{MOVING DAY!} Visit my new blog at www.brianamariephoto.com !

Visit this blog { http://www.brianamariephoto.com }  for all new and upcoming work!

{Exhibit} Museo Miraflores . Guatemala City . Guatemala

 

I’m thrilled to learn that my images taken for Constru Casa (a non-profit focusing on the housing and education needs of Guatemalans in need)  will be used in an upcoming Exhibit in Guatemala City. The proceeds will continue the good work of this amazing non-profit. For more images and information about my experience,  you can read this previous blog post: https://brianamariephotography.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/building-hope-constru-casa-guatemala-photo-philanthropy/ 

or visit here: www.construcas.org

For more information about the exhibit: invitacion exposición CC 041012 or contacto@construcasa.org

 

{An Exhibition of Place and People } MEMORY BANK II

 

For me, it is about slowing down and listening. Listening to the stories that soon will be only relayed through memories. In our busy lives sometimes we easily forget. We all know that realization… a moment lost, a conversation that should have taken place, a story that needs to be told. It is because of this realization that I am so proud to be apart of this upcoming Exhibit. But first…a little info:

Memory Bank II is Preservation Napa Valley’s 2012 community preservation project: an annual, intensive endeavor to celebrate and build awareness for the cultural heritage of Napa County. Partnering with the Napa Valley Museum, subjects have been gathered from eight county areas, from American Canyon to Calistoga. Six professional photographers and one filmmaker are capturing the people and places during an era of great transition in Napa’s history.

August 11- September 23rd 2012

Opening night is tomorrow! August 11th 5:30-7:30 Napa Valley Museum, 55 President’s Circle, Yountvillle, CA

I was fortunate enough to work with three subjects, whose stories and lives touched me. I so enjoyed walking with them and hearing their stories all while being given the immense task of telling just a bit of their story on film. It was an honor and I’m excited with the result.

Here are just a few of the images. I invite you to come to The Napa Valley Museum ( http://www.napavalleymusem.org) to enjoy the rich lives of these history makers in our valley’s heritage.

Thomas May sits in front of his original Napa Valley home

Roy Enderlin

Arnold Enderlin

 

{ Dominican Republic & Haiti on Film }

Last month when our family traveled to Dominican Republic to photograph for Una Vida ( a non-profit working to help the impoverished in rural Dominican Republic & Haiti), I shot some personal work of the many rich, wonderful and intense experiences. There are many more to come but here’s some of my favorites from the film batch. All shot on Contax 645 | Fuji Pro 400 & Porta

{bags are packed…} photo philanthropy in dominican republic & haiti

As you read this, we are boarding a plane off for our next adventure. It has been a whirlwind preparing for this trip but we are so excited to be visiting the Dominican Republic and Haiti and working with Una Vida. What in the world are we doing there, you may ask…

HERE’S THE STORY:
PhotoPhilanthropy: Promoting positive Social Change . One Photo at a Time

There are a whole bunch of good people throughout the world that are doing good things…really good things like providing education, healthcare & homes to children in need. But unless someone shares powerful imagery of their good deeds, the goodness isn’t spread and those good people struggle sharing their story and bringing in the resources to continue their efforts.
That’s where I come in.
As a photographer, I am constantly looking for avenues to use my passion to make a difference. I am eager to travel the globe documenting powerful social change in action. To meet that goal I have partnered with PhotoPhilanthropy and work with Non-Profits around the world. It is quite simple actually…I take photos of the non-profit in action and then they can use those image for their social media, marketing, story-telling etc.

I am currently traveling to help Una Vida- a non-profit inspiring hope & change for impoverished women in Haiti & Dominican Republic.

I’ll be posting more of my journey and images as soon as I return.

Thanks for all of you who donated to help cover some of our travel expenses…it means the world to us!

Adios!

Briana

http://www.crowdrise.com/onephotoa

{Yanieska’s New Home} Can you help?

UPDATE:

We have just returned from a quick visit and the house building project has begun!! The home site has been cleared, foundation begun and we are off to a great start.  We still need to raise another $3000 dollars to finish!  Any donation no matter how small will greatly be appreciated.  Yanieska and Norvin and their whole family are working on the construction and we were over joyed to see the energy going into the project.  The whole place was buzzing with enthusiasm.

Here are Yanieska, Norbin & Baby Laurie before ground breaking of the house.

My Son Brandon & his new friend break ground on the home.

Progress continues….

Want to help. Only $2500 away from completion!

DONATE SECURELY HERE

——————————

DONATE SECURELY HERE

Meet Yanieska. Ten years ago my parents met this sweet little girl living in horrid conditions. Since then, with their help, she has gone to school and now has become a mother. She still lives in a tiny town in rural Nicaragua with her new baby. At this point she really needs a home to provide a safe & stable place to raise her family.

One week from today, I’ll be traveling with my family to document a photo essay for Clinica Verde. While I am working, my parents, husband & boys will be getting started on Yanieska’s new home.

We could use some help. Any amount of donation will make a difference. Will you be a part of this positive change? Any little bit helps!

I look forward to sharing images of our experience upon our return.

DONATE SECURELY HERE

DONATE SECURELY HERE

{Miss Representation } Clinica Verde Hosts Screening

Last night the Cameo theater was packed full for the sold out screening of the dynamic documentary  MissRepresentation.  This powerful film, Co-sponsored by Clinica Verde and the St. Helena Women’s Center showed the misrepresentation of women in the media and the drastic negative effects on young girls. I strongly urge everyone to see this film;  eye-opening, empowering & important!

View the trailer here: http://missrepresentation.org/the-film/

About the Issue :

• Women hold only 3% of clout positions in the mainstream media (telecommunications, entertainment, publishing and advertising).
• Women comprise 7% of directors and 13% of film writers in the top 250 grossing films.
• The United States is 90th in the world in terms of women in national legislatures.
• Women hold 17% of the seats in the House of Representatives (the equivalent body in Rwanda is 56.3% female).
• Women are merely 3% of Fortune 500 CEOs.
• About 25% of girls will experience teen dating violence.
• The number of cosmetic surgical procedures performed on youth 18 or younger more than tripled from 1997 to 2007.
• Among youth 18 and younger, liposuctions nearly quadrupled between 1997 and 2007 and breast augmentations increased nearly six-fold in the same 10-year period.
• 65% of American women and girls report disordered eating behaviors.

To find out more about Clinica Verde’s important work: http://www.clinicaverde.org/

{iron chef morimoto} auction week | napa valley 2011

It was a memorable Auction week this year with bids being raised higher than ever and rain falling down, a first ever! Auction Napa Valley is the most successful charity wine auction in the world and to date has given over 100 million to scores of non-profit programs.  Every year I am fortunate enough to be able to photograph one of the memorable aspects of auction week and this year it was Iron Chef Morimoto.

The first night held at Garguilo Vineyards, Morimoto & his spectacular team prepared a nine course dinner that left guests speechless. Here are a few of the images from the two spectacular events. Saturday morning, that same group got to learn sushi making skills from the master himself at his new restaurant in Napa.

{Old Hands . Old Faces . The Way it Was} Upcoming Exhibit . Opening May 20th 5-7pm

I was honored to be invited to participate in the Preservation Napa Valley‘s upcoming exhibit.  Here’s a sneek peek of a few of my contributing  images:

Preservation Napa Valley presents their 2011 Community Preservation Project: Memory Bank: A Discovery of Old Hands, Old Faces and the Way It Was, May 20^th-June 30^th, at 1400 First Street, (next to John Anthony Tasting Lounge). A very special exhibition opening with all Old Timers, Photographers and Filmmaker will be held May 20^th, 5-7pm.

Memory Bank: A Discovery of Old Hands, Old Faces and the Way It Was
One Filmmaker, Six photographers and Sixteen Old Timers

This unprecedented photographic and film documentation of Napa Valley Old Timers presents the work of six local, professional photographers and a filmmaker who captured fourteen unsung Napa Valley Old Timers. From Pope Valley to Angwin, Rutherford, Napa, Calistoga, American Canyon and beyond, each of these Old Timers played a part in a once quieter, smaller Valley… a time that preceded the glamour, glitz and reign of Napa Cabernet.

Farmers, teachers, fruit truck drivers, dairy men, naturalists, homemakers and hay-makers; these are the folks that watched the transformation of Napa from a vast and diverse agricultural bread basket to the viticultural powerhouse Napa Valley is today. It is the last generation that holds the memories and stories of a place and time passed. The exhibition will be curated by Jennifer Garden, an established and well known curator from the Napa Valley museum.

This six week exhibit has been made possible through the generous support of The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Gasser Foundation, Cathy D’Angelo Holmes of Coldwell Banker Commercial, John Anthony Vineyards and Drapinski TV &Audio. For more information please go to http://preservationnapavalley.org/education.html or call Wendy Ward at 707 258-9286

Preservation Napa Valley, 1180 Green Valley Road, Napa CA. 94558

preservationnapavalley.org

{ featured } children’s books that give back

While in Guatemala, I had the pleasure of meeting Jeffrey j. Maciejewski, a university professor & children’s author. He has written a delightful story and 100% of the proceeds benefit charity.

Today, he was kind enough to share a bit of my experience:
Big Bunny Worshop : Photographer Connects…

Here, a bit more about Big Bunny Workshop:

“As an educator and as a father of two young children, educating kids is important to me. That’ s why I founded Big Bunny Workshop: To raise money to help children. Because I believe that  educating children is one of the surest ways to improve their lives and to eliminate global poverty, I donate 100 percent of the profits from sales of Big Bunny Workshop books to projects that provide children with the kind of education that can change their lives forever; projects like the “Garden of Love” in Santa Maria de Jesus a short drive from La Antigua, Guatemala…. more…“

So calling all Easter Bunnies…this would be a fantastic gift for your little bunnies. 100% of the proceeds goes to charity!

 

 

 

{stories} Guatemala

Each day brings new faces & stories; so many stories. I am eager to share some soon, but you know me…more eager to share the images. I hope you enjoy. I would love to hear which image tells you a story…

{que color} Guatemala

the colors . oh the beautiful colors of Guatemala

{age of their heart} Guatemala

Everyone is the age of their heart.  ~Guatemalan Proverb

 

{faces} San Mateo, Guatemala

such stories these faces do tell

x

{and here i am} Guatemala – Constru Casa

hola!

Here I am in Guatemala – it’s been so crazy this last month fund-raising & planning for this trip that it feels surreal to finally be here with my feet planted firmly on Guatemalan soil. I am touched by the instant warm welcome we received by both the Constru Casa folks as well as each an every person we pass along our travels. Everywhere we venture out we are greeted with warm, “Buenos Dias, Buenos Tardes or a simple Hola”.

Many people gently stroke Trevor’s hair and he often receives compliments on his light hair and blue eyes. (much to his confusion).

Brandon is slowing building the confidence to speak some Spanish and yet the  language of futbol has proven to be universal. The boys carry their ball where ever they go and easily make friends as they begin playing.

We spent the first few days visiting the Constru Casa work sites, towns that they are helping & seeing the schools, women center & homes that they are hard at work building. In addition, we were invited to share in the celebration of a volunteer’s hard work & departure as well as a new women’s center open to families. The volunteers that we have met come from as far as Holland, Spain, France, London, and the United States.  In our spare time we have walked every inch of Antigua and I have enjoyed shooting the colors and flavor of the Guatemalan culture.  It all has been a joyful whirlwind and today we decided to stay home to catch our breath before an intense week of shooting, traveling & home construction.

The people we have met are warm & lovely. They take nothing for granted and make use of everything. Overall, we are humbled and inspired by their grace and ability to adapt in difficult conditions. Yesterday, Brian was floored when we saw an elderly woman carrying two large cement cinder blocks on her head and then asked someone to hand her a third…to carry down a steep slope in bare feet. I know many young fit woman who couldn’t come close to her strength. The blocks she carried were foundations of her son’s new home. Blocks that would prevent the home from sliding  down the steep hill during the next heavy rains.

I am eager to witness more of these construction projects next week & my boys are ready to assist. I can’t wait.

Many more images to come…