Second chance
“I cannot stand the idea of being denied freedom; not being allowed to go where you want and obliged to live in a very small space with others you do not know is something I do not bear. No one should be reduced to its errors only, humans are not only THE errors they did once, they have the right to continue to move along in building their lives with confidence and trust from others.”
When I asked Matthieu why he decided one day to be a volunteer in visiting prisoners, he added that having a Dad part of the French penitentiary administration, had probably influenced him as well. Unlike the prisoners he visits for three hours each week, Matthieu considers himself as very lucky in life, and giving of his time to prisoners is a way for Mathieu de give back a bit of that luck.
” At the end of the day I believe that helping prisoners to leave their incarceration with more of humanity is a way for me to protect my family, my community and the society; these guys deserve to be listened by others than only policemen, lawyers or judges”.
I was amazed by the high generosity of Matthieu in a world where money and individualism is too often presented as the only way to happiness. I wish we were all “Matthieu’s.”
fooding and digital
Why did you come to the US?
I would say that I did not come to the US but to San Francisco. I discovered SF when I used to work for a Californian company based in Paris. With my wife we were looking for some fresh air, not projecting our entire life in Paris. As soon as I got a job opportunity here, it became an evidence to move in with my family.
What do you like about the US?
Americans think big and positive. I’m always amazed by the smile and the positive attitude of the clerks at the supermarket! Although their job might be boring, they take the time to speak with you, to pack your stuffs and to wish you a great day. On the tech and entrepreneur side, everyone thinks big and networks are wide open.
What do you like about SF ?
SF is an amazing city. First, I like the light, from the cloudy and foggy white to the sunny and blue sky bright one. Of course, I like the views from everywhere, but also the different districts, the nice buildings, the beach and the fantastic Golden Gate Park.
Do you have a passion?
I like “fooding”. I’m always happy to share a good bottle of wine with friends, or a good tasty and refined dish at a nice place. My favorite places are some bistrot restaurants in Paris where the Chef prepares perfectly executed fresh food with only 4 or 5 ingredients. But the top of the top remains Michel Bras at Laguiole.
Do you have a dream?
A business that would mix fooding and digital.
Remi is indeed an excellent cook and a fun model to shoot, Just like the clerks at the supermarket, he takes the time to make sure that his friends have a good time while enjoying his cooking specialties from all over the world..
city girl
” I came to the USA after a short assignment in Tokyo and Hong Kong. Life is cool here, my husband had to follow me and he is taking care of our three girls, Samantha, Deborah and Jess (Jessica), all great pom pom girls, just like grandma. I was born in a city and I am a city girl, and I not a big fan of small towns like Orbey or others.”
What are you the most proud of?
“Being an executive woman is not easy every day, I travel all around the world and thanks to Bob, my husband, I can dedicate myself to making the world a better place to live for our kids; my friend Marina and Isabella are also a great support”
I love this picture of Sandy on the road to Death Valley, a moment of rest at the very opposite of her lifestyle, urban and fast.
ballerina belle
“I lived nine years in Los Angeles and I was a ballet dancer. Back to France I started a dance school in Mougins, South of France; we came back in 2013 and I love this place, in the US you can be yourself while in France you have to follow a life codes…”
What do you dream of ?
“I think “Ballerina Belle”, I dream “Ballerina Belle”, I hear “BB”, I live “BB”. Ballerina Belle is a thirteen episodes TV series I produced, and is about a young american girl called Belle, she arrives from California to the south of France with her mother, and her dream is to become a Ballerina. My youngest daughter is Belle, my oldest is Manon the ballet pianist ,and I am “Madame Odette”, the Ballet Dance teacher.”
Carol’s is full of this American energy that idea that “anything is possible”: while she is working on selling her TV series, she is managing her dance school, she teaches pilates and zumba to the french community, is invested in organizing shows for the school and even wrote a book about “french cuisine”…her next business woman dream is to direct a Broadway Musical Movie. Good luck!
cycling to the flying boat
” I came to the US to fulfill a wish I made at the corner of California & Powell streets in 1982 ! It took me almost 30 years but I did it!!!”
What do you like about San Francisco?
“Space , space, space. That feeling that you can breath here. The fog in the morning going down the hills, the sunset in the evening on the Pacific ocean near the Cliff House ”
What do you dream of ?
“Cycling to the flying boat. In fact I realized that Burning Man gave me the opportunity to cycle to a boat floating in the sky in the middle of the desert, a dream I realized even before dreaming of it!
Behind his very professional and serious image of a Finance Manager, Christophe is also capable of wearing the most amazing costumes he tried on Haight Ashbury, frightening his two teenagers for ever! I was lucky to spend most of my three days at Burning Man with Christophe, a very friendly burner.
transportation
“After spending 2 years in college in South Bend, Indiana, I took a trip to California, just in case I would never come back! Without noticing, I guess I was then infected with the “exploration” virus… Three years later, I was married, had my first child and worked for an American company; I was ready for a new experience abroad. I started raising my hand to get an assignment in a foreign country and was stubborn enough to succeed…9 years later!”
What do I like the most about living in San Francisco, California?
“I love the American practical sense. Everything is made to make your life easier and enjoyable. The social barriers are much thinner, the optimism is a way of living, giving is a philosophy… Everything is possible!
Even though a piece of my heart is also in Houston, Texas, California offers a variety of landscapes you can’t match elsewhere. The North Marin County weather is so perfect! And you’re a short drive or flight away from multiples wonders…”
What do you dream of ?
“Living in “optimismland”, I can only have dreams!
“I dream of transportation. Enjoying San Francisco’s fog patterns in the morning and having dinner with friends and family in Paris… Enjoying a sunset from the top of the Eiffel tower and waking up in Singapore… Cruising the Ha Long’s bay and visiting my children in their future own paradises.”
Laurent, his wife Chantal and their five kids, are probably one of the most friendly family I have ever met so far; I was impressed by Laurent’s capability to manage multiple tasks, from going to work all day, then managing the kids in the evening while organizing the next family trip to Costa Rica and making sure the insurance fees are renewed and the tax declaration is completed before doing his business trip for three weeks to Asia and coming back to prepare their annual “White Party”…I liked Laurent’s idea of “transportation”, probably a great way to keep deploying all that energy while his kids keep growing.
karma
“I am from the south of France, and after 4 years on the East Coast I needed sun, and the only place I identified for that was California. I applied to several bilingual schools in the Bay Area, and was selected by the Lycée Francais…this was 10 years ago and I never left CA. When I came first time to SF, I felt like I was going back home…Californians are close to the nature, opened to the world, and most important they are tolerant.
I don’t know if its related to the adventure of the Gold Rush, but Californians believe that anything is possible here.”
If my personal life was a bit challenged in these past years, I still believe in my Karma; I try to give positiveness to others as much as I can because this is my nature, it makes me feel good, like positive rays.”
Nathalie is a beautiful school teacher, always optimistics and this is very contagious. She is not afraid of the future anymore, she believes in the importance of the moment, in her Karma. On her left foot are tatooed her three kids initials: Valentin, Ambre and Elina…
Roy-Camille
Why do you think you are an artist Pierre?
“I imagine this is not really a choice, I was born like this, a pen in the hands and images in my head. This is the most reasonable way I found lo live.”
What do your art pieces represent, is there any message ?
“I see myself as a forest in the night, the wind blowing between the murmuring trees, with little animals walking through the roots. I am a very mystical person, I am contemplative. But these are very personal things, it’s a bit difficult for me to explain. My work is a way for me to share my vision, like a reverse autoportrait.”
What brought you to San Francisco?
“In my life I have always looked for the opportunity that would make things happen: a project, meeting someone…and this is what has happened with Jules when he started his art gallery in San Francisco last year, we have a lot in common, our trajectories are parallel, all this was probably “written in advance”, and we are just at the start of a long journey…”
The first time I met with Pierre he was in the Jules Maeght Gallery installing his drawing on the walls. I was fascinated by the black and white rain forest that reminded me my childhood in Brazil and my trips to Africa. When Pierre explained to me that his family was originally from the Caribbeans, I suddenly understood why this young Parisian artist started his career painting the rainforest on the walls of Paris!
reduce pain
” I can not stand seeing others suffer, so helping them to reduce their pain is also a way for me to reduce my own sensitivity. I worked in many different companies, but I soon realized that this was not my vocation, these were not the jobs I dreamed of. We moved here to the US as my husband was offered a great job opportunity, and this was a way to give to our kids the gift of speaking english. It is probably time now for me to do what I have always dreamed of, dedicate my time to people who need support and assistance.”
How do you like San Francisco? “It was not easy for me at the beginning as my level of english was rather low, but it’s improving every day. The first time we came to SF, I immediately felt at home here, I was not scared like if I was far from home, there is something special here that makes you feel good.”
Veronique is already a very dynamic mother of three children, but she still wants to try to dedicate the rest of her time helping whoever needs her. I could tell listening to her that this need to “give” is strongly anchored in her heart. Wishing this will bring Veronique the satisfaction and peace she is looking for, receive by giving…
amstrad pc1512
“When I was 13 my parents did not want to pay me any electronic games, so I decided to create them by myself, on the Amstrad PC1512 they accepted to buy me; I was spending all my days and nights developing, coding, hacking, I created a little Packman in a labyrinth…till the school I was in decided to “invite me to go to another school”, my parents were so mad at me ! I developed and educative software at 16 with my cousin that we sold to an editor, and then after high school I studied IT and started my own business. I did not want to be a slave, I did not want to have a boss deciding on what is good or bad for me, I did not want to have to depend on someone else for the decisions I wanted to make in my life.”
And why did you decide to open a subsidiary in the USA?
“I love the US, here anything is possible, here in the Bay area people think so BIG, people are free to think BIG (unlike in most European countries), people are not afraid of tomorrow, people believe in their capacities to find another job, people are ready to sale shoes if they get laid off in the IT business…there is no shame, just because tomorrow can only be better than today!”
Eric is full of humor and knows how how not take things too seriously when we speak about him and his background. Just like a fish in the ocean, Eric goes his ways with the elements sliding on his skin, cool and relaxed. I ended asking him what he did not like in life and he had this response”I hate the noise, the noise of this microwave for example, or the music playing in the ski resorts at lunch time!”.
I love this blurry picture of Eric, laughing about this interview and me trying to capture a clear “portrait” for this post.
earthquake
“I lived in San Francisco when I was a little girl, and the only thing I remember is that I went directly to an american school without speaking a single word of English. One day I saw all students jumping off of their chairs and rushing under their tables; I was the only one not moving from my chair, I saw the teacher terrified moving her hands all over…I did not realize there was an earthquake. My teacher thought I was completely crazy, for me it was terrible, I did not realize what was happening and I did not even feel the earhquake….”
Why did you decide to come to live in the US with your family?
After that experience I came back to the USA many times for my job in the printing industry, and I have always felt at home here. In this country people are so nice, so open minded to foreigners, but most amazing is the strong belief Americans have that tomorrow will be better than today, that not situation is never desperate nor lost, an amazing optimism I wanted my three children to acquire. Although I am confident by nature, I am not certain like my american friends that tomorrow WILL be better than today, I wish I would feel like that, but I am French…
When Sandrine was telling me that story of her childhood at school, she was imitating herself with the big smile on her face like on this picture. Although she considers herself as more “French” in her beliefs than Americans, Sandrine never gives up until she has finished what she has started.
beauty
“When I entered the military in Taiwan, I was ready to “get married” for four years, but after several months, I new it would be for me like getting married..to suffering my whole life.I left the army, studied finance and economics, and I moved to SF to become a businessman, to built my abilities, be my own boss. I moved to the Castro, the more open minded place in the city, here there is a high acceptance, diversity, people don’t juge you, you can be who you are.”
Do you know why you are gay?
“Do you know why you are straight ? Do you prefer eggs or chicken? The beauty of living in America is that people have the right to be who they want to be; for example my first boyfriend was from France, her Mom was half black half white, her Dad was Brazilian…that’s the most appealing thing about the U.S.A, the respect of differences!”
retired
Excuse me sir, can I take a picture of you? “Of course, please do so.”
Can I post it on my blog ? “I don’t care sure. My name is Robert, I am retired, you can post whatever you want, I am ok.”
Do your tattoos have any inspiration from the Pacific islands? “Yes, a friend of mine brought from Polynesia some wooden statues and they inspired me in the choice of ma tattoos. I am tattooed all over my body, I have full body tattoos.”
Why? “I like people looking at me all the time in the streets of SF, I feel different”.
just human beings
Why did you buy these flowers? “I love flowers for my house, I like to support Guy by buying flowers whenever I come by.”
Why do you live here ? “Castro is the best area of the city to live in, close to everything, far from downtown. I have rented under rate control for the last 20 years (lower than normal rates), this is the ideal place to live as the environment is more pleasant; here we are just human beings, whether if a male or a female.”
duboce triangle
“When I was young, I got raped and molested. I thought I was gay till I met that man, who told me that “women would like you, women would probably love your style”…I had a date with a woman, I realized I was not as gay as I thought. The reason why I live in Castro in the Duboce Triangle, is because here you can be yourself, in other places people cannot stop looking at you; here you see people completely nude, and this is not a big deal, this is just freedom of choice; nevertheless, I believe everything has its place, and if clothing is not an option, there are places for nudists as well.”
Guy has been selling flowers at the corner of Noe and 15th (Guy’s Flowers) for the last 30 years. He got that idea after visiting the flower market in Paris, France, where he decided to study french. He was then a young actor in Berlin, he did TV commercial in Greece and was a model in London and Amsterdam. Born in Baltimore, he met a guy from San Francisco in Amsterdam, and decided to move here. Guy is a very friendly and sensitive person, It was a real pleasure to sit on that bench to discuss with him for a long moment. Guy was interviewed in the 2013 Emmy Nomination documentary “We were Here” showing on Netflix.
tenderness
“I was born and raised in Venice, Italy, and at 30 years old I moved to Paris France to teach psychology. While I go to Venice every month to visit my family, I have the feeling that I would love to live her in San Francisco, although I have been here for only three days! I am not 20 anymore, and it is important to know what you are looking for in life. Here we meet friendly people in the streets, people talk to you spontaneously, I like the climat, I appreciate the sweetness all over.”
Donatella is famous in France and Europe for her dedication to children’s psychological support, through numerous initiatives and publications. I admire people who dedicate their lives to others, as well as her optimism “I believe there is always something to do to help children, there is always hope somewhere; everything is about meeting the right people at the right time’. From Donatella’s voice emanates a tenderness that is probably the clue to the children’s salvation.
This picture was taken at The Arion Press, The Presidio, San Francisco.
watercolor
“While my husband is starting bass guitar lessons, I just started taking watercolor and drawing lessons; as two of our three kids left home last September for college in Montreal Canada, we probably have more time for us and our (new) passions but I also needed to create something, I paint 8 hours per week and I love it…too bad we have to go back to France next summer after three years in the USA, but my husband’s project is ending. Three years of sightseeing all over California, meeting so many people with different backgrounds, new strong friendships built up.”
Nathalie is a very nice person, very optimistic and happy to live, and this is so communicative. Her dream is to come back to San Francisco as soon as possible, her bedroom is probably already prepared in many houses of the French community in the Bay Area.
humanitarian
“I am happy because we just got married with Kino, my young and beautiful wife. But in two weeks I will go to Afghanistan for a humanitarian mission, and my wife will not be allowed to follow me, too dangerous. I will be a project manager for an NGO, and my role will be to protect detainees and help them maintain contact with their families, making sure they are treated in jail with respect of the “humanitarian laws.”
Seo-Jun is dedicated to others in a period of his life where he could have decided to think about him and his wife only. I was impressed by his dedication to respect of human rights such difficult countries.
the good choice
” We just got married in Korea, I live in China and my husband is going to start a humanitarian mission in Afghanistan. There is nothing for me to do there, nor am I allowed to go to live there. I hope I can find a job for the same american Corporation I work for, in Pakistan, that would allow me to see my husband easier than from Asia. We plan to live separated for one year, then we will see.”
When I asked Kiro how she felt about being just married and knowing she would live by herself for one year, seeing her husband from time to time every two three months, she believed that travelling all around the world for her job would help them go through that challenging journey. Her smile and her eyes behind the dark glasses seemed to say ” hope we are making the good choices”
asana
” After almost three years in the USA, I decided to start a Yoga Teacher training program here in California; in France I was working in the cosmetics industry, I was starting my own business when we decided to move to San Francisco, as my husband had this great opportunity for his career; our four boys are growing fast, and I want to be prepared to go back to France, whenever this is going to happen, with an experience from the USA that I could value back to Paris.”
Marine is an active mother of four kids, and although she enjoys a lot her life in Marin county, she does not really feel good not working anymore; she felt in love with Yoga she practices four times per week, and thus decided to get a yoga teacher diploma to practice her passion when time comes. Marine is also my lovely wife.
ride dudes
“The first time we tried to freeride, we used our ski gloves, I even tried the garderner gloves from my Dad; we decided to stop doing only freestyle, to find the adrenaline, the sensations, the speed we were looking for while descending the long streets of San Francisco. SF is the best city worldwide for freeriding, streets are never ending, there are not too many cars, the bitumen is good quality, and the landscape is amazing, sunset on Ocean Beach, hills and blue sky…”
Benjamin, Justin and Oscar are three French teenagers that value their team, the “Ride Dudes”, as being inspired by the professionals they admire the most in San Francisco, the “Sunset Sliders”; being part of a team pushes them go beyond their fear and find new challenges, just like the Marin Headlands they freerided today.
babylon
Jerome left his job in France as sound engineer travelling all around the world, the follow and support his wife who decided to start a new company in the IT business in the Silicon Valley. Jerome talks about sound like a painter about colors.
patrol
“Every year before Christmas I give a bit of my time to collect toys for poor kids that have limited chances to get a gift under the tree. Parents going to this toys store to buy their gifts, most of the time buy also for us.”
Diane is part of the California Highway patrol in Marin County, she is a very generous woman.
fence
“One day I will buy a ranch in Montana, there will be a very long fence all over it, I will paint it in white, and I will spend my days seated on that fence, looking at the horses, like the one I had in France when I was younger. I will renovate the barn; I have always loved building houses and furniture. When we arrived from France 2 years ago we bought two cars, one truck F150 for me, a Jeep 4X4 for my wife.”
Francois travels all over the USA to sell a high technology cork to the best wineries; along with the boots, the Stetson hat, the truck, Francois is now realizing his dream of living the American life style, just like he dreamed of when he was a kid.
marama
” That woman came to my place the other day, he husband just had passed away and she wanted a tattoo to continue her life with him, this was weird but I was honored. For me tattooing is like creating art pieces that will stay for ever, or almost, art pieces that travel, move, unlike a painting on a wall for ever.”
Marama is a world famous tattooer. I was told by a customer in the waiting room that people come from all over the world to get tattooed by Marama, like Rihanna. But Marama is happy with his simple life, just one employee and this tiny cabin on the beach for office, he does not want a web site nor meet with the customers in their five star hotels on the lagoon, here in bora Bora. Marama is tattooed on only the left half of his body, he does not like chaos.
flowing river
“I have two daughters, the first one is Kinimai (look for me ) and the second one’s name is Kawaiki, the flowing river. We gave her that name as we were living in a bamboo house near a river that we could hear flowing, this was very peacefull. I am a lucky man, every morning I pass by the school with the boat where my wife is a teacher, and she makes me signs like “go away, do not provoke me with your freedom.”
Shaq has been living in Bora Bora for fourteen years now. He is a tourist guide, he shows the tourists the bests snorkeling spots of the lagoon, dances with the rays and swims with the lemon sharks outside the coral reef. Shaq and his wife (from Switzerland) have a dream, go to the USA,; they have booked their trip for 2015, fifteen full days in Las Vegas…
copra
” I work in this five star hotel and I carry the luggages from the boat to the reception then to the rooms of the customers coming from all over the world. I also prepare the towels every morning on the beach, and I am in charge of the masks and fins our customers use to snorkel around our small Motu island.”
Why did you decide to work in this hotel? “I was working in the mountains all day long with my brother, climbing in the coconut trees to get the coconuts and extract the copra, this was very hard work. With copra we manufacture here in French Polynesia, coconut oil for eating or for cosmetic industry.”
Samy is a very friendly polynesian I met on a small private island in the lagoon of Bora Bora. Samy is happy not to work in the plantations anymore, his life is easier, obviously less exciting…
flip flop
” I lived with my family her in Tahiti when I was four years old, then we went back to France, my Dad was working for a construction company. As an adult I decided to go to Papeete for several weeks, I stayed there eleven years, but working here was not easy, my boss did not help me to be promoted as he initially promised, and then this woman was harassing me, I was in love with her, that did not work out; I went back to “la Metropole.”
When I asked Samuel why he was coming back to French Polynesia, he showed me his flip-flops and said “for that!’. He was smiling but seemed a little bit wistful, with high expectations about this new life on these islands in the middle of the Pacific ocean.
reindeer
“I have always dreamed of adventure, I have always wanted to come to the USA, and Texas was the image I had of that country, the cowboys…people are cool here, there are relaxed, in the USA no ones judges you on your appearance nor the way you are dressed, unlike in Europe. Every year at Christmas I put the Rodolphe’s Red Nosed Reindeer horns on my huge Ford, and people like it! I am pretty sure that in my previous life I was an American, born and raised in Texas. ”
Chantal is a french mother of five kids, she is full of kindness and generosity, always so optimistic. Chantal’s dream is also to travel all around the world, not knowing where she would be going the day after.
motion
” I hope that people visiting the exhibition will be sensitive to “the story” we are trying to tell them, that they will be feeling emotions while discovering the variety of the creations we are presenting to tell that story. This is the story of “Art in Motion”, full of speed and modernity over the ages. Art is like a big balloon, full of emotion like the one this little girl shared with us while visiting the gallery today with her Mom; she had a candide look, and seemed to be full of admiration watching the creations of Calder, Miro, Spelletich, Elliott, Snelling…”
Why did you decide to come to San Francisco to open your art gallery? “SF is a city continuously reinventing itself, everything here is simpler, free. San Francisco is a city always in motion”.
Jules generously shared with me these last weeks the great opportunity to put images on the conception of his gallery and the preparation of the exhibition he will be showing tomorrow. Just like the exhibition’s creations, Jules is a masterpiece, always “in motion.”
truly alive
“My aspirations were to be a writer, but I soon found myself drawn to making sculpture and paintings, which I have done from an early age. I was influenced by travelling in Europe as a child, from seeing great cathedrals and museums, to the festivals in the small German town I lived in. Because my father was in the military, we visited many of the military sites such as the Maginot line and the ossuary of the Verdun memorial, which remains one of my most durable memories from that time. There’s nothing else like it in America, to see a monument that shows the insanity of war so clearly.
Is there a link between what you saw at Verdun France and your creations? “I often credit these experiences as the origins of my interest in mortality, which sometimes makes its appearance in my artwork. Art to me has a power to bring us truly alive, completely alive, and because of this, offers a clear location to consider the possibility of death. The memento mori tradition in art is long: to remind us that we aren’t going to live forever and should make the most of the time we have. History is a death of the shaping moments of our times, and too often, these moments become buried and we no longer look at them. I prefer to seek out the forgotten and ignored, bringing them back into awareness so that we have greater perspective on our own lives.
Marshall is a young artist of the San Francisco Bay Area. I liked his vision of a link between mortality and arts; Marshall’s creations will be presented at the Jules Maeght Gallery in SF, along with others artists like Pol Bury, Alexander Calder, Kal Spelletich, Tracey Snelling, but also Joan Miro, Kristie Macleod, Clovis Prevost, Herbert Snelling, Vassily Kandinsky…his peers….
curator
“I like to work closely with living artists on special exhibitions and commissions. I love getting close to the artists’ intentions and ideas–I love entering their worlds. Curators help deliver work to the public, they help contextualize and support artists. My passion is to work from the studio to the venue and beyond.”
How did you start working in Arts? “I started working in the Arts as a curator when I was in high school in San Francisco. I had an internship at the San Francisco Fine Arts Museums and I was in charge of the galleries–checking the temperature, the humidity etc…I even got to dust the Rodin bronzes. I would spend hours alone in the empty galleries. The etymology of curate” is “curare” from “to care for” and I have been curating ever since.”
Since I know very little about arts, Natasha took the time to try to share with me her passion for Arts; Natasha is a beautiful curator travelling all around the world as an independent curator “to look at art, I write about it, I teach it and I live and breathe it.” Natasha is co-curator of the “Art in Motion” Jules Maeght Gallery first exhibition in SF.
lumber
“I took that wooden beam to make it look like redwood. I love wood, it reminds me of my Dad, he had a building company in Davenport Iowa, and I was helping him; One day I saw my Dad furious as his employees just announced him they were leaving the company to go to Costa Rica. I asked these guys why, and they told me they were going there to build a school in a village, and do surfing in the afternoon. That was for me a revelation, that building could also be for the benefit of others, making others happy. I decided I wanted to be a builder as well, but an artist builder.”
Kal is a famous artist worldwide, based in San Francisco. His art is shown at the Jules Maeght Gallery , as part of the “Art in Motion” exhibit.
soft
He was with the red hair model at the San Francisco airport. He started posing with his black glasses, so i asked him to take them off; he stopped showing me his white teeths to pose like a model. I liked his style, his face soft like a statue.
i am a model
I saw that beautifull woman at the airport, on her way to Los Angeles; she had tattoos on her legs, on her arms, on her neck. I asked if I could take a picture, she said yes, then stopped smiling to take the pose, ” I am a model” she said. Why do models prefer hiding their white smiles?
@ CA
so proud
“My son Jet William was born 2 weeks ago, I am so proud. Last week all the family came from all over the US for Jet’s Brit Mila. This is a thousand year old tradition, we did this at our home, it was a great family moment, the parents and grandparents were there, we all sang traditional songs….”
I could see in Justin’s eyes all the happiness of being a new Dad. Justin is on maternity leave to be along with his lovely wife to welcome Jet to the world.
grandson
“My daughter and her husband are new parents and gave their son my father’ first name, Joseph. My grand parents came from Russia to the US in the mid 1890’s, moved to Ellenville, NY and established the Ellenville Lumber Company. My father– Joseph– was born in 1900. As him and his brother grew up, there was no high school, so my grandfather built a high school and the 2 brothers were the first graduates– my father at the age of 15. He moved to NY and entered NY University, from which he graduated at the age of 18 or 19 with degrees in finance and accounting. He then began practicing accounting but had to wait till he was 21 to get his CPA. He then formed his own firm of CPA’s– specializing in tax and international business consulting — which he led till his death in 1966. My father Joseph was always an inspiration to me and I hope to pass this on to Jet William Joseph– our new grandson.”
Mike is from New York and he has always been very active in business, just like his father Joseph. He is now putting all his energy in developping a new treatment against different types of Cancer. Progresses are promising on animals, Mike hopes the human body will react the same way; a successfull treatment against cancer, that would be first time ever.
veterinarian
“My parents wanted me to spend my 11th grade in the USA, in New York or in San Francisco, I choose SF. I initially came here for one year only, but my friend Baptiste convinced me to stay one more. I grew up in a village in Picardie, North of France, among animals, and I have always wanted to be a veterinarian. But from the day I met with this french man Arlen, working in the aerospace industry, I decided I wanted to work as well in the aerospace world; from animals to the stars, this is where my stay in California has changed my life.”
Tom is living between France (the family) and California (the girl friend) and Canada is his next move to study mechanical engineering (the friends)
boyfriend
“What do you miss the most about France?” ” I love going to France each summer to see the family, but how can I really miss a place I never lived in? I was born in the USA, spent all my life in SF, my parents came here 30 years ago, not sure if they are going back to France in a near future. My boyfriend is from France, he lives in France for the moment and he will soon be starting college in Montreal, Canada. I am happy because tomorrow the two of us are going to spend some time in Santa Cruz, just him and me”.
Marinca is a student, a singer and a guitarist, she just started a new music band with her friends
puzzle
” It is very easy to be a French in the USA here in San Francisco. SF is a city where you can live with your differences. SF will feed itself of your difference, just like if each one of us were a piece of that puzzle that is San Francisco; without you, without me, SF is not a completed puzzle, made of different colors and shapes; the puzzle would be incomplete; there is very little reject here in San Francisco, and politically the extremes do not survive long. I came to the USA at 24 for a two weeks’s trip, I was organizing concerts in France and wanted to see how different was SF. I never returned home; I worked as a maid, then I met an amazing couple who landed me a car and a house for one year, I then started a new Franco-American school in Sunnyvale with $100 000 people who trusted me gave me, and I hired four motivated teachers from France; Valerie became my wife 8 months after her arrival. I then started a company in the apartment rental business in Paris, allowing me to spend my time taking care of the kids, travelling all around the world to try to give a bit of that generosity, tolerance, and energy I received all these past 28 years in San Francisco”.
Just like the clowns, Claude does not want to be seen as a too serious person, and as every year, he is preparing his Halloween costume, for the little boy he probably still is
geese
“No I do not play with my remote control car. I get paid by companies to scare geese and make them go away from their parks, their lawns and ponds; I am Eric and I like to start my car to the geese and see them fly away; the lawns stay clean. And yes this is my full time job”
Eric, CA
comics in Brussels
Why did you decide to come to the USA? ” I met that California girl who was coming to learn French in Besancon who was coming to learn french; I was finishing my studies and my career was to be in the Franco-German business, quite boring. We fell in love, two weeks later I discovered that girl’s town, Sausalito, I fell in love a second time in Love and I decided that my life would not be in Europe but in California; we got married in Mill Valley, we started a dental business, our twins were born two years later; this was far from what my destiny was supposed to be between France and Germany…” “Do you miss Europe?” “I miss buying comics in Brussels, I miss the little french cafes”
Fabian is now a talented photographer
your banker
“if you see your banker or a co-worker at Folsom, do not look surprised; Folsom is about tolerance and respect ; are we all not free to be dressed like we feel is the most comfortable?”
@ Folsom – SF
marble
In the middle of the Playa in the Black Rock Desert, it was 7 am when I saw these three guys obviously starting their night, after a long evening….they looked like marble statues
@ Burning Man
feet
The old man accepted I take a picture of him but he never looked into my direction nor was he surprised when other burners were asking for a picture of him. He seemed to be a long time burner, concentrated on what he was watching, not sure what.
@ Burning Man
bored
When Dad saw the camera in my hands, he changed directions and came to me at high speed; the boy in the front was showing me the snake like he did thousands times already, while the girl behind him was hiding the baby’s face. I felt I was seen like one of the numerous tourists visiting the floating village of Chong Khneas, this was so artificial and sad; when I went back to the riverside, a little girl was waiting for me with a plate where my picture was printed. I bought is for $5.
@ Lake Tonle Sap – Cambodia
orange
This young Buddhist monk was visiting a Temple in Angkor. He told me that he does not gain money because he does not have the right nor to gain, nor to spend it. He does not work as he needs to dedicate his life to spiritual tasks; the young Buddhist monk lives on charity, his life depends on others generosity.
@ Angkor Temples – Cambodia
$10
” I am orphan, my Mum died from malaria, my Dad was killed by the soldiers of the Red Khmers. I teach french and english lessons in my village”. Kimlhet was my guide to visit the Angkor ruins, and he spent the full day with me for …$10… when time came to have lunch, he brought me to a little place in the middle of the jungle, he started going to the kitchen side, I could tell he wanted to have a great plate of chicken and rice with me but he was too discreet to show it. Kimlhet proposed to show me a quiet place where four monks were praying while singing; he started to play that instrument, with that impressive smile on his face. I admired him. I still do.
@ Angkor, Cambodia
happy
It was 6 am and she was looking at the sunrise over a lake near the ruins of Angkor. She agreed I take a picture of her, but forgot my presence the second she said yes. She was getting prepared for a long day selling souvenirs she made herself for the tourists coming from all over the world.
@ Angkor Temples – Siem Reap – Cambodia
spot on
He had the perfect San Franciscan style: the cap, the tee shirt with the shirt, the iphone, the beard, the glasses and the tattoos, was just missing his skate board. When I told him I wanted to take a picture because he looked to me like the image I had of San Franciscans, he said “Spot on man, I live in New York and I am from Australia!”.
lipstick
He was trying to fix his earring when I approached to ask him if I could take a picture. He then raised his arms towards the sky as to call his God. He then took a nasty face. He had chains hunged on his nipples
@ Folsom Street Fair – SF
tongue
After are long day cycling on the Playa in the Black Rock Desert , we ended at the end of the day dancing with hundreds of burners in the dust, drinking free orange juice with an energy drink. It was hot, we were tired, when we suddenly saw that beautiful little cat walking around the dancers. I have never liked cats, but this one was so pretty. Living animals are forbidden at Burning Man, as per regulation.
@ Burning Man
naughty leaflets
He was distributing naughty leaflets smiling, but when I asked him if I could take a picture of him, he took his serious air of the kind “I am irresistible and you know that!”. He gave me one of the cards from his left hand, I gave it to Jules. I think his name was George.
@ Folsom Street Fair – SF
victory
This is the smile of victory. After many years of intense preparation, Laurent’s team, Oracle Team USA, won in 2013 the famous America’s Cup in San Francisco Bay. No need to come back to what was the closest match in the America’s Cup history, ORACLE TEAM USA wining 8 consecutive races after initially falling behind New Zealand. Laurent has been working for many years now for America’s Cup and Oracle, both in Portugal, Spain and in the USA. I like this picture of Laurent, a cup of champagne in the hand, five minutes after USA 17, the fastest boat in the history of the event, crossed the finish line. Laurent gave a call to the family in Europe, his daughter’s hand trying to say “hey Dad, I am here also to celebrate the victory with you”, and his wife in the background with the american flag she kept with her during all the competition.
horse’s hair
It is not that common to meet with horses in the streets of San Francisco. This one immediately accepted that I take a picture of him. He was a proud horse.
@ Folsom Street (Leather) Fair
Dusty man
After a long night, before a long day; he was sleeping at the foot of the Burning Man wooden structure.
@ Burning Man
Police
While the Black Rock City Rangers were starting their day, I saw that beautifully policewoman lying on the sofas, drinking her fresh coffee. It was 6.30am, she was just relaxing after her long night.
@ Burning Man
Temples of Life
I like this picture as Laurent is diffuse hiding behind his sharp camera. In real life Laurent likes to make movies, but is too shy to be in front of the camera. French film producer installed in the San Francisco Bay Area for the last 15 years. Laurent is married to an American, Sandrine and their son Lhassa have been to Burning Man almost seven times. Laurent loves to discover people, places, different cultures than Bretagne where he was born – west of France. Laurent went to Burning Man for the first time in 2002, two years after his dad dramatically passed away; walking through the Temple on The Playa, he met with a man, David Best, who became his friend while he looked at him saying, “you are here because of your “PaPa””. From that day Laurent decided to dedicate most of his time producing films about the magic of Burning Man (“Voyage in Utopia” among other documentaries), trying to convince that BM is not only about sex and drugs, but mostly about Arts, Desert and 80 000 people willing to meet and stay for one week in a wild desert tin Nevada.
Laurent is finalizing his new project, “Temples Of Life”, the story of Temple architect David Best.
Contact me if you are interested in participating to these projects.
Temple guard
He was proud to explain his role as a Temple guard. People liked to take a picture with the old man.
@ Burning Man
Fur
“Can I take a picture? “, she looked at her boyfriend who agreed. She posed naturally, asked me my first name and shaked my hand saying “Nice to meet you Arnaud”. I liked the fur.
@ Burning Man
Coffee
We where heading to the Burning Cafe when that beauty offered us a “fresh brewed burned coffee”, we could not refuse. She had a strong german accent, she was from the East Coast.
@ Burning Man
Virgin
Franck was at Burning Man for the first time in his life. He decided to discover Black Rock City as part of the numreous places he wanted to visit while living in the San Francisco Bay area. Franck works in the glass industry in Napa Valley, Burning Man changed his life for the better. French Franck is happy, he “Is not a virgin anymore”.
@ Burning Man
Profile
He did ask me to shoot him on another profile, with the smile on his face. This was 7 am at the Burning Man Cafe
@ Burning Man
Robots
They were walking on the same rhythm on the Playa in the evening. Not sure if they new where they going to
@ Burning Man
Trampoline
Evening Jump in the camp
@ Burning Man
Wolf
White wolf on the Playa
@ Burning Man
Burner
@ Burning man
Skin
@ Burning man
Crown
He was sitting in front of the Temple
@ Burning Man
Le baiser
When I asked to them if I could take a picture while their where kissing each another, they agreed and started over and over again, with passion.
@ Burning Man
Orange
She agreed to pose for my pictures despite her naked man watching her.
@ Burning Man
Pants
I liked their pants and their beards
@ Folsom Street Fair – SF
YMCA
He immediately accepted that I take a picture of him; he reminded me parties dancing on the “YMCA” rhythm.
Folsom St Fair @ SF
Jules passion for Art
Jules spontaneously proposed to show me the new Art Gallery he was opening early November. Jules was born in an artistic environment, south of France, and decided to come to SF to share his passion and discover new talented San Franciscan artists.
@SF
Dog or Pig?
When I asked if I could take a picture he immediately decided to bend his knee. Spontaneous submition;
Folsom Street (Leather) Fair @ San Francisco
Glasses
She was the first lady Burner to welcome us when we arrived at La Playa. I liked her smile
@Burning Man
Princess
She was trying to find a connectivity on her pink phone when she turned the head and looked at me. Can I take a picture? she smiled
@Burning Man
Ski mask
He was in the Temple of Grace watching the column of the suicides, I liked his style
@ Burning Man
Film producer
He was trying to fix his scarf to his glasses. He looked like an Egyptian gladiator and was walking around the Temple of Grace.
@ Burning Man
Stars
He looked like a famous actor, I saw only stars in his eyes.
@ Burning Man
The smile
I asked her for what served the crowbar she had in the hand “to collect the garbage” she told me, “it is my way of giving”.
@ Burning Man
Lady
Can I take a picture ? She agreed without a world.
@ Burning Man
Bear
Pen
He offered me a pen and asked me to draw a world on the piece of the puzzle. I wrote ” Passion”, other pieces of that puzzle where Love, Peace, Others.
@ Burning Man
God
He seemed to be somewhere else, he accepted that I take a picture of him, never looking at me; I liked the small half-smile on his face. He then walked to the Temple of Grace, he looked like God.
@ Burning Man
Horn
@ Burning Man
Couple
After having made a photo of them, this couple offered me a bracelet with their initials “B&P – Anything is possible…Burning Man 2014” I still wear it.
String
She started dancing while I asked her if I could take a picture. She was happy.
@ burning Man
Mustache lady
“Why do you have a mustache? “, “Because I am coming from a party where everyone had a mustache”.
@Burning Man
The baby burner
He was the only baby I saw at Burning Man that year. I liked that smiling family.
Sergeant Pepper
I thoughts this was a joke, ” I am sergeant Pepper” said the Black Rock City Ranger
@ Burning Man
Who cares
“Can I take a picture?” “Sure” “Where are you from?” “Who cares?” “You are right, nobody cares”
@Burning Man
First Burner
He was the first burner to welcome me in Black Rock City. I was not scared anymore.
Red
He was at the entrance of the Temple of Grace the last morning, before the evening burn. His role was to prevent people from entering into the Temple.
Burned burner in the evening
@ Burning Man
Going somewhere?
@ Burning Man
Naked couple on the Playa
@ Burning Man
Gladiators of the desert
He wanted to go to the light, his friend to the dark
@ Burning Man
The lady in the desert
@ Burning Man
Sleeping near the man burning
Finishing the long night.
@ Burning Man
Morning guy
He came to me while I was packing my camp before departure; it was early morning, he was talking to me but no world was clear; I gave him a banana, he was or finishing his night or starting a new weird day. He left smiling.
Le Petit Prince
He looked to me like The Petit Prince from Saint-Exupery. He was walking alone in the desert, I was curious about what he had in his hands; this is a root he said, I can eat that for days. He was dressed like the Prince of the desert, his voice was so smooth that I could hardly hear; I loved his style, he was probably from the stars.
@ Burning Man
Grace at Temple of Grace
I was walking around the Temple of Grace, the dust was all over, when I suddenly saw that creature posing for pictures; I approached her and saw that the photographers were not professionals, so I felt free to ask her, “Can I take a picture?”. She smiled at me, she started posing and I took 3 pictures; ” I am a model she says, my name is Grace, I am from”…I can’t remember where she was from; “nice to meet you” she said putting her very long fingers into my hand.
I was impressed by the poses she was taking, she was the professional, I was the amateur. Grace was like in her Temple. A man looked at her walking into the Temple, he did not like her nudity.
@ Burning Man
Ghost at Burning Man 2014
I was cycling in the desert from the Temple of Grace when I saw this woman walking to the “Man” . I was surprised by her loneliness, most of the people at BM walk with friends; I approached her and asked “Can I take a picture?” , she turned he face to me, looked at me, she was a man.
He suddenly stopped walking, looked at me smiling, I took the picture and said thanks. I did not feel it was appropriate to ask him who he was or why he was dressed like a ghost in the desert. I could tell this was to him completely natural.
@ Burning Man
Desert Yoga
Going to the Temple of Grace, I saw these folks attending a Yoga class, in the middle of the desert.
@ Burning Man
Christophe
My name is Chris he says. In fact his name is Christophe and he is from France. Chris in the middle of the Black Rock Desert, visiting this Roman style Temple, plastic made. Ropes prevent from the desert Roman Empire fall. Christophe works in finance, he likes the Burning Man “no money” economy.
@ Burning Man
“I am not interesting”
Marine does not like this photo and considers that her life is not interesting enough to deserve a post in this blog.
As many French women installed in the USA, Marine had to stop her career to accompany her husband in his career. Although this was a family decision, Marine feels guilty not to be an active woman as she was in France. Marine loves the life in California, but “I am not interesting”.
@ California, SF Bay area