Critique 1
I have had some mixed luck working on my personal story thus far. Due to conflicting time issues and schedules, I have unfortunately been unable to accomplish as much of my assignment as I have wanted to. Whether it be due to conflicting work schedules or transportation issues, I have been unable to photograph as much as I have wanted to sadly. In all honesty, I am somewhat miffed that this project has not been “rolling” as much as I wanted it to be. Frankly, I’m a bit embarrassed that I don’t have as much to show compared to other photographers here for this class, but alas, we will have to make do.
This Tuesday, I aimed to sojourn to a local art event. The San Fernando Queer Art Night has been an ongoing event since September; on that night, they had a local band (Unbothered) alongside some instrumentalists playing. Hosted by a local gay bar entitled C.Frenz, I honestly had no idea what to expect heading to the bar that night.
As is to be expected on a Tuesday night, the bar was rather sparse - a couple of locals were here and there. As I made my way through the entrance, passing the wafting scents of alcohol and cigarettes, the plaintive sounds of a lone violin drew me to the outside patio. Navigating across the empty wooden dance floor, I found the patio. The concrete display was small - about as big as an average classroom.
Fitting for such a small environment, the patio was just as cozy and comfortable as I wished it could be. In a corner, a small crowd huddled on old plastic chairs and worn wooden tables, looking on as a lanky and waifish young man played an original composition on a small violin. Accompanying him was an older man, grey and grizzled, gently plinking down musical accompaniment on a familiar keyboard. After having performed just two songs by the time I got there, the attention shifted to the other side of the patio, where a band of twentysomethings were getting ready to perform.
Unbothered were a great band - three guys on the guitars (lead, rhythm, and bass) and drums. They performed your usual DIY indie rock, but to great aplomb with the small but animated crowd. After slightly going over the set time, the band packed up and shipped out, to plenty of tips and applause.
Overall, I will admit this photo shoot was rather fun. The atmosphere, music, and overall experience was rather enjoyable. I do hope that this good feeling continues for my future photoshoots - I was lucky enough that C.Frenz is just down Reseda, and that they hold these events on a semi regular basis. Next time I’m going to have to actively work to ensure I can do a proper photo shoot.
Doing a photo series on the LGBTQ community has been slightly difficult, but thankfully I do have resources. Being able to see LGBTQ+ affiliated perform and being able to photograph them was a treat. I pray that this luck can and will continue for future shoots.
