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Art & Adventure with PJ Ortiz Luis

The online portfolio of Pacifico "PJ" Ortiz Luis, a storyteller utilizing different mediums of art including film photography, dance, and performance poetry.

#EVERYBODYELSIE

I am starting a new project for everytime I go out shooting with my Mamiya C330.

If taking a photo of yourself, is a Selfie.

Then taking a photo of everybody else, is an Everybodyelsie.

....Still, I want to keep it creative.  The uncoupled shutter on this camera allows me to take a second exposure, making this an everybodyelseandalsothesurroundingareasie.

Janus

Janus is the greek god of gates and doors, and has 2 faces on opposite sides of the same head.  Because he has 2 faces, he is able to look at the future and the past at the same time.  This was the first shoot I did for the year.  I got the roll developed at a local lab almost immediately after....but the scans were not what I was expecting....so I have rescanned them myself.  There seems to be a dust issue on my scanner....I may need to re-scan them again in the future.

CIRCLE OF LIFE

Here are the photos from my recent weekend in the desert.  Spent one day in Anza Borrego with the Hidden San Diego team....then the next day in Los Angeles, visiting the Vasquez Rocks park.

It turns out, with all the film photos I took over the weekend, they can be re-arranged to retell the story of The Lion King.  I've laid them out nicely for you, and included paraphrased dialogue.[to avoid any copyright issues]

NANNNNNNNNNN-TSAAAANOMYAAAAAAA
ongyonoma
ingyomaaaa
ongyomaaa

In the ciiiiiircle....The circle of liiiiiiiiiife.[title]

In the ciiiiiircle....

The circle of liiiiiiiiiife.

[title]

SIMBA:  But dad, don't we eat the antelope?MUFASA:  Yes Simba, but when we die our bodies become the grass.  And the antelope eat the grass.  Thus completing the circle of life.

SIMBA:  But dad, don't we eat the antelope?
MUFASA:  Yes Simba, but when we die our bodies become the grass.  And the antelope eat the grass.  Thus completing the circle of life.

MUFASA:  One day you will be king, and all this will be yours. Everything the light touches.SIMBA:  Everything the light touches?[simba looks at everything in astonishment]

MUFASA:  One day you will be king, and all this will be yours. Everything the light touches.
SIMBA:  Everything the light touches?
[simba looks at everything in astonishment]

SIMBA:  wow....but what about that shadowy area?MUFASA:  That place is forbidden, and you must never go there!

SIMBA:  wow....but what about that shadowy area?
MUFASA:  That place is forbidden, and you must never go there!

MUFASA:  Simba, you have deliberately disobeyed me.SIMBA:  I was just trying to be brave like you!MUFASA:  I'm only brave when I have to be.SIMBA:  I thought kings weren't scared of anything.MUFASA:  I was today....scared th…

MUFASA:  Simba, you have deliberately disobeyed me.
SIMBA:  I was just trying to be brave like you!
MUFASA:  I'm only brave when I have to be.
SIMBA:  I thought kings weren't scared of anything.
MUFASA:  I was today....scared that I might lose you.
SIMBA:  Dad, we'll be together forever right?
[mufasa has a look of concern on his face, as if he's watched the DVD many times and knows what is going to happen to him]
MUFASA:  Look at the stars Simba.  The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars.

ZAZU:  Mufasa!  There's a stampede in the gorge!  Simba's down there!MUFASA:  Simba![Mufasa jumps to action.  He grabs Simba from amidst the chaos and places him safely on a ledge.  Suddenly he is swept up by the torren…

ZAZU:  Mufasa!  There's a stampede in the gorge!  Simba's down there!
MUFASA:  Simba!
[Mufasa jumps to action.  He grabs Simba from amidst the chaos and places him safely on a ledge.  Suddenly he is swept up by the torrent of wildebeasts.  He starts climbing up the mountain, as Simba watches from afar]
MUFASA:  Brother!  Help me!
[Scar pierces is claws into Mufasa's paws]
SCAR:  [whispering into his ear] Long live the king...
[Mufasa is thrown off the cliff and falls to his death]

SCAR:  Your father is dead.  And it's all your fault.  What will your mother think?SIMBA:  What should I do uncle Scar?SCAR:  Run away simba.  Run away and never come back.

SCAR:  Your father is dead.  And it's all your fault.  What will your mother think?
SIMBA:  What should I do uncle Scar?
SCAR:  Run away simba.  Run away and never come back.

MUFASA:  Simba....Simba...[a cloud forms in the distance]SIMBA:  Father?MUFASA:  Simba, you have forgotten me.SIMBA:  No!MUFASA:  Simba, you have forgotten me, so you have forgotten yourself.  You must remember who you …

MUFASA:  Simba....Simba...
[a cloud forms in the distance]
SIMBA:  Father?
MUFASA:  Simba, you have forgotten me.
SIMBA:  No!
MUFASA:  Simba, you have forgotten me, so you have forgotten yourself.  You must remember who you are.  You are my son, and the rightful king.
SIMBA:  No!  Dad!  Don't Go!
MUFASA:  Remember Simba...
SIMBA:  You said you'd always be there!
MUFASA:  Remember Simba...Remember....

[Scar falls and is confronted by the Hyenas]SCAR:  My Friends!Shenzi:  Friends?!Banzai:  I thought you said we were the enemy...Both:  Ed?![Ed maniacally nods][Rafiki points to Pride Rock, then looks at Simba]RAFIKI:  It is …

[Scar falls and is confronted by the Hyenas]
SCAR:  My Friends!
Shenzi:  Friends?!
Banzai:  I thought you said we were the enemy...
Both:  Ed?!
[Ed maniacally nods]

[Rafiki points to Pride Rock, then looks at Simba]
RAFIKI:  It is time....

[end credits]

The 3 o'clock Rabbit

A collective photo series:
A rabbit that is perpetually late for his very important date.  It is constantly 3:00 everywhere he goes.  What anchors us to reality?  Is it time?  Or is it gravity?  Each photo is captured at exactly 3:00, but because time is a relative construct, the same moment captured appears slightly different based on the viewer's perspective and understanding of time.

San Diego CityBeat Photo Contest

Here's a little throwback thursday.  My resolution for 2014 was to work on balance.  Primarily it was with a focus on physical balance.  Seeking to gain the concept of balance naturally lead into other aspects of my life unrelated to the physical aspects.  This also lead to me pursuing a "Balance" photo project.  Here is one of the photos of me that helped spark the idea....and coincidentally it is an award winning published photo:
 

10387883_240523722804451_569466384_n.jpg

You can view the article on the San Diego CityBeat's website, as well as view the rest of the winning photos by clicking here.