escape this snowy prison. Here is what I saw. The snow is DEEP.

Posted by starmagn at 09:24 PM | Comments (0)

December 20, 2008

Please HELLLLLLPPPP

Please help me. My bed/workroom is a disaster. Mostly everything is still in boxes (under the big table on the left), fabrics and unattended crafty things lie on this table. My editing workspace is a small 2.5x2.5 rickety table I bought at a thrift shop. Reason says to move my computer system into the big table, but then all the crap on that table would have to go somewhere. I can't store things in the basement because... well... that thing is unfinished, as in foundation is exposed. I am CERTAIN flesh-burning spiders live down there. A funny over-hyper dogs resides in the house, so storing things anywhere downstairs is out of the question, as well.

I get frustrated. Anything that, in a hurry, I leave in a convenient place will only make matters worse, as everything is still so messy. I am contemplating renting a very small office next year where I can edit my photo work AWAY from my BEDROOM. It just drives me insane. I can't afford to buy brand new shelving or things like that, so I'm down to thrift shops and free stuff on craigslist.

Someone help me organize this. Give me ideas, please. It's really really really really frustrating.

Thank you, you are awesome!!

Posted by starmagn at 01:06 PM | Comments (5)

December 18, 2008

December to Remember

Airborne's lead singer, Mikel Jollet

I finally saw them live. The Airborne Toxic Event. A night I have been yearning for since I first heard this band back in early September. It was bloody amazing.

I will not explain what they mean to me in this post, so I will just redirect you here. Squid from 94.7 Portland introduced us to the evening, and in walked our band, with beers in their hands (as opposed to Carolina Liar, they had waters hehe). The moment violinist Anna played the first notes to Sometime around midnight my heart flew to where those notes journeyed to. After ATE was done (booo), Carolina Liar followed. I was not too familiar with their music, only knew two songs. But WOWWWWWWWWWW, that's some damn good rock n roll energy these guys have. They had us singing at the top of our lungs while jumping at the same time. Funny thing is the lead singer Chad is from my lovely Charleston, SC whereas the rest of the band members are Swedish. Odd, huh!

Definitely recommend both bands. Different sounds, different attitudes, same purpose.

The BEST thing that happened: I went up to the bar before the show to get a quick snack and a stout a friend recommended ("rubinator" yum!). As I turn to the bar, I INSTANTLY recognize the gorgeous face of Mikel, lead singer of ATE. Sitting just 3 seats to my left. Total fangirl moment. After a long time I finally gather the nerves to say hi and thank him for the show. Sweet darling guy. When a couple sitting next to me asked him if we has with the band, he sheepishly replied "Yeah". Adorable.

Here's to many great music nights in Portland.

Portland, I fuckin love you.

Anna becoming a spectator

Airborne Toxic Event. Bassist Noah (far right) is HOT AS SHIT. And has the sweetest smile.

Carolina Liar engulfed in the positive energy of their music

Chad from Carolina Liar singing Coming to Terms. He would often talk about how we are all confused in life, but we're all looking for the same thing and how it's almost 2009 and we've made it so far, so Celebrate. I appreciated his words a lot.

Keyboardist Steve from ATE. That guy is just full of COOL.

Posted by starmagn at 11:48 PM | Comments (2)

December 15, 2008

ice cream? I'm THERE.

On Saturday morning I photographed the Clauds at their beautiful home in Vancouver, WA. The Dad opened the door and his little two year old girl came up and HUGGED me. Like... seriously. The cutest thing EVER! The older brother was a bit shy at first, but soon enough was talking all about things like how he earned his train set. After the session ended, he invited me several times to have ice cream with him and the family for lunch. Said there were plenty of seats in the car.

Posted by starmagn at 12:56 AM | Comments (1)

December 14, 2008

So I jinxed the snow

OMGZ SNOW. Been waiting anxiously for this eventful day for two reasons:

01) Duh. Snow.
02) I want to see Portland in chaos. People freaked out in early August when temperatures rose to a hundred. I had just arrived from Vegas and was like, A hundred? AWESOME. It's not 120F! So I tried to go to sleep knowing the snow would start sometime in the wee hours of the morning. I wound up waking several times just to gaze out the window and spot the snow. It didn't happen until I finally fully woke up at 7:40 and YAY there it is! Snow!! YAY!.... then I went back to bed, screw the snow.

Ohhh my house looks so pretty!!

My two endeavors for the day was to have lunch with someone and then head on to the Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale. I braved the cold, the bitter wind, the snow! I walked about 10 minutes to my bus stop ('cause there ain't no way in hell I'm DRIVING under snow) on Burnside, across from the QFC.... and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited a little more.

Hmm.

Um..... I don't.. I don't this bus is co-- OHH THERE IT IS! YAY!!

Oh wait... that's #71. It won't take me anywhere near to my first destination.

So I wait.... My toesies are hurting, as are my ears and fingertips. The wind is strong and after maybe 40 minutes I give up and decide to go home. As I walk inside QFC to warm up a bit before going back home, I see my bus. I probably push a little kid to the side (Hey, he was RIGHT in front of the door!) and run towards the bus!!!

But it never saw me coming. And I yelled and yelled and yelled and I ran for blocks and blocks trying to maybe catch up. On snowy sidewalks. Wearing rain boots. So I did what any independent woman would do on such a situation.

I started crying and thanked the heavens I never moved to either Minneapolis or NYC as I had planned last year. This little snow spell will only last a few days. Right?

Despite this little fiasco of mine, the walk was silently and howlingly beautiful.

Posted by starmagn at 11:33 PM | Comments (2)

December 12, 2008

It's Christmas

Decorated my kitchen with these ornaments.

I feel as if today is Christmas. The anticipation, the love, the warm fuzzy feelings. All here right now. No family members this year, sadly, but I have met plenty of sweet sweet people here in Portland who will act as family. Tonight I am picking up Mr Eric Brown, whom I haven't seen since our days in the good ol Savannah and JUST moved to Portland like three days ago (from Portland, MAINE)and are heading to a Xmas party. Where I know nobody except only one girl who I met for an hour weeks ago. I feel social butterfly-ish today. Mostly, I feel friggin happy. And Christmasy. :)

A collection of my recent porcelain aquisitions. Because I lack proper kitchen ware in my house!

Posted by starmagn at 11:05 PM | Comments (1)

December 08, 2008

I want to be a baby again.

MMMMMMMMM softie!!!!!!! I photographed this little sweetie's mom and dad about 2 months ago knowing full well their baby would be a cute one. I was totally right. She had just woken up, so I'm predicting lots of crying shots, but that's cool. mmmmmm!

Posted by starmagn at 03:27 PM | Comments (4)

December 06, 2008

I continue to view life in 50mm

My $70 50mm f/1.8 Canon lens may just be my favorite lens ever (of course, I have not used the L f/1.2). More views of my life through a 50mm lens. Above is my super fantabulous roommate. She is awesome. Also, that is some serious wallpaper action. Like. Holy moly.

The sunset in Portland today. Magnifico.

Posted by starmagn at 10:10 PM | Comments (3)

December 04, 2008

Haircut!!

YAY haircut! Should have snapped this picture BEFORE venturing out in the foggy world. Oh well. Hair short, Amy happy.

Posted by starmagn at 02:44 AM | Comments (2)