project

a long overdue entry

well let’s just jump right in. i’m loving the job, and am getting the opportunity and resources to make great storytelling photos…and occasionally work on longer-form stories. so the ball’s in my court. on that note, shortly after i started, i was assigned to photograph three families for a series writer Gary Stern was working on about the different approaches families take for caring for their elders/parents. here are a few photos from my time with the Siragusas. my goal, while working within a specific window of time, was to give a glimpse into the everyday routine of children taking care of their elderly parents.

Nancy Siragusa, 48, top, cares for her parents, Edmund Siragusa, 92, and Mae Siragusa, 85, with help from elder-caregiver Dorothy Rinda, far left. Nancy attends to her parents while Dorothy feeds Mae and Edmund naps in the elder's New City home July 7, 2010. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

Nancy covers her mother with a blanket to be comfortable while watching television in Mae's room July 7, 2010. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

Nancy Siragusa, 48, makes calls to try and procure a lightly-used wheelchair for her mother after setting her down to watch television July 7, 2010. Nancy cares for her father, Edmund Siragusa, 92, left, and mother, Mae Siragusa, 85, in their New City home. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

Nancy shares a lighthearted conversation with her father July 7, 2010. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

Nancy Siragusa, 48, pulls her mother, Mae, over a curb on their way to the Nanuet salon to get her hair done by Marie Limongelli on July 10, 2010. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

Nancy Siragusa, 48, cares for her parents, Edmund Siragusa, 92, and Mae Siragusa, 85, in their New City home. Mae is photographed July 10, 2010, geting her hair done by Marie Limongelli at Hair Creations in Nanuet, while Nancy, right, watches. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

in related news, you can now see my work at LoHud.com, the website for The Journal News in White Plains, New York, which has two separate editions — one which cover Westchester County (the location of the main offices, and larger paper/coverage area —home to the cities of Yonkers, White Plains, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Scarsdale, and a whole load of villages and towns), and Rockland County (across the Hudson, on a little triangle of NY that borders NJ). the coverage area for breaking and community news is so vast, and publications numerous, i do not always know what runs when, but i will post selected work here on a more frequent basis. ideally.

thanks for stopping by.

here’s a few photos from an interesting story i was working on in college

below i’ve posted a few photos from a story i was working on in Albuquerque in late 07. “Mariachi Orgullo,” which is Spanish for “Pride Mariachi,” was Albuquerque’s only gay and lesbian mariachi group…and the first of their kind, according to band leader Adan Branchal. around the time i was leaving for Austin after graduation, they were breaking up…or fizzling out to be more accurate, Branchal said (lack of continued interest and paying work). but while it lasted, it was an interesting interaction between traditional Mexican culture colliding with modern, non-traditional culture — and actually working pretty well — these folks sounded great. actually, aside from the member’s work with Mariachi Orgullo, many of them played in larger groups regularly, under renowned mariachi directors. i haven’t been able to do anything i’m really happy with, regarding an edit of these photos, but some of them are kind of fun images so i thought i’d post them here. if not a blog, then where!?enjoy

Xavier Mascareñas; Mariachi Orgullo is a gay and lesbian mariachi group based out of Albuquerque, N.M. They are led by Adan Branchal, Mr. Pride 2006 for the Albuquerque Gay Pride Pageant, who also played with the New Mexico Highlands University Mariachi band in Las Vegas, N.M. His father, Nick Branchal, started New Mexico's first high school mariachi group in 1981 at Taos High School, and their family has always been involved with performing. In this photo, Anthony Ortiz, a violinist with the group, gets ready to practice at Adan Branchal's house in Albuquerque. Branchal's partner, Joseph Gutierrez, applies makeup in the background for his on-stage personality, "Anastasia," before performing at a local bar for the Kamikaze Drag Queen competition.

Xavier Mascareñas; "Anastasia" is tipped during a performance at the Albuquerque Social Club on Sept. 22, 2007.

Xavier Mascareñas; Adan Branchal, left, and Joseph Gutierrez relax shortly after Branchal sang a love song in English to help raise money during a fundraiser on Feb. 4, 2007. Before performing, Branchal said "I'm shaking. I get more nervous before shows like this than I do before performing for a whole lot more people. The smaller the crowd, the more personal it is, and the more I worry about what people are going to think of me. It's not easy for me to do this."

Xavier Mascareñas; Adan Branchal's partner, Joseph "Anastasia" Gutierrez, left, and Anthony Ortiz prepare for their own types of performances in Branchal's Albuquerque Westgate home Jan. 21, 2007.

Xavier Mascareñas; The Martinez family listen to Mariachi Orgullo perform in their home.

Xavier Mascareñas; Timoteo Serna plays a trumpet solo Jan. 21, 2007, during Mariachi Orgullo's performance for about 20 people gathered in a small living-room. The group performs at a wide range of events, from AIDS benefits and drag shows to religious events and family celebrations.

UNMH Southeast Heights Clinic project is opening April 3rd

this is Gerardo Dulzides-Ojeda — a man who was sought personally by Fidel Castro for his involvement in anti-communist actions in Cuba in the 60′s. to summarize a quote, he told me he’d be fighting Castro right now if he was physically able, and that if given another life after this one, he’d still fight for democracy in Cuba. powerful stuff.

Gerardo was the third-to-last photo i’ll be doing for the project, which will total around 21 images when all is said and (mostly) done. i will be working in Farmington when April 3rd comes around, but i really want to try and make it down for the clinic’s grand opening. it ought to be a nice community event, and i’d love to see how the photos end up looking on the walls at the new Southeast Hts. clinic on Central Ave. and Texas St.

i’m sticking with b&w…right here, for now

Wivine and her two-year-old son, Junior, have fun while trying to get ready for the photo. not sure if this is ‘the one,’ but if i don’t post it here, no one will ever see it. i also loved the “Cat in the Hat” creation on the wall behind Wivine.

Anne Marie and her two-year-old son, Alexsony, in their living room. The blanket behind their couch seemed like a fairly nice, nondescript backdrop.

referring to the post title: when i first heard about this project, i was thinking it would look best in black and white, with a solid dark backdrop behind the family’s portraits. nice and simple, and let the subjects/people speak for themselves. i also like how b&w seems to encourage people to examine the parts of a photo that matter the most (logically, at least). however, the Hospital was really thinking they wanted color — which would show off nicely the traditional clothing that many of the families will most likely wear. sooooo, here’s my final answer: i think i will just post the photos here in black and white, with the intention of composing that way, while being mindful of the color mostly in my lighting.

wow…i guess i should have just started this part of the post “…dear diary.”

enjoy

beginning work on a short project for UNMH

here’s the first of a series of portraits i’m making for the University of New Mexico’s new clinic opening in the Southeast Heights in a month or so. that’s gives me a deadline of, “like, yesterday!” i’ll be pretty busy for the next few weeks, which will be great. i’ll get to work with many different families from all over the world, and some great translators to help me write a little about each family’s experience to accompany the finished portrait.
by the way, i’ll print it in color for the clinic. i rarely get to work in b&w, though, so i thought i’d post that version here.

Light matters

a long overdue entry

here’s a few photos from an interesting story i was working on in college

UNMH Southeast Heights Clinic project is opening April 3rd

i’m sticking with b&w…right here, for now

beginning work on a short project for UNMH

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