Photographing in South Central

[FMCoug]

Awesome pics. When I was 18 I was taught an awesome lesson by a co-worker. I had the typical suburban white kid view of these areas, minorities, etc. The town I grew up in is very ethnic now but at that time it was probably 80 or 90 % white. Anyway, this guy at work was an older black guy and we got talking one day and my attitude was probably pretty clear. So he took me down to Compton one day. Just for lunch. We went to Sizzler and I was the ONLY white guy in the place. People were looking at me, etc. He asked me "how do you think I feel every day?"

[MarkGrace]

People were looking at me, etc.

I'm looking at you right now for eating at Sizzler!

[TripletDaddy]

I'm looking at you right now for eating at Sizzler!

I already turned away in disgust.

[TripletDaddy]

Yes, for we participate in Die de los Muertos with the Self Help Graphics crowd in East Los.

There is a great Dia de los Muertos fiesta here in Santa Ana on Main Street. LOADS of food everywhere and a nice excuse to gorge yourself on tamales and tacos. And that roasted corn with cheese and mayo (sounds gross, tastes NOT gross).

Speaking of which, it is almost time for Cinco! Another excuse to eat lots of mexican food.

[wuapinmon]

We lived in New Orleans for five years.....the violence eats at you, makes you jumpy and on edge, and cramps your life...no grocery shopping at night, etc.

Now that I've been out of that, I don't ever want to live somewhere again where I'm always watching my back. I miss New Orleans, but I don't miss living there.

I understand exactly what you mean, Robin.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Y
Here is a Watts Towers photo:

[IMG]http://HERE is a Watts Towers panorama I took.

Pardon my ignorance, but what goes on at the Watts tower? Do people climb it?

[Surfah]

Pardon my ignorance, but what goes on at the Watts tower? Do people climb it?

[YOUTUBE]watUED9whdE[/YOUTUBE]

[TripletDaddy]

Pardon my ignorance, but what goes on at the Watts tower? Do people climb it?

No. They are just a set of sculptures, basically. No climbing. Made of all kinds of funky materials...rebar, broken bottles, pottery, etc.

[RobinFinderson]

We lived in New Orleans for five years.....the violence eats at you, makes you jumpy and on edge, and cramps your life...no grocery shopping at night, etc.

I actually have no problem at all being in public and crowded places in my neighborhood at any time of the day. A grocery store would be zero problem.

Violence tends to happen on the residential streets where the targets live and where there are fewer potential witnesses. This would describe all of the violence I have ever witnessed in South Central.

[SteelBlue]

Robin, have you ever had violence directed at you? Or is it more that there is always violence nearby?

[wuapinmon]

I actually have no problem at all being in public and crowded places in my neighborhood at any time of the day. A grocery store would be zero problem.

Violence tends to happen on the residential streets where the targets live and where there are fewer potential witnesses. This would describe all of the violence I have ever witnessed in South Central.

Our nextdoor neighbor got robbed at gunpoint on her front doorstoop while holding their infant in a carseat in broad daylight on a busy street. That's the kind of violence I'm talking about.

[RobinFinderson]

Robin, have you ever had violence directed at you? Or is it more that there is always violence nearby?

No, violence has never been directed against me or my family. Also, violence isn't always nearby, or we wouldn't be here. I end up seeing about one seriously violent act a year. So far this has included three serious beatings (one with a pipe) two car explosions (one photographed above) and two shootings. Out of all of those I only witnessed the beatings first hand. The shootings and car explosions happened and then I went outside to see what was going on.

All of the violence seemed to be targeting specific people. In the car explosions the criminals were probably destroying evidence (though no bodies... I looked). Of the three beatings I witnessed two were directed against black youth who didn't live on the block who were beat up by other black youth who do live on the block. One beating happened when someone crawled into someone's unlocked truck to sleep and the owner came out and discovered the person.

Now that I'm writing about it I've also witnessed a couple of verbal shout downs that would peel paint, and one time I saw gangsters running down the street with guns drawn chasing after someone.

Most of this happened within the first couple of years of living here. Things have quieted down a lot, though I did see one of the three beatings a couple of months ago.

So that is about everything.

[SipiTau]

Thanks for the photos RF; I'm pretty familiar with your neck of the woods. My grandfather lives off of 73rd & Florence; I still visit him every week. I've seen the area change from being all black neighborhoods, to a big influx of Latin move ins.

[SoCalCoug]

You know, Robin, looking at that picture of your wife and son, you may want to check them out really closely. I think they might be zombies. They just have that "look".

[UteStar]

These pictures are fabulous and it makes me think of downtown Provo.